“Please—” she says, her voice cutting off as I start to move my fingers a little faster, pumping inside her.

  “Are you gonna let me hear you?” I ask, my lips nipping at her ear.

  “Someone might hear,” she pants.

  “They might hear you, but they won’t see you. I’d never let anyone see you,” I tell her. A possessiveness I’ve never felt washes over me. Her pleasure is for my eyes only.

  “Come for me, Eden. Let me feel you soak my hand.” My words send her over the edge as she calls out my name. I don’t remove my fingers from inside her until her body relaxes limply into mine. Only then do I move my hand to my mouth, licking my fingers clean.

  “You did not just do that,” she says, and I can hear the shock in her tone.

  “I did. Now, I’m going to carry you into our room, clean you up with my mouth, and then make love to you.” I don’t wait for the panic this time because I know it’s not going to show.

  Eden is different.

  I swore that there would be no one else for me. I told myself that I wasn’t man enough to fight for Violet and what we had, so I didn’t deserve another shot. I was the reject, the boy who deemed myself unworthy.

  Then I met Eden.

  Now, I know it’s time to change the play. It’s time to man up and show this incredible woman what she means to me. I’ve fallen completely under her spell. Eden has brought me back to life, giving me something of my own.

  Her.

  She gave herself to me, and that’s a gift I’ll never again take for granted.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Eden

  * * *

  I’m standing in Foster’s bedroom, looking at the pile of clothes on the bed. I’ve tried on every outfit that I brought with me, and I still can’t decide what to wear.

  The last month has been a dream come true. Foster and I have grown closer, and we spend a lot of time together. I spend more time here than I do at my place. We don’t talk about what we are to one another. We just are, and I’m okay with that.

  There’s no pressure to put a label on anything. We enjoy each other’s company, in and out of the bedroom. Carrie wants to meet him, and I keep telling her that we’re not there yet. Then, last night, Foster dropped a bomb on me. Landry, one of his best friends and teammates, is having a cookout at his place for Memorial Day.

  Foster asked me to go with him.

  That’s a big damn deal. While it’s not a label, it’s us taking our relationship to a place we’ve yet to take it. Letting those from outside this little bubble into our relationship. It’s a huge deal, massive, and I have no idea what I’m going to wear.

  I hear him enter the room, but I don’t turn around. His strong arms wrap around me. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”

  “I don’t know what to wear.”

  “Is it just me, or is my bed filled with options?” he teases.

  “Foster, this is important. You’re taking me to meet your family. I want them to like me.”

  “Hey.” He turns me in his arms, and I bury my face in his neck. “I like you. That means they will like you. Besides, what’s not to like?”

  “I don’t want to mess this up for you. This is a big deal. I know you don’t take women to meet them, and I’m just me, and I don’t take this privilege lightly.”

  “You’re just you? You’re Eden: beautiful, kind, big heart, great kisser, pussy that⁠—”

  I let out a squeak and place my hand over his mouth to stop him from saying more. “Stop.” I laugh.

  “Eden, today is just another day. My friends are going to love you. I promise you, no one there is going to judge you for what you decide to wear. They’re not like that,” he assures me.

  “How much time do I have?”

  “As much as you need. We’ll leave when you’re ready.”

  “I’ll hurry. Do you mind getting the potato salad and the cheesecake out of the fridge? I’m ready, aside from being dressed.”

  “Anything you need,” he says, pressing a kiss to my lips. “I’ll see you downstairs.” He pats my ass, making me laugh, and a satisfied smile tugs at his lips as he leaves the room.

  “It’s just a cookout,” I mutter under my breath. Digging through the pile of clothes, I settle on a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a pink tank top. I quickly get dressed, grab my flip-flops, and head downstairs. I find Foster sitting at his island with the bowl of potato salad and the cheesecake I made last night in front of him.

  “Ready?” he asks, standing and sliding his phone into his back pocket.

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  “Babe, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” he says, concern in his tone.

  “I want to be there with you. I do, I just… It’s hard not to let old rejections shine through.” Deep inside, I’m still that little girl who longed to be seen.

