On Solid Ground (A Touch of Fate) Read online

  “I want you.” Harley has the sexiest morning voice. It’s all gravelly from sleep, and it does things to my body that no woman’s voice should be able to do to a man. I want her too—so fucking bad—but right now I have something else incredibly important that needs to happen first.

  I release her breast with a wet pop, moving away from the temptation in front of me, and Harley’s eyes flutter open. “No,” she says. “Not acceptable. Get back here.” She reaches out for whatever she can get her grabby little hands on, which happens to be my t-shirt, and she drags me to her. “I don’t think you heard me right.” A sexy little grin spreads across her face, and then her eyes focus on mine. “I said I want you. Now.”

  “I want you too, but …” My words trail off when her lips wrap around my earlobe and she sucks it into her mouth.

  “What was that?” she mumbles, her warm breath fanning the side of my face.

  “I, uh … I’ve got a sur—fuck.” Somehow the little minx has managed to dip her hand into my pants, and she now has a firm grip on my cock. She strokes me several times, and my eyes nearly roll back in my head when she pumps faster, only slowing down long enough to run her thumb over the head.

  “Whatever it is that you’ve got,” she says, finding my mouth for a quick kiss. “It can wait”—her delicate hand grips my balls and she massages them lightly—“right?”

  Fuck yes it can wait. Scooting back, I dislodge her tiny hand from my pants, which I quickly slip off, along with my boxers. When I turn back toward the bed, my beautiful girl is on all fours with her ass in the air. It’s the best sight in the entire world. Good Lord, I don’t know what I did to deserve this angel. I’m one lucky son of a bitch, that much I know.

  Crawling onto the bed, I palm her firm ass and rub it softly before sliding my hand along her waist and then between her legs.

  She’s already wet, her clit swollen, and when I slip a finger inside of her tight pussy, she lets out the softest moan. Her back arches and I curl myself against her back until my mouth is at her ear.

  “I want you on your knees … and hold onto the headboard.” She doesn’t hesitate to follow my gentle command, and when she pushes up and wraps her hands around the treated wood, I follow her movement. My chest is pressed against her back, my throbbing cock nestled between us, and my hand is playing her like a fucking instrument.

  Her clit swells with each pass of my thumb, and when I feel her body tense against mine, I know she’s getting close. “Hold on, baby,” I whisper, removing my hand only to garner a frustrated growl from my beautiful fiancé.

  I can’t help but chuckle and she peeks over her shoulder. Her eyes are hooded, full of lust, and she pushes her ass against me at the same time I align with her entrance, causing the head of my cock to slip inside of her.

  “Is that what you want?” I implore, gripping her hip firmly with my right hand. She nods, her eyelids drifting shut when I push into her. I bury myself as deep as I possibly can, and her head rolls back between her shoulders. My left hand finds its way to her chest, and I pluck at her nipples while pounding into her over and over with the rhythm I know she loves.

  When I feel her start to tighten around me, I slide my hand up her neck and grip her jaw gently. Keeping her head tilted back, I hold her in place, the side of my face against hers.

  “Not yet,” I murmur. Her fingers tighten around the headboard, causing her knuckles to whiten. “You’re so fucking tight, Harley.” She whimpers at my words, and I keep talking because I know how much she loves it. “This,” I say with a firm thrust. “Being inside of you … it’s nirvana. The way your pussy sucks me in, it’s the best feeling in the wor—”

  “Please,” she begs, cutting me off. Her chest is rising and falling at a rapid pace, and I can tell that it’s taking everything she has to hold herself together. Heat spreads up my spine, and I know I’m only seconds away from losing myself in her.

  “Let go.” My words come out strained, and I feel the moment she releases control. In one beautiful wave, her body tenses, while her hips move in sync with mine. Right about the time I start to lose control, a strangled moan rips from her throat. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, and the heat I felt before transforms into an inferno. Within a matter of seconds, my entire body explodes.

  I continue to pump several times as the shudders slowly stop. Harley’s body goes limp against mine, and I wrap an arm around her waist and slide down onto the bed, situating her next to me.

