by Ciara Cole
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he asked thickly, with no accusation or resentment in his tone. “I would have loved to be a father.”
Tears bloomed in her eyes and then fell like diamond petals down her cheeks. “I was afraid. It was irrational of me, but I was so sure you’d reject them, and me. I think in my heart I felt we’d never be good enough for you. It’s not an excuse, but…”
Without another word, Max pulled her tightly into his arms. “You don’t have to explain anymore. It’s over, Indiana, all the heartache. I’m never going to leave you again.”
“Oh Max.”
“I’m going to be a dedicated father to our kids. The instant I saw them, I suddenly realized why in the past months I thought of you more and more and hoped for us to find each other. And in essence, hoped for them too.”
“I can imagine. I kept feeling this longing and remorse. I just had to move to New York and somehow let things work themselves out, ” Indiana said on a sigh.
“Now we have the rest of our lives to try,” Max said softly and kissed the tip of her nose.
That simple act made Indiana giggle like a teenager, and she reluctantly broke out of the embrace. She then wiped her eyes and wore a big, genuine smile before taking Max’s big hand in hers and turning to introduce him to Robyn and Ryder.
***
“Yes!” Indiana screamed in triumph, cheering Ryder on as he made it past the defender, moving around him and causing the other boy to lose balance. Once Ryder got close to the net, he wasted no time going in for the shot.
He totally beat the goalkeeper, whom he dribbled past to score the winning goal.
Indiana jumped on her feet once the soccer ball hit the back of the net. She waved her arms high, proud of Ryder. The game was over, and his team had won. Ryder and his team mates of five year olds did their victory dance.
Behind Indiana, she heard a husky laugh that rumbled through her.
“He’s just like me after I score,” Drew said, causing Indiana to turn around with a gasp.
She leaped into her brother’s arms, noticing that he wasn’t in his fatigues, which meant he had been home. Drew hugged his sister tight and then drew back, his chocolate skinned, bearded face splitting in a dazzling, white-toothed grin.
“Uncle Drew!” Robyn said, hugging his legs. She’d grown over the past two years. She was five now and bossy. She was also a tomboy because of her brother Ryder.
“Hey to you too, Roro,” he teased, using his nickname for her and laughing with pleasure as he lifted her up high in the air, making her squeal with giggles.
Just then, Ryder ran up to give his uncle a hug too, as always over the moon his beloved, only uncle was back from the Marines.
He always stayed with them whenever he could and had flown to New York just hours earlier. “Let’s go, kids, so we can go eat with Aunt Macy,” Drew said, and the twins happily followed their mother and uncle to the car.
“I should have figured out that Macy already knows you’re back.” Indiana’s tone was teasing. She sensed Macy was one of the reasons that Drew made it to New York as much as he did. Indiana didn’t want to pressure either her brother or best friend for details, but she guessed that something was happening between them.
Once they got to Macy’s house, the twins flew out and ran up the steps. The front door opened to reveal Macy. She let the kids skip past her and waved at Indiana and Drew, her pregnant belly exposed for the world to see. Indiana hadn’t tried to pry too much about that too, as over the months she’d seen Macy develop a bump. Macy had admitted she was pregnant but not who the father was yet. But Indiana only had to look at Drew’s face, see the pride, and know her suspicions were right.
Drew had always been very private and not the type to get crazy over women, so Indiana could understand he’d pick his own time to make it official. But there was no doubt that both Drew and Macy were crazy about each other.
“It’s amazing how big her belly’s getting,” Drew whispered to Indiana, who smiled up at him.
“I heard that,” Macy growled as Indiana and Drew walked to the door. “You have been gone four months, remember?”
“I’m just glad to be back home,” Drew sighed as they crossed the threshold. The simple statement held so much meaning to Indiana’s ears, and seeing how Drew and Macy smiled gave Indiana a pang.
