Page 40 of Bear's Midlife Bridesmaid
He had no sense of time, but at some point, she stood and pulled her suitcase off the bed. It fell awkwardly to the floor, the flap still hanging open. “I can pack later.” A quick swipe of her hand sent the rest of the clothes she’d laid out flying onto the bench at the end of the bed, and she pushed Jace down onto the mattress.
He smiled as he watched her climb on top of him, her breasts jiggling. Her heated thighs slid against his as she straddled him, and the tip of her tongue was braced in the corner of her mouth as her eyes drank in his body beneath her. “Does this mean you’re happy?” he asked, teasing. “That I’ve given you what you want?”
“You’ve definitely given me what I want.” She lifted herself slightly and took his erection in herhand, her thumb purposely sliding over that exquisitely sensitive spot and sending new waves of excitement through him. She brought him toward her entrance.
He closed his eyes and let himself live completely in the moment of her taking him in. As exquisite as her mouth had been, Jace knew this had to be heaven. Erin pushed her hips forward and back, pressing herself against him, taking him deeper.
He touched her cheeks and hair, ran his hands down her arms, and reveled in the weight of her breasts in his palms. He explored her buttocks and the satisfying flesh of her hips before zeroing in on the space just below her navel. Jace ran the back of his finger along the soft skin. They had created something there, a whole new life they could share.
A deep noise rumbled from her throat. Jace felt her tightening and squeezing around him, and her breaths grew shallow. She had a grip on his shoulders, and she clamped her fingers down now as she shoved herself harder and harder against him. He swelled inside her to meet those beginning spasms. The heat between them turned up a few degrees, and Jace gripped her hard against him. He thrust upward into her and felt her explode, hot and wet,and then he could hold out no longer. Every cell in his body surged toward her as he emptied himself into her.
She bent forward and lay on top of him as they caught their breath. Jace put his arms around her, absently rubbing her back. He’d waited, sometimes impatiently, but now he had more than he ever could’ve asked for.
EPILOGUE
“Hi, Arden.”Ian gently took the newborn into his arms. “You’re a handsome little fella, aren’t you?”
“Just like his big brother,” Erin replied softly. “I’m so glad you could come see him.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Ian placed his finger into Arden’s palm, grinning when those tiny fingers wrapped around it. “I can’t believe I’ve actually got a little brother.”
“You’d better believe it,” Jace remarked. He sat on the edge of the couch, making stacks of folded baby clothes as he pulled the items one by one from a laundry basket. “Only a few days old, and he’s already going through more clothes than either of us combined.”
Bailey came and sat next to Erin on the loveseat. “Is there anything you need?”
Erin put her hand on top of the younger woman’s, touched by her concern. Jace had already tucked a blanket around her to fight against the spring chill in the air, and he’d even made sure she was wearing socks. A full cup of water sat on the end table next to a steaming mug of hot tea, and he’d already made her breakfast. That was on top of jumping in to help with the baby at every chance. Her shifter genes meant she’d healed quickly, but he was still treating her like a queen. “Honestly, no. Jace is taking great care of me.”
“Don’t you go giving me all the credit,” Jace warned, glancing at Erin from the corner of his eye and smiling. “You were the one who did all the work, carrying Arden around for nine months. Not to mention the giving birth part. You were a pro.”
“I had good support,” Erin insisted. It’d been a bit scary to go into labor, when all the worries she’d had during her entire pregnancy had suddenly come flooding back to her. Jace had been right there with her, though, holding her hand and whispering words of encouragement. Her coven had also been there, with their sage wisdom and feminine love. It’d been a remarkable experience, and even thoughshe’d had to wait so long for it, she was thrilled that she’d finally become a mother. There had always been something inside her that told her she was supposed to do this, and she felt a deep satisfaction in having her sweet baby. She’d had times of being angry and frustrated at having to wait for a mate and child, but now she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Well, Ian and I are here for you if you guys need anything. I mean, I know we’re technically three hours away, but we’re still here.” Bailey got up and went over to sit next to her boyfriend. She laid her head on Ian’s shoulder as she looked down at the newest addition to the family. “I just love his name. Arden. Very bold and masculine, but also still kind of sweet.”
“It means ‘great forest.’ That just felt right,” Jace said. He paused in his folding and leaned over. He was on the other side of Ian, and his face was soft and gentle as he looked down at his newest son. “Maybe he’s inherited his mother’s gifts for green magic.”
“But what if he’s got his father’s love for the sea instead?” Erin challenged.
“Then we’ll just have to change his name to Poseidon.” Jace took the stacks of folded clothes andput them back in the basket to be carried into the baby’s room.
“Hard pass,” Erin retorted. She and Jace had joked back and forth during the last nine months about what they would name their child, constantly suggesting something more and more outrageous. They’d had good fun with their little mock argument as they learned how to settle into Erin’s home together and anticipated being a family. When it had really come down to choosing a name, however, they’d both agreed on Arden. Jace had stated it perfectly: it just felt right. Once their darling boy had come into the world, they knew there could be no other name for him.
“So, he could have magic or be a sailor,” Ian summed up. “Then he could also be a bobcat or a bear. Or both. Any sign of either one yet?”
They were eager to learn many things about their child, and this had certainly been at the forefront of their minds. “It’s early yet,” Erin said. “We’ve seen a bit of fur when he gets fussy, but that could go either way.”
“Nah. He’s a bear.” Jace reached over and picked up the baby’s arm. “Just look at how big and strong he is already. No doubt about it.”
This was yet another of their playful arguments.They would be happy no matter how Arden turned out, just as long as he was healthy and happy, but it was still fun to speculate. “No way. I can practically see his bobcat whiskers already.”
“Can I hold him?” Bailey asked. She was practically quivering with excitement, and her fingers twitched toward the baby even as she asked.
“Of course,” Jace answered.
She gently took the little bundle from Ian and pulled him into her lap. Her shoulders softened, and she seemed to melt on the inside as she laid him on her lap and looked down into his face. “Oh, you’re an absolute doll, Arden. I just love you to pieces already.”
“You two are staying for dinner, right?” Jace asked as he stood and picked up the laundry basket.
“We wouldn’t want to intrude,” Bailey began regretfully.
