by Katy Kaylee
I felt guilty about what I’d overheard – but what did it all mean? Hollie had been so bubbly over the last few days, talking and talking about how her mother and her new stepfather were going to help her with recommendations ... had her mother been lying?
And as much as I loved Harrison, I had no idea how he was supposed to help Hollie get into med school. It would have been one thing if she’d wanted to go to a police academy, or even become a detective like her father. But the connections Harrison had were decidedly blue-collar.
Hollie was going to be crushed when she found out, that was for sure. As I sat on my bed and pulled off my running clothes, I vowed to myself that I’d be as good to her as possible. I wanted to support her. And even if she didn’t get into a top med school, I was confident that she could still realize of being a doctor.
The only thing I felt even remotely nervous about was confessing the truth about my own fate. How was I supposed to help her open a practice if neither one of us had a chance at meeting our goals?
I pursed my lips and blew a steady stream of air at the ceiling. Taking my phone out of my runner’s armband, I laid down on the bed, enjoying the cool feeling of the duvet against my sweaty, hot skin. My heart was still racing from my run, and I narrowed my eyes as I started scrolling through my Instagram feed. Just as I was about to put my phone down and get into the shower, an alert popped up.
Reminder: register for classes by 8pm!
I bit my lip and groaned quietly, then opened the calendar app and held my thumb over the alert, preparing to delete it. As I did so, I realized the month was entirely blank, with no little dots on any of the days.
A chill ran down my spine. That was strange. I flipped back to the previous month, and the one before that. Like clockwork, there was a dot roughly every four weeks or so.
But I hadn’t made one in weeks and weeks.
My stomach twisted into painful knots. I counted back, week after week, and realized that I hadn’t gotten my period in three weeks.
I’d never been late. I’d never been one of those girls who had been caught on campus without a tampon or a pad, and I’d always been meticulous about tracking my own cycles. I knew it was possible to have a late period because of stress, but I’d dealt with a lot of stress ... and it had never, ever been late before.
Was it just because this summer had been more stressful than usual? It was true that I’d been through a lot. Stripping, Angel, my feelings for Harrison ...
And then again, I’d been running, too. Hollie had offhandedly told me once that sometimes really active people didn’t have their periods as often, but I had a gut feeling that that wasn’t it. Hollie was the truly active one, not me – I just tagged along to make her happy.
I hadn’t actually had any symptoms of a period, now that I thought about it. I hadn’t had cramps or headaches or nausea, and I hadn’t spent my usual three days fighting the urge to scarf down as much chocolate and candy as possible.
But my breasts were sore and tender. I’d assumed that was just from running, just because I couldn’t ever find a sports bra big enough to fit me, but now I started to seriously worry.
I’d been moody. I’d been crying all the time. But that’s just because of Harrison, and my feelings for him, right? I thought, swallowing hard.
As much as I tried to rationalize it, I was suddenly filled with dread. I practically leapt off the guest bed and yanked on my running shorts and a loose t-shirt. Grabbing a baseball cap, I pulled the brim low over my sweaty head and snuck down the stairs. Thankfully, Harrison wasn’t in the kitchen, and no one noticed as I snuck out the front door and jogged down the street to the pharmacy.
The Walgreens was crowded, and I tried to slip unobtrusively down the aisles, searching for what I needed. When I realized that they kept all “family planning” products behind the counter, I groaned, then dutifully got in line. It took twenty minutes before a register opened, and by that time I was practically peeing myself out of sheer anxiety.
“Can I help you?”
I pointed to a box of pregnancy tests. “Two brands, please. The most expensive ones.”
The clerk raised an eyebrow. “Congratulations?”
I had to resist the urge to glare at her.
“Do you want a bag with these?”
I nodded. Duh, I thought, watching as she rang up the two pink boxes emblazoned with silhouettes of pregnant woman lovingly cradling their bellies. The clerk handed me the bag and I darted out of the store with the brim of my cap still pulled low over my face. I didn’t want to take tests at home and risk Harrison – or worse, Hollie! – finding them in the trash, so I went into a Starbucks and bought the cheapest thing on the menu. The lousy tea cost over four dollars, but I figured the peace of mind it would bring would be worth it.
