by Sam Crescent
Pancakes were all she could come up with. Tying her hair back she saw there was a message on her machine. She quickly pressed the button and listened to Marcel talk.
“Hey, April, I wanted to make sure you were all set to work tonight.”
Before she started whisking up the mix she called Marcel back to let him know she’d be in to work.
Henry joined her as she was hanging up. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt revealing his thick muscles. “You’re going into work?”
“I’ve got to.”
She didn’t want to lose her job. Working for Marcel gave her everything she’d been searching for in her life.
“I can take care of you.”
April gazed at him. “I don’t want you to take care of me.”
He spoke her name, to which she shook her head. “No, I don’t need you to take care of me.”
Henry didn’t argue with her, and she made him a pile of pancakes, which he devoured.
****
One week later
Henry watched April serve a table across from him. The table of businessmen were drinking a little too much for his liking. His companion, a business associate with a new venture into computer games, kept talking. He wasn’t listening, more concerned with his woman dealing with the rowdy crowd.
Marcel wouldn’t let her serve him as April had requested it. For the last week she’d kept her distance, and they still hadn’t discussed his admission to her. He spent time around her place, and she rarely spoke to him.
Giving her space wasn’t helping their situation. If anything, he felt her distancing herself from him.
“Excuse me a moment.” He cut the man off and walked toward the kitchen. Marcel was singing as he cooked. The staff around him was joining in when they could, and the spirit within the kitchen was good. “Marcel, I need a word.”
“I’m busy.”
“I want April moved from the table.”
“Can’t do it, Henry. She has to complain for me to move her. Dealing with rowdy men is her deal.” Marcel didn’t look up from the vegetables he was flipping.
Spinning on his heel, Henry saw April glaring at him in the doorway.
“A word,” she said.
“Take my office, kids. I don’t need the customers to see a fight,” Marcel called after them.
April walked toward Marcel’s office, and Henry closed the door behind him.
“What the hell are you doing? This is my job, and Marcel has rules about dating customers.”
“I’m part owner of this restaurant.”
She paused. “That makes it worse. You’re my boss.”
“Cut the crap, April. I’ve got a right to care about you. Those men are assholes.”
“They’re paying customers, and I like working here. Stop trying to interfere with my life. I like working for Marcel. I’ve already seen the way the other members of staff are looking at me because of your little outburst.”
“We knew each other before you worked here.”
“You don’t get it, do you? I need some space, and you can’t give it to me.”
“I’ve given you space, a lot of space,” Henry said, taking a step toward her. “We’ve not talked about what happened. It’s time for you to stop running.”
She snorted, the sound so unladylike that it made him smile.
“I’m not running. I’ve not been running for a long time. You’re out of your mind if you think I’d run away from you.”
Reaching up, he cupped her cheek. Her plump, dark lips called to him. She was so fucking beautiful, and she made him ache to touch her.
Dropping his head, he took possession of her lips, sliding his tongue within her mouth. She moaned, her fingers sinking into the flesh of his arms.
For several seconds she stood frozen.
April pulled away, shaking her head. “We can’t. Julia—”
“Tried to murder you, April. She was going to kill you. We can do this. Life is too fucking short to deny what we need. I want you.” He pressed his temple against her head.
Her hands were no longer pushing him away. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her lips against his.
Henry walked her back, lifting her up in his arms and placing her onto the desk. She gasped and he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth.
April cupped his face, moaning.
Kissing down her neck, he sucked on the flesh of her neck. Her uniform prevented him from going any further down.
“Please, Henry,” she said. “No, wait, we’ve got to stop. This is Marcel’s office.”
“It’s partly my office.” Henry shoved her skirt up to her waist, reaching for his belt. “I need to be inside you.”
She leaned back, opening her thighs for him to see her covered pussy. He tore the panties from her body as he freed his cock. There was no time for him bring her to orgasm. He needed inside her more than he needed anything else. Rubbing the tip of his cock through her creamy slit, he moaned at the instant shot of pleasure through his system. She felt so damn good.
Sliding his cock to her entrance, he thrust just the tip inside her before gripping her hips within his palms and slamming the last couple of inches all the way to the hilt. They both cried out together.
Her tight heat wrapped around him. The little flutters of her inner pussy walls drove him crazy. She squeezed his cock, making it a tight fit.
“Please, fuck me, Henry.”
Withdrawing from her tight heat until only the tip of him remained, he stared into her eyes and plunged back inside her. She bit her lip to keep in her cries. He took her mouth, swallowing down her screams as she gave them to him.
He fucked her on the desk, loving every second of her in his arms.
Over and over, he staked his claim on her body wanting her to feel for him what he did for her.
Henry changed from kissing her lips to looking down at where they were connected. The lips of her sex were open revealing his cock sliding in and out. He’d forgotten the condom, but it didn’t matter. She was protected.
