Honeymoon Blues (Faith Series Book 6) Read online

  Lincoln drew back and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. His blue eyes were bright and intense all at the same time. “Do you want me to grab you a dab of toothpaste and your toothbrush?” His hand settled on my shoulder, warm and sure. “I can even bring out a bottle of water for rinsing.”

  With my arms around his waist, I hugged him as tears threatened. What a sweet gesture.

  I sniffed, warning away my tears. “Yes,” I spoke into his coat shoulder. “I’d like that.”

  He let me go and went inside to get the stuff for me, and Kayden came back out... with one of our tote boxes and a blanket.

  “The guys are going to try to air out the house, so no lingering scent will be inside.” His grin was back and so was the twinkle in his eyes. He rested the tote box by my feet and his gaze met my stomach before he stood. He took my hand and had me sit, wrapping the blanket around me. “I’m going to shovel us out. Lincoln’s going to get you that stuff and then we’ll be on our way.” He gave my forehead a brief kiss. “Love you.”

  My heart warmed with his words. “I love you too.”

  His lips met my cheek with one more kiss before he left the porch and shuffled through the snow over to the garage to grab the snowblower that had been gifted to us by his parents. It was a must-have during the winter.

  Wrapping the blanket more tightly around me to ward off the chill seeping into my bones, I waited on Lincoln.

  I watched Kayden for a while until Lincoln came back and let me clean out my mouth.

  With one last goodbye to the guys, Kayden and I got into the now toasty car and headed on our way.

  “Where do you want to go eat at?”

  My hand hit my stomach and I knew I couldn’t keep anything down. “I don't think food and me are going to agree today.”

  He shrugged. “Okay, well, how about some hot chocolate?”

  I perked up at the mention of the delicious chocolate drink. “I’m pretty sure I’d be okay with hot chocolate.”

  “Good.”

  He drove through a coffee shop and ordered me the sweetest, richest hot chocolate. That hit the spot. With the hot drink warming my hands, I murmured my approval with a satisfied groan. “I think I want one of these every day.”

  He chuckled and winked at me. “You got it.”

  Before taking another sip, I reminded him about what we were doing tonight and what Perry and I had planned for this weekend.

  Kayden’s gaze shot to mine before going back to the road. “O-kay. Saturday or Sunday? We had planned to do some appliance shopping, remember?”

  I nodded. “I remember. We were planning Saturday. Sunday we can do the appliances.”

  “Sounds like a plan, but you better let the others know about this weekend too. You know how we worry.”

  I pulled out my phone as he said it. “I will.” When we were dating, I almost always checked in with them and them with me. I didn’t know why this had slipped my mind.

  “What are you shopping for?”

  I grinned. “House shopping. Might even buy that lamp like you told me to.”

  “Well,” he said with a shrug. “Maybe you could buy curtains. Nice ones to go in the living room and family room. Maybe even some of those heavy ones to keep out the cold? It was pretty cold last night. I didn't like snuggling up with my brothers while you were surrounded by them.”

  I laughed at that. “Is it weird? All of us sleeping in the same bed? Would you rather a different situation?”

  He shook his head, taking one of my hands. “Nah, it's all good. I like us all being together. Especially when things get heated.” Again, he wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

  Another laugh escaped. “I'm glad that you don't mind. I like having you all there with me, knowing where you are. Makes me feel safe.”

  He lifted the back of my hand to his lips for a kiss. “We like keeping you safe, sweetcheeks.”

  Chapter Six

  Once again, work was uneventful, except Perry had that person call her from the little accident she’d had in the parking lot. We were in the kitchen finishing up baking when the call came. Apparently, he sounded sexy. She waved us off, sure that he must be old, or have three kids and a wife with one the way, or ugly. I laughed and she told me to forget about it. “I’m too selfish,” she announced with a slight grin. “I wouldn’t be good in a relationship.”

  “Lie, lie, lie,” I teased her, swiping a cookie from the tray.

  Kayden came and picked me up again, and we chatted about our day until he pulled into our driveway. I was happy to see Tyler’s jeep there. He and Lincoln must be home.

