The Risks We Take Duet Box Set
94. After Dinner
96%
AFTER DINNER
Cooper
C arys and I step into our house late Thanksgiving night, and she slips off her coat with a twinkle in her eye. “I think I’m going to take a bath.” She rests her hands on my shoulders and presses her lips to my cheek. “Care to join me?”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and she rolls her eyes. “Go ahead. Answer the guys. You know it’s my brother bitching about something.”
I wrap my hands around her neck and brush my lips over hers as that same spark that’s always there flames between us. “I’ll be up soon.”
“Promises, promises,” she mutters as she turns from me, and I smack her ass.
I watch her delectable ass as it disappears up the stairs, then step into the kitchen and pull out a bottle of wine and two glasses, making a mental note to send my sister a whole case of the good stuff when she gives birth before finally sitting down and looking at my phone.
Murphy
How come I’m always the last to know?
Brady
This one wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t my story to tell.
Bash
Know what? What are you assholes talking about?
Declan
See, Murph. Bash doesn’t know anything.
Bash
Not sure I’d go that far.
Cooper
Dude, Murph. Stop being a fucking baby.
Carys and I asked Nattie to be our surrogate. I was going to talk to you about it, but didn’t want to interrupt your thanksgiving with Lenny’s family.
Bash
Holy shit. That’s awesome, man. Congrats!
Murphy
You know this doesn’t really help with the whole incestuous vibe you’ve got going on, right Coop.
Brady
Watch it, Murph. That’s my wife.
Cooper
And mine.
Murph
Uh huh. It’s also my sister and stepsister, so fuck off.
Bash
So, when is the bun going in the oven?
Declan
Buns.
Bash
Huh?
Murphy
I fucking love that I’m not the last one to know everything.
Cooper
Nattie’s just started her second trimester.
Brady
With twins. Coop, you fucking owe me. Your sister’s a psychopath when she’s pregnant.
Bash
Whatever you need to tell yourself, QB. You said she’s insatiable when she’s pregnant too. So, I wouldn’t be complaining.
Declan
Dude. No.
Cooper
Don’t dent my kids heads with your dick, man.
Bash
It’s doesn’t work that way, dumbass.
Cooper
How would you know? You never went to med school.
Declan
Coop’s not serious. Please, fucking, god… tell me you’re not serious.
Murphy
He has been training with Hudson. Maybe he’s taken too many hits to the head.
Cooper
I’m not serious.
Not really.
But now you’ve got to take good care of my babies and my sister, QB. It’s a big ask.
Brady
You already asked, and we already said anything you need. But I expect to be Godfather.
Murphy
Hey.
Declan
Shut up, Murph.
Cooper
Love you guys.
I take the steps two at a time with a stupid smile on my face.
My babies.
It’s surreal.
The one thing that nearly tore Carys and I apart is finally within our reach.
We may have had to go about it in a slightly unconventional way, but nothing about the two of us has ever been conventional. After years of being on a waiting list for an adoption—after going through so many interviews with prospective birthmothers and not being picked—we’re finally going to get our chance to start our family.
I step into the bedroom and kick off my shoes, then pull off my Henley and walk into the bathroom. And there she is, under a mountain of grapefruit-scented bubbles.
“Was it the guys?” she asks with a small shake of her head.
I shuck my jeans off and slide in behind her and take the puffy thing out of her hand. “Who else would it be?”
“It’s not like Hudson doesn’t text you at all hours too.” She turns her head and kisses my lips as her laughter fills the room. “And we can’t forget the hour-long call you had with Rook and Trick the other day.”
“It was the guys. Murph bitched. Bash needed to be filled in.” I trail the soap puff along her beautiful neck and follow the trail of soft skin with my lips. “You know, the normal stuff.”
She leans back against my chest and hums. “That won’t be our norm much longer, Coop.”
My heart beats heavy in my chest with overwhelming excitement for what’s to come. “No, baby. It won’t.”