“Maybe tomorrow it will hit me. Maybe a month or year from now. That my boy is a man I didn’t get to see grow, but today? Today, I’m going to keep riding this high you’ve given me. I might’ve missed his big milestones growing up, but now I get to get to know the man he’s become and with any luck, he’ll like the man I’ve become.”

  “He’s going to love you, sweetheart,” I tell him honestly.

  “Maybe,” he answers, small smile still on his full lips. Those dimples that have been causing havoc to my system pop out. Ever since the beard was shaved and they were uncovered I find myself rather obsessed with seeing them more and more. What I don’t see are all the shadows that are usually riding him hard behind his gaze. There’s something there I don’t quite understand, but there definitely isn’t sadness or pain.

  “There’s no maybe, Zeke.”

  “You may be right, Liv.”

  “I know I’m right,” I smart.

  His expression changes and the small smile he had on his face moments before turns into a predatory grin.

  “You being smart with me?”

  Placing my hand on his leg, I slowly start to move it up his muscular thigh. He cocks an eyebrow at me, but doesn’t stop me.

  “Who me?” I wink, my hand stopping at the thick bulge between his legs and he makes a primal sound deep in his throat.

  That’s all the warning I get.

  His large frame lifts off the bedframe, and he pulls me over his legs. I let mine fall with his body between mine. The hardness of his erection presses against my heat, causing me to shiver. His mouth is on mine, kissing me deep, and I push my hands into his hair. The tickle of the shaved parts against my palm sends tingles of awareness up my arms. Our kiss is deep, slow and absolutely heavenly. His hands tighten on my hips, and he starts pushing up from the bed while his hold on my hips keeps me right where he wants me. I kiss him deeper when he rubs against my sensitive clit, pulling my head back and breaking our kiss with a gasp. His mouth goes to my neck, my hands to his shoulders, and he trails his hot kisses down the side of my neck and the exposed skin my shirt doesn’t cover.

  We’re a tangled mess of limbs and fevered kisses as we try to get each other’s clothes off. I lose his mouth when he pulls my shirt over my head. Sitting back on his thighs, I watch with complete transfixed lust as he pulls his own up and off—tossing it in the corner of the room with mine. His eyes are on my lace covered chest. The hunger in his expression as he looks at me only feeds my own.

  “You’re beautiful,” I tell him.

  “That’s my line, babe.”

  I smile and lean into him, reaching out and framing his face. He watches me, hands rubbing my legs.

  “You are, hands down, the most magnificent man I have ever known. I am so proud of you, Zeke, honey.”

  His hands still, and he tilts his head, studying me.

  “You may never know how much, but I am. I know this hasn’t been easy. I know you’re hurting. I’m just worried about you.”

  His hold on my thighs tightens, drawling my attention. I had expected him to ignore what I was saying, especially given the heavy heat I saw in his eyes when he got my top off. When I look up and meet his eyes, I suck in a breath at what I see.

  They’re clear … almost completely so. Now that I get a good look this close, I can see a lot of the stress he had been carrying has melted away as well.

  He looks lighter.

  He looks happy.

  He looks back at me like he’s holding the whole world in his hand.

  “I’ve been given a second chance, Liv. Something that you gave me the strength to reach out and take. I could look at the time I lost with Zac with regret, but that regret would root deep, and it’s the kind of deep that leaks into any ounce of happy you could ever find. Too deep. Just can’t do that, sweet Liv. I can’t give life to those thoughts. If I do, everything I could gain from having my family back will be for nothing because the pain of that would be too much to bear. I know I did what I needed to do then and I’m more thankful that I can ever express that they’re so forgiving of what I did. The rest, well … I have to let that go so we can heal.”

  I study him, trying to see the truth in his words.

  When I open my mouth to say something, he lifts his hand and gentle places one finger over my lips.

