Foundations - Kate Canterbary Page 0,15

please don't tell me you'll do whatever I want. Tell me what you want."

I leaned closer to her, moving everything out of my way. Plates, napkins, goblets, everything. I didn't want anything between us right now. "I want you," I said. "I want you. Nothing else matters to me."

"Says the man with blowjob brain."

"Yeah, that's accurate," I replied. "But I knew that before you dragged me into the closet."

"There was no dragging. You went there willingly," she remarked.

"Because I want you." I took both her hands in mine, squeezed as if I could send my words through her skin and into her heart because that was where I needed them. "There was a time when we talked about five kids. The house, the kids, the dogs. The whole damn thing. We were doing it, nothing was going to slow us down. And it made sense too. I'm one of six, you're one of three. Siblings are a way of life for us."

"I know," she said softly, almost mournfully, her brow crinkling. "That's why—that's why this is difficult."

I shook my head. "How many cousins does Maddie have now? Three? Another on the way?"

"As far as I know, yes," she agreed. "Andy was drunk this afternoon so I don't think she's on the list. Erin's holding off another year or so. Tiel says she's out of the game."

"And how many weddings do we have coming up?"

"Several." She stared at the reclaimed wood table for a second. "Magnolia. After everything she's been through, that girl deserves the biggest party. I can't wait for that wedding. And Riley. The Walshes take over Tahoe. That's going to be a time. There's Jordan and April's wedding which will be crawling with Navy SEALs. I wonder if she's decorating her own cake." A squeak sounded in her throat. "And Wes and Tom. I'm sure they'll make it official sooner or later. I'm not rushing them. I'm just happy Wes is alive and fully recovered."

"That's a lot of weddings."

"It is," Lauren agreed. "I'm excited. I'm excited for the things to come."

I nodded. "And the babies. Maddie has plenty of cousins and more on the way. She doesn't need a load of siblings to have a big, loud family. We don't have to make more babies just because we thought it sounded like a good idea at one point. We can love the one we have, and love each other." I rubbed my thumb over the backside of her rings. "I've missed you so much. I can't lose you again."

"You won't lose me," she replied. "But I'm afraid you'll forget how to love me like you're in love with me. That was how I felt, Matthew. Like you didn't see me, didn't want me, didn't need me the way I needed you."

I studied her as if I hadn't seen her in years. I saw the same green eyes flecked with gold, the same blonde hair she passed onto our daughter, the same sweet smile with a dash of sin. It reminded me of the first time I'd set eyes on her. A crisp autumn day, a dilapidated church, a pair of leopard-print heels. I'd loved her right from the start. I'd loved her and chased her and kept her but this woman right here—the one who held my world in the palm of her hand—she was the one who kept me.

"I'll never let you feel that way again, sweetness," I said, lifting her hands to my lips. "Never."

5

Lauren

The drive home from dinner was quiet. Matthew kept his hand on my thigh while he drove and I kept my hand wrapped around his forearm. This was good. This was everything I needed.

Our life was different now and we were different too but when all the layers of adulting and marriage and parenthood slipped away, we were the same people we'd always been. All the things swirling around me—the new house, the new kid, the new roles—didn't change anything. Nothing that truly mattered.

And nothing beat the power of giving a good blowjob.

Matthew pulled into the driveway, squeezing my thigh when the car stopped. "How was that for an evening out, Mrs. Walsh?"

I glanced up at our suburban house, the one Matthew tore apart and rebuilt just in time for Madeleine's arrival. "It was perfect, Mr. Walsh. Thank you for indulging me."

"I look forward to indulging in you soon." He pointed at the dashboard clock. "By my estimation, we're looking at one more feeding tonight before Maddie will fight her way to