by J. M. Walker
“I’m sure you’re in them.”
“I believe both of us are in Zach and Luna’s.” Piper smiled. “Gigi and Vince had a baby as well. Her name is Hannah.”
“I didn’t know that.” I rubbed the back of my neck, not liking the sudden sense of urgency I felt. Anxiety twisted at my stomach over the fact that I had missed so much.
“Jaron.” Piper cupped my knee. “Everything will feel back to normal in time.”
I covered her hand and gave it a squeeze, hoping she was right. I pulled out a stack of Polaroids and ripped off the elastic holding them together. “Babe, these are…” I looked through each picture. It was a progression of Piper’s pregnancy.
“Which ones?” Piper pulled her chair closer to me. “Oh. Yeah, I had fun doing those. Luna helped me and then I did the same for her.”
“Fuck, Piper, you’re beautiful in these.” And she looked good enough to eat. Especially knowing she was carrying my child in her swollen belly.
“I was huge, Jaron.” She laughed. “And I didn’t feel beautiful at all but thank you. I was definitely all belly with her.”
“Tell me more.” I needed to know every detail. “I know you wrote journals, but I need something. I need you to tell me. Anything.”
“Oh, um…well I had a hard time breastfeeding at first, but we figured it out.” She looked at Brynlee then. “It was stressful but the nurses at the hospital were wonderful. They came up with the idea for me to video tape it and act like you were there. So my mom recorded it and I talked to you through the whole thing. It’s lame but it worked.”
“You have a video of you breastfeeding our daughter for the first time?”
She nodded. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
I didn’t know how I was looking at her, but I knew the way I was feeling. I had heard of this. My uncle Tray had reacted the same way when my cousin Bee was born. My aunt got drunk one day and spilled the dirty details not knowing that I was nearby and could hear it all.
I shot up from the chair. “Show me.”
“Jaron.” Piper stood, grabbed her mug, and headed into the kitchen.
“Show me.”
“Really? Now?” She came back with her mug in hand. “I have to feed her.”
“Fine. We can feed her together. Show me where everything is, and I can watch the video at the same time.” I wasn’t sure why I was being so demanding. Maybe it was because I missed it all and I wanted to make up for it. We had over a year that we lost between us and I knew it would take a while to get to that point where we could move on from it, but this would be a start. And it was a start I wanted to take with her.
“Okay.” Piper placed her mug on the table. “Come with me and I’ll show you where her baby food is. She’s not a fan of carrots. I fed them to her once. I even tried them myself. And nope. I’ll wait until she can have salt and stuff. I even tried mixing them with green beans. But blech.” She grimaced. “So gross.”
I chuckled, following her into the kitchen.
She opened the cupboard by the fridge. “This is all the stuff that doesn’t need to be refrigerated of course and then everything else is in the fridge. I like to give her a mixture of stuff. Veggies, fruit, and so on. Luna’s blending everything herself, but I didn’t have the time for that. But now that you’re home…” She met my gaze then.
“Whatever you want.” But I really needed to see that video.
Piper nodded and pulled a couple of jars from the fridge and a tray from the cupboard. Once she was done, she handed me the tray and a small spoon. “She likes to get messy.”
I smirked. “So do I.”
Piper laughed, smacking my stomach gently. “Go feed our daughter and I’ll get the video.”
I saluted her and rejoined Brynn at her highchair. Her eyes rounded when she saw that I had a tray of food.
“Yeah, baby girl.” I chuckled. “This is all for you. You need to get big and strong so you can fight off those boys who’ll fall in love with those beautiful eyes of yours.”
“Oh God. I don’t even want to think about that.” Piper stuck a DVD into the DVD player and grabbed the remote control before sitting at the table across from me. “I can continue if you wanted to watch it.”
I nodded, handing her the tray and standing from the chair. I headed into the living room and sat on the couch, watching what was going on before me.
“I can’t do this,” Piper sobbed from the TV. She was holding Brynlee in her arms, covering her face with her other hand.
“Yes, you can,” I heard her mom say from behind the camera. “Come on, Piper. Talk to Jaron like he’s here with you and helping you through this.”
Piper sniffed and took a deep breath. “But what should I say? This is so weird.” She looked down at Brynn. “I just want to feed you. That’s all.”
I moved from the couch to the coffee table, sitting on the edge. It was like I couldn’t get close enough. I wished with everything in me that I had been there. That I could have helped her through it. Through all of it.
I’m here, Piper. I’m always here. Even when I wasn’t, I was always around.
Piper took a deep breath. “How do I start?”
“Take another breath and say something like…” Her mom paused. “What would Jaron say if he was here?”
She laughed. “He would probably tell me how beautiful I was. Even in my current messy state.”
She was right. She was beautiful and that would be exactly what I would say to her.
Come on, Piper. Feed her. You can do it, baby.
I cheered her on even though it was so many months ago.
Piper took another breath and looked down at our daughter. “If your daddy was here, he would be coaching me on and telling me what a wonderful job I was doing.” She smiled. “Yes, he would.” She laughed, wiping under her eye. “He would also say, ‘Babe, we got this.’”
I passed a glance at Piper.
