Limitless Love (Lotus House #4)(69)

I chuckled, took another sip, and then stretched back. “Yep.”

“Well…uh…” She cleared her throat and looked down. “What did you say?”

I watched my girl become exceedingly uncomfortable, the absolute last emotion I wanted her to feel right now.

“What do you think I said?” I tried to take the bite out of my question but failed miserably.

She frowned. “I wouldn’t begin to know.”

“Monet, you know where this is going for us. You know.”

Instead of responding, she turned around, set her glass down, grabbed the dishtowel, and started wiping at the already clean counter. Deflection. Not a good sign.

“I know I love you, you love me, and that’s really all I know.”

I came up behind her, set my glass next to hers, and wrapped both my arms around her, allowing her to rest against me. “You know more than that. We’re going for long term. I wouldn’t have moved myself in if we weren’t.”

Her head dropped down, and she turned quickly. “It’s still hard to believe that you want me, well…us. It’s a lot to take on.”

Needing her to connect with my words on a visceral level, I cupped her cheeks and ducked my head toward hers. “Monet, listen, and listen good. The second, the very second I think the time is right and you’ll commit to me forever, without any leftover fears from what that bastard did to you mentally, I’ll be putting a ring on your finger. We will go the distance. I’ve no doubt. When you know it too, that’s when it will happen.”

She nodded and wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head over my heart. “I love hearing your heartbeat. It reminds me that I have somebody to hold on to. That I’m no longer alone.”

“And I’ll always be here for you to hold. Lily too. And just so you don’t get your panties in a twist, I told the queen we needed to take our time, and if you and I got married, then I’d adopt her and I’d be her daddy. I hope that was okay. I kind of freaked out.”

She snickered against my chest and rubbed her nose against my sternum. “No, I think that’s fair to say. She’d asked Atlas one time to be her daddy, and we had to tell her that he needed to be Mommy’s husband. So that’s kind of the same thing. Although she didn’t talk to Atlas for a week, which really broke his heart. That man loves her like his own.”

A niggling trickle of the green-eyed monster bore down on me. “Yeah, well, he can back the truck up because I’ll be taking on the daddy duties until something is official. And you mark my words, beautiful. It will be official.”

I could barely recognize the force behind the words spewing from my lips. The singular thought that Atlas wanted to be Lily’s father, even in the most peripheral sense of the word, slithered like a poisonous snake down my spine. I clenched my hands into fists until Monet placed her hands on my biceps and ran her warm palms down my arms to my hands. She deftly eased each finger out of lockdown so she could intertwine our fingers.

“I love that you are a little gonzo macho man about this, but Atlas would never try to overstep his boundaries. He’s her uncle, and he loves the role. He’s also one of your best friends. Let’s not get riled up over who loves who more.” She grinned, rose onto her toes, and put her mouth on mine.

She tasted of wine and the sweetest sugar. My girl was whipped cream and cherries all mixed in one. I could not get enough. I ran my hands down to her ass and cupped it firmly. She moaned into my mouth. The second that reached my consciousness, I hefted her up, encouraging her to wrap her legs around my waist. My woman did not need to be asked. When her crotch touched my hardened dick, I was the one moaning.

“Fuck!”

“Mmm.” She made that little sound that always went straight to my cock.

“We done talking?” I spoke around licks and nips of her sugary mouth.

“Um-hum,” she murmured and slanted her head to the side and grinded her body against mine while taking my mouth in a deep kiss.

I didn’t have to hear another sound. I locked her body to mine and led her to our room. Our room. I hadn’t gotten over how good that felt, knowing I had a home to go to, a family that wanted me there every night. Fucking dreamworthy. And I was sharing that dream with the most delightful woman alive. I’d never take that right for granted.

When I made it to the room, I kicked the door shut. Thank God Lily was on the opposite side of the house or the noise surely would have woken her. I slipped one hand behind me and turned the lock. Lily could still come to the door if she was scared, but I did not want her little eyes to see me taking her mommy. No way, no how. That would devastate Monet and me more than the little one. Of that I was certain.

When I got to the bed, I turned around and planted my ass on the mattress; my woman adjusted without comment, her lips never so much as breaking a millimeter away from mine.

I kissed her hard, holding the back of her head and crushing her mouth. She mewled and rubbed her delectable body against my erection. I could feel her heat through the single layer of my cotton track pants. She was positively simmering in my lap.

Pulling away, I lifted the sleep tank she’d put on before dinner. Her breasts bounced free, the brown nubs already erect, seeking attention. I curled forward and took one succulent tip. I didn’t lead up by flicking and laving it. No, I went straight for the gusto and sucked her peak hard, taking into my mouth as much of her breast as I could. Her hands flew to my head, gripping me to her chest. No way I’d leave heaven after one taste.