Chapter Twenty-One
Lucy
Hunter’s arms snake around my waist, and as he slowly pulls me into his lap, he glides his tongue along my sweat-laced skin up to my lips. My mouth opens, inviting his wicked tongue inside. I can taste myself all over him as we kiss. My teeth sink into his full lower lip as he sheaths himself deep inside me. I love this angle, he gets so fucking deep when we are like this. Face to face. Bare skin to bare skin. So intimate and loving. This very act of making love, that sweet, gentle kind of sex is making me fall further and deeper in love with Hunter.
I’ll admit it, hell, I’ll scream it out on the roof top. I love Hunter McCoy. I’ve felt it in my bones since the night of the gallery opening. To be honest, I’ve been in love with Hunter since the day we met. It both scares and excites me. The last man I said I love you to was Colton, and after he died, I never thought I would meet anyone worthy of those words again. But then Hunter came into my life and showed me what it was to love someone again. To open my heart to it. He treats me like a queen, and he treats Bailey like she is his daughter. My heart bursts every time I watch them together. Hunter is my everything. My sun and moon and stars. We begin and end with each other.
My hand slides down Hunter’s cheek. Our eyes are locked deep into each other’s. The words begin to bubble in the back of my throat. There is no going back as my mouth opens and I utter the four simple words.
“I love you, Hunter.” I said it first. The words are out in the universe. There is no fear or nervousness about if he will say them back, because I can see it in his eyes that he loves me, too.
The smile on Hunter’s face lights up the darkness in the room. He pulls me tighter against his chest and buries his hand in my hair. Our foreheads meet, and he says the words I’ve been waiting to hear, “I love you with all my heart, Lucy.”
Our lips collide in a deep, passion-filled kiss, and we fall back to the mattress. As our bodies move as one, we whisper our love for each other. Tears of joy stream down my cheeks. I forgot how extraordinary and powerful it can feel to love someone with every ounce your soul. I love Hunter, and I will never let my doubts or fears get in the way of that again.
****
The coffee brews in the pot sitting on the counter next to me, but who needs coffee when you have Hunter McCoy to kiss you awake in the morning. We are both going on zero sleep, but neither one of us cares. The high of the first “I love you” is carrying us through the early morning. Hunter has an arm slinked around my waist while his other hand gently strokes my ass through my silk robe as we kiss. We haven’t been able to keep our hands off of each other. Hunter went as far as carrying me to the shower, where we washed each other then immediately dirtied each other up again. Even while making breakfast, we couldn’t stop touching and kissing. A few pancakes may have met their demise during a make out session in the pantry. At least we know the smoke detectors work.
The kitchen floor creaks behind us. Both our heads whip around to see Bailey giggling in the doorway. “You two are more lovey-dovey this morning,” she says with a big cheeky grin.
“That is because,” Hunter hugs me tighter against his chest, and I nervously chew on my lip, “your mom told me she loves me last night.”
“Did you say it back?” Bailey asks, holding her breath.
“I sure did.”
As soon as the words come out, Bailey’s eyes widen, and her mouth drops open as the loudest squeal I have ever heard come out of her fills the room.
“I think she approves.” A deep grumbling laugh bellows from Hunter’s chest.
“I think so too.” I giggle watching her dance in circles.
She stops suddenly and her face lights up like she just had a lightbulb moment. “Does this mean I’m going to get a baby brother soon.” She clasps her hands in front of her chin.
“Slow down there Little Miss, let’s get through school first then we can talk about future siblings.” I wiggle out of Hunter’s arms, grab Bailey’s lunch box off the counter, and hand it to her.
“So, you’re saying there is still a chance.” She wiggles her little eyebrows at me.
“Go get in the car, Bailey.” I shake my head. “We just made it to the first I love you, let’s give it a minute before we start talking kids.” To be honest and I won’t say this to Bailey, at least not yet, but I would have Hunter’s babies in a heartbeat.
Hunter spins me around and clutches me to his chest. “I’m going to hold you to that talk about future children.”
“Tonight, after dinner, we will talk about the two kids we are going to have,” I say in a hushed tone, so Bailey won’t hear me.
“Only two, huh? We’ll see about that.” Hunter slyly grins then playfully slaps my ass before dipping me back to kiss me.
“Okay, maybe three.” I smile against his lips.
“Now you are talking.” Hunter steals another kiss, then tells me he loves me before righting me back on my feet. He starts to follow Bailey out of the kitchen but quickly turns back and presses me against the fridge and takes my breath away with one final kiss.
****
Three kids. Did I agree to have three kids with Hunter? I ask myself as I give myself a final once over in the mirror. Yes, I did, but he’s going to have a lot of persuading to do if he wants four, preferably done with his face between my legs. I push out my stomach and imagine being pregnant with Hunter’s baby, and that is an image I like. Maybe I’ll be like Brooke and proudly show off my bump. You’re getting ahead of yourself, Lucy. Get through tonight before you start picking out names, and maybe get Hunter to put a ring on it before you start popping out kids.
I suck my stomach back in, slip in my shoes, and head downstairs to make myself a cup of coffee. I’d rather have Hunter’s kisses, but this will do for now. As I bring the cup to my lips for my first sip, the doorbell rings. Brooke is early for our morning walk. The door creeks open and my heart stops. The air in my lungs is sucked out of me. The world around me stands still. My grip on the cup in my hand slips and it slowly falls to the ground, but I don’t notice the shards of glass or hot coffee hitting my legs as my vision focuses on the face standing across the threshold.