Chapter 21 #3
Ethan held completely still, every muscle in his body screaming at him to move, but his mind knowing he needed to wait. That neither of them had done this in a while.
“Okay?” His voice came out strangled.
“Move.” Her hips rocked against him, and Ethan saw stars. “Please move.”
He did. Started slow, careful, watching her face, where all he saw was pleasure. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted back, her lips parted on breathless gasps.
Ethan picked up the pace, finding a rhythm that made Lydia’s breath hitch, made her nails dig into his shoulders. His hand found hers, threaded their fingers together, the ones wearing the engagement ring, the adhesive that marked her as his, and pinned it gently above her head.
His other hand slid between them, finding that spot that had made her gasp in the shower. He touched her there while he moved inside her, wanting to make this good for her. Wanting to give her pleasure instead of just taking his own.
“Look at me,” Ethan said roughly, needing to see her eyes. Needing to know she was here, with him, present and wanting this. “Lydia, look at me.”
She did. Opened her eyes and met his gaze, and what Ethan saw there made his heart stop.
Trust. Pleasure. Love.
She loved him. He could see it written in every line of her face, in the way she looked at him like he’d hung the moon in the sky. Like he was everything she’d ever wanted.
“I love you,” Ethan gasped out. “Lydia, I love you so much.”
And then she was coming, her whole body tensing and shaking beneath him, his name on her lips like a prayer.
The sight of her, lost in pleasure he’d given her, trusting him enough to let go, pushed Ethan over the edge right behind her as he came in a rush, growling his approval as she keened beneath him.
He buried his face in her neck, breathing her in, saying her name over and over like it was the only word that mattered. Feeling her arms come around him, holding him close, grounding him as he fell back to earth.
Afterward, they lay tangled together. Sweaty and breathless and complete. Ethan rolled to the side, not wanting to crush her, and pulled her with him so she was tucked against his chest. Her head fit perfectly under his chin. Her hand rested over his heart.
“I love you,” Lydia whispered into his chest.
“I love you too.” Ethan kissed her hair, still damp from the shower, smelling like his shampoo now. “You, Eli, and Rosie. You’re my family now. My whole world.”
“We love you too.” She tilted her face up to kiss him, soft and sweet. “Thank you for not giving up on me. On us.”
“Never.” Ethan held her tighter, like he could keep her safe from everything bad in the world just by not letting go. “You’re stuck with me now, Harper. No take-backs.”
She laughed, and the sound was light. Happy. Free of the weight she’d been carrying for so long. “Technically, it’ll be Cole soon. Lydia Cole.”
Ethan grinned, feeling something warm and bright bloom in his chest at the thought of her taking his name. Of them being a family in every legal and emotional way. His first real family, his first shared family name. “Has a nice ring to it. Literally.”
She groaned at the pun, but she was smiling too. “That was terrible.”
“You love it.”
“I love you.”
“Same thing.”
They lay there as the room darkened, as the last of the afternoon light faded to evening. Neither of them moved to get up, to get dressed, to return to the real world waiting outside this room.
For now, this was enough. This bed, these arms, this moment of peace after the storm.
Ethan felt Lydia’s breathing slow, felt her body relax completely against him. She was falling asleep, finally letting go of the tension that had kept her wound tight all day.
He should probably get up. Should deal with the condom, should pull the covers over them, should at least text Mrs. Figgs to confirm when they’d pick up the kids.
But he couldn’t make himself move. Couldn’t bear to disturb this perfect moment. Lydia asleep in his arms, safe and loved and his. The woman who’d crashed into his life and reminded him what living felt like. The woman who’d brought him back from the dead.
His family.
Ethan kissed her forehead gently, careful not to wake her. “I’ll keep you safe,” he whispered. “All of you. I promise. Whatever comes next, whatever we have to face, I’ll be right here. Always.”
She mumbled something in her sleep, burrowed closer to him. Her hand tightened on his chest, right over his heart.
And Ethan let himself drift off too, wrapped in her warmth, in this moment, in the absolute certainty that he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
Later, they’d pick up the kids. Tomorrow, they’d start figuring out how to navigate this new life they were building.
Tomorrow, they’d deal with trials and insurance and all the messy complications of blending a family.
And they would get her a new car, one with a solid safety cage that would keep her and the kids safe.
But tonight, tonight they had this. Each other. A promise. A future.
And that was more than enough.
That was everything.