  “Trust me, Olivia. Right now, after the past few days we’ve had, I’m breathing easier than I have in decades. Only everything I have been missing with my family and the girl—no, both my girls—that made it all possible are all that matter to me right now. I could get lost in the past, it would be easy to, but instead I have one hell of a future opening up to me and that baby is what is important. I get to hold my girl in my arms and let me tell you, that right there would have been enough to ease my mind of any troubles. And baby, tomorrow I get to take my son to lunch. Nothing but up from here.”

  “I trust you. I do,” I whisper, my eyes getting heavy with unshed tears. “It isn’t that I don’t believe what you’re saying. I’m just worried, that’s all.”

  “I love you. I’m okay, Liv. I really am.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He smiles, that heart stopping grin of his that never fails to melt my panties. Now that his cheeks aren’t covered by facial hair, those dimples are able to shine bright. Once again I’m struck with just how perfect he is.

  “I’ve got everything I need, baby. Riley, my family here, and you. Only everything I have given up ever believing I would have right here and mine for the taking. Far as I can tell, I just took the long way to get to where I was always meant to be. One day …” he trails off, his mouth coming to my collarbone where he trails kisses up my neck. His warm lips pressing against my sensitive skin before his tongue dips out to give my lobe a little lick. The cool air making me shiver. “One day, you’ll take my name, my real name, and you’ll bless our family with more babies like our Riley girl. One day, we’ll bring Riley down here and she’ll meet my family. She’ll have all those kids to play with, all these adults to love her, and we’ll take each day we’ve been given and treat it like the gift that it is.”

  “That’s a lot.” I smile at him. “I’m not sure that I can just turn off the concern I have when it comes to you, but thank you for giving me all of that.” I look down, trailing my fingertips over his chest and down his torso. His stomach flexes as I move over his skin with the light dance of my fingers. The light dusting of hair on his chest making my mouth water. “You’re going to marry me? How do you know I’ll say yes?” I wink at him, and his smile grows.

  “Way I see it, I wouldn’t be given the gift of a second chance without you by my side. You gave me this, Olivia. You made all of this possible.”

  I shake my head. “I didn’t do anything, honey.”

  “You did everything.”

  His mouth is on mine before he even finishes speaking. Our tongues dancing together as our hands move quickly to remove the remaining clothing from our bodies. All the while, our mouths stay connected. His hands, warm on my bottom, give a little flex and his fingers dig into my flesh. My core clenches in need for having his hands this close. One more flex of his hands and he shifts us so that I’m lying with his body between my legs. His hard cock settling against my wetness and he rocks his hips gently, the tip of him hitting my clit and making my body fire at a fever pitch. I feel him everywhere except where I want him the most.

  We feed on each other’s mouths, our kiss turning hungrier and hungrier. I roam my hands down his back and lift my legs to wrap them around his back. My hips coming off the bed, begging him without words to take me.

  His mouth leaves a trail of fire as he moves down my chest.

  “Oh my God,” I gasp.

  He curls his tongue around my nipple, his mouth open wide as he sucks as much as he can into it. He goes from licking to sucking, his mouth magic against my nipple. I could come from this alone, I just know it. He lifts back slightly, trailing kisses across the path to my other breast. The nipple he just released already begging for more. He rubs his face against my chest, breathing in deeply, before he starts feasting on the other.

  “Baby,” I whine. “You feel so good.”

  “Going to show you now,” he states with a deep, lazy drawl.

  “Show me what, baby?” I breathe, my eyes rolling closed when he takes my nipple in his mouth and pulls in deep. No one has ever made me feel like this from simply playing with my breasts.

  “My love.”

  He tenderly takes my hips and runs his hands down my thighs to spread them even wider. Not looking away from my eyes, he lines himself up and slowly sinks inside me. The sound that comes out of my mouth only seems to fuel him because his eyes flash moments before he presses his hips against mine and pushes as deep as he can get inside me. His body blanketing mine, arms tucked under my body and his hands cradling my hands in his palms. I am wholly and completely his to take.

  Boy, does he.

