He fell against the back of the chair, his chest rising and falling quickly as his heart rate raced from his orgasm. He felt Gracie slowly pull away, allowing his cock to slip from between her lips. She kissed the tip gently before laving the length of his sensitive shaft, kissing the extended veins as she helped him to calm down.
He looked down at his incredible mate and smiled at the satisfied expression on her face as she rested her cheek against his thigh. She winked up at him as she leaned forward and kissed his softening shaft as it lay close to her mouth.
“Feel better?” she asked, licking at his cock lightly.
“Oh, yeah,” he told her immediately.
“Good.”
She stood slowly, resting her hands on his chest to steady herself as she gained her footing. He covered her hands with his and squeezed them lightly. When she was standing before him, he reached out and tugged at the top of her jeans.
“Show me your belly,” he told her softly.
Gracie laughed softly. “Are you going to tell me to show you my belly all the time?”
“Yes, Mate,” he told her seriously. “I need to touch and feel our baby all the time. Will you allow me to do that?”
Gracie melted at his words. She could not express how much his need to touch her, love her, and share in their baby’s life touched her basic need to experience such deep love and caring. He was more than she could ever have hoped for or imagined. No dream or fantasy was ever as good as the reality of Deuce McKade.
Without a word, she pulled up her red blouse, unsnapped and unzipped her jeans, and spread apart the material to expose her belly. She watched Deuce as his eyes focused on her belly before a soft smile graced his mouth. He leaned toward her, and she moaned with need the minute his mouth kissed her belly.
She reached up and threaded her fingers through his hair, holding him gently against her as he repeatedly kissed her soft skin. She felt rather than heard him mumble against her, knowing he was talking to their child.
When she felt his hands pushing down her jeans and underwear she giggled. “Deuce, what are you doing?”
Deuce didn’t answer her. Instead, he tugged off her sneakers and jeans, baring her from the waist down. He stood slowly, turning her and laying her back on the desk, hooking her legs over his forearms and leaning forward to breathe in the scent of her pussy.
“Your body is ready for mine, Gracie,” he whispered before he leaned forward and swiped his tongue through the slick dew that drenched her channel.
He speared his tongue deeply into her sweet pussy then sucked her engorged clit into his mouth and pulled on it deeply. Her responding moan made his spirits soar. There was nothing better than pleasing his Gracie.
Pushing against her clit with the flat of his tongue, he hummed against her button and was rewarded with a deep moan of completion and a fresh rush of her cream as she came apart in his embrace. Before she had a chance to come down from the orgasm he leaned back, took hold of his renewed erection, and slammed home, holding still as the contractions of her vaginal walls stroked him.
He looked down at her and smiled. His mate was beautiful. He said a silent prayer of thanks for the woman who touched his soul and who gave him more happiness than he had ever expected to have in his lifetime.
When she looked up at him with eyes that were glazed with sated passion and complete love, he felt something catch in his chest. How was it possible to love a woman so much? Pulling out, he began a gentle rhythm of assault on his mate’s body. She wrapped her legs around the tops of his thighs, pulling him tighter against her. She crossed her ankles and squeezed, loving how he surged inside of her deeper than before.
“James,” she whispered.
He leaned down to cover her body with his, continuing to slowly pump his hips to slide his cock in and out of her dripping channel. “What, baby?”
She looked up at him, her eyes beseeching his. She wanted to tell him so much, but she had no idea how to put into words exactly what she needed to tell him.
“It’s okay, baby,” he told her softly. “You don’t have to tell me anything right now. I know it can be overwhelming. We’ll be able to tell each other everything we’re feeling throughout the years we’ll be together.”
Gracie nodded, relaxing immediately as his words soothed her. Once again, Deuce knew exactly what she needed to calm her worries and her fears. She wanted to tell him so much, explain to him how much he meant to her, and express the emotions he made her feel, but she was unable to. And he understood.
“I love you, Mate,” she finally whispered.
Deuce’s smile was her reward. “I love you, Mate,” he told her softly, leaning forward to kiss her neck as he wrapped his arms beneath her body to hook his hands over the top of her shoulders. He held her in place as he continued to love her, bringing them both more pleasure.
Pushing in deep, he held himself still as his seed pulsed from his body into hers. He could feel the small waves of her orgasm stroking him and closed his eyes as he gathered her in his arms and brought her up against his chest as he stood.
“So good, Gracie,” he whispered, kissing her forehead lightly.
“Back at ya, cowboy,” she told him, laughing softly.
He looked down at her and smiled. He pushed tighter against her body, pulling one last groan of pleasure from her before pulling out gently and sitting down, taking her with him.
“I want to tell the family that we’re having a baby,” he told her softly, caressing her hair as she lay against his chest.
“Do you think we should wait until I’ve seen the doctor so he can confirm it?” she asked him.
He reached up and ran his hands over the mating mark on the back of her neck. “This is all the proof we need, honey,” he reminded her, tracing the small, golden link that was joined to the two links that represented their blessed mating. He reached down between them and ran his knuckles over her belly. “And this warmth of our child tells me how strong our baby is and that she’s growing bigger and stronger every day.”
