Chapter 39
thirty-nine
CAL
Harlow was planning a birthday party for Cora the moment we landed in Boston. The doctors cleared her to go home two days after she woke up, against my insistence that she wasn’t ready. The glare Harlow shot my way when I tried to get her to stay is one for the record books. And clearly it worked since I’m standing in my backyard that has been transformed into a watermelon wonderland.
My wife is standing in front of a sign that says “Cora is One in a Melon,” directing Willa and Belle on where she wants the balloons placed on the balloon arch. The balloons are in two different shades of pink and a light green. Honestly, everything looks amazing. There’s a long row of tables with watermelon tablecloths and decorations scattered on the top. A caterer should be here any minute with the food.
Since we still don’t have definitive proof of who took Harlow, we’re keeping the party small. Which is something I tried to point out during the planning process, but Harlow had already called my cousin Millie and invited her and Logan along with their infant daughter. I’m lucky she stopped there.
“This seems like a lot for a baby. Is that a ball pit?” Kai asks, as he comes to stand next to me. Harlow bought a kiddie pool and filled it with green and pink balls. Cora is going to love it.
“There’s a watermelon shaped sprinkler too.” I tell him. I don’t mention the custom watermelon sugar cookies, watermelon themed drinks and snacks, or the two-tier watermelon cake.
He sighs and looks to the sky. “Belle is going to want to be this over the top when we have kids now.”
I spit the watermelon water I had just put in my mouth and look at him. “Don’t talk about knocking my sister up. What is wrong with you?”
Kai laughs and slaps my back. “We live together, dude. What did you think we were doing?”
“I don’t know! Taking cooking classes and learning to crochet?”
“We practice making babies,” Kai says with a smug look on his face. I tackle him to the ground. He grunts and forces a roll so he’s on top. “She likes it like this too.”
I punch him right in his stupid face.
“Fuck!” he groans and rolls off me.
“What are you doing?” Belle asks, running to Kai and glaring angrily at me.
“He started it!” I defend. Harlow has her hands on her hips as she stares down at me. She’s not mad, but curious. Willa shakes her head and gets back to the balloon arch. She’s used to us.
“Explain,” Harlow says.
“He kept bragging about fucking my sister!” I say indignantly, pointing at Kai. Harlow snorts and Belle turns her glare to Kai.
“Really, Malikai?” she says, and he shrugs, smiling like the smug fucker he is.
“I see some things never change.”
I turn to see Millie walking into my backyard. Her hair, so similar to Belle’s, is pulled back into a ponytail. They’re even both wearing jean shorts and pink shirts. The two of them look more like siblings than Belle and I do. Belle squeals and runs to hug Millie. I get up off the ground and dust myself off, then take my turn for a hug.
Holding out my hand to Kai, I pull him up. “Sorry,” he says, but the smile tells me he is absolutely not sorry.
“You wouldn’t like it if I bragged about fucking your brother. Which I did. Often,” Mav says deadpan, walking by us with an armful of presents. Kai’s face is a mixture of shock and disgust, making me laugh so hard I have to bend over and grab my knees to catch my breath.
By the time I’m able to get myself together, Logan is standing in front of me with a baby strapped to his chest. He’s smiling at me, holding out his hand for a shake. I take it and shake. I’d hug the man if there wasn’t a fragile baby in the middle. Hell, I might kiss him to thank him for how he’s handled us postponing the tour.
“Thanks for inviting us,” he says. “It’s Valerie’s first birthday party invite, and Millie was thrilled.”
“You guys are always welcome here,” I say honestly. Harlow meets my eye, and I gesture for her to stand with me. “This is my wife, Harlow,” I tell Logan once she’s by my side.
Logan’s eyes flare slightly before he composes himself, ever the distinguished businessman. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Harlow,” he says, shaking her hand. “I’m Logan and this is my daughter, Valerie.”
Harlow gushes over the new baby as Millie walks up to us. She quickly introduces herself to Harlow and the two take off to get Cora ready, chatting about surprising people with husbands as they walk away.
“That’s going to be dangerous for us, isn’t it?” Logan says, watching them disappear into the house.
I laugh. “She’s already best friends with my sister and best friends. It was inevitable for her to scoop Millie into her circle too.”
“So. Wife?” Logan asks, hitching one eyebrow.
