Chapter 386

It was one of those rare weekday afternoons when Ashton didn’t have to go into work. The kids were in the other room, and for the first time in weeks, we had the bedroom to ourselves. To celebrate, he decided... He leaned in slowly, closing the distance bit by bit. I could feel the heat in his breath, see the desire flickering in his eyes. Finally, our lips met. Just then, the sharp cry of two babies pierced through from the other room. Instantly, we both sat up and leapt out of bed. ‘Mum’s coming, Mum’s coming…’ The sound of their wailing tugged at something deep inside me, twisting my chest until it hurt. I didn’t feel calm again until I had one of them in my arms. In the nursery, Minnie and Mickey had both woken up and were crying like the world was ending. I scooped up Minnie first—she always had the fiercer temper—while Ashton took Mickey, who was usually the calm and easy one. But today, something was off. Mickey was crying harder than usual, squirming in Ashton’s arms like he wa