  I turned to unbuckle. “Are you ready to unpack?” I asked him before he got out.

  A chuckle escaped his lips. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” He leaned in and pressed his warm lips to mine. “Stay right there and I’ll come and help you out.”

  The two of us hustled inside, careful of our steps, and found the living room empty.

  “Where are they?”

  Kayden shrugged as he got out of his coat. “Don’t know?” Then he yelled, “We’re home!”

  Twin voices replied from further in the house. “We’re in the living room!” Tyler added.

  Kayden was the first to walk that way, leaving me to follow behind him. We found Tyler and Lincoln surrounded by open boxes on the hardwood floors, going through things. Both of them glanced up when we came through the archway.

  “Hey,” Tyler greeted as he stumbled while getting up out of the boxes. And because Tyler fumbled, Lincoln got to me first for a kiss.

  “Good day?” Lincoln asked when he drew away, his hands tightening on my waist as if he didn’t want to let me go.

  I leaned in and kissed his lips once more. “It’s always a good day when I come home to all of you.” Pulling away, I saw his gaze light up and warmed in pleasure at his reaction. “How about you?”

  He shrugged. “Okay. There’s not much going on with the snow and all.”

  Tyler stepped in and took me from Lincoln, kissing my lips quickly. “You ready to unpack?”

  I gestured to the boxes behind them. “It seems like you two already got started.”

  I watched as Kayden rifled through some of the opened boxes, taking stuff out.

  Lincoln took my hand, drawing my attention away from Kayden, and led me to the boxes he had been going through. “Come on, let's get started.”

  Letting go of my hand, he picked up a book on top of other similar books. “This is one of my sketchbooks.” He opened to a random page and it was full of building designs. Some I recognized and some I didn't. “I find a building,” he explained. “Figure out the cinematics and make a replica on paper, just for practice. Some of them are my own designs, though. Not sure if they’re structurally sound, but sketching them has always been a hobby of mine.”

  Fascinated, I flipped through all the designs as he talked, but stopped at one. It was a sketch of a gazebo of some sort.

  I glanced up and met Lincoln's Caribbean blue gaze. “Why did you stop?”

  He grinned. “What makes you think I’ve stopped?”

  I gestured to all the books in the box. “Because they’re in a box and I haven’t seen you sketching.”

  Taking the book from me, he closed it. He took me by the waist and leaned in, whispering in my ear, “My obsession changed when I met you.” He kissed my ear and shivers stole down my spine. I clutched his shirt, wanting to tug it off him and let him show me how much of an obsession I was to him.

  Right before my lips claimed his, Kayden cried out, breaking us apart.

  “Look at what I found!”

  “Whoa,” Tyler said, surprised. “When’s the last time we played?”

  Kayden was holding their football, staring at us as his lips swept up into a huge grin.

  Lincoln froze beside me. “Is that the same football?”

  Kayden’s grin widened. “The same one you hit Faith with? Yep.”

  “Why in the hell do we st
ill have it?” Lincoln’s voice held bitterness. It was as if he’d never forgiven himself for hitting me with it.

  I put a hand on his arm to soothe him. “It didn’t even hurt.”

  Kayden rolled his eyes and tossed it to Tyler. “Why don’t you answer that one.”

  Tyler tossed the ball in the air while narrowing his gaze on his younger brother. “Why, Lincoln, are you scared of our kids knowing how you met their mother?” he teased, but before Lincoln could say anything, I butted in.

  “Let’s not toss the ball in the house.” I didn’t want him to have one of his mishaps in here.

  Kayden shoved him. “Yeah. You’re known for breaking things.”

  Tyler caught the ball and looked sheepish. “Sorry.”

  “Tyler, no,” Lincoln finally answered. “I’ll just tell them about you throwing rocks at Grandpa Brady's window.”

  Tyler's gaze shot to mine and he glared at me accusingly. “Hey.”

  I winced and held up a helpless hand. “I lost a bet in bed and had to give something up.”