  “If anyone understands that, it’s me. But these are my people, and I know them. They’re going to love you. Besides, they can’t wait to meet the woman who’s been making me smile and who finally got me to open up to them about my past.”

  “I’m proud of you,” I tell him. I am. In the last several months, Foster has opened up more, smiles more often, and seems lighter, as if the weight of the world is no longer resting on his shoulders. I don’t know if it’s me. It could just be the offseason, which is quickly coming to a close. Whatever the reason, he seems happy.

  He makes me happy.

  “Come on.” He nods toward the door. “It’s time to show you off.” He winks. My heart flutters in my chest as I follow him out the door.

  Fifteen minutes later, we’re pulling up to a massive house. “Wow.”

  “I know. Don’t let it intimidate you.”

  “They all live in this neighborhood, right?”

  “Yeah. They want me to move here, too, but these houses, they’re way too big for just one person.”

  “Um, Foster, I think all five of you, with their wives and kids, could live here and be just fine.”

  “They’re not that big.” He chuckles. “Stay there. I’ll get your door,” he tells me. However, I don’t listen. I reach for the handle, and I’m stepping out by the time he makes it to my side. “You were supposed to stay put.”

  I stick my tongue out at him, and he leans in, but I dodge his kiss. “Nope. You’re not getting me all worked up before introducing me to your friends. Not happening, mister.”

  “They’d understand. Trust me,” he says, trying again, but once more, I dodge him. “Fine,” he grumbles, “but I get more kisses when we get home.”

  “I can agree to that.” I smile up at him.

  He grabs the bowl of potato salad and the cheesecake, refusing my offer to help. He has both of them in one hand, and the other reaches for me. Hand in hand, we make our way to the front door. He doesn’t bother to knock. Instead, he walks right inside and leads us down a hallway that opens into a massive kitchen full of people, and all eyes are on us. I swallow hard and paste what I hope is a friendly smile—not a scared one—on my face and wave awkwardly.

  “Oh, what do we have here?” one of the guys asks.

  “Hey, this is Eden,” Foster answers.

  “Nice to meet you, but what’s that?” he asks, and everyone in the room laughs.

  “Hi, I’m Rowan.” A woman steps forward. “That one”—she points over her shoulder—“is mine. Landry Reynolds. Welcome to our home. It’s nice to meet you,” she says, pulling me into a hug.

  “Me next,” another says. “I’m Corie. That one over there”—she points to a tall man she was standing next to, who is holding a baby—“is my husband, Knox, and our son, Alexander. I’m so glad to finally meet you.” She, too, pulls me into a hug.

  “My turn,” another woman says, bumping Corie with her hip, making the little girl on the other hip laugh and clutch her shirt. “I’m Bellamy. This is Coral, and that one over there is Reid. He’s ours.”

  “Daddy,” the little girl says, pointing at him.

  “That’s right.” Bellamy smiles at her daughter. “It’s so nice to meet you.” She smiles and steps back as another approaches.

  “Hi, Eden, I’m Sloane, wife to Baker, mom to Camden.”

  “That’s me!” A little boy wiggles out of what I assume is his dad’s arms and comes rushing over. He stops when he reaches me, and I bend down to his level.

  “Hi, Camden, I’m Eden.”

  “You pwetty,” he says, smiling.

  “Hey now,” Foster says, scooping Camden up in his arms and tickling him. “Find your own girl,” he says, and Camden’s laughter, along with a few others, fills the room.

  “I’m Amanda.” The final woman waves from a few steps away. “My husband’s not here, but I’m Bellamy’s best friend, and well, this group has kind of adopted me.” She smiles shyly.

  “Kind of? Girl, you’re in,” Corie tells her. “Now, we have Eden, too.”

  Her words slip straight into my chest and wrap around my heart. Instantly, I’m at ease, and my eyes meet Foster’s. He winks, and I shake my head with a small smile tugging at my lips. He was right. Today is going to be great.

  “It’s nice to meet you all. I’ve heard a lot about you, but it might take me some time to put names to faces.”

