Forbidden

by Vanessa Devereaux

  Maggie opened it and started reading. Jon hoped he was right about this being a peace offering without his mother’s snarky comments.

  Maggie handed it to him.

  Maggie, Jon told me you’re having a baby. He didn’t say when, but as you can guess it will be the highlight of my year and I’ll be counting the days. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve already bought a few things for my grandchild and thought I’d send a few to you for Christmas. Please forgive my past foolish behaviour and call me soon.

  Love, Julie

  “I’m sure ‘a few things’ means there are no baby clothes left in any store in Alcudia,” Jon said after reading the card.

  Grinning, Maggie ripped off the paper to find a white baby jacket with a matching hat and booties in the box.

  Jon held up the booties. They melted his heart. Shit, was he going soft or something? He imagined their babies in them…which reminded him of something. “I guess I should call and tell her it’s grandchildren, not grandchild,” he said. “Why don’t I do that right now?”

  Maggie looked at the white outfit again as Jon dialled his mother’s number. Seeing baby clothes brought the situation home. She’d need to start shopping for not one baby but two. Two cribs, two carriers…

  “Hi, Mom, did you have a fun Christmas Eve?” Jon asked.

  Julie’s voice could barely be heard over the other end of the line.

  “Yes, she’s doing fine… Yes, the babies are fine too…”

  “Did you say babies?” Julie’s scream filled the room.

  Jon grimaced and held the phone away from his ear. “Yes, you’re the expectant grandmother of twins.” He put his hand over the receiver. “She’s just gone to tell Miguel.”

  Maggie could hear Julie’s voice again, indistinctly.

  “No, we don’t know what they are because they were facing one another on the ultrasound so the view wasn’t clear.”

  Once again Julie’s voice could be heard as Jon pulled the phone from his ear.

  “Yep, they’re due June sixteenth.” Another pause. “Yes, she’s right here. I’ll let you talk to her.”

  Jon passed the phone to Maggie. Well, at least Julie didn’t sound angry any more, just the opposite. Maggie heaved a relieved sigh. And she’d enjoy talking to her best friend again, even if the circumstances were kind of strange now.

  “Hi, Julie.”

  “Maggie, Jon’s just told me it’s twins. I’m lost for words… Speechless. And as soon as Christmas is over I’ll book our flight to the States for the beginning of June so we can be there for the delivery.”

  Maggie rolled her eyes at Jon who laughed.

  “Well, that is if you’re having them there and not in Mallorca.”

  “No, I’ve got everything set up here. Oh, and thank you for the baby outfit, it just arrived.”

  “I’ll have to go buy a matching one now. In fact, that means I’ll need to go back and get more of all the things I already bought.”

  “Julie, please don’t go to all this expense. You know how quickly babies grow out of clothing.”

  “Let me do this. I’ve waited so long for this time in my life.”

  What could she say? At least they were best buddies again. If one good thing had come out of this accident it was that the rift between them had been healed.

  Maggie said her goodbyes, then handed the phone back to Jon who wished his mom Merry Christmas and hung up.

  “I think we’ve made her Christmas,” Maggie said, settling herself back on the pillow.

  Jon slid into bed next to Maggie. “Now, how about you make mine.” He pulled Maggie on top of him as they both laughed.

  * * * *

  Maggie and Jon were at Katie’s house. They’d eaten and opened gifts. Jon was chatting with Katie’s husband, the three girls were in Emily’s nursery and Maggie was in the bathroom right next door. Her daughters weren’t being exactly discreet with their conversation.

  “What do you think of Jon?” Sarah asked.

  “I think he’s really nice. I’m happy for Mom.” That was Katie. Maggie smiled.

  “He’s very cute but how long do you think it’s going to be before he wakes up and realises Mom’s an old woman?” Annie asked, sounding suspicious.

  Maggie’s heart beat faster. Was this what they really thought?

