Mr. Seever shook his head. “I’ll be fine. Expect me home at noon.” That said, he gave her a peck on the cheek, picked up his hat, and hurried out the door.
April hummed again later that day when making the noon meal. Apparently being with child agreed with her. Or was it being with Mr. Seever?
Hours later, she glanced out the window as she threw the ingredients together for an apple pie. It seemed like she’d spent most of her day in the kitchen. The children were occupying themselves playing with one of the kittens from the warehouse—their new pet. The black and white kitten was snuggled in Hannah’s arms. She spread the crust dough into the pan and then poured the filling on top. Mr. Seever and the children all liked apple pie. She didn’t bake it very often, preferring to make cookies for dessert instead.
Mr. Seever might realize tonight was a special occasion.
April smiled. Yes, it would be very special. She’d share his bed tonight.
Seth and Hannah entered the house, Hannah carrying the kitten.
“Have you decided on a name for him yet?” April asked.
“No,” Seth said. “I want to name him Tom, but Hannah said animals shouldn’t have people names.”
“I’ve known plenty of animals with people names,” April said. And Tom Cat was very common.
“See!” Seth said.
Hannah put her hands on her hips. “I want to name him Cookie.”
“Cookie is a horrible name for a cat, and it sounds like a girl’s name.”
“It does not!”
“What about Patches?” April suggested. “He has black and white spots.”
Both children grinned. “We like that name,” they said in unision.
Good. No more squabbling. “Take Patches out of the kitchen please. I don’t want cat hair in the pie.”
“Pie?” Seth asked, his eyes doubling in size.
“Is it your birthday, Miss April?” Hannah asked.
“No. It isn’t my birthday. I just had some extra apples and I thought they’d make a good pie.”
Hannah grinned. “Papa will be surprised.”
“Yes,” April said, “if you don’t tell him.” She put a finger to her lips.
There was nothing she could do to hide the sweet and cinnamon scent. That was all right. Their mouths could water in anticipation. As soon as their mouths were full she’d make her announcement to the children.
* * * *
April carried the pie in and set it in the middle of the table. “Dessert is served.”
“It smells delicious,” Mr. Seever said.
“I hope it tastes as good as it smells. I think I accidentally put in too much cinnamon.”
“No such thing as too much cinnamon,” Mr. Seever said. He cut a piece of pie for the children before cutting a piece for himself.
April rubbed her sweaty hands on the front of her apron. Her stomach knotted She hadn’t been this nervous a few minutes ago. Mr. Seever had said another baby would be a blessing, what if he’d changed his mind?
Would Seth and Hannah want a little brother or sister?
She moistened her lips, unable to tear her eyes away from Mr. Seever. He didn’t catch her staring, focusing on the large piece of apple pie in front of him. Time slowed to a crawl. Mr. Seever cut his first bite with his fork and scooped it into his mouth.
“I have some news,” April said “I’m going to have a baby.”
“How did that happen?” Hannah asked innocently and Mr. Seever’s cheeks turned red.
“Well,” April said, seeing Mr. Seever wasn’t ready to answer the question, “your papa and I care about each other and now you’re going to have a little brother or sister.”
“I want a brother!” Seth said.
“I want a sister.”
Mr. Seever chuckled and gazed at her with pure love.
He rose from his chair and walked over to her, wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Do you really care about me, April?”
His husky voice sent her heart racing. “Yes, I do.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “Then I think you better start calling me Matt.”
April grinned, easing the tension between them. “Matt, do you want another son or a daughter?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “Either way he or she is going to be as smart and beautiful as you.”
He knew how to compliment a woman. She rubbed her cheek against his, feeling the bit of brown stubble.
“Does this mean April’s going to be our mama?” Seth asked.
Matt looked at his children and then at her. He took a step back and spun her around so they were gazing into each other’s eyes. “What do you say Miss April? Will you be my wife?”
She sighed, legs turning to cotton, she leaned into his chest. “You know I can’t really be your wife.”
He kissed her temple. “Maybe not in law, but I will introduce you as my wife.”
“Not just your nanny?”
“I never wanted you to just be my nanny.”
Pressed up against him, his heartbeat rang in her ears. “Yes,” she said, breathless. “I will be your wife.”
He gave her a gentle squeeze. “April Seever,” he said, beaming. “It has a good ring to it, don’t you think?’
“Mmm-hmm. Mrs. Seever.”
*
After tucking the children into bed Matt swept April into his arms. “We don’t need a wedding ceremony,” he said in a husky voice. “We just need to consummate our marriage.”
April laughed, the pleasant sound echoing in the silent house. “Haven’t we already done that?”
“Nope,” Matt said, his lips brushing across hers. “That was just practice for our wedding night.”
“Ah.” April’s eyes brightened. “I’ve been told it is always better the second time.”
“Uh-huh. The second time and the third and the fourth.” Matt carried her down the hallway and set her on his bed—their bed.
“Help me out of my dress,” she said in a sultry voice.
Standing in front of her, he quickly obliged, eager to feel his wife skin to skin. The pink dress dropping to the floor, and then he pulled the chemise over her head.
