To Forgive & Hold Safe (The Broken Men Chronicles Book 4)

by Decevito, Carey

  I stepped out onto the front step and realized a Range Rover Sport sat in my driveway. “Oh, baby…” I looked at her. “We’ll do more than just check out the car. I’ll help you christen the back seat.”

  Hannah’s face took on a beautiful shade of pink before she gave my side a slight shove and jumped off the front step, then turned to face me.

  “Baby, the only thing that back seat will be seeing is cracker crumbs and spit-up. This is a no-sex zone.” She gestured toward the car as if she were Vanna White.

  “Awe, come on!”

  She leaned up against the driver side door as I stepped toward her.

  It wasn’t until I looked into the vehicle and saw a car seat that her words hit home. My heart pounded a tattoo, my head started spinning, my legs felt like jelly, and then, my ass hit the pavement.

  Chapter 55

  I could hear Hannah crying hysterically as my senses came back.

  Cracking my eyes open, reality came crashing down on me. A smile spread over my lips and my hand reached up to cup her cheek. Hannah’s head shot up and her eyes connected with mine. In that moment, I lost it, and not with the reaction either of us was expecting.

  What started off as a small chuckle quickly turned into a full out belly laugh. My girlfriend’s brows furrowed and when my giggles continued, she knocked my hand away from her, sat back on her knees and crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t think any of this is funny.”

  “Sweetheart.” I stifled another giggle and reached up to cup her cheek once more. She let me. “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry for what?” Her agitation was building. “For fainting? For damn well near giving me a heart attack? Or is it the fact that your child has some superpower that can ratchet up someone’s nausea a notch or a hundred in point-two seconds?”

  “Baby?” My smile was still firmly in place. “Calm down.”

  “Don’t you ‘baby’ me, Benjamin Carpenter.”

  My fists twisted into the front of her shirt, stitches tore, and she landed on top of me with an “oomph” escaping her lips.

  “Now listen here, woman.” I rolled us so I lay over her. My hand found its way beneath her shirt and stopped over her stomach. “The fact that you’re pregnant is amazing, and I can’t be more thrilled. Fuck, Hannah, you caught me off-guard and I passed out. I’m sorry I scared you.” I leaned in and kissed her hard, feeling her body lose some of its tension. “Move in with me.” I pecked the corner of her mouth. “This weekend.” I pecked the other. “I don’t care whose house we take, sweetheart, my home is wherever you are.”

  My lips caressed hers in an all too short tender kiss before I pulled back to watch her gaze soften. “Now that’s a reaction I’ve always wanted.” She nuzzled my nose.

  “Yeah?”

  She nodded, her smile brilliant. “Baby?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You think we can get up now? This asphalt isn’t exactly comfortable on the back.”

  “Shit!” I hurried to my feet and pulled her up, crushing her into my chest before taking her hand to steer her toward the house.

  “Didn’t you want to look at the car?” she asked.

  “Not now. I have something more important to do.”

  She giggled at my urgency to get us inside. “Oh yeah, what’s that?”

  “Make love to my beautiful pregnant girlfriend. Nice and slow.” I opened the door and let us in.

  “Make it dirty and hard and we have a deal.” She groped my manhood through my pants as I turned to latch the door. “Knock this nausea back a notch and pound it out of me, will you? We can have it your way all night long.”

  Grabbing her shoulders, I turned us so her back hit the door and my body crowded hers. “I love it when you talk dirty.” I crushed my mouth to hers in desperation. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around my waist, shocking me with the hard, quasi painful bite to my lower lip. I growled and pulled back, licking where her teeth had snagged.

  “Hurry up, Daddy! Mommy’s hungry and she’d like for you to fill her up with your-”

  My hand connected with her ass as I pulled us away from the door. “Sweetheart, we’re not getting up those stairs right now,” I announced, walking us backward until she was against the wall at the bottom of said stairs.

  Her legs loosened and I lowered her so she could stand.