  Zeke makes love to me slowly, tenderly and not once does he look away from my eyes. There’s so much said between us without words at that moment. We move together in this dance as our bodies climb the fever pitch we’re creating. He pulls all the way out and I almost don’t recognize the sound that comes out of my mouth. It sounds wild and needy.

  “Not going fast tonight, baby. Feel me. Feel it.”

  He continues to glide in and out. I can feel how wet I am when a little of my arousal trails a wet path down to my ass before falling on to the bed. The hairs on his chest tickling my sensitive nipples. Every single nerve ending firing at once. He bends, nose to mine—tip to tip—and pushes deep, causing me to scream out in pleasure. That seems to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, my scream. The vibrations of his approval coming from deep within his chest, causing ripples of goose bumps to dance across my skin. He keeps his pace a few more thrusts before he plants one hand in the bed and the other goes to my hip. He curls his fingers around and pulls my body up with each thrust he plants deep. The new position makes him hit deeper than he ever has.

  I lose ability to do anything but feel as he takes me slow and deep. His gaze never leaving mine. Not even when he plants himself deep and his groans and mixing with my screams as we find our release at the same time. I gasp, my over sensitive body waring with the need to try to figure out what I just saw pass through his gaze. Gone so fast, I’m convinced I made it up.

  Fear?

  No, that can’t be it.

  I try to find it again, but all I see is overwhelming love in his sleepy observation. Not wanting to sour the moment, I shove it aside. Maybe I was seeing things.

  “Thank you.”

  “Not sure what you’re thanking me for, honey.” I laugh a little, causing his thickness to slip free from my heat and my laugh turns into a breathy moan.

  “My girl likes me inside her.”

  “You girl loves you inside her.”

  He smiles, shifting our bodies so his back is on the bed, and I curl into his side, resting my head against his chest.

  “Thank you for bringing me back to life.” He tightens his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. “I love you so fucking much,” he whispers.

  My eyes start to burn as the tears start to build.

  “Honey,” I gasp on a quiet sob.

  “Yeah, you’ll say yes.”

  My mind goes back to his declarations earlier. Yeah, he’s not wrong. I know without a doubt in my mind that when he asks, the answer will now and forever be yes.

  “Salt and The Sea” by The Lumineers

  I wasn’t expecting the uniform.

  I knew he worked, Chelcie and Ash had mentioned it a few times. I should have asked, but I didn’t want to fuck up and ask the wrong question and lose how open he was being. I want to know everything, but I want him to want to give it to me when he’s ready. I may genetically be his father, but I’m not his dad. That honor belongs to my brother. I want to be in his life, but not taking Asher’s place. This is Zac’s show, and I’m not going to rush him.

  He moves through the restaurant with an easy gait, relaxed but still alert. He smiles at a few people as he passes and I feel my chest get tight.

  I’ve missed so much of his life. Had it not been for Olivia, I would have missed it all. It’s a miracle that I’ve been given this chance at all, no way will I take this for granted.

  “Hey,” he says to me as he bends to slide in to the booth across from me. “Sorry I’m late, I had to finish up a call before I was able to head over. I wasn’t sure how much time you had, but went ahead and had someone cover the rest of my shift so I wouldn’t be rushed to leave.”

  “How long have you been a cop?” I ask him, looking down at his uniform. The bold “COOPER” I see makes my throat feel thick.

  My boy.

  A cop.

  I make a mental note to have the guys check into his unit. No such thing as being too careful. Most cops I know are damn good men, but there’s a few that aren’t. If my boy will be out there risking his life to protect Hope Town, I’ll make sure he has a captain that would risk his life to protect his men.

  “Couple of years. Went to school, but couldn’t see myself stuck with a job that would have me glued to an office. Lee had been trying to get a few of us to join the force, but it was important to Mom and Dad that I finish school first.”

  His cheeks get a little color on them at the mention of Asher and Chelcie. I hate that he’s feeling any bit of uncomfortableness over this.