  “She’s not old. Any woman who can still get pregnant is still in her prime. And he loves Mom, you can see that by the way he looks at her,” Katie said. Yay! At least Katie was supportive.

  “Yeah, and did you see the way he had his hand on her backside?” Annie said.

  “That’s nothing. I dropped my napkin while we were sitting around the table and when I looked under it to see where it was, I noticed he had his hand underneath Mom’s dress. I’m not surprised he knocked her up,” Sarah said.

  Maggie closed her eyes. She couldn’t believe she was hearing this from her own girls.

  “Have you both heard yourselves?” Katie asked. “I think this is going to last forever. And as your big sister I’m ordering you to be kind to her, especially while she’s pregnant. And if you like him or not, he’s going to be the father of our new siblings so that makes him family too.” Katie to the rescue again.

  “We thought Dad made some bad choices. At least all his wives have been his age. Don’t say we didn’t warn you if he turns out to be the worst thing that’s happened to her,” Sarah said.

  No, no, that wasn’t true. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Maggie wiped her eyes. She didn’t care what other people thought about having a young guy as a lover, being pregnant at her age… The only opinions she cherished were those of her three daughters. But two of them didn’t see her relationship lasting and it broke her heart.

  Someone knocked on the door. “Mom, everything okay in there? You’ve been in there for a while now,” Katie called through the door.

  Maggie dabbed her eyes again. “I’m fine, honey, just washing my hands.” She flushed the toilet, washed and walked out.

  Katie put her arms around her. “I thought Jon could use some practise.”

  Maggie saw Jon holding Emily. The poor guy had been thrown in at the deep end because her granddaughter was having one of her screaming tantrums. “Hey, hey, let’s stop that,” he said. “Let’s go look at the Christmas tree lights.”

  Maggie smiled as Jon headed over to the tree and pointed to the twinkling lights. Emily’s sudden silence was amazing. She watched Jon’s finger as he pointed to the tree and then put her fist in her mouth and sucked, giggling every now and then.

  Maggie walked up behind them. “You two enjoying yourselves?”

  “I thought she’d like something bright. The babies at the clinic usually do.”

  Maggie kissed him on the cheek and Emily smacked his nose with her finger.

  “Hey, I think she just wet herself,” Jon said.

  “I’m sure Katie wouldn’t mind you practising changing diapers too.”

  Maggie watched as Jon approached Katie and asked her where the diapers were. He was really going to do this. Maggie sat on the couch, trying to push away everything she’d heard Annie and Sarah say about her and Jon’s relationship.

  They were wrong about him.

  * * * *

  Jon headed up to Maggie’s office. He’d been to collect all the forms he’d need to complete for his medical classes and internship. Moving here to be with Maggie and the babies meant he’d be taking a giant step backwards in his career. Plus, it was cold and snowy. His mother had told him it was sixty-three degrees in Alcudia. He couldn’t say with all honesty either fact thrilled him.

  Maggie was in a conference room chatting with some clients, all of them flipping through some fabric swatches and taking notes. Today she was wearing the black pumps he’d bought her. They looked so sexy, especially paired with black pantyhose, skirt and contrasting white blouse.

  “Can I get you some coffee?”

  Jon turned to see Maggie’s receptionist
standing behind him.

  “Maggie’s clients arrived thirty minutes late so it might be a while,” she said.

  “Sure, coffee sounds great,” he said.

  Jon followed her over to the coffee machine and watched as she poured some into a mug with the name of Maggie’s company stamped across it.

  “There’s cream and sugar here if you want it,” she said, handing him the mug. “Maggie told me you and she are having twins next summer. My friend has twins. They’re a lot of work, but so cute.”

  Jon sat down and placed his application form and booklets beside him. “You have any children?” he asked her.

  “A girl, she’s almost two. Will these be your first?”

  Jon nodded.

  “Maggie said she might have to close the business for a few weeks after they’re born. She’s already booked through the end of April. I know I’m biased because I work for her, but Maggie’s the best interior designer in town.”

