by Lacey Black
“Your body feels so damn good.”
“So good,” she pants.
“Wrap your legs around me, angel. I’m about to take you for a ride.”
With her legs wrapped around me, I push up to my knees, giving myself more leverage. I start my pace slow, but give her a little grind each time I’m buried all the way to the hilt.
“Did you like it when I played with your ass, princess?” I thrust inside once again and swirl my hips.
Her answer is a groan.
“Was that a word, sweetness? I didn’t hear you.” My pace picks up a little more.
“Yes. It was a yes. I didn’t think I’d like it but I did,” she pants.
“Good, because I’m going to do it again. I’m going to claim every part of your body. I will own every inch of you, and that includes that gorgeous ass of yours. Do you hear me?” I ask, thrusting with more force now. My own need for release is starting to take over, control slipping. Her body feels too fucking good to keep playing this game.
“Yes,” she whispers, her blue-green eyes locked firmly on mine. “I want you to claim that too.”
Groaning loudly, I grip her hips and start to pound into her. Her giving me permission to explore her ass is enough to send me racing for the finish line. My body is slapping against hers and my grunts fill the room as her pussy starts to tighten around my cock. She grips me so damn tight, I think I go cross-eyed in pleasure.
Sid’s orgasm rips through her body, and mine quickly follows. My pace slows as I release everything I have into her. Euphoria blankets my mind as tremors sweep through my body. Exhaustion settles in, but I keep myself from falling on top of her. Instead, I roll to the side, taking her with me. With my arm wrapped around her, she tucks naturally against my shoulder. It’s as if she was born to lie right here, just like this. She’s a perfect fit.
She’s completely relaxed against me, and even though I should get up and grab a washcloth to clean up with, I stay put. “Are you asleep?” I ask, kissing the top of her head.
“Not yet, but close.”
“Good night, angel.”
“Night, Luke.” There’s silence for several seconds, and I start to think she has really dozed off. “Thank you for your help with everything.”
“Everything…” I trail off. I’m pretty sure I know where she’s going with this, but I don’t want to just assume.
“The hotel and Mick and everything. God, I can’t believe I married him. What a piece of work.”
“He’s a piece of something,” I state, not afraid to let my jealousy where he’s concerned show. No, I’m not jealous of him, per se, but more pissed that he had even a short period of her time, because it should have been me. I should have been the one to see her in white on her wedding day, not him.
I hold her tight as she drifts off to sleep in my arms. The prospect of marriage doesn’t scare me, but leaves me invigorated and resolved. I never really knew where life was going to take me, but now the picture is crystal clear. It’s with her. It’s with our babies. It’s with me in a tux and her in a stunning dress, smiling at each other after we say I do. A mortgage we can barely afford, a house full of toys that I constantly trip over, and a dog that shits all over the yard.
That’s what I want in this life.
And I want it with her.
* * *
“You up?” my brother asks when I answer the phone a week after my conversation with Sidney about the will.
“No. What the fuck do you want?” I grumble into my cell phone. The clock on the nightstand reads quarter after five.
“You’re a regular ray of sunshine in the morning,” Blake says.
“Quit busting my balls. It’s five in the morning. What is it so I can go back to sleep for another hour?”
“Mick split.”
Well, now I’m wide fucking awake. “What do you mean split?” I whisper harshly, gently prying my sleeping arm from beneath the angelic beauty at my side.
“Not sure, exactly. I heard from Reid last night that Scott has started preparing her case. I don’t know if he caught wind of it or what, but the eyes I put on him a week ago said he came out of his condo late last night with a couple of big suitcases, loaded them in his car, and took off. My guy followed him to the airport, but lost him in the crowd.”
I slip on a pair of shorts and gently shut the bedroom door behind me, careful not to wake her or Jacobi. “You had eyes on him?”
“Of course I had eyes on him. Call it habit from the former job.”
“Did you find out anything else?” I ask, entering the kitchen and starting the pot of coffee.
