by Maddie Wade
Why did he have to be so damn gorgeous and fuckable? And why the fuck could I smell his goddamned aftershave?
“Uh, Lex.” Cherry interrupted my inner tirade and I looked up at her. She was pointing behind me and her expression was bemused, with a slight grin.
“Behind you.”
I turned in slow motion, some part of me knowing but not daring to believe. “Hunter!” He was standing in my shop holding a huge bouquet of blue roses. He looked divine, his hair was disheveled making him look boyish, his designer suit wrinkled, he looked fucking amazing.
“Fuck, you're beautiful,” he said as he stepped toward me. He looked off balance, almost nervous. It was cute, it calmed my racing heart to just a flutter.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I take the flowers, inhaling the gorgeous scent from them as I hold them to my nose.
“You didn’t reply to my email, so I came anyway. I’m sorry it took so long, but I had to clear a few days on the negotiations.”
“What email?” I ask confused.
“The one I sent the morning after you told me about our baby.” His eyes drop to my tummy as he says it. Then he can’t seem to tear his eyes away. His expression is unreadable, and my body heats under his intense stare. I shake my head to clear the fog his look is creating. He mentioned an email. I never got an email.
“I didn’t get it,” I say, his gaze returns to my face.
A frown line appears, he quirks his eyebrow in confusion. “I definitely sent it. Listen can we go somewhere and talk?”
I can’t believe he is here, it all seems so unreal. He is so big! His body practically vibrates with something I can’t identify as he runs his hand through his already messy hair. He is nervous, of what, I’m not sure, but it gives me confidence. I’m not the only one affected by this situation. Belatedly I turn and pass the flowers to Cherry, who is gawking at Hunter.
“Will you look after these if I go out for a few hours?”
She snaps out of her estrogen-induced daze and looks at me. “Yes, go. I have this.”
Swiveling back to Hunter I catch him checking me out, a smile curves my mouth. “I’ll just grab my jacket and bag and we can go.” I quickly run a brush through my hair and pinch my cheeks in the mirror to give them color. Then I head back out to the front throwing my jacket on and swinging my bag over my shoulder.
Hunter is talking to Cherry as he faces the window, his dark, wool coat looks sensational as he stands with his hands jammed in his pockets. He laughs, the sound is so deep and natural that I grin too. He is intoxicating me, just like he did at the bar. He takes up the whole room with his presence, his entire aura screams power, yet he has an ease and gentleness when he looks at me that makes me feel safe.
I don’t know where that thought came from. I didn’t know that I felt anything but safe, but something about having him near makes me feel things that I’ve never felt before. He senses me watching and turns his head, a sexy smirk creases his face when he sees me looking causing a dimple to pop. A blush crawls up my face as I drop my head to avoid his knowing eyes.
God, I’m in so much trouble. My heart has not stopped dancing in my chest since he arrived. I feel giddy with it, part nerves, part anticipation. I feel a pull toward him that I can’t explain and don’t understand. Not five minutes ago I was cussing him out, now he is making my body react with just a look.
“Ready?” he asks moving toward me.
“Yes.” I move to the door, but he gets there before me, swiftly opening it so I can proceed him out. I walk to the curb and stop short at the black sports car that is parked outside my shop. I have no idea what kind of car it is, only that it’s extremely low to the ground and probably cost more than my house.
Hunter opens the door for me and I climb in as he takes my hand to steady me. I feel the electricity like a current of tiny sparkles flash through me as he touches me, and my eyes shoot to his. His face is controlled but I see the desire on his face, he feels it too.
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t think when I asked for my car to be left in the airport parking. So, they probably just picked this because they know I like to drive it when I’ve been cooped up on a plane for hours. I’m not normally such a conceited ass.” He gives me a lopsided grin and I laugh.
“It’s fine,” I giggle. Yes, I giggle as he releases me to walk around the hood of the car and climb in the driver’s side.
