Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
I rubbed his arm. “You were thinking that you love your son, and you can’t stand the limbo. You want to make things better. I get it.”
He reached for my hand. “Well, if all else fails, I still have you and Nicholas. I’m thankful for that every day.”
Tate and I still hadn’t explained things to Nicholas, and it seemed unlikely that he’d processed anything we said around him in the hospital. There was really nothing stopping us anymore, though…
“I was thinking,” I told Tate. “Maybe we should tell Nicholas who you are now that he’s recovered from the accident.”
A glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. “You think he’s ready?”
“I do.”
He nodded. “All right. If it’s okay with you, though, I want to play it by ear. I don’t want to spring it on him at some specific time we pick. I’d like to do it spontaneously, when it feels right, depending on his mood.”
“Okay. That makes sense.”
He closed his eyes and bent his head back.
I wanted so badly to ease the tension in his body. “Sit down on the ground,” I demanded.
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
Tate moved off the couch to the carpet. I sat behind him on the couch, placing a leg on either side of him.
“What are you doing, baby?” The low rumble of his laughter vibrated against my hands as I rubbed the back of his neck.
“I’m giving you a massage.”
“I thought I was supposed to be giving you a break.”
“I told you, I don’t want a break. I’ve spent the last four years longing for you. What I want is to enjoy being together now.” I dug my fingers deeper into his muscles. “Now take a deep breath and relax.”
“You’re a dream come true,” he hissed. “The problem is, when you touch me like this, you don’t just make me relaxed. I want to bury myself inside you.”
I felt the muscles between my legs tighten. “It’s good we want the same things.”
He groaned under his breath. As I massaged his shoulders, I bent to kiss the top of his head.
“I don’t deserve you, Blair,” he said.
“Yes, you do.”
He sighed deeply, his tension seeming to dissipate a bit. “You’re the best thing to ever happen to me. As tough as this is, I’m lucky to have you by my side.”
I circled my palms slowly over his upper back. “No matter what Taylor thinks right now, I know the truth. You’re a good man, Tate Delaney. I’ll die on that hill. You’ve learned from your mistakes, and you want nothing more than to show love to the people you care about. Loving each other freely and naturally will never be a sin or something to regret. I’m trying to be hopeful that Taylor will come around. But if for any reason he doesn’t, just know that I see you. And I’m so happy you’re Nicholas’s dad.” I stopped massaging for a moment. “Sometimes I still wake up in the morning feeling like I’ve lost you. For a split second, I think it’s four years ago. For so long, that feeling of dread was the first thing to hit me when I opened my eyes. But now? Euphoria sets in when I realize the truth.”
He reached his hand back and placed it over mine. “I love you so much, Blair.”
I moved around from behind and straddled him on the ground. “I love you, too.” I kissed him, feeling his erection growing between my legs.
“I’m so glad I’m your baby daddy,” he said over my lips.
“There’s a funny story I never told you…” I snickered.
He looked up and grinned. “What?”
“So, you remember my ex, Daniel, the one who’d left me heartbroken when we met?”
“Of course. I’ll never forget that jerk.”
“Well, he actually came back to ask me for a second chance.”
Tate went rigid. “Really…”
“He called one night and asked if he could come by and speak to me.”
His eyes widened. “You let him come over?”
I nodded.
Tate’s eyes narrowed. “What happened?”
I laughed just thinking about it. “I gleefully opened the door—with my huge, eight-months-pregnant belly.”
His mouth dropped. “No fucking way.”
“Yup. That’s why I let him come by. I knew it would shock the crap out of him. I enjoyed every second of the look on his face.”
“Holy crap. What did you tell him?”
“Oh, I told him the absolute truth: that I’d met an older man on vacation who’d knocked me up.”
“He must’ve shit a brick.”
“Looked like he might have.” I chuckled.
“What happened after that?”
“He left soon after, and I never saw him again.” I shrugged. “But I couldn’t have orchestrated a better way of getting back at him.”
Tate cackled. “You’re welcome.”
Chapter 36
* * *
TATE
A month later, Blair and I unexpectedly found ourselves moving into our new place.
We’d been looking for a house in our price range in the same general area as Blair’s place so Nicholas didn’t have to adjust to new surroundings. We also wanted to stay as close to family as we’d been before. Despite everything still being up in the air with Taylor, I didn’t want to be away from him. I was still holding out hope that we could move past this and be close someday.