Page 89 of Between the Stars

“Yesterday.”

“Any feeling back?”

“A little. Slowly.” His eyes slide to mine as if he’s talking about forgiveness. Setting Sev on her feet, Jace unscrews the cap on the gin he’s now drinking, thanks to Rhett who handed it to him. I eye him and he smirks. Jace hates gin. He certainly doesn’t care what he’s drinking tonight, does he? “Depends on the day,” he says to Kacy, hugging her next and then kicking the stool Josie is seated on.

It knocks her off and Josie stands immediately, turning to punch her brother in the stomach. “I should piss on your face.”

In one quick motion, Jace has her in a headlock. They part, and Morgan finds me next. “Little Abbi Gabby made her way home, huh?”

I cringe at the nickname Morgan gave me when we were younger and I was always trying to tag along with the boys on the ranch. I earned the nickname the first day. “Found my way home,” I tell him, winking at Jace.

Jace steps forward, a foot closer to me, and Morgan chuckles. “Hands off my girl,” Jace warns.

Morgan gives me a slow, suggestive wink. “If you were mine, I would—”

“Finish that sentence,” Jace snaps, a coolness to his tone that lets me know his mood is lightened. “For the love of God, finish thatfuckingsentence so I can kick your ass.”

Morgan rolls his eyes and gives a cocky nod to Jace’s arm he keeps held up in the pocket of his jacket. “I’d like to see you try with one arm.”

They laugh it off because Morgan’s not serious; he’d never make a move on me out of pure principal, and he’s in love with Lillian.

Josie comes back to me, Yeti cup filled the brim with beer and a goofy grin on her face, my brother following close behind.

Josie wraps her arms around me. “You heard from Tin Man?”

“Nope.” I take the bottle of water Kacy gives me as she walks by, chasing after Sev, who for some reason has a dead lizard in her hand. “I don’t think I will. I left half my shit there too.”

Josie takes a long drink from her cup, most of it spilling on the front of her before she sighs. “Abs, life is like a dick.” She glares at Jace and holds me closer. “Sometimes it’s up, sometimes it’s down, but it won’t be hard forever.”

Jace, Barron, Rhett, and Morgan stare at Josie with wide eyes. Sev watches them, then Josie, and giggles. “She said” More giggles. “dick.”

“Don’t repeat her, little girl,” Barron grumbles at Sev and points her the direction of the house where Kacy has been trying to get Sev to come to her. “And put that goddamn lizard down.”

I laugh. He tells her not to say dick but says goddamn.

It’s twenty minutes later when we walk out of the garage. I inhale deeply as the girls and I head toward the bonfire. Kacy curls her arm in mine. “When’s your due date?”

I lift my eyes to hers, and then the space in front of us trying not to trip on the uneven ground surrounding Barron’s home. “September thirteenth.”

She beams with excitement. “Mine is September twenty-fourth. Maybe the babies will be close.”

I smile over at her. I can see why Barron fell so hard for this girl. She’s tall with dark wavy hair, incredibly beautiful, and has a dusting of freckles covering the bridge of her button nose. She’s also feisty—you’d have to be living under the same roof as Barron, Sev and Camdyn—and has the prettiest piercing blue eyes. “I probably won’t make it full term,” I tell her.

“Why not?” Kacy’s brows draws together, her eyes darting to my hidden stomach, and then back to my face. “Is everything okay with the baby?”

I touch the bump under my hoodie. “Everything is perfect so far, but you know…” I lower my voice as we come to a stop near the flames heating my face, “with two babies I doubt they’re staying in there full term.”

I swear to God, every single eye turns to me and I didn’t even say it loud. I scan the crowd and notice Jace approaching. “I knew it!” Josie fist pumps the air and then jumps on Jace. “I hope you get two girls just like your stupid ass.”

He easily pushes her aside and wraps his arms around me, pressing a kiss to the back of my neck from behind. “Last time I had you on the Grady ranch near a bonfire, you were screaming my name and choking on my dick,” he whispers, a throaty growl emitting from his chest and rumbling through me.

I ignore the achy need between my legs and I slap at him as he turns me in his arms to hold me to his chest. “I wasn’t screaming your name and choking on your dick,” I point out the obvious. “That’s impossible.”

“You’re right.” His grin lights up his face. “Your mouth was full.”

“You’re awful.” I shake my head, laughing, but his hands come up and cusp my cheeks, but he quickly drops his left one and tucks in back into his jacket pocket as a wince creases his brows.

“I’m in love… there’s a difference,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my lips.

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