Gulping down my drink, I asked for the bathroom key and went into the bathroom before ripping open both boxes. I rinsed out my cup and yanked down my shorts. Holding my breath, I held the cup between my legs and squatted over the toilet. I was so nervous that it took a moment for me to actually release, and I kept holding my breath until the cup was full.
I stuck two different brands of test into the cup, then set an alarm on my phone for three minutes and closed my eyes.
Those three minutes felt like the longest of my life, even longer than when I’d been waiting backstage at The Pink Diamond ready to go out and dance for the first time. When the alarm went off, I took a deep breath.
Either way, you can make this work, I told myself. But surely, there’s no way you’re pregnant. This totally has to be a fluke. I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow morning with my period and everything will be totally fine.
I opened my eyes.
Both pregnancy tests were showing two pink lines in the “pregnant” box.
All of the air rushed out of my lungs and I felt like someone had punched me in the gut.
That was it.
I was pregnant.
With my best friend’s father’s child.
21
Harrison – Friday
I was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee, staring down at the daily paper but not really seeing it. My mind was going in a million directions at once: work, and Paris, and Hollie, and now my encounter with Krista.
Just what had my ex-wife expected me to do? If I hadn’t known her better, I would have felt insulted. She had no idea who I was, truly. She’d just expected me to just roll over and do as she said, like a dog.
We’d been married for so long, almost two decades. How was it possible that she cared so little that she didn’t even know me?
Or worse, did she know me and just not care?
The thought left a bad, sour taste in my mouth. Krista had always been selfish, but this was a new low, even for her. I’d accepted that she never would have been happy being my wife forever – she’d always had a champagne taste and a beer budget. But to endanger Hollie’s future just because she was too afraid of sticking up for her new husband? She was choosing her marriage over her child, and that was something I believed should never, ever happen.
I wanted to help Hollie as much as I could, but truthfully, I was stumbling. I didn’t have many connections beyond the police force, and probably none that could help my daughter get into the top-tier medical school that she deserved. It wasn’t fair – Hollie had worked just as hard as anyone, she’d worked her ass off, and I was so proud of her.
I wasn’t looking forward the conversation that we’d have to have soon. I imagined her coming home after having lunch with her mother, crushed and defeated at the prospect that everything she’d worked for was now lost and gone forever. Sure, she could probably get into a state school ... but then she wouldn’t be able to open the clinic of her dreams. She’d probably get stuck working the ER at one of Chicago’s worst hospitals, treating gang gunshot wounds and junkies claiming to be in pain just because they wanted pills.
That wasn’t the life I’d wanted for my Hollie. I’d w
orked so fucking hard to make a good life for her – god knew, the area of Chicago where I lived wasn’t cheap, and for a long time buying a house in Lakeview had seemed like a pipe dream. But I’d wanted my daughter to be safe and comfortable, and for her to have the best chances.
Now, I wondered if that all had been a waste of time.
I sighed and took a long drink of coffee. It was cold – I’d spent so much time thinking about Hollie and Krista that I felt completely drained.
Just as I was about to get up and dump the dregs in the sink, the front door open and Hollie bounced inside. She was wearing leggings and a bubbly smile as she came into the kitchen and joined me at the table.
“Hey, Dad,” Hollie said. She beamed at me. “I just came back from having lunch with Mom.”
Fuck, I thought. “Oh, yeah?” I asked cautiously. “How did that go?”
“She said that she’s still working on some things, but that she and Mitchell should be able to help me find what I need,” Hollie said. She smiled. “God, I’m so relieved.”
My stomach twisted into a knot and I forced a smile. I’d always been a terrible actor, but maybe my summer pretending to dally with Madison Maxx had improved my skills, because Hollie seemed to buy it.
“That’s great, hon,” I said in the same cautious tone. “But you might want to keep your options open.”
Hollie’s smile faded. “Why would I do that?”
“It’s not because you don’t deserve it,” I said quickly. “But you know how competitive these things are.”
