“So what kept you guys?” her mother asked, tactfully averting the conversation. “We were beginning to think you weren’t going to show up.”
Lily tried to think of something to say while battling down the red, hot flush working its way up her body. She met Sloan’s gaze and was rewarded with a sly smirk and raised eyebrow that did nothing to help stave off her flood of embarrassment.
“Lily couldn’t find her shoes,” he lied for her smoothly.
Her father smacked Sloan in the shoulder. “At least she can still put them on herself. Karen couldn’t even see her feet by the eighth month.”
Her mother huffed indignantly. “Lily’s right. You two are incorrigible.”
“So whose idea was this anyway?” Lily wondered, stealing a peek around the room.
“Georgia May,” her father answered, sounding none too pleased about it.
“It’s my fault.” Her mother looked to Lily with a look of guilt. “I ran into Georgia May at the grocery store and she asked about you. I told her you were fine and the baby was fine. She asked if I had thought about putting a shower together for you. I told her I had, but we were waiting for you to get a little further along. Next thing I knew, she was offering—”
“Insisting, more like,” her father griped. “Practically appointed herself head party person.”
Her mother reached out and patted him lightly on the arm. “It was very kind of her.”
“But this is a mother-daughter thing.”
It was amusing how incensed her father was on her mother’s behalf. But that was because her mother was such a quiet person, always leaning backwards to help others and sometimes, people took advantage of that.
“But this is for Lily and Sloan,” her mother soothed. “It’s a wonderful turn out and I’m sure they will get a ton of very useful things for the baby.”
Her father grumbled under his breath, but said nothing more about it.
Georgia May took that moment to sashay to the center of the room and call everyone’s attention. The low murmur of voices faded slowly as all eyes turned to the beautiful woman beaming around the room.
“Thank you all for coming.” She clasped her hands together neatly at her midsection. “This is a wonderful time for one of our own.”
Inwardly, Lily went cold. The smile she had plastered to her face felt tight and drawn. Her gaze swung to Sloan, panicked.
“Lily?” Georgia May was watching her. So was everyone else.
Lily screwed her smile more securely in place and rose to her feet with some assistance from her mother’s chair. Georgia May held a hand out to her when she drew closer. Lily accepted it and let herself be hauled to the other woman’s side.
“Lily and Sloan are starting a family and we couldn’t be happier for her.”
There was a spatter of applause throughout the room. But Georgia May wasn’t finished.
“As some of you may know, I have practically been an aunt to Lily since she was a little girl. I have watched her grow up and become the beautiful woman she is today, so of course I was hurt when I was last to find out about the news. Not that I was surprised.” She gave a laugh that grated across Lily’s nerves. “When a girl is left to her own devices, it’s almost to be expected. But mistakes happen. At least we all know Sloan is a decent man who stands by his responsibilities.”
Lily jerked her hand free.
Georgia May didn’t seem to notice. “We, of course, wish them luck in the future. After all, theirs will not be the first marriage brought around by an unexpected surprise. Theirs might even last.”
It took all of Lily’s restraint not to smack the woman right there in front of everyone. It was appalling how she weaved the sweet with the bitter, hiding every spearing insult beneath a silky shroud of compliment. It was disgusting and outrageous. Lily opened her mouth to tell the woman to drop dead.
“Georgia May, you are such a beautiful hostess.” Lily’s mother pushed forward in her chair, her face a mask of serenity. “It was so kind of you to invite us here to celebrate the birth of our grandbaby. It truly had been such a surprise when we first heard. We certainly weren’t expecting it, but we have accepted it, as I’m sure you and your family did when Nancy got herself in trouble with Brice Conner. It was such a shame when Brice left her for that other woman. I know I was simply devastated for her. But I have seen the love Sloan has for my Lily. He will make a wonderful father and husband.”
Lily wasn’t sure who was more stricken by the underhanded jab her mother just executed with such flawless aim, her or her father, who stood just behind her mother’s chair with his mouth slightly gaping.
