Believe: The Complete Channie Series (129 page)

He kicked them aside.

Channie stepped closer and slid her hands up his chest. She sighed as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her nearly naked body against his. The feel of her bare skin against his almost sent him over the edge.

Josh slammed his eyes shut.
Calm down. Think about something gross. Fried liver, maggots, dirty diapers…it’s not working!
Magic. Use magic. I want this to be the best sex Channie has ever had.

Josh sighed in relief as his body relaxed. He was still aroused—more so than he’d ever remembered—but he was back in control. He slid his hands under Channie’s thighs and picked her up.

She gasped in surprise then wrapped her legs around his waist. Josh kissed her soundly as he turned and lowered them both to the bed.

Channie broke the kiss. “I want under the covers.”

Josh would have preferred to keep every inch of her exposed to his hungry eyes, but it was more important for her to be comfortable. “As you wish.”

He helped her slide between the sheets. They laid on their sides, facing each other. He brushed a tendril of hair off her face then trailed his fingers down her neck, to her collarbone, over the top curve of her breast then pressed his palm against her heart. “You’re glowing.”

“So are you. Now, kiss me. Please.”

He wasn’t going to make her beg. He kissed her eyes, her lips, her nose and worshipped her body with his hands. It didn’t take long for them to shed the last bits of cloth separating them.

Channie wove her fingers through his hair and devoured his mouth until his lips were sore and swollen. He didn’t care. He’d kiss her until his lips fell off if that’s what she wanted. She twisted her head to the side and whispered one word, “Please.”

Josh’s heart leapt into his throat. He didn’t need to ask, ‘please, what.’ He knew what she wanted. He rolled her onto her back and slid on top, supporting his weight with his elbows.

Nothing could have prepared him for the total bliss of joining their bodies. He marveled at the way they fit together so perfectly, like two matching pieces of a puzzle. Both of them trembled but Josh wasn’t nervous. Not anymore. The physical pleasure was more intense than anything he’d ever imagined, but it was more than that. More than just sex. He gazed into Channie’s brimming eyes and blinked back tears of his own. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She cupped his face with her hands then hooked her heels behind his knees.

“Oh!” Josh pulled up more magic.
Make it last!

“Please, Josh. I need you.” Channie’s voice was so quiet, barely a whisper, but intense with emotion. “I need more.”

He could fight his own primal urges but not hers. His body reacted instinctively as their heart-bond lit up the room.

Channie fisted the sheets and arched her back then cried out his name.

Heat bloomed in Josh’s heart, expanding his chest with love and pride.
I did this. I gave her this pleasure.

But when she collapsed beneath him, her body limp and lifeless, Josh froze. He knew that sex during pregnancy was okay. If it weren’t Kassie never would have let Hunter touch her. But he didn’t know if there were any restrictions. He’d tried to be slow and gentle, but he’d lost control for a bit when Channie called out his name. “Babe? Are you okay?”

Her eyelids fluttered open as a lazy smile spread across her face. “I love it when you call me ‘babe.’ And I’m much better than just ‘okay.’”

He dropped his chin in relief.

“Your turn.”

“Huh?”

“I know you didn’t finish.”

“Oh. That’s okay.” This was about her, not him. He ducked down to kiss her forehead.

“You don’t want me to feel like a bad wife, do you?” She stuck her lower lip out in an adorable pout.

“No. Of course not.”

“Then don’t stop.”

Knowing that he’d already helped her find her release, freed Josh to find his own. It didn’t take long.

Another missing chunk of his life fell into place as he collapsed on top of Channie. He remembered their wedding and their wedding night. There were no flashbacks this time. He simply
remembered.
But the thing that pleased him most was the sudden boost of confidence. His mind finally believed what his heart had been telling him all along.
She loves me as much as I love her.

Channie patted his back. “Can’t…breathe.”

“Sorry.” Josh didn’t want to lose their connection so he held onto Channie as he rolled onto his back. He ran his fingers up and down her spine, knowing it would make her sigh. It did. He smiled as he remembered doing that on their wedding night.

Channie slid off him and frowned.

Josh propped himself up on his elbows. “What’s wrong?”

She lifted the covers and gasped. “You didn’t use one of those things!”

“What things?” Josh grabbed the sheet and covered himself. He was no longer shy in front of Channie but the scowl on her face that accompanied her clinical scrutiny of his junk was a little insulting. “What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t use one of those things to keep me from getting pregnant!”

“A condom?”

“Yeah.”

“But…you’re already pregnant.”

Channie blinked then cocked her head to the side and frowned. “No, I’m not.”

All the air rushed out of Josh’s lungs, as if someone had just sucker punched him in the gut. After all she’d been through, Josh wasn’t surprised she’d lost the baby. But he was shocked by the blast of grief that destroyed his post-sex glow.

This should be good news. Their lives were in too much turmoil. War, subterfuge, deadly curses and an epic battle with an evil witch hung over their heads. And even if they weren’t living under the constant threat of impending death, they were too young to have a kid. If losing the baby was hard for Josh, it must have devastated Channie. He sat up then pulled her onto his lap and pressed the side of her face against his heart. “I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t understand.” She put her hands on his chest and gently pushed away from him. “Why did you think I was pregnant?”

