Lily

I woke covered in sweat but feeling marginally better. There were no noises in the apartment, and my heart started to race as I tried to recall what had occurred the day before. I rushed over to the playpen, only to find it empty.

Frantically, I raced out of my room and down the hall to Hali’s room. I pushed through the door and stopped in my tracks.

There was an air mattress in the floor of Hali’s room. On top of the mattress, Thorn lay sleeping with Hali snoring softly on his chest. His arm covered her back to protect her from going anywhere. The blanket that he had used to cover them both had fallen down toward the bottom of the mattress. I tip-toed into the room and gently lifted the blanket and covered them both back up. I debated on putting Hali back in her crib, but decided to not disrupt either of them.

Backing out of the room, I took one last look at the two of them before shutting the door.

I still felt drained, but my body was stiff from all the sleeping I’d done the day before.

I decided to go ahead and get a shower while Thorn and Hali still slept.

The heat of the shower did wonders to make me feel almost normal again. Quickly, I threw on a pair of night shorts and a tank top once I had toweled myself off. My hair was still in a towel when I left my room to go check on Hali. It was getting close to time for her to wake up.

I opened the door, shocked to find a shirtless Thorn talking in a soft voice to our gurgling daughter as he changed her diaper.

“You didn’t do too bad last night with only having your daddy. Are you ready to go see how your mommy is feeling? Hopefully, the medicine helped,” he said to her as he zipped up her sleeper.

I leaned against the doorway taking in the sight.

He turned around and jumped a little. I laughed at how I’d scared him by standing there.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be up already. We were just coming to find you. How are you feeling this morning?”

He walked over and kissed me on my forehead and pulled me in for a hug.

“Almost like new. The fever is gone. My throat is still scratchy, but whatever you got me worked like a charm.”

“I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed. Now let me do just that without the element of surprise. Back to bed you go.”

From the looks of it, the commanding Thorn was back.

I liked this side of him even though I wouldn’t admit that to him.

I took Hali from him and did as he commanded.

“Your daddy is so bossy. You’re going to love that when you’re older,” I said as I laid back in the bed and cuddled with my sweet girl.

She started to fuss, showing her impatience, and I was about to get up and go check on what was taking Thorn so long when he came into the room. He carried a tray with a plate of food and a cup of orange juice on top. There was also a small vase with a single red rose. He’d gone all out for just breakfast.

He sat the tray over my legs and took the baby from my arms.

“I want you to enjoy your pancakes and juice. You need the nourishment to get better. I made her a bottle and some oatmeal. I’m going to take her in the kitchen and feed her while you enjoy your meal. No arguments.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you for breakfast.”

What was up with him? I didn’t know, but the food smelled delicious, and my stomach growled.

He placed the perfect amount of butter and syrup on the pancakes. I didn’t think I’d finish the three of them, but I had. I’d taken the last sip of my juice when he walked into the room to check on me.

“How was it?”

“Amazing. I ate it all. Thank you again. Are you okay? You seem…? I don’t know. I can’t place my finger on it.”

“We’ll talk when Hali goes down for her nap. Today, you’re going to rest while I take care of you. I don’t care if you’re feeling better, you were sick yesterday and you need to regain your strength.”

The bossy Thorn really turned me on. I didn’t want to wait for an explanation, but something told me to refrain from objecting.

He took the tray with the empty plate and cup into the other room, leaving the flower and vase sitting on my bedside table.

I hated sitting idle. If I knew he wasn’t listening for my movements, I’d sneak into my office and grab my laptop to get some work done. But I knew he’d frown upon that. Instead, I took the towel off my head and went into the bathroom to brush out my hair. The least I could do was look presentable when he came back into the room. I blow dried my hair on a low setting to try to hide some of the noise and then threw it on top of my head in a messy bun. Looking at the contents on my vanity table, I picked up a bottle of bright pink polish and decided to pamper myself a bit.

I painted my nails. I was on my bed blowing on my fingertips when he walked back into the room. He hadn’t put on a shirt, and I took a moment to admire his sculpted abs as he walked around my bed to the other side. He sat down beside me and crossed his legs. I continued to blow on the polish so it would dry as I waited for him to speak.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was about you yesterday? I shouldn’t have found out about you not feeling well from Trevor. You should’ve been the one to tell me. And when I got here, you muttered something about calling Owen and I almost lost it. I want to be that person you go to, Lily. I thought we were in this together and trying. You saying that hurt. A hell of a lot more than I care to admit. You’re my woman. Mine to care for. If there ever happens to be a next time that you’re sick, I’m the one you call. Got it,” he said in a firm voice.

I nodded and took a deep breath before I let it back out.

I don’t know what had come over me. A combination of his demanding tone and his caveman like tendencies caused me to want him now more than I ever had.

But I had to rein it in. Now wasn’t the time to jump on him.

“I mean it, Lily. You and Hali are my responsibility. That’s how this couple thing works if I’m correct. We’re a team.”

“We’re a team,” I repeated to him as I scooted closer.

I sat in front of him and placed my hands on his toned thighs. I could feel his muscles quiver beneath my touch.

