“That sounds like an oath.”

“It is,” he confirmed.

21

Sara

“Ready to go home?”

Harvey nodded from the wheelchair, and I grabbed a duffel bag filled with his belongings Sadie had kindly brought. I swung the strap around my shoulder, not minding the hefty weight as I steered him from the hospital room.

“You sure you can carry that?” Harvey asked.

I nodded and flashed him a reassuring smile. “Yeah, I’m good. Stop worrying.”

“But you’re pregnant,” he scowled up at me. “You’re not supposed to carry anything heavy.”

“Well, it’s not that heavy.”

“Fine,” he grumbled. It was killing him being in the wheelchair, helpless, but the hospital’s bureaucratic rules dictated that he remain there till we were outside.

I rolled him past a group of doctors and nurses who waved at us, asking a few questions here and there before we walked out. The heavy scent of bleach and antiseptic faded as we stepped out of the building. Harvey sprang up as soon as the main entrance door swooshed closed.

“Finally!” he said and grabbed the duffel off my shoulders.

“Careful, your wrist.”

We found our way to my car and got in. Harvey’s hand sneakily found its way onto my thigh as we drove. I still couldn’t believe it: my stepbrother and I were actually going to do it, be together, raise a child. It was insane.

I pulled the car to a stop at a traffic light and turned my head to the side to see Harvey staring at me, an intense emotion flaring in the depths of his blue eyes.

“What?” I asked. “Do I have something on my face?” I pulled down the driver’s mirror to check and reached out to touch my face, convinced I had a spot on my chin.

He shook his head. “Nope, you’re fine.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?” I pressed.

He smiled; his mouth looked soft and inviting. “Because you’re a beautiful woman. And I’m never going to get used to you being mine.”

My fingers caressed his whiskered cheek; the pad of my thumb grazed along his jawline.

“I want you with me always,” he said. His expression turned sober, his mouth losing its smile as he regarded me seriously.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” I said.

“No,” he uttered, “I want you always with me. No matter what happens, Sara, I want you with me. For the rest of our lives. Forever.”

His sweet words set off a stinging feeling at the back of my eyes. “Forever seems an awfully long time,” I said, teasing.

He shrugged, “I don’t take no for an answer, babe.”

“In that case, it looks like I have no choice. Oh, well,” I joked.

“Good.”

“By the way. What was it that you wanted to tell me? Back in the office, I mean,” I said, my forefinger stroking his hand on top of my thigh.

“Oh, that. I’d totally forgotten. Good thing you reminded me.” He chuckled softly, then his voice turned serious. “Eric never meant to leave you, Sara.”

“What do you mean?” I asked and quickly found a place to pull over.

“He didn’t kill himself. The mechanic who took a closer look at the car, the second one, told me that there was a fault with the brake line. So it was an accident. And I’d already contacted the insurance company that morning. I threatened to take legal action, because I found out that Bluelife has a bit of a history of not investigating cases thoroughly. Anyway, they’ve agreed to pay the life insurance.”

Rolls of tears began to pour down my face. “Thank you for doing that. And thank you for looking after me these past few months. I wouldn’t have made it without you.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you too damn much.”

“Here’s the paper,” I said and gave it to him. He was all cosied up on my bed, Humbug nestled alongside him, keeping him company. Nothing had happened the night before. Harvey had taken the meds they’d given him, and he fell asleep almost as soon as I tucked him in. “You hungry? You want me to make you some breakfast before I go?”

“Come here,” he whispered and I stepped forward, closer to the edge of the bed.

“I can make you eggs and bacon. Or just some toast?”

His hand reached out and ran up my bare thigh—I hadn’t changed for work yet and was wearing a soft cotton nightie.

He reached around and squeezed my backside. “I’m not hungry for food.”

“Harvey!” I gasped as his hand moved and was now skidding up between my thighs, his thumb gently exploring the thin material of my panties beneath. I moaned and closed my eyes; it’d been an age since I was touched there. “You’re going to make me late,” I whispered.

I shivered all over as he pulled the crotch of my panties to the side, his finger exploring my swelling pussy. “I don’t care. Sadie will understand.”

The tips of his other fingers, the ones peeking out of the cast on his wrist, encouraged me to lean forward to kiss him, and with a sweep of his tongue my lips parted. A low growl sounded out in the back of his throat; our mouths moved, and his finger breached my entrance.

“Harvey,” I moaned against his lips.

“Tell me you want this. Tell me you want me,” he said between kisses, asking for permission.

“Yes,” I whispered. “I want this, and I want you.”

His finger drove into me, my pussy wet and dripping all over his hand.

“Open your legs wider,” he commanded. I did what I was told, and he slid another finger in beside the first. His thumb brushed over my clit, tapping it ever so slightly, working it till I thought my head was going to explode.

“Oh, god.”

“Come for me, baby…”

“Oh god, Harvey, faster!” His movements sped up, his fingers thrusting inside me, and I could feel the spiral begin to unwind. A whole firework display appeared before my eyes, and my legs began to convulse as a thundering orgasm nearly ripped me in two.

With my breath ragged, I was hungry for more. I needed him to see all of me; without him asking, I found the edges of my nightgown and pulled it over my head, the material clinging for a second as it caught on the underside of my heavy breasts before leaving my body.

“I wish I had more hands. You’re stunning,” he said under his breath as he stared openly at my nakedness. “Come here so I can taste you.”

I pulled back the duvet and saw how ready and hard he was for me. He’d been naked beneath the sheets all this time—somehow he’d managed to strip himself, on his own, despite his cast and without me noticing. I grinned at him slyly, got onto the bed and straddled him, his hand in my hair as we kissed. His head dipped to my collarbone, planting kisses all along it, then finally working down to my breasts. He teased a nipple with one hand and licked and nibbled the other. I threw my head back and ground against his cock. I needed him in me…

At my sudden movements, he winced.

“Are you OK?” I breathed. I was about to jump off—I didn’t want to hurt him—but with a clamped hand, he kept me still.

“Don’t you dare leave this bed,” he warned, his tone serious and his eyes blazing with lust.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You couldn’t hurt a fly,” he whispered.

He tugged me back into his arms, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, careful not to put too much pressure on his ribs.

Before I could ask more questions, his hips tilted, and I felt his rigid cock nudge against my apex and slip between my lips to press against my clit. My mouth parted in pleasure when he started grinding against me. My wetness covered his erection; I was ready for him to be inside me. My sensitive nub ached and throbbed from the intense friction, and finally, after I never thought it would happen, Harvey’s cock slid inside me. I rolled my eyes as he spread my pussy wide, torturing me with his shaft as rocked his hips.