40. I Will Survive #2
I head up the stairs, trying to contain myself, and when I enter the bedroom, Olivia’s waiting, fists on her hips, foot tapping.
She gestures at the large canvas hanging above the fireplace. “What is that?”
I pretend to examine the print, sucking my lower lip into my mouth, gaze following the lines of Olivia’s bare shoulders, the droplets of water that cling to her back in the glow of the fire she sits in front of, though I had the picture printed in black and white. “Art.”
“Art?”
“Yeah. Art.”
Her hands fly around her head. She’s so expressive when she talks. “It’s not art! It’s a picture of me reading! Naked!”
“Correct.” I tap her nose for at least the third time in the last half hour, ’cause it’s just so cute. “Art. And besides, all you can see is your back.”
My gaze coasts down her body, heating on the way. She’s in only a T-shirt and panties, likely having stopped getting dressed when she noticed the picture and flew into a rage. So, I do what any man would do: push her up against the wall.
“I like having you on my wall.” My hand wraps around her throat as my nose trails her.
“And I think you like being there. I’d print every damn picture of you and cover every inch of this house with your body if it was acceptable, but it’s not, and you might rip off my balls, and I like them right where they are. ”
“Between your legs?” She gasps as I dip my fingers into her panties, sliding through her folds, warm, so wet.
“Yes, but preferably slapping against your ass.”
“Carter.” Another gasp, this one with a hint of disbelief. The disbelief at my words will wane with time.
“You’re always wet for me when you’re pretending to be angry.”
“I’m…not…pretending,” she chokes out, nails biting into my shoulders as I sink two fingers inside her.
“Is that right?”
Her stare is hazy, swollen lips parted as she pants, grinding against my palm. That pink tongue wets her bottom lip before she gives me a curt nod, so I smile and pull my fingers from her sopping warmth.
Those brown eyes widen and her jaw drops. “Carter. No. What are you—”
The doorbell rings and I suck my fingers into my mouth, licking her taste off me before I clap a hand to her ass. “Come on. The kids are here.”
Once I’m washed up and Olivia is fully clothed—and more pissed than ever—I throw open the front door.
“Carter!” Alannah flings her bag to the floor and throws herself around me.
I barely see Jem before Jeremy is shoving him into my arms. He seems to like to do this a lot, likely because he’s waiting for me to fail.
“Would you quit shoving our son off like you can’t wait to get rid of him?” Kristin’s palm hits the back of Jeremy’s head.
He winces, rubbing the spot. “Sorry. He wanted to see his Uncle Carter.” He smirks as he says the name, but the joke’s on him; I secretly like it.
Olivia takes Jem, kissing every inch of his chubby face and making me smile.
“Carter.” Alanna tugs on my elbow and holds up a bag, winking at me. “I got the stuff.”
I peek inside, noting the box of Oreos, the pancake mix, and the maple syrup. “Right on, dude. You didn’t have to bring it all, though. I got it!”
“Pfft.” She waves me off. “It’s no big deal, dude.”
“So…” Jeremy steps into the house, looking around. “Can we get a tour?”
“I wanna see my bedroom!” Alannah shouts, jumping up and down.
I sweep my arms up the stairs. “Right this way, milady.”
Alannah chooses the first bedroom she enters, flopping down on the bed. “Whoa! This thing is huge !”
Jeremy sets Jem’s playpen up while Alannah examines every inch of the room.
“I have my own bathroom!” she shouts from inside the shower before she bounds out, jumping up and down in front of me. “Let’s see the rest of the house!”
She peeks her head inside every bedroom, determining that hers is the best though they’re all virtually the same, and when she reaches for my bedroom door, Olivia throws herself in front of it.
“Um, maybe not this one.” Her giggle is past anxious.
Jeremy’s eyes narrow before he brushes by her and opens the door. “Whoa.” His hands dust over the stone fireplace before he sticks his head in the bathroom, jaw dropping. Crossing the room, he throws open the balcony doors. “Goddamn fireplace on the goddamn balcony.”
