Read Online Music of the Soul by Katie Ashley - Free Book Online Page B

recreation of the beach scene in From
    Here to Eternity. We made it a little further onto the shore before the palms of my hands got extremely
    exfoliated after he’d pushed me onto my knees and had taken me doggy style. I never knew there could
    be such a thing as sand burn, but I had red, almost raw places on my elbows and knees.
    Around six, the catamaran had arrived with dinner. We ate outside on the porch and watched the
    gorgeous sunset. To walk off the enormous amount of food we had consumed, we took a stroll on the
    beach that led to another roll in the sand. Once we recovered, Jake had lit the bonfire before grabbing
    a blanket and wrapping me in his arms. The conversation flowed easily between us as we rehashed
    all that had happened at the wedding and reception.
    “Jude and Melody did so well, didn’t they?” I asked.
    Jake nodded. “They sure did. I think they’ll have their duties down to an art by the time AJ and
    Mia’s wedding rolls around.”
    “Probably so. Of course, Mia wants Bella to have a part, too.” I smiled up at him. “Didn’t Bella
    look adorable yesterday? I loved when you danced with her and Melody together. So sweet.”
    Jake remained uncharacteristically quiet. “You and Bella together are trouble.”
    My brows furrowed at his comment. “What do you mean?”
    “It was the way you looked at her while you held her.”
    “And just how did I look at her?”
    “Like you were dreaming she was yours.”
    “I did not!” I protested, as embarrassed heat enflamed my cheeks.
    “Yeah, you did.”
    I stared up at the sky encrusted with glittering stars. There was some truth in what Jake said. As
    Bella snuggled into my chest, emitting a tiny little sigh, I did imagine what it would be like to have a
    baby—Jake’s baby—sleeping in my arms. “I was just holding her for Mia and AJ to dance,” I said
    softly.
    “But you did wish she was yours,” Jake insisted.
    “Ours,” I corrected him. I heaved a frustrated sigh. “She’s my goddaughter—I’m always going to
    feel a close connection to her. But I know she has two amazing parents who love her. And yeah, I was
    thinking about babies and children when I held her. Mainly, it was the overwhelming emotion of just
    how much I want a baby of our own—not just mine, but yours.” I cut my eyes over to his. “I don’t
    have to dream or fantasize about what will really happen in the future, do I?”
    Jake jerked a hand through his hair. “I’ve been worried when you became Mrs. Jake Slater, your
    desire for kids would go into overdrive, and now I see I was right.”
    “Is wanting a baby such a bad thing?”
    “When it’s going to be five years before we have one, then yeah, it is bad for you to get so
    attached to the idea.”
    My brows shot up in surprise. “Now it’s five years? I thought it was two US tours and one
    world?”
    Jake shrugged. “It’s just a good number.”
    Peering into his face, I asked, “Why are you really afraid of having kids?”
    “I’m not.”
    “Yes, you are.”
    Jake’s jaw clenched and unclenched before he spoke. “Look, I’ll openly admit I’m a selfish son
    of a bitch about having kids right now, but I’m not afraid. You’re only twenty-three, Abby. You have
    the rest of your life to be tied down with a kid.”
    My mouth gaped open at his words. “Tied down? Is that what you think of Mia or Lily? Are they
    bound by their kids?”
    “No, that’s not what I meant.”
    “Then what do you mean?”
    With a grimace, Jake said, “Kids change everything, okay? We’ve only had two years together. I
    want a few more before we bring kids into the picture.”
    “Is your aversion to fatherhood because of your dad?”
    Jake’s expression darkened. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
    I opened my mouth and then closed it shut. I didn’t think I was ready to test out my theory on
    Jake, especially now that he was pissed off. “Abby?” he prompted.
    Drawing in a ragged breath, I