Something Precious

by M. Clarke

  Jax sported a black tuxedo with a magenta bow tie to match the theme color of the wedding. As always, he looked fabulous and utterly lickable. His hair was perfectly sleeked back, and I was drooling just from the sight of him. My wacky hormones weren’t helping either. Lately, thinking about fucking him was all that was on my mind. The doctor even confirmed that I was going to be extra sensitive in all the right places. He wasn’t joking.

  When we reached the spot, my dad offered my hand over to Jax. Electrifying tingles jolted through me. The love between Jax and me was undeniable, and soon would be unbreakable. After the minister had delivered his opening words, it was time to exchange vows.

  Holding hands, piercing his loving eyes deeply into mine, he said, “My dearest Rachel. Where do I begin? You stepped into my life when I didn’t think it was possible to find real love. The kind of love that wraps you like a warm blanket you don’t want to let go of. The kind of love you know you can’t live without. You’re my breath, you’re the other half of my soul, and you’re my reason for living. I never want to know life without you. I promise to be the man of your dreams and the father you want your child to have. I promise to give you everything I can possibly give. Together we’ll ride the storm; together we’ll ride the sunset; together we’ll deal with the good and bad. All I ever want and need is to have forever with you.”

  I could no longer keep the tears at bay. They rushed to the surface so fast, they were streaming down my face. It got worse when I saw my mom, my sister, Jenna, and Stacey tearing up too. Jax’s words were beautiful, touching to the depth of my soul. My heart expanded to the fullest, filling me up with euphoria. The happiness that I felt traveled down to my toes and to the tips of my fingers. It was hard to describe happiness. It just was. Now it was my turn.

  “My dearest Jackson.” My lips had already started to quiver, and I didn’t know if I could continue. I took a moment to pause and continued, “I wanted everything: the passion, my heart pounding when I saw the man of my dreams—the one that would completely sweep me off my feet so that I couldn’t think straight. I didn’t think that kind of man existed for me until you came along. I never knew love could be this rich, filled with indescribable blissfulness, but that is what you give me every day. I promise to be the woman of your dreams, and be the best mother to our children. I never want to know life without you. All I want is forever with you.”

  More tears dampened my cheeks, and I could see from the corner of my eye that everyone felt the love too. Jax’s eyes were glassy as he reached out to wipe my tears. “I love you, babe,” he murmured. I didn’t think he could have said it louder, in fear that he might break down like I had.

  Jax and I made our marriage official by sealing it with a kiss, just as the sun hit the lowest peak, glowing until the very end. Our reception was held on the beach, closer to the cave where the wind blew less. A ginormous white tent had been pitched, surrounded by tiki torches set out to add to the illumination of the fake candles that would soon go out. But they weren’t really necessary. They were more for the ambiance. One thing about Kauai, the night came much later.

  The caterers had a difficult time trekking down to this unknown area, but had they managed just fine. We gathered under the tent and sat around a huge square table formed by several smaller tables. And behind the table was a long table, ready for a buffet-style dinner. Off to the side was our beautiful small but tall-tiered cake, decorated with magenta orchids.

  After dinner, Jax and I danced to our song, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Then everyone else joined in. Jace held both of our hands while he swayed with us. He couldn’t stop giggling, loving every moment.

  Jace tugged me down and whispered, knowing his grandparents didn’t know about the pregnancy. We had to explain that we wanted to keep the news a surprise so we could tell them at the wedding. “The baby is dancing with us too,” he whispered in my ear.

  I gave Jace a warm smile, loving how he was thinking about the baby. Then I wondered how often he thought about the baby throughout the day.

  “You’re so right,”I whispered back. I stood up to tell Jax what Jace had said as we continued to wiggle our bodies. With an awed expression, Jax lit up with a grin and ruffled Jace’s hair.

  Chapter 30

  Rachel

  The next day while both sets of our parents watched all the children in my parents’ hotel room, the rest of us had dinner at Roy’s. It was one of my favorite places to eat. Matthew and Max, having connections, were able to hook us up at Koloa Landing, the same complex where Matthew had set Stacey and me up the last time we were there.