Georgia May seemed to be as stunned as the rest of the room. Nancy’s mistake had cost her more than just her cheerleader position. All memories of her had been erased from Willow Creek as though she had never existed. Her parents had packed the girl up and shipped her off to live with family in a whole other province and no one was ever allowed to mention her, or the shame she had brought on the family. Now, Georgia May looked as though she’d just caught the family dog taking a shit on the sofa. It was a look Lily would cherish for the rest of her life.
Lily took the opportunity to try and slip back to where her parents and Sloan stood, away from Georgia May before the shock wore off, but instead, she found Sloan making his way to her.
By the time he reached her, Georgia May had come out of her speechlessness and had plastered on one of her habitual eat-shit smiles. It wasn’t until it was fully in place before the room seemed to take a breath. The tension fizzled out, but only slightly.
“Why don’t we all have some more to eat and then I think the men should retire into the man cave while the women enjoy some quiet time and presents.”
“Are you okay?” Sloan touched her elbow as the people around them all began to move at the same time. It was as though someone had pressed play on a paused movie.
Lily nodded. “Yeah.”
He didn’t seem satisfied by her response, but he didn’t press her either. Together, they walked back to her parents and Lily stared at her mother.
“What was that?” she demanded, awed.
Her mother blinked up at her with a quiet curiosity that Lily didn’t believe for a second. “What do you mean?”
Lily narrowed her eyes. “Uh huh.” Her face broke into a smile and she bent and hugged the other woman. “I love you.”
Hugging her back, her mom kissed her on the check before releasing her.
People found their way towards Lily, some out of interest, others genuinely happy, but all curious about the baby. What sex was it? When was the due date? Had they set a date for the wedding? Most she recognized from around town, others had to introduce themselves. At some point, Sloan had to forcibly drag her away to get food, or so she thought.
She found them facing Georgia May.
“Can Lily use your washroom?” he was asking her.
Lily opened her mouth to tell him she didn’t need the bathroom, but he seemed to sense that and squeezed her fingers to keep quiet.
“Just down the hall,” Georgia May said with an air of briskness that hadn’t been there when they first arrived.
“The toilet seems to be clogged in that one,” Sloan answered easily. “Is there another one?”
Georgia May’s gaze flittered over Lily like she was trying to determine if Lily was worthy. She finally resigned with a barely suppressed annoyance. “You can use the washroom in my bedroom. It’s the one at the very end of the hall.”
Thanking her, Sloan tugged Lily along through the crowd towards the stairs.
“Where are we going?” Lily asked once they were at the top.
“There’s something I need to do,” was all Sloan would say.
Bemused, and a little wary, Lily squinted up at the side of his face. “Are we going to rob her?”
Sloan shot her a questioning glance, but didn’t reply.
At the door in question, Sloan released her and shut the door behind the
m. Lily had been to Georgia May’s house, mostly because of church picnics, or some party the woman was throwing, but she had never been upstairs. Georgia May’s bedroom was a seat of startling white carpets so thick, it left imprints of their feet when they walked. Her bed was an enormous sea of white, stone columns draped in a mint green comforter. There were plush steps pushed up against the side to help get on the bed that matched the carpets. The walls were a crisp, teal blue that popped next to all the pale furniture. It was a beautiful room. Made Lily think she was underwater in some mermaid kingdom.
She turned away from the room to the man that had followed her in. Sloan was leaning against the door, hands lost in his pockets as he watched her with a look that instantly set her blood on fire. Her lips parted in an O of realization. Her pulse quickened.
“Sloan…”
“Get on the bed, Lily,” he commanded.
Her eyes widened, but even if she knew this was horribly wrong on so many levels, she knew she would never stop him.
She hurried to the bed and climbed on. The comforter was cold against her back, hardening her already puckered nipples to sharp, tingling points.
