He hauls me up against his body, one arm tight around my back, his other hand lost in my hair as he cradles my head to his chest. And now he’s swaying with me in his arms and I have no choice but to follow the movements of his powerful body. I feel his lips against my scalp and his chest vibrates as he hums a song I think I recognize.
If the World Was Ending. J.P. Saxe and Julia Michaels.
Well, damn. Looks like my pop music found a way to bleed into Walker’s psyche after all.
The stars twinkle overhead and this big, burly man holds me in his arms, pouring a melody into me, soothing my soul.
My pulse evens out. My lungs open with each inhale to welcome his manly scent and on each exhale, a little bit of my fear dissipates.
The moment stretches on between us. I wrap my arms around him and cling with all my might as we sway in the field with the grass soft and cool beneath our bare feet. It feels like there’s not another person around for miles. I don’t ever want him to let me go.
The song’s lyrics pour through my mind, promises of having each other’s back no matter what. In life’s darkest moments. Even if we’re not meant to be together. I feel those lyrics in my bones.
It almost makes me forget my predicament. Almost.
I groan and softly bang my forehead on his hard pecs. “I asked you if there was a history of twins in your family…” I laugh and whimper at the same time.
Walker chuckles lightly under his breath. “And I said I wasn’t sure.” Of course he wasn’t. I’m betting he doesn’t know much about the medical history of his biological father’s side. “It’ll be fine, P,” he says soothingly. “It’ll be amazing.”
We sway some more and his hands move up and down my back. It feels so good.
“You know I'll be here for you. You know that.” He whispers into my hair.
“I know…” I press my lips to his chest, right where his heart is pounding hard. “I’m so lucky to be your best friend, Walker.”
The man cups my jaw and I look up into those dark, mesmerizing eyes. He swallows hard. “You’re not just my best friend, Penn.” His heart pounds against me like it’ll beat its way out of his chest. “You’re so much more. So much.” He holds his breath and blurts out, “I want to be with you.”
The Earth stops spinning. The rules of gravity cease to apply. The world slips from beneath my feet. “You want to be with me?”
His eyes close for a second and then they spring open again, shining with determination. “Yes, Princess.” His shoulders rise when he takes a huge inhalation. “I want to be with you. You and the babies. I want us all to be a family. And if you don’t want that, I—”
I leap on him and my mouth is on his in an instant.
Our lips move and dance together, our very own choreography to our very own song.
The kiss is tender, slow, deliberate. Walker pours himself fully into it. I give him every last drop of air in my lungs and when I can’t breathe anymore, I pull away. I look up into the face of this perfect man. “What would happen if I asked you to take me inside right now?”
“I’d kiss you.” He smiles with a boyish mischief in his eyes. “I’d hold you real tight and I'd kiss you till your knees went weak and then…”
“And then…?” I prod.
“And then I’d take you to my bed and I'd fuck you all night long.”
My pulse is a fast, arrhythmic mess. I lace my fingers through his. “Then, take me inside, Walker. Take me to your bed right now.”
44
Walker
There's no turning back now. I can’t deny it.
I’m in love with her…
We’re standing toe-to-toe in my bedroom with starlight coming in through the open curtains. Penny’s in front of me flushed, disheveled, perfect.
She runs her tiny hands up my chest, taking the fabric of my T-shirt into her grip. I lift my arms so she can pull it off completely. She gets closer and dots her perfect lips all across my chest. I shiver.
I gently release her hair from her messy bun. Now, her glitter-red tresses are framing her cheeks and her narrow shoulders. I take her face between my hands. My heart blasts against my ribs over and over.
Her eyes are on me, staring with so much intensity in those emerald irises. It’s like she’s trying to peel me back in layers.
When I tip her chin up, our lips eagerly meet again. I lick into her mouth and her tongue finds mine as her small hands move up my muscled chest to clasp the back of my neck.
This kiss is electric. Kissing her always is. I could live a hundred years and never grow immune to the thrill of kissing Penny Merlini. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
“Oh, Walker…” Her knees falter and I catch her against my chest.
I’m in love with her…
And God, I want to hear her say she loves me, too. But if she needs time, I’ll give it. If she needs convincing, I’ll work at it like a professional career. The woman I’ve loved my whole life is pregnant with two of my babies and there’s never been a better time to stop punking out and start being a man.
I shared my deepest secret with her, the thing that’s been holding me back my whole life, the truth about my paternity, and she didn’t back away, she didn’t change, she didn’t look at me differently or make me feel weak for being afraid to come clean sooner. Instead, she made herself available, opened up that big heart of hers and bathed me with understanding and affection. And that’s what gave me the confidence to take a risk and reveal another foundational part