  “So what did your parents say when you told them about the baby?” Jenna asked, taking a sip of her water. “I’m sure they were thrilled.”

  My mind went back to less than an hour ago.

  “Moms and Dads, have a seat. Rachel and I have something to share with you,” Jax said.

  They sat on the sofa, looking at us with worried expressions.

  “What is it?” Mom’s gaze on me was so intense that I could feel her looking at me even though I was looking at Jace standing beside me.

  “Don’t worry. It’s good news,” Jax said quickly, before one of them could start spitting out questions before we could begin. Leaning toward me, Jax grabbed my hand. Clearing his throat, he said, “We’re pregnant.”

  Silence sliced through the room. I could tell they were soaking in the news by their thoughtful expressions.

  Jax’s dad made the first move and stood up. “Congratulations.”

  “Oh my God.” My mom placed her hands over her mouth. “You’re pregnant,” she mumbled softly against her palms. Then her eyes welled up with tears.

  Jax’s mom rushed to us with an embrace. “I can’t wait.” She pulled back and spurted out her questions. “When did you find out? When is the baby due? Did you see the doctor? Are you sure?”

  After the hugs from our parents, we settled back onto the sofa.

  “Of course we’re sure, Mom,” Jax chuckled. “Rachel is three months pregnant.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Mom’s question was directed toward me. I wanted to tell her Jax and I had been dealing with some obstacles, but decided not to say anything. Bygones were bygones. We’d endured a heavy storm on the way, but we came out of it safe together.

  “You were on vacation.” I tried to change the direction. “We should all take a cruise vacation together. Wouldn’t it be fun?”

  Dad had gone to the kitchen. He came back with bottle of wine and wine glasses. “Ask questions later. But first, we should toast.”

  Hearing Jax clear his throat brought me back to the present. I looked at Jax to see if he wanted to say something, but when he didn’t respond, I spoke up for the both of us. “We went early to drop off Jace and so we could tell them. My parents were shocked at first. But of course they were happy with the news. I think my mom was a little upset that she wasn’t informed as soon as I found out, but she let it go. As for Jax’s parents, they felt the same way too.”

  “I forget,” Max said, sliding his arm around Jenna’s shoulders in one swift motion. “Is it too early to tell if the baby is a boy or a girl?”

  I took a bite of my steak and said, “You can tell the sex of the baby as close to twenty weeks, but even if we do ask, which we’re still deciding on, we’re not telling anyone.”

  “What?” Everyone looked shocked.

  “What do you mean, you’re not going to tell us?” Becky shoved a slice of cucumber in her mouth after she asked.

  Jax gently squeezed my thigh. “We want it to be a surprise.”

  Hendrix leaned in closer to Jax in an affectionate way. “You’re going to tell your big brother, aren’t you? ‘Cause I won’t tell anyone. Not even Stacey.”

  Stacey swallowed a bite of her halibut and lightly shoved Hendrix. “Hey. You’re supposed to tell me everything...your soon-to-be fiancée.”

  “Fiancée?” Beck
y, Jenna, and I said in unison.

  Stacey gave us a coy smile for a few long seconds, like she was proud to be hiding a secret. She reached into her purse, fidgeted under the table, and then out popped her left hand. A huge three-carat diamond was set in a gold band. I assumed the men had a conversation regarding how large our diamond rings should be. We each had a three-carat ring.

  “Stacey! When did this happen? And you didn’t call your best friend?” I glared at her.

  She shrugged innocently with a straight face. “Oops, my bad.” She paused to take a gulp of her wine. “But seriously, I wanted to wait. You were so stressed about your wedding plans, I thought I’d wait to tell you face to face instead of over the phone. Plus, I’m getting back at you for not telling me you were pregnant. I had to find out through Hendrix.”

  “What’s wrong with finding out from me?” Hendrix asked.

  Stacey leaned over and kissed his lips. “It’s not the same thing, honey.”

  “I can make telling good news fun,” he said with a flirty tone, gazing into Stacey’s eyes.

