Claiming Sarah (Ace Security #5)(55)

Bailey laughed and ran a hand over her still-almost-flat stomach. “I’m not being a hater at all. I’m actually enjoying this.”

Sarah put her hand over Bailey’s and asked in concern, “Are you still gonna get some when you get home even though you aren’t drunk?”

There was silence for a moment—before all four women burst into laughter.

Sarah blinked. “What’s so funny?” she asked when everyone had calmed down a bit.

“You are,” Grace said.

“Why?”

“Let’s just say the Anderson brothers are . . . enthusiastic when it comes to their wives and taking them to bed,” Bailey said with a small smile.

“If they make it to a bed,” Felicity added.

“Or even in the house,” Grace said.

Sarah looked from one woman to another and saw they all had smirks on their faces.

“But you’ve all been married awhile,” Sarah said, her brain officially fuzzy.

“And?” Alexis asked.

“I just thought . . . uh . . . that . . . you know.” She’d gotten the impression earlier that night that the other women enjoyed girls’ night out because their husbands liked to have sex with them when they were drunk. They’d had a short conversation about how all the guys were looking forward to being summoned when they were ready to go home because that meant they’d get to “take advantage” of their wives. And somehow, as she’d consumed more and more alcohol, that had gotten twisted in her brain to mean they only got some when they were drunk.

“Does Cole only fuck you when you’re drunk?” Alexis asked.

“Ummm, no,” Sarah said.

“Holy shit, have you and him not done it yet?” Felicity asked, her brows shooting upward.

“No! We did. We have. Last night. And this morning . . .” She hesitated, then added, “And this afternoon.”

Everyone guffawed as if she were the funniest stand-up comic they’d ever heard in their lives. “Oh, just shut up,” she said with a wrinkle of her brow.

Bailey had pity on Sarah, and explained, “Girl, Cole might not be an Anderson, but he’s cut from the same cloth. Once our men find something they like, they’re one hundred percent in. From their commitment to their job, to making us pregnant”—she again rubbed her belly—“or pleasing their woman. We just like dressing up and having some drinks because it’s fun. And the anticipation of knowing how horny we get just gets the guys revved up even more. You’ll see when Cole comes to pick you up.”

“I’m not on the pill,” Sarah blurted.

“Giiiiiirl,” Alexis said, shaking her head. “You better do something about that if you don’t want kids.”

“I want them,” Sarah said. She took another small sip of the fruity cocktail. She liked the idea of having friends. And it was nice to be able to talk about sex and other girly stuff. “I definitely want kids,” she said succinctly.

“But?” Alexis pressed.

“No but. I want them. Like six or more. A houseful. But I want to adopt some. Older kids who feel as if no one wants them. Like me,” Sarah said.

“If you aren’t on the pill, you’re gonna get ’em sooner rather than later,” Alexis warned.

Sarah smiled dreamily. “I know. Cole hinted that he wanted them. Said the idea of getting me pregnant was a turn-on. He also said he didn’t want to use condoms anymore once Owen was caught . . . and he didn’t tell me to go on birth control or anything, so . . . I just assumed maybe that meant he wanted them right away. I think I’ll like the process of making them.”

“Cole’s my best friend, and I want what’s best for him,” Felicity commented. “But things with you have been pretty fast.”

“I know they’ve been fast, but honestly, things just seemed to click between us from the start . . . well, after he apologized for being rude to me before he met me. But I can talk to him about anything. He’s the first person I think of when I get up in the morning, and the last person before I go to sleep.”

“But . . . babies?” Felicity pushed.

Sarah shrugged. “My first real memory is of sitting on a swing, watching a man and a woman playing with their kid in a sandbox. I remember thinking how weird it was that adults were playing with a child. I didn’t understand that they were her mom and dad.”

“How old were you?” Felicity asked.

“Maybe four or five. The point is that I’ve never connected to people very well. I think maybe it’s because I didn’t have anyone to connect to when I was little. I liked my dads, and eventually loved them. But with Cole . . . I connected with him right away. I know I can’t rescue every foster kid out there, but maybe I can help a few learn how to form friendships and connect with others earlier than I did. And I can’t imagine anyone being a better father than Cole.”

There was silence for a moment after she finished, and she awkwardly said, “That . . . and I’m pretty sure I love Cole.”

“You love him?” Alexis asked gently.

“Yes. I know it’s crazy. I haven’t even known him that long. But he looks at me as if I’m the most beautiful woman in the world, when we all know that’s so not true. He listens when I talk, and when he takes me in his arms, I feel as if nothing and no one can hurt me.”