by B. L. Mooney
He pulled my hips to the edge of the table and spread my legs. He raised an eyebrow when he felt I wasn’t wearing any underwear. I shrugged and pulled his pants down enough to free his erection.
Normally, I loved kissing him every chance I could since he allowed me to, but I just wanted to look into his eyes as he entered me. I needed to feel that connection on more than a physical level. He must have felt the same way because he made no move to kiss me when he thrust forward.
I laced my fingers behind the back of his neck and watched him. He gripped my hips and did the same. It was the most intense experience of my life, and I was happy to have shared it with Joseph. He was it for me. I never wanted another man, and if he wanted to chain me to a wall for the rest of my life, I’d supply the chains.
I closed my eyes and tilted my head back when the feeling was getting too strong to ignore. No matter where we were, what position we were in, or how fast we were going, he knew just how to bring my body to the brink and let me ride it out before I shattered into a million pieces. He owned me just as I owned him.
I couldn’t hang on to his neck anymore, so I gripped his forearms. “Yes, faster. Don’t stop.” I looked into his eyes again. He was just as close as I was. I held his face and pulled him in for a kiss. “I love you, Joseph. You make me the happiest woman in the world.”
He devoured my mouth and thrust his hips faster, harder, and deeper. I continued to kiss him, but needed to take small breaks to breathe and gasp during his sweet assault. We collapsed onto the table, sweaty, gasping for air, and the happiest either of us had ever been.
“This position is going to kill my back, but I don’t want to move.”
I laughed and pushed him to stand. “I need to take care of your bandages anyway. Then we can get back into bed.” I picked up the stick and looked at it. I set it over on the other side of the table and started on his bandages. “Sit down and I’ll fix you up as soon as I clean up your other mess.”
He laughed and pulled his pants up. “I believe you started that mess.” He sat and looked at his fingers. Gripping my hips had to hurt him.
I took his hands in mine. “Maybe we should hold off on any more practicing for a while.”
“I can’t make that promise.” He pulled my hips close and kissed my belly.
I had to let go of Lindsey so she could help with the bandages, but I didn’t want to. She said I made her the happiest woman in the world, but she changed my life. Everything she did gave me a new appreciation and joy that I wouldn’t have ever had. I kissed her belly again. I couldn’t wait to be a father, and it was something I’d sworn I’d never wanted to be.
She ran her fingers through my sweaty hair. “The quicker I get this taken care of, the quicker I can be in your arms in bed.”
I sighed and sat up. “You’re right.”
“Of course, I’m right.” Hearing her smile made me smile. “I meant what I said. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been because of you.”
“You say that because you’re still in your orgasmic euphoria.”
“This is true.” She nodded her head. “I’m only with you for your hip action and piercing.”
“Whatever the reasons, I don’t care as long as you’re mine.”
She kissed the top of my head. “Does this hurt? It looks like it hurts a lot.”
“It isn’t fun, but it will pass.” I hadn’t even thought about the events from the day before while she was in my arms. “Have you spoken to Elizabeth?”
“No, I wanted to give her space. I think I’ll call her today, though.”
“I think we need to take a few days before getting back to our clients. We need to process this, we still need to get you a new car, and I need to love on you a little bit more.”
“Oh, I like that last one.”
“We also need to figure out if Elizabeth is coming back or not.”
She stopped applying the salve to my shoulders and looked at me. “Why wouldn’t she?”
“Do you think it’s best?”
“I had no doubts that I was asking her to come back. I’m not sure she’ll want to, but the door will be open for her.”
I looked straight and didn’t comment. It made me nervous to think of Elizabeth back in the office. She would be a constant reminder to Lindsey what had happened. We would also be a constant reminder to Elizabeth. I wasn’t sure any of us could move past the previous day’s events if we continued to see the hurt and fear in each other’s eyes.
“She saved your life, Joseph, when she shot her father. She did that to protect you, and you doubt her?”
“No, it seems she was an innocent party to all of this, as well. It’s just that,” I took her hands and waited until she looked at me, “can you look at her every day and not see Austin? Can you tell me you’ll be fine with a constant reminder of the hell you’ve gone through?”
She grabbed a towel and wiped her hands clean from the ointment before holding my face. “The only thing that matters to me is she saved your life. Our baby will know his or her father because of the actions she took against her own. She deserves our trust and acceptance.”
I nodded. I owed her my life. The least I could do was give her trust and acceptance.
It was difficult to get out of bed later that day. I wanted to stay with Lindsey forever, but we did have a future in front of us. I could give the world a few hours before I had her back in my arms. She didn’t want to wait anymore and needed to see Elizabeth. The police had separated them to question them once they got the scene under control, and she hadn’t seen her since.
“Her mother said she’d gone back home this morning. Do you want to go or stay and wait for me?”
“I can’t let you out of my sight.” I flinched when I pulled her close. My shoulders were throbbing.
“Okay, but I’m still driving. I was taking your car anyway, but you can’t drive like that.”
I couldn’t argue. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. The pain meds from the night before had worn off, and I was feeling everything. I should’ve taken another pill, but I wanted to keep awake for the discussions we would have that day.