  “Like she said, I’m Landry, and we need to get back to that.” He points at the two dishes that Foster placed on the counter.

  “Well, I made potato salad and cheesecake.”

  “Marry her,” Landry says, reaching for the cheesecake, but his wife, Rowan—I think—smacks at his hand.

  “Ro, baby, I’m hungry.”

  “You’re always hungry,” one of the guys says. I think his name is Knox, Corie’s husband. I know the couples from hearing Foster talk about them, but getting the names to the faces might take me a bit.

  “I mean, it is cheesecake. Homemade cheesecake,” Reid—maybe?—says.

  “Ro, it’s homemade,” Landry whines, and I chuckle, unable to stop myself.

  “Now that everyone’s here, we can eat,” his wife tells him. Landry reaches for the cheesecake again, but she again playfully smacks at his hand. “Dinner first, then dessert. We have to set an example for the kids,” she tells him.

  “I spoil them. You spoil them. We all spoil them. Why can’t we spoil ourselves?”

  She shakes her head and nods, and this time, when he reaches for the cheesecake, no one stops him. He quickly slices himself up a hefty piece, while we all watch.

  “Ohmygodthisisthebest,” he says, with his mouth full.

  “Thank you. I think.” I grin at him.

  “Come on. Let’s eat,” Foster says, taking my hand, and we both jump right in and make our plates. We’re half inside, half outside, making room for everyone.

  I sit back and quietly eat as I take in all the laughter around me. I can tell how much they all care about one another, about Foster, and that makes me smile. I’m happy for him. He’s found his place, just as I found mine with Carrie and her family.

  “Okay, ladies, time to kick the men out,” Sloane says.

  “But the kids can stay,” Corie adds.

  “Daddy!” the little girl, Coral, says, clinging to her dad’s neck. He grins and shrugs, like What do you do?

  “Daddy!” Camden mimics the girl and rushes for Baker.

  “Fine, Alexander can stay,” Corie says, looking down at her son.

  “I’ll take him.” Knox lifts their son from her arms. “You ladies chat freely,” he says, kissing her. “Yes, I’ll keep him out of the sun, and we’ll be right outside,” he reassures, before she has a chance to say anything.

  “I’m not a helicopter mom. I promise,” Corie tells me. “I just love him so much.”

  “No judgment from me. He’s a cutie. They all are. You all have beautiful families,” I tell them.

  “Hey.” Foster slides his arm around my waist and kisses my temple. “You good?”

  “Yes. I’ll be fine. Go talk with the guys. Do manly things.”

  “We’ll take good care of her, number twenty-five.” Sloane winks, linking her arm through mine, and pulling me toward the couch and away from Foster.

  “Be nice, ladies,” he says.

  “No promises!” Rowan calls out. He chuckles, shakes his head, and closes the patio door behind him as he steps outside.

  “Girl, I don’t know how you did it, but you’ve brought Foster out of his shell. He’s smiled more in the last few months than he has the entire time I’ve known him,” Corie says.

  “I didn’t do anything,” I tell her.

  “You did, by being you.” Sloane winks.

  I smile at her. “Maybe, but Foster is easy to be around. I think maybe he just needed someone. Not that all of you are not there for him, but I’m not connected to any of you or his career in any way,” I say, trying to make my theory make sense without divulging anything Foster has told me about his life. I know he told the guys, and I assume their wives by association, but that’s not my story to tell, so I need to be careful about what I say.

  “You might be right.” Rowan smiles. “Regardless, we’re glad he has you, and we’re glad that you’re here.”

  “Thank you. I’m happy to be here.”

  “Okay, so, who wants to go first?” Sloane asks. Then she turns to me. “We have to speed through this impromptu girls’ night, because our husbands are needy, and I have no doubt they’ll be back in here in no time. So, we need a quick catch-up with everyone in case we need to vent about them.” She laughs.

  “Makes sense.” I smile at her. I love the energy of these ladies. Carrie would love them, too. Maybe one day, I’ll get to introduce her to them.

  “I’ll go first,” Sloane says. “I want another baby.” Everyone cheers, and she smiles, then looks over at me. “Camden isn’t my biological son, but he is my son, and I think he needs a brother or sister to play with.”

