“Hey, why the tears?”
“You’re so good to us.”
“You’re not alone anymore, baby. I’m here. You have Carrie and my family. You’re going to have more help than you know what to do with it.”
“I don’t know if that sounds more wonderful or scary?” I laugh.
“Probably a little of both,” he teases.
Sliding from the bed, I gently lay Madeline in the Pack ’n Play. I stand here a few minutes, watching her, making sure she stays asleep. It also gives me time to get my emotions under control.
“You okay?” Marshall asks. He wraps his hands around my waist. The warmth of him has me leaning into him, seeking his heat.
“Yes.” I won’t tell him about the guilt that sneaks in on me. I know Marshall well enough to know he will wear that burden on his shoulders.
“Come with me,” he whispers in my ear, kissing my neck. Stepping back, he laces his fingers through mine and leads me out of his bedroom. “We’ll leave the door open so we can hear her if she wakes up.”
“Where are we going?”
“Just across the hall,” he says, pushing open the door directly across from his bedroom.
As soon as we step into the room, he turns and pushes me up against the wall. I shriek out in surprise as he buries his face in my neck, nipping and sucking. “Quiet, baby, we don’t want to wake Maddie.”
“What are you doing?”
“Devouring you.”
“D-Devouring me?”
“That’s what I said.” He lifts his head, his body still aligned with mine, his grip on my hips digging into my skin. “Unless this is too much. I can back off if you want.” He says the words, but I can feel his hard length against my stomach. Any other man, I might feel pressured or even worried being at his mercy knowing how badly he wants me, but not with Marshall. I know he would never hurt me.
“Don’t stop.” My voice is barely audible, but he hears me because he smashes his lips with mine. This kiss is hungry and passionate. He nips at my bottom lip with his teeth, then swipes away the sting with his tongue.
“Legs around my waist, Wren.” It’s more of a demand than a request, but that’s okay. I’m all too willing to obey. His hands slide over my ass, gripping the back of my thighs, and he lifts. Doing as I was told, I wrap my legs around his hips. He presses my back against the wall and grinds into me.
“I can’t get close enough,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Take me to bed, Marshall.”
“My fucking pleasure.” He turns on his heel and walks further into the room.
“Where are we going?”
“To the bed,” he says, trailing kisses down my neck.
“Your bed.”
“We can’t. Not until we get Maddie set up in her own room here.”
“What?” I pull back and look at him. The room is dark, but I can imagine the furrow of his brow.
“I don’t know what the rules are, Wren. I want to do so many things to you, and I just… can’t do that with Maddie in the room. There’s some kind of law against things like that, right?”
Beat.
Beat.
Beat.
My heart thunders at his words, at this kind, generous, loving man. I slide my fingers through his hair, pulling his mouth to mine. “There are no rules against it. In fact, I’m sure parents do it all the time.”
“What if she wakes up and sees us?”
“She’s a baby, Marshall. She won’t remember.”
“Is there an age cutoff or something? What about a book I can read to keep up with all of this? I never want to do anything to traumatize that sweet girl.”
“I love you.” I force the words past my lips since my throat is clogged with emotion.
Marshall kisses me hard, his tongue invading my mouth. His hands grip my thighs to the point of pain, but I’ll never tell him to stop.
Never.
“I need you naked, Wren. Is that okay with you?”
“Y-Yes,” I say as he thrusts up, and then we’re moving. He tosses me gently on the bed, and I can’t stop the laugh that sputters out of my mouth.
“I’m going to go check on Maddie and grab a condom, or ten. I need you naked when I get back.” He doesn’t wait for me to answer before stalking out of the room and across the hall. I jump into action, pulling his T-shirt over my head and working my panties over my thighs and down my legs, letting them both fall haphazardly to the floor.
When I see the shadow of his body fill the doorway, a shiver races down my spine. It’s been a long time since I’ve been with a man. Travis was my last. “I’m nervous,” I blurt into the darkness.
“I’ll always take care of you, Wren. Tell me you know that.”