Gracie smiled and snuggled into his chest. When he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tighter against him, she closed her eyes and leaned into his strength. She had never been happier in her life as she was right then within her mate’s arms.
* * * *
“Gracie and I wanted to share something with all of you,” Deuce told his family as he and Gracie stood before them in the living room thirty minutes later.
He looked at the people before him and was concerned that things didn’t look right. Luke and Melanie were sharing one of the large recliners with their children snuggled within their arms. John and Jamie were sharing the other one. John’s hand was gently caressing Jamie’s baby bump. Those two families gave him a sense of peace and love, but the rest of his brothers and his brothers’ potential mates were causing him concern.
Lainey, Becca, and Claire were seated on the large couch with Marc. Spence, Tim, Jake, and Rafe were standing behind the couch exuding different poses of exasperation. He looked at Gracie in concern and saw that she had noticed the same thing he had. This was not good at all.
“Is everything okay, Deuce?” Spence asked, walking around the back of the couch to stand before his oldest brother.
“Everything is great,” Deuce assured him. “Gracie and I just wanted to tell you that we’re pregnant.”
Gracie laughed at the we’re pregnant comment. “Yes, we’re pregnant,” she teased. “I’ll remind you of that joint pregnancy when I’m throwing up with morning sickness.”
Deuce smiled and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll be with you every step of the way, Mate,” he promised, kissing her lips lightly.
The women surrounded Gracie and hugged her. The men slapped Deuce on the back in congratulations, John and Luke winking at him since they already knew the secret of Gracie’s pregnancy. Only Marc held back, but Deuce could see the happiness the quiet man held for them in the way he smiled silently from his spot just outsi
de the family circle.
“I’m so happy for you, Gracie,” Becca told her honestly, stepping back and bumping into Rafe as he stood behind her. “Sorry,” she mumbled, gliding around him and heading into the kitchen.
Rafe watched her go silently. He couldn’t begin to explain how much it hurt that she didn’t want to be close to him. He silently chastised himself. He was only getting what he had tried to obtain from her ever since he had become aware of her as a beautiful woman who made his heart race. Distance.
“I’ll help you get the snacks,” Lainey called after her twin. “Congratulations, Gracie. You’re going to be a great mom.” Kissing Gracie’s cheek lightly, she turned to leave, her eyes meeting Spence’s briefly before seeking out and meeting Tim’s. She couldn’t stop the pain and embarrassment that filled her when she realized that she could never stop wanting both of them. She turned and quickly followed Becca into the kitchen.
“I’m so happy for you both,” Claire told Deuce and Gracie, smiling warmly at them before turning to follow Lainey and Becca into the kitchen. She saw Jake take a step toward her, and she shook her head once. “I don’t need your help, Jake,” she told him softly. “I’m good.” She walked away quickly, determined to find a way to deal with the emotions that were flooding her from all the people in the house. She had to figure it out. She was never going to depend on Jake McKade’s touch again.
* * * *
Gracie snuggled against Deuce’s side as they lay side by side in their bed. She loved feeling his warmth and strength.
“I think your brothers need to be better with their women,” Gracie offered softly as Deuce traced slow circles across her abdomen with the tips of his fingers.
“I agree,” he told her, kissing her temple lightly. “I don’t know what happened, but they’d better work on fixing their relationships with their women or they’re going to miss out on having mates in their lives.”
“Do you think having a mate is a good thing?” she asked him, smiling.
“Baby, I think having a mate is an amazing thing,” he admitted honestly without hesitation. “I don’t ever want to be without you.”
“That’s good. I feel the same way,” she whispered, kissing his shoulder lightly.
“Gracie.”
“What?”
“I want the whole family to meet us in town tomorrow so we can get married.”
Gracie looked up at him seriously. “No.”
“No?” His heart beat against his chest as pain and disappointment filled him that Gracie didn’t want to marry him.
Gracie shook her head. “No. I want to get married here at the ranch. Do you think we can arrange that?”
“I think we can arrange that.”
“But I’m a little disappointed,” she told him honestly.
“About what?”
“You haven’t asked me, Deuce,” she told him softly.
Deuce closed his eyes and took a breath. “I’m an idiot,” he told her honestly.
“Yes, but you’re my idiot,” she reminded him, using the words he had spoken to her just a short time ago.
Deuce smiled then turned and pulled them both out of the warmth of their bed. He turned to face Gracie, reaching up to touch her face gently.
“Gracie Lee Emery, you are the most amazing, kind, and loving woman I have ever met. You make me feel like I’m the most important man in the world. When I’m with you or thinking about you, I realize that having you in my life is a gift that I’m not worthy of. I love you.”
He knelt down before her and took her hand in his, bringing it to his mouth and kissing her knuckles lightly.
“Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Gracie looked down at the man who possessed her—heart and soul. She knelt down before him slowly, touching his face with her fingertips.