We were on our way to see Elizabeth first, but then we were going to Teresa’s house to tell her that she was going to be a grandmother. I narrowed my eyes when I sat in the car.
Lindsey buckled her seatbelt and looked at me. “What’s the matter? Do you need help with the seatbelt?”
She unbuckled, leaned over, and grabbed my seatbelt. I reached up and put my hands on her sides to get her to stop and look at me. She tilted her head.
“I want to get married before the baby is born. We should’ve been married before you got pregnant, but I can’t do anything about that.”
She smiled, finished buckling the seatbelt for me, and kissed me. “We’ll be married before the baby comes. I promise.”
“That wasn’t very romantic. I’m sorry.”
“No, but it was bossy, and that’s you.” She turned to me and winked after she buckled up. “You can make it romantic when you give me the ring and make it official.”
We pulled up to Elizabeth’s apartment building and parked next to her car. We knew she was home. We just needed to wait to see if she would respond to us. Her mother was worried Elizabeth would keep us out, so she gave Lindsey the door code to get into the building. It would be harder for Elizabeth to turn us away if we were outside her door.
“I’m so nervous.” Lindsey reached up and knocked.
The door opened, but it was obvious Elizabeth wasn’t expecting us. “That was quick.” She looked down, and her shoulders drooped. “How did you get in here?”
Her neighbor opened his door and came out with a stack of papers. “Uh, Liz, did you still want these?”
“Yes, thanks.” She took the stack of papers and headed back into her apartment.
She hadn’t closed the door, so Lindsey followed. I stayed back by the door after I closed it. They needed some time.
“Are you moving?”
Elizabeth looked at the papers and back to Lindsey. “No.” She sat down and looked through until she found the section she wanted. She was looking through the classifieds.
Lindsey sat next to her. “How are you doing?”
Elizabeth closed her eyes and pursed her lips. She was trying to ward off the tears. “I’m perfect. As soon as I find a new job, I’ll be even better.” She fanned out the paper and hid her face from us, but you could see the paper shake in her hands as she cried.
Lindsey looked at me. “We’re taking a few days off to process everything, but we’ll expect you back next week when we open.”
“Why would you want that? I’m the daughter of the man who tried to ruin your lives and had for a few months.”
Lindsey took the paper from Elizabeth. “You’re also my friend and the woman who saved Joseph’s life.”
She glanced at me and covered her face while she cried. “I tried to kill someone. It’s a matter of time before it consumes me like it consumed him.”
“Elizabeth, what you did and what Austin had done are two entirely different things. You’re feeling relief that you saved me, and you never have to see him again. They are not the same thing at all.”
Lindsey had pulled Elizabeth to her and held her tightly. “We’ll get through this. I promise you. We’ll get through this.”
It was a rough day with Elizabeth, but Lindsey couldn’t leave until she felt confident she would be okay. I had to admit, Elizabeth looked better by the time we left, but she still had a long road ahead of her.
Austin was still in critical condition, but I couldn’t have cared less if that man lived or not. He would do the world a favor if he went to hell sooner rather than later, but it would’ve been better for Elizabeth if he survived. I hoped she could find peace with the fact she probably saved my life that day and stop focusing on the fact she attempted to take a life.
I was tired and hurting, but Lindsey was excited to see her mom and tell her the news about the baby. I was excited, too, but I wished there was time for a nap. I looked out the window as Lindsey drove and wondered what my mother’s reaction would’ve been.
I had no doubt she would’ve loved Lindsey. She was a strong, confident woman who had no problem telling me how things were going to be. I smiled. Yes, my mom would’ve loved Lindsey just as much as I did.
Lindsey pulled into her mom’s driveway and put her head on the steering wheel. “I’m so nervous.”
“Why? Are you afraid she’s not going to approve?”
“She loves you. She’ll definitely approve. It’s just going to make this real.” She sat back and placed her hand on her belly. “I’m going to have a baby.”
I took her hand and kissed it. “And I can’t wait.”
She smiled and took a deep breath. “Okay, well, let’s get this over with. Be prepared.” She looked at my shoulders. “She’s going to hug you. Probably several times.”
“Duly noted.”
We got out of the car and walked toward the house. The front door opened before we reached it. “Come in. Come in. Dinner is waiting for you.”
“Dinner?” I perked up. We hadn’t eaten much all day, and I was famished. Her mother was an excellent cook, and I couldn’t wait to dive in.
The smell of the fried chicken filled the house. My stomach grumbled its approval and impatience. Our plates were ready for us with Lindsey’s and mine sitting together. Teresa sat across from us and smiled.
“I’m so happy you two are going to work everything out. You make a beautiful couple.”
Lindsey smiled. I knew that smile. It was the smile I’d learned to hold on to my seat because something was coming. I took a few bites before the news hit about our pregnancy. The food would soon be forgotten, but I wanted to enjoy it while I could.
“This is really good, Teresa. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. It’s nice to cook for a family again.”