Hollie narrowed her eyes. “I guess,” she said. “Maybe I just got too excited.”
I patted her arm. “I’m sure it’ll work out,” I lied. “You’re very determined.”
Hollie got to her feet and stretched. “I’m going to the store,” she said. “I thought maybe we could all have dinner tonight. I haven’t seen Paris much. We went on a run yesterday, but um ... well, I told her I’d come home, but I met someone and I was out pretty late.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “Making the most of being single, huh?”
Hollie flushed. “Daaad,” she whined. “Don’t tease me.”
“Enjoy it,” I told her. Just don’t make the same mistake I did, and get married so young that you don’t even know who you’re hitching your wagon to.
Hollie seemed to sense something in my voice, but she didn’t question it. She went upstairs and changed into jeans and a different top, then left for the store without further ado. I was still sitting at the kitchen table, and something Hollie said stuck out to me.
Paris.
It was true that I hadn’t seen nearly as much of her this week. She’d probably been busy looking for jobs, but I had a sneaking suspicion that she was avoiding both Hollie and me. I cleared my throat, then went upstairs and knocked on her door.
There was no answer, and I felt a flash of guilt before opening the door and letting myself in. The guest room was cluttered and the bed was unmade, and the whole room smelled of her delicious floral fragrance that made me feel weak in the knees. The door to the guest bath was slightly ajar, and I walked closer only to hear the sound of splashing water.
I knocked on the bathroom door.
“Who’s there?” Paris called. She sounded sleepy and relaxed and I grinned when I realized that she must be in the bath.
I didn’t answer. Pushing open the door, I saw her submerged in bubbles. My cock twitched to life in my pants and I couldn’t help but give her a lusty smile.
God, she was beautiful. I could see the tops of her magnificent, round tits but her creamy pink nipples were covered with bubbles, and the sight was somehow more obscene than if she’d been fully exposed. Her auburn hair was piled on the top of her head, but several strands had escaped and the wet hair was plastered to her neck. Her green eyes were wide with surprise when she saw me, and she sat up, splashing some water over the sides of the tub.
“What are you doing here?” Paris asked. She looked almost fearful, but when I saw her teeth catch on her lower lip I knew that she was just as hot for me as I was for her.
“I was hoping to spend a little time with you,” I admitted, stepping closer and sitting on the edge of the tub.
Paris flushed deeply, and I knew it wasn’t just from the heat of the water.
“Room for two in there?” I asked.
Paris didn’t reply, and I stood up and began to undress. I locked eyes with her as I unbuttoned my shirt and let it fall off my frame to the floor. Paris kept her eyes glued to mine as I unfastened my belt and drew it from my belt loops. I unzipped my trousers and pushed them down my hips. My semi-erect cock was throbbing with lust inside my boxers, and as I slid them down my legs, I smirked at Paris.
I climbed into the tub behind Paris. Her silky soft skin was slippery and wet and I pulled her back against my chest, loving the feel of her torso against mine. She slid and wriggled in the water and I reached my hands through her arms and began pouring water over her body, exposing those round tits that I loved so much. Paris moaned as my fingers grazed her stiff nipples and wriggled closer, pushing her ass against me. My cock hardened and my balls ached with want as I leaned closer and smelled the sweet scent of her body.
“God, you’re so beautiful,” I whispered into her ear before taking her lobe into my mouth and sucking gently. I ran my teeth over the sensitive skin and Paris shuddered in my arms as I cupped her soapy breasts with my hands and began pinching and rolling her nipples.
“I can’t believe you want me,” I growled, making my way down from my ear to her neck. Paris put her small hands over mine and stroked the backs of my hands as I massaged her tits. Her bubble ass brushed against my cock and I let out of a groan of ecstasy as pleasure raced through my body. Arching her back, Paris moaned my name and wriggled her butt on my lap.
“Mmmn,” Paris moaned, unable to restrain herself as my hands moved lower and lower, over her flat belly and into the wet tangle of her auburn pubic hair. She spread her legs and lifted her ass higher, until she was sitting on my lap, with her pussy exposed to the water.