“I’m holding on by a thread here. You wearing those tight ass shorts and that skimpy as hell top is doing all sorts of things to me. Now with you this close, I can’t hold back much longer,” he warned. But I didn’t heed his warning. It only made me grow increasingly bolder. I got up on my knees and climbed into his lap, one of my legs on each side of him.

“Don’t hold back, Thorn. I don’t want you to hold back anymore. You say I’m yours. Prove it,” I goaded as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Those words were all it took for him to snap. His arms were around my back in an instant, and his mouth landed on mine. Taking my mouth like his life was dependent on it. He picked me up and flipped me over on my back like I weighed nothing. His body laid on top of mine. I enjoyed the weight of his body on top of my own. I remembered one of his weaknesses back in Bora Bora was when I placed my legs around his waist and pulled him into me. Wanting him to give me more than he was, I put my legs around his waist and pulled his body full down on top of my own. I could feel his hardness between my thighs, and I felt myself grow wetter at the thought of having him inside of me again.

To goad him even further, I ground my center into him, causing him to groan into my mouth.

He pulled back and looked down at me. I didn’t want him to stop and think. I just wanted him. Right here and now.

“I wanted our first time together again to be romantic. I wanted you in the candlelight. But feeling you against me is making me want to throw those plans out the window and take you.” He tried to pull back, but my legs around his waist prevented him from going too far. I felt like I had the power. And I used it to my advantage.

“I love that you wanted to give me that, but I don’t want to wait. Not when I feel like I’ve got you right where I want you,” I said as I used all the strength I had to pull him back into me.

His arms didn’t give way like I’d planned. He was stronger than I anticipated.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to rush you into anything. I can keep taking cold showers and wait as long as you need.”

The fact that he’d continue to wait turned me on more. He thought he was deterring me, but he was having the opposite effect.

“I don’t want to wait. I want you, Thorn.”

Those four words sealed the deal. He pulled back and rid me of my clothes and himself of his own in record time. Part of me wanted to cover my stomach and the marks that our daughter had left on my body, but I didn’t want to move. My breath hitched in my throat as he took in my body. His eyes roamed down every inch of me and then back up, finally looking into my eyes. He leaned over top of me and kissed the tip of my nose. I felt the tip of his hardness against my waiting core.

“I don’t have anything to protect you with. I wasn’t planning for this to happen today or I would’ve been prepared.”

“I’m not worried. I got an IUD after I had Hali. It’s good for five years,” I told him, and I inwardly thanked myself for making that decision.

“Are you sure? I’d love nothing more than to have you bare.”

“So very sure. Make love to me, Thorn,” I whispered as I pulled his head down toward my own.

He kissed me softly. Tenderly. When I thought I couldn’t wait another second to have him inside of me, he reached between us and rubbed the thick head of his cock against me, causing me to lift my hips. He rubbed himself against me once more before he pushed himself inside. I gasped at the feel of him stretching me. Once he was fully inside, he stilled and pushed himself back, looking me in the eyes.

“You feel so perfect. I have no other words to describe this moment. I love you, Lily. So fucking much,” he said before he began to move.

I wanted to respond, but feeling him inside of me left me speechless. Instead of the fast-paced movements he used in Bora Bora, he was gentle as he brought us both to the pleasure we sought.

“You’re mine. Forever. I don’t care what happens from here on out. I’m never letting you go. Not ever,” he said as he finished inside of me.

He rolled off my body but didn’t let me go. He pulled me into his side with his arm wrapped around my shoulder. I wanted to bask in the afterglow of the amazing pleasure he’d just given us both, but I knew our daughter would be waking any moment.

Instead of resting my head on his shoulder like I wanted to do, I laid my hand on his chest and played with the small amount of hair that was there.

“You keep amazing me at every turn,” I said to him as he laid there with his eyes still shut. I wanted him to look at me when I said these words to him, but I’d settle for him just hearing them instead.

“I love you too, Aria Caras. More than I thought possible. Thank you for taking care of me. For loving me,” I said to him before I got up to get dressed. I was putting on my shorts when he came up behind me and picked me up.

“What are you doing?” I shrieked as he turned me around in his arms.

“You can’t go saying things like that to me and not expect me to want to take you again. Hearing those words just made me harder than I’ve ever been in my life. You’re the first person who’s ever said those words to me.”

My heart broke at that revelation and the fact that he’d never had someone show him love before. To never have it in his life, he was doing a fine job of showing me how he felt about me.

“I’m sorry there, stud. We have a daughter in the other room who will be waking soon. You’ll have to go take one of those cold showers and wait until later,” I replied with a smirk as I patted his chest.

He groaned and sat down, albeit reluctantly.

I finished dressing and put my hair back into a messy bun.

Thorn had just put on his boxers and sleep pants when I heard our daughter making noises in the other room.

“I’ll go get her,” I said as I walked over to him. I stood on the tips of my toes and placed a quick kiss on his lips before turning and walking in the direction of the door.

“I love you, Lily,” he said from behind me.

“I love you too.”