The butt plug vibrating on high, I rewarded her by pressing my thumb directly against her clit.
“Now come for me, hard.” I growled the command and she bucked against me, convulsing, creaming all over my fingers. She leaned her face into a towel at her side so she could muffle her screams. I’d placed it there. I always tried to think of anything she might need. I couldn’t ever get enough of her—the moment when her perfect body went so tense, a rigid board strumming with need then shuddering into release, thrashing wildly as she nearly blacked out.
I gave her a long time to come down, holding her close to me and stroking her hair. I slipped out the butt plug and got her completely comfortable. I covered her up once again so I could bring up the curtains on our private cabana and let the gentle island breezes caress her face.
She nuzzled in on my chest, a dreamy smile, her body soft and pliant. I’d never get enough of this woman.
EPILOGUE
Kara
Six Months Later
“I’ve been thinking, Kara.” Declan stood in our private honeymoon suite, a drink in hand, some stubble on his handsome jaw. He wore lightweight pants and nothing else, the warm island breeze caressing us. “Let’s go to the Kavanaugh holiday party.”
And here I was thinking I was the one about to drop a bomb.
I’d just taken a test in the bathroom, the kind with the stick you peed on. It had a cross on it and if my shaking hands and nervously excited brain were correctly processing the instructions on the folded-up piece of paper from the box, it meant that I was pregnant. Declan and I were going to have a baby.
But here he was telling me that he was ready to meet his family. He’d had time to think it over, to adjust to the bombshell of his father’s identity. He’d gotten over the pain and hurt and fear and now he was ready and willing to take a chance.
“You want to go, right?” he asked me as I stood there, stunned and silent.
“Um, yeah.” I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts of baby rattles and baby blankets and soft, pink little baby hands holding on to my finger.
“We can fly up to New York from here and spend a few days. It’ll be fun going back there with you. We had a good time this summer.”
“We did.” I wrapped my hands around his neck. “You really want to go to the party? We don’t have to, you know.”
“I want to go. I want to meet my family.”
I kissed him with all my heart. I wanted to meet them, too. After our honeymoon.
And what a honeymoon it was, all warm breezes and more hot orgasms that I could count. After you got into double digits, your brain went a little soft. It was a proven scientific fact.
I dissolved into his kiss. With his mouth on me, it was easy to forget everything else.
Almost. Because telling Declan that he was going to become a father was a big deal. Honestly, given the complicated emotions he had about his own father, I didn’t know how he was going to react.
“I think I’m ready to meet them all.” Declan stroked my hair, gazing at me with a slight smile playing across his lips. “I would have liked to have met my father.” A moment of pain flashed in his eyes. I brought my hand to his cheek. “I promise, Kara.” His voice choked with emotion, he brought his hand up and placed it over my own. “If we ever…I’ll be a better father. If someday—”
“I’m pregnant.” I blurted it out before I knew what I was doing. So much for keeping the news to myself. I’d never been good at that kind of thing.
“What?” He looked at me, open-mouthed in surprise.
“I’m pregnant. I know it’s not the right time to tell you but I had to tell you.” Words practically tumbled out of my mouth, one tripping over the other to get to the end.
“You’re pregnant?” he repeated, looking dumbstruck.
I nodded. “You’re going to be a father. And you’re going to be so amazing.”
“Are you all right?” He brought his hands to my shoulders. “Do you need anything? Should you sit down?”
I laughed. “I’m fine. I’m only about five weeks along. I feel great.”
“You’re pregnant,” he repeated. I nodded, looking up at him shyly. To my great relief and joy, a smile started to grow on his face. “You’re pregnant.” This time he sounded almost excited. “You’re going to have a baby!”
I nodded, tears coming to my eyes. He wrapped me in his arms and I felt his emotion, too, as he took a deep, shaking breath and held me close.
“Kara,” he murmured. “You’ve given me so much.”
“You don’t realize how much you’ve given me.” I looked up at him. “Declan, I know all this with your father is crazy, and now we’re going to have a baby and it’s all so much. But you know what? I think everything’s going to work out.”