  My chest heaves, my lungs desperately trying to regain some form of control. “That’s not at all what I had planned.”

  Lifting up on an elbow, Harley nuzzles her nose with mine and then kisses me softly. “I have magical powers.”

  “Trust me,” I say with a laugh. “I know you do.”

  “Just remember that the next time you try to withhold sex.” She smiles smugly before nestling her head against my chest. “Post-sex sleep is the best,” she mumbles.

  “You can’t go to sleep yet,” I say, remembering why I was trying to wake her up in the first place. “I have a surprise for you.” Harley falls to the bed with a soft oomph when I slip out from under her. Butt-ass naked, I race through the house, grab the papers out of my briefcase and run back into the room. The sight of Harley, beautiful brown waves splayed across the pillow and a sated look on her face, freezes me in my tracks.

  “I love you,” I proclaim, infusing as much emotion into those three words as I can. She smiles at me and I take a hesitant step toward her, suddenly nervous about how she’ll react to my surprise. “And I love Max, too. You know that, right?” She nods and I keep talking. “I love that little boy more than life itself. His happiness means everything to me.”

  Harley’s eyes turn glassy and she pushes up on an elbow. “Tyson, what’s going on?” she asks cautiously. Her brows are furrowed and lips pursed, and I know her well enough to know that she’s nervous, but I’m hoping that in a couple of minutes she’ll be fucking ecstatic.

  I take another step … and then another … and another until I’m standing next to the bed. Harley sits up, wraps the sheet around her body and scoots toward me. I should probably feel awkward that I’m standing in front of her completely naked, but I don’t.

  Falling to my knees, I come face-to-face with my beautiful girl. “He’s mine, Harley. Max is my son.”

  “I know.” She lifts a hand and cradles my cheek before lowering her mouth to mine for a gentle kiss. “He loves you so much.”

  “Here.” My heart lodged in my throat, I give her the manila envelope.

  “What is this?” My eyes flit nervously between the envelope and Tyson.

  “Open it,” he says, nudging it toward me.

  My heart is slamming wildly inside my chest. I’m not sure why I’m so nervous. The man I love just professed his love for me and my son—what woman wouldn’t completely melt at that?

  Taking a deep breath, I open the clasp, lift the flap and pull out a stack of papers. What I see centered on the first page makes my heart nearly stop.

  THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT

  FAMILY LAW DIVISION

  STEPPARENT ADOPTION

  CHILD’S NATURAL PARENTS AND STEPPARENT ALL CONSENT

  My vision blurs and the papers fall from my hand as my head snaps up. Tyson is watching me, the look on his face reserved and careful. For so long I’ve wondered if this moment would ever come—if he’d feel a connection so strong to my son that he would feel the need to make him his own … permanently … officially.

  “Tyson … I …” Emotions clog my throat and I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to maintain some form of composure.

  “It’s okay,” he says, his voice thick and raspy. My eyes pop open and he offers me a tremulous smile. Two strong hands cup my face and he brings his lips to mine, kissing me softly before pulling back. “It’s okay,” he whispers again, tears forming in his eyes. “I knew there was the possibility that it would be too much too soon. Please don’t be upset.”

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nbsp; Everything around me stops before restarting in slow motion as my mind works to process what he’s saying. What the hell is he talking about?

  He drops his forehead to mine and closes his eyes. “I shouldn’t have—”

  “Stop!” I cry, feeling tears trickle down my face. “Please stop.”

  Tyson looks up, his watery eyes locking on mine, and if I wasn’t already head over heels in love with this man, I would’ve fallen just then.

  I shake my head, at a complete loss for words. My best friend, my fiancé, the man who stepped into the position of dad long before he had to … he wants to adopt my son. He’s promising to love him and take care of him for the rest of his life, no matter what happens with me or to me. The thought of him loving Max enough to want to make him a Grawe in every sense of the word fills me with so much happiness and love that I’m nearly bursting at the seams.

