He nodded. “But until she arrives, they are your few hours.”
I climbed the stairs all the way to the top deck. There was a thin layer of snow surrounding the property. It was beautiful.
I was finally going to meet Avajean today. As important a milestone as that was, there was something else I wanted to tell Asher. Something that had become unmistakably clear to me over the past few weeks.
He jogged up the steps behind me and typed in the code to the door. He had already performed a security scan on his system. Ever since Claire had started the reintegration process with Westbrook Securities, he had been slightly more relaxed, but he was never going to let his guard down completely. That wasn’t the kind of man he was.
I waited while he made his phone call to the New York office. I played the conversation out in my head. I knew what I wanted to say, but how was it going to sound when the words came out of my mouth?
Asher sauntered out of his study. He grinned. “Did you check the walk-in cooler? Lunch was delivered this morning. I had everything catered. Are you hungry?”
I bit my lip. Ok. Lunch would be the opportunity. That’s when I would just throw it out there.
“Yes, I’m kinda hungry. What did you order?”
He walked over to the stainless steel door and retrieved an over-sized picnic basket. “Don’t worry. I checked with Tristan about the menu.”
I giggled. “Have you two finally buried the hatchet?”
“No. Never,” he teased.
It was too cold to eat on the deck, so we spread a blanket on the living room floor. Asher opened a bottle of wine while I unwrapped the food from the basket.
He settled next to me.
“I love being back here.” I looked at him.
“You do? I thought you hated this place when we were here.”
I drank a big sip of wine. “I did, but I fell in love with you again here, so now I love it.”
He turned toward me, cupping my chin. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
“Oh my God. There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
“There is?” His long lashes blinked. I didn’t think I could keep it in any longer.
“I think we should have a baby,” I blurted.
“What?” His brows pinched together.
Oh shit. I drank more wine. “There’s never going to be a perfect time. Or a right time, but I also know there’s never going to be a wrong time. With Avajean coming today, I know we have a lot to manage as a new family, but I want this. I want a baby with you. Our own baby, Ashe. I don’t care if it’s right or wrong for my career. None of that matters as much as you and me. I want to do this. I know I do. I want your baby more than anything in this world.” I held my breath while I waited for him to say something.
He lowered his head and chuckled.
I gasped when he pulled a ring box from his pocket. “That’s funny, because I was going to ask you to marry me today.”
I squealed. “Oh my God.”
He moved to position himself on one knee. “I’m not sure if I should answer your question first, or ask mine.”
I laughed. “Answer mine.”
He pressed a long deep kiss on my lips. “Yes, I want to have a baby with you. I’ve always wanted to have kids with you. Always.” He cleared his throat. “So now, I get to ask my question. J, will you marry me?”
I nodded, blinking back tears. I held out my left hand as he threaded the massive diamond over my knuckle. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”
He pulled me into his arms. “You’ve made me so happy.”
I sniffed. “Ditto.”
He kissed my cheek and held me at an arm’s distance. “A baby? Really? And I was scared to death to ask you to marry me.”
I nodded, smiling. “Yes. Are we crazy?”
“I think we’d be crazy not to do it.”
I reached for the bottle of wine and refilled our glasses. “I don’t know how much drinking I’ll be doing after today, so I’m going to enjoy this glass with you.”
“Please do, and then prepare for me to take you in that bedroom.”
I flushed. My body was instantly hot. The idea that Ashe wanted to make a baby with me was the sexiest thing I could imagine. I already felt as if I would combust from one touch.
“So I’m in the window. Today,” I announced. “I stopped taking my birth control. I’m ovulating, if you want to try.”
“Holy shit,” he whispered. “You just made me incredibly hard.”
I buzzed from the wine. I felt daring and risky. I was high on love and a little bit of alcohol. I pulled the shirt over my head, and tossed my bra on the floor. “This is where we made up, isn’t it?” I teased. “On this couch? Let’s make our baby here.” I shirked my palazzo pants off my legs, taking my panties to my ankles.
“Fuck,” he growled, moving the picnic out of the way. “I’m afraid we’re not going to get much baby-making practice. You’ll be pregnant in no time if this is how it’s going to go.”
I laughed as he rose from the floor and stripped down to nothing. He climbed on the couch, pulling me into his lap. He quickly spread my slick petals, settling his swollen cock against my heat. His kiss burned my lips and his hands were everywhere. Touching me. Twisting my nipples. Dipping inside me.
“Ohh, Ashe,” I cooed as he worked my clit with his fingers.
“You’re going to be my wife, you know that?” He nipped at my throat and kissed my breasts.
I nodded. The pleasure was taking over. “Your wife,” I echoed. The diamond glittered on my finger. It was the only thing I was still wearing.
“We’re going to get married. You’re going to walk down the aisle in a white dress.”
“Mmmhmm. And then we get to take a honeymoon and try this baby thing all over again.”
I started to rock my hips toward him. I wanted him inside me. I wanted to get our first baby making attempt started.
“Fuck me,” I whispered.
