like their daddy,” Mia agreed, leaning back against the headboard, a yawn escaping her smiling face.
“And like their mommy,” Luke added, kissing her forehead. “Nap time for you, sweets. We’ll talk more later.”
He knew she was truly exhausted when she just nodded and rolled over to face her floor-to-ceiling windows. As he adjusted the blinds, Allie snuck out of the room. Did she think he was going to stand for that?
She couldn’t leave now. She couldn’t ignore him.
Luke hurried down the stairs after Allie and caught up to her in the kitchen. “Allie, wait!”
Instead of ignoring him like he expected, she spun around. “What is it, Luke?” she said, annoyance lacing her voice.
“That’s the kind of greeting I get? I think you’ve forgotten that I’ve seen you naked.”
She blushed and he took that opportunity to move a few steps closer to her. “Remember … I was there with you, coming with you. I enjoyed myself and you more than enjoyed yourself. Quite a few times, if I remember correctly. So I don’t understand why you are treating me this way. I didn’t hurt you.”
“Luke, stop fooling yourself. You just want me because I don’t want you.”
“That’s not true and you fucking know it. You want me,” he said, moving even closer to her, crowding her space, his eyes focused on her face, watching as her pupils quickly dilated with desire. He backed her against the kitchen counter, placing his hand on the fridge beside her head, before he leaned in to kiss her. As he knew would happen, she didn’t resist him—she kissed him back, matching his intensity with her own. He smiled when her hands grabbed his waist, pulling him to her, his hard body flush with her soft, luscious one. As much as he wanted to fuck her right now, he knew that wouldn’t help anything. He needed to leave her wanting—craving him.
Slowing down the kiss, he let his lips linger on hers, her eyes fluttering shut. She looked so freaking content. “Stop lying to yourself … you so want me.”
Luke kissed her one more time before leaving the kitchen to check out his room for the next week. One corner of his mouth pulled into a grin as her sexy whimper hit his ears.
Mission accomplished.
Ethan
Indianapolis, September 2011
Ethan hated being away from Mia. He knew she was in good hands with Allie and Luke there, but here he was, half a country away, alone, with a computer, searching and reading up on her diagnosis. He was so worried something bad was going to happen. He wanted to be prepared, but the more he read, his worry quickly turned to panic.
Damn it. He should not have consulted Dr. Google.
He tried to distract himself with studying plays. It took a while but it eventually worked. He concentrated on this week’s offensive strategy against the Boston defense. Time flew by and when he next looked at the clock, it was close to eleven. Mia should be done with dinner now.
With a sideways glance at the empty side of the bed, he opened his laptop and brought up the program that had been his life many years ago.
Mia answered almost immediately, her gorgeous yet tired face appearing on the screen. First thing after that he noticed was that she was actually in bed like a good patient.
“Hi, suga.”
“Hi.” His words made her face light up, but the moment she spoke, he heard the reined-in fear in her voice. She was trying to be brave for him, but he could see she was scared out of her mind. He wanted to be there so fucking bad to hold her, comfort her. Just a few more days until her next doctor’s appointment. Hopefully she’d be able to come back home.
“How are you?”
“Bored! Allie’s taking care of business, and Luke just left to chill for a bit. They’ve both been great, catering to my every need. Though I draw the damn line at help in the bathroom.”
“I’ll help you soon.”
“I still draw the line at you helping me in the bathroom.”
“How about if I prepare a relaxing bath for you, would you let me join?”
“That would be absolutely perrrrrfect,” his wife said. “Ethan, I miss you so much.”
“Remember this during the off-season when I’m around all the time and you’re sick of me.”
“That’ll never be the case, Ethan. You and me. Forever.”
“You got that right.”
She stayed quiet after that. He didn’t like her lost in that still-fragile mind of hers. She was so much stronger