The Last Woman (All That Remains #1) (39 page)

“I’m sorry. I know you’re
pissed, but don’t sleep here. It’s not good for your back. I’ll take the
couch.”

He scoops me up before I can
protest and places me on our bed, pulling the covers over me. As he turns to
return to the love seat, I catch his hand. Okay, so I’m weak. I want the
comfort of his warm body pressed against mine and his arms holding me. He
climbs in, and I lay my head on his chest.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he
repeats.

“Let’s talk about it
tomorrow,” I suggest, cuddling closer.

“I don’t think that about you,
Abby. You have to know that.”

“I do.”

He slides a finger under my
chin and tilts my head up. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now go to
sleep.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he murmurs,
amusement in his voice. I never had a chance, did I?

I wake first and sneak out of
bed to shower, hoping for a few minutes alone to think about our fight last
night. I’m not angry anymore. I’m more than capable of jealousy, as I’ve proven
in the past. Still, he needs to get over it and learn to trust me.

Since it’s early and there are
no kids to feed, I crawl back into bed after my shower. I’m dozing off when I
feel Airen’s hand caress my belly. “How pissed are you?” he asks, as I gaze at
him.

“Airen, I’m not mad, but you
can’t keep doing this. Tell me why you didn’t go to Evansville with Joseph. The
truth.”

“I didn’t want to leave you
alone with him,” he admits.

“Do you really think I’d cheat
on you?” The image of my hands on Joseph while he kisses me pops into my head,
and I quickly try to squash it. That was different. We were forced.
You
weren’t forced to like it or to take it that far
, my inner voice speaks up,
always sympathetic.

“No, I know you wouldn’t
cheat. It’s just...” He sighs. His eyes close, and his cheeks turn pink. He’s
embarrassed, or perhaps ashamed.

“Just what?”

“Even thinking about you two
sitting up all night and talking while I’m miles away...it bothers me.”

I think I understand what he’s
trying to say, although I don’t like it. It’s not the sexual intimacy he’s
worried about. He doesn’t like to think of me becoming close with Eric or any
guy for that matter. “Air,” I hesitate.

“You have so much in common.
He can talk about books with you.”

“Because he was an English
teacher.”

“Exactly, he’s smart like you,
Abby. You have the same accent. He even uses the phrase ‘you guys’ the same as
you.”

“We come from the same area.
You say ‘y’all’ just like Joseph does. Does that mean you want to sleep with
him?”

He scoffs and shakes his head.
“I realize it sounds petty.”

“Hey.” I roll on my side to
face him. “I get it. I do. I’d never do anything to hurt you, but you have to
understand I’m going to have other friendships. So will you. I like talking to
Eric about books and reminiscing about our hometown, but that’s all it is. I
love
you
. I’m married to
you
. I’m having
your
baby. Isn’t
that better than being able to quote Aldous Huxley along with me?”

The corners of his mouth
twitch as he tries not to grin.

“I promise if Eric or anyone
else I meet in the future tries anything with me, I’ll tell you. Can you let it
go and trust me?”

“I do trust you.” He nuzzles
my neck. “I’ll do my best, but I liked it better when I had you all to myself.”

“I’m yours for as long as you
want me, and you’re mine no matter how many people we meet. I have a feeling we’re
going to see quite a few of these lakeside houses fill up, and that’s a good
thing.”

“I know. I’m just being
selfish. Do you forgive me?” he murmurs, kissing my collarbone before working
his way down.

“Well, we do have the house to
ourselves.” I kiss my infuriating man on the lips. How can he smell so good
when he hasn’t even showered?

“Mmm, perfect. It’s been far
too long since I’ve heard you scream,” he murmurs in my ear while his hands
pull off my panties.

“I don’t scream,” I insist,
making him equally accessible.

Oh God, it was so good, but I
didn’t scream. It’s possible I yelled...once...or twice. There is something to
be said for make-up sex.

