Christmas With The Houstons (Acceptance #4) Read Free Page B

realize I’ve been sleeping for two hours. So much for a power nap. No wonder my mood plummeted. After grabbing a bottle of water, I follow the noise out into the yard to see what in the world Jake is doing out there.
    My breath catches as I open the door and my eyes land on my husband—shirt off, body glistening with sweat, and giving the neighborhood stroller patrol a hell of a show.
    Back off, bitches, he’s mine.
    As I waddle my way out to him, I flash a fake smile and a wave to the three bitches openly ogling my husband. Two of them have the decency to blush and walk away, but the last one lingers long enough for me to narrow my eyes at her. Jake looks up and his eyes follow my glare; only then does Malibu Barbie begin to move.
    “Hi, Jake,” she says with a smile and a wave as she walks by, shaking her tiny little ass and pushing her stroller as seductively as she can. Bitch.
    “Hi Jake,” I mimic as she passes, and Jake laughs good naturedly, which pisses me off even more.
    “April, stop. You know I only have eyes for you. Although, I’m not sure the same can be said for you after meeting Derek today.”
    He did not just go there.
    I don’t want to argue with my husband right now. He looks hot as fuck and it’s obvious he’s been working his ass off out here. Our yard now looks like a Halloween wonderland, complete with a graveyard. It doesn’t matter, though; if he’s going to push this Derek issue, we’re going to fight.
    You know what? I’m not even going to dignify that with a response. I’m grumpy, hormonal, and it won’t end well. Instead of responding, I turn around and go back into the house, slamming the door behind me.
    God, that felt good.
    It’s rare when Jake and I fight, and I’ll typically try and avoid it at all costs. Fighting with Jake is emotionally draining. We’re both stubborn and at times won’t talk for days on end. Our fights leave me feeling uneasy, scared for our future, and sad. We haven’t had a bad fight since before the wedding and I’m not looking to have one now.
    “What the hell, April?” Jake bites out as he storms in the house, slamming the door behind him.
    It doesn’t feel so good when he does it.
    “Exactly, Jake! What the hell? Do you see me? I’m as big as a house! I waddle, I’m emotional, uncomfortable, MARRIED to you , pregnant with your baby, and you have the audacity to jump my shit about Derek? Really, Jake?”
    I will not cry. I will not cry over Jake and his neanderthal antics.
    “Pregnant with our baby,” he corrects sharply.
    “Well, you seem to be forgetting that part. How dare you accuse me of wanting Derek when I spend every day growing an extension of our love inside of me ?How fucking dare you, Jake Houston?!”
    “How dare me ?!” he roars, inching closer, placing his hand on the small of my back and pulling me firmly into his embrace.
    “He touched you here. This is mine, April. Mine. ”
    My pulse races as he grips me tighter. I’m so mad at him… but I’m also really turned on.
    “Maybe I need to remind you of all the ways you’re mine. We can’t have you forgetting who you belong to, April. Especially when Derek smiles at you as if you’re his one and only because we both know you belong to me and only me .”
    “Jake.” My whispered plea is captured by his lips. Those lips fit so perfectly against mine—there’s no way God didn’t intend for them to be there for eternity. His tongue meets mine in a synchronicity which can only exist between us. A fire burns deep inside my soul, one only he can light.
    Within minutes, Jake has managed to get us both naked, into the bedroom, and onto our bed. His mouth descends onto my breasts and his tongue flicks against my hardening nipples. “Mine,” he growls, and his mouth drops lower, his lips blazing a trail of kisses across my entire belly while his hands worship every single inch of it. When he whispers “ ours ” so reverently, it almost brings me to