by Anne Mercier
I hadn’t asked for exclusivity and he hadn’t made any promises. It just... was. I should have told him I wanted more. I should have asked him if he wanted more. So many woulda, shoulda, coulda moments but it was too late. And he went on with his fuck buddy "arrangement" with Carina while I pretended it didn’t matter. I’m very good at pretending—until I can’t anymore. Like now.
I scramble to my feet and run to the nearest bathroom and proceed to vomit up my breakfast. Cage lets out a litany of curses as he holds my hair away from my face and rubs my back. When I finish heaving, I rest my head against the cold porcelain. It feels so good against my overheated skin. Then Cage presses a cool cloth to my face, wiping away the beads of sweat and the tears that I didn’t realize were flowing.
"Fee, are you okay?"
I nod.
"I mean it. Are you okay?"
Opening my eyes, I meet his gaze. So many emotions are clouding his: fear, concern, suspicion.
"I’ll be alright."
When he takes my phone out of the pocket of his lounge pants and hands it to me, I’m not surprised. He always plans ahead. I scroll through my contacts list and hit the green button.
"Good morning, Dr. Brickner’s office. This is Jolene. How can I help you today?" Wow, she’s perky but, thankfully, not loud enough that Cage can hear her.
"I’d like to make an appointment with the doctor."
"Alright. Let’s just get your information."
I give her my name, birth date, and phone number. When she asks, "Reason for visit?" I hesitate.
"I haven’t been feeling well for about three weeks now and I just can’t hold very much food down. I saw a doctor in Denver a week or so ago who said it would get better with time but it really isn’t." Vague. It works.
She lowers her tone. "Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"
I hesitate again and meet Cage’s gaze. He’s watching me closely and I give him a small smile then look away.
"Yes."
"Okay, that explains things. Morning sickness can be very troublesome to many women. Let me put you on hold while I ask when she can fit you in, Sera."
"Thanks."
I look at Cage and roll my eyes. "I’m on hold. She’s going to ask the doctor to squeeze me in."
He nods. "Good." He folds his arms, that damn frown line between his brows hasn’t eased up since we came in this room. Shit.
The other line picks up and I perk up.
"Looks like she can squeeze you in around four-thirty today."
"That sounds great, Jolene."
"Be sure to bring in any paperwork or records they gave you in Denver."
"I can do that."
"Great. I’ll see you later today, Sera. Try a little ginger ale and maybe some saltines or ginger snaps. I’m not sure what it is about ginger but my daughter swore by it when she was pregnant with my grandson."
"Thank you. I’ll try that. See you later today."
I hang up and sag back against the wall, closing my eyes, totally drained from this morning’s vomiting festivities.
"She said they can squeeze me in at four-thirty. How long are we going to be at the studio?" I ask, looking up at him.
"That doesn’t matter. I’ll have someone available to take you to the doctor."
"I can get myself there, I just need security with me." The last thing I need is one of Cage’s drivers telling him I went to see the gynecologist instead of the family doctor. I’m not ready to confront the situation. I just don’t have the strength—and, in all honesty, I’m afraid of his reaction.
He nods. "You’ll need multiple cars anyway to get the hoard there."
I smirk. "There are a lot of us. We should just get one of those extra long hummer limos. That’d be so sweet."
"It’d also be very flashy and would draw a lot of unwanted attention," he tells me with a smirk of his own.
"Boo. Party pooper."
He chuckles. "One of us has to be practical."
"Well, I’m certainly glad it’s you. Now, could you help me up? My legs feel like limp noodles."
Cage nods and scoops me up. "Where to?"
"Your bathroom so I can brush my teeth again?"
He nods and presses a kiss to my forehead. "I wish there was something I could do to help you, Fee."
I rest my head on his shoulder as he walks down the hallway. "You’re doing it."
I quickly brush my teeth and he scoops me back up, walking toward the bed.
"It’s not enough."
"It’s exactly enough."
He sighs as he stretches out and pulls me on top of him. I know he has so many things he should be doing right now, but he’s here, taking care of me.
"It’s everything," I whisper as I fall asleep to the cadence of his heart and the gentle touch of his hand rubbing my back.
Cage
You by The Pretty Reckless
It’s Not Just Me by Rascal Flatts
I FIGURED IT WOULDN’T TAKE long for her to fall asleep. I’m feeling so fucking helpless and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. At least I convinced her to go to the doctor. Thank fuck she finally agreed.
She’s so thin, my Fee. That’s how I’ve come to think of her—not that she’d know that and I’m not ready to tell her. We’re finally back to a pretty good place after the fuck up that she won’t discuss. I knew it the minute she walked up to the tour bus. She had that damn shield up, the one that’s like impenetrable steel—no, titanium. Good luck getting through that.
But we’ve made some progress. We’re almost where we were before—almost. God, what I’d give to bury myself inside her. That night is one I won’t ever forget.
Sera moans in her sleep and I go back to trailing my fingertips up and down her back. She instantly settles back to a peaceful sleep. She needs this. She hasn’t been sleeping well and then factor in all the throwing up she’s been doing—it’s not good.