  Jon glanced down at the application form sitting next to him. If he asked her to move to Mallorca it would be a sacrifice for her too. She had a good business going here. She’d probably worked hard to establish it just like his mother had. Shit, what was he going to do?

  Maggie emerged from the conference room with two women. She glanced at him, so he winked at her.

  “I’ll be in touch and I can start on that probably the third week in January,” she told them.

  “That sounds perfect. And if you need to look at the rooms again just give one of us a call.”

  Maggie shook hands with both women then walked over to Jon. “How did you get on at the hospital?” she asked.

  He should tell her he couldn’t go through with this whole moving to Maine thing. She’d understand, but she’d been so happy about everything that he just couldn’t.

  “Great. I have to fill in some applications and get some references and that shouldn’t be too hard.”

  “You want to grab some lunch before I head over to an office building to estimate another job?”

  “Sure, but do you think you’re taking on too much?”

  By the look she’d given him, the smile turning to a frown, he’d obviously said the wrong thing.

  “I’m not going to let this pregnancy slow me down. I feel great. A bit tired but nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Okay, but let’s get your blood pressure checked before you head back to work this afternoon.”

  * * * *

  Mike, Maggie’s ex, hadn’t fussed over her like this when she’d been pregnant with any of the girls. But Jon was a doctor and also one hell of a guy.

  He’d purchased a blood pressure kit and stethoscope in the drugstore. Now, she was sitting in her office with one sleeve rolled up, feeling the cuff squeeze her biceps as Jon pumped it up. He listened and watched the dial as he released the air.

  He slung the scope around his neck before tearing away the Velcro strap. She smiled. She bet that his female patients’ blood pressure shot sky high when he was this close.

  She stroked his face. Maggie had told him she had a thing for designer stubble and he’d purposely not shaved for three days. He had the beginnings of a beard, rough under her fingertips.

  “Did you have high blood pressure during your other pregnancies?” he asked her.

  “I can’t remember because it’s been almost twenty years since my last one… I don’t think so, why?”

  “It’s still slightly elevated and not where I want to see it.” He sounded like a typical doctor now. “You’ll need to be on a low sodium diet for the rest of the pregnancy.”

  Yeah, definitely like an MD.

  “Not even salt and vinegar potato chips?”

  “Maggie, definitely not salted chips.”

  “You worry too much.”

  “If anything happened to you I’d…”

  She kissed him. “I’m sure you’re the reason my blood pressure is elevated. I’m kinda jealous that your female patients probably find you just as sexy as I do.”

  * * * *

  Jon knew he’d stepped out of line when he’d called Dr Varney to chat about Maggie’s blood pressure. He’d always found it irritating when the patient’s family thought they knew better than he did. “I don’t want to interfere and this is just doctor to doctor, okay?”

  “We’ll definitely keep a close eye on Maggie. I promise you. And even when you’re back in Mallorca, feel free to call me.”

  “I will and…” Jon heard the garage door opening. Maggie had returned home. “There’s Maggie. I don’t want her to think I’ve been talking to you, so this is our secret, okay?”

  He said a quick goodbye to Dr Varney and flicked on the TV, slouching in front of it like he’d been watching for hours.

  “Sorry I’m late but my last appointment ran longer than I thought, so I picked up takeout from the Chinese restaurant down the road.” Maggie stepped into the living room carrying a brown paper sack and put it on the coffee table.

  “You want me to get some flatware and something to drink?”

  “Sure,” Maggie said, taking off her coat and kicking off her shoes.

  Jon returned with two cans of soda and forks. Maggie sat on the floor, took out the boxes and placed them on the table. “I got white rice, not fried, because of the sodium and fat,” she said, grinning at him.

  “And no soy sauce for you, either.” He snatched away the little dark packets from her hand and threw them back in the bag. He joined her on the floor and looked in one of the boxes, making sure it was okay for her to eat.