“Does that feel good on your little clit?” I whispered. “All that warm water ... so soothing ... so sexy,” I added in a husky growl.
Paris whimpered with delight and I moved my hand lower into the water until I grazed her hard nub of a clit with my thumb. Wriggling excitedly in my lap, Paris twisted her head around and met my mouth with her own in a wet kiss.
I couldn’t stand it anymore. I wanted her too badly. Getting to my feet, my cock stuck out obscenely in front of me, dripping with soapy water.
I extended my hand to Paris and raised an eyebrow. She got to her feet, blushing madly, with suds falling from her body into the tub. As the soap revealed more and more of her perfect figure, she smiled shyly at me and took my hand.
22
Paris – Friday
It was only a few, shaky steps from the guest bathroom to the guest bed, but my heart was thudding the entire way. My palm was sweaty and wet in Harrison’s, and he led me to bed with the confidence of an alpha wolf. Being naked with him was so wonderful, so thrilling, so freeing that I could hardly stand it – I wished that the two of us could live alone in a world where we could be naked together all the time.
Harrison bent down and scooped me up, putting one arm under my knees. He lifted me onto the bed like it was our honeymoon, and covered my mouth with a passionate kiss as he crawled on top of me and brushed his body against mine. My skin was warm and tingly from the bath, and I moaned as Harrison crawled down my frame. He nuzzled and nipped at my belly, then put his hand between my legs and slipped a finger into my pussy. I was soaking wet with desire for him and as he entered me with a finger, a shock of pleasure exploded in my belly.
“You’re so wet and tight for me, baby,” Harrison purred. He growled and lowered his head to my pubic hair, nuzzling it before moving further south to my throbbing clit. When I felt his warm mouth begin to suck me, I moaned and arched my back, thrusting my
hips against his face. We knew each other’s bodies so well by this point that making love with Harrison felt like poetry. He slid another finger inside of me and wriggled them together as he licked and sucked at my clit, sending shivers of delight down my spine. I loved the way he pleasured me, but I wanted to please him, too, and I gently pushed him away.
Harrison gave me a confused look and I blushed furiously, biting my lower lip.
“I ... I want to please you at the same time,” I whispered, feeling racier than I ever had in my entire life. My heart was throbbing with excitement as Harrison cocked his head to the side. I gestured for him to lie down, then turned around and climbed on top of him, facing his feet, with my pussy right over his mouth. Leaning down, I stuck my ass in the air and felt his hot breath caressing my clit.
God, it felt so naughty! I moaned softly as Harrison kneaded my ass with both hands before diving his face into my pussy and licking and sucking. Pleasure seized me – somehow, him going down on me like this felt even better than it did when I was on my back. Knowing that I was exposed to him, that he could see all of me, my pussy, my ass, made me feel hotter than ever before and soon my pussy was dripping juice down my round thighs.
I bent down lower, until I was right above Harrison’s cock. It was throbbing and I gasped with pleasure as his tongue flicked against my clit before I could wrap my hand around his dick. I began to pump my hand up and down and opened my mouth to taste him. As soon as I swirled my tongue over the head of his cock, Harrison groaned into my pussy, filling me with delicious vibrations. I wriggled my ass, wanting more more more, and Harrison slid two fingers inside of my pussy as he sucked and nipped at me. I sucked him hard, lapping at the head of his cock and savoring the delicious, salty taste of his pre-cum.
“Mmmn,” I moaned onto Harrison’s cock as he continued to please me. I knew it was obscene, but I was loving it, and soon I was grinding against Harrison’s face and taking his entire cock in my mouth. With my free hand, I cupped and massaged his balls to the rhythm of stroking him and we moved together in a slow, heavenly rhythm. With every movement, my nipples rubbed against Harrison’s legs, sending jolts of unexpected pleasure through my veins. Just as I felt like I was about to come, Harrison gently pushed me over to the side, until I was lying on my back and looking at him. He lay there, looking at me with deep lust in his blue eyes, and I realized that he wanted me to ride him.