* * *
*

The trip to Evansville was
successful and uneventful. Carson is puffed up with pride as he helps unload
the truck. Airen apologizes to Eric for being rude, and things settle down once
again. The winter has been very mild, and we don’t get our first snow until
after Christmas. The kids are ecstatic.

“Don’t get your hopes up,”
Joseph warns Walker. “We rarely get more than an inch or two.”

His prediction is way off. It
snows all day on New Year’s Day and the day after. Big, wet snowflakes perfect
for making snowballs and snowmen.

“Can I go outside?” Walker
begs, as soon as he wakes and looks out the window.

“After breakfast.” I smile.
“You have to wear a couple layers of clothes to keep dry.”

He grins from ear to ear as he
gobbles his oatmeal and raisins. Airen comes in from tending to the animals and
kicks off his boots. “Almost two feet deep!” he exclaims. “I’ve never seen so
much snow!” He looks all of eighteen years old with that wide, boyish smile on
his face. It’s adorable.

Troy chuckles. “This was
pretty typical in Iowa.”

“Yeah, but Airen’s a southern
boy, and you know how those rednecks are,” I tease, handing Airen a cup of
coffee.

“You are aware that you live
in Kentucky?” Troy asks with a grin.

“But I’m from Indiana, and
therefore, not a hillbilly.”

Airen grabs a handful of snow
from his pants cuff that I suspect he’s been saving for just such an occasion,
and drops it down the back of my shirt. I squeal as he pins my arms down so I
can’t shake it out.

“Airen!”

With a wicked laugh, he points
at Walker. “Let’s go, boy. Let a redneck teach you how to build a fort.”

“Yes!” Walker dashes to his
room to dress.

Airen steps up behind me and
places his hands on my growing belly. I’m five months along now, and I’m
starting to get big. “How are you feeling?” he asks, nipping my earlobe and
running his lips down the side of my neck.

“Fat.” I sigh.

“Stop it.” His hands slide
over my swollen belly and down my lower back before lightly squeezing my
behind. “You’re as sexy as ever.”

I kiss him and swat his ass.
“Go play outside.”

Everyone is out in the snow
except for me and Jayla, and I have the feeling she wants to talk about
something. “Okay, girl, spill it,” I order while we sit at the table, chopping
vegetables.

“I want to move in with Julie.”

It’s not what I expected to
hear. “Did something happen? Did you and Carson have a fight? Has Eric or Troy
been...bothering you?” I ask the last question hesitantly. They’re dead men
walking if that’s the case. Jayla is a pretty girl, but she’s only fourteen.

“No, it’s nothing so
dramatic.” She smiles and focuses on the green pepper she’s dicing. “I already
spend most of my time there, studying with Julie, and I like it there. It’s
quiet.”

“I realize it’s crowded here,
honey, but you don’t need to leave. We’ve been discussing the possibility of
Eric moving in with Julie until we get another house fixed up.”

“It’s not Eric or anybody
specific. I’d just like a little more privacy and some peace and quiet.”

“Have you talked to Julie
about it?”

“She said she’d love to have
me, but it’s up to you and Dad. She‘s afraid he’ll think she’s trying to lure
me away.”

“Have you asked your dad?”

She shakes her head. “I was
hoping you’d do that with me. You know he’s going to overreact.”

I have to laugh. She’s right
about that. “I want you to be wherever you’re happy. We’ll talk to your dad and
tell him you need a break from all these boys. Just know you can come back
anytime you want. I’ll throw your dad out to make room.”

“Nah.” She giggles and hugs me.
“You should make him get up with the baby.”

Airen isn’t crazy about the
idea, but he acquiesces. We both agree it may be smart to put a little space
between Carson and Jayla, anyway. I love Carson, and I trust him, but as Airen
pointed out, he’s still a teenage boy full of raging hormones.

At lunchtime I wade out into
the snow to call the kids. They’re having a blast, all pink cheeked and
laughing. Walker shows me his snow woman he built. It has two huge snowballs
for breasts. I try not to giggle, as Airen shrugs at me and grins. I’m sure he
had a hand in building that.

