Working For It

by BJ Harvey

  Her low, keening moan fills the air as I fill her to the hilt, her arms wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me down onto her.

  “So… damn… good,” she whimpers, pressing her lips to mine and holding them there. The fingers of one hand grip my hair and pull it tight

  Gilly hooks her leg around my hip and digs the heel of her foot into my ass. She presses her lips to mine. “I need you, Ez. It’s been too damn long since I felt you—”

  I steal her words right out of her mouth, thrusting my tongue between her lips as I slowly bury my cock inside her. I jerk my head up just in time to see that look of bliss I’ve missed.

  There’s nothing like the feel of Gilly, but this time she’s wetter, hotter, and absolutely perfect.

  Our hips move together, each thrust and roll, each stroke in and out, back and forth, driving me higher. My body is so amplified with sensation that my fast-approaching orgasm has me scared for my survival.

  Snaking my hand between our bodies, I frame my fingers around the base of my cock, feeling every stroke as I glide in and out. I rub my thumb over her clit as our mouths meet in a frenzied kiss, her nails biting into my skin. She arches her back and grinds her hips against mine. She pants into my mouth, her whimpers and cries sending waves of pleasure straight down my back to the base of my cock, making it throb harder and faster.

  I fight against my self-control when Gilly starts clenching around my cock, her movements going from slow to frantic as our mouths devour each other. I push myself deeper, faster, willing her to come so I can give myself over too.

  She moans against my lips one last time, and I lose it, letting myself go. I thrust into her twice more before my climax claims me, rocking me to my core at the realization that this is one woman I’m never going to be able to let go. The connection we have—visions of the life we could have—rock me to my core.

  I brush my lips against hers, our breaths coming in hard and fast pants as we come down from the high of climax. “I love you, baby mama.”

  She smiles against my neck, the warm air of her breath washing over my skin. “I love you, too.”

  “That’s good. Otherwise, I’d just have to keep you chained to this bed and do what we just did over and over again until you did.”

  She giggles and pushes herself up, so her face hovers over mine. She cradles my jaw with her hand and dips her head, kissing me soft and slow. She shifts sideways until she’s lying on top of me. “Feel free to persuade me anyway…”

  And that’s all the encouragement I need.

  Gilly

  There’s a lot to say about the health benefits of frequent orgasms when you’re in your second trimester.

  As a woman who went from lots of bedroom action before her bang buddy—now baby daddy—knocked her up, to a long break between penis-in-vagina beddings, it’s safe to say I’m welcoming the very regular sex Ezra and I are having.

  But like an addict needing her next fix, walking in the door from a day at the office and craving a long, hot, dirty shower, it’s disappointing when there’s no Ezra to be found. I know he’s in my house somewhere though, because his car is parked outside along with Jamie’s truck, and there’s the low hum of Van Halen coming from upstairs. With Bry and Jax still in their happy new-baby bubble and juggling the joys of parenthood with their day jobs, and Cohen working long shifts, Ez has been helping Jamie with the renovations whenever there is downtime from their other flip. He’s also told me he wants to work on the nursery for our baby and doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty.

  Of course, I offered one particular way he could help me with his hands and get dirty, and he more than willingly obliged.

  Ever since he said he hoped to live in this house one day, I’ve fully encouraged him to voice his opinion on everything. We’re now way past the point of being two people just having a baby. We’re building a life together—a family.

  I venture into the bedroom and take my suit off, putting on one of Ezra’s well-worn Cubs tees that I commandeered last week along with my favorite pair of preggy leggings that I now live in whenever I’m at home.

  Having made a much-needed bathroom stop and put my hair up into a messy bun, I grab two bottles of water for Ezra and myself, and a beer for Jamie before moving up the stairs to the first floor.

  “You better be decent, or if not decent, at least make it worth my while,” I call out from the hallway.

  “A woman after my own heart,” Jamie says while Ezra just laughs. I walk through the doorway where the nursery will be. It’s early days, but I’m so surprised when I walk through and find drywall where I expect to find framing.

  “Oh my God,” I whisper, tears filling my eyes since the whole ‘crying pregnant lady’ phase seems like it’s going to be a full forty-week thing for me.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Ez asks, dropping the hammer he’s holding and rushing to my side.

