by Krista Lakes
But he didn’t show it. He kept his face calm and his body serene. It was his secret to business. Never let ‘em see you sweat.
Emma took a deep breath. “Jackson, I’m...” She opened and closed her mouth twice. “You know what? It’ll be easier if I just show you.”
She got up from the couch, swaying slightly as she stood. She gave him a shrug and hurried to her purse on the counter. He watched her, memorizing everything that he could. He didn’t know what she had to show him, but if she was this nervous, it couldn’t be good.
She clutched a small piece of paper. It looked shiny, like a photograph. He wondered what she could possibly have. Photos in his world, though, were rarely a good thing. They were usually for blackmail or divorce settlements.
She stood before him, her breath coming in shallow pants. She chewed on her lip and every inch of her body said she was nervous.
“I had this really amazing plan to make you dinner, and make this special,” she said. He was having a hard time focusing on her words he was staring at the paper in her hands so hard. “But, I want you to know. You deserve to know.”
She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before handing him the picture.
He took the paper like it might bite him. It looked to be upside down, but when he turned it over it still didn’t make sense. The photo was black with a tiny gray smudge to the right. He frowned trying to figure out what she was telling him with this. He was going to be sucked down a black hole? She was going to bury him in a place so dark no one would ever find him?
“You’re going to be a father.” Her voice was small and far away.
Slowly, it dawned on him what he was looking at. This was an ultrasound of a pregnancy. Emma was pregnant. This was their baby. The photo in his hands, this strange, grainy, picture of space, was the first picture of his child. Their child.
“You’re... you’re...” Jackson’s mouth and tongue couldn’t seem to form the words. His entire life, he’d tried not to get the women he slept with pregnant. He was always careful and never let his guard down.
He hadn’t thought it would be so quick with Emma. He knew couples who tried for years before seeing success. They’d barely been together over a month, and here was the result of their passion.
“Yes, Jackson,” Emma said. She was watching him, waiting to see his reaction. “I’m pregnant with your child.”
He looked down at the picture again. He was a father.
“What are you thinking, Jackson?” Emma asked. He looked up to see her biting her lip and looking like she was about to cry. “Please, tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I’m thinking you are the most beautiful woman in the entire world,” he told her. He stood up and put his arms around her. She was shaking. “I’m thinking that I am the luckiest man in the world.”
A shudder of relief went through her and she collapsed into him, tucking her face into his shoulder. He rubbed her back.
“I was so afraid...” Her words came out muffled, but he understood them.
“Why?” he asked, pulling her back.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Your reputation?”
“It’s in our contract.”
“Yeah, but so are sales taxes and membership fees. Just because it’s in a contract doesn’t mean that it’s something you want,” she replied.
He took her chin in his hand, making sure that she looked up at him. She was so beautiful it made his heart catch. If he had felt protective before, this was a thousand times more.
“I want this,” he told her, his voice going low. “I want you. I want this.”
With his other hand he touched her belly. She sniffled and fell into him again. He wrapped his arms around her, letting her sniffle and relax against him.
They stood there, him comforting her and contemplating his future. The idea of a child that was now a real thing was overwhelming. It was a good kind of overwhelming, but still more than he had expected. They’d both known this was coming, but he thought they’d have more time.
His heart thudded in his chest. He was going to be a father. The only word he could think to describe the feeling taking over him was joy. He was going to be a father.
For this moment, he didn’t care that it would help his company. He wasn’t thinking about that.
He was thinking of bike lessons and piano lessons. How to treat a skinned knee, and where they were going to put the nursery. Would it be a boy or a girl? Would they want to go into the family business or do something else? Would they be an artist or an astronaut?
He didn’t know, but he couldn’t wait to find out. How in the world was he going to wait 9 months to meet this little person that he already adored?
Not to mention Emma. He wanted to make sure she had the best of everything. The best doctors, the best hospitals, the best food, the best everything. He would make sure this was the best pregnancy that money could buy.
He wanted her to be as happy as he was.
At least, they could still go to the mountains. He would cancel the ski trip and the more adventurous activities, but they could still enjoy the beautiful sights and the amazing food. He would just make sure to have a doctor on staff as well.
“You okay?” he asked, rubbing her back. He wasn’t sure how long they’d been standing there, but it felt like a long time. That one small sentence, I’m pregnant, still had him spinning. It didn’t feel real yet.
She sniffled and pulled back, but this time she was smiling. “Yeah. I am.” She looked up at him with those big eyes. “Are you?”
“I’m fantastic,” he assured her. He grinned. “Absolutely fantastic.”
She grinned at him and her old happy spark came back to her face.
“There is a small problem that you should know about, though,” she said, trying to keep a straight face and failing.
“What?” he asked, unsure of where she was headed with this.
“I’m not going to fit in a wedding dress for very long,” she said, giving him a sly grin. He laughed.
“It’s a good thing I didn’t want to wait then, isn’t it?” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. He was going to marry her next week. Who cared about the dress when he felt this happy?