I shrug one shoulder. “I knew the moment I met her. She filled a hole in my heart that I didn’t even know I had. Making her my wife just made sense.”
“When you know, you know,” he says, looking wistfully in the direction Millie went.
“Are you going to explain that one?” Willa asks, arms crossed and looking annoyed. She’s in a pink shirt and jean shorts too. Harlow told everyone to wear pink, and it seems we all went for a pink shirt and jeans of some variety.
I smile. Willa hates not knowing things, so this is really pissing her off. “No. I think we’re going to keep that moment to ourselves. Something perfect and special that’s just ours.”
Willa narrows her eyes as she studies me. She must find what she’s looking for because she nods and walks away.
“Birthday girl is coming!” Jo shouts. Everyone turns to watch as my wife carries our daughter into the backyard. Millie and my dad follow closely behind them, but I only have eyes for my girls. Harlow, Cora, and me are all in pink shirts that Harlow painted black ovals on, and green shorts. She thought it was going to be a fight to get me to wear it. One day, that woman is going to realize I would give her anything she asks for.
They make their way to me, and I put my hand on Harlow’s waist, pulling her to me and kissing her lips and then Cora’s head.
Fuck. I’m one lucky asshole.
“I’m exhausted,” Harlow says, flinging herself on the couch and wincing.
I hold my tongue. The party was a lot, and I’m not entirely sure Harlow was supposed to be holding Cora, but telling her otherwise would have been very dangerous for my health. Instead, I move her legs and sit under them, take her sandals off, and rub her feet.
“ Oh . Oh god, Cal. Keep doing that,” she moans and throws her arm over her eyes.
“You need to stop making those noises, Firecracker,” I groan, and readjust myself.
“I can’t help it. It feels so good,” she says and gasps when I press my knuckle into her heel.
“Harlow,” I warn.
“Right there, Cal!” she screams. I know what she’s doing. She’s technically able to have sex. I was there when she asked the doctor. But I’ve been too worried about hurting her.
“Fuck it,” I mutter and make quick work of removing her shorts and panties.
“Finally,” she says, reaching for me.
“I’m going to eat your sweet pussy and that’s it,” I say, and she pouts. “That’s all you’re getting for now, baby. I can’t hurt you. I won’t.”
“You won’t hurt me, Cal.”
“You’re sore from the party and don’t pretend you aren’t. Let me take care of you,” I whisper, kissing my way from her foot all the way up her leg until I’m close to where she wants me.
“Okay,” she says on a breath, arching her back, trying to get closer to my mouth.
“So impatient,” I say, kissing everywhere except where she wants me to.
“Callahan, if you don’t put your mouth on my clit right now, I’ll be taking care of myself,” Harlow huffs. She’s adorable when she’s frustrated.
I pause, considering my options.
“And I won’t let you watch,” she adds, knowing exactly where my thoughts just went. So I do as she asks and suck on her clit, earning me a moan.
I lick and suck until she’s panting and begging for more. She tangles my hair in her hands and grinds against my mouth.
“Cal, I need more. Please,” she whimpers. I insert two fingers and watch her face as she moans. “Make me come, husband.”
I growl into her soaking wet pussy. She knows exactly what it does to me when she calls me husband. I suck her clit back into my mouth and curl my fingers. She comes on a cry, pulling my hair so hard it hurts, but I don’t care. Having my wife fall apart on my face is one of the best things I could ever experience.
Once Harlow releases her death grip on my hair, I crawl up her body, being careful to keep my weight off her and kiss her. “I love you, wife.”
“I love you too,” she says, taking my hand in hers. “We need to get rings.”
“Oh, I bought you a ring, baby. I had it custom made. It just isn’t done yet.” We’re wearing the cheap bands we got when we got married, but we definitely need upgrades if the green circle underneath them is any indication.
Harlow frowns. “How do you feel about tattooing your finger?”
I snort. My Firecracker is a jealous woman, and I fucking love it. “I’ll tattoo your name across my forehead if you want me to.”
“Your finger is fine. I like your face too much to mar it like that.”
“I’ll make an appointment tomorrow,” I tell her, getting to my feet and picking her up in my arms.
She laughs. The sound will never get old, especially after not knowing if I would ever hear it again.
“I was kidding. I’m getting you a ring,” she says.
“Whatever you want, Firecracker.”
I’m making a tattoo appointment the moment I wake up.