Total Freedom (Total Freedom Series Book 1)

by Ann M Pratley

  "If we keep this up I'll have to take you away and ravish your body much sooner than planned," he said and I laughed.

  "Speaking of which, where are we going to spend our first night in matrimony?" I asked and he put his finger to my lips.

  "Oh, that is a secret. You will find out when the time is right."

  The right time seemed an eternity away but when it arrived it was worth waiting for. All our guests cheered when we climbed into a stretched limousine and were driven away. Steven pulled me into his arms and I went willingly. "Tell me where we're going!" I smiled at him and kissed him.

  He laughed. "You can't use those tactics to get round me. You will see soon enough!"

  We kissed long and hard and I felt so high that absolutely nothing could have brought me down. I kissed Steven's neck and undid his shirt to kiss his chest. "Debbie," he started to object but as I went down he stopped and let me kiss exactly as I knew he loved it. I don't know if the driver saw us or not, but didn't care anyway, and when Steven came in my mouth, I knew he wasn't concerned either. He pulled me up and kissed me. "You're crazy!" he laughed at me and I laughed back at him.

  "I'm crazy about you!"

  Soon after, we stopped and the driver helped me and Steven with our of bags up to the front door of a beautiful two storey home. It was dark so I couldn't place where exactly we were, but it sounded peaceful and I could hear waves in the background.

  Steven unlocked the door to the house as the car drove away. I went to step inside but Steven stopped me. "Hold it!" he said firmly. "Come here and kiss me first." I sat on his knee and we kissed. "I have to carry you over the threshold," he said and as we entered the door I clicked as to what he'd said.

  "Whose house is this, Steven?"

  He grinned at me. "Do you like it?"

  I went out and got our bags off the front doorstep and shut the door. Then I took a long look around. "It's beautiful, but …"

  He cut me off. "It's ours, Debbie. Yours and mine. Our home!" he said excitedly, but when I came back to him I could see this was one of those things Steven had done, thinking it was right, but was still scared I'd disagree with.

  "How?" I asked but he just smiled and shook his head.

  "It's a bit bare because I thought you would like to furnish and decorate it how you like. In fact, there's only once piece of furniture in the whole place and it's this way. I couldn't move. "Come on," he laughed at me and led me into a room off the living room.

  He was right, this did seem to be the only piece of furniture - the bed. And it was made up, ready to jump into. I was still wearing my wedding dress and it felt so right wearing it that I didn't want to take it off.

  Steven organised himself and sat on the edge of the bed, and I sat beside him. "I feel like I've waited forever for this. And now I've got the shakes!" Steven said and held up his hands disbelievingly.

  I leaned in to kiss him gently but pulled away before he could respond. Sitting on the floor in front of him, I started removing his shoes, socks, trousers. Then his shirt, which was only half done up anyway. Sitting on the bed again I kicked off my shoes and turned so Steven could unzip my dress, and when I stood up to let it slip down I felt like a virgin all over again. So vulnerable. Yet as soon as we kissed again, passion took over and as always Steven took me to heights I'd only ever dreamed of before I met him.

  He grabbed a condom and handed it to me to put on him before I took him in but as I slowly opened the packet, I looked at him thoughtfully.

  "What?" he asked quietly.

  "You asked me a long time ago if I wanted children, but we couldn't even think about it then," I said and he nodded, with a surprised look on his face.

  "Is this a good time for you, though? What about your career?"

  I was quite aware that Steven was losing his erection but I had to think. Not for long though. "A baby isn't going to affect my singing, except that I couldn't go on tour. But we've just this year completed one. Now might be the best time for me."

  "Are you sure?" He asked and we smiled at each other. "A baby born nine months after his or her parents' wedding day. That sounds great to me."

  We kissed and soon the time was right. I felt so nervous now, like I had the first time. Soon, though, the thought of a baby disappeared into oblivion as we made love more fiercely than ever before. I went to sleep in Steven's arms with a smile on my face. How could I be any happier?

  Chapter 21

  We spent our first week of marriage moving furniture and personal belongings into the house, and having the week off work meant we didn't have to see anyone else at all. It was such a perfect time for me to be around Steven, learning even more about how he did lots of little things - the sort of things I hadn't thought about till now.

