Seventh Heaven (Allendale Four 4)

There was a play on the screen and everyone shouted. He looked over at the screen and then back at me. “Let me change and get my shoes. I’ll come with you.”

I didn’t argue, because I’m not a fan of running at night alone—even with Sadie as company. I slipped out the back door and a few minutes later Hayden joined me, grabbing Sadie’s leash and wrapping it around his fist. He wore a tight-fitting red Atlanta United T-shirt and black shorts. We started off at a slow jog and went down our regular route toward the park. It was fall, and wet leaves crunched under our feet. It’s becoming my favorite time of the year—when things cool off and I saw a break coming in work. The TV show filmed late summer through early fall for the current season, then picked back up for the winter.

The trees blew over our heads, shaking raindrops down on our heads and shoulders. We weren’t the only ones taking advantage of the break in the rain, and other dog walkers, joggers, and exercisers passed us occasionally. Hayden and I had worked out a compatible pace while he was in therapy for his twisted ankle. Obviously with his long legs he could out-run me, but he held back and together we jogged the lamp-lit park path.

Rain started to fall, big fat drops, and he reached for my arm, pulling me to a stop. The playground with a covered gazebo was just ahead. He tugged me and the dog in that direction and we ran over.

Two seconds after we got under the cover the sky let loose, dumping rain.

“Shit—we barely made it,” he said, wiping his face with his shirt.

I did the same, feeling the cool rush of air now that I was wet and no longer running.

“Do you think we can talk?” he said, pointing to a picnic table. I followed him over.

“About what?”

He gestured for me to sit. I did, but instead of him sitting next to me, he stood in front of me. “About the having kids thing.”

I looked down at my feet, my heart kicking into gear, stronger than my running speed. “Uh, sure.”

“Just so you know, I never thought much about having kids. For the past decade my thoughts have been strictly soccer, food, and sex.” He gave me a lazy smile. “Somewhere in there, you replaced the sex one with yourself and well, sex with you.”

His words ignited a shiver up my spine. Hearing Hayden confess this wasn’t a surprise but it certainly was affirming. He could have anyone—anyone. But he wanted me.

We hadn’t spoken about the baby issue. Not since the diner a few mornings before. Everyone seemed to walk on eggshells—including myself. Hayden, historically, wasn’t one to shy away from things. He was quiet. Thoughtful. When he was ready, he didn’t hold back.

“But now that the topic is here and my life has slowed down a little more, I can see the bigger picture of the future—our future—and it’s given me a lot to think about.”

My stomach twisted nervously—so much I thought I may puke. Other than Anderson, none of the guys have told me what they really thought—or want.

“So,” I said, bracing myself, “what do you want?”

He leaned forward, placing both hands on the table, on either side of my hips. “I love you. I love our family as it is. I love the way things are going. I love our dog and I love the time we spend together.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m with you to the end, babe.”

His words rattled me, forcing me to ask, “Are you sure?”

“Once upon a time I deprived myself of you and this family. It was the dumbest fucking mistake of my life. I’ll never do it again. I learned that sometimes we make sacrifices for the group as a whole—it’s how we keep going. The idea of having a kid isn’t a deal breaker for me. Not having you in my life is. Understand?”

I nodded, my heart feeling full. I grabbed his damp T-shirt and pulled him close. “Thank you for telling me all that.”

“I’ve got nothing to hide from you, Heaven Reeves. You own my heart and my soul and have for a long damn time.” He lifted a wet piece of hair off my neck. “I’d show you how much right now if we weren’t in a public park and it wasn’t cold as fuck.”

He smiled cheekily.

“What about making out? Can we make out until the rain stops? It’ll keep us warm and there’s nothing indecent about that,” I said, knowing that once Hayden was horny enough, he was anything but decent. The one thing I knew I could do was get him riled up enough to make it worth it when we got back home.

“Yeah, I can keep you warm.” He moved to the table next to me and wrapped his arms around me at the same time his lips met my mouth.

A man of his word, I let him warm me up, and when the rain finally slowed we walked home, hand in hand, feeling on more stable ground. When we got back to the house the game was over, the guys all in their rooms, and I let Hayden lead me to mine so he could show me exactly how much he loved me.

17

Hayden

We were drenched by the time we got to Heaven’s room—her skin puckered with goosebumps. I led her to the bathroom and turned the water on in the shower, pushing the heat all the way.

Even standing before me like a drowned rat; hair plastered to her cheeks, this woman owned me. I’d meant it when I told her so under the gazebo. She owned my heart, my body, my soul. There was nothing I wanted to do more now than show her, so as steam filled the room, I lifted her soggy shirt over her head and pulled my own off as her bra fall to the floor.