Page 94 of Lick

She sits beside me on the sofa, her bare legs pressed against mine as she leans over and kisses Kendrick’s hair. “It’s going to be weird.”

“What is?” I ask, when Kendrick burps.

“Having visitors tomorrow. Well, I guess today now. We’ve been living in our own little bubble. I’m excited that Kendrick will get to spend time with the people who love him, but I’m also a little sad that real life is intruding on what we have here,” she admits candidly, surprising me.

“They’ll have to head home sometime. Then we can pull the bubble back around us.”

“Maybe,” she whispers, but I can see she’s not sure how it’s all going to play out.

I kiss her forehead and lay Kendrick on my chest before tugging her down beside him with my other arm. “It’s gonna be fine.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“What are you worried about the most?”

“You meeting my kids,” she answers softly.

“Why? I’ve already met them.”

“You met them in passing when you were going in and out of the NICU. All anyone cared about then was making sure Kendrick and I were okay. Things are different now.”

“And you think they won’t like me?” Not that I give a fuck. I won’t leave Emma for them. They’ll have to grow the fuck up and figure it out.

“No…I don’t know.” She tips her head up, biting her lip as she tries to find her next words.

“You’re worried they’ll judge you.”

“Maybe.”

“They might be your kids, but they’re not children. And they do owe you, at the very least, respect. You didn’t do anything to earn their disdain. And honestly, from what I’ve been able to piece together, I think your ex had a larger hand in this than perhaps you first realized.”

She runs her tongue over her teeth. “You think he was whispering in their ear about me the whole time? I mean, I already know he lied about me getting half in the divorce, so it doesn’t take much to assume there was more. I never felt like it was my right to ask, though. I never wanted to put them in the middle of us.”

“You didn’t. He did. And I think they’re just now starting to see it.” I adjust Kendrick a little before cupping Emma’s jaw. “I grew up with some kids who got pulled from pillar to post by their divorcing parents. I watched as the love they once had for each other got weaponized, and the children were both the ammunition and the collateral damage left behind. The fact that you kept your mouth shut to avoid all that, even at a detriment to yourself, says a lot about who you are.”

“I sense a but…”

I grin, swiping my thumb across her bottom lip. “But your silence meant you never rebutted any of your ex’s claims. You let him write the narrative. So maybe it’s time now for you to tell them your side of the story and let them see what I see.”

“What do you see?” she whispers.

“Someone so fucking incredible I have to pinch myself just to make sure this is real. You have no idea the depth of depravity I’d sink to, just to keep you.”

“I’m not⁠—”

“Mine? You are, you just haven’t realized it yet. And baby, you will because I’m all yours too.”

“Lick.”

“I get it. I do. You need more time. And I’ll give that to you. Hell, I’ll give you all the time you need. But I’ll do it standing here beside you so that when you reach out, I’ll be right here waiting.”

Her eyes fill with tears as she swallows.

“I’m so fucking sorry I hurt you, that I ever made you doubt me or doubt yourself. I know I don’t deserve you, I never have, but I can be the man you need me to be. I’m already a better man because of you.”

She buries her face against my chest, her hand moving to rest on Kendrick’s back, where he’s fallen asleep.

“I love you, Emma. I think I’ve loved you as long as I’ve known you. I got scared, and I fucked up, but I never stopped loving you. And I never will. Even if you can never love me back.”