For the second time in my life, I wake up in Nate's bedroom. And this time, I'm definitely naked when I check under the covers. That doesn't scare me or freak me out, though. I just grin at the reminder of everything we did before we went to sleep. It was...incredible. I'd never done anything like what we did only a few hours ago and my body is tingling everywhere like I'm being taunted. I shiver in delight. If Nate can make foreplay this good, I can only imagine what it's going to be like when we finally have sex. I bet he's an assertive but gentle beast and I can feel myself becoming turned on at the thought of having him inside me, his talented hips drilling into mine and knowing exactly how to undo me.

"I thought I satisfied you before we went to sleep but judging by the look on your face, I misread the situation."

I snap my gaze to the bathroom where Nate is standing, one shoulder leaning against the doorframe while he brushes his teeth. Did I mention he's naked? Because that's definitely worth mentioning.

I can't stop my eyes from dragging down the length of him, so dumbstruck that he looks the way he does. All of that muscle on muscle — broad shoulders, large biceps, forearms that have veins clearly protruding, and big but gentle hands. His chest is just as defined and his abs might actually make me drool, each of them outlined to perfection to match the sharp v-cut of his hips. Even his thighs are muscular, large and strong and a perfect frame for what's in between them. I wasn't joking when I said that his penis is really attractive. Let's be honest — they're not the most pleasant anatomy to look at but something about Nate's is totally mesmerizing. It's so ridiculously long for starters and it doesn't lack in width either. I'd just barely been able to grip it entirely while I was pumping him. The memory of how he stretched my jaw hits me and I realize it's kind of sore but I'd gladly do it again. I can't believe I made him, this perfect specimen of a man, weak in the knees with my inexperienced blowjob. He loved it though and I think I was more satisfied than he was that I was able to make him come as hard as he did.

His deep chuckle draws my eyes away from his body back to his face, an amused expression on his features. "You keep looking at me like that and I might keep you locked in here for another hour."

"I know you think you're threatening me but you're really not." I admit sheepishly and pull the covers up to my chin.

He hums in the back of his throat. "Guess I'm going to have to start getting more creative with my punishments."

More creative than they already are? I think back to him thrusting between my breasts and I'm breathless when I respond with, "Guess so."

His chest rumbles, eyes narrowing and darkening as he watches me. "The things I would do to you if we had the time. You have no idea, Angel."

I don't but damn, I really, really want to.

"Duty calls." I sigh. "Zack is most likely done with his nap by now. I hope your mom doesn't mind that she had to watch him for so long."

"Nah. You know she wouldn't." He heads back inside the bathroom and I hear the water come on followed by the sound of him spitting. I let myself relax a little more, sleep still tugging at my mind, while Nate does his thing for the next few minutes. He's dressed when he steps out again and runs his hands through his hair in an attempt to tame it. He stops by my side of the bed and places his hands on either side of the pillow, leaning down to kiss me. It's short and sweet but it still sends a tingle down my spine and causes my toes to curl in. He pecks my lips one final time and pulls away. "Go freshen up, baby. I'll be downstairs."

"Okay." I say through a yawn and stretch my arms above my head. The action causes the blanket to slip below my breasts and my nipples immediately perk from the sudden chill on my newly exposed skin. Nate's eyes zero in on them and they flash with unrestrained desire, his fists clenching beside him.

"Fuck." He mutters not taking his eyes off me. I have the knee-jerk urge to cover myself up but with Nate looking at me the way he is, I push my self-consciousness out of the way because I know I don't ever have to feel that way with him. I'm still struggling with my shyness because it's a huge part of my personality but I can't deny that being with Nate has given me a level of confidence I've never had before. It's the way he worships me — like he truly believes there's no one better out there than me. How can I not feel good about myself when he makes me feel that way?

Maybe that's why I take it a step further by tentatively cupping my breasts, circling my nipples with my index finger lazily.

"Del." He growls, gripping the back of his neck tightly and never taking his eyes off me.

His reaction is even more encouraging so I squeeze, pressing my breasts together and holding back a smile when he groans deeply. I know he's thinking about when he had his cock between them because that's what I'm thinking about.