It made Indiana miss Max all the more for the fact he was in faraway Japan at a gamers’ convention. His billion-dollar empire had expanded further over the past two years, and months ago he’d designed a cutting-edge sports game console that was topping all the charts. Indiana couldn’t begrudge the fact that Max worked hard to make sure his family never lacked a thing.
Even with him being days and sometimes weeks away from home, Indiana loved and trusted him, and that was all that mattered.
They all gathered at the table and started eating. Macy had cooked for an army, and Drew had no qualms loading his plate like no tomorrow with some of the cornbread, mashed potatoes, greens, fried pork chops in gravy, and apple pie.
“What?” he asked Indiana innocently as she stared at him loading his plate.
She couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head at him. "Oh, nothing."
She watched as Macy reached over and wiped the mashed potatoes off Drew’s upper lip in a natural, loving gesture that made Indiana coo.
“Y’all are adorable,” Indiana teased, smiling.
“Thanks Ma,” Drew said wryly and went back to stuffing his face. With all those big muscles, Indiana had no doubt he’d have a big appetite to match.
“When are you and Max having more kids?” Macy asked out of nowhere, and Indiana almost choked on her water.
The twins were instantly worried for Mommy, but she reassured them once she’d gotten her breath back, while thumping her chest. Drew added on a few loud pounds on her back for good measure till she stopped him with her hand in the air.
“Macy’s serious. You know that, right?” Drew asked.
“I know she’s serious. I just didn’t think she’d say it at dinner in front of the twins.” Indiana shot her best friend a look.
“You always did say you wanted a whole house full of kids. And let’s admit it, you and Max have a whole lot of room to fill up in that enormous mansion,” Macy teased with a grin, referring to the nine-bedroom, red brick manor Max had moved them into after the wedding.
“We’ll work on that,” Indiana said drily and started to eat again.
“We will too,” Drew said, shocking both Indiana and Macy as he took Macy’s hand over the table for a brief moment. “It’s our first baby, but once we get married and the baby’s born, I plan on us having another as soon as we can.”
“Ma…married? We’re getting married?” gasped Macy, even as the kids exclaimed loudly, chanting about their aunt and uncle having babies and having a wedding.
Indiana shushed them but was beaming almost as hard as Macy, whose gaze was locked with Drew’s over the table. Indiana knew she’d have to get the kids to quickly finish their meal and then have all three of them head home and leave the two lovebirds together.
Indiana was in the kitchen helping to finish up the dishes when Macy came in. “Max will be home soon, won’t he?” she asked.
“In a couple of days,” said Indiana, drying off her hands.
“Good, because y’all need some mommy and daddy time too. And don’t give me that look like how do I know that you need some. I can tell you miss him in every way. The last few weeks, you’ve been all stiff.”
Indiana finally sighed and turned around to face her best friend. “Every few days he has to be off to a different city on business. I have a busy schedule too, but at least my work doesn’t take me all over the place, leaving my family on their own.”
“You know if Max could help it, he would.” Macy wrapped a comforting arm around Indiana’s waist. “Max totally adores you and the kids. I know exactly how you feel since I have to endure Drew being away for long pe
riods at a time while he’s serving. It’s up to me to always keep in mind that I should appreciate each precious moment together and not spend most of it feeling angry that they’ll be off again sooner or later.”
Indiana went thoughtful, wondering if she had been showing some kind of anger deep within. She’d been so sure she’d been all supportive of Max’s hectic lifestyle, but if she had to admit, she’d withdrawn little by little around Max. With the sex, too.
Was that her own little way of protesting that he seemed to like his business more than he cared for her and the kids?
“Once Max gets home on Sunday, I’m going to make sure we fix all that,” Indiana said firmly and won a deep smile from Macy.
Indiana didn’t want her marriage to Max to fall apart. He’d been a natural with the kids from the first day he’d met them. Two months later, they’d had a wedding to top all weddings in extravagance and romance. Where had all those indulgent emotions gone?