“Not too much. Works quite a bit, but parades questionably professional women through his place like it’s Thanksgiving Day.”
“Define questionable,” I say, reaching into the cabinet for a coffee mug.
“Hookers.” I was afraid of that. My only response is a grunt. “If Mick has flown the coup, it’ll probably end up helping your case against him. Nothing says guilty like fleeing the country on a one-way ticket.”
“Let’s just hope he’s stupid enough to leave a paper trail and didn’t head to a country without an extradition agreement.” The coffee finishes percolating, the sweet aroma of dark, rich coffee filling the kitchen.
“Agreed. Scott’ll be in touch as soon as he gets everything lined up. He’s got the number for the attorney Richards has used in the past and he’ll give him a call if we can’t locate him. In fact,” my brother says, but I stop listening. Small feet echo through the empty living room, getting louder as they approach.
“I gotta go,” I say, cutting off my brother by ending the call.
Jacobi enters the kitchen, his eyes full of sleep. The flannel lounge pants and baggy t-shirt he sleeps in hanging off his slender body and his hair out of control as his feet shuffle into the room.
“What are you doing up?” I ask, taking a sip of my coffee.
“Couldn’t sleep,” he mumbles, taking a seat at the breakfast bar.
“It’s still pretty early. You don’t have to get up for another hour and a half.”
“I know,” he says, rubbing his eyes and staring at the counter top.
“Everything okay, buddy?” I ask, bringing my cup over to where he’s sitting.
“I guess.”
Taking the seat beside him, I prepare to wait him out. Clearly, he has something on his mind, but I don’t want to push him if he’s not ready to talk about whatever’s eating at him. So I sit tight.
“Are you guys gonna want me around when the babies get here?” he whispers, the words as painful to hear as they are for him to say.
“You kidding me?” I ask, turning to face Sidney’s little brother. “Who do you think is gonna teach the babies to throw their food or jump on the couch?”
“Me?” he asks with a giggle.
“You. We’re going to need your help a lot, and do you know why?” I watch a few moments while his wide green eyes take in everything I’m saying. “Because there’s going to be two of them. We’re practically outnumbered already, and frankly, that’s a little scary, buddy. Two babies are terrifying,” I confess.
“You’re scared?”
“Hell yes, I’m scared. I’m afraid that I will mess something up. I’m fearful that I won’t be the man that they need for a father. And I’m petrified that I won’t be enough for Sidney.” The words fly from my lips before I can stop them. I glance over at Jacobi, praying that he wasn’t paying attention, but of course, he’s watching me with all-knowing eyes.
“You’re gonna be a great dad, and do you wanna know why?” he asks. I’ll be honest, I stop breathing, my heart stops beating at this moment. Unable to speak, I shake my head. “Because you’re the kinda dad I always wanted.”
His words hurt me, physically. My gut tightens as his words repeat over and over again in my head. Here sits a ten-year-old boy who barely remembers his own father, and he’s consoling
me about my fears of becoming a father. When did this conversation take a one-eighty?
“You’re an amazing little man, buddy. If those babies are half as great as you are, then I’m going to be the luckiest father on the face of the earth.”
He throws his arms around me, and I hold on tight. When he sits back down on his seat, his eyes are brighter and his smile finally reflects the carefree grin I’ve become accustomed to.
“Can I call you Uncle Luke now?”
“I’d be honored,” I tell him with a matching smile.
“Cool.”
“Why don’t you head back up to bed and get a little more sleep. I might be able to be persuaded with powdered donuts to be a little late for work so you can sleep in a bit.”
“Yes!” he exclaims as he heads towards the stairs. “Thanks, Uncle Luke.”
“You’re welcome, buddy. Night.”
Jacobi hits the stairs as Sidney slides up against my back, wrapping her arms around my bare chest. I knew she was there about two minutes ago, but I didn’t call her on it. “What are you doing up?” I ask for the second time this morning.