He laughed. “Do you know how much I love you? Especially when you demand sex.”
I nodded. “So much. As much as I love you.”
I hissed when he reached between us and his cock stood tall and erect. I lifted my hips and slid over it, sucking him inside with a rough thrust.
“Oh shit,” I whimpered. “You feel so good. So thick.” Sometimes it felt as if Ashe was too much, but my body always accommodated him. I had to adjust and let the pressure turn to pleasure.
His fingers dug into my flesh, securing my hips to his. “Keep riding, J. Just keep riding my cock.”
Our lives were forever intertwined. Our bodies permanently seared into each other. Today, we had committed to our forever. I was going to be his wife. Today we were making a baby. Joining our lives. Promising pledges that would never be undone. As we worked harder and faster to please each other, I knew we would never forget this moment. We would never forget how we had found each other again. We would never regret the hard work and pain we had fought to bring us back together.
My nails clawed at Ashe’s shoulders as I rose higher and crashed on his shaft harder. I was close to coming.
“Ohh,” I whimpered. “I’m going to come.”
“Me too,” he groaned.
I gasped when he spun me around on the couch and planted me against the cushions. He surged inside me, slamming into my entrance with one powerful thrust after another. He erupted and I clenched around him, lost in my own orgasm.
“I’m going so deep, baby. I’m giving you everything I have. I want you to have my baby.” His voice had never sounded sexier.
“Oh God, Ashe. Go deeper.” I’d never craved his essence like this before. It was the first time I realized a primal side of me had kicked in. The side that wanted to get pregnant.
“Fuck,” he whispered, kissing my neck. “That was incredible.”
I giggled. “You know we aren’t moving for a long time. I want every swimmer you have. Don’t even think about moving.”
After two rounds of insanely hot baby making sex, we ate our lunch and packed up the leftovers in the cooler. We took showers and tried to look presentable. Avajean was only an hour away. Ashe announced he had a text from Nicole when they made the last turn.
“Does she know you were planning to propose?” I asked Ashe as we sat on the deck with fresh cups of coffee. We at least looked normal and dressed out here. No one would suspect all the dirty and sexy times we had just had.
He nodded. “I wanted to make sure it was ok with her first. I drove out to see her a couple days ago.”
“But she hasn’t even met me,” I argued.
“I wanted to talk to her. Besides, I’m not worried. She’s going to love you as much as I do.”
“How can you be sure?” I was bubbling with nervous anxiety. A four-year old had never scared me so much.
“Because I do. I love you with everything I have.”
It was then that I realized everything was going to be ok.
Twenty-Two
Asher
I didn’t know how to let Journey know that Avajean was the kind of kid who had the kind of perspective most adults didn’t even have. For a four-year old, she was already an old soul. I always wondered what kind of affect her mother’s absence would have on her. Would she grow up angry? Would she resent that I was the only parent in her life? Would she ever heal?
Since the minute I met the kid, she had been nothing but pure joy and happiness. She had a kind of resilience that amazed me. Journey would see it. In a few minutes, she would understand that Avajean would love her too. There would be bumps on the road. That was inevitable, but we’d get through them as a family.
I looked at my soon-to-be wife. I didn’t know if she had ever looked more beautiful. She cupped an oversized coffee mug between her hands and sipped.
The mountain sun made her hair look like a halo. The fact that we were trying for a baby was enough to make my heart want to explode. I had everything I’d always wanted.
“You know we have some logistics to figure out.”
“Like what?” She rotated in the wooden chair. She had brought a blanket outside to drape across her shoulders.
“My headquarters are in New York. You have the Malibu house. The last few weeks I’ve managed from L.A., but I can’t keep doing that. I need to plan a trip to New York.”
“Oh.” Her expression was full of concern.
“I don’t think I can move Westbrook Securities to the other side of the country. It’s just not feasible.”
“Ok.” Her brow furrowed. “What do you want to do?”
“I can fly back and forth for a while. I don’t know how either of us are with that idea.”
She rested the mug on her knee. “What if I go with you to New York when you have to go back?”
“You want to go to New York?” She had never made that kind of offer before. She was a California girl now. At least, I thought she was.
She shrugged. “Why not? I can explore the city. We can go out and you can show me your favorite restaurants. We can take in some shows. I think it would be fun and very romantic.” She grinned.
I chuckled. “I’m a workaholic. You know that.”
“I am too, but we’re both making changes, aren’t we? We both need down time.”
“I don’t think you’ll like the penthouse. We’re going to need something else.” I rubbed my jaw. There was a lot that had to change.
“Why wouldn’t I like it?”
“Trust me.” I eyed her. “It’s not your style. Avajean doesn’t even spend time there.”
“What? Where does she go?”
“I have a house outside the city. It’s in a neighborhood. I wanted her to have something more normal. A penthouse is no place to raise a little girl.”
“I’m not going to argue with you there, but why can’t I stay in the house where she lives?”
“Because that’s where Nicole is.”