  “Yeah… I…” I hiccup. “Ugh.” Ezra takes the drinks out of my hands, enabling me to swipe at my cheeks. “When will I stop crying?” I sob.

  Ezra wraps an arm around my shoulder, his shoulders shaking as I bury my face in his chest.

  “I’m guessing maybe eighteen years?” Jamie says. I look up and glare at him, although there’s absolutely no malice behind his words.

  Jamie’s eyes drift over to his best friend. “Dude, her angry look is just as deadly as April’s. You’re screwed.”

  “The trick is not to annoy her and say stupid shit,” Ez replies.

  Jamie bursts out laughing. “You’re definitely dead in the water then.”

  A snort escapes my lips, and I’m soon giggling along with him. Ez presses a kiss to my temple and lifts his water bottle to his mouth.

  Looking around the room, I start picturing exactly where I think things will go: a change table under the new half window, the crib along the far wall, a rocking chair in one corner to read and nurse in, and a big rug in the center of the floor to bring it all together.

  “Oh no, she’s got that super dangerous look on her face,” Jamie says.

  “She has a few of those,” Ez muses. “Which one are you referring to?”

  “She’s totally decorating this room in her head,” Jamie says. My mouth gapes open, and his eyes widen. He points a finger at me. “Ha! I’m right, aren’t I?”

  I recover quickly and shrug, although my cheeks are burning. “Isn’t that something all women do?”

  Jamie snickers. “Abi doesn’t. Cade hired someone to come in and just asked Abi her favorite colors.”

  While his friend is talking, Ezra rests a hand on my ass, something he does whenever he’s not touching my bump, that is. A soft groan rumbles in his throat as his palm roams over where my panty line would be—if I weren’t wearing a thong.

  I look up at him and smirk. “I’m sorry, Ez. What was that? I couldn’t hear you properly.”

  He narrows his eyes as if to say ‘you’ll keep.’ “I was saying Abi was never big on playing Suzy Homemaker until she had kids. Whereas Faith and Delilah would always be sewing and cooking—or in Faith’s case, burning.”

  “How is Del? Have you heard from her lately?” Jamie asks.

  “Hmm,” I muse. “The mysterious sister I haven’t met yet. I was starting to wonder if she was a figment if Ezra’s imagination.”

  “No, no. Delilah Baker is a force to be reckoned with, but she’s always been an adventurer.”

  “Ah, that explains why she’s in… where is it again?” I say, looking up at Ez.

  “Thailand. She wanted to extend her food knowledge and was over working for the man. So, she’s packed up her husband and son, and the three of them are traveling around Europe and Asia for a while.”

  Jamie nods. “Typical Del.” He lifts his beer to his lips and finishes the bottle. “Gilly, do you mind if I just leave everything here until tomorrow? Your boyfriend is helping me for an entire day so we can get the new floors down.”

  “What? Already?”

  Ezra chuckles an
d turns to face me. “Yeah, sweetheart. I want the nursery finished first so you can start nesting, or whatever it’s called.”

  “Four of the most dangerous words ever uttered by a man. ‘Or whatever it’s called,’” Jamie says, sounding more than a little amused.

  I nod at Ez. “Yes, it’s called nesting. Did you read that in that Daddy book I bought you?”

  “I thought that was some BDSM thing you wanted to try with me. Ask Jamie.” Ezra tilts his head at his best friend. “Axel says he’s heard the word Daddy coming from his parents’ bedroom at night.”

  “Oh my God. Nooooo.” My eyes bug out as I slowly turn my eyes to the ‘daddy’ in question.

  Jamie grimaces. “Yeah… a bit of advice? Get all the sex in while you can. As soon as they’re old enough to talk, you don’t know what they’re going to bring up at the most inopportune moment.”

  “It’s a hard job,” Ezra says from beside me, his fingers giving my ass cheek a squeeze through my pants. “But I’m always up for a challenge.”

  “And on that note, I’ll leave you guys to it.” He walks over and kisses my cheek before lifting his chin at Ezra. “I’ll be back around eight a.m. tomorrow so we can have a good run at this flooring. Sound okay?”

  “Thank you, Jamie. I can’t wait to turn this room pink and purple.” I shoot him a wink, and he shakes his head.