“I woke up and you weren’t in bed. Thought I’d come find you.”
Turning on the stool, I move until she’s standing between my legs, her arms entwined with mine. “You smell good,” I confess as I nuzzle the side of her head.
“That’s because I don’t smell like vomit as much anymore.”
“True,” I say, the sound of her throaty chuckle reverberates through my chest.
“You know, you are pretty great, Uncle Luke.”
“Yeah? Well, that’s still only half as great as you are, Aunt Sidney. Wanna go back to bed?” I ask, gazing down at those gorgeous aqua blue eyes.
“You’ve already had coffee. You couldn’t possibly want to go back to sleep now.”
“Maybe not, but I can still hold you while you sleep. In fact, that’s one of my favorite things to do,” I say, kissing the shell of her ear.
“One of your favorite?”
“Yeah, want me to show you my other favorite?” I hop up off the stool and pull her towards the stairs.
“I have a feeling you holding me while I sleep probably isn’t going to happen now.”
“Probably not.” Stopping on the stairs, I turn and face her. “Unless you want me to. I promise I’m okay with holding you close. We don’t need to do my other favorite thing right now.”
“Are you kidding? That favorite thing just happens to be one of my favorite things,” she says, a smile playing on the corner of her mouth.
“What a coincidence. We could kill two birds with one stone. My favorite and your favorite.”
“That’s a whole lot of favorite.”
“You’re my favorite. Only you,” I tell her before placing a kiss on her lips. She instantly opens her mouth, granting my tongue free-range exploration. The slightest touch is too much and not enough at the exact same time. She’s everything, as necessary as air.
“Bed. Now.”
Chapter Twenty-Three – Unexpected Visitor
Sidney
My morning was spent interviewing four potential candidates for my assistant events coordinator. One stands out above the other three, based on her experience alone, but she’s being compensated at her current position more than I’m offering. My gut tells me to go ahead and make her an offer, even if it comes in lower than her current employment. Sometimes, money isn’t everything.
My mind keeps going over the conversation last night about Mick and his evading something. Luke believes he’s running because he’s guilty, which makes total sense. Why would he suddenly leave town if he were in charge of the hotel in Penny’s absence if he wasn’t hiding something? And I’m sure that something has to do with their roles at the helm of my family’s hotel. My gut tightens painfully with resentment.
It’s almost noon when my phone alerts me to a text message. However, it’s not the name lighting up the screen that I anticipated.
Carly: Hey! I am in the area. Didn’t know if you had time for lunch today.
The thought of lunch with Luke’s sister-in-law brings an instant smile to my face. As painful as dinner was at Blake and Carly’s, getting to know her was a definite plus. She’s as funny as she is gorgeous, and Blake seems to be completely enamored with her. Plus, I think the fact that we’re both pregnant, though she’s much farther along than I am, is an added bonus that bonded us together right away.
Me: I’d love to! I can go anytime.
The bubbles appear instantaneously.
Carly: I’m around the corner. Why don’t I pick you up? I’ll drive.
Me: I’ll be out front in a few minutes.
Gathering up my purse, I lock up my desk and office. Cassidy is at her desk, typing up a new contract for an anniversary celebration in May. If all goes as planned, this could be the first event that my new events coordinator plans. It’s an easy event, all things considered, and a great way for a new employee to get her feet wet.
“Cass, I’m heading to lunch. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”
“Sounds good. You meet with the Blushmere bride at three, but other than that, your afternoon is clear. Oh, and a Mr. Scott Dixon called, said you’d know what it was regarding. He wants to meet with you as soon as possible.” She pulls up my appointment calendar on her computer and starts to check availability. “He said he was free tomorrow morning at ten.”
“Block off two hours for him,” I tell with a nod.
“He said he’d come here,” she adds as she inputs the meeting into my calendar. “He sounds hot, by the way. Is he hot?” Her eyes sparkle in anticipation.