  “You know Daddy Sin is going to be all over that.” Bellamy sniggers.

  “Have you told him?” Corie asks.

  “Not yet, but we’ve both dropped hints,” she says, radiating with happiness.

  “I’ll go next.” Bellamy raises her hand. “Momma needs a date night. Any takers to keep Coral for a few hours?”

  “We’ll take her all night. Just let us know when,” Rowan offers.

  “We can, too,” Sloane tells her. “Cam would love it.”

  “Thanks, ladies. You know I’ll repay the favor anytime.”

  “Alexander is still not sleeping through the night. Any thoughts? The pediatrician says it will happen in time, but I’m so tired. Knox is incredible and gets up with him, too, but we’re both running on fumes these days. I’m just glad we’re not in season.”

  “I think it comes with time,” Bellamy says. “Coral was around three months. We kept her on a strict routine, and that helped so much. I’d also wake her up during the day, anything to keep her going, as long as it didn’t piss her off.” She laughs. “But it worked.”

  “We’re trying to do that. I need to wait it out, and we need to follow it exactly and see if that makes a difference. Thanks.”

  “Well, you can’t say anything, because Landry wants to tell everyone together, but I know my husband, and I’m positive that he’s also spilling the beans right now. We’re pregnant.” She beams. “I’m twelve weeks today.”

  “Congratulations.” We all stand to hug her—yes, even me, because it’s exciting, and these ladies make me feel as though I’m one of them.

  Once everyone has settled back into their seats, all eyes turn to Amanda. She swallows hard and starts to speak. “I leave town tomorrow. As you know, the first adoption fell through, but the second, she’s being induced on Monday. I’m going to be there, and I get to bring my son or daughter home.”

  “Manda! That’s amazing,” Bellamy gushes, standing and hugging her friend. They’re both wiping tears from their eyes when they pull out of the hug. Bellamy moves back to her seat as Amanda drops another bomb on us. “Ethan’s cheating on me.”

  The room goes silent. Bellamy clears her throat. “Are you sure?”

  Amanda nods, silent tears streaking down her cheeks. “I’m sure. He’s always at work, and anytime I invite him to go with me to things, like here for example, he makes me feel guilty for asking because he’s working so hard. I felt bad, so I took him a late dinner to the office and found him in his office with his secretary. He was doing things to her that he never did to me,” she says. “In fact, it’s been months since he’s touched me. I thought it was because of the fertility issues, but turns out, he doesn’t want me anymore.” She cries, and Bellamy stands again and goes to sit next to her, pulling her into a hug.

  “What about the baby?” Rowan asks.

  “I’m still going through with it. I want to be a mom, and I won’t back out. This baby needs a loving family, and I can be both mom and dad. I’ve thought about this—that’s all I’ve done is think about it—and this is what I want. I can do this without him.”

  “Of course, you can,” Corie tells her. “You have us.”

  “And me,” I speak up. “I know you all don’t know me, but I’m here to help or babysit. I only work three days a week at my job, so I have some extra time if you need me.”

  “Thank you, Eden. I might take you up on that—all of you. I’m going to need you. They say it takes a village, right?” Amanda asks, smiling through her tears and heartbreak.

  “You’ve got this, Momma,” Sloane says, but it only makes Amanda cry harder.

  “I never thought this would be my life. I was so naïve, and now look at where I’m at. Adopting a baby on my own and getting divorced.”

  “He’s a dick,” Bellamy tells her. “These ladies have never even met him because he never comes around. It’s as if the two of you have been married but living separate lives,” Bellamy says gently.

  “I know. I should have seen the writing on the wall.”

  “Sometimes, we’re too close to a situation to see it clearly,” Corie tells her. “This sucks, and I hate it for you, but we’re here for you.”

  “You’re going to divorce his ass, raise your baby, and one day, a man is going to come along and he’s going to cherish you. I know it will happen because it happened to me. He’ll pop up when you least expect him. You’re going to get your happily ever after, Amanda. I can feel it,” Bellamy says fiercely.