Illicit Temptation (Astoria Royals #3)

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Trace

K ids. Shea can’t have them. It should sting, even with my wavering from all the screaming I had to endure from those little monsters today. It should change how I feel about her.

But... It doesn’t. If anything, I see a world of different possibilities for us.

Laying Shea out on her bed, I tuck her into the covers. “Do you really forgive me?”

“I do. I... My doctor wants me to have an ultrasound in a month anyway.”

Mentioning her doctor tenses my jaw. “Will you tell him you’ve been taking Clomid?”

She thinks about that. “I should. But I’ll say I got it from another doctor.”

Which is true.

“I’m so fucking sorry, love.” I press my mouth to hers.

“I’m oddly flattered you went to that length to keep me.”

I push the hair from her face. “I just assumed you wanted a baby.”

Looking away, she says, “It got me thinking when I started having problems, that if I really wanted one... Really wanted a baby of my own, wouldn’t I have gone to any length to have one? Being told no never stopped me before.” She glances up at me through her lashes, her cheeks stained with color. “We, uh, have that in common. You wouldn’t take no for an answer. And I didn’t want to play by the rules anymore.”

“Good girl.” I take her mouth in a feral kiss that has my blood running so hot I might pass out next to her.

When she whimpers, I stop.

“I’m sorry. I’m just so tired,” she rasps. “The pain...”

Christ, I want to cut off a limb to make it go away. If I knew for one second these pills would have hurt her... Fire rages through my veins. I’m going to kill that doctor. Getting under control, I remember he wanted to check her medical records. He would have seen her prescribed meds and figured out...

Fuck, this is all my fault. I find her heating pad and set it to high. “What else can I do, love?”

She smiles and lets me hold her. “I uh...” Her eyes squeeze closed. “I could use a favor from you.”

“Favor?” I hold her face. “You have all of me. What do you need?”

“Um, orgasms help cramps.”

How the fuck did I not know this? Unwinding my tie, I say, “Orgasms coming right up.”

“Wait.” She grabs me and pulls me back down. “Everything hurts. I think it will be too painful to have sex. Can you just help me come with my fingers? I don’t want to use the toy.”

“I’ll break that dildo in half if you try.”

She gulps down a laugh. “Just your fingers. I would never ask you to use your...”

“My tongue. On your cunt? While you’re bleeding?”

“Right.”

I start tearing away the covers to get at that bleeding cunt to prove it doesn’t bother me. “Nothing has ever turned me on more.”

“Seriously?”

I glance around. “Let me get you a soft towel if that will make you more comfortable and secure.”

“Thank you.” She buries her head against my chest. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything.” It’s only a small lie .

I’m sure that this is the woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with.

Baby. Or no baby.