  Lincoln curled an arm around my neck and kissed my ear. “You know it was worth it.” I felt the heat in my cheeks and totally agreed.

  Kayden got distracted and was too busy rummaging through stuff to even keep up with the conversation. Tyler narrowed in on him and set the ball down. “Dude, what are you looking for?”

  Kayden was moving from one box to the other as if searching for something. “Remember that lodge we went to?”

  “The same one from a few days ago?” Lincoln asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “The one where you flooded the bathroom the first time we went there?” Tyler interjected.

  I grimaced and dropped down to an unopened box.

  “I thought we weren’t going to mention that?” Kayden barked.

  Tyler dropped the football and started digging through his own box while Lincoln scoffed, kneeling beside me. “It took us almost all night to clean up the mess and a week to find out management hadn’t noticed.”

  “But it was a good first half of the night,” I murmured. One I’d never forget.

  They were all quiet, and I lifted my gaze and found all eyes on me. “What?”

  Tyler stood and stalked toward me, his tall frame making quick strides.

  I giggled and shot up and turned to run. “Remember that night, Faith?” he called after me as I hurried up the stairs. His was voice deep and seductive.

  Other footsteps followed me up.

  As I made it to our bedroom and started to strip, I recalled that night. Lincoln's sure and sensual hands, Tyler’s hot mouth, and Kayden going all the way with me.

  I giggled and tore off my sweater, tossing it their way as they came in. “Anyone up for a replay?”

  ***

  Tyler

  Warm feet curled around mine as a body climbed over me. I grabbed Faith by the waist, but she batted my hands away. “No-no-no-no,” was her response as she continued to get off the bed. I guess she needed to use the restroom.

  I rolled over and drifted back into sleep, not thinking twice about it, and dozed... until I heard the scream.

  I shot up in bed just as Lincoln jumped out of it and raced into the bathroom where Faith had gone.

  I wanted to grumble and lay back down, thinking she might have just found a bug or something, but I knew I couldn't do that.

  Kayden groaned beside me that he didn't want to get up, and I shoved him. “Go back to sleep. Lincoln has her. I’ll stay awake if he needs help.” We had done this a couple of times with her and sleepwalking.

  “Tyler?” Lincoln called out. Faith was crying and insisting there was something in the toilet.

  Did she say fish?

  I got up and slid my feet into my slippers, shivering a bit as I got out of my comfy spot. I padded over to the bathroom where I could hear Lincoln trying could to console her and wondered if there really was a fish.

  I walked in the bathroom and saw Faith in tears and curled around Lincoln. He looked bewildered with his eyebrows raised, not sure what to say. I guess she still was sleeping?

  “Sweetheart, I’m not sure where the fish came from...”

  “If you guys hadn't left the toilet seat up, I wouldn’t be wet, and the fish wouldn’t be in the toilet!” she cried. “I killed it, Lincoln. You guys left the toilet lid up and I sat down and killed the fish.”

  I winced. That would have been my mistake this time. But the fish... not sure what that was about. I didn’t even think one would survive in this weather. And we didn’t have one.

  “The poor fish, Lincoln,” she sobbed. “Do you think it had a good fishy life? How do you think it got in there?”

  “Lots of people flush fish down the toilet when they die. You probably didn't kill it. It probably came up...” He looked toward me for an answer.

  Finally, I said, “The fish probably came up with the snow melting.” Such a lie. “You know water rises and all.”

  She nodded as if this explained everything. “Okay.” Her voice shook. “I just didn't want to be the fish killer. Bees are one thing, but fish are cute.”

  Then she broke into tears again. “The poor fishy didn’t even get a toilet funeral!”

  I turned on the light and saw her wet pants. Then I peeked into the said toilet and saw nothing. Nada. No fishy or whatever the fuck she was seeing.

  “Tyler.” She moved from Lincoln to me. I held her close and kissed her forehead, upset that she was upset. “Shh. It’s okay.” My eyes met Linc’s and I nodded over to the shower, which had him moving into motion.

