All Chapters of Wanted By Josh Carter: His Father, My Lover : Chapter 191 - Chapter 199

Laura’s POVThe sand was warm and powdery under my bare feet, the kind that slips between your toes like sugar. Jason’s hand was wrapped firmly around mine, fingers laced, swinging lightly between us as we walked along the water’s edge. The breeze coming off the turquoise sea was cool and salty, lifting my hair, playing with the hem of my little white beach skirt, and making Jason’s linen shirt flutter open just enough to flash those perfect abs every few seconds.He tilted his face to the sky, sunglasses hiding his eyes but not the smile. “Sun, sea, summer, and the woman of my life holding my hand… Christ, Lau, I could live the rest of my days exactly like this and die happy.”I laughed, bumping his shoulder with mine. “Careful, Mr. Davies. That almost sounded like a proposal to become beach bums.”He grinned, all white teeth and golden skin. “Tempting. We sell everything, buy a little shack on stilts, live off coconuts and sex. I’ll grow a beard, you’ll wear flowers in your hair… w

Laura’s POV The sun was bleeding orange and pink across the horizon when we finally dragged ourselves out of the sea, limbs heavy, skin wrinkled like prunes, laughing so hard our ribs hurt. Jason had spent the last hour giving me piggy-back rides through the waves, deliberately dunking me every time I called him “old man,” and I’d retaliated by trying and failing to push him under. We were children again, the kind who had never been hurt, never been divorced, never learned how sharp love can cut. By the time we stumbled back toward the villa, the sky had turned lavender and the first stars were blinking on. We walked wrapped around each other, his arm heavy across my shoulders, my cheek pressed to the warm, salty skin of his chest. Neither of us spoke; we didn’t need to. The silence felt safe. At the outdoor shower, Jason flicked the lever and frowned. “Heater’s taking its sweet time again.” I shivered dramatically, teeth chattering for effect. “I’m freezing!” He laughed a

Laura’s POVThe second we stepped out of the jetway at JFK, I heard her before I saw her.“Mommy! Daddy!”Annie’s little voice cut through the airport noise like a bell, and then she was sprinting toward us, curls bouncing, pink backpack flapping behind her like wings. My heart exploded.Jason dropped our carry-on bags without ceremony and crouched just in time for her to launch herself at us. I knelt too, and suddenly we were a tangled, giggling pile of arms and legs and happy tears.“Mommy Daddy! You guys came back!” she squealed, squeezing my neck so tight I could barely breathe.“Oh, my baby,” I whispered, pressing kisses into her hair that still smelled like Ava’s strawberry shampoo. “We missed you so, so much.”Jason’s big hand cupped the back of her head, his voice suspiciously thick. “Hey, princess. Look at you practically grew an inch while we were gone.”Annie pulled back just enough to beam at us, one front tooth conspicuously missing. “I lost a tooth! The Tooth Fairy gave

Third POV Josh came home later than usual that evening, tie loosened, sleeves rolled up, the faint scent of city rain still clinging to his coat. The house was quieter than it should have been at seven p.m.; no music drifting from the kitchen, no Cassie humming while she folded tiny onesies. Just the low hum of the refrigerator and the soft patter of October rain against the windows. He found her in the nursery, sitting in the rocking chair, staring at the empty crib as if it had already betrayed her. One hand rested protectively over her belly, the other clutched a crumpled tissue. “Hey,” he said softly, crouching in front of her. “Talk to me.” The story spilled out in broken pieces: Beckie’s visit, the lemonade rings still on the coffee table, the way Beckie’s voice had cracked when she said complicit. Cassie cried without sound, shoulders shaking, terrified she had lost her best friend forever over a choice that wasn’t even hers to begin with. Josh listened without inte