“Only for you.”

Gently, he positioned me on my back and took his time entering me, flexing toward me and withdrawing with an air of absolute reverence. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stared into his eyes as he made love to me, giving me all of him once more.

~~~~~~~~~~

“HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING yet?” Tyler asked after I sat down at the kitchen island. Seeing his eager eyes, I hated giving him the same answer I had for the past several weeks.

At my last meeting with my dad back in August, I had asked him to meet with Tyler. I wasn’t sure how he would react, whether he would think Tyler was using me again, but that wasn’t it at all. He seemed torn. Part of him wanted to jump at the opportunity to finally put this chapter of his life behind him. The other part of him was cautious, worrying whether this was a trap we were both blind to. In the end, he told me he would think about it and asked for time to look into a few things of his own before making up his mind. I had no idea what he needed to look into, but Tyler was optimistic he hadn’t turned him down flat.

But now that a month had gone by with no communication, both of us were a bit on edge. This was the most time that had ever passed with no mention in the weekly bulletin I received of a mass being said in honor of a member of my family.

“Not yet,” I responded, trying to remain cheerful as I raised the cup of decaf to my lips. “But I’m sure I’ll hear something from him any day now.”

“You’re positive he hasn’t sent anything?” he asked, crossing his arms, stretching the fabric of his gray t-shirt. His eyes bore into mine, as if trying to figure out whether I was telling him the truth.

“Yes, I’m sure,” I spat out, irritated at his insinuation. “Unlike some people in this room, I’m actually truthful with those I care about.”

A vein on his neck became engorged and his face reddened a bit, one of the tell-tale signs he wasn’t happy. Then a defeated look washed over him and he sighed, his stature dropping. “I deserve that.”

He turned back around to finish cooking breakfast, making me feel guilty. Over the last few months, he had tried so hard to do everything to bury the past and only look toward our future, but every time he questioned my own truthfulness, I threw it back in his face, reopening the wound I was sure he wanted to heal.

In truth, I hadn’t been entirely honest with him. He had brought up Charlie on countless occasions, asking me if I knew anything else, and I denied having spoken to him. I never told him about that phone call back in July when he told me his side of what happened the night of the embassy attack. I didn’t know why. It wasn’t like it would be helpful in figuring out what was really going on, but that conversation was the real Charlie and I wanted to protect it.

Sliding off my barstool, I went to Tyler and wrapped my arms around his chest from behind. “No, you don’t deserve it, and I should stop bringing it up every time I’m not getting my way. I said I had forgiven you, and I have, yet I still remind you at least once a week. I’ve learned to trust you all over again, Tyler, but I also need you to trust me. I have nothing to gain by keeping my father from you. In fact, I tend to think I only have something to lose if I prevented you from picking his brain. I want this as much as you do. Should I have heard from him at this point? Probably, but I’m certain he has a very good reason for not arranging a meeting yet.”

“Do you think something happened?” Tyler asked urgently, tearing out of my embrace, a frenzied air about him. From what he’d told me of the case, just when they were about to uncover something that may put the pieces together, there would be a setback. It had been a constant battle of two steps forward and three steps back, and I felt for him.

“Tyler…” I wanted to assure him everything was okay, but did I know for certain nothing had happened? No, but I knew my father. He had survived on the run for over fifteen years. He wasn’t going to do something stupid now, not when freedom and the truth were potentially within arm’s reach. “You don’t know my father like I do. He’s a brilliant man. He’s probably taking his time to do some research on you to determine whether you’re trustworthy. From where I’m standing, the fact that he’s taken this long to get back to me is a good sign. It means he’s most likely going to agree to talk to you. So just be patient and trust that when I get notice of a meeting, I will let you know immediately.”

“Okay,” he said, kissing the top of my head before turning off the stove and dishing out scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast onto two plates. I followed him back to the island and returned to my seat, my stomach rumbling. Triple B was a bit of a parasite. I could eat a feast, only to be starving again ten minutes later. Thankfully Tyler was more than aware of my increased appetite and always cooked extra eggs for me…and the baby.

“So what’s on your plate for today?” he asked as I chewed on a piece of bacon.

“I’m going into the restaurant for a bit, then Jenna’s dragging me into Brownsville.”

“For what?”

“She’s insisting I finally go buy some furniture for the nursery. She’s worried I’m not taking this seriously and the kid will be forced to sleep in one of my dresser drawers when he’s born.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” He glanced at me.

“No, that’s okay. We kind of decided to make a girls’ day out of it. Brayden works in town so we’re supposed to be at his office around noon to grab lunch, then go shopping. I have a feeling he’s more excited about this than I am. You’re still coming to the baby shower tomorrow, right?” I placed my hand on his leg. “It really means a lot that you’ll be there with me.”

“Of course.” He gave me a small smile. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

He broke his gaze from me and turned his attention back to his food. I glanced at him, hoping he wasn’t upset that I wanted to have a day with my friends. He didn’t seem like he was, but the way he was pushing his eggs all over his plate, barely touching them, made me grow concerned something else was bothering him.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at me. “Have you thought about which room you want to make into the nursery?”

I took a sip of my coffee and considered his question. The truth was, I had been avoiding making a decision. I lived in a three-bedroom condo, but there wasn’t much space. The master bedroom was adequate, the two guest bedrooms being nothing more than a room in which you could fit a bed and not much else. I kept walking by each of them, hoping inspiration would strike, but it never did. I simply couldn’t imagine raising a child here. His clothes alone would take up the entire room.

“A bit, but I haven’t decided yet. There’s not much space.”

“I think I might have a solution to the space problem,” he offered.

“Oh, yeah? What is it?”

He took a deep breath, and I couldn’t help but think that whatever the solution was, I may not like it.

“I want you to move in with me…”

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. I had known this day would come, especially now that the baby was almost here, but I guess I didn’t want to acknowledge it. I liked having my space. I liked knowing if things went to shit with Tyler, I still had my home. It gave me control.

Before I could open my mouth to respond, he added, “At my house in Boston.”

“Boston?!” I exclaimed, unsure whether I had heard him correctly.

“Of course, we’ll wait until after the baby is born and you’re both able to travel. You can keep the condo and use it as a vacation rental, but I’d really like for you to think about this, Mackenzie. I want you to be a part of my life and family, and I’d like that with you back in Boston.”