by Chloe Walsh
"Its fine," I coaxed as I sat on our bed and watched him dress quickly. "What's his problem anyway?"
"Fuck if I know, baby," he grumbled as he slipped his feet into his sneakers and knelt to tie his laces. I grinned in amusement as I took in Kyle's attire. I'd never seen him wear sweats to work before, but he looked so stressed that I decided not to comment on the fact. "Someone called in sick or something," he growled as he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "And he can't find anyone to cover." Stalking over to where I was sitting, he bent down, grabbed my neck and kissed me deeply. "Stay inside," he whispered against my lips. "Don't answer…"
"The door," I finished for him and gently pushed him away with a smile. "I know. I won't." He looked at me longingly for a moment before nodding and rushing out of our bedroom.
As soon as the door was closed, I climbed off the bed and dropped to my knees. Pulling the folder Linda had given me out from under the bed, I sat on my heels and rubbed my fingers over the paper. I shouldn't look at this…Should I?
I glanced nervously at the door and then down at my hands. What if there was something in this that I wasn't supposed to see? What if I read something and had to tell Kyle? Linda said he wasn't ready for what was inside of this. I looked down at Hope, who was sitting on the floor next to me, and got the distinct impression that she was frowning at me.
She was frowning.
God, even my baby knew I was doing the wrong thing.
I slid my finger under the opening and paused. No, this was wrong. I would be betraying Linda. She trusted me to take care of this for Kyle. It wasn't my privilege to go snooping in his private things. I should respect that. I shouldn't read it.
It wasn't mine to read…
Climbing to my feet, I held the folder to my chest and walked over to my chest of drawers. Tucking the folder into a drawer, I covered it with some underwear and forced myself to step away from it. I would not open it. I would do the right thing.
I would wait.
****
Chapter 15
Slip of the tongue
Lee
"So, what the hell does that mean for us?" Kyle asked, his tone agitated, his posture frantic. His knees were bobbing, his hands were drumming on the desk in front of us and if he didn't calm down soon, I was going to ask the doctor for a tranquilizer–for Kyle. We were sitting in Dr. Michael's office, receiving the results of my last kidney biopsy test and I was growing agitated. I hadn't gotten a word in edgeways with Kyle–and neither had Dr. Michaels. "Is this good or bad? In lay-man's terms," Kyle continued, not one bit mindful of the fact that it was my body he was talking about. He had already embarrassed the hell out of me, threatening to surgically removed Dr. Bromwick's…nether regions if he so much as looked in my direction again. Dr. Michael's had spent twenty long–and painfully boring–minutes reassuring Kyle that he would be the only doctor to treat me from now on.
"Calm down," I hissed as I pressed my palm on his knee to stop him from shaking. "Let the man speak." Good grief, his anxiety levels must be through the roof…
Kyle looked down at me, his expression apologetic. "Sorry, baby," he murmured, covering my hand with his. His fingers threaded through mine and he gave my hand a little squeeze. "Go ahead, doc," Kyle said as he took a deep breath. "Lay it on me." Dr. Michaels smirked at both of us and I rolled my eyes in exasperation.
'Lay it on me…'
"The results of your biopsy are positive," the doctor told us. I sagged in relief and Kyle groaned–literally groaned like the doctor had just removed an unbearably painful stick from his butt. He stopped fidgeting and actually sat still to listen to the doctor. "Everything looks good. No signs of infection or obstructions." He gazed down at his notes before looking at me. "Unfortunately, there is still no sign of reversal in the right kidney, but it's very early days. Have you menstruated this month, Lee?" Dr. Michaels asked and the blood drained from my face as the fidgeting coming from the big ape beside me started up again
"No," I whispered, feeling acutely embarrassed at having this conversation with two men. "Nothing has happened in over a year," I added, red-faced.
Dr. Michaels frowned for a moment before masking his features and smiling once again. "Well, you're very young," he said in a kind voice. "Plenty time for things to correct themselves," he paused before adding in a much softer tone, "I can refer you to a specialist if that’s what you wish, a doctor who specializes in fertility, but I'm not overly concerned for now. I feel time is the best healer for that particular issue."