The engine comes to life with a magnificent throaty growl, that vibrates all the way up my back, fighting the huge grin of excitement that tries to break free on my face.
Putting the car into gear, I watch Hunter as he handles the beautiful sleek car maneuvering her away from the curb. I would like to say the ride is smooth, but it’s not. It is bumpy and uncomfortable. I feel every dip in the road with a jolt to my bones. I love it, the excitement of the car, of him, of everything. It feels exhilarating. A feeling of freedom that I have never known fills me and I want to throw my hands in the air and giggle with excitement. I don’t, instead, I turn watching him surreptitiously.
“Where are we going?” I ask after a few minutes of just enjoying the car and sitting next to him. His eyes catch mine as he glances at me while keeping his attention on the road.
“I thought we could go to the Aquarium. It’s relaxed and I know you said you haven’t been for ages. We can go somewhere else if you prefer,” he says quickly. He was right, I hadn’t been in years. I’d told him how I loved the penguins and he’d remembered. I feel a crack in my resolve to stay mad at him.
“I’d love that.” My face hitches into a smile as we arrive. Hunter pays for two tickets and we make our way to the giant seahorse exhibit. We spend ages watching the cute little creatures. Hunter is so very attentive, pointing things out and making me laugh. He offers his arm as we walk toward the penguin enclosure. I take it, marveling at how right it feels, while secretly trying not to react to the feel of his muscle under my hand. I’m not a small woman, but he makes me feel tiny.
The penguin exhibit was my favorite, I have always loved the cute, waddling way they walk and how family orientated they were. Each had their role to play in their family dynamic. I was surprised to hear that Hunter donated money to the Aquarium every year to help it stay open. It shows me a side to the man that I had not seen before.
He is complex in so many ways and I really want to know more about the man whose child I carry. Will our child have some of his traits? Will they look like him? I wonder as my gaze strayed from the penguins to skim over him.
His face is so animated as he watches the male penguin with his young. It is then our son or daughter decides to make’s themselves known.
“Ooh,” I say as I feel a good strong kick.
“What is it? Are you okay?” Concern etches his face as he grabs my shoulders his face studying mine intently.
“Yes, I’m fine. Your son or daughter is just having a wriggle and stretch.”
His eyes drop to my waistline. “May I?” he asks.
My heart melts at the tender look of awe on his face when I nod. He places his big warm hand over my lower abdomen gently and our child does not disappoint. Hunter’s face is transformed, from awe, to complete joy and wonder as he feels his child moving, safe in the cocoon of my womb.
“That’s … I have no words that can explain it. It’s amazing! It makes it feel real.”
I nod as I try to swallow past the lump in my throat. Tears of happiness prick my eyes, I never want this moment to end.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lexi
I become aware of his warm hand on me, my body is consumed with lust for the gorgeous, amazing man in front of me, a man that I have developed feelings for over the last few weeks, despite not wanting too. My life is complicated enough already with an ex-husband acting strangely and leaving me slightly unsettled. A very much wanted child on the way, but still, a child that I hadn’t been expecting or planned for in any way.
His eyes darken fr
om sapphire to a stormy midnight blue with desire, I feel my breasts go heavy with arousal, my breathing becomes shallow as my pussy clenches with need. It may not be convenient, but there is no denying I want this man, he does things to me that I can’t explain. I don’t know what it is about this sexy man that makes me weak with wanting.
Yes, he is gorgeous, everything a woman could want, tall, broad, muscular, strong, but it’s more than that. I crave him, I did from the first time we met, it only grows with every minute we spend together, the more we talk, share our history our dreams for the future, he’s like a drug. Now seeing him in the flesh is something I can’t explain. Something I never knew I wanted. He gives me a feeling of peace. With just his presence, he makes me feel cherished as if I’m the only person in the world.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he says as he lowers head slowly, giving me time to say no. My heart is beating so fast, I feel lightheaded from it, he is a hairs-breath away from me now. I can feel his warm breath on me, making me shiver and lean forward slightly. It is all the encouragement he needs.