“Mom mentioned it…wait…you were never pregnant?”

Channie cupped his cheeks with her palms. “No.”

“Then why did my mother say you were?”

“When your father questioned you about us getting married, you led him to believe it was because you’d knocked me up. He must have told her.”

“Oh. That makes sense.” But the fact that Josh’s heart still ached for a baby that had never existed made no sense whatsoever.

Channie swiped the tears from Josh’s cheeks with the pads of her thumbs. “I had no idea you wanted a baby.”

“I didn’t…until I thought we had one on the way.”

“Well…” She smiled and arched her eyebrows. “It’s possible we do now.”

Josh closed his eyes and groaned. “I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t want a baby?”

Josh opened his eyes and shook his head. “Not until this war is over and definitely not until I’m able to access my trust fund.”

“My cycles haven’t started up yet, so we’re probably okay.”

“You haven’t gotten your periods yet?” Josh’s voice squeaked as if he were the one that hadn’t passed puberty.

Channie rolled her eyes. “Of course I have. But I messed up my cycles with magic when I was trying to keep from molesting you.”

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t miss the cramps and the inconvenience, but I’m a little concerned about whether or not I’ll ever be able to conceive.” She dipped her chin and hid behind her hair. “Especially since I know how much you want a child now.”

“Channie.” Josh lifted her chin with his finger and forced her to meet his gaze. “Right now, all I want is you.”

“But what if I can’t—”

“Then we’ll adopt.” Josh laid back, pulling Channie on top of him. “I don’t suppose you have any condoms, do you?”

She poked his chest and grinned. “Those things are your responsibility.”

Josh grabbed her waist to lift her off his body before he gave in to temptation. “I’ll pick some up tomorrow.”

Channie refused to be moved. She rocked her hips and grinned at him.

“Hey…that’s not nice.”

“Just use magic.”

“What?”

“Magical birth control.”

Josh’s mouth dropped open. “How?”

A pink flush spread across Channie’s cheeks. “I don’t know how guys do it. Ask Hunter.”

“I can’t. He has my phone.”

Channie sighed then slid off, draping one knee across his thighs. “I guess we’ll just have to figure out some other way to keep ourselves entertained.”

A
shrill whistle woke Channie. Her body twitched as she startled awake. A flash of joy warmed her when she felt Josh’s arms tighten around her. But it was short-lived.

Josh threw the covers off and ran to the bedroom door. He tapped the doorknob with his fingers then wrapped his hand around it. “It doesn’t feel hot, but I want you to stand back, just in case.”

Channie sniffed the air. “Oh no. I forgot to have you set the timer for the cornbread.”

Josh yanked the door open and ran into the kitchen.

Channie wrapped a sheet around herself then followed him.

It was surprising how much smoke one small pan of cornbread could produce. She was disappointed that the cornbread was ruined, but she’d burn it on purpose if it meant she’d get to watch Josh run around the kitchen buck naked again.

Once they got the smoke alarm turned off, they got dressed.

She opened all the windows in the house while Josh built a fire in the fireplace. She poured a can of Progresso Chicken and Dumpling soup into a pan and hovered over the stove until it was done. She wasn’t going to risk another kitchen disaster.

Josh opened a bag of prepackaged salad then carried everything into the main room so they could eat in front of the fire and stay warm.

He crossed his ankles and sank to the floor, sitting cross-legged on the bear skin rug. He picked at his food and stared into the fire, instead of at Channie. She was glad he’d overcome his shyness, but she sort of missed the awestruck expression on his face every time he looked at her.

She sat beside him and nudged his knee with hers. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

“Josh, look at me.” Channie scooted around until she was right in front of him. “You’ve barely said a word since getting out of bed. What’s wrong?”

His shoulders drooped as he exhaled. “I can’t believe I let your mother kidnap you.”

“You didn’t
let
her do anything.”

“I just had a flashback and I remember everything about that afternoon.” Josh shoved his fingers in his hair, a clear sign of distress. “I didn’t even try to curse her!”

“You couldn’t have stopped Momma without killing her.”

His eyes flashed. “If I had, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Channie rose up onto her knees and cupped Josh’s face with her hands. “I happen to
like
this situation.”

“Your mother is still out there, looking for you and she still wants to kill you.”

One of the logs in the fireplace broke in half with a loud
crack
, releasing a fountain of sparks. Several of them landed on the bear skin rug. Josh barely glanced at the embers, but he had them floating in the air, drifting back into the fireplace before they’d so much as singed a single hair on the rug.
Amazing.

Channie dropped her hands and sank back on her heels. “At least we’re together. This place is wonderful. It’s almost like it’s our own home.”

Josh huffed and rolled his eyes. “You’re being held against your will. This place is a prison.”

“I don’t mind, as long as you’re here with me.”

“I have to leave tomorrow morning in time to get to school before first period.”

“Oh.” Channie ducked her chin to hide her disappointment. “Of course.”

Josh wrapped his arms around his shins and rested his chin on his knees. “I don’t want to go. But Dad seems to think it’s important.”