Chapter 29
Jackson
* * *
He was going to be a father.
As he kissed Emma, knowing that he was going to marry this woman in just a couple short weeks, he felt happy.
Not just happy. Joy. Pure joy.
He was in love with the most beautiful woman on the planet, she loved him, and she was carrying their child. He didn’t know that it was possible to have a heart this full and not have it burst. He felt like he could fly his chest was so full of light.
He was going to be a father.
He kissed her, wanting her to know just how much he cared. Jackson was good with words in the boardroom and when negotiating, but when it came to emotions, he didn’t know what to say. It had never mattered before now.
He’d never cared for another person like this.
So, instead of words he kissed her. He let his tongue show her instead of speaking.
It started out as a sweet kiss. It started out pure and wonderful. And then it grew from there. Lust colored the edges of their kiss, slowly creeping in and making things deeper. He wanted more than just to kiss her.
She pulled back, her eyes big and dark. Her soul was there, watching him. She smiled and flushed.
“You are so beautiful,” he told her. He meant it. In that moment, he couldn’t think of another woman that he found more lovely than her. She was perfect in his eyes.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” she teased, her voice husky. She bit her lower lip, and grinned at him in an obvious invitation for more.
“Come with me,” he said, standing from the couch and taking her hand. She followed him willingly to the bedroom, where he shut the door, keeping the lights low. Summer sunshine still brightened everything, but it was cool and comfo
rtable in here.
He took her to the bed. From there, he carefully pulled her over-sized shirt up and over her head. She giggled as he tossed it to the floor. He was glad to see she didn’t cover herself, despite the fact that the sunshine made her skin glow.
She wasn’t embarrassed in front of him anymore. It made his heart happy.
He knelt before her, tugging on her cotton panties until they fell around her ankles. She giggled as he kissed the spot just below her bellybutton. Their child was growing in there. The little baby was going to be beautiful like its mother. It didn’t matter if it was a boy or a girl, Jackson loved it with all his heart already.
“Lay down,” he commanded, his voice soft. She smiled as she crawled into the big bed. Her dark hair spilled across the pillow and her eyes followed his every movement. He stripped for her, making sure to give her a little bit of a show in the process.
He loved her low giggle and the way she rubbed her legs together as she watched him. He’d never worried about his appearance, but knowing that she found him attractive was addictive.
He started at her feet, kissing each toe and up to her ankles. Every inch of her skin was worth worshiping. He lavished kisses, loving on her soft skin as he made his way up her calves, kissing each knee, and onto her thighs. She stilled as he kissed her hip bones, holding still for him.
He could smell her desire, but he wasn’t going to stop his kisses there.
He kissed her belly, her ribs, her breasts. She hummed with pleasure as he kissed the spot between her shoulder and neck. He kissed her arms down to the palms of her hands. She was so beautiful he was sure he would run out of kisses before he could match her beauty to them.
“Jackson,” Emma whispered. She reached out and put her hand to his cheek. She didn’t need to say more. He could see it in her eyes what she wanted.
She wanted him.
Carefully, he positioned himself over her. She looked up at him with complete adoration as he nudged her legs just a little bit wider. He was hard now. It was impossible not to be hard while he kissed her body.
The low ache in his belly told him just how badly he wanted her. It didn’t matter that she already carried his child. He wanted to fill her with his seed again and again and again. He wanted to make sure that every creature on the planet knew that she was his.
It was primal.
He paused at her entrance, looking into her eyes. She bit her lip as he pushed upward. The gasp of pleasure shivered over him as he entered her. He loved the way her eyes darkened and then rolled into the back of her head as he made her his.
Every inch of him was warm now. Warm and secure. He almost hated to pull out, but he did so knowing that he could dive into her depths again if he did. The way her body tightened around him, drawing him in was something that never got old.
He went slow, enjoying every sensation. His hands were on either side of his head as he worked his hips in tandem with hers. She moaned, low and deep as he made love to her. He took his right hand and brushed away a strand of dark hair from her face and she turned, pressing her cheek into his palm.
This was making love, he realized. This wasn’t sex or fucking. This was love. This was why sex was called making love. Every thrust of his hips was a way to connect to her. A physical connection of their two bodies, joining to form a new soul.
This was what he had been missing all this time. Sure, fucking was amazing, and he still wanted to fuck Emma’s brains out, but this was different. This was better.
This was love.
His heart ached with the knowledge. He loved her. He loved their life and their future together. This was what all the storybooks meant. This was how Prince Charming ended up being happily ever after with only princess.
“Jackson,” Emma whispered, calling out his name as she arched her back. She was close to orgasm, close to falling off the edge of pleasure that he created.
He pushed harder, giving her the last bit to crest the edge. Her face stilled and her eyes closed into concentration as she came hard on him.
