Page 37 of Sin Wagon
“I’m going to take a shower and then take a nap. You’ve worn me out and we have hours yet. So shower and nap it is.”
I turn the shower on, and the sound of rushing water fills the bathroom as I wait for it to warm up. Stepping under the cascade, I close my eyes, letting the warmth envelop me and allowing myself a brief moment of peace. This weekend has been a whirlwind of emotions, and I know it will come to an end all too soon. The sound of the shower door opening abruptly interrupts my thoughts.
As Wells steps in, the small space suddenly feels crowded with his commanding presence. I feel a rush of warmth that has nothing to do with the water temperature. With his eyes never wavering from mine, he reaches out to grab the bar of soap.
“Hey there,” he murmurs, his voice a low, comforting rumble.
“Hey,” I reply, feeling a shiver of anticipation despite the hot water.
Wells lathers the soap in his hands before gently running them over my shoulders, his touch tender and purposeful. He delicately kisses my neck, leaving a trail of soft touches down to my collarbone. His hands move slowly, as he washes me, his touch both soothing and electrifying.
“You are exquisite,” he whispers, his warm breath tickling my ear. “So sexy.”
I can’t help but smile, my heart swelling with emotion at the sound of his words.
“And you’re amazing,” he continues, his hands moving down to my growing belly. “Growing a life inside of you. Our baby.”
His words hit me deeply, and I fight to keep a tear from escaping. Wells kneels, his warm breath tickling my belly, and places a gentle kiss on it. The gesture is filled with such love and intimacy that it’s almost overwhelming. I don’t want this moment to end, or this weekend to be over, forcing us back to the complicated reality of our lives in different cities.
Wells stands back up, his eyes locking with mine as he gently rinses the soap from my body. I do the same for him, my touch lingering as I memorize the feel of his skin. When we are both clean, he turns off the water and grabs a towel, wrapping it around me before taking another to dry himself.
Wells silently but sweetly helps me into a pair of new pajamas, the soft fabric a comfort against my skin. We make our way to the bed, the room dark. He must have shut the light off and closed the blinds before he came to the bathroom. Wells climbs in beside me, pulling me close into his arms. I sigh deeply, feeling both content and anxious.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice gentle.
“I can’t help but feel like we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop,” I confess. “How are we going to make this work? Raise a baby when I live in Vegas and you live in Chicago?”
Wells tightens his hold on me, his voice firm and reassuring. “We’ll figure it out. I have clubs in Vegas; I can move there.”
“You can’t. Your family is in Chicago, and it’s your home,” I protest.
“You could come to Illinois,” he suggests, but I shake my head.
“I don’t want to be anywhere near Claudia, and Derek is in Vegas. I can’t leave him; he has a job, or at least he might,” I say, my voice trembling with uncertainty.
“We’ll figure it out, Little Doe. I’m not letting our baby grow up without a dad.”
“You’re still technically my uncle, Wells. That’s still a huge issue. And one we’ve made worse by being together again.” My voice is barely above a whisper.
“Step-uncle,” he corrects. “And we didn’t know. Little did I know that the gorgeous, intelligent, fiery woman I met at a club was my niece.” He sighs heavily.
“I saw someone I was drawn to,” he admits, his eyes locking with mine. “And your ability to hold a conversation and sass me only heightened my desire.”
He pauses, the weight of his words sinking in. “Every day for seven months, I have been looking and thinking of you.”
His voice grows resolute. “I’m not going to let the fact that my stepbrother is your dad keep me from you.”
He reaches out, gently touching my arm. “Keep me from my baby.”
“I’m scared, Wells,” I admit, my voice cracking.
“Don’t be, Little Doe. I’m going to handle it. You’re not alone anymore,” he whispers, pressing a soft kiss against my hair.
I close my eyes, feeling his words wrap around me like a warm blanket. His steady heartbeat under my ear lulls me into a sense of security, and I slowly drift off to sleep in his arms, hoping that somehow, we can find a way to make this work.
Chapter 18
WELLS