When was the last time she took to really tell Max she loved him? Indiana had never been good with words when it came to verbalizing affection. She hated that she could still be so stiff after two years of marriage to the most incredible husband and father.
She was going to take Macy’s advice and let go of her deep-set anger and appreciate the precious moments she did have with Max whenever he was home.
Trust Macy to have an answer to whatever troubled Indiana even when Indiana didn’t know it herself that she was mad. That was the great thing about having a best friend with whom they’d hit off from the very first day of high school, and would now soon be part of the same family once Macy married Drew.
Also, Indiana was definitely keeping to her word about fixing things with growing their little family of four.
Indiana thought of Max’s family and how his parents might feel about having more grandchildren. Even though Indiana couldn’t match Max’s zeros in his bank account when they’d met again two years ago, his parents had never treated her badly or looked at her differently. Once Max introduced her and the twins, his parents had put to rest their matchmaking plans with those other women for good.
Chapter Ten
Two nights later, Indiana stood in the doorway of the mansion, her curly brown hair surrounding her while wearing a white strappy dress that teased all her curves in the right places. She matched her look with sexy black pumps that reached sky-high. Not too over-the-top for welcoming her husband home from his trip, surely?
His eyes looked stormy once they fell on her as he walked up to the front door. Thank goodness the kids were safely asleep in bed. Forgetting about the fact he was watching her, Indiana got caught up herself as she watched him. She loved how his hair was flicked back carelessly, and the way his suit hugged his muscles. Oh and those juicy lips of his curving in that knowing smile. Hot damn! She was going to cream right there on the doorstep, he was just so fine. He hadn’t lost an ounce of his magnetism even after two years after marriage.
“Hi. What’s your name?” he asked thickly.
Indiana shivered deeply and instantly went into character. Oooh, “sexy strangers role play” mode activated.
“I’m…Anushka. And yours?”
“Just call me Sir. Anushka…such a unique name.”
She smiled sultrily, wrapping her fingers around the knot of his tie and slowly bringing herself up to his body. “That’s good. We’ve got something in common. You like my name, and I like you.”
“So, Anushka, do you have any plans for us this evening?”
“A nice candlelit dinner, and some chocolate cake for dessert.”
“Ah. I can just imagine burying my face in it right now,” he said, his eyes looking like they had a darker meaning to them.
Lord, it had to be illegal to look and sound the way he did. When did she get so lucky? Max could easily have married himself one of those model type, high-maintenance ladies his parents had tried foisting on him in the past. Yet he’d picked her.
“Mm mm. All in good time. Sir.”
Indiana had prepared a splendid Italian-style meal, the dinner setting craftily decorated to suit the night’s sensual theme. Soft lighting, incense, and seductive damask draped the table.
“How mysterious,” Max murmured with a pleased smile as they finally sat down to eat. “Delicate and beautiful. Just like you.”
Indiana blushed as Max took her hand and kissed it with sensuous chivalry. “You’re far too kind,” she purred and watched him fill their crystal goblets with the chilled champagne.
“Or simply caught beneath your spell. Happily so.”
Indiana merely smiled prettily, lifting a forkful of linguine arrosto to her lips. Tilting her hand just so, she let some cream sauce spill onto her bust, bared by her daring neckline.
“Oops,” she said with innocently blinking eyes as the liquid slid slowly down into her cleavage. “I think I’m going to need some help, Sir.”
“It’s not nice to play with your food. Wouldn’t want to get punished, now would you?” Max growled.
“Punished? How?” she asked wide-eyed.
He leaned in closer to her face so that he could whisper in her left ear, “Yes, Anushka. Punished. As in me taking you over my knee and spanking your gorgeous ass.”
His soft breaths hitting her neck, his hand caressing her knee, soon made it difficult to think or even breathe. He lapped at the droplets of sauce she’d trickled on her rounded breasts, his tongue wickedly teasing the flesh before his teeth nipped at her jutting nipple evident through the thin dress. Indiana shuddered and clutched at his upper arms.
