Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Then I gently place Albert in his kennel, offering a whispered apology as his curious eyes follow me out the door.
“Wake up, sleepy head,” I murmur softly, pressing a gentle kiss to Eloise's cheek to wake her up.
“I don’t want to,” she whimpers as she tries to burrow deeper into the covers.
“I got a pregnancy test,” I mention, and her eyes fly open with curiosity.
“How?” She grabs the white plastic bag from my hands.
“DoorDash.” I laugh as she rushes off to the bathroom.
I’m tempted to follow her, but she shuts the door in my face, so I decide to give her privacy.
A few moments later, the door swings open, and she emerges with a hopeful smile. "We have three minutes," she declares, wrapping her arms around my waist. My cock hardens as her curvy body melts against me but I ignore the fucker.
With a quick motion, I pull out my phone and set the timer, my heart thundering in my chest like a drum.
It seems to take forever, but the timer finally goes off, and we both rush into the bathroom. Eloise grabs the white plastic stick and glances down at it. I hold my breath, waiting until her eyes meet mine with a knowing glint. “We definitely need to plan a quickie wedding.”
I shout my excitement and pull her into my arms as Albert howls the song of his people from the guest bedroom.
“Life is definitely going to get a little crazier.” Eloise laughs, her eyes bright with happiness.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I say, bending down to press my lips gently against hers.
“You say that now.” She leans up to place a soft kiss on my chin. “But wait until Alfred’s howling wakes up the baby.”
“I can’t fucking wait,” I tell her as happiness flows through my soul.
I watch Jess as she barrels around our living room, her determination fierce as she chases poor Albert. Her brown curls fly wildly behind her, a whirlwind of energy, as our one-hundred-and-fifty-pound Rottweiler bolts for his life.
As Jess speeds past, I swoop her up, tickling her until her laughter erupts into piercing shrieks that echo throughout the room. Atlas pokes his head around the corner, his eyes sharp with concern. "Everything okay in here?"
“We're fine,” I reassure my overprotective husband. Since discovering we're expecting twins, his protectiveness has ramped up to maddening levels. “I’m only two months pregnant,” I remind him, a mix of exasperation and affection in my voice. I adore how my fire captain is fiercely protective, but sometimes it's like being wrapped in bubble wrap.
After Jess's arrival, we realized that juggling two demanding careers with a newborn is pure chaos. We made the tough call for me to take a break from my teaching career until the kids are in school.
"But you're growing two this time around," he reminds me, taking Jess from my arms and setting her back down. My poor husband passed out when the doctor did the first ultrasound and showed us two heartbeats. Of course, Atlas made me promise not to tell his brothers how he got the huge bump on his head.
Just then, Albert makes a desperate dash for the doggie door, and Jess wriggles to follow with all her might. “I’ll make sure he escapes with his life,” Atlas declares, darting after our two-year-old and the fleeing dog with a grin.
With Atlas on Jess duty, I sink into the sofa, grateful for the reprieve, and prop my feet up. Exhaustion overtakes me, and I slip into a deep sleep. At some point, I stir awake to find Atlas cradling me in his strong, muscular arms as he carries me to our bedroom. "What are you doing?" I murmur, snuggling closer to his solid warmth.
"Letting you take a nap while I take the terrible two to the park," he says softly, tucking me into the bed and wrapping the covers snugly around me.
“You really are the perfect husband,” I mumble, sinking into the comforting warmth.
"Be sure to mention that to my jerk brothers," he jokes quietly.
“Don’t worry. I will.” I snort, realizing the brotherly competition will never end. He plants a gentle kiss on my forehead before slipping out of the room. As I drift off to sleep, I can't help but feel grateful for the day Atlas walked back into my life and turned things into a hot mess. I definitely wouldn’t have it any other way.