"No, no," I mumbled as I clasped my trembling hands together. "I'd rather not, doctor." The thought alone made me want to crawl under the desk in front of me and cower.
"What about sex?" Kyle blurted out and I thought I was going to die on the spot. My eyes darted to my Hope, who was sitting in her stroller next to my chair wide awake. I had a moment where I contemplated reaching over and covering her ears.
"Your daddy has a problem with his mouth, Hope," I mumbled, trying to change the topic at hand as I stared down at Hope in embarrassment. "He doesn't know when to keep it shut." Hope's eyes fixed on mine and I cringed. I hoped like hell she wouldn't remember this. For all I knew Kyle could be scarring our daughter for life. I heard things like this really affected kids. She was seven months old, but she was smart. Oh no…
"Can we fuck? Is it safe or does she need more time?" he asked deadpan. Oh sweet Jesus, did he just ask the doctor about fucking? Oh my god. I sent a small prayer up to baby Jesus and begged him to retract Kyle's powers of speech for the duration of this appointment.
"Kyle," I growled, my face enflamed with embarrassment. "For the love of god, stop talking."
Dr. Michaels grinned at us and I secretly questioned my religion when Kyle continued rambling with no shame. "Shh, baby, we're all adults here," he said patting my knee.
I stiffened and inclined my head towards Hope. "No, we're not…"
"Hope doesn't understand," Kyle snorted, dismissing me. "We've been having sex with…" his voice trailed off as he looked down at his fingers for a moment. "about nine weeks," he continued, staring at the doctor in earnest. "Nothing hardcore…mostly missionary…" He paused for a brief moment before adding, "Some nights Lee goes on top too, but I wasn't sure if it's okay. Is there a certain position we're supposed to be doing? I don't wanna break her, doc."'
"God," I muttered and covered my face with my hands. I made a mental note to never allow him to come with me ever again for the rest of our lives. I wasn't sure if I could ever look Dr. Michael in the eyes again.
"Mr. Carter," the doctor chuckled as he folded his arms over his chest and gazed at us in amusement. "I can assure you that you won't 'break' her."
Ahhh. I couldn't hear this. My eyes flicked towards the exit and Kyle clamped a strong hand down on my denim clad thigh, clearly reading where my thoughts were going before smirking down at me. "You're an adult," he mouthed as his lips curled up in an annoyingly sexy way.
"You're an asshole," I mouthed back at him which caused both men to laugh.
"You two are quite comical," the doctor joked, his smile falling when he noticed my glare. Clearing his throat, he assumed the usual doctor tone when he said, "Intercourse is perfectly safe, Mr. Carter. It's been almost five months since Lee's surgery. You're both young and a healthy sexual relationship can be quite beneficial…" He cleared his throat and dropped his eye to his file once again before glancing up at me with a look of concern. "You haven’t been taking the contraceptive pill, have you?"
"What?" My eyes widened, my face mirroring his look of concern. "No, why? Am I supposed to?" I wasn’t on anything because I didn’t need anything. The doctors had told me as much when they confirmed what I already knew. I was broken.
"Absolutely not," Dr. Michaels said in a relieved tone. "I've had a few female patients over the years who have shown signs of relapse. Studies have shown the ethinylestradiol in the contraceptive pill significantly reduces the function of the particular ant
i-rejection medication you've been prescribed."
"Oh," I mumbled, not having the slightest clue of what he'd just said to me. "Well, it's not a major concern for us, is it?" Dr. Michaels looked at me baffled and I sighed. "I'm not ovulating," I clarified.
"No," he said sadly. "The tests you were given before you were discharged from hospital verify that. Gynecology is not my specialized field, but it's like I said earlier, things can change, Lee."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Kyle interrupted and I wanted to gag him. Most of the time I liked the fact that he spoke his mind, but in certain circumstances the man needed to put a filter on his tongue. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on the desk and concentrated on Dr. Michaels face. "Are you saying she can get pregnant again?"