She smiled, her eyes shining.
“He would also say that he loves us.” She sighed, glancing back toward the camera. “I’m not sure what else to…” She gasped, looking down at Brynn. “She’s feeding.”
Her mom cheered.
The video ended shortly after that, but I found that I wanted to watch it again and again. She was right. I would tell her that I loved them because I did.
I shut off the TV and rose from the coffee table.
Piper headed into the kitchen and I followed.
“She needs a bath but for once, she actually ate really well.” Piper placed the dishes in the sink. “I think it’s because you’re—”
Before she could finish her sentence, I grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. Pushing her back against the counter, I covered her mouth with mine.
She gasped, giving me the only invitation I needed to take the kiss a little further.
“Jaron,” she whispered.
I released her, placing a soft peck on her swollen lips. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here but I’m so fucking proud of you and what you’ve done. You’re the strongest person I know.”
Her breath caught, her eyes welling.
“I’m also sorry for putting you through hell all of this time. I should have been there with you during your pregnancy. I shouldn’t have done what I did but my temper…”
“Hey.” Piper cupped the back of my neck. “You saved my life.”
My jaw clenched. “But I—”
“I had nightmares after that. For months, I had nightmares. And I heard that being pregnant can make you have some crazy dreams too, so that didn’t help at all. But can you imagine what those nightmares would have been like if you hadn’t stopped him, Jaron? Sure, I had to move out of that room. And yes, I jumped at every little thing for weeks. But that’s not the point. It could have been so much worse.”
“I still shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.” And I definitely shouldn’t have killed the mayor’s son.
“I was almost raped, Jaron. You stopped tha
t from happening.”
I looked away.
“Hey.” She grabbed onto my t-shirt. “I’m being serious. Yes, it was hard without you but you’re home now and I know you had it hard as well and you went through hell in there. But I hope that one day you’ll let me help you through that.”
“I will.” I nodded, placing a soft peck on her forehead. “Thank you.”
I pulled away and left the kitchen but not before I caught that look from Piper. It was pity, concern, but worst of all…fear.
***
(Piper)
“I just got off the phone with Gigi and told her that we would stop by soon. They asked us to come over this weekend, but I told her we might need a little longer. Whatever is good for you. She and Vince live outside of town. Did you hear that the house us girls lived in, was burnt down?” I joined Jaron on the couch, curling my feet under me.
“My dad mentioned something about that.” He shook his head. “So fucking crazy what Gigi and Vince went through to be together.”
Just like us but I kept that thought to myself.
Vince’s friend’s ex-girlfriend and another friend pulled some crazy stunts and both Vince and Gigi almost lost their lives because of her. I just prayed that she was able to get the help she needed before she hurt herself or anyone else.
“I look forward to seeing everyone,” Jaron said, pulling me from my thoughts. He kissed my temple and went back to my journals. He had spent the afternoon looking through the box, watching the videos and reading the journals I wrote for him. It was now later in the evening. We had put Brynn to bed together and now we were spending some time, trying to find that connection again.
“Oh I just realized, I never actually showed you your surprise.” I turned toward him. “It’s just a home gym and it’s in the basement for whenever you get bored.”
“Thank you.” He kissed the side of my head again. “But I just want to read these.”
“Okay.” I took a sip of my water and leaned my head against his shoulder. “I like that one,” I told him, pointing at the current entry he was reading when I was craving mustard and peanut butter.
“Mustard and peanut butter?” Jaron made a face.
I laughed. “Yeah, but Meadow turned it into a cupcake. Ashton even liked it and had her make more.”
“Huh…” Jaron shut the journal and placed it in the box on the floor.
“What is it?”
“How have the twins been with you?” he asked, not meeting my gaze.
“What are you really asking me, Jaron?” I sat forward, turning my body toward him. “If you’re wondering if they’ve hinted for more, they haven’t. They’ve been good to me and Brynlee while you haven’t been here.” I stood. “So stop with this jealousy bullshit.”
He grabbed my hand when I went to storm away.
The touch was so soft and gentle, it brought tears to my eyes.
I couldn’t look at him for fear that I would start blubbering like a baby. One day. One day he had been home, and I was a mess. We were a mess. And I didn’t know how to fix us.
His thumb ran back and forth over the back of my hand. He tugged it gently, pulling me down onto the couch beside him.
A shuddered breath left me.
Jaron wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pushing his face into the crook of my neck.
An unspoken apology fell between us. This would be a give and take situation and right now, I was taking everything I could.
Turning in his arms, I brushed my fingers through his dark beard, over his cheekbone and across his lips. I wanted to memorize this moment. Where both of us were at a place where we didn’t know what to do but knew that we wanted to do it together.
Fisting his shirt, I pulled him against me and wrapped myself around him. I held him as I tightly as I could.
His big body relaxed. With rough hands, they roamed beneath my shirt and up my back. The touch of his calloused palms against my naked skin, sent a flutter of peace through every inch of me.
I leaned back, cupped his face, and covered his mouth with mine before he could say or do anything. Before he could push me away again. Before he could stop me and tell me that it wasn’t right. That this was the wrong time.
