Page 106 of Tragic (Lark Cove 3)

As his fingers laced with mine, the spinning stopped. Gravity wasn’t quite as heavy. And my world was right again.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Kaine’s thumb stroked my knuckle. “Thank you back.”

I smiled, slipping my hand from his to go clean up. I attempted to sit, but my abs weren’t what they used to be and it was a struggle. I was getting in the habit of swinging my legs over the side of the bed, using an arm to push myself up. But before I could, Kaine was there behind me, helping me to sit up.

He hopped off the bed first, helping me stand. Then he gathered up my clothes so I wouldn’t have to bend down. With them piled in my arms, I made my way to the bathroom. I did my business, then put back on my pajamas, using the last bit of energy I had for the day.

As I came out of the bathroom, I expected to see Kaine dressed and ready to retreat to his room. But instead, the bed had been turned down and a deliciously naked Kaine was lying underneath the top sheet.

“You’re sleeping here?”

“Yup.”

“What if I don’t want you to sleep here?” Why am I asking such stupid questions? Of course I wanted him to sleep here.

He chuckled. “Too bad.”

I was giddy with renewed energy as I crossed the room, shut off my bedside lamp and slipped under the sheet. What did this mean? What did any of this mean? Kaine and I had been living together for months. Now sex was back in the mix.

Were we a couple? Were we friends having twins together?

I rested my head on my pillow, took a long deep breath and worked up the courage to start asking questions.

“I—whoa!” My hands flew to my belly.

“What?” Kaine was at my side in a flash, his hands immediately diving under my tank top. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” I giggled as the twins kicked. It was like a bag of popcorn was popping inside me. “Can’t you feel them?”

His hands stilled, his palms hot against my skin. One of the babies kicked it, and Kaine’s face transformed.

Gone was the fear I’d seen in his eyes

since the day I’d told him I was pregnant. For the first time, he looked completely in awe. Our babies would be okay.

“See?” I reached up and toyed with a lock of hair by his ear. “They’re excited.”

Kaine’s hands roamed my stomach, chasing kicks and punches. When he looked at me, I got one of his rare, gleaming smiles that made my heart double in size.

The babies were on a roll, literally, shifting and moving inside me. “I look like an alien.”

“It’s beautiful.” Kaine’s voice was full of wonder.

“I guess they like sex.”

His hands stilled. “What?”

“Sex.” I laughed. “They like it. Maybe an orgasm is like a hug for them. We should hug them more.”

“Oh, Jesus.” He rolled his eyes, dropping his forehead to my stomach as he laughed. I laughed even harder, loving this carefree side of him that I rarely saw.

As our laughter died down, Kaine shifted onto his back, sliding a hand underneath my neck. The movement forced me into his side, curling my back against his chest.

We’d never cuddled before. We’d have sex and lie next to one another. Sometimes I’d drape myself over his bare chest while we caught our breath. But there was never this intimacy. There was never the promise he would stay.

“What are we doing, Kaine? You and me?”