Journey sighed. “All right. Fine. I’ve been holding this in, but I need to know…just how hot is this Nicole?”
I almost spit half my coffee out. “You’re jealous of the nanny?”
“No.” She frowned. “Yes. Yes I am.”
“I’m not going to say she’s not attractive.”
“I knew it.” I saw the anger glaze over her eyes.
“But, there’s a slight problem.” I was enjoying this way too much.
“It didn’t work out for you two?”
I shook my head. I wanted to drag it out as long as possible. It was fun seeing Journey be the jealous one for a change.
“No. That’s not it.”
“Then what? What aren’t you telling me about the hot nanny?”
I laughed. “Babe, Nicole is in a serious relationship.”
“Like that would stop someone who saw you. You’re a sex god, in case you didn’t know. Women take one look at you and start ovulating.”
“Well, that’s good to know in case I have any more kids out there.”
She threw a magazine at me. “Hey! Not funny.”
“Sorry, sorry. No, Nicole is in a serious relationship with Daphne.”
“Ohh.” She bit her lip. “Oops. Sorry.”
I grinned. “It’s ok. I never had a chance.” I chuckled. “She’s great with Avajean and that’s all that matters. Ok?”
“You’re exactly right. And she’ll be ok with our baby?”
The thought that Journey was going to be carrying my child made my chest swell with pride. I didn’t care if it didn’t happen for months. We were going to do this. Marriage. The white picket fence. Kids. Old age. It was all in front of us.
“Of course. We just have to figure out which coast we’re raising these kids.”
She scrunched her nose up. “Kansas?”
“Meet in the middle? I like it.”
We stopped when we heard the wheels of the car in the driveway. Avajean was here.
Journey’s eyes met mine. “Are you sure this is going to be ok?”
I squeezed her hand. “I promise. This is everything we’ve ever wanted. Now, come meet my daughter.”
Epilogue
Journey
I rolled on my side. The windows were open and I could smell the salt rolling off the ocean.
“Good morning,” Asher growled into my ear. “Ready to get out of bed and go for a run?”
I smiled. “You want to leave my warm bed for a workout?” I twisted my body to face him. I had lost my motivation for morning runs on the beach.
“We could work out here instead,” I suggested.
He pulled me under him and I gasped. We had slept naked. We always slept naked. He pressed his hard erection against my thigh.
“But you love the beach,” he teased.
“But I don’t want to get out of bed,” I complained.
My legs widened as he settled against my slick folds. He slid back and forth, building my want for him. I arched against his chest.
“Journey,” he moaned as his cock pushed inside me.
“Ohh,” I whimpered.
He was inside me before I knew it.
We settled into a slow rhythm, deepening the thrusts with each stroke. My heels dug into his backside, urging him to move harder. I loved it when he fucked me like this. It was inevitably my favorite new routine of ours.
My eyes drifted over his shoulder, catching a glint of the awards lining my dresser. It was called a full house. I had swept best actress at every awards show. I was still running off the adrenaline of the season.
But I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Asher. He was there for every event. Every detail. Not as my bodyguard, but as the man I loved. The man I trusted with my life. With my soul.
He reached for my ankle, dragging it to his shoulder. He pushed off the bed, angling with intensity. I bit down on my lip.
“Oh God, Asher,” I mewed.
“Feels so fucking g
ood.”
I nodded, knowing I was losing control.
My breasts perked. They were sensitive and ached for his touch. He leaned forward, flicking his tongue over one and the other.
I sighed, loving the new ways my body reacted to him. My skin had never glowed like this. My orgasms had never been so intense.
“It won’t hurt the baby, will it?” he asked. “I’m so deep. I love being inside you. But is it ok? Is it too much for the baby?”
I smiled. “The baby is fine.” I drew my hands to his jaw. “Don’t you dare stop. I love how you feel. Don’t. Stop.” I struggled to form the words.
He grinned wickedly. “Never.”
He pounded against me as my panting grew louder and wilder. I gripped the sheets as the orgasm sprung from my core.
“God, I love it when you come.” He watched in awe as I wriggled and convulsed under him.
I saw the desire light in his eyes and he pushed into me, groaning with his own release.
Asher collapsed next to me, resting his palm against the new swell of my belly. It was hardly noticeable except to us. I had made it through awards season without a single dress alteration, but my boobs were busting through every neckline I had. I wouldn’t be able to hide it from the public for much longer.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“Are you talking to me or the baby?” I teased.
“Both.” He rubbed my belly like a genie lamp. “Sorry kid, your mom is fucking hot.”
“Language is going to be a thing once the baby is here.”
He laughed. “I’ll set some kind of alarm.”
“Language security for new parents,” I mused. “I like it.”
He laughed. “Have to keep things new at work.”
“And with us.”
I rolled on top of him, straddling him. I peppered him with kisses.
“I don’t even have to try to keep things new with you.” He gazed in my eyes.
I didn’t know I could be this happy. I didn’t know a man who had shattered my heart could mend it so easily. I didn’t know having his baby inside me would make me love him more than I already did.
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