I know she’s keeping something from me. I saw it in her eyes—the deceit—and she knows I saw it. Normally if someone lies to me, they’re instantly written off and kicked out of my life, but if Sera’s keeping a secret, it’s for a good reason. She’ll tell me when she’s ready.
My mind keeps circling around her illness. I’ve never seen anyone so sick and when I discussed it with Damian, he told me the only time he’s ever seen someone sick like this for so long is when they were diagnosed with cancer, poisoned, or pregnant. None of those possibilities are good ones. The first and second would kill her and the third would kill me.
If she’s pregnant, the baby can’t be mine. We used condoms the first few times, but she told me she was on the birth control shot so we didn’t use any the last four or five times. Unless by some miracle the shot she got stopped being effective—Fuck. That means either she lied to me—which she never does—or she slept with someone else after her shot was ineffective, making the baby someone else’s. The thought has my jaw clenching. Fuck.
No one should touch her but me and I’ll kill the son of a bitch who didn’t take care of her like he should have. The only one I can think of that she’s even been close to, other than me, has been Ben.
I clench my fist. Ben Kingston. I see the way they are together. The flirting and touching—the damn touching. When he pulled her flush against his body outside the diner that day on the tour, I wanted to punch him in the face—or shoot him. Damian held me back from doing either one.
It’s almost time to wake her up to get ready to go to work. She’s got another half hour but she’s restless. She whispers my name, so softly and full of emotion it touches me deep inside.
"You’re alright, Fee. I’ve got you. I’ve got you."
I guess we’ll find out one way or the other this afternoon. I just want my girl to get better. No matter what it takes.
Sera
Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This by Toby Keith
How Dare You by Sarah Darling
I’M PUTTING THE FINISHING touches on my makeup and when I turn around, Cage is lounging against the doorjamb again, watching me.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing," he replies with a shake of his head. He walks into the room and reaches into his cabinet for his cologne as I’m walking out of the room. I gather my things and put them into my purse, taking a couple Tylenol to help with the twinge in my side. My mouth goes dry when Cage exits the bathroom in his charcoal gray suit, the smell of pine and Cage surrounding me. Holy hell. My libido leaps to life and within seconds I’m all but panting. So not good.
"Cage?" I ask, watching him check his phone.
"Hmm?" he asks absentmindedly.
"What type of cologne is that?" I want to know—I need to know what the name of the scent is that’s nearly driving me to my knees, sending moisture between my thighs, and has me a hairs-breadth away from jumping Cage as he innocently checks his messages.
He rattles off a name and looks at me with a raised brow. "Why?"
"Oh, no reason." Lies. All lies. There’s a very big reason. A reason that has me inching closer to him and inhaling discretely—at least I hope it’s discretely.
Oh God. I can’t handle it. Pregnancy hormones are making me horny and I can’t seem to get a grip.
"Are you alright, Fee?"
"Uh-huh," I respond, biting back the moan as I squeeze my thighs together. What a day to be wearing a mini skirt.
"You’re looking a little flushed," Cage says worriedly.
"Uh..." I can’t form a coherent sentence while he looks at me like that. He’s studying me so closely, his eyes focused on me, and I can’t look away even though I know I should, because soon, very soon, he’s going to realize—
A brow lifts and his mouth kicks up in a half smile.
—realize that I’m aroused and want him so badly I can’t breathe.
"Sera." His eyes darken when I lick my lips.
I raise my own brow.
"What’s going on?" he asks.
I shrug. Truthfully, I don’t know. I’m like someone possessed and in need of an orgasm—stat! For real, I need to come. I can feel myself hovering on the brink and if I don’t get a release before we get to the studio, I’m going to be the bitchiest person on the planet. I should go to the bathroom and masturbate, just relieve this ache, and then we can be on our way.
"No."
"What?"
"No," he says, following my gaze to the bathroom.
"You don’t know what you’re doing, Cage."
"I’ve got a pretty good idea," he says seriously.
I study him for a few more seconds, teetering between safe and dangerous. Who’s going to win? The naughty devil on my right shoulder or the good angel on the left?
The right.
"I know I shouldn’t but I can’t help myself," I say and launch myself at him, my legs wrapping around his waist as my lips land on his. He catches me, not even staggering a bit, then walks slowly backwards until he hits the bed and sits down.
My fingers thread through his hair and his tongue slides out against mine. I moan aloud and he cups my breasts through my thin t-shirt, my nipples instantly hardening.
I pull back, gasping for air.
"I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me, but I can’t—it’s just... I need," I tell him as he kisses along my neck.
He pulls back to meet my gaze.
"Then take."
I don’t hesitate, I can’t. I rub myself against his hardening erection and let out a long, frustrated groan. It’s not enough.
As if he senses it, Cage slips a hand between us, between my legs, and his fingers tease the edge of my panties. I whimper against his lips and he slides his finger underneath the barrier and over my slit, slowly working his way downward to where I’m hot and needy.
"You’re so wet, Fee." He circles my opening with a finger then slowly works it inside me, thrusting forward and withdrawing in small movements.
"Oh, God, that feels so good," I gasp, then bite his earlobe. He lets out a groan and shifts beneath me so he can add another finger to the first.
