Hammer It Home: Powertools, Book 6 (7 page)

Morgan tried to lift her hand when his voice crackled. Utterly wrecked, she couldn’t.

Mike held Kate in his arms as he stood. He leaned close to Joe to whisper something in his ear. Kate took the opportunity to kiss Joe’s cheek. She licked at his cheekbone as though clearing away a rogue tear. Soon Devon, Kayla and their men huddled close. They petted Joe, offering him comfort when Morgan could not.

Each crew member spoke softly to him, rubbing his back, patting his ass, hugging him from behind. And when the flurry of male and female reassurance alike had swarmed over him, he knelt just a little taller between Morgan’s thighs. The buzz of affection and praise traveled over her as well.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the soothing of her husband and their seven best friends. And that’s when she felt Joe—she’d know him anywhere, no matter how many other lovers she took—press inside her. Careful, gentle and reverent, he fused their bodies.

Her lids fluttered open.

Stares locked. She didn’t have to glance around the room to realize they were alone. The crew had left them to bond. To claim the new life she felt sure they had created. Endless disappointments flashed through her mind. Month after month of periods coming to shame her with their failure.

Somehow she knew…those days were gone.

The universe couldn’t be so cruel as to mock the union they’d joined in tonight.

At the heart of everything was this.

Joe.

“Hi,” he whispered against her lips as he moved the barest bit within her tender pussy.

“Hi.”

“Not sure where you went just now, but I missed you.” Gentle strokes of his fingers through her tangled hair swelled her heart to unimaginable proportions. “Must have been somewhere good to put those stars in your eyes though.”

“Those are all because of you, Joe.”

They traded languorous kisses and ground against each other, more interested in feeling every inch of skin on skin than the acute pressure of his cock in her pussy or a finger on her clit.

Morgan explored his back, ribs and ass, as much of him as she could reach. She loved him as best she knew how. With everything she had, primarily her heart and soul. Without words, without vigorous motion, without carefully placed touches on pressure points, they idled in bliss.

And still the energy they generated lifted them inexorably toward a pinnacle they reached together.

Instead of an explosion, their synchronized release was a cleansing spring shower. They came in unison. Hope, love and unending happiness stole away the pain they’d unintentionally inflicted on each other over the past year and replaced it with optimism. Along with the certainty that the moment marked a new beginning for them, their family and a love that would never die.

Joe overflowed her pussy with come though only the clench of his ass and the subtle tightening of his jaw gave any hint of his surrender.

They came in silence.

Staring into each other’s eyes.

At the beginning of everything important.

Chapter Four

Kayla spied Morgan fanning herself with the lovely straw hat she’d purchased from a kiosk at the trendy, open-air mall they enjoyed frequenting on nice days. Unusual for the woman who ordinarily basked in the heat of summer, always trying to talk the gang into tanning by Kate and Mike’s pool, not that it was a hard sell.

So what if Kayla attended more for the cocktails and girl talk, preferring the contrast of her pale, unwrinkled skin to the bold swirls of colored ink decorating it? That’s what SPF 80 was for. They hung out and Morgan toasted herself golden, sans lines. Which fairly often led to the guys coming home from a job site to snarfle dessert before grilling out. Exactly how their wives liked it.

Today Morgan had complained at least fifty times that the glorious temperature seemed oppressive, even after a double helping of fresh berry sorbet, which Kayla was more than happy to indulge in as well. Protesting the humidity in a whine, Morgan had actually started to annoy Kayla, a nearly impossible task.

Which might explain why Kayla had strutted more quickly than usual down the cobblestone lane. Well, that and the fact that they approached the shop housing the dress she’d been lusting after for weeks. Their pace certainly couldn’t account for the fatigue plaguing Morgan, though. Unfortunately, the other woman slowed to a near crawl, then paused in the shade of a tree at exactly the worst possible place for Kayla’s self-control. “Can we cross the street at least, Mo? It’s on the way to our cars. There’s a bench over by the fountain there if you want to re—people watch for a few minutes.”

She’d almost said
rest
.

The instinctive denial Kayla expected didn’t bubble from Morgan. Odd, since the woman was on the go all day, every day, running her bakery. A stroll through the mall should not have warranted a break. Typical Mondays, when Sweet Treats stayed closed, meant recipe research, epicurean experiments, buying supplies or component prep for the week ahead. Still, Morgan never seemed to lose her focus or her drive.

