Carter: Denver Royalty (Book 2)

by Sheridan Anne

  I get home after a massively rewarding day at work to find my girl, in nothing but her underwear, cooking in the kitchen. She has her back to me and is swaying her hips the music that blasts throughout the whole house.

  I grin as I take her in. She’s been living with me for a few weeks now and still refuses to move out of the spare room, which means I’ve been sleeping in there with her every night. She sleeps in my arms each night and I feel she’s slowly coming back to me. I told her there’s no point in her staying in the spare room seeing as though we’re still sleeping together, but apparently, it’s the principle that counts.

  I’ve been with her as much as possible since the day I found out she was pregnant, but having her here with me, under the same roof and being able to watch as her tummy grows is amazing. It’s the best feeling in the world and makes me certain about what I want for my future.

  I stand against the doorframe, watching as she moves her body. It’s damn clear she has no idea I’m here and that knowledge alone, keeps me glued to the floor. Watching her just being her is amazing and so freaking heart warming. I can’t wait to live the rest of my life with her.

  I’d do just about anything to let her know I’m in it for the long haul. I swear, that woman has had enough foot rubs to last her a life time. Call me a whipped pussy but I don’t care. Being able to do this shit for her is more rewarding than any build I’ve ever done. I fucking love her and if she needs me to scratch her ass because she can’t reach it anymore, then you better believe it, I’m going to scratch that fine ass.

  She’s just over eight months pregnant now, which apparently, with twins, means they could come any time now. In fact, it’s normal for them to come a few weeks early. So, she’s been a bit nervous lately which she’s been trying to hide, but I know her like the back of my hand, she can’t hide that shit from me. She’s finished work as her poor body physically can’t handle it anymore, but she misses her kids so I have no doubt that the second these babies are out, she’ll be taking them for a trip to the school to meet the other loves of her life.

  The music changes to something with more of a beat and she really gets into the dancing. Watching her ass in that little thong as she stirs a pot of pasta has me growing hard.

  I simply just can’t wait any longer. She’s my girl and it’s about time I prove it to her.

  I walk through the kitchen and lightly place my phone, wallet, and keys on the table. The keys rattle as they come down on the counter and I expect her to hear me approaching but she’s too caught up in the song. I continue forward and come right up behind her.

  My hand softly slides onto her hips and I press my body up against hers. Her back stiffens at the touch, but quickly relaxes when she realizes it’s me and not some axe wielding murderer. “What are you doing?” she questions quietly as she continues stirring the pasta.

  I reach around her and take the stirrer out of her hand before turning off the stove. She turns in my arms and has to take a step back as her belly pushes up against me. She looks up at me with questioning eyes and I slowly move into her so she can see my intention.

  My hand comes up and wraps around her neck and jaw, tilting her chin up towards me. Her head automatically tilts in towards my hand, letting me know she welcomes the touch. I bring her closer and dip my face to hers, hovering just above her lips, giving her one last chance to stop me.

  “I love you, Brianna,” I murmur. Her hand travels up my body and stops at my chest. Her fingers splay out over my heart and I realize this is it. She’s finished pushing me away. A tear falls from her eye and I push my thumb out to catch it. “Don’t cry, baby.”

  Her hand clenches in the fabric of my shirt and she gives it a tug, pulling me closer. She rests her forehead against mine and closes her eyes. “I love you, too,” she whispers with an open heart.

  I can’t hold back anymore and press my lips against hers. She feels like home as I take her in and I feel all my fears slipping away. She moves her lips against mine as she brings her hand up and around the back of my neck.

  She deepens the kiss, but I feel myself pulling back. She looks up at me in concern. “What’s wrong?” she questions.

  “Nothing,” I smile, giving her all my love. The concern disappears from her eyes, but it doesn’t stop her from watching me suspiciously. “Do you trust me?” I ask her.

  Understanding dawns in her eyes as a smile takes over her beautiful face. “I do,” she tells me. Relief surges through me. I had a feeling she did, but nothing feels better than hearing her confirm it. I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at life, something I don’t deserve but would give anything to get.

