Chapter 12
COLE
I clutched onto a handful of the bedding, placed my other hand on Ava’s head...and slowly pulsed my hips in time with her divine, delectable rhythm. Waking up with Ava’s lips wrapped around my cock was the way I wanted to see every Sunday morning in.
No . . . make that every day.
I’d wanted Ava to move in with me for months. I hadn’t looked at another woman since I’d met her. She was it. How could she not want this? To be together every day. We were good. This was good.
Fuuuuck!
She licked and slayed my dick with her hot, wet tongue. My whole body tensed. Ached. Pulsed. So fucking good.
I thrusted into her mouth, pushing deeper. Her head bobbed in a slow, lazy rhythm.
I hissed through my teeth. “Yeah, baby. Like that. That’s it. I’m gonna...”
My balls cinched, begging for release.
But just as I was about to come, Ava stopped.
Fuck! NO!
With a dirty grin smeared across her lips, she crawled over me and plunged my dick into her hot pussy.
Hell yeah. Just as good!
“You shouldn’t have stopped what you were doing,” I pathetically complained as I spread my hands around her slender hips and tugged her forward just so I could bury myself deeper inside her.
“I’m not.” She flicked her tongue into my mouth and rode me, slow and steady.
Nope. Fuck that. I wasn’t in the mood for snail-pace anymore.
I grabbed her, flipped her down on the bed, and hooked one of her legs underneath my arm, pinning it between my shoulder and hers. I plunged back into her. I loved this angle, so I could penetrate her hard and deep, just the way she liked it.
“You like being in control? Don’t you?” Her eyes fluttered closed as I drove into her.
Yeah, I do. She knew that. But she was just as bad. Our games of outdoing each other often ended in fits of laughter. “Yes, because I like fucking you.”
Warmth glinted in her dark brown eyes. “I like loving you.”
I threw her a devilish grin and pinned her against the mattress.
“Oh, geez.” Her hot breath teased my face. “That’s good.”
Yep. It is. My cock was rock hard from her mouth working me into a frenzy. Her pussy clenching around me drove me to the point of no return.
The heat from being inside her took over.
“Ava... No control this morning. I gotta go.”
“Just stay there, Tanner.” She gripped my hips, digging her fingernails into my flesh. “Don’t move. Let me rub...” Concentration etched her brow as she rocked her pussy upward, pulsing, claiming, fucking my dick with each move.
Yep. I’m gone.
“Fuuuck.” I came, hard and fast. Spilling into her had never felt so good. Damn, I needed that. This woman had a power over me like no other before. Jolts of electricity coursed through my body, zapping every muscle. I sank into her, giving her everything she needed. Contact. Pressure. Friction. I fucking loved her body giving in to mine. Giving her pleasure. I loved making Ava come.
She laughed and quaked, panting and smiling and shuddering beneath me. She wound her fingers through my hair and tugged on it. Tingles shot over my skin. My heart filled my chest. This...being here with Ava...was bliss.
“Good morning.” Grinning, I released her leg and hovered over her, brushing the tip of my nose against hers. “Love you, Aves.” She was the only woman who bossed me around. Who had control of my heart. And I loved it. Loved her.
I kissed her sweet mouth, then lowered onto the bed and curled in beside her. She rolled to face me and swept her fingertips down my stubble. “Morning, handsome. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You can fucking wake me like that any time. I will never complain.”
“Me either.” She drew the black sheet over us and sank deeper into the pillow. “Can we stay in bed all day?”
“Okay.” I swept her blonde hair off her face and tucked the loose strands behind her ear. “We don’t have any plans.” Harper was due back from San Diego tomorrow. The kids started school next week. I wanted to savor every second I had with Ava, Josh, and Charlotte before the summer vacation ended.
We’d fallen into a routine. Charlotte and I often spent one night a week at Ava’s place. They stayed at least four nights a week at my joint. I missed Ava like crazy when she wasn’t by my side. My house wasn’t complete when she and Josh weren’t within its walls.
