No Strings Attached

Chapter Nineteen

Jayden was sat at the large Oak dining table bare-chested the next morning when Shannon went down to make her coffee first thing. One leg stretched out in front of him in his dark grey tracksuit bottoms, and the other balancing Ava, who was swaddled up in a Winnie the Pooh jumpsuit, kicking out her little legs, and trying desperately to grasp onto the bottle her daddy was feeding her from.

Jay never noticed though, because his eyes were deep and intense on Tori as she sang quietly to herself, moving around the conservatory kitchen while cooking their breakfast. Shannon’s eyes caught the beautiful ink work on his bare back – that beautiful piece with their hands entwined around their newborns’ tiny feet – and she felt that familiar pang of envy at their completely uninhibited, unfettered, and uncomplicated love for each other. Jayden just let himself lay down and worship the ground that Tori walked on, even while he stood at her side as her protector, it really was an adorable relationship.

“Room for one more?” Shannon sang lightly, having not really announced when she would be home. Actually, thinking about it, she’d barely spoken to Tori at all, except to mention how everything was going with the house and clearing it. Shannon wasn’t even sure that they knew she’d been to Milan, unless Nate had mentioned it to them.

Tori jumped in surprise, and ran around the island counter in her bare feet – looking glowing and replete in one of Jay’s old t-shirts that hung down to her knees. Maybe they’d sorted through that spanking drought while she was away, she thought, an eyebrow lifting at Tori as she advanced.

“Oh my God! When did you get back?” Tori rushed out, “Of course there’s room for one more ... Jay, move your legs, let her sit down!” She was fussing, pulling out the chair, and Shannon chuckled.

“Too many questions! Can I make coffee first? Please?”

“I’m sorry,” the other girl chuckled, pulling her in for a hug, “I just missed you so much!”

“Me too,” Shannon smiled.

“Room for one more?”

Shannon giggled at the déjà vu of it all, except that this time it was Nate’s booming voice that commanded everyone’s attention, and Tori looked over at Shannon nervously laughing, with a semi confused look in her eyes, as though she wasn’t sure that the entire room wouldn’t burst into palpable tension at any moment.

Jayden didn’t seem to have the same worries, as he repositioned Ava’s bottle, before looking up at his best friend with one of his dark eyebrows raised over those captivating ice-blue eyes.

“You don’t call, you don’t write ... and now you just storm in wanting breakfast? It’s like having a stray cat man!”

Shannon moved around Tori, heading for the kettle that was lingering – tantalisingly – out of her reach, until Nate’s strong arms pulled her back into his broad chest. Laying her hands over his, where they were crossed over her midriff, she leaned her head to the side so that he could carry on raining those soft kisses to the racing pulse at the base of her neck.

“I want coffee, Nate...” she teased, her eyes closed to savour the sensations of his lips on her skin.