“You have a hottie already,” I say as I walk towards the door. “I’m not sure, honestly. I’ve never met him in person.”
“Hmmmm,” she says tapping her pen on her desktop. “I should schedule a bikini wax, just in case.” Rolling my eyes, I head through the door. “Oh! Wait! Did you hear about Mick the Dick? Rumors are flying around the hotel that he hasn’t been in at all this week, nor called in sick. Penny is in New York. One rumor is that he was involved in drug trafficking, which I don’t believe, but the other one seems totally legit. Someone said he’s shacked up with hookers. I know you were married to him and all, but he totally gives off that Creepy McCreepster vibe. Oh, do you know who’s in charge in their absence?”
I contemplate my answer. “Probably one of the senior managers, I’d assume. I have no clue,” I say as I step through the door, throwing a wave over my shoulder.
My little hallway is quiet, but as soon as I hit the main lobby, I catch a few employees gossiping. They’re not speaking loud enough that I can hear them, but the way they’re looking around, as if afraid to get caught or be overheard, tells me they’re not discussing the proper way to fold towels.
Ignoring them, I head outside into the late March dessert sun. Carly is sitting along the curb, idling. Her SUV is as big as Luke’s, but newer. While his is still very nice, Carly’s has all the bells and whistles of a newer SUV equipped for a family.
Throwing open her passenger door, I slip inside the cool interior, sliding easily along the leather seats. “I’m so glad you called,” I tell her as I buckle up.
“Me too. I wasn’t sure if you’d have time, but thought it was worth a shot.”
“Where’s Nat?” I ask, noticing the seat behind me is empty.
“She’s with my mom. I had a few errands to run, and sometimes, it’s just easier to do them without her.” She merges into traffic quickly and heads towards downtown. “Is there anything special you’re craving? I know how those crazy pregnancy cravings can be.”
“No, I’m good with whatever.”
“Good, because I’m craving one of those bread bowls filled with cheesy cream of broccoli soup.”
I glance over at the driver, a smile on my lips. “That sounds amazing.”
“Oh, it is. I eat at this little café down the b
lock from Blake’s office at least once a week. They know me by name. I’m pretty sure I could put the manager’s child through college with as much as I eat there, and I’m definitely going to weigh three hundred pounds by the time this baby arrives with all the carbs I’m consuming.”
“I doubt that,” I say, glancing down to her baby bump. If you were looking at her from behind, you wouldn’t even know she’s pregnant. She’s one of those cute pregnant women, which I’m sure I will not be; not when you’re carrying twins. Cute went out the window the day I peed on the stick.
We enjoy small talk as we make the small trek to the café Carly is craving. She parks in the Thomas Securities and Hunter Enterprises parking garage since it’s close and she doesn’t have to worry about finding parking during the lunch hour. Plus, she still has the employee card, which grants her free access. I glance around the small garage, instantly spotting Luke’s big black SUV. It makes me want to surprise him in his office.
Well, after I eat lunch.
“I know what you’re thinking, and yes, we probably should invite the guys to join us, but we’re not going to. We’re going to enjoy lunch without them, and probably even talk about them too. It’ll be great,” she says, leading me away from the building and towards the café.
Inside, we’re immediately seated at a booth in back. As mentioned, the staff really does know her by name, and bring her water and a lemon ice tea without being prompted. I stick with water and order the same soup bowl that she does when the waiter approaches.
“Did you know that’s not even on the menu?” she mentions before sipping her tea.
“What?” I ask.
“Yeah, about a month ago, Blake and I were here and I couldn’t decide on anything. I mean, absolutely nothing sounded good. Then it hit me that I wanted a bread bowl with soup. Blake was ready to take me to another restaurant when the manager said she could fix something up for me. It was the best lunch I’d ever had, so I came back the next day and begged the manager to make one again. Next thing you know, I’m here a lot and they make me my special bread bowls with cheesy cream of broccoli soup.”