His lips slant over mine in a feather-light touch, it is gentle, tender, and sweet, but filled with need. I feel the tension in the bunched muscles of his biceps and I moan into his mouth. This powerful man wants me with a need so strong that he struggles to contain it, it is a heady feeling and one that I can’t help but enjoy. His tongue traces the line of my mouth and I open for him with a sigh, leaning so that my hands skim his chest lightly, making him groan.
His one hand is still on my abdomen, as he curls the other into my hair, gripping my nape firmly as he angles me how he wants. His kiss makes me forget my surroundings, as he shifts so closely that I can feel his body heat burning into me making my skin heat, I lean in so that our bodies brush. He groans into my mouth as he controls the kiss with his hand in my hair. I remember what it feels like to have him control my head while he thrusts his hips driving his hard cock into my hot waiting mouth. My body is almost shaking with need, my pussy soaking for him, but he never deepens the kiss.
Pulling away I whimper with denial, wanting him to fulfill the need he has awoken in me. His eyes are closed tight as he cups my cheeks in his hands, drops a kiss on my nose before pressing his forehead against mine, his heavy breathing belies the effect our kiss had on him.
“You slay me, Lexi.” His voice is husky, shaky.
“Good,” I say not finishing the thought in my head. He slays me too, but I need to keep that to myself. He has enough power over my body, without me telling him how he affects me and my heart.
His sudden deep chuckle is like a balm to my nerves. Stepping away he puts some space between us, turning to look at the penguins again. “Thank you for sharing that with me.” He sounds overcome with emotion and I’m pleased to see he is as affected as I was when I first felt our child move. I stand beside him, putting my hands in my pockets to steal myself from reaching out and slipping my hand in his. The silence is comfortable as we both take in the magnitude of what is happening between us, he feels it too, but it doesn’t scare me, it should but it doesn’t.
“You're welcome,” I say a few minutes later as I smile at him. He returns it with a warm grin that I feel all the way to my toes.
We spend the next hour in the Aquarium before deciding to get some food. It is cold as we step outside. I huddle in my jacket as we walk swiftly to the car. I’m freezing but inside I feel warmth spreading through me. I have had the best time, he is everything I thought he was and so much more.
We drive to a local Mexican restaurant where I order a Chicken Burrito with sweet potato fries, while Hunter goes for a super-hot and fiery Fajita. We talk about the pregnancy and I hand him a copy of the scan picture. He looks at it intently, unchecked emotion shining in the depths of his eyes as he takes everything in.
“Are you going to find out what you are having?”
“What we are having!” I correct him, his eyes glint with happiness at my words. “I’m not sure yet. Part of me is desperate to know but the other part wants the surprise.” He nods and looks away, a grin on his face.
“I think it’s a girl, they say it takes a real man to make a girl.” I throw my napkin at him with a laugh.
“Arrogant much?”
He shrugs with a smirk. “Sweetheart, we used condoms, and my sperm still fought the battle and fertilized that egg. I reckon I have a right to a certain amount of arrogance.”
“Urgh, men.” I roll my eyes and watch him laugh with unashamed joy on his face.
Our food arrives, and we spend the rest of the meal chatting about general things. He tells me about London and his work and I tell him about the business and how I plan to make it work when the baby arrives.
“You are going to be busy.”
“I know, but this little bundle is a gift, so I won’t treat him as a burden.”
“Him?” he asks, with a tilt of his head.
“I think it’s a boy.”
He nods again and looks thoughtful as if he has something on his mind. I stay silent picking at my food as I let him decide what he wants to say. The silence is comfortable and easy as if we have done this for years. I never had this with Dean I always felt the need to talk or entertain him.
He looks up and catches my eye, his are blazing with sincerity, determination, but the way he is tapping his finger on the table belays that he is not as confident as he wants me to think. He pulls in a breath before blowing it out. “Lexi, I need you to know that the baby is not the only reason I’m here.”