Kay had been pleasantly surprised when her friend had texted and begged her to play hooky from the resort for a few hours. Everything, including that mid-morning message, had convinced her aliens had abducted the real Morgan and left this look-alike in her place. Heavy circles marred the golden skin beneath her eyes. Crankiness didn’t suit her generally lighthearted nature.

The only other time Kayla had seen Morgan so sullen… 

She swallowed hard, afraid to ask. It’d been almost three weeks since the night in the honeymoon suite. Shouldn’t she know by now? Maybe it hadn’t worked. What else could sap Morgan’s infinite energy and perky spirit?

“Using me as an excuse to avoid your dream dress?” Morgan raised one eyebrow at a jaunty angle, distracting Kay from her mental investigations.

“Hell yes.” Kayla scowled. She’d successfully resisted the seductive design, hand-painted in gold and plum on lapis silk, during the prior two trips she’d made to the shops with various assortments of the crew ladies.

“Just try it on already. Please.” Her friend rolled her eyes. 

“We both know if I do, it’s going home with me.” Kay glanced over her shoulder at the temptation in the window, then to Morgan, then back at the dress.

“Maybe you’ll be extra picky, as usual, and delude yourself into believing it’s unflattering or some crap. Though I bet you the Boston cream pie in my case right now it would look fabulous. Worthy of the annual award ceremony for the Independent Business Alliance. You know, ’cause I’ve heard rumors you’re about to be nominated for owner of the Best New Venture of the Year.”

“What?” Kayla’s jaw hung open. “Are you freaking kidding me?”

Morgan would know. She’d chaired the committee in her ridiculously sparse free time after scoring the honor the prior year. Her sincere smile wiped some of the fatigue from her eyes. “I can’t tell you anything officially, but…congratulations. You’d be better off snagging that now than hunting for something in a few weeks. It’ll be gorgeous with your tattoos.”

Kayla took two steps toward the shop door before hesitating.

“Go on.” Morgan shooed her. “Maybe it’s not as expensive as it looks.”

They both laughed at that one.

“Okay, okay.” Morgan sighed. “How about this… I’m sure it’s worth every penny.” 

It would be a splurge and a half considering the reputation of the boutique, which featured the latest summer fashions in the ornate window display. Still, she couldn’t help herself. “I’m telling Dave this is all your fault.”

“He’s going to thank me when he sees you wearing that masterpiece.” Morgan lagged behind as Kayla dashed up the handful of stairs leading into the store.

Miracles did happen. They had her very un-Devon-petite size right there on the front of the rack. Kayla slipped her head through the trapezoid formed by a wooden hanger as well as the straps and bodice of the stunning handkerchief dress she’d drooled over from afar. Up close, it stole her breath.

 She giggled as she spun around in search of a changing room, loving the flare of the airy material. Brilliant colors flashed in several mirrors, which hung on the backs of open doors nearby, causing a kaleidoscope effect.

In one of the frames, Kayla glimpsed Morgan sinking to her knees.

“Mo!” She rushed to her friend’s side. “Are you all right? What’s going on?”

From a foot away, she detected the shaking of Morgan’s hands and the unnatural sheen of sweat on her greenish-gray skin. Clamminess greeted her fingers when she laid them on her friend’s brow.

Eyelids scrunched shut, Morgan leaned on the shoulder Kayla lent her. “Sorry. Crap. I thought my dizziness was fading away.”

“You’re not well.” Kayla conducted a mental inventory of the homeopathic remedies lining the shelves in the apothecary at her resort. “How long have you felt like trash? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m scared,” she whimpered.

The plaintive wisp of audible agony broke Kayla’s heart. “It’s going to be fine. I’ll take you to the doctor. Right now, if you’re good to stand up.”

“Can I help you?” the salesperson hovering over them asked from more than ritual this time. “Should I call security? There’s a nurses’ station in the main building.”

“No, no.” Morgan rose to wobbly legs. She clutched Kayla’s arm hard enough to leave bruises. “I’m fine, really. Just…a spell.”

The shopkeeper ignored the protest, flicking her concerned glance to Kayla for a ruling.