"You're killing me." He expels a harsh breath. "Fucking killing me."

"In a good way?" I ask breathlessly.

His lip curls. "In the best way."

He crawls on to the bed and stops when he's hovering over me, putting his much larger hands over mine and helping me squeeze. I moan in a soft, high-pitched voice and Nate immediately leans down to drown it out with his own mouth. Our kiss is frantic and lustful and so full of longing for more we both recognize we have to stop. We pull away, staring at each other as we breath hard. He gives my breasts a final squeeze and then lets them go in frustration, stepping off the bed. He adjust himself in his jeans with a wince, grinning wryly at me.

"I better leave now or I won't be able to stop myself next time."

He backs away while keeping his eyes on me the whole time and steps out of the room, winking before he closes the door.

I release a giddy breath, grabbing the pillow next to me and shoving it on my face to muffle my squeals. I'm on cloud nine and my face might just break from smiling. I need to go and see my baby though so I get out of bed and run the small distance to the bathroom, my arms covering my naked body.

I take a quick warm shower to freshen myself up, using an obscene about of soap to get rid of my makeup, and use a finger to brush my teeth once I'm done. I wrap a towel around my body and step out of the bathroom, grinning when I see my overnight bag on the bed. Nate probably left it here while I was showering, knowing I didn't have clothes since the only thing I had on a few hours ago was scrappy lingerie that he ripped to pieces anyways. I tried to be upset about it for show but really, I was too hot and bothered to care. It's not like I needed clothes on to begin with.

I choose a comfortable pair of denim jeans and pair it with faded half-sleeve t-shirt that I've had for years, experiencing a moment of excitement when I realize it fits me again. My pregnancy weight is still there but I've been squeezing in home workouts when I can to lose it all. It's hard balancing that with taking care of Zack and my writing but half an hour of exercise a day is better than none at all. Plus, when you have a boyfriend that's in absolute shape all the freaking time, you kind of want to be on the same spectrum as him. I know he likes me exactly the way I am but seriously, he doesn't have a sliver of fat on him and I'd like to say the same about myself.

I jog down the stairs and pick up my speed when I hear Zack's giggles. Even if it was just a few hours, I missed the hell out of him. I'm giddy with excitement to see him every time I wake up in the morning and overwhelmed with sadness when I have to put him to sleep at night. It's crazy to even recall how depressed I was throughout my entire pregnancy when I've been nothing but elated ever since Zack was born. I guess everyone goes through their own battles.

When I walk in the kitchen, I smile at the sight of Nate holding Zack upright as he sits on the counter, squealing at the absolutely ridiculous faces he's making. The rest of his family surrounds him, "aww'ing" and gazing at Zack with such genuine love that my throat constricts tightly. I've never had a big family before and to be part of one, knowing that Zack gets to have that, makes me feel at peace. I know it's petty of me but I can't help but think "take that!" to anyone who's ever abandoned me and made me feel so incredibly alone. In this moment, I've never felt so included and important and I'm so glad my son gets to have that too. There's definitely a suffocating fear at the back of my mind at the prospect of losing them all, knowing it would completely destroy me, but I try not to think like that. It's time I deserved some good, right? Why question it now that I finally have it?

"Hi, sweetie." Lily grins at me, giving me a side-hug when I reach her. "We're seriously obsessed with your boy. You're going to have to bring him around a lot more often or face our wrath."

I can't but laugh at the fact that she actually looks serious. "Noted. And for the record, I think he loves being here just as much as you love having him."

"Is that right?" She says in a baby-voice. She smacks a kiss on Zack's cheek. "You like being here?"

Zack garbles out a noise in response an everyone laughs, highly amused at how it looks like he's responding to her.

"Gimme the kid before your mom takes him again." Matt teases, winking at Lily's playful glare. He reaches his hands out and Nate hands Zack over. Matt raises Zack above his head and shakes him slightly side to side, earning his excited giggle. He brings him back down and kisses his head, little Zack disappearing into his large arms. "Okay. I officially don't blame you for hogging him, baby. I'm in love."

"Told you." Lily nods solemnly.

"We want a turn!" Lexie groans. "At this rate I'll just have to make my own baby."