“Yeah?” He matched the crazy, reckless smile on my face with one of his own.
“Yeah. I think we’re going to have a great time meeting your family. And then I think we’re going to have a baby and start a family of our own.”
He laughed. “You think?”
“I do.” I nodded through the happy tears in my eyes.
“And you’re OK to fly?” Concern flooded his gaze again as he looked at my perfectly flat stomach.
“Yes, Declan.” I laughed.
“OK.” He smiled at me. “Let’s do this. I’m all in.”
I threw my arms around his neck. His smell, his warmth, his love, I never wanted to let go. I couldn’t believe life could be so good.
“We’re going to have a baby,” Declan murmured. I looked up into his smiling face. He brought a hand to my hair, smoothing it back as he liked to do. “Nothing else matters, you know. Just you and me.”
“And baby makes three,” I finished for him, smiling.
He was right. No matter what happened next, we had everything we needed right there. Our love was everything.
UNLEASHED BONUS CHAPTER
Declan
Kara stood at the vanity in a red teddy built for sin, brushing her hair like she didn’t know she made me hard the second I saw her. When I’d left her that morning for a quick meeting with a business associate, she’d still been sleeping. It was a 17-hour time difference between New York and Fiji where we’d spent our honeymoon. Even a seasoned traveler such as myself had trouble with that time change. Kara would get used to it, though. I planned on showing her the world.
Coming up behind her, I slipped my hands around her waist, caressing the soft silk of her lingerie.
“You’re back!” she exclaimed with delight as I kissed her neck.
“How’s my wife?” I couldn’t help it. I knew it was cheesy, the sort of affectionate term of endearment that a year ago would have made me wretch. But with Kara, I let myself go.
“Your wife is happy to see you.” She smiled at me in the mirror.
“How are you feeling today?” With great care, I brought my hands around to her still-flat stomach. I couldn’t believe she was pregnant and that we were going to have a baby together. To say it blew my mind would be a complete understatement.
“I’m excited! I can’t wait to meet your grandmother!”
Yeah, that. With a grumble, I leaned back against the vanity and ran my hand through my hair. That’s why we were in New York. We were going to meet my brand-spanking-new family, wrapped up and delivered to me in a bow. Today, we had plans to meet my biological grandmother and my half-sister over lunch. Then, tomorrow, we’d have a ceremonial Reviewing of the Will and then Saturday, their annual holiday party.
I was sure they would all be thrilled to meet me, the bastard born out-of-wedlock trying to hone in on their inheritance. They’d be sure to greet me with open arms.
The thing was, it wasn’t me that I really cared about. I could take a few cold shoulders. But if anyone was anything less than 100 percent kind and gracious to Kara, I’d rip their fucking teeth out. I hadn’t grown up on the Upper East Side with a silver spoon in my mouth like they had. I was the bastard, th
e forgotten kid, and I knew how to use my fists. They’d just better not give me a good reason.
“She sounded really nice on the phone.”
“What?” When had Kara talked to my grandmother?
“Oh, I called her this morning while you were out. I wanted to double-check the address and time and all that. And see if we could bring anything.”
“What, like a fruitcake?” I didn’t get the down-home holiday vibe from this British grandmother of mine. In pictures, she looked as relaxed as the Queen of England at a coronation.
“Well, I suppose that would work since it is the holiday season, but no one really likes fruitcake anyway.” Kara scrunched up her nose. “She said to bring nothing, but we can have your driver stop somewhere on the way up. I wish I could bring some homemade cookies. But we’ll have to settle on something from one of these fancy stores around here.”
I had to hug her again, big like a bear around the middle. Homemade cookies. You could take the girl out of Montana, but the Montana would most stubbornly not get out of the girl. Good. I didn’t want it to.
“I like you in this teddy.” I caressed my hand along the silk, bringing my palm up to cup her breast. I didn’t know if it was possible, but her gorgeous breasts already seemed larger. Was it wishful thinking? Or had Christmas come early?