She pushed the suspenders off his shoulders and worked on pulling up his shirt.
Once he’d stripped April naked, he feasted on her ebony beauty, showering her with kisses and an occasional nibble. She giggled, lying flat on her back, giving all of herself to him.
He licked her ear and her laughing grew louder. “Stop it,” she said.
“Don’t like it?” he breathed.
“I like it, but it is odd. We’re not cats. You don’t need to lick me.”
He straddled her, still wearing his gray trousers. “Oh, but I do, Mrs. Seever. I love to taste you.”
She struggled to get to a sitting position and tugged on his trousers. “It is not fair you still have clothes on.”
The complaint in her voice warmed his heart. After all his sleepless nights and struggles to woo her, he’d finally won her over. He stood and shucked off his trousers and long johns, and then resumed kissing his wife. His hands moved from cupping the sides of her head to caressing her shoulders and arms.
“Your skin is flawless,” he said, his fingers splayed across her collarbone. “You’re beautiful.”
Her bosom heaved in front of him, begging for attention. He scooted a little lower on the bed, and sucked her left breast into his mouth.
“Oh,” April moaned. “Yes.”
After laving her breast, he flicked her nipple with his tongue, watching it turn into a dark pebble. He lowered his mouth again, teeth gently scraping her sensitive flesh.
She inhaled sharply but did not say a word.
“I won’t hurt you,” he said.
She closed her eyes, head resting on the pillow. “I know. It—it feels good.”
Cock throbbing, he ignored his own needs and focused on giving his wife pleasure. He gave her right breast the same attention, enjoying her little
moans. His hands trailed across the smoothness of her belly, dropping lower to her thighs.
She spread her legs wider, and he inhaled her arousal. He kissed the curly hair covering her entrance. “You’re wet and ready for me.”
“Yes.”
His hands traveled back up her body and stopped, palms cupping her still damp breasts. Each rapid thump of her heart pulsed under her palm.
She sighed and ran her fingers across his cheeks.
He massaged her skin and ground his cock against her thigh. The friction making him breathe harder. He didn’t want to come on top of her; he needed to enter her and with much more class than last time.
Wrapping her hands around the back of his head, she pulled him to her for a kiss. “I want to feel you inside me.”
Their lips locked, he entered her a little bit at a time, and buried himself to the hilt.
“We’re one,” April said, her brown eyes beaming. “Our bodies joined, hearts joined, souls joined. I believe God knows we are married.”
“Yes,” Matt said. He began moving in slow thrusts, slowly building to a frenzied rhythm. Her hands gripped his muscular shoulders, holding him tight. Orgasm near, he gritted his teeth and held off, wanting them to come together.
She tensed and moaned and he allowed himself to leap into bliss. The powerful orgasm made his head fuzzy, like he was floating.
“April!” he shouted. He held her through the aftershocks, the feel of her arms around him keeping him grounded.
*
April let out a sigh, her heart still racing. He’d prolonged her pleasure, kept their bodies mingled for as long as he could, but it did not seem nearly long enough. Once his cock turned flaccid, he pulled out. She wanted to feel him inside her again even if it meant she was sore in the morning.
He lay on his back and pulled her on top of him, their sweaty bodies resting against each other.
“You said my name that time,” April said in a teasing tone.
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “How could I not? You’re my wife from this day forward.”
“That’s right,” she said, touching a finger to his nose. “And I won’t let you forget it.”
Gradually her breathing returned to normal, but her desire remained. Resting her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes. They lay in silence for several minutes. April didn’t know if she should speak. What should she say?
Matt ran his hand over her hair. “Thank you, April.”
“For what?” she asked, her eyes still closed.
“For helping me to love again.”
“Mmm. My pleasure. You know loving again sounds like a good idea.” Her fingers brushed across the dusting of hair on his chest.
“I have to work tomorrow,” he said with a groan.
“We have plenty of coffee.” She grinned, kissing his cheek and then his lips and neck.
“Oh you little vixen,” he said. “You’re going to get me all worked up.”
“I know.” Her hand traveled lower and she stroked his cock. The surprisingly soft skin fascinated her. She couldn’t help, but stare as she watched his manhood grow to its full length.
His eyes flared and panted. “Are you sure this is your first time with a man?”
“Second,” she said. “Same man.”
Satisfied he was in the mood, she stopped stroking him and lay on her side of the bed, ready for him to take charge. “Not too hard to figure this bedroom business out.”
He shook his head laughing. “Guess not. You seem to be doing very well.”
Her husband pounced upon her, his weight pushing the breath out of her lungs.
“I love you,” he said, cock thrusting into her mound.
Tipping her head back, she let out a long moan. “Yes,” she said. “More.”
Her hips bucked to match his rhythm. Knowing the ground shaking pleasure awaiting them, she eagerly did all she could to bring it on faster. He found the right spot and hit pounded it relentlessly.
She felt herself climbing higher and higher, approaching the cliff fast.
“Oh. Oh. Yes, Matt!” She fell to pieces in his arms. Being with him felt like paradise.