"Kyle," I begged as I rubbed my brow. "Please stop. You know I can't."
"Who said you can't?" he countered, eyes locked on mine. "No one told me," he growled, answering his own question before turning his gaze back to the doctor. "Things can change how, doc?"
"Well," Dr. Michaels said as he stretched and relaxed in his chair. "At the moment the chances of Lee conceiving naturally are slim to none, but once her body starts to ovulate regularly, and perhaps with some I.V.F treatment, there may be a possibility she could conceive and carry a pregnancy to full term."
"How long could it take?" Kyle asked quietly. "Are we talking months?"
"Months, maybe years, and quite possibly never," Dr. Michaels replied before adding, "The trauma to her body was substantial. Making an accurate call on your chances of conceiving again would be unprofessional on my behalf. I don't want to give you false hope."
"You're not," I interrupted quickly and Kyle swung around to face me. His questions were causing all kinds of red flags to fly up in my brain. "We're not having another baby, Dr. Michael," I said quietly, keeping my eyes locked on Kyle's. "So this conversation is pointless."
Kyle held my gaze for many moments, giving nothing away, until his lips tipped up in a smile. "We could have fun trying, baby." I paled, Dr. Michaels laughed and Kyle's grin widened. "I do enjoy a challenge, princess," he teased.
He was joking.
He better be joking…
"You're supposed to be a professional," I snapped, turning to glare at my doctor who was cackling in his chair like a school-boy. "It's not funny and you shouldn’t encourage him." I glanced at Kyle's smug, self-satisfied face. "He's cocky enough."
"I apologize, Lee," Dr. Michaels choked out before snickering. "If it helps you could consider it as part of your physiotherapy..."
"I'm leaving," I growled, leaping out of my chair, grabbing the handles of Hope's stroller. He was a middle-aged doctor. A freaking specialist and he laughing and joking like a teenager with my overgrown fiancé. "You two are disgraceful."
Kyle burst out laughing, clearly enjoying the joke, as he rose from his chair and shook Dr. Michael's hand. "See you in three months doc," he said, pleased as punch with himself.
****
"Princess," Kyle choked out through fits of laughter as he followed me into the parking lot of the hospital. "Slow down, will you?"
"No," I snapped. The car lit up once as I approached and I opened the back door. "You humiliated me in there. I have never been so embarrassed in my life, Kyle."
"You're over-reacting," he chuckled as he moved in front of me. "He's a doctor, Lee. They hear all types of shit daily."
I glared at the back of Kyle's head as he strapped Hope into her car seat. "You said fuck to the doctor," I hissed and then shuddered in mortification. "Kyle, you told him we fuck." I felt like howling in frustration as I stole a peek at Kyle and saw he was laughing at me.
"We do," he said in an innocent tone of voice as he tried to stifle a chuckle. "And I think he figured it out when he saw our daughter."
"You jackass. We do not f…"
Straightening his back, he turned around and snared with a broad, dimpled smile. "I'm good, baby, but I'm not that good. I need to get in your pants in order to reproduce. So, yeah, we have fucked, we do fuck and I can guarantee you that we will fuck…"
"Oh, yeah?" I huffed, butting him out of the way so I could tighten Hope's restraints. Kyle had an awful habit of leaving them way too loose. He was afraid she would squash. I was afraid she would slip out if we had to brake. "Well, you can be rest assured that the only pants you'll be getting into from now on will be your own."
His hands grabbed my hips, pulling me backwards into his arms. He stretched an arm out in front of me and closed Hope's door gently before turning me in his arms and backing me up against the car. "On a scale of one to ten," he purred. "How mad are you right now?"
"Eleven," I muttered in a petulant tone. "Couldn't you have said lovemaking, or intercourse or…sleeping together?"
"You're serious, aren't you?" he said in a confused tone of voice. "You're really embarrassed about this?"
"Yeah, Kyle, I am," I told him, straight faced. "I don't like our private affairs discussed. Especially not that."
"But you talk dirty when we…"
"That's different," I snapped, my face reddening. "That's when we're alone and in private–which won't be happening any time in the near future."