“Oh?” I say as I as my heart starts to race.
“Yes, I want to be part of his or her life, but it was you I came looking for. The girl who punched me, the girl who stuck up for her friends. The girl with blue hair that made my head spin with her zest for life. It was you I wanted, I can’t stop thinking about you. Do you think that maybe there is a small chance for us?”
My body turns into a nervous ball of tension at his words. I try to stop the tears that prick at my eyelids. God, I want what he is offering because God only knows the effect he has on me. I have never felt this way, this all-consuming need to be with someone. Can I trust this feeling? My heart tells me I can, but my head is screaming for me to wake the fuck up and smell the coffee.
This is not a Romcom movie, shit like this doesn’t end on a happy note, with the girl getting the baby and the man all tied up in a neat bow. I pick at my fingers as I try to figure out what to say. Fear plagues me suddenly, what if it is all a rouse? What if I’ve misjudged him like I did Dean? He had started out the perfect man and my love and desire to make it work and be picture perfect blinded me to so many faults that are now so bright they are practically technicolor. The way he criticized me, judged me, controlled my social life and visits to my family, so much so that I have virtually no relationship with them anymore.
Am I doing the same with Hunter? Can I even trust my own judgment?
“Lexi look at me.” My head shoots up and my eyes meet stormy blue ones. “Don’t hide from me. Whatever happens, it’s going to be okay. I know you must be scared but let’s take it one day at a time and see where it leads. Is that alright with you?”
He takes my fingers and gently stills them, before linking our fingers across the table. He makes me feel strong as if I’m in control. Once again, he said what I needed to hear as if he’s inside my brain.
“Okay,” I whisper and am rewarded with a grin that makes my mind melt and my body turn to mush.
We spend the rest of the evening at a movie, watching an action flick, eating popcorn, and laughing. I’m having so much fun, that I forget that Dean is meant to be moving out today until it is time to go.
“Where is home?” he asks as we sit in his car.
I groan inwardly. “Home is not a place I want to be until I’m sure it is mine.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that Dean is meant to be moving out today and until I’m sure he is gone, I’m not going home.”
He frowns
as he looks at me, his face darkening dangerously. “Are you in danger from him?”
I laugh at the thought. “No, Dean wouldn’t hurt a fly. He has just become needy and I can’t cope with his hangdog looks anymore.”
“Okay if you’re sure but you should probably get the locks changed just in case,” he says insistently. Hunter drives me home to see if Dean was still there and when we see he isn’t he insists on checking the house is secure before he leaves. I tell him it isn’t necessary, but I’m secretly happy that he cares so much. When he leaves he drops a kiss on my mouth, it’s short, but intense and filled with promise.
“Can I see you this weekend?”
“I’d like that. I have to be in the shop all day Saturday but I’m free Saturday night and Sunday.”
“Okay, how about I pick you up at seven on Saturday?”
“Yeah, sounds good.” I duck my head to hide the big smile trying to break free.
Hunter lifts his hand his thumb gently caresses my bottom lip as his intense blue eyes burn into me. “I had fun today, Pretty Girl.” His voice is low and filled with emotion. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”
“You're welcome,” my voice is barely a whisper in reply.
“Go inside,” he says as he drops his hand and steps back. With a smile, I moved back, closed, and locked the door. I watched from the window beside the door as he walked to his car and then drove away.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Dean
How dare he touch her, she is mine, not his. I watch him run his thumb over her bottom lip and my fists clench digging my nails into my palm. Lexi is my wife, mine and she will remain my wife. I gave up everything and she thinks she can throw me away like garbage?
I thought the fact I needed her would force her to stay, but I didn’t predict her growing a backbone suddenly. Walking back to the car I rented in another state, I climbed in slamming the door as rage threatens to overtake me. I rest my head on the steering wheel and take some deep breaths to calm myself. My mind drifts to her, the woman I love.