  Jax arched his brows and pulled back into his seat. “Oh, please, not here. I’m trying to eat,” he teased.

  “When’s the date?” Becky asked, wiping her mouth. “Better yet, we want to hear the details.”

  Stacey looked at Hendrix to confirm. “We haven’t picked a date yet. But don’t worry. I’ll let you know.” She paused. “As to how Hendrix proposed to me...well, as you know, we’d been here for a couple of weeks before you all arrived. I thought I was on my way to help Hendrix at Beach Front Restaurant. When I got there, the restaurant was closed. With the help of his employees, he’d cleared out the restaurant and set a table for two. After we ate, we danced to a live band. He proposed to me just as the sun was setting, creating a romantic and magnificent view.”

  Many “awwws” and smiles were shared around the table.

  My smile was cut short when Jax slid his hand higher up my thigh. I gasped softly, feeling my heart beat faster. Perhaps I should have worn shorts instead of a sundress. I almost bit my tongue when my body jerked, trying not to make it obvious when Jax’s pinky found my panties. It slowly caressed up and down, producing heat down my legs. That heat traveled higher when he leaned into me so only I could hear and whispered, “I want to fuck you on this table.”

  His hot breath and his words, combined with my crazy hormones, almost had me orgasming right then and there. My sex was pulsating, lusting for him. Grabbing Jax’s hand, I eased it off my thigh and held it tightly. “You’re very bad,” I murmured by the side of his neck. Thank goodness everyone’s eyes were away from us as they talked about the Knights’ clothing design business.

  “I want to be bad with you.” Jax squeezed my hand.

  Some men feared sex when their wife was pregnant, but not Jax. He fulfilled my hormone imbalance to the max.

  After we had dinner, we drove to the shopping complex across the street and had Lappert ice cream and snow ice. Needing to pick up our kids, we called it an early night. Instead of Jax and me heading directly to our parents’ place, he wanted to take me out for a night stroll. I agreed happily.

  “Do you remember that last time we were strolling on this walkway?” Jax asked, holding my hand.

  “Yes, I do. How could I forget?” I answered, looking up at the dark sky. Though today had been a warm perfect day, the dark clouds covering the stars showed otherwise. “Do you also remember that it rained?” A drop that fell on my cheek indicated there was more to come.

  Jax placed out his hand, palm up, and then he flashed his eyes at me in surprise. “Did you feel that? I guess we’re going to repeat that night.”

  “Jax!” I called out his name when he lifted me up, took me to the nearest tree, and placed me down gently. My back touched the trunk just as Jax pressed his body on mine.

  “I think we’ll be safe here for a little while, unless it starts pouring.”

  “But I won’t be safe from you,” I teased, giving him my wicked smile.

  His eyes twinkled in the faint lamplight, grinning from my comment. Jax gripped my waist, and then his fingers slowly crawled up my sides. His eyes became dark and greedy. “That’s right, Rachel. You’re not safe from me.” His tone sounded dangerous but erotic to my ears.

  More drops fell from the sky when Jax’s tongue outlined my lips and softly kissed me. His kiss was slow as though he were savoring, tasting, and taking in the feel of my lips as his hands gingerly roamed about my body. Every caress from his hands was tantalizing, producing hot desire, and becoming full-blown ecstasy. I wanted him to take me right there, but we were in public.

  “Jax.” I panted into his mouth as his teeth lightly bit my bottom lip. “People can see us.”

  He pulled away as if he had realized where we were. Then his dazed expression turned too and he blinked multiple times. Liquid drops fell on his face, then more started to fall. I let out a snort and ran my hand down his face. More came pouring, and now I was getting wet too. Where I stood under the tree, the branches and leaves were thicker, sheltering me, but they could no longer hold the rain pelting faster by the second. As much as the rain was a nuisance, there was something hot and erotic in making out in the rain, dripping wet.

  Jax ignored the wetness and placed his lips back to mine with passion. I assumed he felt the same about making out in the rain, but he suddenly stopped when he heard the lightning.

  Jax pulled away breathlessly and said, “That’s our cue, babe. Time to get out.”