I moan into his neck and lick, then inhale his scent.
"God, Fee. You’re so close already."
"I know, I don’t know—it’s you."
"Me?" he asks with a chuckle.
"Your scent," I pant out.
"My scent?" I hear the grin in his voice but I don’t care. It feels so good. His fingers sliding in and out of me, getting me closer to where I need to go.
"Yeah, I don’t know what—it’s driving me crazy."
"Jesus," he says when I start moving against his hand.
"This shouldn’t happen—but I just, I need—"
"Fee," he says in a tone that has my eyes opening to meet his gaze. "Just take."
I reach up and cup my breasts, pinching my nipples through my bra and shirt.
"That’s so hot."
I start moving faster against his hand, not caring that this can’t be smart because I start to feel the tingles. He thrusts his fingers faster and harder, his thumb reaching up to circle my clit lightly.
"Oh yes, just like that," I whisper.
"Jesus, Fee," Cage moans when my pussy starts tightening around his fingers as the first twinges of my release begin.
Wave after wave of pleasure rush over me, each one stronger than the last, so strong I can’t hold myself up. I lean into Cage’s neck and bite down. He lets out a grunt when I finally stop coming.
He’s hard beneath me and how shitty would it be for me to leave him like that? I reach down between us and he stays my hand.
I lean back and meet his gaze. He lifts a brow and I shrug a shoulder.
"Fair is fair. I’d feel like an asshole if I left you hanging."
"I’ll be fine. You don’t have to—"
"Shut up," I say, cutting him off then dropping to my knees before him.
"Fee."
I ignore his warning I know I should heed, but my hormones have the best of me right now. I unzip his dress pants and reach inside to find him hard and silky and hot. Just as I remember.
The reminder of him inside me has me clenching my thighs together again.
I lean forward and lick the head of his penis, taking in the precum beaded there as I do. He hisses out a breath and his hands fist into the comforter beneath him. It won’t be long and those gorgeous, talented hands will be in my hair, tugging and pulling and turning me on even more than I already am. I’m not sure what it’s going to take to satisfy the lust coursing through my veins, but I need something—anything.
Leaning in further, I slide my lips over his cock and take him into my mouth. He lets out a pleasured groan and his fingers thread through my hair. I nearly grin, but I don’t. Memories of the consequences of last time slowly filter in but I turn them off. I need to forget what happened last time, enjoy the next little while, and then forget this as well. He doesn’t want me the way I want him. Sure, he wants to get me off and to get off, but I want more. I want forever.
I lick and suck his cock, working a fist at the base, jacking him off. He gets impatient and pulls me up by my waist. I let out a squeak of protest but then he leans back, lying on the bed, turns me around, and puts my pussy on his mouth.
"Holy God," I murmur aloud and Cage just grunts.
I lean forward and resume pleasuring him as he slides a tongue along my inner folds. When he flicks my clit, I twitch. My body is hypersensitive and so overwhelmingly aroused I know I’ll come if he does that again. Just that.
But he doesn’t. He slides a finger inside me, then another, pumping them slowly in and out of me as I suck his cock. When I squeeze the base just a bit tighter and hollow out my already aching cheeks, I’m rewarded with a burst of precum and a litany of curses from Cage.
Then he does it. He flicks his tongue against my clit again and I explode. He suckles me gently, somehow knowing too much pressure would be more pain than pleasure, fingering me slowly, drawing out every last
bit of bliss he can.
He doesn’t stop there. Cage Nichols is a man who goes the extra mile, as he’s doing right now, still working my pussy, slowly arousing me again.
I reach down and cup his balls, toying with them gently.
"Oh yeah, just like that, Fee," he growls, when I suck him impossibly harder. The man is larger than average and he’s pretty great with his staying power—I wish he used those traits on me regularly. I let out a sigh around his cock and he groans again.
I work him faster when I note his breathing picking up and then he curves his fingers inside me, hitting that one spot guaranteed to push me over the edge.
"I want you to come for me, Fee. One more time. I need you to."
With his fingers and tongue doing what they’re doing, I don’t see that being a problem. I want him to come with me this time, though, so I focus on pleasuring him, hitting that one spot just below the crown of his penis that drives him crazy. When my tongue swipes over it a third time, his hips lift off the bed.
"Come Fee, I need you to come with me."
I take him deeper, not too deep so I gag—don’t want to go there just now. He sucks my clit hard and I burst into flames. I moan around his cock, sucking him faster, using my tongue and lips in the way I know he likes.
"God, yes. Just like that," he groans as he starts to come. The first burst of cum is thick and hot and I’m grateful he’s already at the back of my throat to make swallowing easier. Thrust after thrust he jets into my throat while he uses his tongue to lightly lick around my pussy, tasting my release as he gives me his.
Sweet baby Jesus the man is lethal. If I wasn’t already in love with him, I would have fallen right now while he continued his gentle suckling.
Then I hear the clearing of a throat.
"Holy shit!" I squeal and curl into a ball. Cage sits up, unperturbed by his state of undress and when I turn my head, I know why. Ugh.