Over the Edge (Bridge #3)(81)

A small cry came from the nursery.

“Oh! There she is. She must know I’m here.” My mom’s eyes lit up. I’d never seen her so happy as when she held Amelia.

Not long after she’d learned about the pregnancy, she and my father had rented an apartment in the city so she could be closer. She’d been staying there for the past two weeks since Amelia was born, on call whenever I needed her or invited her over to visit.

Before I could go check the nursery, Ian appeared. Amelia’s little body was swaddled and nestled securely against his broad chest. She looked like a little pink peanut, nearly swallowed up by Ian’s strong arms. He rocked her and clucked quietly as she fussed. Her tiny feet kicked at the blanket that held her.

“I changed her, but I think she’s hungry, Liv.”

“Bring her here.”

I held out my arms, and he lowered her into them with care. She was so small, her skin still pink and so velvety smooth. She began rooting, and I pulled down the top of my tank to give her my breast. She latched on instantly, as she had from the day she was born. Overachiever for sure.

“Olivia.” My mother spoke in a tight hushed voice.

“What?” I looked up, mystified by her reaction.

She glanced to where my father stood in the kitchen chatting with Will and then back to me. She shook her head and opened her mouth, but shut it again. “Sorry. I’m out of practice with things, I guess.”

I sighed, only mildly concerned about my lack of modesty and the discomfort it might have caused her or my dad. I was too tired and too in love to care. Instead, I stared down at my daughter, riveted with every precious noise and movement.

I hadn’t known true love until Will and Ian had come into my life. But the explosion of adoration that hit my heart when Amelia came into the world was unmatched. Her perfect little feet stretched, and I marveled at her delicate toes and fingers.

She was the greatest gift I’d ever been given.

All the moments of fear and regret and worry disappeared the minute they laid her against my chest. The world as I knew it had stopped, and everything recalibrated to orbit around her—her needs, her comfort, her future.

While my mother had been relatively detached throughout Maya’s pregnancy, something had shifted when she became a grandmother. Maybe after years of my brothers and me defying her best wishes, we’d finally broken her. Where I’d grown used to fielding pressure and expectation at every turn, I now found resignation and acceptance. We didn’t discuss wedding plans or why Ian shared our home. They knew, and if avoidance meant acceptance, I could handle that.

My dad’s demeanor had changed over time too. Some of the tension that seemed to follow him around eased. He smiled more, worked less. Our growing family provided the perfect excuse. They were grandparents now, and as soon as Vanessa gave birth, which would be any day, they’d have three little people to dote on.

For the first time since we’d been children, I felt like we were a family again.

As Amelia nursed contentedly, my mother leaned close and brushed a loving caress over her soft brown baby hair.

“She’s perfect,” Mom whispered. Tears glistened in her eyes, and then she tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear with a smile. “Just like you, my princess.”





Bonus Scene





From Darren & Vanessa




DARREN



“You’d better run faster than that.”

Vanessa giggled and scurried across the apartment toward our bedroom. I could have caught up to her on the way up the stairs but decided to make the chase a little fun and give her a head start.

She flew into the bedroom and attempted to shut the door, but I put my hand on it before she could. No match for my strength, she gave up quickly and spun for the bathroom. Two more paces and I caught her by the waist before she could escape. She squealed when I pulled her tight against me and nuzzled her neck.

“Got you, baby.”

I wiggled my fingertips against her ribs and down her sides.

“Don’t!” She laughed and tried to squirm away.

The chase was over, so I took us down to the bed. I crawled over her, eating her up with my gaze the way I had all night at Cam and Maya’s after dinner. Her auburn hair fanned out on the bed, and her light blue eyes were bright with mirth.

Some days—most days—I couldn’t think of much else but tearing up the sheets with my new bride. Today was no exception. I couldn’t get enough of the woman.

I dipped down to take her lips. She tasted like apples and wine. I groaned and reveled at the way she melted under me. Made me want to spend hours winding her up and watching her let go. I’d never get tired of it.

I settled between her thighs and ground against her. I pressed my growing erection to the seam of her jeans to ensure pressure to her clit. She gasped and lifted her hips into the contact. Now that she was in the right frame of mind…

I caught her breast in my hand and squeezed. I kissed along her jaw and nipped at her ear. “Let’s make a baby.”

When I rounded back to her mouth, she smiled under our kiss.

“You know you want to,” I teased, nibbling gently at her lips.

“We need to talk about this some more.”

“Do we?” Goddamn, when was she going to give up the fight? I went for the button on her jeans and deftly unfastened and unzipped the denim barrier. “Let me get inside you, and we won’t need to talk about anything.”