Page 7 of Charlie Saint (The Saints of San Diego 4)

A flash of shock crosses her wide eyes, as if she can’t believe she just blurted that out.

“Wait, no. You don’t have to answer that. I shouldn’t have asked.”

I pull her down to my chest once more and run my fingers through her hair. “You have every right to ask me any question you want.”

“But we haven’t been dating that long,” she counters, tapping her fingers nervously against my bare skin.

“No, but we’ve been friends forever, El. And to answer your question, yeah. I’ve always thought I’d have them at some point, but I guess I’ve never really found the person I wanted to get serious enough with to have that discussion.”

When she tenses against me, I realize that didn’t come out the way I intended for it, so I quickly add, “Until now. You’re the first person I’ve ever really considered a future with. If that means kids, then great. If not, I’d be okay. Do you know why?”

“Why?” she asks, her voice crackly and raw.

“Because as long as I have you and Brody, I’ll be set.” That seems to make her relax a little as she returns to her snuggled position at my side. “What about you? Do you want more kids?”

Exhaling, her warm breath tickles my chest as her fingers dance across my skin. “I never thought about it before. I mean, I was always too busy and tired raising Brody, and it’s not like I was dating anyone.”

“What happened to make you think about it?” I ask gently.

“Blair. She and Gabe stopped by for lunch earlier and she said something about us having cute babies. It just made me realize I’ve never really thought about having more kids.”

“That’s fair. Your son is seventeen and a senior in high school,” I reason, even though I suddenly really, really feel this overwhelming urge to convince her to have babies with me. Lots of babies.

“He is,” she says, turning her head and placing a kiss on my chest. That one little touch makes my cock jump in my pants as excitement rushes through my veins. “I just, well, I wouldn’t want to be the reason you don’t have kids, if that’s what you’re looking for in life.”

We’re moving before I even register what I’m doing. She’s beneath me, pinned to the mattress, my body hovering over hers. “El, you’re the reason my life feels complete for the first time. Whether kids are in our future or not doesn’t matter. Having you by my side is all that does. When our relationship grows more, we’ll get a bit more comfortable having those long-term discussions, but just so you know, what I see when I look at my future is you. That’s it. You and Brody. So kids or no kids, marriage or no marriage, as long as you’re by my side, my life will be complete.”

I almost tell her right here and now how much I love her, but I can tell she already feels a bit overwhelmed. Relationships haven’t exactly worked out for her in the past, the few she’s taken the chance on, and I know I need to ease into the whole love declaration thing. Not because I don’t feel it, but because I do.

I love her.

Probably always have.

I damn sure know I always will.

When she’s ready to hear those words, I’ll scream them from the mountaintops.

Until then, I’ll show her in other ways.

Her legs wrap around my waist, and even though we’re both wearing sleep pants, I know she can feel my steel cock pressed between us. “I don’t want to freak you out, but I think I do want all of that. Someday.”

I brush my lips across hers. “Nothing about that freaks me out, El. In fact, it makes me want to fuck you bare in the off chance of putting a baby in your belly,” I confess, saying words I should have probably kept to myself.

She shivers, her nails digging into my back. “I want that, TD,” she whispers her sweet confession, rocking her hips against my cock. “Someday. When we’re ready.”

I claim her lips in a bruising kiss, demanding she open for my tongue. She does so willingly, giving as good as she takes. I reach between us, my hand sliding past the waistband of her pants and finding her slick, wet pussy. “You’re not wearing panties,” I whisper unnecessarily.

“I’m not.” Ellie reaches into my own pants and cups my erection in her palm. “You are.”

“I wasn’t sure what our plan was tonight. I’m fine with just holding you all night. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable, knowing Brody is nearby and the walls are thin.”

She gives me a saucy grin as she squeezes my cock and gently twists her hand. “You’re just going to have to make sure I’m quiet, Thomas.”

My mouth slams down on hers, our tongues tangle, and all I can think about is getting her naked and beneath me. Moisture seeps from the head of my cock as I get up and hastily remove her pants. My fingers move rapidly to release the buttons on her shirt, the comfortable flannel falling open and exposing her mouthwatering tits. I lower my mouth, latching on to one perfect nipple, sucking it greedily into my mouth. Ellie whimpers, arching her back and pressing her tits closer. Her fingers grasp at the waistband of my joggers, pushing them over my hips and down my ass. I don’t even want to take the time to remove them, honestly. I just want to be buried deep inside her.

“Condom. Drawer,” Ellie whispers, her hand blindly reaching toward her bedside table.

I glance to my left, realizing I’m going to have to release her nipple in order to reach the drawer, so I do it quickly, pulling a condom out of the new box stashed inside, ripping open the foil packet, and sliding it over my dick. When I’m covered in the protection, I take my place between her thighs and line myself up at her entrance. I try to keep my composure, but the moment the head of my cock is wrapped in her tight, wet pussy, all bets are off. I thrust forward, filling her completely.