Her internal muscles rolled over him, pulling him inside of her and begging him to come with her. He closed his eyes and followed her into oblivion, letting his body join the ecstasy of his heart. For a single moment, time stood still and all he knew was joy.
The moment ended, but only the physical overwhelming sensation. The love was still there. Emma opened her eyes and looked up at him. He was all she saw as she smiled and cupped his cheek in her hand.
He rolled over and she snuggled into the nook of his arm. Pure contentment washed over him. In this moment, he’d never been happier. He couldn’t imagine feeling happier. It just wasn’t possible. This was more than he could have ever asked for. It was more than he deserved.
“I love you,” Emma whispered, tucking her head into his shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled, her dark eyes sparkling.
He wanted to say the words back. He certainly felt them. But his mouth wouldn’t make the motions. He had spent too many years denying the fact that he was even capable of love. He was a player. Players didn’t love.
So he didn’t say anything. He kissed her forehead and felt guilt creep into his happiness.
Emma sighed softly, but didn’t pull away. Instead she snuggled into him further, her breath coming slower and deeper.
She was almost asleep in his arms. He didn’t dare move. He still wished he could say the words. He wanted to.
“I love you,” she murmured, her voice drifting into sleep. She sighed and stilled in his arms and he knew she was dreaming.
He tried to mouth the words, but even that was too hard. He loved her. He knew it in the depths of his soul, but yet, saying the words wasn’t happening.
He sighed. She would be patient with him, he knew that. She deserved to know how much she meant to him though. She deserved to hear him say it.
In the mountains, he decided. I’ll tell her then. I’ll call it out to the world. It has to be special. I have to make it perfect so she always knows that I love her.
Content now with his decision, he sighed and held her to him. He didn’t sleep, but instead planned of their future and how he would tell her he loved her in a way she would never forget.
Chapter 30
Jackson
* * *
“I don’t have to go,” Jackson told the beautiful woman laying in bed.
Emma rolled over and hugged the bowl closer to her chest.
“And what are you going to do if you stay here? Sit and watch me throw up?” she asked, motioning to the bowl.
Morning sickness had hit her hard. He’d been surprised to learn that it really should be called All Day sickness as it didn’t occur just in the morning. It actually seemed to be worse for Emma right before bed.
“I don’t like leaving you,” he said, softly. He sat on the edge of the bed and caressed her hair. She hummed slightly, leaning into him.
“I’ll be fine,” she promised. “Honestly, I just want to lay in bed, drink the ginger tea you got me, and watch horrible, trashy TV. There’s a new episode.”
Jackson rolled his eyes and then narrowed them. “You aren’t hyping the morning sickness so you can stay home and watch the new episode are you?”
“Me?” Emma’s eyes got big and innocent as she held up a hand to her chest. “I would never.”
“You so would,” he accused.
She smiled. “Possibly,” she admitted. Then she froze and turned a little green. The playfulness went out of her eyes and she reached for the bowl.
“You okay?” Jackson asked. He knew that it was just the baby hormones, but he still hated to see her like this.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah. Just got too confident.” She smiled up at him. “Go to the party. Have fun. I’ll be more comfortable here. Besides, I’ve been looking forward to this show all week.”
“Seriously?” he asked. The show was garbage. He couldn’t understand what she saw it in. No sane person would w
ant to watch it unless they were being tortured.
“Yes. It’s my guilty pleasure,” she replied. “You are welcome to make fun of me for it, but I am watching it and enjoying every trashy, mascara-streaked moment.”
He didn’t rise from the bed. It felt like he was cheating on her. He was off to an amazing dinner party with wine, food, and entertainment while she was stuck here in bed puking her guts out.
“Go,” she said, giving him a gentle push. “My show comes on in five minutes and I know you hate it. If you’re still here, not only will you miss out on your party, but you will have to watch my show.”
He shivered. Reality television was like nails on a chalkboard for Jackson. He would literally rather stare at a blank screen for an hour than listen to people whine about their made-for-TV love lives.
“You’re sure?” he asked, one more time. He stood up slowly. “I’ll stay and we can watch action movies?”
“I’m watching this in three minutes,” she told him. She took the remote and tucked it under her pillow. “You’re going to go have a nice time. If you don’t leave soon, you’re going to be late.”
“I’ll be home soon,” he promised, giving her one last kiss on the forehead.
She looked up at him, her eyes soft and full of love. “You look nice in the new suit,” she told him. “You’re going to break all the girls’ hearts.”
“As long as it’s not yours. I’ll break them all and come home to you.”
She smiled, her eyes stealing his breath with the amount of love in them. His heart forgot how to beat it was so full for a moment. The protective instinct nearly overwhelmed him, but he knew if he stayed he would regret it. He had been looking forward to this dinner party probably as much as she had been looking forward to her new show.
She looked up as he reached the bedroom door and waved to him, still clutching the bowl like it was the only thing keeping her upright in bed. She smiled and blew him a kiss before going back to the TV. The intro music started and he darted out before he had to suffer through a second of the show.