“Where’s your dad?”

“With Troy. They’re working on
the fort.” Walker points to the side of the house.

“Go dry off and put on some
warm clothes. I’ll tell them lunch is ready.”

Wow, they’ve been busy. It
looks more like a large igloo than a fort.

“Lunch is ready, guys.” I poke
my head in the opening.

They’re cuddled together in
the small space, arms locked around one another, kissing passionately. Troy
pulls away from Joseph, who regards me with a sheepish grin.

“Sorry.” I retreat with a chuckle.
I’ve seen a few looks exchanged between them so I’m not surprised.

Airen is still removing layers
and dripping all over the floor when I tell him what I witnessed, and he
smiles, mischievously. I know that grin. “Airen Lane, don’t you dare!”

“What?” He tries to appear
innocent, but fails miserably. He doesn’t have an innocent cell in his sexy
body.

“Tease them.”

“Would I do that?” He smiles,
and I can feel it in the pit of my stomach. Pregnancy has turned me into a
nymphomaniac. “Keep staring at me like that, Abigail, and see what happens.”

“I love what happens,” I
reply, letting my hands wander to his firm ass.

“My little sex fiend.” He
gives me a soft kiss before swatting my ass. “Later, darlin’. Let a man eat.”

We’re all sitting around the
kitchen table when Joseph and Troy enter. Airen grins, shaking his head. “In
the kid’s fort, Joseph?” he says with fake disapproval in his voice. I smack
him while Joseph stares at me in exasperation.

“Sorry,” I apologize, glancing
at him and Troy.

“You just had to tell him.”
Joseph smirks.

“Can I blame this one on the
hormones?” Hey, I can play the pregnancy card occasionally.

“Their hormones,” Airen says,
grinning and ignoring my stern look. He’s loving every minute of this.

“Don’t listen to him,” I
advise Troy. “We’re happy for both of you.”

Joseph saunters over and
slings his arm around Troy’s neck, giving him a quick kiss. I’m thrilled for
Joseph and Troy. They have both been to hell and back, and they deserve some
happiness.

* * *
*

The guys are chomping at the
bit to get started on what will be Troy and Joseph’s house. They’re back to
hauling gasoline and using generators for light and heat while they install the
solar panels on a good sized three bedroom ranch style house. It’s less than a
quarter of a mile from our place, closer to the lake, but not so close that
flooding should be an issue. I’m happy they chose it. We’ll have Joseph on one
side of us, and Julie on the other. Still, it breaks my heart to know they’re
moving out, and Walker isn’t happy about it either.

“I want to stay here,” he
insists, sulking.

I’m sitting on the sofa with
him, and he’s supposed to be reading. “Your dad needs you with him, Walker. You’re
still going to be here every day. Your new house is very close by.”

“Is not.” He crosses his arms and
pouts.

“Sure it is. You’ll be so
close, I’ll bet I still hear you snoring.”

“I don’t snore,” he says,
trying not to smile.

“So close I’ll be able to hear
you sneeze and run over to give you a tissue.”

“No way.”

“So close I’ll be able to
smell your pancakes cooking in the morning and sneak in to steal a bite.” He
giggles, and I put him on my lap. “I promise you won’t have time to miss us. We’ll
all be together during the day. Plus, you get to have your own room, and the
baby won’t keep you awake at night.”

“Will it still be my brother
or sister?”

“Of course. We’re all family
no matter where we live.”

“Okay,” he replies and returns
to his book.

It’s such a joy to see Joseph
with Troy, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. He has been lonely for
so long. He’s infinitely patient with Troy while he heals and overcomes the
fears and issues his captivity and torture have inflicted on him. He has a
paranoid way of peeking out the windows every hour, as if one of his tormentors
may be coming for him, and he jumps at the slightest noises. He will never lock
a door, and I can’t count the times one of us has walked in on him in the
bathroom. While the other guys wander around the house shirtless, he always
keeps his back covered to hide his scars.