  Pants undone, my knees met the floor where I pushed Hannah’s small sundress up over her waist. My hands roamed the sides of her hips and stopped at her tiny waist, my thumbs rubbing her belly. I spread tender kisses over her stomach just as the front door opened.

  “We just dropped by to-” Mike’s words froze. “Whoa!”

  My hands removed themselves from Hannah and set her dress to rights as I groaned out a “Seriously, guys, don’t you ever knock?”

  Mike’s sarcasm was potent. “Seriously, a Range Rover is nice but it’s nothing to get that excited about.”

  I got up to my feet with a grin and pulled Hannah into my side. “It’s what’s in the back seat that’s got me all fired up. Go ahead, look.”

  The couple ran off while my girlfriend and I waited.

  Here it comes.

  Mike came barrelling through the door, white as a ghost, with Nicole latched to his back. “You’re fucking kidding me, right?” Nicole jumped off of him and tackled my woman to the wall with a large hug, squealing with excitement.

  I shook my head and grinned at the spectacle that was my woman and Mike’s.

  My best friend’s color came back and the man grinned. “I’m going to be an uncle?” For some reason, his reaction was even better this time around than when I had told him that Candace and I were expecting. The man took two large steps and crushed me in a hug. “I’m so happy for you guys. You are happy, right?” He pulled back.

  Hannah made her way back to my side. I had yet to answer my best friend. “You are happy, right, Ben?” Hannah asked with hesitance.

  I turned her to face me. “I’m happier than I could have ever hoped to be.” I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and took my time kissing her with slow languorous strokes of my tongue.

  “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how he got her knocked up in the first place,” Nicole said, and Mike laughed. “And I thought my husband was insatiable.”

  Hannah and I pulled away from each other and looked at the both of them. Mike’s arms were wrapped around his wife. “I’ll show you insatiable when we get home, woman.”

  After a quiet dinner with Mike and Nicole, Hannah and I had called it an early night. That’s when I realized that Hannah hadn’t answered my earlier question about us moving in together. Cuddled into my side, my fingers combing through her hair, I said, “Sweetheart?”

  She sighed peacefully. “Hmm?”

  “Will you move in with me?”

  She lifted her head, the look in her eyes was one of concern. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded. “We can live here…or your place.” My hand found its way to her stomach. “I’m even up to buying something new for the three of us.”

  Hannah’s features darkened. “I can’t live in that house, Ben.”

  “You still haven’t answered my question.”

  “Yes, I want us to move in together.” She kissed me softly. “But we have to tell our parents.”

  “Fuck!” My palm connected with my forehead. “Your dad is going to kill me.”

  She laughed. “He’s always wanted grand-babies.”

  “Yeah, I know that.”

  “So, why the worry?”

  “I always thought I’d be married before that happened.”

  “Good thing we were both married before, then.” She winked at me.

  My eyes rolled. “It’s not funny.”

  “It is, a little bit,” she said. “And Daddy would never beat on a woman, let alone a pregnant one, so just stand behind me and stay real close when we tell them.”

  “Shouldn’t we wait?” I asked. “I mean, how far along are you? God, I
’m already off to a bad start. Instead of grinning like a fool, I pass out. Instead of asking how you were feeling and how you found out, I jumped your bones like a caveman-”

  “Baby,” she grabbed my face, “passing out aside, you reacted just the way I wanted you to. I love you, Benjamin.”

  God, did I love her!

  Chapter 56

  Hannah had been in her seventh week of pregnancy when she’d broken the news to me.

  In the following week, things moved along pretty quickly. Hannah had put up her house for sale and moved in with me, we’d had our first doctor’s appointment, and things couldn’t have been greater between us.

  Overcome with bliss, the recollection of Hannah’s vision for our future hit me – the one with the white picket fence. So, I built it as a gesture to prove to her that I would do anything to make her happy.