“Mo…have you missed your period yet?” The time for pussyfooting around had passed. “Are you…”

“She’s pregnant! Of course.” The helpful woman perked up, her face illuminating as she clasped her hands over her heart. “Oh, dear, don’t worry. This is perfectly normal. Is this your first?”

“Well, I’m not sure yet.” Moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes. “I…I hope.”

“Honey, I have five brats of my own.” The loving tone belied her disparagement of the kids. “The glow in your cheeks is like a neon sign flashing
Preggers! Preggers!
I should have spotted it right off. Here, breathe deep. The heat isn’t going to be your friend for a while. Make sure you’re eating regularly too.”

Kayla stripped the dress from where it’d nearly strangled her in her mad dash. She sighed as she pivoted, intending to replace the garment. There were more important things than the most beautiful outfit in the world.

“Wait.” Morgan looked as if she’d fight the kind woman dishing out conventional wisdom like turkey at Thanksgiving. “We’ll take the dress.”

“I didn’t even try it on.”

The shopkeeper exchanged a conspiratorial eye roll with Morgan. “It might as well have been made for you.”

“Please.” Morgan didn’t often beg. “It’s the very least I can do after ruining your day off. You take even less of them than I do.”

“You didn’t—”

“I did.”

Kayla was stunned into silence. Right there in the middle of the boutique, Morgan—practical, fierce, independent, tough Morgan—burst into tears. “I’m sorry. Was a bitch all day. You should have slapped me. But instead you bought me ice cream. Twice.”

A hiccup interrupted the mangled admission.

“Now that’s a friend.” The shopkeeper plucked the dress from Kayla. She floated behind the furniture-quality display case supporting a gilded, old-fashioned cash register as if hysterical women had epic meltdowns in the middle of her sophisticated showroom all the time. “This one is on me. You two are the highlight of my Monday. When you wear it, just make sure people know where you found it. Better than a billboard, I swear. Women everywhere will want to emulate your style.”

Before Kayla could protest, the woman had swaddled the dress in impressive tissue-paper origami and tucked it into an artsy box. She wrapped the package in a bow of some organic material then pressed it into Kayla’s hands.

“Wow. I don’t know what to say.” Her brows climbed.

“Th-thank you.” Morgan sniffled.

“You’re very welcome, dear.” The woman joined them once more, this time extending a wire and bead box concealing mundane Kleenexes. “Go ahead, blow your nose. Take a few spares. The weepy phase can snap back on you.”

Morgan accepted her advice with an exceptionally unladylike noise that reminded Kayla of something she’d heard during a show Dave had watched about rhinoceroses on National Geographic. Probably best to keep that thought private.

“Best of luck.” The owner ushered them to the door. “Mind the stairs. And come back soon. I’d like to know if you’re having a boy or a girl. I’m guessing boy. They always wreaked havoc on my system. What else is new?”

Kayla wrapped her arm around Morgan’s waist and took the stairs slowly, in lockstep with her friend. When she looked up, she caught the shopkeeper waving to them and smiled.

“See, there are benefits to having a hormonal, decrepit, freakazoid pal, huh?” Morgan rested her head on Kayla’s shoulder as they wound their way to the parking lot. They stopped at the bench Kayla had indicated earlier and two others along their route so Morgan could catch her breath.

“Mo, you’re not driving like this.” Kay broke the silence that had stretched between them. She couldn’t forget her friend’s earlier admission…
I’m scared.

“Okay.”

“And when we get to your place, you’re going to take a pregnancy test.” She squeezed the other woman’s hand. “I’ll stay with you. Or we can wait for Joe if you’d rather him be there. I know you’re afraid of bad news, but you have to be sure. There are things your baby needs from you—”

“
If
there’s a baby,” Morgan whispered.

“Yes, if…” Kayla wouldn’t hurt her friend unintentionally if things didn’t turn out like she was almost positive they would. She honestly couldn’t believe Joe hadn’t made his wife take the test already. True, they’d both been damaged by the disappointments of the past year. Neither was eager to hurt themselves, or the other, again. Still, the insanity had to end.

“I think all the tests I have are expired by now.” Morgan sighed as Kayla handed her into the passenger side of her hybrid sedan. “I’d rather not detour on the way home. Not feeling so great. Need to lie down. Somewhere quiet, dark, cool. Please, Kay. Can we hurry? Maybe one of the guys could make a run?”