“Hi,” Jack said carefully.

“Jeez,” Riley managed to force out.

“Nope, just Jack.”

“Ha freaking ha,” Riley laughed. He leaned over Jack and wiped his hand on Jack’s T-shirt, then pulled his other shirt over it.

“What the hell?” Jack said with little heat.

“I have a meeting at three, and I can’t go there with come on my suit. I’m being practical. After all, it is yours.”

Jack huffed, then narrowed his eyes. He supported his head on a bent arm and proceeded to suck his own fingers into his mouth. Riley’s brain exploded at the sight. When Jack straddled Riley and kissed the joint taste into Riley’s mouth, it was enough to get his cock interested all over again. Jack leaned back with a look of triumph on his face.

“No. That is practical, het-boy.”

“I love you,” Riley whimpered.

“I know,” Jack answered with a grin. He then scrambled up and off Riley and held out a hand to help him up. “Up and at ’em, Riley, I have news.”

“What news?” Riley scrambled to stand and proceeded to tuck himself away as best as he could. His shirt was creased, but if he kept his jacket on he could maybe get away with it.

“We heard from the Walker Clinic. We have a meeting a week from Monday.”

Riley stopped mid-zip and stared at Jack with what he knew had to be a stupid expression on his face.

“You couldn’t lead with that?” he finally said after he’d done his best guppy impression for a while.

“I can’t help it that Riley in his natural habitat and a suit sends me wild.”

“How many are we meeting? How many surrogates, I mean? Jeez, my head.” Riley pressed a finger to his right temple. Suddenly everything was overwhelming his post-orgasmic glow.

“Three.”

“Three?” Riley leaned back against the map table and forced his hands into his pants pockets. So many emotions flooded him: excitement, fear, panic even. “What if they hate us when they meet us?”

Jack shrugged and stepped closer. He placed his hands on Riley’s hips and looked right at him. Riley stared into Jack’s gorgeous sapphire eyes and lost himself in the strength he saw there. Then Jack blew it in a single sentence.

“With your money and my good looks how can they fail to love us both?”

He smirked and Riley took his hands out of his pockets and rested them on Jack’s strong chest. In a quick move he unerringly located, then twisted Jack’s nipples. Jack yelped and all Riley could do was grin at his husband.

“Ass,” he said affectionately.

They left the map room and went in search of lunch. It was only when they were halfway through spaghetti at the nearest Italian restaurant that Riley finally blurted out his fears in one sentence.

“Fuck, we know nothing about having a baby.”

Jack deliberately placed his cutlery down on his plate and encouraged Riley to do the same. Then he grasped both of Riley’s hands.

“So we’ll learn together.”

Chapter 5

Riley watched as Donna placed the last of the coleslaw in a bowl and stood back to admire her work.

“Looking good,” he said.

“Well, left up to Jack, all we’d have is meat.”

“You know him so well.”

“Hey, gorgeous,” Neil said from the door. He reached past Donna to snag a chip, and she turned in his arms and snatched the offending Dorito from his hand. Riley didn’t feel like he was staring, but he probably was. They were so happy together, Donna and Neil. He wondered why Jack’d ever had an issue with it. Probably for the same reason that I worry about Eden—Jack wanted the best for his mom, is all. Luckily Neil was the best as far as Riley could see.

“I wanted that chip,” Neil said with a fake pout.

“I want a kiss,” Donna said. “You’re not eating spicy chips until we’re done.”

Heat flared in Neil’s eyes, and Riley was suddenly a voyeur in his own kitchen. Riley coughed and they separated. Neil grinned over at him then back down at Donna.

“Sorry, Riley,” he apologized.

Riley shrugged. It was cool.

Neil continued, “I was sent in to tell you Beth and Steve are here. Oh, and Jack says he needs a beer.” Riley smiled.

“I’m on it.” Before he could leave, Steve and Beth came directly into the kitchen.

Riley looked at Steve then at Neil. He knew this was the moment that they would surely want privacy for. Beth was smiling, and going by Steve’s inane grin, there was good news. Steve stopped his exit with a hand to his arm.

“We have news,” Beth said.

“Is everything okay,” Donna queried. There was fear in her voice. Evidently she’d leaped to the conclusion that there was something wrong with Beth.

“We’re trying for a baby, momma,” she said with a smile.

Riley watched a thousand emotions cross Donna’s expression. Shock, fear, surprise, relief but the one she seemed to settle on was joy.

She immediately crossed to Beth and held her tight. “That is wonderful news.”

”We visited with the doctor beforehand,” Steve reassured everyone. “When it happens, Beth will be monitored closely. I’ll be looking out for her.” He coughed to clear his throat.

“Are you happy?” Donna asked Beth.

“So happy.”

“And you, Steve?”

“Scared—no, terrified, but so happy.”

Donna gathered Steve in a hug. “I am so pleased for you both,” she said. “Now go enjoy your birthday celebrations.” She shooed them out of the kitchen, and Riley watched as Steve jumped the steps, then waited to assist Beth down as well. Riley smirked—he knew what his friend was like. He was likely to smother Beth with care up until the due date. Not a bad thing, he supposed.

“How do you feel?” Neil asked Donna quietly.

“Scared,” she said, “and so happy for them at the same time.” Riley sidled out of the kitchen. He didn’t want to be included in a conversation about Donna’s concerns for Beth. Riley was at the kitchen door, and he glanced back to see Donna press a hand flat to Neil’s chest over his heart.

“I love you,” she said. Then she kissed him and softly added, “Mine.”

Neil placed a hand over hers and smiled.

“Always.”

Jack was busy grilling with Josh, and Riley wanted to give his husband some brother time. He kept his eye on Steve; poor guy hadn’t exactly wanted a fuss made for his thirtieth birthday, and up until that day at the ranch had been offering Riley any and all excuses not to have this thing. But then he’d seemed to change his mind as soon as the whole wanting to have babies with Beth situation had been resolved.

He frowned when he realized Steve was leaving Beth and walking over to the grill. Riley grabbed more beer and followed him. He wanted to be the buffer between Steve and Jack if anything happened. Not that anything would. Jack had come to terms with the whole baby idea. Well, sort of. Steve had his shoulders back and his head high, and Riley quickened his pace until he was only a few feet behind him. Both Jack and Josh had barbecue duties, and Riley knew from experience that they took their responsibilities very seriously.

“So I wanted to tell you we decided we’re definitely trying for a baby,” Steve said quickly to the brothers. Riley reached his side and handed over beers to the chefs.

Jack looked up from turning burgers and frowned. “I already knew that,” he said and took a proffered beer with a grateful air kiss.

Josh elbowed him in the side, and Jack left out a huff of annoyance.

“When are you planning on trying?” Josh asked with all seriousness.

Steve opened his mouth to answer. “Uhh, we haven’t exactly discussed that in detail.”

“Probably best to do that then,” Josh said. Steve glanced over at Beth, and she looked their way, grinned, and sketched a wave at them all.

“Seems like a date is your next big decision,” Jack teased.