“I probably have to change and wear clothes,” she told me regretfully. “Your grandmother is 83. She might not approve of my showing up for lunch in sexy lingerie.”
“How do you know her exact age?” How long a conversation had they had earlier that day?
“The dossier.” Kara referred to the black leather-bound file the Kavanaughs’ attorney had given us on the family. My biological father’s family. My family.
“Sounds like you’ve memorized it.” I wasn’t teasing. Kara was so excited to meet my relatives I think she might have done just that. I was the former foster kid suddenly thrust into a large, wealthy family, so I guessed I should have been the one pouring over the pages. But the only thing I wanted to examine every inch of was Kara. I looked at the clock. Damn it, we had to leave in about ten minutes. Not nearly enough time to give her the attention that she deserved.
Resigned, I let her head to the closet. “I liked Fiji. You wore bikinis all the time.”
“Sometimes not even that.” She winked at me before turning her attention to selecting a conservative lunch outfit. It made me grumble again.
I paced, waiting for her in front of the fireplace. It was nice and big, a working one at that. I’d make sure the firewood got stocked for later. At some point this lunch had to end. And when it did, I’d take Kara back here and get a good fire roaring, inside the fireplace and inside Kara as she lay on the soft rug in front of it.
Far too many minutes later, Kara came out in far too many clothes. I thought I saw a turtleneck tucked in underneath a scarf and a great big coat. Frowning, I offered her my arm.
“I’m so proud of you for doing this, Declan.” Impulsively, she threw her arms around my neck. “I know it’s hard.” What, was she sobbing? I brought my arms around her and held her close. “It’s complicated, meeting your family.” She sank back down onto her feet, taking a finger to wipe her eyes. “But I think it’s really important. And good for you to meet them. For us to meet them. Because we’re starting a family of our own now.”
She started crying again and I wrapped her up in my arms, feeling kind of choked up myself. She needed to stop saying things reminding me how much I loved her. I’d spent years with my emotions turned almost completely off and this woman threw that all to hell. Of course, I loved her for that, too.
Kissing her on her hair, I wiped the tears away from her cheeks. “Come on, now. Let’s do this.”
She nodded. “I’m really excited.” She smiled up at me through tear-stained eyes.
“You really seem it,” I responded drily. I brought my hand to her lower back and we started toward the door. Until I stopped her.
“One more thing,” I added, turning to point at the fireplace. “When this is all over, I’m going to take you back here, make a roaring fire, and fuck you hard on that rug in front of it.”
She cleared her throat. “Wow.” She fanned herself. “Better make this a quick lunch!”
Our driver, Vladimir, took us up Manhattan to the Upper East Side. Along the way, Kara found a tin of cookies that suited her at a specialty shop. She held it on her lap and unconsciously drummed on the metal with her fingertips.
“I can’t believe your brother’s a rock star.”
“Half-brother,” I grumbled. “And he’s not going to be at lunch today.” Or at the holiday party Saturday, if luck went my way. If you believed the press about him, the guy was a real letch.
“I’ve seen him in the news lately. I’m trying to remember why?” Kara scratched her head. “Oh, yeah. He broke that nice girl’s heart.”
“Who?” I had to admit it, I’d gotten distracted by a text from an investor. He was expressing concern about a new acquisition. I needed to turn off my phone.
“The one who was on American Idol,” Kara continued, clearly on a new conversation path I hadn’t followed.
“Who are we talking about?”
“Mandy Monroe, that’s her name.”
“I’m not following.”
“Your brother’s ex-girlfriend!”
“Kara, come on now with that word ‘brother.’ You’re throwing it around fast and loose.”
“Brother,” she taunted me, sticking out her tongue. I gave her a warning look, licking my lips as I locked in on her tongue. I’d give her something to do with that tongue. She was good at using it just the way I liked.
The car stopped. “Here we are,” my driver announced.
Red-coated doormen stood underneath an elaborate awning at the Park Avenue address.
“Does she live in a hotel?” Kara asked me as one of them came to help her out of the car.