  “Stir fried chicken and vegetables, doctor,” she said.

  “Sounds like something you need.”

  “So what did you get up to after I went back to work?” Maggie asked, diving into the stir fry with her chopsticks.

  “I filled in my application.”

  “Do you know what department you’ll be working in?”

  Maybe he should tell her he’d be an intern, not a fully-fledged doctor. But then she’d probably worry about him not being happy and that’s the last thing she needed.

  “I don’t think I’ll know until I start work there,” Jon said, picking up a slice of red pepper with his chopsticks.

  Maggie put her head on his shoulder. “One good thing is, if the babies get sick—as they always do with ear infections and colds—you’ll be there to check them out. Look at the money we’ll save.”

  Money. He wouldn’t be making nearly as much as a fully-fledged doctor. What if he couldn’t provide for Maggie and the family that was on their way? Shit, he hadn’t thought any of this out and playing happy families wasn’t as easy as it seemed. Maybe he should suggest that she go back to Mallorca with him.

  * * * *

  Maggie and Jon had settled down in front of the TV for the night. The weather had turned bitterly cold, so she’d lit the fire.

  “You know what one of my fantasies has always been since I bought this house?” she asked.

  “What?”

  “To make love on that rug right in front of the roaring fire.”

  “Then I think I can grant you that wish. And let me add, as soon as I saw that fire I thought ‘I’d like to strip Maggie in front of it and kiss every inch of that delectable body of hers’.”

  After getting her naked, he started on her back, letting his mouth travel up her spine one tiny spot at a time. It tickled and she wiggled her butt. His lips trailed over her shoulder bones before he blew in her ear before whispering, “Time to turn over.”

  She flipped on to her back and stroked his face.

  “You want me to start at the top or bottom this time?”

  “Top and don’t raise my blood pressure, okay?” She closed her eyes as he planted minute kisses over her collarbone, made a trail down her ribs and then kissed each nipple. He found her belly and kissed its bump, travelled down her pubic bone, down each leg.

  Maggie groaned. He liked that. He lifted her foot and kissed its sole before spreading her legs.

&nb
sp; “I want to be on top now,” she said.

  Jon rolled on to his back and pulled Maggie up so she could straddle him. She took his cock into her hands, pushed her hips forward and then slipped him inside before sitting down on his thighs.

  Maggie’s pussy tightened around his cock. He watched with delight as she started to ride him as he reared up. He touched her belly as her boobs bobbed up and down, the nipples erect, red from the glow of the fire. She was a goddess and he was deep inside her.

  She whimpered a few times and touched her nipples. God, he loved it when she did that. He hardened even more inside her. He didn’t think that was possible but Maggie had a way of doing that to him.

  Maggie was crying his name now. Her pussy was squeezing his cock, pulsating along its entire length. She gave one final scream and bent over, sending his cock slamming into the back of her pussy. Jon couldn’t hang on any longer. He tightened his butt muscles and climaxed inside her.

  Maggie rested her body on top of Jon and nipped his lower lip. He’d filled her like never before.

  “Wow, we’ll have to try that again. I didn’t do any work and the payoff was fantastic. That was quite the orgasm for me,” he said.

  He didn’t need to tell her that because the mixture of their juices was sliding out of her pussy and down her thigh, though his cock was still partially inside her. She kissed him again, and at the same time felt movement in her womb.

  It took her by surprise, startled her. She rolled off Jon onto the floor, holding her belly so she could enjoy the fluttering inside her.

  “What’s wrong?” Jon asked, sounding panicky.

  “It’s the babies.”

  “Okay, show me where the pain is.”

  She grabbed his arm to stop him from getting up. “I’m not sure if it’s the doctor or first-time father in you, but nothing’s wrong.” She placed his hand on her belly, hoping he could feel what she was experiencing. “I haven’t felt this in so long. It’s one of the best things about being pregnant, feeling your baby move in your womb. And this is so amazing. I can feel both of them at the same time.”