“Open your dress and spread your legs for me.”
There was a lot of fumbling on her part as her fingers struggled to push the buttons through the holes. From across the room, Sloan held her captive with his eyes, forbidding her to look away, even when he pushed away from the door and started his slow swagger towards her. He yanked open his belt and the jingle of the buckle cracked through the room. In her chest, her breath caught. Her thighs rubbed anxiously together to calm the needy twinge between them. Unlike her, he didn’t need the stairs to get onto the bed and in seconds, he was over her, shoving apart her legs with his hips. He had to balance himself over her with his hands splayed on either side of her shoulders.
“We can’t take very long,” he told her as he lifted one hand and undid the button and zipper on his jeans. His cock sprung free, hard and already leaking for her. “Or someone might come looking.”
Lily rocked her head quickly from side to side against the pillow, her starving attention fixated on the part of him she wanted desperately. “I’m ready.”
A slow, predatory grin twisted across his face. “You’re always ready.” He aligned the head of his shaft to her opening. “It’s one of the things I love about you.”
He paused. His head bent to the side as though he were listening for something. Lily’s heart plummeted.
“Is someone coming?”
He peered down at her. “No, I need you to get up on your knees.”
Since the expansion of her stomach, sex had become a series of trial and errors. It was harder being face to face, but Lily found she loved having him behind her, whispering things into her ears just as much as being able to wrap her legs around his hips.
With his help, she sat up and turned over, presenting him with her ass. His hands took her hips and guided her backwards until she was sitting in his lap with her bent legs on either side of his.
“You have to be quick,” he murmured into her shoulder blade.
Nodding in understanding, Lily took him inside her. Her head dropped back as he stretched her already sensitive walls and settled impossibly deep. She moaned her pleasure.
“God, I love this,” she sobbed. “Love how you feel.”
She rolled her hips, enjoying herself even though she knew she shouldn’t. Not now. They needed to hurry.
Reaching for the hand on her hip, she dragged it forward and tucked it between her legs. Sloan needed no further incentive. His clever fingers parted her lips and skimmed the life of all her pleasure in slow, easy flicks that quickened the pace of her bounce. She came with a strangled whimper that was met by a low grunt from him, followed by a thick, hot spray between her legs.
Lily slumped forward and he slipped from inside her. She fell boneless onto her side and shut her eyes. She was only vaguely aware of Sloan leaving her. A moment later, he returned and nudged her onto her back. A warm, wet rag ran the inside of her thighs. His fingers replaced the rag once he was satisfied she was clean. Lily shuddered as a fresh wave of arousal settled over her.
“You said—”
“One more,” he hissed, pressing the flat of his thumb over her clit and rolling it mercilessly until he had summoned one last release from her.
Only when the last tremor had left her did he stop, and even then, not before he had placed an open mouth kiss over her sex.
“Why?” she asked as he helped drag her off the bed.
Sloan didn’t pretend to misunderstand her question. He pulled her to him and kissed her with a vicious anger that left her breathless and slumped against him.
“Because I couldn’t punch her in the face like I wanted.”
Chapter Twelve ~ Sloan
It was too early for Lily to be awake, yet Sloan found her standing at the kitchen sink, an apple in hand as she watched the snow melt from the trees outside. One hand rested over the round bulge stretching the front of the t-shirt she wore. Her feet were bare and the hand with the apple was absently kneading the back of her knuckles into the small of her back.
“Hey baby.” He walked up behind her and eased her into his arms. His hands splayed across the expense of her belly. “Munchkin keep you up again?”
With a content sigh, Lily leaned back into his chest, pillowing her head on his shoulder. “Back pains. I’ve had them all night and all this morning.”
Gently, he wedged a hand between their bodies and replaced her fingers with his. He lightly rubbed the spot. “Do you want me to draw you a bath?”
She shook her head. “I don’t feel like sitting down. I’m just so restless.”
