Page 12 of Taming You

Liv pulls back and smiles at her husband. “Just a little sibling bonding.”

He kisses her forehead and hands her a drink. “I think our sisters are experiencing some baby fever. They’ve managed to get both babies and are in the spare room with all the toys right now. My mom’s joined yours in the kitchen, and our dads are in the living room watching a football game.”

“Sounds like them,” Liv says.

Josh picks her up as she squeals and holds onto him before he takes her seat and she settles in his lap.

I shake my head. “You couldn’t have taken the chair that’s literally right beside you?” I ask.

He chuckles and shakes his head as he tucks a stray piece of Liv’s hair behind her ear. “No, I want to be as close to my wife as possible.”

Liv’s cheeks turn pink, but I watch as her smile grows. Watching them together has me feeling nothing but happiness for them. I watched for years as they both danced around the fact they liked each other but neither of them said anything. I know Josh worships her and is an amazing husband and father. I’ve never seen either of them as happy as they’ve been since they started dating. It was a change in Josh I noticed first that tipped me off that they had indeed started dating. He didn’t want to go out as often, and when I did see him, he was always in such a good mood. The fact that Liv was so worried about how their relationship would impact his and mine only reminded me of how selfless my sister is, but them being married has only brought us closer. Josh is now my brother in every way that matters.

“So, who do we think ends up with a baby first, Gianna or Emily?” Liv asks.

Josh stills under her. “I’m not ready for my baby sister to have kids,” he says, and I throw my head back with a laugh.

“You’re telling me. I love Cate and wouldn’t change anything about you two or her, but it was a lot to hear that my baby sister was expecting.”

His hand finds Liv’s stomach, and he smiles at her softly.

“Are you guys expecting again?” I ask immediately, and Liv’s head turns to me so quickly I’m surprised I don’t hear a pop.

“No, why would you ask?”

I tip my chin at Josh’s hand.

She shakes her head and smiles. “No, but one day. We want more.”

“Soon,” Josh says, and I shake my head.

“You two are going to have your own little hockey team.”

“Not that many,” Liv says. “But a full house, yeah.”

She leans into Josh more, and he tightens his arm around her waist. “What about you? Do you want more after Jayden?”

I sit with the question for a minute. I think I do want more kids. I want Jayden to have built-in friends like I had with Liv and eventually Gi. I want to hear a house full of laughter. But in order to have that, I need to find someone.

Mom saves me by calling us all for dinner.

The rest of the night moves smoothly. We all laugh and enjoy dinner. As I finish getting Jayden settled at home, my phone rings in my pocket. I quickly fish it out and smile as Zoey’s name flashes across the screen. Lying on the couch, I answer. “Hey, Zo.”

“Hey,” she says, her voice soft and almost hesitant.

“How was your Thanksgiving?” I ask.

“It was good. Henry and Maggie made an amazing dinner. It’s been a while since all of us could get together. How about yours?”

“Amazing. It was the first time taking Jayden to Mom and Dad’s, and I basically lost him to Gianna the second I walked in the door, so I spent a lot of time with Liv and Josh. As always, Mom made enough food to feed an army, so I brought leftovers home.”

I hear shuffling on the other end of the line. “Where are you?” I ask.

“I’m just getting settled into bed,” she says, and I stiffen as thoughts of Zoey in slinky pyjamas as she climbs under the sheets fill my head. The way the fabric would strain against her chest and her nipples would press against the fabric, leaving nothing to the imagination. I shake my head quickly. These kinds of thoughts about Zoey have come more and more over the last year and a half, but specifically over the last two weeks. I woke up so hard the other morning after a dream about her, that if she had been here in pyjamas just like I was imagining, I probably would have come in my boxer briefs.

“Matt?” Zoey’s voice breaks through my fog, and I clear my throat.

“Hmmm?”

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