But she was here right now .
I ran my hand over her hip, tugged her forward, and edged my cock against her crotch. “You want another round?”
“Hmmm.” A playful glint shimmered across her eyes. “Can I please be on top this time?”
“If you insist.”
As I leaned in to kiss her, thundering steps and giggling shrieks came charging down the hallway toward my bedroom.
The double doors flung open and banged against the wall. In rushed Josh and Charlotte. They jumped onto the bed and crawled up to give us morning kisses and cuddles.
“Daddy. Wake up.” Charlotte straddled and jumped on my stomach.
“Hi, sweetie. I’m awake.”
She slapped my bare chest. Luckily, the sheet was between us. “Why aren’t you wearing your pajamas?”
“I was hot cuddling Ava.” I tickled Charlotte’s tummy. “But I’d better put my boxer shorts back on, hey?”
“Okay.” She leaped off the bed and grabbed them from the floor and handed them to me. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” I pulled them on underneath the sheets. So much for another round with Ava.
“Mommy?” Josh kneeled beside her, folded his arms, and gave her an inquisitive glare. “Were you having Mommy-Cole time?”
“Yes.” She patted his legs, then pointed to the floor on her side of the bed. “Grab me my jammies and I’ll get dressed, too.”
The kids understood Ava and I had time-out, not-to-be-disturbed moments. They were too young to understand what that fully entailed. But they rolled with it. Normally Harper would be here to keep them entertained, or they’d be at school, or asleep. Luckily, I hadn’t been in the middle of rocking Ava’s world when they’d barged in. I’d pick up where we’d left off later .
Josh swiped Ava’s silky pajamas off the floor and handed them to her. She slipped her camisole over her head. Then wriggled on her shorts.
Charlotte clambered to the end of the super-king bed, stood, and jumped up and down. “Daddy, can we go to the beach today? I want to build a sandcastle.”
After my efforts on Bowen Island, I’d resorted to tipping out a long line of sand mounds for the kids to stomp on during our beach visits. Anything fancier was a waste of effort.
“No. Not the beach” Josh joined Charlotte, springing up and down. Thank God for the high ceilings. “Let’s go for a bike ride.”
“No.” Charlotte leaped higher, waving her arms in the air. “To a park to play on the swings.”
“Yeah.” Josh plonked on the bed beside Ava’s feet. “Can we, Mom?”
“Please, Daddy?” Charlotte ran up to me and flopped across my chest.
I cuddled her tight and roared softly, nuzzling into her neck. “A park?”
Charlotte shrieked, giggling and flinching within my hold. I wasn’t letting her go anywhere.
Waking up to these two kids filled my whole soul with warmth. The light and love in my chest I had for them and Ava was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. Fuck ...I was honestly fucking happy.
Ava laughed and tickled Josh with her toes. “Which park?”
“One with water.” He giggled as she continued her onslaught.
“But Cole has a pool.” Ava stopped tickling Josh and waved toward the full-length window that overlooked the garden. “We can swim here.”
“And bounce on the trampoline.” With a bright smile, Charlotte crawled off my chest and jumped on the bed beside me. I grabbed her around the waist, lifted her above me, and blew a big raspberry against her belly.
“Daddy. Stop. Put me down.” She squealed and wriggled and laughed. Best sound ever.
“Do that to me.” Josh bounced up the bed and wedged himself between Ava and me. “I want airplanes.”
“Alright.” I placed Charlotte down. With a pounce, she made her way over to Ava and cuddled against her chest. Wow! That...stole my heart.
I raised Josh into the air. He stretched his arms wide, and I swayed him from side to side. He flew like a plane, complete with roaring effects. But damn ! He was twice the size and weight of Charlotte.
“You’re getting too big.” I lowered him down.
