Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Willa
My doctor gave me the six-week sex clearance today, and I couldn’t have been happier. I knew Damien had been counting down the days, the hours, the minutes, the seconds. Now, we needed Daisy to sleep while we took back our sex lives.
I had just showered—a full-blown shower, with legs and other parts shaved and fully moisturized. It was a rare and magical event. Damien had been texting me all day.
We’re still on for tonight, right?
Yes. Bring your A-game, Blackwood.
“I just pushed a three p.m. investor call to tomorrow. Priorities.
Please tell me you didn’t tell Christine why?
I told her I had a personal engagement, which is technically true. Because I plan to engage you repeatedly.
Okay, wow. Is this the dirty-talking billionaire I married?
He’s back, baby!
I’m wearing pants today with a glittery milk stain on them. So, lower your expectations, sir.
I’ve never been more turned on.
You’re a feral animal.
You have no idea, babe. I’ve prepped a ‘welcome back to the bedroom’ playlist for two weeks, and I even got Daisy to sign a peace treaty.
If she sleeps during it, I’ll believe in miracles.
I’ll bribe our night nurse with stock options if she doesn’t. I need this.
You’re acting like we haven’t had sex in years.
It feels like it. I love our daughter but she’s cockblocked me for six weeks. And she loves it. I can tell.
Well, bring home dessert. I need sugar to survive what you’re planning.
You are dessert, but I’ll bring something home. Balance. I have to get to a meeting. Looking forward to sex night.
Me too.
Didn’t it just figure that the day I got clearance for sex, Sabrina needed the night off due to a family emergency? Didn’t she realize this was a family emergency? But I had faith that my dictator daughter would let Daddy and me have some fun before she goes off the rails.
The second I heard the elevator ding, I ran into the foyer.
“You smell like Vanilla and sin.” Damien grinned, leaning in and kissing my lips.
“I smell like nipple cream and baby wipes, but thank you.” I smiled. “We have to do this now. I just got her to sleep. Time is a ticking, Blackwood.” I grabbed his tie and pulled him behind me.
“She’s not in our room, is she?’ he asked.
“God no. She’s in her crib.”
“You lit candles.” He smirked when we walked into the bedroom. “I have something for you.” He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. “It’s your push present.”
“It’s a little too late for that.” I smiled. “I pushed your kid out of my body six weeks ago.”
“Remember, she came early. I didn’t have time to shop for anything because of our chaotic life.”
I lifted the lid and gasped at the beautiful diamond-encased eternity band.
“Damien, it’s gorgeous, and a perfect fit.”
“You’re gorgeous.” He kissed my lips and lifted my shirt over my head.
Our clothes came off in a flash, our kiss was passionate and deep, like we were noticing each other for the first time.
“Wait.” I pulled back. “Did you hear that?”
“Yes. That’s the sound of my racing heart because I’m so turned on right now.”
“No.” I pointed to the monitor. “She’s breathing weird. It sounds like pre-cry breathing.”
“You’re paranoid. She does that when she’s dreaming, sweetheart.”
“What if she’s dreaming that we abandoned her?”
“Babe, her dreams consist of boobs and noise machines. She’s fine.”
“You’re right. I’m being ridiculous.” I smashed my mouth against his.
His hands roamed over my body, giving me the pleasure I dearly missed.
“I think you’re leaking,” he said.
“What?” I quickly sat up and looked down at my boobs. “Oh my God. They’re booby land mines right now. What the fuck!”
Damien fell back on the pillow, laughing. “This is the hottest disaster I’ve ever been a part of.”
“I guess we’re out of practice,” I pouted. “Don’t mock the process, Damien.”
“I’m not mocking anything. I’m totally turned on right now. See.” He pointed to his stiff cock.
“Then hold on tight, Blackwood. Because this roller coaster is going uphill.” I grinned, straddling him. I slowly lifted myself onto his throbbing cock, moaning with pleasure.
“God, I’ve missed this,” Damien spoke breathlessly.
“Me too.” I threw my head back as I rode him.
Then it happened. The baby monitor buzzed like a demonic bee. Daisy shrieked her usual opera-level drama.
“Ugh!” I collapsed on his chest. “I hate everything.”
“I think she waited. Like she knew. She is strategically sabotaging us,” he groaned.
“Do you agree we’re still hot and in love and finish this later?” I asked.
“Deal.” He kissed me.
“And you’re still into me? Even with the boob milk surprise?”
“Sweetheart, that’s normal. We made a person. You, my love, are magic. You could leak black tar, and I’d still be into you.”
Daisy’s cries softened as we stared at each other and waited.
“She knows she won,” I said, climbing off Damien.
“Not forever. We’re coming back for another round as soon as we get her to sleep again,” he said, walking out of the bedroom.
“Yeah. In eighteen years or so!” I shouted.
* * *
I stood in front of the mirror, holding a to-go coffee in one hand and a breast pump in the other. I was wearing real pants. Okay, they were leggings. But they were black and stain-free, which counted as formal wear in postpartum fashion.
“I can do this,” I whispered. “I’m a boss. A brand. A woman who will not cry when she leaves the house this morning.”
Damien cleared his throat. Turning around, he leaned against the doorframe, holding Daisy, dressed in pink.
“You cried making bottles last night,” he said. “You also sniffed Daisy’s onesie and said she smells like my soul. This has been bothering you for weeks.”
“I had a moment. Don’t judge me.”
He walked over and kissed my forehead. “Go run your empire. We got this.”
“Are you sure? You’ve never been home alone with her all day. I still can’t believe you took the day off.”
“Why? It’s your first day back to work, and I knew how emotional you’d be. I also knew you’d feel better if I stayed with her.”
“I love you so much.” I wrapped my arms around him and Daisy.
“I love you, too, sweetheart. Now, go. You don’t want to be late.”
I burst through the front door of the shop with some emotional stability.
“Mama’s back!” I shouted.
“Yay! Did you bring the baby?”
“No. Unfortunately, all I brought was milk filled boobs and postpartum baggage.”
I walked over to the shelf with the For the Unstable But Hot bath bombs and inhaled the scent.
“This shelf still smells like me.” I smiled.
“You’ve only been gone six and a half weeks,” Grace said.
“It feels like I’ve been gone for eternity. And you know what I missed the most?”
“What?” Grace smiled.
“I missed the unhinged, healing energy of dumped women rage purchasing candles.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll get your fill today,” she said.
“And I miss my baby. Like, a lot.” I pouted. “Should I FaceTime her right now?”
“You literally just left her. Let Damien spend some alone time with her,” Grace said.
I inhaled a deep breath and sort of pulled myself together, helping customers as they walked into the store. I helped an unhinged woman suffering from post-breakup trauma. A couple of hours had passed, and I was doing great. I gave myself a pat on the back.
Grace stepped behind the counter and handed me a granola bar. “Stop pretending. We all know you’re unhinged right now.”
“I’m multitasking. Hormones and capitalism. I can do that, you know. I’m the queen of multitasking now that I have a baby.” Who was I trying to convince? Her or me?
My phone pinged with a text from Damien.
Daisy just sneezed and smiled like she invented it.
Mid-bite of my granola bar, and I burst into tears.
“Okay. Maybe I am unhinged. But I’m here, helping customers. I’m running an empire, and I didn’t leak through my shirt. So, we’re calling it a win.”
Grace smiled. “Do you want to pump now, cry, or rearrange the Men Are Cancelled display?”
“All of the above,” I said.