Chapter 50
CHAPTER FIFTY
“ I appreciate you getting the food for me.”
“You’re welcome.” Moon sank down next to Larissa on the couch. Placing an arm over her shoulders, he pulled her closer to him. He almost told her anytime but couldn’t form the word to get it out.
Reaching around him, Larissa opened a drawer in the end table and pulled out a box of cookies.
“Would anyone like one?” she offered, taking the cookies out of the box.
“Tha—” Moon cut himself short when Lana and Priss glared at him from the dining room table, where they were still eating. “Thanks, anyway.”
“We have other flavors in the kitchen cabinet, next to the glasses. Help yourself,” Larissa told him as she took a cookie for herself.
Not wanting to dislodge her, he stayed where he was.
Lana got up from the table. Moon heard her opening a cabinet then saw her carrying two boxes of cookies toward him. “Here. Knock yourself out.” She handed him one of the boxes. “I’m going to bed. It’s been a long day.”
“Night, sis.” Larissa ate another cookie as she eyed the box Lana had given Moon. “I hate those. Are you sure you don’t want one of mine?”
“I’m sure.” Moon opened the plain tagalongs, wondering if Beth or Lily knew of anyone selling Girl Scout cookies in town.
Larissa turned on a movie as Priss cleared the table before she came out of the kitchen with a glass of milk and a box of cookies in hand, then set the milk on a coaster on the end table next to him.
“See you in the morning. Good night.”
“Good night,” Moon and Larissa replied as they ate their cookies.
“You don’t like the lemon ones?”
Larissa turned her eyes from the television. “How’d you know?”
“Wild guess.”
“I only like the s’mores. The others are only so-so.”
“Since we didn’t make it to Jamestown tonight, when do you want to go?”
“We don’t have to. Sex Piston offered to bring them tomorrow when she comes to see Killyama’s baby.”
“How’s the baby doing?”
“She’s adorable.” Larissa’s eyes went all dewy at the mention of the baby. “I barely got her away from Train to weigh her.”
“Really?”
Larissa happily nodded her head. “He didn’t want me to wake Killyama up, and we had a chance to talk. I was able to watch him with Ela and Bina. He’s a good father.”
“I agree. He has the patience of a saint.”
Larissa eyed him as she munched on yet another cookie. “Would you mind handing me my milk?”
Moon handed her the glass, and Larissa took a drink before handing it back to him, and the cookies.
“I’m sorry for how I acted earlier.”
Placing the cookies back in the drawer, he started playing with one of the ribbons on her robe. “That’s okay. I shouldn’t have argued with you about going to get the burgers. You’re eating for two.” He quit playing with the ribbon to place his hand on where their baby lay sleeping.
“Sometimes, I think I’m eating for four,” she joked.
Moon felt his heart stop. “You would tell me if we’re expecting multiples, right?”
Larissa burst out laughing. “Of course. I promise we’re only having one.”
He was able to breathe again at her reassurance.
“Worried the boutique hasn’t had time to restock?” she teased.
“I worried more about how I could hold two at the same time.”
Moon noticed her fidgeting with the bow on her robe as she watched television.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.”
He knew there was when Larissa didn’t look at him.
“Larissa?”
“Are you going to go back to the boutique when she calls?”
“Not without you.”
She continued fidgeting with her bow. “Are you going to go out with her?”
“No.” Moon took her hand to link it with his. “I have no plans on seeing any other woman.”
Larissa snuggled against him at his answer. “I love watching old movies.” Yawning, she laid her head down on his shoulder.
He hadn’t even paid attention to the movie she had turned on. He didn’t know the name of it and couldn’t care less. Surprisingly, he actually got caught up in the old movie.
“You know, I was thinking,” he said quietly.
“About what?” she asked, her attention still on the movie.
“You’re going to be able to move into your house at the end of the month, right?”
“If everything goes through, yes.”
“What if, when the closing is final, Lana and Priss stay here, and we moved in there to enjoy some alone time before the baby is born?”
Larissa jerked her eyes to his. “That makes no sense. Why would you give up this house to come live in mine?”
“Because I know you’ll want to make your own nest at your home. We can do it together. I also thought you might be able to talk your mother into a visit and stay until the baby is born. You all will be cramped. It makes more sense for us to move into your house. Unless you’re not ready to move in with me?”
Her eyes went dewy soft again. “I think it’s so sweet that you thought of my mother coming for a visit. I was waiting to move into my house before inviting her.”
“After the baby is born, we can reevaluate our relationship. If it goes like I hope, we can switch houses with your sisters and mother. If it doesn’t, you and the baby will be situated in your new home, and I’ll move back once your sisters leave.”
“Mom won’t move to Treepoint. She’ll never leave Bowling Green permanently.”
“Your mother never had a grandchild before.” He lowered his mouth to nuzzle her neck. “What do you think of my idea?”
“I’ll have to talk to my sisters first.”
“Talk it over with them, for sure. The ball is in your court,” he assured her. “Just keep in mind”—Moon started playing with her earlobe with the tip of his tongue—“I don’t feel comfortable fucking you with your sisters in the bedrooms next to yours.”
Her neck arched back, providing him with better access. “We should finish watching the movie,” she suggested, placing a hand on his chest and pushing him back to put a little space between them.
Letting her resume snuggling against him, Moon had to concentrate on who had killed Pace to get his dick under control.
The movie was almost over when he looked down and saw Larissa had fallen asleep. Carefully standing, he lifted her into his arms then carried her upstairs, where he laid her down on the bed, covering her with an extra blanket from the bottom of the bed. He gazed down at her for several minutes before turning the light out and leaving the room.
Downstairs, he switched off the lights and checked the doors before leaving. Then, out in the cool night air, he took in a shaky breath.
She was getting under his skin. How in the fuck could she be a raving bitch whom he wanted to ditch one second, and the next, a kitten he wanted to stroke until she came apart in his arms?
As he stared up at the sky, he saw it was the first quarter moon. He missed Hawaii. There, he had been able to sit on the beach and stare out at the moon and the stars and dream of the family he would have in the future, not like the one waiting for him to come home. Shaking off thoughts of his childhood invariably brought back bitter memories. Memories which were better off left in the past.