Pepper tilted her head at Faith, who shrugged, flashing us a your guess is as good as mine look.
“Restroom,” she said after a few minutes, leaving her chair vacant.
Which Hudson quickly dropped into.
And remained silent, his sharp eyes scanning the party like he was cataloguing body count and movements more than enjoying the multiple conversations around him.
A loud squeal drew my attention away from trying to unlock the puzzle of our new broody friend, and I turned in my chair to see Hannah flying through the air, Connor having launched her toward the water.
Heat, pulsing and aching, stormed through my blood at the sight of my husband.
Shirtless, his swim trunks hanging low on his immaculately carved hipbones, beads of water kissing his chest and trailing lower.
Hot damn, when is this party over?
Selfish, sure, but no less true.
I had an insatiable craving for him between my legs as much as I did for him sitting on the couch next to me during our family movie nights.
So this is love.
Pure, raw, unfiltered love.
Hannah popped up from the water, giggling and splashing as Connor jumped into the pool beside her. He scooped her into his arms, threatening to toss her again as she laughed and wiggled.
The motion gave me a perfect view of his bicep, and the smooth skin underneath that had three sets of dates tattooed on it now: Hannah’s birthday, then her adoption day, and finally our wedding date. The columns of black ink were small but so damn significant it filled my heart to the point of bursting.
“What are you grinning about?” Pepper asked, nudging me. “You two used to fight constantly, he can’t be that amazing,” she teased, as she often did when she found me losing myself like a fangirl over him. Just as I had done to her over Eric months ago.
“He is,” I said, and then smiled as I glanced behind me where Shae Lansing was standing, casual in a loose pair of cotton shorts and a simple purple t-shirt. “Shae!” I waved her over and gave her a quick hug when she approached our table. “Thank you so much for being here for Hannah’s official adoption celebration.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” she said, but didn’t make a move to sit. “Connor is a fantastic father.”
“And that’s enough girl talk for me,” Hudson said, the small smile he rarely showed flashing for two seconds as he rose.
Shae laughed.
I hadn’t seen her do that once in all the times I’d met her.
“Since you’re vacating,” she said, her eyes looking up and up to meet Porter’s. “Could you show me where to get some food? I’m starved.”
Porter nodded, and held out an arm to show her the way to the grill around the corner.
I chuckled, returning my eyes to Connor, and laid my hand over my stomach, unconsciously stroking the smooth skin. I eyed his tattoos one more time.
A new date he’ll have to add to it in about six months.
The second we’d decided to officially be together, Connor had asked how I felt about removing my IUD. We both knew it could take a year or more after getting it removed to get pregnant, so we were both ready to take it slow.
Life had other plans.
“Ivy,” Pepper said my name like she knew I was hiding something, and I glared at my twin.
“Stop that,” I said.
“Ivy,” she chided again, her eyes growing wider and locking onto mine like she could see through me.
I glared at her, trying to keep her out, but she was my twin and it was hard for either of us to keep anything from the other.
She glanced from me, to Connor, to me, her eyes scanning my body, stopping on where I didn’t realize my hand still was.
Over my stomach.
Her lips popped open and she jolted in her chair.
“Damn it, Pepper,” I whispered.
Tears glittered in her eyes, a wide smile shaping her lips.
“Ugh,” I groaned, trying to bite back my smile. I was going to tell her, just after I’d told Connor.
“Sorry,” she said, quickly blinking back the tears. “I won’t…I didn’t mean to…just pretend I’m not here.”
I smiled at my sister’s attempt to correct a completely accidental situation.
“When are you going to tell him?”
“Soon.”
“He’s going to cry.”
“No he won’t,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Twenty-bucks says he does.” Pepper scooted back in her chair, standing.
“You’re on,” I said, tilting my head. “Where are you going?”
“Well, I have to leave now.”
“Why?”
“If I stay a moment longer I’ll pry all the details from you. You know how long I’ve dreamed of being an aunt?” She whispered the last word and wrapped her arms around me. “I’m so excited for you and love you, and now I’m leaving. I won’t tell Eric, don’t worry.”
I eyed her.
“Not until you text me that Connor knows.”
“All right,” I said. “You’ll be my first call.”
“Promise?”
I nodded, and she hurried out of the pool house like she was afraid if she stayed one second longer she’d hit me with twenty-questions to the pregnancy degree.
“Ivy!” Hannah’s little voice brought my eyes back to her running for me. “Did you see?”
“What did I miss?” I asked, glancing up at Connor who had followed her over.
“I dove!”
“Her first time,” he said.