  “Wait,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his strong neck. We both looked up at the sky. The thunder boomed like the sound of a bomb and lightning streaked across the sky, lighting up the darkness just for a second. In that moment, my heart pounded in fright, but at the same time I was mesmerized by the beauty and the grandness of Mother Nature. I thanked God and the universe for the little miracle inside me.

  Jax must have been thinking the same too. His hand slid down to my stomach. “Let’s get you both under a safe roof. You can never be too careful with lightning this close by.”

  Without a second to lose, Jax grabbed my hand. We sprinted. I couldn’t help but laugh as the belly of clouds dumped water on us. Wet clothes clung to my body, and I shivered from the sudden cold, but at the same time, it soothed my sticky skin from the humid weather. By the time we reached the elevator doors, we looked liked we had taken a shower with our clothes on.

  Jax bent over and ruffled water out of his hair like a dog.

  “Jax! You’re making me wet.”I used the wrong choice of words. Jax froze and slowly craned his neck. His brows waggled and his eyes were filled with humor. Giving me a sexy grin and showing me those cute, irresistible dimples, he seethed hotly.“Let me fix that for you.”

  He didn’t have to. Just the sight of his white button-down short-sleeve shirt clinging to his muscular abs made my mouth drool. My desire shot into overdrive and every part of my body was gravitating toward him. I wanted him to take me now, but we needed to pick up Jace. All the kids must have already left, and he would have been the only one. Before I could say another word, Jax pinned my arms over my head, and his greedy eyes were filled with lust.

  Jax’s eyes fell down to my breasts, watching my chest rise and fall, synchronizing to the fast pace of my beating heart. I was simply dizzy; anticipating what he would do next drove me crazy. My unsteady hormones were turning me into a wild animal, wanting him to fuck me hard and fast.

  Jax’s eyes continued to pierce through me with a purpose while he took his time sliding his hands down my arms. When his hands cupped my breasts, I moaned. Good thing about Koloa Landing, it was pretty secluded, and there wasn’t a lot of traffic and people walking by to get to their rooms. I gasped when Jax grabbed my ass under my dress and lifted me, pressing me against the wall. My arms gripped around his neck and my legs anchored around his hips.

  “Jax,”I purred, feeling his bulge against my sex.

  “Rachel, I think we should stop by our
room first before picking up Jace. I want to fuck you so bad. It was all I could think about during dinner.”Jax’s muscles were taut and flexing, pretending to fuck me.

  I couldn’t deny him. He had no idea I was already at the point of no return. My sex was throbbing, burning, wanting him to be inside me. In fact, if he hadn’t asked, I was going to suggest the same thing.

  “Let’s go,”I breathed through the tangle of our tongues.

  Panting, Jax brought me down, and we couldn’t reach our room fast enough.

  Chapter 31

  Rachel

  We had a wonderful time in Kauai. Spending time with our family and friends was the best therapy, not to mention our wedding. I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t get to see the turtles on the beach, but Jax assured me he would take me again. We were sure to go as often as we’d like now. For our wedding gift from both of our parents, we were given a set of keys to a brand new oceanfront five-bedroom beach house. And the rest of the wedding party pitched in a generous amount of money so that I could furnish the beach house the way I would like. I was overly spoiled and loved. What a perfect combination.

  Five months later

  I couldn’t hide the fact that I was pregnant any longer. My belly bump was growing. The news spread fast in the fashion industry, and Jax and I were being congratulated left and right. Chloe had been reasonable, giving in to my wishes. Due to the combination of her contract with Knight Magazine expiring and her work schedule, she had seen Jace twice so far. I was okay with that as long as Jace and Jax felt comfortable.

  Jax never missed my doctor’s appointments. He wanted to be with me every step of the way. Easter and Halloween holidays came and went, and so did spring and summer, and we were in the middle of fall. We had about a month left before the baby was due. I’d gained about fifty pounds and I felt like a heavy balloon. My feet were a little swollen and I wobbled like a duck, but other than that, I was healthy. The only complaint I had was my lack of sleep from discomfort. I couldn’t wait until the baby was out of my womb.