Double Dare (Neighbor from Hell #6)(75)

Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “You’re not broken, damaged or flawed. Do you hear me? You are absolutely f*cking perfect and you’re mine.”

She chuckled and rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Only you would see a woman that couldn’t have children as perfect.”

“That’s because you are perfect,” he said, tilting his head so that he could brush his lips against hers. “Besides, who says that you can’t have children?”

“About twenty doctors including your father and brother,” she said dryly, giving him hope because for the first time since he’d found out the truth, she didn’t sound like a small piece inside of her was dying at the reminder that she couldn’t have children.

It gave him hope that one day she’d be able to look in the mirror and see the beautiful woman that he loved.

“What if I told you that there was a way to have a baby without having to worry about stretch marks and the disturbing cravings that went along with pregnancy?” he asked offhandedly as he used his hold on her to get her to start moving again.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, moaning softly as she took over by rolling her hips, riding him slowly while she waited for an answer.

“Are you going to do that thing with your hips that drives me out of my f*cking mind if I tell you?”

“Maybe,” she said, smiling down at him.

“Do it first.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. You tell me what I want to know and then maybe I’ll think about doing that thing with my hips,” she said, making him sigh heavily, because really at this point she should know better.

“Fine, then I guess that I’ll just have to double dare you to do it all while you scream your undying love for me.”

With a teasing smile, she leaned in and brushed her lips again his ear. “What if I whisper it?”

“It won’t be the same.”

“And why’s that?” she asked, moaning as she rolled her hips sensually.

“Because my parents have the room across the hall and I would really appreciate it if you could help me out by screaming my name, your undying love and if it’s not too much trouble, a few ‘Dear Gods’ wouldn’t hurt. Maybe you could…why the hell are you laughing, woman? I’m serious!” he snapped, which for some reason only made her laugh harder.

Epilogue

Five Months Later…

“Can I have another root beer, please?” Marybeth asked with a sweet smile as she held up her empty glass.

“Of course, sweetheart,” he said, leaning down to kiss her as he took the glass from her.

“Could I please have a glass of apple juice and another plate of macaroni and cheese?” Zoe asked as he stood up, drawing his attention to the small woman sitting on the couch next to Marybeth.

“You can have anything you want,” he promised her with a smile and a wink as he picked up her empty glass from the coffee table.

“I’ll take a plate and a coke, thanks,” the large bastard sitting on the other end of the couch said, sounding bored as he gestured for Darrin to get on with it.

“Then I suggest you get up and get it,” he said, gesturing towards the kitchen.

“I would, but I’m too busy sitting here, holding my wife’s hand, giving her the love and support that she desperately needs as she does her best to provide your unborn children with a warm, nurturing environment in which to grow,” Trevor said with a long suffering sigh as he placed his hand over the soft swell of Zoe’s stomach.

“I see,” he murmured, chuckling even as he headed for the kitchen to get his pain in the ass cousin a huge plate of macaroni and cheese.

Trevor had more than earned it, he decided as he opened the oven and grabbed one of the pans of macaroni and cheese that his mother had dropped off an hour ago on her way to the airport when she’d stopped by to check on Marybeth. Thinking about Danny stuck down in Florida in that hospital turned his stomach the way it did anytime he thought about his brother. He should be down there helping his brother and watching over Jodi, but he couldn’t leave his wife. She was still having a hell of a time after her surgery and probably would continue doing so for a few more months.

Her surgery had been brutal. There had been a lot more damage from the tissue than they’d expected. They’d only been able to discover the extent of the damage once they’d removed her uterus and then…

Then the real work had started. The tissue had grown past her lungs, over her spine and had been heading north. Thank f*cking God they’d moved her surgery up, because he didn’t even want to think about what could have happened if they had put it off any longer. They’d removed as much tissue as they could, but it had taken two additional surgeries to do it.

She’d been scared out of her mind while he’d been f*cking terrified. The only thing that had kept them sane was Zoe and Trevor and the promise that they had made them to try to carry a child for them. The fact that three embryos had taken was more than they could have ever asked for.

“Can I get a plate of that?” Marybeth asked, smiling as she slowly walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

“You should be resting,” he reminded her, leaning down to steal a kiss.