  “Yes,” I whisper. Ty’s eyes widen, his eyebrows pushing into his hairline, and his lips part.

  “Yes,” I say again, only this time with much more enthusiasm. Flinging myself forward, I wrap my arms around his neck and hold onto him with every bit of strength I have.

  “Yes?” he asks, his voice full of disbelief.

  “Yes!” I laugh, tears of joy running down my face. “I can’t believe this.” Without letting go of the incredibly sexy, generous man in my arms, I lift a hand and wipe the wetness from my face. Tyson’s grip on me tightens. Burying his face in the side of my neck, he thanks me over and over again. We stay like this until the beat of his heart against my chest slows, and only then do I pull back.

  “Thank you,” he whispers again, this time planting several kisses across my face. “I swear to you that you won’t regret this. I’ll be the best damn father Max could ever ask for.”

  I’m mildly terrified that I may have a permanent, goofy-ass grin on my face. “You don’t have to thank me,” I say, threading my fingers with his. “I should be thanking you.” He shakes his head, but I tug him forward until our lips are nearly touching. “Yes.” My lips skim his as I continue. “There aren’t many men that would be willing to step up and and fill in the way you have. And considering the circumstances … it’s just … you amaze me, babe. Max is going to be so excited.”

  “I can’t wait to tell him,” Tyson says. Releasing my hands, his fingers skim up my arms, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. “Should we tell him soon?”

  Sucking in a deep breath, I let it out slowly, trying to determine the best time to tell Max. “I’m not sure.”

  Tyson cocks his head. “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t get me wrong,” I say quickly, “I want to tell him soon. But I think we should wait until we’ve dotted all our i’s and crossed all our t’s. I just don’t want to get his hopes up and then there be some kink in the plan. He’d be devastated.”

  “I don’t think we’ll have any problems,” he says, glancing down at the paperwork with a slight frown on his face. “I’ve already talked to my lawyer, and these documents are the real deal. Once we sign them and file, it’s pretty much final.”

  The look on his face makes me feel like I’m somehow bursting his bubble, which I most certainly don’t want to do, but right now I have to think of Max first. “I believe you,” I insist. “Maybe we can sign the papers and meet with your lawyer together. Once we get the green light, then we’ll tell Max. How does that sound?”

  “Perfect.” A smile breaks out on Tyson’s face. Leaning forward, he kisses my nose then moves south until he reaches my baby bump—what there is of it, anyway— and gives it a kiss before jumping to his feet and holding out his hand.

  “Oh no.” I laugh, shaking my head. No way in hell am I getting out of this bed. “No, no, no. It’s my day off and Max is at school. I’m going back to sleep.”

  Tyson’s eyes twinkle—literally fucking twinkle—and my lady parts instantly take notice. “I was going to take a shower … are you sure you don’t want to join me?”

  “Oh, that is so tempting,” I say. Dropping back on the bed, I cuddle up to my pillow. “But do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a day off with absolutely nothing to do?”

  “A long time,” he answers. I nod in agreement, my eyes drifting shut. I feel the bed shift under me right before his lips land on my forehead. “Rest. I’ll wake you up later.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I murmur. I feel the bed shift and hear Ty walk away. My body might be tired, but my mind starts replaying everything that just happened, and once again I’m smiling.

  The shower in the bathroom kicks on and my mind switches from adoption paperwork to a wet and naked Tyson, making me rethink my decision to stay in bed. Just when I’m about to say screw it and join him, a phone chirps.

  Please don’t be work, I chant continuously as I slide out of bed and pad across the room to where both of our phones are plugged in by the dresser. Sliding my finger across the screen of my cell, I see that I have no missed calls. Tyson’s phone chirps just then, and I don’t think twice about swiping a finger across his screen. We check each other’s phones all the time, especially since once of us always seems to be on call. Today that’s Tyson, so if there’s an emergency, he needs to know.

  His phone shows two missed calls from the hospital’s emergency number, which can only mean one thing. Damn it, there goes our day off together.

