I\u00a0woke\u00a0up\u00a0alone.<\/p>\n
Was\u00a0I\u00a0hurt?\u00a0Yes.<\/p>\n
****\u00a0+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
Was\u00a0I\u00a0surprised?\u00a0Not\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0least.<\/p>\n
Sighing,\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0bed,\u00a0wrapping\u00a0a\u00a0towel\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0body\u00a0before\u00a0leaving\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0room.\u00a0His\u00a0scent\u00a0was\u00a0everywhere,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0body\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0thrumming\u00a0after\u00a0last\u00a0night.\u00a0I\u00a0went\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0that\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0mine;\u00a0I\u00a0still\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0clothes\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0closet\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0change\u00a0into,\u00a0just\u00a0in\u00a0case\u00a0I\u00a0ended up\u00a0spending\u00a0the\u00a0night\u00a0here<\/p>\n
I\u00a0used\u00a0the\u00a0attached\u00a0bathroom\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0a\u00a0quick\u00a0shower\u00a0before\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0dressed.\u00a0Once\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0fully\u00a0dressed\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0wet\u00a0hair\u00a0was\u00a0tied\u00a0into\u00a0a\u00a0low\u00a0pony,\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0more\u00a0like\u00a0myself.\u00a0I had\u00a0a\u00a0slight\u00a0headache\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0tequila,\u00a0but\u00a0the\u00a0water\u00a0Gavin\u00a0gave\u00a0me\u00a0helped\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0me\u00a0hydrated\u00a0for\u00a0this\u00a0morning.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0put\u00a0my\u00a0game\u00a0face\u00a0on\u00a0because\u00a0today\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0start\u00a0of\u00a0finals,\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0crucial.\u00a0Regardless\u00a0of\u00a0what\u00a0was\u00a0going\u00a0on\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0personal\u00a0life,\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0stay\u00a0focused.\u00a02<\/p>\n
I\u00a0made\u00a0my\u00a0way\u00a0down\u00a0the\u00a0stairs and\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0kitchen.\u00a0Chester\u00a0was\u00a0already\u00a0cooking\u00a0breakfast.\u00a0Nan\u00a0was\u00a0seated\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0table\u00a0instead\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0counter\u00a0barstool\u00a0like\u00a0usual.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0easy\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0why\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0seated\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0table,\u00a0though;\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0arms\u00a0was\u00a0Emalyn.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0bottle\u00a0feeding\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0shining\u00a0with\u00a0love\u00a0and\u00a0affection.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeems\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0taken\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0baby,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0grabbing\u00a0an\u00a0apple\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0fruit\u00a0dish.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s\u00a0just\u00a0so\u00a0cute,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0breathed,\u00a0cradling\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0arms.\u00a0We\u00a0had\u00a0such\u00a0a\u00a0nice\u00a0evening\u00a0last\u00a0night.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u00a0for\u00a0once\u2026\u00a0we\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0fight,\u201d\u00a0Chester\u00a0teased,\u00a0a\u00a0grin\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0face.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe\u00a0all\u00a0you\u00a0needed\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0baby,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0teased\u00a0back.<\/p>\n
They\u00a0both\u00a0blushed\u00a0at\u00a0my\u00a0words\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0one\u00a0another,\u00a0almost\u00a0shy,\u00a0before\u00a0returning\u00a0to\u00a0what\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0doing.\u00a0That\u00a0was\u00a0when\u00a0an\u00a0idea\u00a0popped\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0head,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0care\u00a0if it\u00a0made\u00a0things\u00a0that\u00a0much\u00a0more\u00a0awkward\u00a0between\u00a0them.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0know,\u00a0Irene\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0continue\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0care\u00a0of\u00a0this\u00a0baby,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0them.\u00a0\u201cGavin\u00a0is\u00a0actively\u00a0looking\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0forever\u00a0family\u00a0for\u00a0Emalyn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nan\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0a\u00a0curious\u00a0look\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0tell\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0idea\u00a0where\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0going\u00a0with\u00a0this.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave\u00a0you\u00a0considered\u00a0adopting\u00a0a\u00a0baby?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0them.<\/p>\n
Chester\u00a0nearly\u00a0dropped\u00a0the\u00a0spatula\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0holding,\u00a0and\u00a0Nan\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0widened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0They\u00a0both\u00a0asked\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0time.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0shrugged,\u00a0trying\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0grin\u00a0at\u00a0their\u00a0stunned\u00a0expressions.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdoption,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0repeated.\u00a0\u201cEmalyn\u00a0needs\u00a0a\u00a0family,\u00a0and\u00a0you\u00a0two\u00a0are really\u00a0good\u00a0with\u00a0her.\u00a0You\u00a0both\u00a0seem\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0a\u00a0liking\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0seems\u00a0to\u00a0like\u00a0you\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0Why\u00a0not?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe\u00a0because\u00a0we\u00a0just\u00a0started\u00a0seeing\u00a0each\u00a0other?\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0sputtered<\/p>\n