  She hiccupped. “It didn’t deserve to die. Not like that.” She turned from me and wiped her nose. “I think I should take it out of there and bury it in the backyard.”

  “Whoa.” I reached for her before she could put her bare hand in the fucking nasty bowl and curled her back into me. “How about, let’s not, but say we did, hm?”

  Her fist met my shoulder. “Why do people have to die, Tyler? Why can’t we live forever? Don’t flush me down a toilet like a fish. I don’t ever want to leave you. I won’t. I want things to be perfect. Perfect wife to you three. Awesome mother. And I want to have a perfect house. Can I have that, Tyler? Will I be able to do those things?”

  My heart felt heavy as she unloaded on me. Is that what she thought? That we wanted perfect from her?

  I bent my head and whispered to her, “Love, perfect is overrated. Happy is the word you should be saying. And I won’t ever flush you down the toilet.”

  “Happy is overrated,” she grumbled as Linc took her to the shower, and I wondered what that meant.

  Kayden finally shuffled into the bathroom. “What the hell is going on? Did you seriously say you wouldn’t flush our wife down the toilet?”

  I shoved him. “Fuck you.”

  He snorted. “No thanks.”

  Kayden dodged my next shove, and I left the bathroom to get them both some clothes. Kayden followed. “So, are we going to have a fishy funeral?”

  “There is no fish.”

  “Sleepwalking again?”

  “Looks like it.”

  I came out of the closet with a set of clothes for the two of them and Kayden groaned. “I’m going back to bed.” He threw himself on it and asked, “Are we going to tell her about this tomorrow?”

  “I don't think we should.”

  Cold nipped at my ankles, and I knew Faith would be freezing when she got out of the shower. Hopefully Lincoln didn't get her hair wet.

  “And why is that?” Kayden asked, making himself comfortable on the middle of our bed.

  “She'd be embarrassed,” I stated simply before heading back to the bathroom, being too much of a chicken to really admit why. Although she might remember part of it, I didn’t want us to explain what happened because I was the guilty party by leaving the toilet seat up.

  I helped Faith get dressed as Lincoln did the same.

  “The goldfish is gone,” she mumbled. Faith yawned, her eyes ha
lf-mast with sleep.

  It was hard to believe that she didn't wake up when Linc got her in the shower.

  “It's the middle of the night,” I reasoned. “We can have a funeral tomorrow if you really want to.” Murmuring to myself I added, “And hopefully you won’t remember.”

  Linc came and got her, and I watched him put Faith back to bed, convincing her that she was fine.

  By this time Kayden was snoring hard.

  “Hey,” Lincoln whispered, bringing my gaze back to him. He was already halfway into bed with her. “Are you coming back?”

  My hand rubbed across my face in an uncertain gesture. This whole sleepwalking fiasco woke me right up. She hadn’t had one in months. And this one was rough. It was our fault she was upset. We needed to remember that this wasn’t a house with all guys. We had a wife now. Things needed to change.

  “Yeah,” I eventually answered him and made my way to the bed. The floor was chilly even through my slipper covered feet.

  Faith’s hair was wet and bundled up in a towel. She’d need all the warmth she could get.

  Kayden was on the far edge of the bed, hugging the side, and Lincoln put Faith next to him while taking up her other side. I slid in beside my brother, with more than enough wiggle room between us, and snatched my blanket to ward off the chill. “Maybe you should put her on top of you; that way she gets warmer faster.”

  Without replying, Lincoln did as I’d suggested, and I scooted in closer.

  “Can you imagine?” Lincoln whispered as he held Faith close.

  “What?”

  “If Faith sleepwalks, what if our child does too?”

  My heart sank deep in my gut with that scary image. “I don’t want to think about that.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed, “but I might have just jinxed us.”

  Chapter Seven

  Faith

  With weird dreams last night but none of the guys willing to give up what happened, I was halfway through work on Thursday when Perry found me in the laundry room pondering on that very thing.

  Her face was bright with excitement as she waved for me to follow her. “Come on, you need to get your things.”