  “Hey, let’s just get this part over with. Asher will always be your dad, Zac. I’m not trying to replace the role he’s had in your life. If you want to think of me as a father, damn that would be fine with me, but Ash is your dad.”

  He studies me, stirring his spoon in his coffee while he does. “No one said I can’t have two.”

  Well, fuck me.

  “That what you want?”

  He places his spoon on the napkin it had been resting on and holds my gaze, showing me just how much he wants that without words.

  “I wasn’t joking when I said I spent years wishing for you every chance I got. Dad and I talked about what happened and why you did what you did. I understand it, even if it sucks that it had to happen. I’m thankful …. Now. Now I have both of my dads. Just not sure what to call you, to be honest.”

  My body moves with silent laughter. “You can just call me Coop, bud. No need complicating things. Something else feels right, then go with that. There’s not a single rule to this and, way I see, we can figure it out together.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “You always like this?”

  “Like what?”

  “Reasonable.”

  He laughs, the rich sound so much like my own. “I can be as unreasonable as it comes, but I’m not stupid. You saved lives that day and sacrificed your own so that everyone that matters to both of us were safe. Mom told me you didn’t know she was pregnant. Doesn’t seem right to continue punishing a man who’s doing a real bang up job of punishing himself. Don’t you think?”

  I nod, a small smile curling up one side of my lips.

  A pretty young lady comes up to the table before either of us have a chance to speak again.

  “Hey there.” She smiles at me and looks over at Zac. Her smile falls off her face slowly. “Zac.”

  Looking over at him, I see some of the cocky confidence sparking fire as he looks up at the server with nothing short of a predatory grin.

  “Bess. Looking nice today.”

  “I look nice every day and you damn well know it.” She looks back to me and replaces the annoyed look she had given Zac with a friendly smile again. “Can I get you something to eat?”

  “Not going to offer to take my order?” Zac continues.

  I lean back and feel something shift in my chest. It’s like looking back in time and seeing a younger version of myself. The only thing my mind ran on was pussy and food at that point. I ate both because I enjoyed the fuck out of it—searching for anything that would make me feel full. God, I had been such a fool. It’s something he’ll learn one day—judging by the scowl Bess keeps gracing him with, making his cocky grin so much like my own grow. Bess doesn’t know it now, but if she’s what he wants I have a feeling nothing will stand in his way.

  “Surprise me,” I tell her, bringing her attention back to me.

  “Surprise you? Can’t say I’ve gotten that before.”

  “Yeah, surprise me. Good with coffee, but bring me a water too please?”

  “Do you eat meat?”

  “Look at him, Bess. You think he doesn’t?”

  “You look just like him and I haven’t had you order a thing with meat in it for two years.”

  Oh, my boy … you are in trouble.

  “I eat meat. Nothing I can’t have. Really anything is fine. I’m not picky and I like food.”

  “Okay, sounds good. What about you?” She frowns down at Zac.

  “How about you get me a steak, Bess?”

  “Smart-ass,” she mumbles, scribbling on her notepad. When she finishes, she looks back up and focuses on me. “Anything else?”

  “Yeah, actually. Can you put in a to go order when we’re finishing up? Hamburger with onion, lettuce and tomato. Ketchup and mustard on the side, please. Fries and veg for the sides. To-go Coke as well. Oh, and some apple pie.”

  She finishes writing it all down and looks back at me with a twinkle in her blue eyes. “So you do care what you eat?”

  I smile, big. “I care what my woman likes to eat.”

  Her own smile grows. She’s pretty. Young and innocent-looking with something wild behind her eyes. The kind of woman I would have avoided when I was his age. She might as well have a billboard over her that announces she’s the type you don’t screw around on.

  “Right on, mister. Lucky lady.”

  One more smile for me and a scowl for Zac, she walks back behind the counter.

  “Wanna talk about that?”

  “Nope.”

  I grunt out a laugh. “You change your mind, just let me know.”

  “Wanna talk about why you keep looking at your lady like she might disappear?”