Page 76 of Until the End

“One you’ll have to wait for.”

She pouts. “I don’t wanna.”

I poke her bottom lip, making her laugh. “Too bad.”

Taking her hand, I lead her out of the studio and to the parking garage. Daren follows behind us, keeping a close eye on our surroundings. He’s struggled the same, if not more, than us after what happened. Ginny and I have both done our best to assuage him of any guilt, but he still blames himself. It’ll just take time for us all to move on from the ordeal.

Daren helps us into the back of the SUV. He gives me a quick smirk when Ginny tries to wheedle information out of him. He’s been a part of this plan from its infancy.

I’m not sure I’d have been successful if it wasn’t for him and Chelsea. The three of us have had a lot of late-night chats to get things in order without Ginny knowing what we’re doing. In fact, I’m pretty sure Chelsea and Daren had extra late-night chats without me, if the way the two of them have been looking at each other is any indication.

I can’t wait to talk to Ginny about it. It’s been difficult to keep from saying something, but she would’ve askedhow I knew Chelsea and Daren were talking, and I couldn’t give away my secret just yet.

Daren drives us out of the city and toward one of the upper-class suburban areas. It’s a gated community where several other celebrities live. Chelsea and I went through too many listings to remember, trying to find the right place for Ginny and me to call home. I wanted something that was cozy and comfortable while simultaneously being safe. I think we found a happy medium.

Nothing has been signed yet—I wanted to give Ginny a chance to veto the house in case she hated it. I don’t think that will happen, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Ginny is quiet as we drive through the neighborhood. I’m not sure if she’s caught on to what we’re doing here or not.

When Daren pulls into the driveway of the dark blue two-story house, Ginny finally looks at me. “What are we doing here, Duck?”

“Let me show you first. Then we can talk.”

She follows behind me without question. Her trust in me always makes me love her harder. The realtor is already inside the house, a welcoming smile on her face.

“Hi, Virginia. I’m Terry. It’s nice to officially meet you.” Terry holds her hand out for Ginny to shake.

Ginny smiles at her but doesn’t say anything more. Terry doesn’t seem to mind because she gives me a grin. “Are you two ready for a tour?”

“Yep.” I nod at her. I keep my hand in Ginny’s as Terry walks us through the house. Every room and feature she describes only further solidifies my belief that this could truly be the house for us. It’s got four bedrooms and four bathrooms, with a finished basement and an in-ground pool. I’ve already done research on the best safety equipment to ensure the baby won’t get hurt.

When Terry leads us back to the foyer, she says she’s going to step outside and let us talk alone.

The second the door is closed, I turn to Ginny. I clamp my bottom lip between my teeth, nerves getting the best of me. Ginny hasn’t said a word about the house since we arrived. It’s freaking me out.

“Say something. Please?” I blurt out.

“How long have you been looking for a house?”

“A little over a month. Chelsea, Daren, and I have been trying to find one that fits all of our needs. It’s been hard. I wanted to surprise you, but figured I shouldn’t just outright buy a house without talking to you first. Not that I could afford this one on my own. There’s no way they’d even let me in the door—oof.” Ginny’s body slamming into mine interrupts my word vomit. She wraps me in the tightest hug she can with her round belly, and I feel like I can finally relax.

“I can’t believe you’d do this for me. Well…I can, but I never imagined you would.” She pulls back just enough to look up at me. “Do you know how long I’ve been dreading trying to find a house out here? It’s been on my mind since Muse asked me to start filming the music videos for my album.”

“You’re happy? This is a good surprise?” I can’t help but confirm she’s not mad at me.

“The best. Thank you so much, Duck.” She pops up onto her toes and kisses the hell out of me. My fingers spread through her hair as I take control.

God, what kissing this woman does to me. Since I got out of the hospital, we’ve been careful about sex. I’ve given her many, many,manyorgasms as the baby has turned her into a nympho, but it’s been months since I’ve actually been inside her. It’s been both connecting and frustrating. I’m very ready for the go-ahead light. So is Ginny, given how she whines for me every time I touch her. I’ve got a check-up with the doctorsthis week, and I’m for damn sure going to be asking for the all clear.

I pull away, knowing we can’t get carried away here. “What do you think of the house?”

“It’s perfect. Beyond perfect. I can picture us and our little sunshine girl running around in the basement. Even the backyard is perfect. We’ll have to get her into swimming lessons as soon as possible, but that’s probably for the best anyway.”

“I’m so glad you love it. I want Terry to put in an offer tonight. Is that okay with you?”

“More than.”

“Then let’s go talk to her.”

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