A small spark of pain struck from knowing she was protected against the possibility of them conceiving a child.
Reaching down, he pressed on her swollen nub feeling her body convulse at his delicate touch. April splintered apart in his arms, and he followed her into bliss, crying out. He wrapped his arms around her body holding her close.
His orgasm started to ebb away, and all he wanted to do was take her back to his place to make love to her well into the night.
Instead, he stared into her eyes. “There’s something between us, and you need to realize I’m not going anywhere.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Tell someone else to serve those men, April. They’re getting worse, and they’ll start trying to maul at you.”
He took some tissues out of the box Marcel kept on his desk. Henry cleaned the seed from the lips of her sex and thighs before wiping their residue from his cock. Tucking himself back into his pants, he helped her off the table.
“I’m worried about you.”
She nodded. “I will.”
Henry dropped a kiss to her lips. “We need to talk.”
“Not tonight. Please, give me some space tonight.”
For several moments he stared at her wanting to deny her. “Fine, I’ll take you home and give you tonight, but tomorrow we need to talk.”
****
“He doesn’t know?” David asked, taking a seat beside her.
April shook her head. “I lied to him, and now I think I might be pregnant.” She bit her lip as the truth spilled from her lips. After Henry dropped her off, she called David and asked if she could talk to him. She’d been surprised he was awake, but he worked nights like she did, only he worked at a nightclub.
“You’ve got to tell him.”
“I can’t. He’ll hate me.”
“That man is in love with you. You’ve got no chance of him hating you and more chance of him being over the moon. Have you taken a test yet to
see if you are?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Tell him and come clean. This can only be hard for the both of you.”
The tears she’d kept at bay suddenly released, and she couldn’t help but cry. “I can’t stop feeling guilty.”
David held her close as the tears kept falling. “You’ve got to stop feeling guilty. Falling in love is nothing to be guilty about. What happened was awful, but you’ve got to realize what you’ve got in front of you. Henry is an amazing man. Give him a chance and allow yourself to fall in love before you lose something wonderful.”
April stared up at him, wiping the tears from her eyes. “You’re a wonderful person,” she said.
“Thank you. I try to be as wonderful as possible.” He pulled a funny face, making her laugh.
“You are.” She rifled through her pocket and pulled out a little piece of paper. “I know it took some time, but I found a woman for you to date. This is Kate’s number. She’s beautiful and sweet. Take care of her. You’re her first date in over three years. She was hurt, and she wants to have some fun.”
He took the paper from her fingers and pocketed the number. “You’re too sweet. I was only kidding about the date thing.”
“No, you weren’t.”
“I’m going to head home for the night. Talk to Henry and you’ll see there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I will. Thank you.” She saw David out and gave him a wave. It was late, and she was tired. As she took one last look around the sitting room, the blankness of it struck her hard. Since Henry’s revelation about Julia she’d removed all the photos that contained all the memories. Her apartment was bland with no personal affects.
Shaking her head, she went to bed determined to come clean to Henry the following day. She set her alarm for seven, and once she woke up, she headed toward his favorite bakery. With coffee and a baked bun, she made her way to his apartment building. The guy working the door remembered her and allowed her inside without alerting Henry. She took the elevator not needing the morning workout. Her diet hadn’t been all that good over the last couple of days.
The morning sickness had already claimed her, and she could only just control herself from throwing up over her purchases. The scent of coffee left her feeling nauseous.
She knocked on Henry’s door and waited for him to answer.
He was on the phone and paused in his speech when he saw her waiting. “I’ll call you back.” Henry hung up the phone and stared at her. “April.”
She held up the bag of baked goods along with the coffee. “I brought you breakfast.”
“Come in.”
Stepping over the threshold into his place, she removed her jacket placing it with his in the corner.
“This smells so good.”
April moved behind him, admiring the view of his ass.
The awkward silence didn’t sit well with her. She stood facing him as he took a seat on the sofa. The same sofa they’d spent nights watching movies snuggling together.
“Was the call important?” she asked, pointing to his pocket where he put his cell phone.
“Not as important as you. Sit down, April. We’re not strangers to each other.”
She tucked some hair behind her ear as she faced him. “I can’t. What I’ve got to say to you has to be done standing up.” April rubbed her temples trying to find the right words to convey her thoughts.
Get it out, April. It can’t stay a secret.
“I lied to you the other day.” She licked her lips. “I’m not any protection. I was scared, and you were there, and I don’t know why I lied.”
Henry stayed silent staring at her.
“I, erm, I could be pregnant. I don’t know if I am, but I’ve been getting sickness in the morning.” She wrung her hands together trying to think of something else to say. Henry stayed on the sofa, staring at her.
“Do you think you’re pregnant?” he asked.
“Yes. I think I’m pregnant.”
“Then we need to take a test.” He stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to the pharmacy to get a test. Please, stay here. Don’t run out of me.”