  Mike, Jake, Paxton and Theo joined me in the sweltering heat to make my woman’s vision a reality. Suffice to say, Hannah was in quite a shock to find five men greeting her with swinging hammers and an abundance of lumber. The tears were immediate, and it took me a good ten minutes to get her calmed down, after which she then rushed out the front door to hug each guy out of gratitude.

  I stood and watched it all with my arms crossed at my chest, my smile frozen in place, and then she finally turned to me, making her approach.

  “You okay?” My arms wrapped themselves around her.

  She kissed my chin and then pecked my lips. “I couldn’t be happier.” Her smile and the brilliance of her eyes confirmed it.

  “Good.”

  I bent my head to kiss her and she met me half way, pausing to say, “You’re so getting lucky tonight,” before she continued louder so the rest of the men could hear her. “I need to make a few calls. Seems a few girlfriends of mine would enjoy scoping out the hot construction men that are hard at work in my front yard.”

  With a searing kiss, Hannah made a mad dash for the house.

  Within an hour, women began arriving. And yes, they sure did enjoy watching their men at work, if the giggling, the whispering, and the hot looks were anything to go by. Hell, even some new little blonde shorty I hadn’t met yet, had joined the fray, her gaze intent on Theo.

  Chapter 57

  Hannah’s morning sickness began to wane by her thirteenth week of pregnancy. The woman seemed to glow, and the slight bulge in her belly caught my attention often. Knowing, without a doubt, that Hannah was growing round with my child made me crave our physical connection more than ever before.

  “Baby!” Hannah called out. “They’ll be here soon and I need your help down here. You know everything will be fine, so please stop wearing out the carpet with your pacing.”

  Mike and Nicole had been sworn to secrecy about our baby news since Hannah and I had decided that it was for the best to wait until we were over the riskier part before making a formal announcement. Today was the day. Under the guise of a semi-housewarming barbecue to celebrate Hannah’s moving in, we invited everyone over.

  As the crowd settled with their plates and drinks, I got up to my feet and held my hand out so Hannah could join me.

  “Thanks for being here,” Hannah began. “It’s been a wild and fast-paced series of months since I’ve met this handsome and sweet man.” She looked up at me, her smile beaming.

  “We have something to say to all of you.” I stood behind Hannah, putting my arms around her waist and leaving my hands on her belly. She covered my hands with hers.

  “Ready?” she asked so only I could hear her.

  I nodded.

  “We’re pregnant!”

  We didn’t have to wait long for a reaction. Hell, as soon as the words were out, the commotion was instantaneous. Two mothers got up, barrelling toward us. Our fathers seemed a bit too pleased with our news, which helped me relax a bit.

  The tension never really left me, because I had to worry about the two additional people who were seated at the back of the crowd.

  The moment Hannah and I approached Betty and Don, I knew they didn’t object, what with the teary smiles we received.

  With her arms around me, Betty whispered in my ear. “You deserve this and so much more, Benjamin. Promise me you’ll call the minute the baby is born.”

  “You’ll get a call about the baby shower before then,” Mom told her. Betty let me go to hug my mother.

  Don shook my hand. “This baby might not be our grandchild but-”

  “Don, you two will always be family,” I said.

  “He’s right,” Hannah said, standing beside me.

  Don let go of my hand to take her in his arms. “Sweetheart, you’re a godsend.”

  I couldn’t agree more.

  With the folks having left for the night, Hannah and I were surrounded by friends reminiscing about the last few months.

  My girlfriend had fallen asleep on my lap, while I held her in front of the fire pit as the gang chatted quietly. I looked down and studied her face. There was a slight smile there, and I couldn’t help but be fixated.

  “So when’s the wedding?” Jake asked as he fed one of the twins.

  Mike chuckled. “He’d have to pop the question first.”

  “You two are worse than women.” Paxton nodded his agreement. “I’m curious though. No one’s mentioned how quick this all has been.”

  I watched as every couple turned to one another and smiled and then looked back at me.

  “Have you seen yourself lately?” Danica asked. “You haven’t been the same since Nikki’s and Mike’s wedding. The old Ben is back.”