  Fuck, she’s my whole world.

  I smile down at her before lightly pressing my lips to hers. “And you’re ready to give ‘us’ a go?”

  “I am,” she smiles.

  I dig into my pocket and pull out the little velvet box that’s been living in there for the past eight months, before taking her hand in mine. “Then, marry me, Brianna,” I tell her.

  Her eyes widen as her jaw drops to the ground. Her eyes flash down and notice the engagement ring that I’m busily sliding onto her finger. “Whaaa…?” she questions, flicking her eyes back up to mine.

  I smile at her stumped look before cupping her face in my hand. “I fucking love you so much, Bri. I’ve made mistake after mistake when it comes to you but never again. You’re it for me. You’re my whole fucking world and I’ve spent way too long living without you,” I tell her. “I want to watch you walking down the aisle. I want to make vows to you, I want to live my life knowing that when I come home every day, you and our babies will be right there with me.”

  “Are… are you sure?” she questions.

  “Yeah, babe. I’m sure,” I tell her.

  She looks down at the ring on her finger again before looking up at me. “When did you get this?” she grunts.

  “The night of Logan’s championship game.”

  “You left the game early,” she says. “I thought you left because I was there.”

  “No, I left because that was the night I realized just how badly I’d fucked up.”

  Her eyes begin to sparkle as she starts putting the small pieces of our puzzle together. “That was before you found out I was pregnant.”

  “Yep,” I tell her. “You’re leaving me hanging here,” I say, reminding her that she hasn’t actually answered my question.

  “So, this has nothing to do with the babies?” she questions.

  “No, that’s just an added bonus. I’ve known I wanted this since the moment we first broke up. I just didn’t want to admit it,” I explain.

  “All this time, I was worried that you wanted to get back together because it was the right thing to do for the babies.”

  “No, babe,” I say, running my hands down her body and picking her up. I slide her back onto the counter to take the pressure off her swollen feet and step forward to place myself right between her legs.

  She places her hand around my neck and pulls me in tighter. “If you knew so long ago, why’d you wait so long to ask?”

  I lean in and press a kiss to her neck before answering. “Because I needed to give your heart a moment to heal first and then you threw me a curveball and said you didn’t trust me anymore. It was important to me to earn that back. I knew I couldn’t ask without your trust, that’s not a way to start a marriage.”

  I see the wheels turning in her mind and know she’s on the verge of asking another question, but the wait is killing me. “Babe, you can ask me a million questions later. Right now, I need you to put me out of my misery and let me know if you’re going to marry me.”

  She pulls back ever so slightly so she can look me in the eye. She’s quiet for a moment and it’s the worst kind of torture. A slow smile begins lighting up her beautiful face as her eyes sparkle with the utmost love, blowing me the fuck away. “Nothing would make me happier than becoming your wife.”

  I let out a breath I didn
’t realize I was holding and hardly have a chance to take another before her lips are crushing down on mine.

  Hell yes. This moment is absolutely perfect. I have the woman of my dreams in my arms with my ring on her finger. I still can’t believe my luck that after the hell I’ve put her through, that she was able to see past all that and take me back.

  We’re going to have two beautiful children and be a family of our own. Fuck, I can’t wait to tell Cassie and my brothers. I want to scream it from the fucking rooftop. Wow. I’m the luckiest bastard in the whole fucking world.

  “Does this mean you’ll move out of the spare room now?” I question.

  “Depends,” she murmurs in a seductive tone. A mischievous twinkle appears in her eyes and I know whatever she says next is going to be good. “Are you going to make it worth my while?”

  “Damn fucking straight, I will,” I murmur. I gently pull her off the counter, making sure she gets to her feet comfortably. Nothing would make me happier in this moment than to wrap her legs around my waist and throw her up against the wall, but with two babies busting to get out of there, this is going to have to play out a little differently.

