Page 101 of Reticent

He grunts and squeezes my ass with his free hand not holding our son. We make our way up the stairs. He turns left to Liam’s room, and I turn right into our bedroom. I peel my clothes off, leaving them on my bedroom floor. I’ll pick them up later, so that our housekeeper won’t have to when she comes in the morning. A text comes through my phone as I’m about to step into the shower. It’s from Novalee. She and Conner are vacationing in Chicago at their other property with their kids.

Novalee

I’m at the airport. Heading straight to the hospital.

Me

You and the whole fam?

Novalee and Conner have four kids now. Their youngest is named after Conner’s deceased twin brother, Colton.

Novalee

No. Just me. Hunter’s staying behind with the kiddos. I’ll be back in a couple of days.

Me

Lol. Thoughts and prayers to Conner.

Novalee

Lol! Tell Hunter I said congratulations on his show’s first Emmy award. We’ll have to have you guys over to celebrate.

Me

Hell yeah. Name the day and the time and we’re there.

Novalee

👍🏼I’ll talk to Conner and get back to you with date/time.

I leave my phone on the vanity and step underneath the warm shower as it sprays from all directions. I wash myself from head to toe before grabbing the shampoo and lathering it into my short hair. Fatima will be out of commission for a while. Luckily, I know how to do my own hair.

When Hunter enters the bathroom, I know it. I don’t hear him because of the noise of the shower, and I don’t see him because my back is to the door. But I feel his energy everywhere.

He steps into the shower and up against my back. His erection points into me as his lips brush against my shoulder. “I’m only going to make you dirty again.” His voice at my ear makes me shiver with need.

“Promise?”

He works his fingers into my scalp, massaging the shampoo through my hair. “After you’re finished with school, we should try for another one.”

My face twists. “Another baby?”

His fingers in my hair feel divine. “Hold your head back,” he commands. I close my eyes and tip my head under the spray. He smooths his hands over my hair, rinsing out the shampoo. “You graduate in a year. With Liam getting older, I thought that might be a good time to try so that that they’re not too far apart in age.”

I turn around to face him. “You’ve given this a lot of thought?” I squirt some of Hunter’s bodywash onto a sponge.

“I have.” Water streams down his body, matting his slick black hair to his head. “What do you think?” He tropical blue eyes stare at me expectantly with what looks like hope.

“I think ...” I work the sponge over his chest and down to his abs. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“You don’t?” Disappointment flashes in his eyes, but he tries to rein it in. “Because of your fitness clients?”

“No. That’s not it.” I train my eyes to his chest.

“Babe.” He takes my chin with his fingers, and gently lifts my head to meet his eyes. “Do you not want more children?”

“Well …” I sigh. I’m dragging this out. Its cruel, but I can’t help myself. This is too good. He may spank me for it later, but I’m always game for that. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to try for another baby next year because … I’m already pregnant.”