They stopped in front of Brick’s vehicle.The sun warmed her skin and revitalized every cell in her body.Gratitude and disbelief warred inside her.Brick’s grin made her belly tingle.She let out a loose laugh and ran her hand over her hair.Her cheeks hurt from smiling.“I don’t even know what to do.”
Brick took her face in his hands.“You come spend your life with me and our son,” he said, his voice thick and gravelly.
She blinked twice.“I feel dumbfounded it’s that easy.That we can just...go.”
Brick lifted a shoulder.“You’re free.Hell, babe.We can do whatever you want.Move to Seattle, go to Italy, take Bray swimming.Anything you want.”
She raised her eyebrows.“I love how you just threw that in there—go to Italy.”
“You got something against pasta?”
She laughed.“Hell no.Italy would be heavenly.”She leaned into him.“How about we go back to our rental, order dinner and celebrate, then tomorrow we go salvage what we can of our belongings.”Sadness hit her in the gut.“I wish I had some of Bray’s things.Our photos, some of his favorite and familiar toys...”
Brick’s face darkened.“Let me handle that.If those items are still around, I’ll find out.”
She tsked.“That’s impossible,” she said with a sigh, though she appreciated Brick’s willingness to help.Maybe this was the trade-off for moving on—fully leaving her old life behind.
She shoved away the unease at the thought of all the material things she’d lost.She had her son and his father: the loves of her life.For everything lost, they’d create something new.
“Come on,” Brick said.“Let’s go order that dinner.”
She nodded, grinned, then rose onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.“That sounds perfect.”
***
Brick kissed hisson’s plump little cheek as he carried him from the bedroom, where he’d just rocked him to sleep.His breath warmed Brick’s neck, and the sensation went straight to his damn soul.For some reason, Bray had wanted only Brick to put him to bed.He figured the minute he shut out the light the boy would want Natalie, but no.
After he’d read him a book, they’d talked and sang lullabies until Bray fell asleep.Carrying the solid little dude with one jacked-up shoulder was tricky, but better he did it than Natalie.He settled Bray in the middle of their bed, then closed the door partway.
Downstairs, he stopped in the doorway of the kitchen.Natalie bustled around the space tidying up.Leaning against the doorframe, he watched her.Even banged up and bruised from that dead motherfucker, she was pretty as hell.Her long blond hair was down.Had she not injured her shoulder, she’d have put her hair in a ponytail before cleaning up.Funny that after such a short time, he already knew random facts like this about her.
She flicked on the faucet and ran a plate beneath the water.He pushed away from the wall and crossed the kitchen.He peeled off the sling and set it on one of the chairs.Reaching her back, he swept his arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck.“You didn’t have to clean up.”
She jumped then chuckled.“You scared me.”She reached for a towel, dried her hands, and turned to lean back against the sink.“Didn’t take me long.”
“Mmm.”He nipped her ear and braced his hands on the counter on either side of her hips.“How’s your head?”
She hadn’t mentioned being bothered by a headache, but the hospital staff had said she sustained a concussion from hitting the edge of the boat.She’d done well with ibuprofen, but just because she wasn’t complaining didn’t mean she wasn’t hurting.She had mentioned she felt a little woozy.
“Not bad.It’s tender.”She lifted her fingers to the small goose egg, then focused on him.“What about you?”
He cradled her jaw.“Yesterday, I thought I’d never see you again.”His voice thickened.“Today you’re here.So I’m pretty fucking great.”
She laughed, and the sound delighted him.“‘Great’ might be an exaggeration, but I love your enthusiasm,” she said, her voice husky.She ran her fingers down the front of his shirt, and her full, plump lips worked into a smile.His cock twitched.
He brought his hands to her waist.“You don’t know how badly I want to pick you up right now.But we’d probably end up on the floor.”
She caught his good hand with her good hand.“How about we try the couch?”
He followed her to the living room, admiring the slight curve of her back and her full ass in the leggings she’d worn all day.He dropped to the sofa and tugged her onto him.
She straddled his lap, dragging her hand over his jaw.He studied her face, but instead of desire, moisture collected in her eyes.
“What’s going on, honey?”
She sniffed and shook her head.“I’m just happy and...I want to thank you.”
“Natalie, please—”