  I bend down and scoop her up into my arms, bridal style. Her arms loop around my neck and I head for the stairs. I get to my… our bedroom and gently lower her to her feet. I haven’t been with her in so long that I’m going to treat every moment of this as if it were my last.

  I’ll do nothing short of worship her.

  My hand trails down her arm and a shiver runs over her skin. Her eyes close in satisfaction and I can’t wait to give her more.

  She reaches for my shirt and pulls it straight over my head before running her fingers down my chest and abs. “Fuck, I’ve missed that,” I tell her. A little moan slips out of her mouth as her bottom lip gets bitten between her teeth. That little sound has me desperate to hear more.

  I pull her in and press my lips to hers as my hands begin exploring her changed body, being careful not to hurt her or make her uncomfortable. I reach around her and unclasp her bra and let it fall to the floor.

  I grin as I take in her swollen breasts. She smiles up at me. “See something you like?”

  “They’ve changed,” I comment.

  “Yeah,” she scoffs. “They’re sore.”

  Damn it. I saw her digging through the freezer and pull out a packet of frozen peas that she jammed down her shirt, but I never really knew why, but I guess I do now. I’ll just have to look and not touch.

  Her hands trail down my stomach and find the button of my jeans. She quickly pops it and allows my jeans to fall to the ground. I step out of them before scooping her up into my arms again.

  I walk over to the bed and gently lay her down. I come down beside her as there’s simply just no room on top. My hands work their way down her body and drag her thong down her legs before coming back up and exploring that perfect pussy.

  She works her way to my underwear and pulls my cock free. It jumps out at her, ready to go and she grabs hold of it like she’ll never see it again. She gets to work as my fingers find her clit and rub circles into the sensitive skin.

  “Carter?” she questions on a moan. “I haven’t had sex in eight months. I need you inside me, now.”

  “Your wish is my command, baby,” I tell her as she rolls onto her side. I line myself up behind her, realizing this is probably the only way this is going to work.

  “Babe?” I say, hesitating for the first time in my life. “I don’t know how this is going to go but if your uncomfortable or it’s hurting, just tell me and I’ll stop.”

  “Ok,” she promises.

  I let out a breath, hoping I don’t poke a baby in the eye and push myself in. I go as slowly as I can as to not hurt her, but the feel of her tight entrance taking me in is nearly enough to have me blowing my load early. “You ok?” I ask once I’m fully in.

  “Perfect,” she breathes as her hand meets mine on her hip and she laces our fingers. “Just be gentle.”

  I nuzzle my face into the crook of her neck and kiss her soft skin. “I will,” I promise, seconds before making the sweetest love to her.

  With both of us wound up so tightly, it doesn’t take long before both our worlds are completely rocked.

  We finish on a high and I wrap my arm around her, pulling her into my side. She nuzzles her face into my chest and cuddles into my side while struggling to pull the sheet up. I do it for her and let out a satisfied sigh, knowing I’m the happiest man in the world. “That was amazing,” she murmurs as she closes her eyes.

  As usual, my hand finds itself perched on her stomach, feeling my babies struggling to move around their cramped living quarters. “You’re amazing,” I tell her, referring to absolutely every aspect of her.

  She smiles up at me with tired eyes. “I love you so much, Carter Waters.”

  “I love you, too,” I murmur as I place a kiss on top of her head before running my fingers through her hair, the way she likes it. “Sleep now, babe.”

  With one final sigh, she slips into a deep sleep, one I know she desperately deserves. She is fucking wonder woman carrying these babies. I don’t know how she does it, but she deserves every ounce of rest she can get as the second these babies come out, it’s game time.

  Chapter 22

  Brianna

  We pull up outside Sean’s place and I smile as I get out of Carter’s truck. I’m still living in absolute bliss. I can’t believe he actually asked me to marry him. Far out. It’s like living a dream.

  I think I went into shock when he actually asked. It’s something I had never expected to happen. I mean, I’d put it right at the top of my ‘you freaking wish’ list. Over the past year, I’d come to terms with the fact that marriage was never going to be in the cards between Carter and I, and then he went and blew me the fuck away.