“Two dollars for the swear jar, Daddy!” Alannah curls her fingers into her palm. “Pay up, buddy!”
He swats her hand away and makes his way back inside, gaze roaming the room with wonder. They stop on the picture of Olivia, and I watch her look away, whole body trembling with anticipation, face blazing.
“Ollie,” Kristin murmurs. “Is this you? It’s stunning.”
“What? Oh. That. Um…no.” This girl is the worst liar in the world.
Jeremy’s brows pull together as he examines the picture before his eyes screw shut and gags. “Gross.”
Olivia punches him in the arm, tells him to shut up, and storms from the room.
I flash Jeremy a broad grin, tucking my hands in my pockets. “Charming, ain’t she?”
* * *
“What movie next? Can I stay up past my bedtime?”
Next movie? We’ve already watched two. This girl is a ball of fucking fire.
I flop my head over my shoulder, pouting at Olivia. “I’m so tired.”
She runs her fingers through Jem’s fluffy hair as he drools on her shirt. “I warned you.”
“You’re tired?” Alannah asks. She’s got chocolate smeared in the corner of her mouth, but she doesn’t care. Saving it for later is what she said when Olivia pointed it out. “You wanna take a dance break? Get our energy back up? Come on, big boy, you’re supposed to be fit and healthy.”
“I thought I was,” I murmur, letting Alannah pull me out of the fort. Until kids. Christ, kids are exhausting. Cute, fun, exhausting .
Clearing a space for an impromptu dance party, I cue up Just Dance and consider the fact that I might actually be too tired to have sex with my girlfriend later tonight. The thought makes me frown, and Olivia’s lips find the corner of my mouth.
“She’ll be out within twenty minutes of the next movie. Promise.”
I spin Alannah around the living room while I watch Olivia twist and dip a giggling, babbling Jem, before she tells us she’s going to take him upstairs and lay him down for the night.
When Alannah collapses on the floor, I throw her the remote. “Pick the next movie. I’m gonna go check on Auntie Ollie and Jem.”
“’Kay,” she heaves. “I’m gonna have another slice of pizza.”
Upstairs, I lean against the door frame, listening as Olivia sings softly to Jem, watching her hips sway in the dim moonlight as she holds him, looking out the windows at all the stars. With a soft sigh, she kisses his forehead and lays him down in the playpen.
“I love you, Jemmy,” she whispers.
I catch her around the waist when she steps close enough, and her breath snags in her throat, nails biting into my biceps.
“Carter,” she breathes into the dark. “I didn’t see you.”
“But I saw you. And I love you, so fucking much.”
I hold her close for a minute, reveling the peace having her in my arms brings me, my own slice of heaven. Downstairs, we find Alannah lounging in the middle of the fort, munching her slice of pizza.
“I picked Inside Out . The girl plays hockey! There’s never any movies about girls playing hockey.”
She rests her head on my shoulder with a happy sigh when I lie down beside her, and laces her fingers through Olivia’s.
And Olivia’s right, as she often is. Alannah’s out cold fifteen minutes into the movie. We give her another fifteen, to be sure, before I haul her into my arms and carry her upstairs. She stirs as I lay her down and tuck her in.
“Carter?” Her bleary eyes flutter slowly.
“What’s up, dude?”
“This was the best ever slumber party.” She hugs me close. “I love you, dude.”
My chest tightens. “I love you, too, little dude.”
She waves at Olivia across the room. “Night, Auntie Ollie. I love you.”
“Love you, too, fierce girl.”
My shoulders sag with relief when the door clicks closed behind me. “I did it. I survived my first sleepover.”
Olivia grins. “Oh, you sweet, na?ve fool. It’s not over ’til they’re gone.” Her teeth press into her lower lip. “You’re not too tired to fuck your girlfriend, are you?”
“Well, I—” My words die a gurgle as her palm closes over my cock, and he rockets to attention. I toss Olivia over my shoulder, dashing down the hall.
“The sword of thunder is never too tired.”