  When Steven realised how seriously important it was for me to know how we could afford such a home he finally explained that it was a gift from his parents. I couldn't say anything to that except, "Your parents gave us a mansion?"

  He laughed at me. "Well, first of all, this is hardly a mansion. And don't let it bother you. When my parents found out I couldn't walk after my accident they vowed they'd always have everything to make life easier for me. And this house will." I really couldn't believe it so he went on. "Look, this house was my mother's family home. It has been rented out for as long as I can remember and when we announced we were getting married they got it altered for my ease - for us. The top level won't get used much by me," he said, smiling, "but it's there for guests … or children." He looked so handsome, smiling like he was.

  "And all the furniture we've bought?" I asked.

  He smiled again. "That was a monetary gift from my parents." I couldn't say anything more. I felt guilty and cheap.

  As if reading my thoughts, Steven came to sit beside me on our sofa. "Look, we are very lucky to be able to start out like this. It means we can have a family with no financial struggles. I know it seems like we've got it too easy, but just try and be grateful, and don't dwell on it. I love my parents very much and I appreciate their help."

  I nodded and hugged him. "I love you so much, Steven. I must be the luckiest person in the whole world," I said and he smiled at me before he kissed me.

  "No, I'm the luckiest person in the whole world!"

  * * * *

  After our week of total solitude it was back to work and gigs for me, and for Steven it was back to writing. What I had viewed as his hobby when I met him, had now become a money earning venture that he took seriously, as much as any other paying job.

  At our first gig after the wedding Craig announced my marriage to the crowd. Wow, what a response. Everyone clapped and whistled.

  Six months later, however, I had to make a speech myself. "Hey, you guys have been a great audience to us but just in case you haven't noticed (but I'm sure you have)", I laughed and turned sideways to let them see my growing tummy, "it is time for Total Freedom to take a break for a couple of months." Everyone 'oh'd and I looked at Craig who was looking a little down but happy at the same time. "I hope, on behalf of all of us, that you will welcome us back when we return!" With that the crowd screamed and tears came to my eyes before we sang our last song.

  "It's only a short break, Debs," Craig said, as he drove me home later that night.

  "I know, but we don't really know how short, do we? I've never been through this before."

  He laughed. "I should hope not!"

  "Craig, how's everything going with you and Andrea?" I had waited for so long for him to speak to me but he hadn't.

  He pulled into my driveway. "I don't know, Deb. I've got so many thoughts stored up here," he said, pointing to his head, "that I just don't know anything at the moment."

  "Why have you stopped wanting to talk to me? Sometimes I feel so far away from you."

  I took his hand and he smiled a warm smile. "You've got so much going on. Getting married, having a baby … I mean, having a baby. Wow!"

  "Well, luckily having this baby doesn't really tak
e up much of my time yet. But I've got time for you - always. I don't want us to drift apart."

  "Thank you," he said and kissed my cheek. "I will phone you when I need to talk about it," he said.

  "Don’t just phone. Come and see me. There's nothing - no-one - in our house for you to hide from."

  "Okay," he said and I climbed out of the car. "Deb?" he called and I looked back at him. "Thanks."

  Chapter 22

  The next day Steven and I woke late, as we always did on Sunday, and just lay in each other's arms. Our doctor had informed us it was still safe to have sex but somehow more and more it was nice just to hold each other and kiss.

  "You know, this gap between us seems to be getting bigger and bigger," Steven said and I laughed at him.

  "Well in the next three months it is going to get huge!"

  He lightly ran his finger over my cheek, my breasts and right down. "Then I had better make you feel fantastic while I can still reach you." As soon as the words were out, his mouth joined his hand and I had to admit, my sensuality was definitely peaking the further into this pregnancy I got. Waves of pleasure just seemed to go on and on.

  When he kissed me. I smiled at him. "Do you think nymphomaniacy is hereditary?"

  He took my hand and placed it on him. "Why would you call me a nymphomaniac?" he said and started kissing me everywhere till I stopped him and took the pleasure of bringing him to climax with my kisses. I just loved being that close to him but I couldn't wait to be able to have the energy to straddle him and feel him inside me again.

  The phone rang and Steven groaned his annoyance before reaching over to the bedside extension. I couldn't hear all of the conversation but I definitely heard the last of it, "Yes, Mum, we'll see you soon."