  “Say what now?” Ezra asks.

  Jamie chuckles. “I’ll see myself out. You two have a good night.”

  “Oh she will,” Ez says. “She’s getting dinner and a foot rub.”

  “He won’t get anything else cause I’ll be asleep before he finishes one foot!” I add, poking my tongue out at my man.

  “I’m sure he’ll cope,” Jamie says, his crinkled eyes switching between us. “Bye, you two.”

  Ezra and I stand there, me grinning, him with an amused narrow gaze.

  “One foot, ’ey?”

  “After we’ve gone on a little baby visit.” He chuckles, his eyes lit with amusement. “Which one this time?”

  It’s safe to say I’m all over any opportunity to see Joey and Lottie—and their parents too, of course. Having not had any new baby experience, I want as much hands-on training as possible. Ezra thinks I’m a little crazy, but since I melt every time I see him with a baby in his arms, he’s now convinced my idea has merit.

  “Faith and Bry had a bad night with Lottie, and Ronnie said I’m welcome anytime. So…” I say, looking up at him and batting my lashes. I know he’s going to give in, so I decide to press my body to his and make sure he knows indulging me will be worth his while. “You can still give me a foot rub later though. I’ll seriously fall asleep if you do it now.”

  His eyes turn melty. “I’m always up for the challenge of keeping you awake.”

  “Is that so?” I ask, lifting a brow. “Well, I know one thing that’ll keep my eyes open right now…”

  He glides his other hand to my ass and pulls me in flush against him. I’m glad to feel we’re thinking the same thing.

  “You fall asleep, Gilly Nelson.” He dips his head, so he’s all I can see. “And I’ll be giving you new reasons to call me Daddy that have nothing to do with our child.”

  Well, damn.

  “Are spontaneous orgasms a pregnancy symptom?” I ask, earning a puzzled look. “Because I totally just had one.”

  Then Ezra is grabbing my hand and leading me downstairs and through to the bathroom where we enjoy a really long shower.

  And I don’t even have to call him Daddy.

  We ring ahead and offer to bring Italian takeout, something Jax instantly agrees with, and walk through their front door forty minutes later.

  “Hey, it’s just your friendly neighborhood delivery service,” Ez calls out as we take off our shoes.

  “Did you bring condoms?” Jax retorts, popping his head into the entryway.

  “Nah. I won’t need them for another…” Ez looks down at my bump with a smirk, “…at least four months.”

  “Wait, it’s only been four weeks. You shouldn’t need them yet either,” I scoff.

  Jax winks. “I was a Boy Scout. I’m just getting prepared.” He disappears again, and we follow him into the room, an emotional sigh escaping my lips when I see Ronnie nursing Joey in the one-seat recliner chair.

  “He’s also an optimist,” my sister says, smiling at Jax as he bends down and kisses his wife’s lips, then his suckling daughter’s head.

  “I’m a husband who knows his wife well.” Jax grins. Ronnie rolls her eyes and looks at the bag of food in Ezra’s hand.

  “I won’t be much longer, then I can eat while Gilly-Bear gives Jo-jo cuddles.”

  “An uninterrupted meal—there’s a miracle,” Ezra muses.

  Jax and Ronnie nod. “Right? Things they don’t warn you about: on any particular day, you won’t wash, pee, sleep, or eat without being disrupted at some point,” Jax says.

  “Want me to make up a plate for you?” I ask.

  My sister sends me a thankful smile. “Thank you. I’ll come through when she’s done.”

  Ezra grabs my hand and leads me through to the dining room. Jax disappears into the kitchen, returning soon after with plates and cutlery. On his next trip, he brings drinks for everyone.

  By the time we’ve dished up and started eating, Ronnie saunters into the room, baby Joey cradled upright on her chest.

  I look over my shoulder and smile, already picturing myself in her position in just a few short months. It’s both terrifying and exciting—I’m just unsure which feeling is winning right now.

  My cluckiness, though? That’s undeniable.

  “I recognize that look,” Ronnie says with a knowing smirk. “It’s lucky Ez already impregnated you; otherwise he’d be in trouble.”

  Ezra and Jax snicker, and when I turn back to narrow my eyes at my boyfriend, he holds his free hand up in surrender.

  “Hey, she said it, not me.”