  I mean, he’s had a fucking ring in his pocket for the past eight months. Why the hell did I not snoop around his place when I first moved in? I could have put all my doubts and fears to rest ages ago, but I respect his reasoning. He needed my trust and he’s right, a marriage without trust isn’t a marriage at all, it never would have worked.

  I know he’s been going on and on about how desperately he wants to make us work, but I figured he meant because of the twins. He came crashing back into my life the day he found out about the pregnancy so it just made sense to me. I figured he was just being a gentleman, accepting the consequences of his actions. How the hell was I supposed to know he had a damn ring hiding in his pocket? I mean, he’d betrayed me in the past which I know was for my own benefit but what was stopping him from doing it again?

  But now… I see I was wrong to doubt him. He truly does want this and has made my world complete by asking.

  And then… he took me to bed.

  It was beautiful… slightly awkward with the size of my stomach, we had to be a bit creative, but that’s never held us back before. It was like coming home. I know we had that drunken night together but I feel like I haven’t truly been with him that way since before the split. It was magical. My heart has never been so full.

  I try to hop out of the truck, but I’m stuck and have to call out for Carter to come and help. With a smirk, he struts around the front of the truck and comes to a stop at my door. “What seems to be the problem?” he questions, knowing fully well that I’m stuck.

  “Shut up and help me out of here,” I demand.

  He chuckles, thinking it’s the funniest thing and eventually hoists me safely out of his truck. He takes my hand and helps me up the stairs of Sean’s huge house. I mean, what is with these Waters boys? All their homes are fucking huge. Well, Logan’s is in a league of its own. I mean, that shit is ridiculous.

  We get to the front door and Carter walks straight on in. “Where is everyone?” he calls.

  I hear Elle, Logan’s girlfriend responding from somewhere within the ginormous house. “We’re all out back,” she says.

  We make our way through the ho
use and find her in the kitchen, struggling to balance three plates. Carter, being the perfect gentleman, swoops in and saves her from tripping over her own feet and takes the plates off her. “Thanks,” she sighs in relief before leaning in and giving him a kiss on the cheek. She moves onto me next and has to move around my side to get her arms around me. “How are you feeling?” she asks as we make our way outside.

  “Exhausted,” I tell her. “I can’t wait to get these babies out. I swear, my whole body is moments away from giving out.”

  We step outside to find everyone sitting out on the grass, with little Georgia, or Georgie, as she’s been nicknamed, on a picnic rug, playing with all her toys. She’s eight months old now and the light of my life. The little beauty is an absolute gift to this world and I can’t wait to watch her grow and develop into a young woman.

  “Hey,” Logan says as he notices us hovering around the back door. Everyone else turns at his welcoming and gets to their feet. We soon have the whole family crowing around, giving hugs and kisses as they welcome us to the party.

  “I’d love to stay here and chat all day, but my feet are killing me,” I tell them. “I need to sit down.” Carter hands the plates off to Jax and takes my hand to help me walk across the grass. Cassie comes and joins us on my other side and we eventually get down to the picnic rug where Georgie sits happily. I look at the ground and realize this is going to be a lot harder than I thought. Well, shit. How the hell am I supposed to get down there?

  I cringe as I attempt to bend a million different ways, but it simply isn’t going to happen. If I attempt again, I fear I might actually fall down and never get up again. “Yo, Logan,” Carter calls up to Logan who’s hovering at the backdoor, making out with Elle. “Bring a chair down for Bri.”

  Logan makes a show of saluting Carter but does as he’s told, putting a rush on it. I take a seat and feel a pain in my back. “Ugh,” I groan as the pain becomes more apparent. I wiggle around on the chair and grab Carter’s jacket that he’s thrown carelessly on the ground. I shove it behind my back like a cushion and sigh in relief as the pain disappears. Thank God. I can’t handle pain on top of everything else I’ve been feeling lately.