“Bull, I love . . . being with you.” Her hesitation gave me hope she would say something else, and I lean forward to take her mouth until her kissing rhythm becomes sporadic. I swallow back imaginary words. Words she didn’t say, but I feel from her. There’s no way she doesn’t love me in some manner. We can’t be this connected without it. It can’t feel so strong, so right, but I’ve been wrong before.
Falling back against the tub, I watch her move until she stills, holding herself down as I fill her to the hilt. I marvel at her, attached to me, over me, swallowing me into her as she comes undone. Overwhelmed by a mix of emotion and intense physical connection, I go off myself, giving her every part of me. Take my seed, my soul, my everything.
Bone tired and completely drained, it’s as if all the blood has been sucked out of my body.
“Let’s get out,” I suggest as the coldness of the water seeps into my weary body. Keeping my hands on her, I help her stand and then rise myself. I’m worried she’ll slip and fall in the large tub, so I don’t stop touching her. Once we step out, I quickly reach for a towel, wrapping it around my waist as Scarlet reaches for one for herself, but I take it from her.
“Bull,” she groans as I wrap it around her, working the material over her body to dry her.
“Just let me pamper you for a little longer.” I swipe at the water droplets along her shoulders and down her arms, taking extra care between her thighs and around her legs. Her eyes follow my every motion. Once I’m satisfied she’s dry, I secure the towel at her breasts as best it will fit and lead her to the bedroom. Scarlett climbs up on the bed.
“You know it was torture living with you at first when you walked around in only a towel.” Her sated eyes scan over my chest and down to the towel tucked at my waist.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I tease, standing to my full height and holding my position as she admires my body once more.
“It must have been an adjustment for you as well having me live in your house,” she questions, her voice dropping a bit.
“Every day was hell.” I teasingly chuckle. “But I think you’re what that house was missing.” What I was missing. “Just because you’re you.”
Scarlett catches my eyes and gives me a sheepish smile. “Yeah, I think you’re you, too.”
“Snacks?” I offer, pointing at the bag on the chair.
She shakes her head. “I’m tired, but we don’t have a change of clothes.”
“We don’t need clothes,” I tell her, tugging my towel free and allowing it to drop to the floor. Her mouth falls open a second, and a gleam fills her eyes again, but I give her a warning glare. “You need to rest. Let’s nap. Then I’ll find us a meal. We have the rest of the day and night to just chill.”
“The rest of our lives actually,” she says, wiggling out of her towel, and I find myself just as hungry for her once again.
“What do you mean?” I watch as she tosses her towel to meet mine and tucks her legs under the covers. She’s sitting upright with her swollen breasts on display. Her belly enhances in her seated position. Impending motherhood agrees with her so much.
“No matter what those results say, Bull. You’re Sprout’s dad and his father.”
“Scarlett,” I whisper.
“I don’t care what we learn. If the results say otherwise, something opposite of what I hope, we can tell Sprout someday. Some other time. But this is ours no matter what.” The fierceness in her voice makes her statement definitive. She chooses me, no matter what. Her hand glides over her belly in a loving caress, and I crawl up the bed, peppering kisses over the growing bulge. Her fingers move to my hair as my mouth meets her skin on repeat.
“Thank you. Thank you so much, sweetheart.” I can hardly contain the happiness welling inside me. “I promise I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.”
“I already am,” she whispers, and everything in her eyes tells me the truth. She’s right where she belongs, with me before her. Dragging her down to her side, I lay beside her body to kiss her before we curl into one another and take a much-needed nap.
22
Almond Milk and Full Moons
Bull
“She feeling okay?” Canyon asks after I explained what happened the other day to Scarlett on her trip to Burlington. His concern for my girl is a reminder I have something he wished he’d had—the experience of his child before Joey was born. I’m grateful Scarlett is giving me this chance. I’m grateful to be a future father.
We’re at the main house for dinner. It’s been a bumpy number of days for Scarlett and me, and I’m happy to be sitting down to a meal and hope for some normalcy. Dinner is ready, and the dining room fills. After the family takes their place at the table, Dad addresses Joey.
“Joey, perhaps you’d like to—”
“Harland, if I may, I’d like to say grace tonight.” Scarlett’s already told me she isn’t religious even though she was raised Catholic. I’ve not known her to pray for anything, so her offer surprises me as well as the others.
“Okay, darlin’.” Dad nods.
“Thank you for this wonderful meal before us and for bringing this family into my life. I’m undeserving of their devotion but grateful for their forgiveness,” Scarlett says, pleased with herself. I reach for her hand, giving it a squeeze.
Plates are passed, and the pork chops are served.
“I think it’s time we initiate Scarlett into the family. We need to find her something to do around here,” Dad teases, winking at her. It’s been suggested she help Carly, but never be put in charge of cooking a meal.
“She could milk the almonds,” Blade says straight-faced, and I chuckle.
“You produce almonds here?” Scarlett asks, looking around the table.
“We don’t grow almonds,” I state, shaking my head.
“She has tiny fingers and could easily squeeze them,” Blade continues, pinching his thumb and forefingers together and then tugging at the air to imitate the impossible. “Eek-eek. Eek-eek.” His noise matches the exaggerated drip of almond milk coming from imaginary almonds.
“Would you stop it?” I chuckle. Teasing her means they accept her, but after the stunt she pulled before Redd Bottom at the Goat, I’d hope so. Scarlett really put on a show for me, for us, proving her skill at reporting false news as acting. However, nothing was false in her actions, and the fierceness of her words later in the parking lot told me it wasn’t an act. Her spending nights in my bed—our bed—proves that Scarlett does care for me. She’s sticking around like she said.
“Is that how you get almond milk out of almonds?” Scarlett holds her face perfectly still, and for a second, I think she’s serious. Hopefully, it’s another sign of her acting ability.
“You don’t milk almonds,” Joey interjects, rolling her eyes like Scarlett cannot possibly be that gullible.
“Bet Bull has something you could milk,” Blade mutters.
“What the—?” I cut myself short because of Joey’s presence at the table but narrow my eyes at my youngest brother as he lifts his glass of milk to disguise his smile.