"Like hell!" Nate scowls.

"I'm with your brother on this one." Matt glares.

"Then hand me the baby." Lexie glares back and Matt grumbles, begrudgingly transferring Zack to Lexie's outstretched arms.

"Sorry." Nate speaks in my ear, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. I tip my head to the side so he can kiss my cheek. "I don't think you're getting him back until we go home."

"That's okay." I smile. "I like that he's surrounded by so much love. It makes me happy knowing he has what I didn't."

Nate's arms tighten around me and he curses under his breath. "I wish things weren't the way they were for you. I wish you had this growing up, too. I fucking hate that I can't change that."

"Well, I believe that everything in my life happened exactly the way it did to bring me to this moment. When I think of it that way I wouldn't change a thing."

"Yeah?" He asks and I nod. He sighs and kisses the spot below my ear. I hold back a shiver. I love when he kisses me there. "I guess you have a point. I can't imagine if your life lead you to someone other than me. I don't think I can live without you anymore, Angel."

My chest flutters almost painfully and I can feel myself growing warm at his words. I swallow back the emotion making my throat tight. How did I get so lucky?

I open my mouth, a second away from admitting I love him, when we hear the front door open. All of our heads turn as Asher saunters in like he owns the place. I remember Nate mentioning they grew up together as neighbours so it makes sense that's he's probably at the Hunter house as much as his own.

"Hey, Blondie." He smirks, eyeing the way Nate is holding me. My cheeks heat up. "I would say it's a surprise seeing you here but it really isn't."

"Nice to see you too, Asher." I roll my eyes.

He barks out a laugh and ruffles my hair affectionately when he reaches us. "You're definitely spending too much time with Nate."

"And your point is?" Nate interjects.

"Down, boy." Asher winks. "I'm glad you fuckers finally figured your shit out."

"Language." Matt and Lily call out absentmindedly. Something tells me they're used to it.

"Sorry." Asher's reply is just as natural. "Aren't my girls going to say hi to me?"

Harmony and Eleanor immediately rush to him, throwing their arms around his waist in tight hugs. He bends down and hugs them back, jostling them playfully until they're laughing at him to stop.

"What's up, kid?" He wraps Mia into a bear hug when it's her turn.

"You didn't come to my birthday party." She glares at him, clearly still upset.

"Aw, I'm sorry. I had a few things I couldn't step back from. But it's funny you mention that because I have something to make it up for you." He waggles his brows and reaches into his back pocket as Mia watches him curiously. He pulls out two slips of paper and hands them to her. Mia takes a second to read them and then scream so loudly Zack startles in Lexie's arms. Lexie immediately rocks him to stop his impending cries and narrows her eyes accusingly at Mia who's yet to notice.

"Tickets to Little Mix!" She jumps up and down so fast I almost go dizzy trying to keep up. I'm going to take a wild guess that she loves the girl band based on her reaction. "I can't believe you managed to score these! I love you!"

She throws her arms around Asher who actually stumbles back from the force, laughing as he hugs her back. He kisses her head. "Happy Birthday, kid. Sorry it took so long."

"I totally forgive you." Mia grins. "I have to go tell Chelsea!"

She runs out of the kitchen before she's finished her sentence.

Asher, Nate, and Matt simultaneously shudder and say in the same horrified voice, "Chelsea."

I cover my mouth with my hand to contain my giggles. Chelsea is Mia's boy-crazy best friend and clearly has a history of trying to hit on every man in this household. She's only sixteen but has officially scared all the grown men. She's kind of my hero.

"You know," Lexie starts in an innocent voice that Asher isn't buying, judging by the way his brow goes up. "My birthday is next month. In case you forget."

"I did forget. I'll have to make myself do it again." He says seriously.

Lexie scowls. "You're such a jerk."

"Tell me something I don't know, brat." He slings his arm around her shoulders. "You still love me."

"Unfortunately." Her lips twitch.

Asher looks at Zack then me. "Can I hold him?"

I nod. He takes Zack from Lexie a little tentatively, obviously not as used to babies as the Hunters. I find myself wondering if he has any siblings as I watch him with my son, looking intrigued while Zack stares at him. I've only ever heard him refer to the Hunters as his family and a few times he's talked about his parents. He's a really private guy.