“James Robert McKade, the second, I love you. I would be honored to be your wife,” she told him softly. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband, Mate?” She looked at him silently, her blue eyes sparkling with tears of happiness.
“Just try and stop me,” Deuce told her gruffly before pulling her against his chest and claiming her mouth.
Epilogue
“Gracie!” Deuce called out as he entered the front door of their home.
“In the office!” her voice called out to him.
He smiled slowly as he brushed off the snow from his coat with his hat then hung up both on the rack next to the door. Pulling off his boots, he set them on the mat by the door, keyed in the security code to reset the alarm system, and walked toward the office door that led from the living room. He opened it quickly and entered, smiling at his mate as she looked up at him from her seat in front of the computer.
“Hello, Deuce,” she told him sweetly, winking boldly. “I’ve missed you, Mate.”
Deuce’s soft laughter made her smile. She watched him as he walked around the big desk and pushed her chair away from the computer so he could kneel before her. She rested against the back of the chair, knowing what was coming next.
“Show me your belly,” he told her gruffly, his eyes a deep blue as desire filled them.
She laughed as she pulled up the pink maternity sweater that she was wearing. He demanded the same of her each time he came home after being apart from her for any length of time. She couldn’t fault him. She felt the loss when he was away from her, too.
Deuce had whispered in her ear one night after they had made love that he had a fear that she would disappear from his life, taking their baby with her. She totally understood his worry. It was something she feared as well. She worried that all of the love and happiness she was experiencing would be ripped from her, and she would find herself alone and isolated once again.
She had whispered to him that they both had to focus on the love and the life they were sharing. They had to trust that they were irrevocably bound to each other.
Deuce leaned in and kissed her belly tenderly, running his hand over the beautiful swelling of his growing baby. Turning his face, he rested his cheek against her belly, hugging her gently.
“Hello, little one,” he spoke to their child. “I’ll be seeing you pretty soon.”
“Do you think so?” Gracie asked him, running her fingers through the black curls on his head. “I’m not having any contractions.”
“They say storms trigger labor. It has something to do with the change in the air pressure,” he told her, looking up and smiling. “You know what else triggers labor and opens the cervix?”
“What?”
“Orgasms.”
Gracie burst out laughing. “You’re funny,” she told him.
He smiled at her but shook his head. “I’m not kidding, Gracie,” he told her seriously.
“Okay,” Gracie told him, nodding. “I believe you.” She reached out and grabbed for his hands. “Help me up, please.”
Deuce stood, carefully pulling her up to stand before him. Her sweater dropped down to cover his baby, and he was momentarily saddened by the loss of the view of his mate’s belly.
“It’s getting pretty cold,” Gracie told him suddenly. “How bad is the storm supposed to be?”
“It’s supposed to start tonight around dinnertime and continue through the night into tomorrow,” he told her as they walked out of the office and into the living room. “We may get as much as a foot of snow by tomorrow night. I’ll head out to town and get groceries and supplies after lunch.”
He led them over to the large recliner in front of the fireplace and helped her to sit comfortably then focused on building the flames higher to help heat the room. He poked at the slowly dying embers and added more logs to the fire once it sparked.
Reaching for the quilt that rested atop the couch, he walked back to Gracie and sat beside her, pulling her onto his lap and covering them both with the quilt. Gracie’s giggle made him smile. He would never tire of her joy.
“I don’t have to sit on your lap, Deuce,” she told
him, still laughing. “I’m too big. I’m going to hurt you.”
Deuce tightened his hold on her, not allowing her to move from his lap. “Don’t even thinking about moving, Mate,” he warned her.
She leaned her head back and smiled up at him. “I don’t want to move,” she told him softly. “I just don’t want to hurt you.”
“Gracie, how many times do I have to tell you? You are not heavy. Now stay still and let me help you.”
“How do you intend to help me?” she asked him warily.
“Be quiet,” he told her without any real impatience.
“Hey!” she snapped, laughing. “Keep that up, Mate, and you’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.”
“Don’t even think about it, Mate,” he warned her. “I am never sleeping anywhere but beside you.”
Gracie turned her body until she was able to straddle his hips. Leaning forward, she kissed his lips lightly before snuggling as close to his chest as her big belly would allow. She felt him hug her gently, and she sighed contentedly. When his hands reached beneath her sweater to unhook her bra then reach around to cup her heavy breasts, she leaned back to give him easier access.
“Someone might come in and catch you groping me,” she warned him, smiling.
“No one will be at the ranch for a while,” he told her softly, pulling her sweater and bra from her body and dropping them on the floor beside the recliner. “Jake has gone to get Claire from her classes. John and Jamie are staying put at their home. No one is moving during this storm, honey. So we can have some fun right here.”
He leaned forward and kissed her darkened nipple, loving how her body had changed during her pregnancy. He smiled against Gracie’s engorged breast, knowing that very soon his daughter would be nursing from her. Reaching down, he slid his hands into her stretch pants and pushed them and her panties down her thighs.
Touching Deuce [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 34