“Any time you want to cook, I’ll be over.” I took a few more bites. Lindsey was eating at a normal pace, but I was waiting for her announcement. I wondered if she grew cold feet. She was so excited on her way over, but it seemed the nerves had gotten the best of her.
“Lindsey, is everything okay?” Teresa had refilled my plate and motioned to Lindsey’s. “I figured you’d be just as hungry as Joseph. I made extra. There’s plenty here.”
Lindsey looked at me and touched my face. “Everything is perfect.” She turned back to her mom. “Why did you and dad only have one kid?”
“We talked about more, but it didn’t work out that way. We didn’t start as young as we wanted to, and the years kept passing us by. Depending on how many kids you two want, I’d start now.” She looked at me. “I’m sorry. That’s if you want children. If you don’t, I’ll be sad, but it’s up to the two of you.”
I swallowed enough to speak. “Oh, I want children. How many is another question.”
Teresa’s face beamed. “Then I suggest you start soon.”
Lindsey smiled and kissed my cheek. “We already have.”
It took her a moment, but Teresa stood and screamed her excitement. “My baby is having a baby!” Lindsey met her around the table as she started our way and hugged her mom tightly. “Wait, how long have you two been dating?”
“I’m not that far along. I’ve only missed one month and took a test. I was too excited to wait.”
“Well, you’re going to make a beautiful mother.” Teresa walked over to me and was careful when she bent down and hugged me. She whispered into my ear, “Let’s just make sure she’s a beautiful bride before she’s a beautiful mother. Okay?”
Lindsey did her best to not laugh, but she couldn’t help it. “We’ve already discussed it, Mom. We’re getting married just as soon as someone asks.”
No pressure. I took another bite.
“Great throw, but let’s try it again.” I ran and got the ball Joey had thrown over my head. He had a great arm, but we needed to work on the aim a little better.
“Daddy, I’m tired.”
So was I. “Okay, buddy. We’ll go in and see what everyone else is doing.”
“Grandpa!” He took off running, and I took off after him.
I caught up to him and threw him on my shoulders. I never got used to the heart attacks he gave me when he did something careless, but I was managing my reactions to them better.
“Hey, we don’t run toward moving cars, remember? We need to wait until they stop and the people get out before we go up to them.”
He had just turned four, but I was aging rapidly with each scare he gave me. It wasn’t the first time he ran after a car that was pulling into the driveway. When we bought our new home, I said I needed a big yard to play ball with my son. What I hadn’t realized was I needed to get a fence put up to keep him in. That had just become my top priority.
“Okay, Daddy. They’re out now. Put me down.”
“There’s my big guy! Come give this old man a hug!”
I lifted him off my shoulders and set him down. His feet were moving before they touched the ground. Neither Lindsey nor I had a father for Joey to call grandpa, and my chest swelled with pride when Grant accepted that role. He was more of a father to me than my own, but I never would’ve expected him to take on that role for my children.
“She wants her daddy.” I turned to Lindsey with our daughter fussing in her arms. I took her and soothed her, much to Lindsey’s relief and frustration. “How do you do that?”
Trudy came up and hugged Lindsey. “It happens. Grant was the only one who could calm our daughter down.” She pulled back, but kept an arm around Lindsey when they walked inside. “Besides, it’s the perfect excuse for him to get up for all the overnight feedings and diaper changes.”
Grant walked up with Joey pulling him. “There’s my precious girl. And how is Miss Lily today?”
“Fussy.”
Grant laughed and slapped me on the back. “It doesn’t get easier, but they’re wort
h it.” We walked across the lawn to go inside. “How’s Lindsey?”
“She’s okay.” They had come into town for the birth of Lily ten days ago and were getting ready to head back. “She seems to be a little more emotional with this one, but I think it’s because Lily isn’t cooperating much.”
“Give it time. It will all work out. You guys can call on us any time you need to.”
“I appreciate that.”
We walked into the house and saw Lindsey and Trudy going through the box of girl clothes Jasmine had sent to us. She and Brian had a girl who’d outgrown all her clothes, so she sent them to us when she found out Lindsey was having a girl. It was nice of her, but I was worried about her taste in clothing being a little different than what Lindsey wanted to use.
To my surprise, the clothing was quite conservative compared to what Jasmine wore. Lindsey watched me looking at the clothes and laughed. “I told you’d they’d be great. You worry too much. We need to send her a big thank you for all of this.”
I nodded. “We will.”
The door bell chimed, and I grabbed Joey on his way to answer it. “Hey, I’ll get it. You haven’t given Grandma Trudy a hug yet.”
I shook my head and walked to the door. Elizabeth and Aaron stood on the other side. I opened the door. “Glad you could make it.” I bent forward and kissed Elizabeth’s cheek. “How are you doing?”
She rubbed her round belly and sighed. “I wish I was holding my baby on my shoulder instead of in here is how I’m doing.”
I smiled and shook Aaron’s hand after he shut the door. “It’s just a few more weeks.”
“Six, Aaron. Six more weeks. It’s like a lifetime.” Elizabeth walked over to Lindsey, who stood, ready to get her belly rubs in.
“It’ll get easier, Aaron.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “It will?”
“Yeah, in about two years.”