Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Then again, I feel that way about everything my husband does. I'm more in love with him than ever. The last three years have been magical in all the best ways. My happily-ever-after is loud and messy and so fucking perfect it hurts sometimes.
This was never part of the dream. Somehow, it's better.
Lincoln's downtown makeover breathed new life into the area, bringing all kinds of foot traffic with it. With the apartment complex above us, we're busier than ever. And I'm happier than anyone has a right to be.
"Shit!" he growls from the front of the store, and then I hear a bright, happy squeal from our daughter. "Get back here with that!"
"Someone forgot to baby-proof the vibrator section again!" Jazz calls from the front of the store. "Abigail is on the lam with a sparkly pink cock. Oh, wait. She just bashed your husband over the head with it."
Sarah and I exchange a look before bursting into peals of laughter. Of course my daughter is beating Lincoln with a vibrator. Of course she is. Honestly, the only surprise is that Jazz's little girl isn't helping. They're as close as we were growing up, and I love that so much.
This store has forged so many friendships and started so many stories. We've laughed and cried and celebrated together, writing our own memories into the walls. But absolutely none are sweeter than watching our kids grow up together among the stacks.
"Are you going to save him?" Sarah asks, wiping tears.
"Are you kidding me?" I grin, waddling toward the front of the store with one hand on my pregnant belly. "I'm going to watch."
She laughs loudly before deciding to join me. When we crowd into the doorway, both ridiculously pregnant, it's to see Lincoln trying to contain Abigail, who is absolutely feral in his arms, wielding her stolen vibrator like a fucking lightsaber. Jazz's daughter, Mina, is at his feet, trying to climb his leg and gnaw on his knee at the same time.
"Wet go of my fwiend!" Mina cries, karate-chopping him across the back of the knee.
"Mina, no hitting!" Jazz calls, trying her best to sound stern. She can't hide the smile on her face when she turns to me. "Does this remind you of anything?"
I just laugh in response, my eyes already on Lincoln. The girls are a handful…just like Jazz and I have always been. But he's so patient with them, though. He just rolls with whatever madness they're into at any given time. And God help anyone who even looks at his baby girl the wrong way. The man is a demon when it comes to protecting her.
"Who wants cookies?" he asks.
He may also be an extortionist.
"Me! Me!" Abigail shrieks, immediately relinquishing the vibrator to clap her hands.
"Me too!" Mina cries, dancing with excitement.
Lincoln smirks over at us, tucking the vibrator into his back pocket. "I'm hiring someone to build higher shelves," he mutters. "Before I have to explain to an ER doc that I got a concussion from being beaten over the head with a giant pink cock."
"Coward," I tease as Jazz strides toward him to take charge of the girls. They follow her to the café like little ducklings, chattering a million miles a minute about cookies.
Lincoln stalks toward me, a devilish look on his face.
Sarah sees him coming and squeaks before darting out of the way.
"You want to say that again, little bookworm?" he growls when he's standing in front of me, my belly pressed up against him.
"Yes." I loop my arms around his neck, grinning. "Coward."
He swoops, kissing me until I'm breathless and dizzy. "You're lucky you're so fucking sexy when you're giving me shit, Lilah," he murmurs when he lets me up, a smile on his lips. "If you weren't, you'd be in trouble."
"Maybe I should try harder then. I like being in trouble."
He chuckles, tugging me closer. "I love you."
I melt, the same way I always do when he says those three perfect little words. "I love you too."
"Come on." He grabs my hand, tugging me toward the back.
"Where are we going?"
"I have something to show you."
"Is it your cock? Because you know how that story goes, Lincoln."
"No, it's a giant pink one," he retorts, smirking at me. "Now, move your gorgeous ass."
He doesn't have to tell me twice. I move my ass, faster than it's moved since he put his baby in me eight months ago. And when we're alone in the back, he does show me the giant pink cock…right before he tosses it across the room and hoists me up onto a table to show me the one I really want.
God, I love this man.