“No, the nicer places in the city have doormen.”
She whistled as she looked up at the building in all its restored post-war glory. Up in an elevator, we were greeted by another man in uniform as the door opened into a magnificent, high-ceilinged penthouse.
“Hi! I’m Kara.” Kara shook his gloved hand. I hoped she never stopped greeting the serving staff. I loved this woman.
An older woman approached wearing a worsted wool suit, clearly tailored for her slender frame. Kara had said she was 83, but her posture was as perfectly erect as a youthful ballet dancer. Her silver hair was swept into a classic bun neither severe nor untidy.
“Welcome,” she greeted us warmly, or at least as warmly as a wealthy, elderly British woman would allow. “Margaret Kavanaugh.” She extended her hand, the epitome of grace and excellent breeding.
“Oh, hi!” Kara leaned in and gave her a hug. I noted a look of surprise on Margaret’s face, but then it melted into a smile.
“Well, hello!” She took Kara by the shoulders. “Are you Kara, now?”
Kara laughed and introduced herself with the kind of vivacious ease she alone could bring. I, of course, stood stiff and gruff.
“Declan.” I stuck out my hand like a tin soldier. I wasn’t trying to be unfriendly, but this had to be one of the stranger meetings I’d ever attended.
“Hello.” I met her eyes and, I have to admit, I was struck by her. The cheekbones. Those were the cheekbones that looked back at me in the mirror every morning. Holy shit. This was my grandmother.
And she must have been struck as well, because I saw her eyes fill. Briefly. Then she cleared her throat and composed herself.
“I see so much of your father in you.” She took my hand, clasping it between both of hers. She felt thin but not frail. “I’m so very glad to meet you. I’m deeply grateful that you came today. And that you’ll be joining us on Saturday.”
Kara swept in with laughter and the tin of sweets and before I knew it the two of them were linking arms and discussing the best way to care for ferns.
Apparently they were a tricky indoor plant and required a good deal of talking to. Kara professed that what they most enjoyed was singing, and Margaret agreed that she’d give it a try.
“Do you ever watch Downton Abbey?” Kara exclaimed as the butler led us into another room with a table laid out for lunch. “You remind me so much of Maggie Smith!”
From anyone else, it might not have struck the right chord to say you bore a striking resemblance to an 80-something actress in a famously stiff and snobby role. But from Kara it sounded all compliment. Margaret laughed and promised she’d watch an episode. I had to admit, I saw some resemblance, too. I’d caught an episode or two when Kara had been watching it over the past few months. I could see the strand of pearls Margaret wore looking right at home on the actress in her role.
“So you’re British, Declan!” Kara exclaimed as we began our lunch. Literally, finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off along with a light watercress salad and what might have been a mushroom soup. Not my idea of a hearty meal, but I could always get a steak somewhere later on for dinner.
“May I offer my congratulations on your marriage.” Margaret beamed at the two of us with what honestly looked like familial pride. “My son would have loved meeting you both.” She paused, clearly overcome with emotion, but she didn’t break. I could tell, she was a tough one. Maybe I’d inherited that from her as well.
“Thank you so much!” Kara reached over a hand to hers and held it for a moment. “I am such a lucky woman. Declan is so amazing. You’re going to love him when you get to know him.” Looking at me as I sat there scowling and stiff, she added, “He can be a little gruff sometimes.”
“Oh, my dear, what man can’t?”
“I hear you.”
I cleared my throat and gruffly took a bite of a dry cucumber sandwich. I was glad they were hitting it off. Behind Margaret, I couldn’t help but notice a huge portrait of men and horses on the hunt. A flash of a fox gleamed from the corner of it.
I’d always identified with the fox, the one with the odds against him. The underdog who had to fight and claw for survival. Now, it turned out I was descended from the hunters. Looking at that giant painting, it had the look of an authentic, commissioned piece dating back a couple hundred years. Those were probably my great, great, great grandfathers.
Unleashed: Declan & Kara (Unleashed #1-4; Beg for It #1) Page 54