Page 156 of The Viper's Wife

My belly flips when he leans over me, his lips parting?—

Mia lets out a cry.

Nico drops his face toward hers, that sharp look in his eyes softening to one of gentle adoration. He kisses the top of her head. “Look who’s hungry.”

“Nico,” I warn between gritted teeth.

He eyes me from beneath his dark eyelashes. “I haven’t forgotten about you. Feed Mia, and I’ll set her up in the crib.”

Some of my annoyance at my stupidly sexy husband fades as he passes our beautiful daughter to me.

Mia wraps one pudgy hand around my finger, and my heart squeezes.

Nico strokes her tuft of dark hair. “If I knew we wouldmake such a perfect baby, I would’ve gotten you pregnant on the first try.”

“IfIknew, I might’ve let you.”

He trails behind as I make my way to the rocking chair and set Mia up to nurse.

Being moved from safe house to safe house and fitting in a small courthouse wedding made for the most stressful pregnancy imaginable, but somehow, Mia came out without any major complications. All ten fingers and toes, dark eyes and hair, and a pinched little face that I cover in a thousand kisses every day.

I sigh and settle into the chair, holding her close.

It’s the quiet moments like these that I’ll feel a pinch of longing for the people we left behind. Lacey and Mei, Nico’s mom and sister.

But the peace I feel when I look at my baby’s infant-grey eyes reminds me how much more we gained. I’m not scared for my life when I step outside my house for a walk in the sunshine. I can collect seashells on the beach and not feel an extra set of eyes watching me. If we’re smart with our money, Nico and I could never work again.

We have so much more than I ever could’ve hoped for.

When she’s done feeding, Nico has me undress and lay in the bed while he sets her up in the crib next to the window.

All my annoyance fades away as Nico strips his clothes and crawls up the bed to me, a hungry look in his eyes.

He frames my face with a light, gentle touch, but the kiss that meets my mouth is deep and hard, his tongue licking into my mouth and chest rubbing against my nipples. My hips buck to meet his, seeking relief for a frustration that’s mounted for weeks.

Nico, waking up every night when Mia so much as yawns. Nico, cooking me perfect BLTs every morning after I gave birth. The sound of his voice humming lullabies to our baby from another room.

He’s been everything I could’ve asked for as the father of my child.

But I’ve missed my husband.

He presses his forehead to mine, exhaling roughly. “I missed you.”

My breath hitches. “You did?”

While my frustration has coiled more and more tightly inside me, he has seemed perfectly at peace in our new life.

His laugh is hoarse. “Why do you think I’ve been going to the gym every day? I had to burn off that energy somehow. Seeing how sweet you are with Mia has been driving me nuts.” He kisses me again and fists his cock, guiding himself between my legs. “I love this side of you.”

He swirls the tip along my entrance, coating himself in my wetness. My pussy pulses hungrily. I hook my legs around him, pulling him closer.

“You’re so sweet,” he says and drops a kiss to my neck. I think I’m losing my mind. “And gentle. And selfless. And that look in your eyes when you stare at her?”

I thrust my hips against him mindlessly. “Nico, please.”

His lips graze my ear. “Makes me want to fill you up. Breed you with another one. But I know we can’t do that, we have to wait a few years, don’t we? So this is just for practice.”

My eyelids shudder closed, stars bursting behind them. “Nico,yes.I want that. I wantyou. Fill me up. Please, I need it rough, please.”