Kyle tried to keep a straight face, but failed epically. "Don't you like it when we…make love?" he sniggered. "I'm sorry, princess, but I hate that term…It's not me." He shook his head and smiled tenderly, his blue eyes locked on mine, snaring me, softening me. His hand came up to cup my cheek and my skin tingled from that small fragment of contact. "Just because I say I fuck you, doesn't mean I don't make love to you," he confessed softly. "Because I do. Every single time."
"And what the hell was with all the questions?" I asked as I tried to hold onto my outrage–which was fading fast. The damn man had a way of influencing me with his words–and his mouth, which was currently teasing my earlobe. "You need to think before you speak, Kyle…" I didn’t get chance to finish what I was saying because Kyle's mouth covered mine. He nibbled on my lower lip, his tongue probing me softly, looking for access and I was lost.
Every nerve in my body came to life when his tongue slipped inside my mouth, massaging mine with slow skillful thrusts that caused the hairs on the back of my neck to rise and the muscles in my pelvis to clench. I sagged against the car, reveling in the feel of his body flush against mine, his mouth possessing mine.
Kyle pressed one last spine-tingling peck to my lips before stepping back and brushing his thumb over my lower lip. I opened my eyes, feeling dazed and highly aroused.
"So, have I cheered you up?" Kyle asked, his eyes alight with humor. "Or do I need to take you home and make sweet, discreet love to you?"
"Jerk," I growled as I pushed him away and opened my car door. He had to ruin it…
"Cranky," he countered with a snort as he rounded the car and opened his door. "You know, princess…" He grinned at me from across the hood. "I could always penetrate you."
"Don't push me, Carter," I grumbled.
Kyle raised a brow in challenge. "Don't tempt me, princess."
****
Kyle
I wasn't sure if Lee was actually pissed with me or just trying to be. She sat stiffly in her seat the whole drive back to the hotel, but every now and then–when she thought I wasn't watching–she peeked at the side of my face and chewed on her lip. Yeah, I was fairly confident I was getting some tonight. I had the green light from Dr. Michaels…Things were looking up for us.
Pulling into my parking spot, I couldn't keep the smile from my face. "Stop," Lee said with a smile.
"Stop what?" I asked as I unfastened my seatbelt and climbed out. I was hoping Lee wouldn't notice I hadn't packed the monkey, but of course, the minute we unpacked the last box of our stuff the other day, she looked for King-Kong. I'd tried to persuade her leave him behind, but she was determined to get him back. Stupid fucking gorilla…
"Stop grinning like that," she replied. "It's contagious."
"Good," I chuck
led as I lifted Hope out and snuggled her to my chest. She yawned widely, giving me a good look into her mouth. "Oh, angel," I crooned as I turned her in my arms to get a better look. "You have another tooth coming up." I looked down at Lee and frowned. "Should they be coming so fast? She's only seven months."
"Apparently it's fine," she said in an anxious tone as she tugged on my arm until I lowered Hope enough for Lee to see. "She's such a good baby," she murmured as she stroked Hope's little curls and then her face. "She's good with pain."
Hope stretched her little chubby arms out for her mom and my heart inflated as I watched my woman hold my daughter. She was convinced she couldn't get pregnant and I was secretly determined to prove her wrong. I knew there was a possibility it wouldn't happen for us again and I had my own theory on the matter: fuck science. She was going to be my wife. I was going to make babies with her. She still had one tube and I had strong swimmers...
"I fucking love you, Lee Bennett," I whispered in my head. "Put me out of my misery…"
"Hmm?" Lee looked up at me with a perplexed expression. "Did you say something?"
"Nothing important, baby," I said as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and led her to the elevator.
****
"What the hell are you doing in here?" I demanded the second my eyes fell on my father. He was lounging on our couch, in our goddamn suite, without a care in the world.
"Well, hello to you, too, son," he said in his usual condescending tone of voice. He inclined his head to where Lee was standing, looking extremely baffled, and holding Hope tightly in her arms. "How's the little family?"
"I'm not your son," I snarled, taking a step closer to the couch.