He kissed the crown of her head. “Do you want to see the doctor?”
She chuckled. “No, it’s normal what with the due date only a month away. I think it’s because Cole will be here in a week that has me so tense. He hasn’t seen me since before Christmas and I wasn’t as big as a house then.”
“It’s going to be fine,” he assured her.
She began to nod when the apple dropped from her fingers. It hit the floor at their feet with a muffled thud as she doubled over with a cry of anguish. Her hands flew to her midsection, gripping her stomach with white knuckled pain.
“Lily?” Sloan’s hands covered hers. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” she choked out around a quiet whimper. “The doctors warned me about these.”
“These?” he pressed, the urgency unavoidable.
“False contractions,” she said like that was supposed to mean something to him. “I’ve had them before. They go away.”
Sloan was not convinced. “Are you sure—”
She turned in his arms and kissed him, tasting like green apples and toothpaste. “I’m fine.”
Feeling as useless and powerless as ever, Sloan did the only thing he could think to do to help her. “Get into bed. I’ll give you a rub.”
“Mm.” She smiled beautifully up at him. “We love your rubs.”
Sloan chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her mouth. “I’ll even throw in a foot massage if you’re a good girl.”
Eyes dancing mischievously, Lily nipped his bottom lip. “Aren’t I always good?”
Flannel bottoms tightening, Sloan almost groaned. “Get upstairs, woman.”
Chuckling, Lily started for the doorway. Sloan paused only a moment to scoop up the apple and pitch it into the trash can when the back door flew open and someone rang out, “Honey, I’m home!”
Sloan’s first instinct was to attack, protect his family and home. He wasn’t expecting anyone and no one ever used the backdoor for any reason. But he turned and found himself face to face with the last person he was expecting.
“Cole?”
His brother beamed at him, arms open wide as though expecting a hug. Behind him, Beth giggled as the pair pushed their way deeper into the kitchen.
“Miss me?” Cole’s blue eyes swung from Sloan
to Lily and practically bulged from their sockets. “Holy Jesus Christ in a manger. You’re fucking huge!”
Lily came out of her shock with a cry of delight and then was bolting across the room to throw herself into Cole’s arms.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, strangling the hell out of him in the process. “March Break isn’t for another week.”
Beaming, Cole shrugged. “Beth and I finished our classes early, thought we’d surprise you, but, man, we were not expecting you to have swallowed a baby elephant.”
“Hey!” Beth punched him in the arm. “That’s your niece or nephew. Be nice.”
Lily laughed. “No, it’s true. I feel enormous. I can’t imagine what I actually look like to others.”
“You look beautiful,” Beth assured her. “I promise. It’s actually a little disgusting how good you look for a woman as far along as you are.”
“Aw!” Lily released Cole and went to hug the other girl. “You’re so sweet.”
“Hey bro.” Cole went over to his brother and the two clapped hands. “How’s things been going?”
Having come out of his shock, Sloan shrugged. “Not much. Winter’s always really slow for work.”
Nodding, Cole turned back to Lily and Beth. “Did I not tell you they’d be surprised?”
Beth rolled her eyes. “I still think we should have called first. They could have been … busy.”
Cole snorted. “In the kitchen?”
Sloan met Lily’s gaze from across the room and they both had to smother back grins.
“Hey so does this mean we have to head on over to Macy’s Bed and Breakfast?” Cole wondered, cocking his head towards his brother.
“What? No!” Lily exclaimed before Sloan could open his mouth. “You have to stay here. Your bed is still set up.”
Sloan nodded. “We were going to wait until you guys had gone back before putting the crib up.”
“Oh thank god!” Cole gasped, clutching a hand to his chest. “Dude, I am so broke.” He smacked Sloan on the arm. “But we brought presents.”
“Late presents,” Beth chimed in. “We are so sorry we couldn’t make it for Christmas.”
Forever His Baby Page 20