“You’re not angry?”
“Why would I be angry? You were scared. Our relationship hasn’t exactly been the easiest, but I’m not going to be angry at you for needing time. This is a huge step for everyone.” He stepped close, cupping her cheeks. “I’m just pleased you finally came to me.” He dropped a kiss to her lips then moved toward the door. “I’ll be back shortly.”
The sound of the door closing echoed around them. The scent of the coffee turned her stomach. She grabbed the cup and tossed the liquid down the sink before throwing the cup in the trash.
To calm her nerves she continued to clean his apartment for something to do with her hands. She didn’t venture into the bedroom that started all of this.
You can do this, April.
In the back of her mind she still couldn’t believe that she might be pregnant by the man she loved.
Chapter Six
Standing in the pharmacy, Henry felt his hands shake as he picked up one test after another. There were so many for the same thing. How hard was it to tell if a woman was pregnant or not? Running fingers through his hair he settled on the test that seemed the most simple and straightforward.
April could be pregnant with your child.
The thought rang through his head. Weeks ago the thought of April being pregnant had filled him with joy. If she had his kid then that gave him an extra benefit in claiming her. He’d always be present for his child and would provide both the mother and child with a good life. April wasn’t just any woman. She was the woman he’d denied himself because of Julia.
He paid the money, and the woman working the till congratulated him. Henry thanked her, pocketing the test then making his way slowly back toward his apartment.
The joy that had filled him was turning into fear. Women still died of pregnancy, and there was no guarantee that she’d survive it all.
Stop thinking about the crap.
They needed to get past this first stage. If she was pregnant then he was marrying her.
Entering the building he asked if anyone had entered his apartment or tried to leave. The man on the door told him April hadn’t left the building. Feeling relief, Henry went back to his apartment. He found her on the floor, scrubbing.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I needed to clean. I couldn’t sit around waiting for you to get back.” She didn’t look up. Her ass gave a little shake as she moved her body to clean. Gripping her arm, he tugged her to her feet.
“You could be pregnant, and you shouldn’t be doing this. It could damage you and the baby.”
April shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous. Pregnant women work all the time, and we don’t even know if I am pregnant.”
He held up the test. “We’ll find out. If you are we’re going to need to have that talk without any arguments.”
She nodded then looked at the kit. He saw her hands were shaking as she took the test from his hands. “Can I take it in privacy?”
“Yeah.”
Henry followed her through to his bathroom. He took a seat on the bed and waited as the bathroom door closed.
You could be a Daddy.
The idea of fathering a child filled him with excitement and fear.
Would she accept his marriage proposal? He wouldn’t give her the chance to deny him.
The bathroom door opened seconds later.
“Don’t worry, I washed my hands.” In her hand she held a white stick. “It’s, erm, it’s not turned yet, but I thought we could sit and watch it together.” She sat beside him on the bed. “Here’s the box for you to look at.”
He read through the instructions to see what each result meant.
The stick shook a little in her hands, and he covered her wrist with his own. “Don’t worry about anything, April. I�
��ll take care of you and the baby. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you and loving you both.”
“Please don’t say stuff like that.”
He pushed some hair off her shoulder, exposing her neck. “I’m not going to lie to you, April. I love you.”
Her lip wobbled. “I know I shouldn’t, but I love you, too.”
“Do you mean that?” he asked.
“Yes, I’ve loved you for a long time. I tried everything to stop these feelings, but nothing stopped it. I’ve been in love with you for a long time, and this scares me. It’s all too new and fresh.”
He silenced her with a finger to her lips. “We’ll take it one step at a time. I love you, April. I’m not going to risk losing you.” He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.
She glanced down at the stick, and he followed her gaze.
It’s positive. April’s pregnant with my kid.
“Wow, erm, I don’t know what to say,” she said, chuckling.
Taking the stick out of her hand, he threw it onto the floor, cupping her cheeks. “We’re going to have a baby.” He slammed his lips down on hers, the elation getting to him.
April chuckled, touching his face. “We’re going to have a baby. I don’t know what to say.” She kissed him back.
“You’ve got to move in here,” he said. “And you’ve got to quit working for Marcel.” He pressed a hand to her stomach. “I’m not having you put your life at risk.” His child, son or daughter, was nestled in her stomach, growing.
“Whoa, Henry, back up. I’m not going to quit my job. I’m going to continue working through this pregnancy, and I’m not moving in with you.”
He withdrew. “You’re in love with me.”
“So? I want us to take some time. It’s too soon.” She looked at him, waiting. “I’m not running away. We’ve barely spent any time together. When I was here with Julia, I spent time with her, not you.”
Henry knew she spoke sense, yet he couldn’t help but be annoyed. As usual she was holding back from him. He was tired of her holding back. Julia came between them like all the other times before, and it pissed him off.
“I’m not running away from you, Henry. I’m asking for time.”