Page 89 of Bound Hearts

Sutton plays with the rose that I left on the kitchen counter. She’s in a melancholy mood, but better than yesterday.

“So yeah, that was my day. Boring contracts for marketing that I have to have checked twice,” she explains.

Leaning over the counter, my arms rest along the cool surface. “It will be solved soon,” I assure her.

Lovingly, she looks down at her belly, which she circles with her hand. “Better be. This guy will be arriving soon.”

The way she does that movement always causes the corners of my mouth to tug. I give us a few moments of quiet before I broach the next subject. “Hey, Sutton.”

“Yeah?”

Swallowing, I hate my own voice. It reminds us of when things began to spiral. “You’re going through a lot. I can’t influence work, except to have others try their best to help.

But with the pain I’ve caused you, I want to do something to ease it.”

“I think we’ve moved past it. Just need a little time.” She frowns.

“Still… I want to show you my family’s company means nothing to me. You’re more important. I need you to trust that. I want you to know my intentions are true. I’ve asked my brother to take all my shares and end my connection to Roth Real Estate.”

She takes a sharp breath. “You would do that?”

I step away from the island and slowly walk to her and collect her hands in mine. “Anything for you.”

Immediately, she shakes her head. “Don’t do it. Wait for the fog to lift. Everything is a mess. Rash decisions won’t help right now.”

I click my tongue. “I’m not sure you’re right. Something needs to be done to take some stress from you, and I’ll do anything to make that happen.”

Her lips press, and she squeezes my hands. “Don’t do it for me. All I want is business decisions that have no implications for us. The baby clause was enough for a lifetime.”

My eyes dip low as I soak in her opinion. All that my mind spins is how truly amazing she is. It’s a dark moment in time, yet she thinks of the future and protecting me.

My hands set on her belly as I lower to my knees, knowing that the life we created is waiting for us. “Your mom is strong, you know. We’re the luckiest to have her.” Kissing her belly, she strokes a hand through my hair.

“Your daddy is alright. He’s trying,” she jokes. “But a secret between you and me…” her voice grows delicate, “I still love him.”

My eyes zip up to meet her gaze, a part of me finally bursting with relief.

“Then, little boy, I’m pretty damn lucky.”

“Time, Foster,” she reminds me. “The numbness is fading.”

And I’m clinging to that notion so tight that it could still shatter.

27

SUTTON

Catching Foster off guard, I see him glance over his shoulder as I open the shower door. It’s been a few weeks, and he has been patient while I kept him at bay. But time is what I needed, and the clock is now up. I’m ready to move on fully.

He isn’t sure what to say or do. He has been letting me lead, and even when I saw him struggle as we lay in bed together, he kept himself restrained.

“Foster, I want you,” I rasp as I join him under the spray of water.

No hesitation, no question, his hands frame my face, and his lips cover mine for a deep kiss, a welcoming reminder of how we fit perfectly. The flick of his tongue touches mine, a tease as he continues to kiss me reverently. There is no doubt about it. He’s been waiting.

Pulling away, he wipes my hair away from my face and holds my eyes captive. “Fuck, Sutton, I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too.”