Chapter twenty-six #2
A watery smile filled Amber’s face. “There’s a good possibility of that, yes.
But since she’s only fifteen months old, I don’t think we have to worry about it yet.
” She paused, then leaned forward and kissed him.
“You are the best of men, Spencer Watson. Zoe is lucky to have you, even if she doesn’t know it yet.
And I’m lucky to have you, too.” She kissed him again, this time more deeply.
With her in his lap and both of them naked, it didn’t take much more than the touch of her tongue to his to bring the rest of his body to life.
The fierce wave of emotion that gripped him did its part in fueling the flames, too.
Rolling to his side, he maneuvered her underneath him without breaking the kiss. After sliding a hand between her thighs to make sure she was ready for him, he donned a condom and slid deep inside her in one smooth thrust. Her sigh nearly left him undone.
They moved together with no hesitation but no urgency, either. This moment was about connection more than release. Their connection to each other, to their future, to the life they’d build together. They still had more details to work out, but they’d get there.
He reached down and hooked his arm under one of her knees, pulling it to his side. The throaty sound she made had him increasing his pace. Her eyes fluttered open and held his, the intensity of the emotion arcing between them almost drowning out the exquisite pleasure of her body taking his.
Her muscles tensed and her eyelids drooped as the crest of her orgasm started. He didn’t take his eyes off her, though. A beat later, she lifted hers, her pupils dilated in pleasure. She raised a hand and speared her fingers through his hair, the scrape of her nails a lightning bolt down his spine.
“I do love you, Spencer Watson,” she said.
A savage need to give her every part of himself took over his body, and he thrust into her again and again, wanting nothing more than to join every part of them, body and soul.
Her hand fell to his arm, and she gripped his biceps as her eyes slipped closed again. A small movement that he knew wasn’t so small. She trusted him to care for her heart and her body.
And as pleasure exploded through them, he knew he’d die before breaking that trust.
***
“Where’s Amber?” Dulcie asked, joining Juan in the grassy area behind the clubhouse as he watched Zoe inspect the horseshoes left out from the barbecue.
Clara and Adrian were usually close by, and he admired the way the two women encouraged Zoe to develop new relationships without making her feel abandoned by the only parents she’d ever known.
“In town, talking to a caterer about the party Stone and Juliana are hosting. She’s creating the menu for it,” he answered.
“How’s she doing?”
Juan smiled. “Great, actually.” And she was. Something about this situation was helping her see her own strength. “The lawyer has the DNA results back proving she’s Zoe’s mother. She met with him this morning, and he’s starting all the paperwork for both a birth certificate and full custody.”
“Does he think it’s going to be challenged?” Dulcie crossed his arms and leaned against a tree. Zoe scowled as she tried picking up a horseshoe embedded in a tuft of grass, babbling to herself the entire time.
Juan shook his head, then stopped. “Not challenged. Not for real.”
“For fake?” Dulcie asked, a brow raised.
Juan rolled his eyes. “Everyone’s a little worried that Anthony might use the situation to gain something from Amber.
Maybe some of the money she has left from her modeling days, maybe something else.
Although I get the sense the lawyer is almost hoping he does.
I didn’t think anyone wanted Anthony’s downfall more than we do until Amber updated me after her meeting.
The man is like a starving piranha with his sights set on Anthony.
I’m kind of looking forward to the show. ”
“You think she could take me on?” Leo asked, striding out of the clubhouse, smiling as he watched Zoe stack a shoe on top of the other.
“Give her a few years and I’ll take that bet,” Juan said. “Do you come bearing news?”
“I do. Callie is inside. As is Sabina. We texted Amber, and she said she’d be back in ten minutes.”
Juan’s eyes widened. “You brought Sabina in?” Sabina, Kara’s twin sister, ran the cyber team at HICC, and everyone was positive that at least half of the tiny woman’s body weight was her brain.
Leo nodded as he walked over to Zoe and plopped down in the grass beside her.
She looked up and handed him a horseshoe, patting his cheek when Leo thanked her.
“We did. We wanted her input on the algorithm for the consolidators. She’s also very good at pestering people without them realizing they are being pestered.
At least most of the time. She’s been on the phone with the lab techs this morning and conferring with Stella about when, and where, to apply for a warrant. ”
Adrenaline lanced through his body. “It’s almost showtime, isn’t it?”
Dulcie grinned, no doubt feeling the same pre-battle energy he did. They may not be physically entering the fray, but they sure as hell were going to be the cause of it when the shit hit Anthony Ely’s life.
Leo flashed them a wicked smile. “I do love my job.”
His and Dulcie’s chuckles were interrupted by the alarm on his watch.
“What’s that for?” Dulcie asked.
Juan made a face as he took three steps and scooped Zoe up. “I learned my lesson yesterday. It’s time for this one’s afternoon snack, diaper change, and nap.”