C<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0mates,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0are\u00a0supposed\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0together.\u00a0Plus,\u00a0you\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0JUST\u00a0start\u00a0seeing\u00a0one\u00a0another.\u00a0You\u2019ve\u00a0met\u00a0months\u00a0ago.\u201d\u00a03\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0rocky\u00a0few\u00a0months,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0argued.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0still\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0figure\u00a0out\u00a0if\u00a0I\u00a0trust\u00a0him\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0heart,\u00a0alone\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0baby\u00a0with\u00a0him\u00a0alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018You\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0having\u00a0a\u00a0baby\u00a0with\u00a0him,\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0adopting\u00a0a\u00a0baby,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cA\u00a0baby\u00a0that\u00a0needs\u00a0a\u00a0home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chester\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0Nan;\u00a0his\u00a0face\u00a0was\u00a0red\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0apple\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0just\u00a0bitten\u00a0into.\u00a0His\u00a0eyes\u00a0drift\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0550<\/p>\n
\u201cDo\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0we\u2019d\u00a0be\u00a0good\u00a0parents?\u201d\u00a0He\u00a0asked,\u00a0his\u00a0tone\u00a0soft\u00a0and\u00a0Imost\u00a0vulnerable\u00a0sounding.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nna\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0grew\u00a0large\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0mate.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0serious,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0sputtered.\u00a0\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0seriously\u00a0considering\u00a0this?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u00a0shrugged,\u00a0avoiding\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0mean,\u00a0I\u00a0like\u00a0Emalyn,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0falling\u00a0in\u00a0love\u00a0with\u00a0you.\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0intend\u00a0on\u00a0screwing\u00a0up\u00a0this\u00a0relationship.\u00a0You\u2019re\u00a0my\u00a0mate,\u00a0Nan.\u00a0I\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0spend\u00a0my\u00a0life\u00a0with\u00a0you\u00a0and have\u00a0children\u00a0with\u00a0you.\u00a0I\u00a0want\u00a0Emalyn\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0good\u00a0home,\u00a0and\u00a0let\u2019s\u00a0face\u00a0it,\u00a0you\u00a0love\u00a0that\u00a0little\u00a0girl.\u00a0You\u00a0love\u00a0taking\u00a0care\u00a0of\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0honestly,\u00a0do\u00a0too.\u00a0I\u00a0think\u00a0she\u2019d\u00a0be\u00a0good\u00a0for\u00a0us,\u00a0just\u00a0like\u00a0I\u00a0think\u00a0we\u2019d\u00a0be\u00a0good\u00a0for\u00a0her.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0saying\u00a0let\u2019s\u00a0jump\u00a0into\u00a0it\u00a0with\u00a0both\u00a0feet,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u00a0might\u00a0be\u00a0something\u00a0to\u00a0consider\u00a0if\u00a0the\u00a0option\u00a0is\u00a0there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nan\u00a0opened\u00a0her\u00a0mouth\u00a0to\u00a0speak,\u00a0but\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0could,\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0kitchen\u00a0opened\u00a0and\u00a0in\u00a0came\u00a0Irene,\u00a0looking\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0just\u00a0crawled\u00a0up\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0pit\u00a0of\u00a0hell.\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0never\u00a0seen\u00a0her\u00a0look\u00a0so\u00a0disheveled\u00a0before;\u00a0she\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0even\u00a0showered.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0sight\u00a0made\u00a0me\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0laugh\u00a0out\u00a0loud.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s\u00a0an\u00a0option?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0asked,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0squinting\u00a0to\u00a0adjust\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0light.\u00a0\u201cShit,\u00a0I\u00a0feel\u00a0like\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0run\u00a0over\u00a0by\u00a0a\u00a0truck.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chester\u00a0grinned\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0pulled\u00a0a\u00a0glass\u00a0of\u00a0milk\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0fridge\u00a0and\u00a0handed\u00a0it\u00a0to\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0just\u00a0hung\u00a0over,\u201d he\u00a0muttered,\u00a0ushering\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0sit\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0counter\u00a0while\u00a0he\u00a0continued\u00a0to\u00a0prepare\u00a0breakfast.\u00a0\u201cNothing\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0milk\u00a0and\u00a0greasy\u00a0foods\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0fix.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 551 I\u00a0woke\u00a0up\u00a0alone. Was\u00a0I\u00a0hurt?\u00a0Yes. ****\u00a0+25\u00a0BONUS Was\u00a0I\u00a0surprised?\u00a0Not\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0least. Sighing,\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0bed,\u00a0wrapping\u00a0a\u00a0towel\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0body\u00a0before\u00a0leaving\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0room.\u00a0His\u00a0scent\u00a0was\u00a0everywhere,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0body\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0thrumming\u00a0after\u00a0last\u00a0night.\u00a0I\u00a0went\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0that\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0mine;\u00a0I\u00a0still\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0clothes\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0closet\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0change\u00a0into,\u00a0just\u00a0in\u00a0case\u00a0I\u00a0ended up\u00a0spending\u00a0the\u00a0night\u00a0here […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21619"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21619\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}