We needed to talk. I knew that. But right now, I just needed to feel. Even if it was just holding and touching, I would take it. I would take all of it and keep it safe in my arms.
Jaron ran his hands up my back, trailing one of them down my side and around to my front. His fingers brushed over the stretch marks covering my lower abdomen, a rough growl escaping him. He would have seen them before when I joined him in the shower, but he never said anything then. I wondered why they all of a sudden affected him.
Releasing my mouth, he leaned his forehead against mine.
“Jaron,” I whispered, running my fingers through the hair at the back of his neck.
When his lips found the side of my neck, I let out a soft sigh.
He gripped the hem of my shirt and lifted it above my head, leaving me only in my leggings. His dark eyes fell to my breasts, his tongue licking along his lips.
My chest rose and fell, the tiny hairs on my body tingling under his scrutiny.
Reaching out, he brushed his thumb along my jawline before covering my mouth with his. Splitting my lips with his tongue, he pushed and shoved, licked and sucked. He devoured every inch, taking and giving and making it his own.
I grabbed onto his shirt, fisting it in my hands. I needed to feel his hot skin and his muscles jump under my touch. I craved the way he lost control and needed every inch of him against every inch of me.
Fisting his shirt in my hands, I broke the kiss long enough to get the fabric up and over his head.
Once he tossed it to the floor, he was back on me.
I gasped, taking his tongue deep into my mouth and wrapping my arms around him. My nipples peaked, my breasts pushing against his naked chest.
Jaron laid me back, lowering me to the couch. Kneeling between my legs, he pushed into me, igniting a burn I had never felt before.
Reaching between us, I ran my fingers down his stomach, his abs twitching beneath my touch. Once I reached the waist of his jeans, I undid the button and lowered the zipper.
He deepened the kiss, stealing the very breath from my lungs.
Jaron hooked his fingers into the waist of my leggings and broke the kiss. His eyes were dark, filled with so much damn lust, my heart hammered in my ears. He continued tugging the leggings lower until they were off one leg.
Spreading my legs even more, I opened myself to him. Although I was still in panties, I was sure he could see exactly how much I wanted him. How much I needed every inch of him inside of me.
He pushed his waist back between my knees and crushed his mouth to mine.
***
(Jaron)
The rational part of me said that this was too soon and that we should wait. But I didn’t listen. When Piper accused me of being jealous of the twins, I almost yelled that I had every right to be jealous of them. Knowing she spent weeks with them fucking her, how the hell could I not be jealous? But then I saw the pain hidden behind her eyes and the wobble of her chin, and I closed up completely.
Now she was beneath me.
Wet. Ready. And all fucking mine.
I reached into my jeans and pulled out my cock. It had been so long since I had an orgasm, I knew I wouldn’t last but right now, I didn’t give a shit. This was all for her. Every inch. Every throbbing vein. It belonged to Piper and only Piper.
With my tongue deep in her mouth, I swallowed her moans and inched a hand up her inner thigh before hooking a finger into the crotch of her panties. Her breath caught, the kiss becoming frantic.
Yeah, baby. It’s fucking time.
With a rough tug, I ripped the thin fabric from her body.
Before either of us could say no and that this wasn’t the right time, I pulled her farther beneath me and lined the tip of my cock up with her soaked center.<
br />
Piper lifted her leg, wrapping it around my waist, giving me the only invitation I needed.
In one smooth thrust, I was deep inside her.
She cried out, arching beneath me.
As much as I knew I should have gone slow, it had been way too long that I couldn’t. My hips quickened, my length pulsing and swelling inside of her. Her pussy was so damn hot, it took everything in me not to come right away.
She ran her hands down my back and into my jeans. Cupping my ass, she pulled me forward, taking exactly what she wanted from me.
Releasing her mouth, I wrapped a hand around her jaw and tilted her head back. Her dark eyes locked on mine. Her hips met me thrust for every powerful thrust.
Needing her orgasm, I picked up speed and gripped the arm of the couch. Pulling out until just the tip of my cock was in her, I thrust forward, slamming every inch into her swollen body.
She screamed, her thighs shaking.
Good girl. Give me more, baby. I want them all. Every orgasm.
Licking along her mouth, I slipped my tongue inside and devoured the hell out of it.
She broke the kiss, arching beneath me. “Faster.”
Slipping from her body, I grabbed her waist and flipped her onto her stomach. I pulled her to all fours before thrusting back inside her.
Piper cried out, slamming her ass back against me. It was hard, rough, and bordered on violent, but it was everything that made up us.
I knew then that this was only the beginning and my feelings for her would only get stronger as time wore on.
Piper
“I wasn’t expecting that,” I murmured, running my finger in circles along Jaron’s nipple.
He kissed my temple, wrapped his arm around my middle, and snuggled his face into the crook of my neck. It had been something he did often. It made me wonder if it calmed him in a way.
It was an hour later, and we were still on the couch. My leggings were still on one leg only, my torn panties were on the floor, and I could feel his cum dripping out of me. But it was perfect and needed.
Jaron’s jeans were still undone but he had stuffed his cock away after he came inside me. The dark treasure trail ran from his belly button to what laid beneath his jeans.