  “She’s not wrong though,” Jax says. “Ronnie was already asking to make another Joey just hours after giving birth.”

  “It wasn’t hours,” Ronnie retorts.

  “Yeah, Barbie. It totally was. And if it were physically possible, I totally would’ve obliged.”

  My sister sighs. “I blame the endorphins.”

  “Yeah. They’re probably what got you knocked up in the first place,” I muse, earning myself a poked-out tongue.

  I quickly take another mouthful and wipe my mouth with a napkin before standing and moving toward my niece and sister.

  “Gimme my baby,” I demand, arms outstretched.

  She arches a brow. “Your baby? I’m sorry, I don’t remember you being the one whose vagina now resembles overcooked Italian beef.”

  Jax and Ezra groan, and there’s a clang of cutlery meeting plates behind us. “And I’m done with dinner after that,” Ezra sighs. “Also done with having my favorite lunch for a while.”

  Jax chuckles. “Aww, it’s okay, Ez. I promise you, it looks nothing like that.”

  “If I wasn’t hungry before, I’m definitely not now,” I say with a grimace.

  Ronnie carefully helps me place a now sleeping Joey in my arms, then bends over in a bow. “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you ensure there’s enough food left for the breastfeeding mama who can’t get enough to eat.”

  I giggle, shaking my head down at my niece. “Your mama is silly.”

  I meet Ezra’s soft gaze and tipped lips as I slowly sway from side to side. “I love you,” he mouths, and I turn to mush inside.

  I lose track of the adult conversation at the table, preferring to cradle the baby, secretly concocting all the possible ways I could run away with her ’cause she’s just so damn cute. Maybe it is lucky I’m already pregnant.

  “How’s the schedule going? Is she in a routine now?” Ezra asks, piquing my interest. He’s totally been reading the Daddy books I bought. I’ve never wanted to jump the man more.

  “She’s on a feed-burp-fee
d-poop-sleep cycle. Every three to four hours. Rinse and repeat,” Jax replies and not for the first time, I wonder when we teleported into a parallel dimension where Jax and Ezra are talking about babies and schedules and poop.

  I zone out and focus back on Joelle Cook. “You’re absolutely beautiful, aren’t you? Just like your mama,” I say, cooing at the little princess I’m rocking in my arms.

  “You better not get any ideas, Gilly. I like you, but if you steal my daughter—family or not—I will hunt you down,” Jax warns, going all scary-daddy on me with his pointed stare.

  I feign an innocent ‘Who, me?’ expression. “I’d never do that.” I totally would. “Besides,” I reply with a grin, “then Ezra would have to beat you up, and I wouldn’t want to be responsible for breaking up the Fantastic Five.”

  Jax shakes his head at me, his smile contagious. Try as I might, I can’t hold mine back. Ezra looks at me with amusement. “Fantastic Five?” he asks, glancing over at Jax. “It has a ring to it. Maybe we should’ve gone with Fantastic Five Flips instead of Cook Brothers Construction.”

  “We should bring it up at the next meeting purely just to see the expression on Jamie’s face.”

  “Can you film that?” Ronnie mumbles around a mouthful of food. “’Cause that shit would be hilarious.”

  “Swear jar,” I muse. “We’ve got a few college funds to pay in to now. Every curse word counts.”

  “She’s not wrong,” Ez murmurs, watching me with a warm look I could so get used to.

  “Ken, chuck a hundred in Joey’s bank account. The way we talk, that’ll put us in credit for at least a week.”

  Jax grins across the table at his wife. “Already done.”

  “Knew I married you for a reason.”

  “Yeah. It was for my huge—”

  “And that, little Joey,” I say, cutting my brother-in-law off, “is why you’re going to be able to go to any Ivy League college you want.”

  “Never a truer word spoken,” Ronnie says with a tired grin. I think back to how caged my little sister used to be before she spread her wings and started living her own life without our parents’ influence. I’ve never seen her more content than she is now. I may have stood up to Sheila and Keith, but I haven’t walked away from them in the way she did. I never had the strength to before, but for my son growing inside my belly—the one currently nudging his cousin’s diaper with what I’m guessing is a foot—I owe it to myself, my baby, and Ezra to make moves to stand on my own two feet.