  “Dani’s right, bro,” Mike said. “After getting to know her, seeing the way she looks at you, she’s what you’ve been missing.”

  My lips stretched into a grin. “I think so too.”

  Hannah woke not too long after the proposal conversation ended, at which point the gang decided that it was time to take their leave.

  After locking the front door behind the last of our visitors, I grabbed Hannah’s hand and led her toward the staircase.

  She pulled back on our interlocked fingers. “No.”

  “But you’re tired, sweetheart. You should be in bed.”

  “I should be in your arms.”

  “Well since you put it that way,” I kissed her forehead, “let me make sure we’re locked up tight, I’ll wash the rest of the dishes, and then I’ll come and join you?”

  “How about you lock up, we leave the dishes until tomorrow and you come and shower with me?” she countered. “The smell of barbecued food is making me nauseous.”

  “I’d definitely rather wash you than those dishes.” I pecked her lips. “I love you.”

  “We love you too, Daddy,” she said and looked down as she rubbed her belly, and then I saw her stiffen and her hand stopped its movement. She jumped and gasped, and then her eyes snapped to mine, tears present, but judging by the grin on her face, they were happy ones.

  “What is it?”

  “Butterfly flutters,” she whispered and then broke out in a giggle.

  “The baby kicked?” She nodded, then grabbed my hand, placing it firmly on where she was feeling it. “I don’t feel a thing.” Hannah seemed more disappointed about it than me, but I knew it was still too early.

  Okay, so I’ve been reading the books too. Sue me. I’d done the same when Candace was pregnant with Karen.

  “This is amazing,” she said, breathless and consumed with emotion.

  You would have thought I was used to a woman sharing this stuff with me after having been through it once already, but no.

  Candace had had a miserable pregnancy. She’d barely wanted me to touch her. Hell, things like wrapping my arms around her, kissing on my woman’s belly never happened more than once. When it did, my wife had pulled away. What woman wouldn’t want to share that with her man, despite how shitty she felt? What’s more, what husband doesn’t get to feel his child kick? It was safe to say that Hannah was entirely different. It was as clear as glass that the
woman loved me unconditionally, faults and all, and that she wanted me to be part of every little step in this journey of ours.

  “I wish you could feel this.” Her bottom lip quivered.

  “Hey!” I grabbed her face, tilting it up toward mine. “Don’t be sad. I will soon enough. That flutter bug in there still has loads of time to dazzle me until she comes out.”

  “She?”

  “Yes.” I smiled sheepishly. “I think it’ll be a girl, and she’ll be a spitting image of her beautiful mother.”

  “I wouldn’t mind a mini-Benjamin running around.”

  I groaned. “We’d be in trouble, then.” I laughed. “Now, go warm up the shower and I’ll make sure all is shut down first.”

  “Hurry up.” She kissed my nose before heading up the stairs.

  Keeping my eyes on her retreating form, I couldn’t help but wonder how I’d gotten so damn lucky.

  Chapter 58

  “Baby!” Hannah called out.

  “Yeah, sweetheart?”

  “What do you think of this?” she asked.

  Nearly two months had gone by since our house-warming-slash-baby-news get-together with the gang. Hannah’s pregnancy had been going beautifully and she was growing rounder by the day at her twenty-one weeks. Truth be told, she’d never looked sexier to me, and I made a point to tell her that every day before, during, and after loving on her.

  I walked around the aisle and came face-to-face with my girlfriend who was smiling while running her hands over a beautiful dark oak crib. I was too busy looking at my woman to be bothered with bedroom layettes, clothing, and nursery items. I was going to be a father – to a boy!

  The ultrasound from this morning had confirmed it. Seeing as this was Hannah’s first full-term baby, I argued that we should keep the gender as a surprise, but she refused, stating that she didn’t want yellows and greens to dominate the baby’s quarters. She wanted us to build a room for our little prince or princess that everyone would envy. I think it’s safe to say that our child was going to be loved, yet spoiled just the same.