Page 126 of The Hotel Room

She just needed the right moment to tell him.

“Mommy, you’re staring,” Lily said, her little legs swinging back and forth under the table.

Kate blinked, startled, and looked at her daughter. She felt the heat creep up her neck and cleared her throat, glancing back toward James to make sure he hadn’t overheard.

Lily tilted her head, her grin softening into something sweeter. “Why were you looking at Daddy like that?”

Kate smiled, leaning closer to her daughter. “Because I love him,” she said softly.

Lily beamed, her small face lighting up like the sun. “I love Daddy too,” she said proudly, then turned back to her coloring book as if her declaration were the most natural thing in the world.

“I don’t...I don’t get it,” Noah said quietly. For a moment, she thought he wouldn’t say anything else, but then he reached out, awkwardly placing his hand over hers where it rested on the table. “But...if you love him, that’s all that matters. I’ll always have your back, Mom. Always.”

Her chest ached at his words, her throat tightening as she fought back tears. She squeezed his hand, her voice soft. “Thank you, Noah. That means more than you know.”

Noah nodded, his gaze dropping to the table. “But, uh...if you ever want to leave him in the future or...whatever...just know I’ll support you then too. Okay?”

She couldn’t help the soft laugh that bubbled out, a mixture of emotion and affection for the boy—no, the young man—her son was becoming. She reached up and touched his cheek briefly, her voice trembling. “I know, sweetheart. Thank you.”

Noah’s face flushed slightly.

Kate sat back in her chair, her hand brushing over her pregnant stomach. She felt the faintest flutter, like the baby could sense the swirl of emotions around them. The thought filled her with a bittersweet warmth.

She was surrounded by her family. Her children. Her husband. The man who had broken her heart but was slowly piecing it back together in ways she hadn’t dared to hope for. She looked at him again, her gaze softening as he slid the ramekins into the oven and turned to wash his hands.

He was hers. He’d been hers since they were just kids fumbling through life together. And even though he’d stumbled—catastrophically—he was still hers. Her heart clenched at how much she loved him.

And later tonight, when the kids were asleep and the house was quiet, she was going to make sure he knew exactly how much she loved him.

For now, though, she stayed where she was, savoring the moment as her family bustled around her, the warmth of their love wrapping around her like a blanket.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

James

God, her hormones were going to be the death of him, but what a way to go.

Kate’s hands pressed against his chest with purpose, and James sank into the mattress, his heart hammering in his chest. She threw one leg over him, her movements a promise that made his breath catch.

“Kate...” His voice was low, tentative, as though speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile moment.

As Kate moved above him, James was struck by the gut-wrenching realization that this was the same position he'd been in with the other woman—but here, with Kate, it wasn’t just sex for him; it was love, connection.

Kate positioned herself over him, her body aligning with his in a way that made James’s breath catch. He could feel the heat of her, the wetness teasing against the tip of his erection, and his hips gave a sharp, instinctive jerk. He stopped himself immediately, gritting his teeth and forcing every muscle in his body to remain still. He wasn’t going to push, wasn’t going to take.

This was her choice—her pace. She needed him, and he would let her take whatever she wanted.

The restraint was agonizing, his body screamed for movement, for connection. He had spent months without her, desperate for her to let him back in—not just into her bed, but into her life, her trust, her heart.

And if all she wanted right now, was his body, it was hers. And it would be for the rest of his life. His body would always belong to her.

Kate’s eyes locked onto his, steady and unwavering, and the intensity of her gaze burned through him. Slowly, deliberately, she shifted her hips, aligning herself with him. The head of his erection pressed into her wet heat, and James felt his entire body tense, his lungs straining for air. He was on the edge of everything—of her, of them, of the life they might rebuild—and the anticipation was unbearable.

He didn’t move. He didn’t dare.

Kate held his gaze, her expression layered with something he couldn’t quite name—determination, vulnerability, maybe even trust. She moved again, and the sensation was so exquisite, so perfect, that James thought he might shatter from it.

When she finally sank down onto him, taking him fully into her, James cried out, his voice raw and unrestrained. The pleasure was overwhelming, but it was more than physical. It was everything—her warmth, her acceptance, her presence. The moment filled a space inside him that had been hollow and aching for far too long.

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