“Max, what are you doing?” she moaned, breaking out of character without thinking.
“Trying to seduce my wife,” he growled.
Indiana laughed softly and kissed him on the lips before letting the kisses trail down his neck.
“I missed you,” she said, letting her fingers pull at the hem of his shirt. His hands in turn danced across her skin, burning what they touched. She tugged off his shirt to expose his torso.
“Missed you too and got on the first flight home. Couldn’t stay away from this beauty,” he said, grabbing his wife’s ass. Indiana gave a yelp and smacked him lightly on the chest.
“Come on, let’s take it to the bedroom before the kids wake up and walk in on us,” she said, laughing. Only for the sound to trickle to a gasp when Max swept her into his arms. He easily carried her to their bedroom, and then he let her slide in slow descent down his body to stand her on her feet.
“Why do you always have to be so beautiful?” he said, eyes skimming her face like one riveted.
“Why do you always have to be so sexy?” she replied, lacing her arms around his neck.
He bent to capture her lips, and she met him halfway. His arms tightened around her waist, holding her still. Long minutes later, their kiss finally parted and they looked at each other with smiles.
“I love you, Max.”
“I love you, Indiana.”
Without another word, Indiana took his hand and drew Max to the bed. Suddenly she shoved him backwards and watched him land on the mass of pillows. She smirked and slowly stripped down to her underwear as Max watched from where he sat on the bed.
“Stay right there,” she warned as he seemed ready to move and seize her down onto the bed to him.
“I think you're trying to make me hungry again,” he murmured. “Maybe I should have had you for dinner.”
“Two years of marriage, and your sex drive hasn’t changed.” She shook her head at him happily, then sobered. “Happily married with twins and nothing to ruin it for us–isn’t that the best feeling ever?”
“Yes,” Max said, the frivolous humor gone from his voice too. “I know what you’ve been going through, having to see me go on those business trips and such. It makes my stomach hurt to ever make you or the kids worry that I was too busy to care, or that I wasn’t coming home. Because none of that’s going to happen. I’ll always come home.”
“There’s
a simple way to solve everything, you know,” Indiana suggested with a smile as she knee-walked from the edge of the bed to where he rested against the headboard. “When you do go to work, come home before midnight. Maybe even take off time from the company. I know you feel like you have a lot to prove, making a good life for us. But Max, it’s important to be in our kids’ lives.”
Max cupped her face and sighed, looking deep in her eyes. “I know, baby, and that’s why I’ve been making plans for the past two months to cut down on many of my engagements. For one, I finally got to sell the startup. Now, I can focus on my personal pursuits and even work from home.”
Both Max and Indiana had finally gotten into business together and opened a health, wellness and yoga retreat on a beautiful acreage property in the most serene location in the city. Indiana had been in charge of running it. However, she’d slowed down to focus on only taking private clients while a management team handled the retreat.
Now Indiana held yoga classes for her private clientele in her professional studio at home or occasionally in the residences of the clients. She got to pick her hours and still got to enjoy teaching and practicing yoga.
Right then, however, Indiana was shocked that Max had sold his start-up company! She gaped at him in a daze and saw him grin.
“Don’t worry, I made a more than healthy profit,” he teased and then added softly, “I want to prove that I didn’t marry you just to take responsibility for the kids. I married you because I loved you and I knew you loved me back. I’d never want you to think that I’ve changed.”
“I know you haven’t,” Indiana said and meant it. She pushed aside the guilt she felt at how annoyed with him she’d been deep inside until Macy had called her out two nights ago.
“It’s settled then. I’m going to be around more often and going to spend more time with you and the kids,” he promised.
“I hope so,” she half-glowered.
Max smirked, that familiar gleam shining in his eyes. He suddenly yanked her toward his body until she was pressed up against him. Then he smashed his mouth to hers.