Hunter’s expression turned serious, and I sat down next to him. “What are you thinking right now?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
Smiling, I replied, “Liar. I know you, Hunter.”
“I don’t want to push you into anything too quickly…but I was thinking maybe you could move in with me. When you’re ready, I mean.”
A burst of warmth radiated through my entire body. “Here?” I asked.
“Actually, I was thinking the farm house. I know how much you love the apiary and everything, and I still want you to be able to make one on the farm, it’s just…” He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed as he looked away. “I finally got you back, Bella. I don’t want to waste another minute. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake you up with kisses before I make love to you every damn day.”
“I’d love that too.”
His brows rose. “So what are you saying?”
A slight giggle slipped free, and I looked down, then back up at him shyly. “I’d love to move in with you, Hunter.”
Jumping up, he pulled me into his arms and spun me around while Jack ran around us, barking. “You’re serious? I’m not pushing you into anything, am I?”
“No, of course not. I agree with you, enough years have passed us by, and I don’t want to waste any more.”
He laughed, then tightened his arms before he kissed the living crap out of me. When he finally drew his mouth away, I gasped for air. “Wow. Keep kissing me like that and I’ll never make it to lunch.”
“Is that so?” he asked, a wicked smile pulling at the corners of his luscious mouth.
“Hunter, I have to go,” I whined when he started to pull me toward the stairs.
Giving me a look that he knew would make me stay, he said, “We’ll be fast, I promise.”
“So now you want to speed?” I asked as he guided me up the steps and to the bedroom.
I lifted my hand to knock on Greer’s door just as it opened, causing me to let out a little yelp.
Greer, Abby, Willa, and Bree all stood in the doorway, each of them with smiles so wide I couldn’t help but smile in return.
“We’re missing Candace, I see,” I said as I walked into the foyer.
“She had to run to the bookstore—crisis with the computer we use for sales and inventory. I told her I could go, but she insisted I stay and wait for you.” Greer grabbed my hand and nearly tugged my arm out of its socket as she led me to the kitchen.
“You’re late,” Bree said with a cheeky smile.
“I lost track of the time,” I replied with a smile so big, I might as well have announced I’d just had the hottest sex ever.
Willa laughed and adjusted Ciara in her arms. “You never were a good liar, Arabella Adams.”
Entering the kitchen, I gasped at the sight before me. The entire island was filled with food.
“What have you girls been up to all morning?” I asked, walking over and taking it all in. A tray of finger sandwiches sat in the middle. Next to that was a dish filled with deviled eggs, which Abby knew were my favorite. Then there was a plate full of colorful veggies with a yummy-looking dipping sauce in the middle. To the side were large bowls of fruit and cheese. My stomach took that moment to let out a growl.
Greer laughed. “Worked up an appetite, did you? Bet you never even ate breakfast.”
My face heated once again as I busied myself with hanging my purse on the back of one of the barstools. “I did eat breakfast. But everything looks so good.”
Abby set a large bowl of salad on the kitchen island, then took put out three small bowls, each with different dressings.
“I’m starved. Let’s eat and talk, shall we?” Bree grabbed a plate and handed it to me.
After Willa placed Ciara in her portable crib in the kitchen, the four of us worked on filling our plates.
“I’ve got infused water, wine, or soda,” Greer said.
Bree went with the wine, while the rest of us went for the water.
“I’ve got the heaters on so we can sit on the back porch,” Greer added, making her way through the sliding door and out onto the enclosed back porch. “Willa, do you want me to leave the door open so you can hear the baby?”
Willa shook her head. “Nope, I have this little handy-dandy monitor. If she makes a sound, I’ll hear it.”
Abby laughed. “Let me guess, Aiden got it?”
“He did. He also has four cameras in her room, all pointed at the crib, and a high-powered microphone in there so if she so much as hiccups, he hears it.”
We all laughed, but at the same time I sighed internally. It was sweet to see Aiden as a new father. He was already an amazing dad to Ben, but with Ciara, he was simply adorable.
Once we all sat down, I placed my napkin on my lap and picked up a chicken salad sandwich. I went to take a bite just as Bree cleared her throat. I paused and looked up to find the four of them staring at me.
“What?” I asked.
Bree’s brows rose. “Seriously? You’re going to eat and not tell us what happened between you and Hunter last night?”
“We need details,” Greer added.
Willa popped a grape into her mouth and said, “All the details.” Then she frowned. “No, wait.”
I leaned back and stared at them. “You want me to kiss and tell?”
Bree let out a bark of laughter. “Hell yes, we do. Stop stalling. Did you guys…you know?!”
Lifting my napkin, I dabbed at the corners of my mouth. “Yes. A few times.”
They all squealed loudly, then Willa waved her hands and said, “Shhh! The baby!”
Greer leaned forward. “Like, how many times?”
I felt the heat go from my chest straight up to the tips of my ears. Looking away for a moment, I knew a smile was creeping across my face. “I might have lost count after the shower sex.”
Willa and Greer gasped while Abby fist pumped and said, “Yes!”
Bree had a wide smile on her face as she placed her hand over her heart. “Goddamn, I feel like a proud mother right now.”
“Shower sex? Arabella, you had shower sex?” Abby asked.
“Don’t act so surprised, Abby. Hunter and I used to have a very active sex life before…”
My voice trailed off, and Bree quickly took my mind away from where it was going. “The important question here is, how many times did he give you the big O?”
Greer nodded. “Oh, good question, Bree. Tell us, Arabella!”
I buried my face in my hands and laughed. Dropping them to my lap, I gave them a shrug. “I lost count.”
“Holy shit!” Abby said and the other girls burst out laughing.
I sighed. “You guys, I thought I needed to be in control last night. I told Hunter I wanted to make him, you know, feel good…but I asked if he’d be okay with not touching me. I wasn’t sure I could do it otherwise. And he was so sweet about it.” I closed my eyes and let the memory of last night seep in before I focused back on the girls. “Then I realized I needed him to touch me. Needed to feel…well…you know. He was slow, and passionate, and gah!”
We all fell into a fit of giggles.