He shot his hot seed into her again, and then sunk on top of her exhausted. “We have a lifetime ahead of us,” he said. “I think this is enough for one night.”
She just grinned at him. His face glowed and she wondered if she glowed as well.
He pushed himself off the bed and walked over to the breakfront, wetting a piece of cloth. He cleaned her up and then wiped off himself. “Now,” he said, rejoining her in bed. “It is time to sleep.”
She let out a loud sigh as if disappointed. “All right.”
April lay on her side, her husband pressed up against her. She listened to his soft snoring, enjoying the weight of his arm draped over her. This time after they’d made loved she felt cherished.
He loved her. He truly loved her.
Hearing him scream her name when she came had been just as meaningful as saying “I do” in front of a preacher.
His cock nudged her bottom, but she didn’t mind. She reckoned this was how it should be in the marriage bed.
She kissed his fingers. “How could I be so lucky?” she whispered. She’d gotten herself a husband, a son, a daughter, and had a baby on the way.
The scent of their lovemaking lingered in the air. Her heart full of joy she couldn’t sleep, too giddy to even close her eyes.
Life couldn’t get any better than this.
Chapter 18
Matt whistled as he walked to work the next day. The summer sun warmed his face, matching the temperature in his chest. Every smile and touch from April turned his blood hot. She’d agreed to be his wife, and last night had been heavenly. He’d fallen asleep with an ebony angel in his arms. His happy, sated glow could probably be seen from a mile away, so he didn’t try to hide it. For once since Caroline died his life seemed to be going in the right direction.
He knocked on Boyd’s office and his brother threw open the door, his face red. Matt held his breath. Boyd looked ready to bite his head off and he hadn’t even told him about April being pregnant yet.
“What’s wrong?” Matt asked, almost afraid to enter the small office.
“What’s wrong?” Boyd shouted. “I had to beg Mr. Baxter for an extension on the loan this morning.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize we had a problem this month.”
“You’ve been too wrapped up in your children to know half the stuff that goes on around here,” he said in a bitter, biting tone.
Being wrapped up in his children was only natural, and yet Boyd made it out to be a bad thing. Of course he knew he didn’t like Seth and Hannah, so it would be a waste of breath to argue the point with his brother. The man lived and breathed business. He would never understand how a man’s life changed after he had children.
“You could have confided in me about the lack of funds.”
Boyd grunted. “Like that would have done any good. It isn’t like you could have covered our debt. You can barely feed your own children.”
“I’m providing for my children very well,” Matt fired back. “And my personal business does not affect the workings of our warehouses. I wasn’t the one who wanted to invest in a second building.”
“How was I supposed to know we’d be sabotaged by a thief?” Boyd said. “If I hadn’t covered our losses we would have lost more customers.”
“More? I didn’t know we’ve lost any.”
Boyd gritted his teeth. “I didn’t want to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“Some of our customers have taken their business elsewhere because of April.”
“What does April have to do with anything?”
“They don’t approve of you associating with—”
“Son of a bitch,” Matt roared, feeling his skin heating. “Those self-righteous pricks! I suppose they don’t approve of Seth and Hannah either.” He glared at his brother who wisely
didn’t respond. “Damn it. They have no control over my love life.”
“I know,” Boyd said. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to anger you. I’m dealing with the loss. We’ll recover from the blow if the bank doesn’t claim our warehouses first.”
“Mr. Baxter is already threatening?” Wasn’t that a little soon?
“No…” Boyd said, “but he wasn’t too accommodating with an extension either. He gave us two weeks.”
Matt rubbed his chin. “This really sours my good news.”
“Good news?” Boyd leaned back in his chair. “I could use some good news right about now—or a drink.”
I don’t know if you will agree it is good news or not. “April and I are having a baby.”
Boyd’s nostrils flared. “What? After I told you to be careful with her?”
“When you warned me it was too late. We’d already slept together.”
Boyd jumped out of his chair. “You take one look at a colored woman and you can’t wait to get her in bed, can you?”
“What?” Matt’s mind reeled from the accusation. “It has been four years since Caroline died. I haven’t slept with a single woman since then.”
“But a white woman isn’t good enough for you, is that it?”
“I tried courting a couple white ladies on the steamboat. They weren’t interested in adopting mulatto children.”
Boyd grunted. “I can’t blame them. I’m not sure why you ever took your mistakes out of the orphanage.”
“My mistakes?” Matt punched Boyd in the mouth sending him backward against his desk.
Boyd straightened and swung at him, connecting with his jaw, and whipping him sideways. “You don’t care how your actions affect others. All you care about is yourself.”
“That’s not true,” Matt said, jabbing him in the stomach and making his brother gasp for air. “I care about Seth and Hannah and April. But they don’t count to you, do they?”
“You don’t seem to care about your white family one damn bit!” He tackled Matt to the ground, knocking the wind out of him.
“I helped you buy your warehouse didn’t I?”
Boyd struck him across the jaw.
Matt’s teeth rattled and he tasted blood. He must have bit the inside of his cheek.
Midnight Kiss (Moonlight Romance) Page 12