  Unplugging his phone, I step into the bathroom. Steam is billowing above the shower curtain, and I can’t help myself—I have to sneak a peek.

  “Hubba hubba,” I say, pulling the curtain back just enough to catch a glimpse. Tyson spins around, bubbles covering his chiseled body from head to toe. My eyes travel south and his cock starts to swell under the weight of my stare.

  “Oh no you don’t!” Tyson snaps, drawing my attention. He has a sexy-as-hell smirk on his face, but he’s shaking his head. “If you’re going to look at me like that, then you better be prepared to do something about it.”

  “Trust me, babe, I really would.” I hold up his phone to show him why I can’t. “The hospital called. Twice.”

  Tyson’s smile falls. “Shit.” Positioning himself under the shower head, he makes quick work of rinsing off, then he shuts off the water, grabs his towel and knots it around his waist. I hand him his phone, noticing the water still dripping down his naked chest. A chest that I’d very much like to lick—

  “Babe?”

  “Huh?”

  “Can you grab me a set of scrubs while I call the hospital back?”

  “Yup.” I rush to the laundry room, berating myself for not taking the time last night to pull the clothes out of the dryer and fold them. It only takes me a second though to dig out a pair of his blue scrubs, so when I get back to the bedroom, he’s still on the phone.

  “How many?” he says, mouthing ‘thank you’ when I toss him his clothes. “Uh, huh … okay.” He glances at the clock while simultaneously pulling on his pants. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Ending the call, he tosses his phone on the bed and slips on his shirt.

  “What is it?” I ask. Most days the ER is staffed fairly well, which means that if he’s getting called in, it’s something big.

  “Car pileup on the interstate,” he says, bustling through the house. He scoops up his stethoscope, tosses it around his neck and shoves his wallet in his pocket. “Unknown injuries. Several victims are being transported to the ER now.” Tyson bends down, kissing me softly. “Be home as soon as I can.”

  “Good luck,” I say, standing in the open doorway as he slips into his car and speeds off. “Well”—looking down at my tiny baby bump, I give it a pat—“looks like it’s just us today.”

  A soft tap sounds before the door creaks open. “Got a minute?”

  I glance up at Avery—my coworker for the past two years, and a mutual friend of both Harley and me—who is standing in the entryway to the dictation room looking every bit as frazzled as I feel.

  But who can blame her after what we’ve spent the
last several hours dealing with? The accident on the interstate was horrible, resulting in one fatality and six people critically injured. It’s days like this that make me question my decision to work in the ER. I’m exhausted, emotionally and physically spent, and I want nothing more than to go home to Harley and Max.

  “Sure, what’s up?” I answer. Dropping my pen, I lean back in the chair and watch as Avery walks into the room and collapses on a chair across from me.

  Dropping her head in her hands, she rubs her face before looking up. “Today was awful.” Tears glisten in her eyes and my chest clenches as the face of the little boy who lost his life flashes in my head.

  “You did well.” Pushing from my chair, I walk around the table and sit next to her. “There’s nothing anyone could’ve done, Avery. You know that, right?”

  She nods. “I know. But it doesn’t make it any easier.”

  “No, it doesn’t.”

  Avery takes a deep breath, straightens her back and wipes a hand over her face. “Anyway,” she says, “That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Thankful for the reprieve from our already hectic day, I relax in my chair. “Okay, let’s have it.”

  “One of the new ER docs is here,” she says. I vaguely remember hearing that two new doctors were going to start soon, which will be a huge help. It’ll ultimately mean fewer hours for me and more time with my family. “I got to meet her earlier. She seems nice, and I wanted to introduce you to her before you left for the day.”

  “Sure,” I say, pushing from the chair. “What’s her name?”

  “Brittany.” My entire body freezes at the familiar voice—and it’s not Avery’s.

  No. No fucking way. Palms sweating, heart pounding, I spin around and come face-to-face with the last person I expected to see. And then it hits me. Why exactly am I seeing her … here … at the hospital where I work?