Knowing they were on borrowed time where P.J. was concerned, Joe decided to move things along. He banded an arm around her waist and turned them over, taking control once again.

“Speaking of hot,” she said breathlessly.

“You liked that, huh?”

“I like it all, Joe. Any time we get to be together like this…”

“I love you so much,” he whispered against her lips as he reached between them to coax her. It didn’t take much to get her there, and he’d been primed all day. They came together, clinging to each other, and he drowned out her cries with hot, openmouthed kisses that had him ready for round two before round one was even over.

Despite their efforts to be quiet, they’d failed miserably, so Joe wasn’t surprised when P.J. woke with a squawk of protest at having been so rudely disturbed. Joe laughed even as he continued to pulse with aftershocks.

“Game off,” Janey said.

Joe withdrew from her to let her up. “At least our boy has good timing.”

“I hope we didn’t permanently traumatize him.”

“Nah.” Joe lay on his side, his head propped on his upturned hand, enjoying the sight of her walking across the room naked to bend over P.J.’s bassinette.

“Are you hungry, my love?” she asked the baby as she picked him up and carried him to the bed. It had taken weeks for her to recover to the point where she was allowed to pick him up, and now she did it every chance she got. She sat against a pile of pillows on the bed and guided the baby to her breast.

Joe watched her every move, consumed with love for her and the son she’d given him.

“What?” she asked when she caught him staring at her.

“You… You’re just…” There were, he discovered, no words adequate enough to describe this kind of love. “Mine. All mine. And nothing has ever made me happier.”

She smiled at him, her eyes bright with emotion. “Me, too, Joseph.”

“He’s so perfect, isn’t he?” Sarah asked Charlie as they watched Holden sleep on the sofa next to them.

“He’s beautiful, all right.”

“It’s funny… Of course I know Owen isn’t his biological father, but that doesn’t make me feel any less like a grandmother than I would if he had fathered him. That’s weird, right?” Sarah had loved watching Charlie play with the baby earlier. He’d been right down on the floor with Holden and his toys until the baby began fussing and rubbing his eyes.