My eyes almost bug out of my head when he says, "My folks are stopping by. They should be here any minute."

Talk about mind-reading. I'm definitely curious about meeting his parents.

"About time." Lily admonishes. "I've been inviting them to dinner for weeks now."

"It's been a busy time." Asher says easily but I don't miss the way his features tighten as he keeps his eyes downcast on my son.

I move my gaze to Nate who's watching his friend with concern. Something is definitely wrong despite Asher being upbeat. Although if I think about it, it seems almost forced.

"Is everything okay?" I whisper to Nate.

He looks down at me with a sad smile. "No. But that's his story to tell."

I nod in understanding, squeezing his hand to offer support the only way I know how. His answering kiss to my cheek feels like a thanks.

"Gonna help me set the table, hon?" Matt asks Harmony.

"You bet." She grins.

Eleanor skips over to me, tugging my shirt to get my attention. I smile down at her.

"I read the books you got for me. They were so good." Her eyes light up and I feel my chest tighten. She reminds me so much of me, the way she gets lost in the books she reads and how much she cares for each of them. She's also shy like me and struggles to make friends and I remember how weird and alienated I used to feel in school. I want to do everything I can to make sure Elle doesn't feel that way. It helps that's she's really opened to me and talks to me all the time. I have plans to ask her about the boy she likes later on today, after Nate had glumly admitted that Eleanor might be on the verge of her first heartbreak.

"I'm so glad." I tuck her hair behind her ear. "After dinner we'll have our book talk."

"Awesome." She takes off to her room and I smile as I watch her go. My eyes catch movement in my peripheral and I peek where the front door is, blinking at the two people who appeared almost out of nowhere.

"You guys made it." I snap my eyes back to Asher in surprise. His smile is nervous as he watches my reaction. "Meet my parents, Blondie."

I don't know how I manage to keep my jaw from dropping but I'm thankful I do. I instantly school my features and step away from Nate go and greet them.

"Hi." I hold my hand out to shake theirs and they return the gesture with sweet smiles. "It's so nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Asher's Dad flicks his gaze over my shoulder before it returns to me. "So you're the one Nate managed to snag? I have no idea what a beautiful girl like you is doing with him."

"You're hilarious, Darren." Nate deadpans.

"Don't mind him." Asher's mother sighs. "He loves giving everyone shit."

I choke down my laugh. Okay — these guys are totally awesome.

"I'm Abigail." She ignores her husband's glare as she engulfs me in a hug. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"You too." I say honestly as I pull away. "I'm sorry we didn't get the chance to meet before but Asher always talks about you two."

"Probably making us look bad." Darren winks. "Don't listen to him when he tells you that I like to steal pennies out of water fountains."

There's no way I can conceal my laugh at that. I hear Asher groan behind me. "You can't just go around telling that to everyone, Dad."

"Delilah isn't everyone — she's family." He corrects and I smile at the sweet words. "We don't hide anything from family."

"Sometimes you should." Abigail grumbles. She regards me with a serious look. "Thirty-six years with the same man gets boring. I wish he kept more secrets from me. That way our lives could be more interesting."

I press my lips together tightly. These two are something else. "Thirty-six years? That's amazing. What's the secret?"

"Never go to sleep mad at each other." Lexie guesses. "No, wait. Say I love you every day." The couple shakes their head and Lexie frowns. "Then what?"

"Hate the same people together." They answer simultaneously and high-five.

"Wait, seriously?" I giggle and they nod.

"If you can't gossip with your man, he isn't the one." Abigail tells me.

"She hates my enemies more than I hate my enemies." Darren pretends to flick a tear. "It's so romantic."

"Oh my God." I burst out laughing again and turn around to look at Asher. He rolls his eyes but he's smiling. "I'm so mad at you for not introducing them before."

"I'm glad you think so, Blondie." He sounds genuinely grateful and I smile back. I can understand his reluctance but he doesn't have a thing to worry about. The Fighter's Den family are the most accepting people I know.

When his parents make their way to their son and to fawn over Zack, Nate walks over to me.

"So?" He inquires curiously.