Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“This way I can sit in the back seat with you,” Cecilia said happily. “We can snuggle.”
“I’m good with that,” I replied, watching her ass as she climbed into the back seat. I looked over at Eli. “Don’t worry, it’ll be PG-13. I don’t think my dick works anymore.”
“Blood loss, my friend. You’ll be back on the horse—er, Cecilia—in no time.”
“Like I’d let you do anything anyway,” Cecilia said dryly from inside the SUV. “Eli would probably watch us in the rearview mirror.”
“I would never,” Eli gasped, grinning.
I climbed carefully inside with my wife and sat back with a groan. “You know Eli drives like a maniac, right?” I asked her quietly.
“He promised to be on his best behavior,” she assured me, buckling into the middle seat so she could cuddle up against my side. “Is this okay?”
“Perfect,” I murmured, closing my eyes.
I didn’t open them again until I felt the gravel of our driveway under the tires.
“Shit,” I muttered. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“The doctor said rest is good.”
“I wanted to at least spend some time with you,” I grumbled, watching as our house came into view.
“You’ll have plenty of time with me for the next couple of weeks,” she replied with a chuckle. “You ready for this?”
By the time we’d parked, Cecilia’s mom Farrah was on the front porch with baby Forrest and the girls were halfway down the steps, held back by Lu’s grip on the necks of their shirts. She was bent over talking to them, probably telling them to be careful with me.
“DADDY!” she screamed as I climbed out of the car, running for me.
“Careful,” Cec cautioned as she climbed out behind me.
Fuck that. I dropped to my knees.
Within seconds they were slowing to a stop and gently wrapping their arms around my waist.
“I missed you so much,” Olive screeched.
“So much,” Meg copied.
“Uncle Forrest snorted milk out of his nose.”
“Brother pooped everywhere.”
“Did you know Auntie Lu has a tattoo?”
“I drew you a picture!”
“Me too!”
“Meg built the tallest tower and then knocked it over and woke up the baby and Gran said a really bad word.”
“I said sorry!”
“I can’t wait to see my pictures,” I croaked. “Have you been good for Mama?”
“Yes!”
“Sometimes!”
“Well, at least you’re honest,” I said with a chuckle. Ignoring the way Cecilia put her hand out to help, I got back to my feet. “Should we go inside?”
“DA!” baby Forrest called as we made our way to the porch.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Cecilia whispered. “Really, Forrest?”
“Nus!” he called out just as happily as we got close.
“Mama,” Cecilia corrected.
“Nus!”
“Oh whatever,” she mumbled, making me chuckle.
“Good to see you on your feet,” Farrah said, reaching out to cup my cheek when we reached them. “Had me worried for a minute.”
“Thanks for all your help.”
“Of course.” She paused and grinned. “You can wipe your own ass, right? Because that’s where I draw the line.”
“I can wipe my ass,” I confirmed, smiling back.
“Please,” Cecilia said, reaching for Forrest. “We all know I’d be the one wiping his ass.”
“I mean, if you’re into that,” I mused, making Farrah cackle.
“That’s disgusting,” Cecilia shot back, wrinkling her nose.
“Why would you wipe Daddy’s butt?” Olive asked in confusion. “Daddy wipes his own butt.”
“Exactly,” Cecilia said, nodding.
“See my picture!” Meg ordered, pulling on my arm.
We made our way into the house and as soon as I’d dropped my ass onto the couch, Cecilia put the baby in my lap.
“Hey, bud,” I whispered, smoothing down his mullet.
“Nus,” Forrest replied, bouncing a little.
“Yeah, Mama’s here, too.”
“Nus.”
“Give her a minute, you fiend.”
“He’s a man who knows what he wants,” Lu said, plopping down on the couch beside me.
“Thanks for all your help,” I said quietly, leaning my head against the back of the couch.
“Any time, Chief.”
“Kinda surprised the boys didn’t jump outta the bushes the moment we got home.”
“They’re on the way,” she said with a chuckle. “I texted them when you guys got here.”
Farrah said her goodbyes and took off as Eli came inside, but I was distracted.
Cecilia sat on the floor with the girls, coloring on a long sheet of paper. Meg kept jumping up to get a different color, Olive’s tongue poked out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated, and baby Forrest had given up on Cecilia nursing him and had laid his head down on my chest with a sigh. Fuck me. I’d almost lost all of it. If my best friend hadn’t worked his ass off to stem the bleeding, I would’ve bled out before the ambulance even got there.
“Uncle Forrest!” Meg called as the rest of my team filed in the front door a few minutes later. “I colored a picture!”
“Bet it’s a good one,” Forrest called back. He reached down and patted my shoulder as he passed me. “Good to see you in real clothes. Lazy fuck.”