He flung his arms around me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Then he rolled toward Ava. “Mommy?” he whispered at a close-to-normal volume. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” She nodded as she swept her hand over Charlotte’s long blonde curls.
He leaned over to Ava and spoke into her ear.
Tears welled in Ava’s eyes. She smiled a beautiful smile, then nodded. “Well, maybe we should ask Cole first.”
“What’s that?” I shuffled onto my side.
Josh sat back on his haunches beside our legs. Charlotte slid off Ava’s chest and stretched out between us, hogging half my pillow. Having moments like this, with family, was something I’d never thought I wanted. Now I couldn’t imagine life without these three people. I didn’t want to contemplate existing anywhere without them.
Josh swiveled to face me. He pouted. Deep furrows etched his brow, and seriousness washed over his face. “Cole, can Mommy and I stay here? Like...every night?”
My breath hitched. My heart hit the roof. Every cell in my body hollered, ‘Yes!’ ...but I played it cool. “As in, you’d like this to be your home? Every day?”
“Yes.” He nodded once. So sure of himself.
Was it wrong I wanted to leap to my feet and jump on the bed with the kids? Fuck no. “I would like that very much if your mom is okay with it.” Hope filled my chest. “Ava?”
Tears shimmered in Ava’s eyes, but the biggest smile covered her face.
My heartbeat skipped around the room. “Is that a yes? Will you finally move in with me?”
She reached for my hand and entwined our fingers. “Yes, Cole. We’d love to move in with you.”
“Yeah!” I leaned over Charlotte, clutched the back of Ava’s head, and drew her lips to mine. As I breathed her in, kissed her, and drew her sweet scent into every cell in my body, I couldn’t help but grin. “About fucking time.”
She cupped my cheek and nodded. “This...our kids. You. Us. It’s what I want. Everything’s aligned. The time is right. I love you, Cole.”
Josh and Charlotte scooted to the end of the bed and bounced around on their hands and knees.
Fuck it .
I rose to my feet on the mattress and drew Ava to stand. As we held hands with the kids, we jumped up and down and around in a circle. Ava’s smile stole my heart all over again. “Woohoo!” I cheered. “We’re going to live together.”
“Yay. I have a sister.” Josh clapped.
“And I have a brother,” Charlotte cheered.
A tear slid down Ava’s cheek. I kissed it away. “I love you. So freaking much.”
“I know. This is so surreal. I’m so happy.”
“We’ve got it good.” I sank onto the bed with Ava and took her hands in mine. The kids continued to run around us. “We’re a family. I’ve always had Tia and the guys. But this...here with you...and the kids...is the best feeling ever.”
“I didn’t know love like this existed until you came along.”
“Neither did I.”
“Daddy?” Charlotte flung her arms around my neck, cuddling me from behind. I loosened her hold. I didn’t need to be strangled. “When can we get a baby sister?”
What? I thumped my chest. I’d just lost ten years of my life.
“No, a baby brother.” Josh laughed, jumping on the spot.
A burning fever washed over me. My head spun. Whoa! More kids? I’d never contemplated any to begin with, but now I had Charlotte, life had changed.
Ava’s eyes bulged white. Her mouth fell open. She stared at the kids, then swallowed hard. Her voice came out in a tiny, quivering whisper. “You...you want another brother or sister?”
“Yeah.” They jumped in unison.
Wow! I loved Charlotte and Josh, but this was a whole new level of holy-fucked-ness. Did I actually want more kids? Do I?
Ava pursed her lips. Her gaze softened, and the sun shone behind her glassy tears.
“Ava?” My pulse strummed, fast and erratic. With a dry gulp, I dislodged the lump in my throat. “Do...do you want to have more kids? One day?”
She fidgeted with my fingers and my signet ring. “Um . . . maybe . . . one day. Shit . . . yes.”
I couldn’t breathe. Blink. Budge. “With me?”
She scrunched her nose and smiled. “Kinda love you, so that might be a plan.”
