Page 58 of Deprived No More

I’m happy to relive this night as often as she’ll let me.

The following morning, I awake at my usual hour ofo’dark thirtyand decide to make a pot of coffee and attempt to remove my staging in the backyard before too many neighbors question what on earth we had happening over here last night. We’d cuddled and enjoyed each other so much last night once we made it to the bedroom that Kat should be asleep for hours to come.

I’m relieved the evening went off without a hitch. We needed this time together. And I need to continue to show her that I’m here for her as she deals with any issues she’s struggling with related to Mark. I can’t say I truly understand. What he did to her was horrific. Then his involvement with Jake’s death even more gruesome. Why would she feel anything but anger for him?

My wife is strong. I have no doubt she’ll figure this out. And afterward, if she still has baby fever, I’ll honestly reconsider. My biggest fear isn’t the impact another child would have on our family. She’s an amazing mother, and we have the means to make a large family work. I’m more scared she’ll end up devastated if it doesn’t work out.

I’ve known too many couples who’ve tried multiple rounds of infertility treatments, liquidating their bank accounts, only to end up right back where they started. Sure, we’re in fair shape financially. We don’t have Sebastian’s kind of money and have four kids to put through college one day. But we have the funds to try embryo transfer or a surrogate if she wants. I just hope the cost of a failed procedure isn’t more than we can afford emotionally.

Strolling over to the bedside, I peer down at my sleeping angel. She’s been through enough heartache to last a lifetime. Between her horrible history with relationships before we met, her infertility, being stalked, and losing Jake, I only want to protect her from any more hurt.

I step into my closet to grab a sweatshirt as the early fall hour will bring a chill. Hopefully, I can get the sheets and ropes down before she wakes, and we can enjoy a quiet breakfast together before we head out to pick up the kids.

* * *

“I cannot believe you managed to get all of that elaborate staging up and down by yourself, Dr. Barnes. Who knew you were so…”

“Intelligent? Strong? Capable?”

“Determined to have sex with me under a tree is where I was going.” She laughs.

Looking over at her, I can’t help but chuckle. She’s right. I was determined. “Well, laugh all you want, kitten. It was almost as hot last night as the first time. So it was worth every bit of energy I expended to make it happen.”

She shakes her head and reaches for my hand over the center console of the car before looking out her window. Lifting her palm to my lips, I give her a small kiss as we drive toward town. We’re on the way to collect the kids from Rachel and Olivia’s places. I’m sure the four of them had a blast and won’t want to come home.

“I’m not ready to head back to work tomorrow. If I recall correctly, I have a full day in the OR.”

“Should we wait for dinner until you get home?”

“No, I don’t want to throw the kids’ schedule off,” I say as I see Rachel’s home up ahead.

Pulling into her drive, we’ve barely got the car in park before the boys come running from the backyard.

“Luke has been kicking the soccer ball with us,” Mason shares excitedly. “I can’t wait to start playing.”

“That’s awesome. Thanks, Luke,” I tell him. Honestly, I think I might be more excited than the boys to coach them. I’ve waited a long time for this. Grace isn’t into sports, so I wasn’t sure I’d ever have the opportunity.

“Oh, it’s no problem, Uncle Nick. They’re both fast. They’ll need to work on foot skills and not just kicking it in the net.” He laughs, tickling Logan.

He’s right. The boys aren’t mature enough to understand all of the mechanics of the game. At this age, they simply want to score goals. But I appreciate he’s getting them excited about the sport.

“You guys all packed up?” Kat asks. As if on cue, Rachel opens the door and brings the boys’ duffel bags out with her. “I hope they weren’t too much trouble, Rach.”

“No. They were great. I hope you two enjoyed your evening.” Rachel winks at me.

“We did,” I return with a wide grin, Katarina elbowing me in the ribs at my overshare.

“We’ll let you guys get to your Sunday routine,” Kat says, giving Rachel a hug as the boys and I head to the car.

“Buckle up, guys. We need to swing by and get your sisters before we head home.”

An hour later, we’re headed back toward the lake, and the car is full of commotion as the kids animatedly share the details of their adventures from the night before. Kat and I silently hold hands and listen as the boys try to one-up the girls on who had the better evening.

Having turned off of the highway and onto the main thoroughfare toward the lake, we’re down to one lane. We’re so close to our destination, yet for the last twenty minutes, we’ve been trapped behind a car that’s traveling about ten miles per hour under the speed limit. Normally, we’d anticipate the car in front of us was occupied by two older individuals, but this is a little sports car, and the occupants appear to be young, at least from this vantage point.

As the road straightens ahead of us, I look at Kat in question. By her curious expression, she appears to be wondering what’s going on with this car as much as I am. Able to have a clear visual ahead of me, I decide to pass them, so we don’t add another twenty minutes to our drive home stuck behind this Sunday driver who’s apparently in no hurry to get anywhere today.

Hitting the gas, I attempt to pass the coupe and can’t help but look in their direction.Hmm. That’s odd.

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