My heart pounded at a gazillion miles an hour. Giddiness swam through my head. Excitement skipped through my veins. My future with Ava was clear. “I think I’d like that too. So does that mean one day you’d like to get married? Is that an option?”
“First time was shit.” She smirked, lowered her chin, and stared at our entwined hands. I didn’t need the reminder that Luther was an asshole.
I turned toward our kids, tackling each other on the pillows. My chest expanded so much, I felt like it would burst. “But look at our kids. Ava? This is our family. One I will always love, protect, and cherish. I want this forever.”
She tilted her head to one side and studied my face. She wouldn’t find doubt there. Not any. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” Losing Phil had been the wake-up call I’d needed to clean up my act. I still loved partying and going out, but I didn’t drink as much, never touched drugs anymore, and didn’t miss hooking up with girls, the regulars, or the randoms. “Charlotte changed me. So did you and Josh. You’re all that matters now.”
Another lone tear caught on Ava’s cheek. She smiled and swiped it away. “Trusting you with my heart and, more importantly, my son, has been life-changing in more ways than one. I love you, Cole. Love this life with you. I’m terrified, but excited and happy.” She swiped her thumb across my lips. I kissed them and took her hand in mine again. She held it tight. “I would love to have another baby...one day. When the time is right, when it feels right, we can talk about marriage. But for now, let’s just enjoy being together. Living together. We’ll take the next step, and navigate every new path, together.”
I leaned forward and kissed her. Smiling against her lips, I eased her back onto the bed. I hovered over her. I drew in a deep breath and took every inch of her beautiful face in. Ava was mine. Fuck, I loved her. “Everything about you is right, Ava. I will follow you down any path you want to venture. I will kick your ass during every run. I’ve known since our tour, when you turned the world upside down to find my daughter, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. So you’d better get used to the idea. You’re stuck with me.”
She combed her fingers through my hair and shook my head. “You’re crazy, but I love you. ”
“I love you.”
“Um...Ava?” Charlotte plonked down on her bottom and fidgeted with the bottom of her T-shirt. Concern and love swam in her big green eyes. She gnawed on her bottom lip, then lowered her chin. “Does...does this mean, if you live with Daddy, you will be my mommy?”
“Oh baby, come here.” Ava pushed me off her and sat upright. She drew Charlotte onto her lap and held her close. “Your mom will always be your mom. She’s in Heaven watching over you and sending you love from the stars above. Me moving in means I will love you just as much as your mom did. I will give you just as many cuddles and kisses as she gave you, if not more. You can call me Ava or Mommy, or whatever you’re comfortable with.”
Charlotte played with her shirt. Her little brow strained as if her mind struggled to comprehend what Ava had said. My chest hurt. No child should lose their mother. But I would’ve never known Charlotte existed if Shelby hadn’t been killed in an accident. I’d promised to be the father she deserved.
Charlotte sucked in a big breath. She turned to Ava, smiled, and nodded. “How about Avy? Like Ava and Mommy together.”
Fresh tears welled in Ava’s eyes...and in mine. Fuck! My kid was fucking amazing. Ava hugged and kissed Charlotte on the cheek. “I’d like that very much.”
“Cole?” Josh ran over to me and plonked down on his knees. “Will you be my dad? My real dad is a jerk.”
“Hey!” I ruffled his hair. “Luther is still your father, even though you’re right. He isn’t very nice. So always remember how he made you feel and never treat people in the same way.” I looked square into his big brown eyes, and my heart flooded with warmth. “But Josh? I love you. And your mom. And Charlotte. If it’s okay with your mom, I’d be honored to be your dad. ”
“Yes.” Ava sniffled and nodded. “I’m okay with that.”
I drew Ava, Charlotte, and Josh into a group hug and cuddled them close. “We’re gonna be a family. Awesome.”
Two kids . . . and Ava.
My family.
This was living. This was love. This was my future.