  Now I groaned and looked at him. "Steven, I love your mother but couldn't she find better timing? I'm so turned on, let's just stay in bed all day." I kissed him and he moaned. Then I felt him rise again, and now I didn't want to feel heavy. As I straddled him he kissed my lips, my neck and my breasts.

  When we came together we were both seating heavily and very breathless. Finally he pulled me to him to kiss me and smiled. "And you imply I'm a nympho!" We laughed and I pulled away reluctantly.

  "Come on, I'd better have a shower before she turns up."

  The doorbell rang just as I'd finished dressing. "Hi. Steven's just in the bath but have a seat and I'll tell him you're here."

  I left Mrs Chalmers heading for the kitchen and I quietly slipped into the bathroom. "Your parents are here, Steven," I said but he chose to ignore me.

  "Come here," he said.

  Reluctantly I walked over to him. "What?"

  I sat on the edge of the bath and admired again my husband's beautiful physique, which always startled me when I looked at him closely. "I was just dreaming about you."

  I smiled. "Oh yes?"

  He was giving me his cheeky sexual grin. "Yeah. I was dreaming you came into the bathroom and took this in your hands." I took him in hand and he groaned quietly.

  "Yes?" I asked and he continued.

  "Then you leaned in and kissed me seductively."

  So I did. "And then?" He smiled again.

  "Then I decided it was time …" He pulled me into the water "… to see just how good my pregnant wife can look in soaking wet clothes." I shrieked at him and he laughed loudly.

  "Come on, you sex maniac. Get dressed and come talk to your mother and father!" I laughed and climbed out.

  As I reached for my robe he pulled himself up to sit on the edge of the tub.

  "Well, I decided that you'll look beautiful no matter what your wearing - dry or not," he said and I kissed him before opening the door.

  "Hurry up!"

  Mr and Mrs Chalmers already sat drinking coffee and chatting to each other in our lounge when I walked back out. Although we had not been living in the house for long, already they seemed to just love making themselves at home.

  Steven finally appeared and we sat close to each other as he chatted to his parents. Mr Chalmers was still funny but somehow I felt that since Steven and I had wed, a strange uneasiness had started to grow between me and Steven's parents. Why, I wasn't sure.

  As if someone had read my thoughts, a knock came on the door. I opened it to find Craig standing there.

  "Hey. Have I come at a bad time?"

  I looked back at Steven and his parents before going out onto the doorstep and pulling the door shut behind me.

  "Are you alright? You seem really upset about something," I said and he sighed.

  "Yeah, I just really have to talk to someone. I feel so mixed up."

  All of a sudden I became aware that I was standing in my bathrobe virtually on the street. "Then let's go for a walk down to the beach and talk, okay?" He nodded. "Come inside and I'll get dressed. Then we'll go."

  Reluctantly Craig stepped inside the door and even though everyone greeted him I could tell he was very uptight - too much so to relax. As I went into my bedroom I heard Steven. "Grab a seat, Craig. Would you like a coffee or something?" I smiled. At least Steven was trying to get Craig to relax around him.

  I signalled Craig to follow me as I came out into the living room again. I leaned over to kiss Steven and saw his parents' anxiousness at me when I said I was going for a walk with Craig and would be back soon. In Steven's eyes I could see his mocking 'thanks for leaving me to answer the questions' look. I laughed quietly at him as Craig and I walked out the back door.

  "Wow, I didn't know you lived this close to the sea!" Craig exclaimed as we walked down the steps to the sand.

  "I come down here a lot by myself. I don't even know if Steven knows how much time I actually spend here. It's great for thinking, you know?"

  "But it's winter. Is it okay for you to be outside in this cold with the baby?" he asked and I put my hand in his.

  "Yes, I'm fine. It's during the next few months that I have to start being really careful."

  We sat down on a patch of sand the sun had been warming all morning and Craig put his arm around me.

  "So, let's start with Andrea and you. How is your relationship going?"

  He looked out to the water, like he was calculating how many miles away the horizon actually was. Then, slowly, he began to speak. "Well, we have been going out a lot. But still we haven't slept together. I have really tried her way, Debs, but I get so frustrated at her that I decided to walk away." I questioned him. "Last night after I dropped you off I called her and broke it off." I looked at him, unsure if I'd heard correctly. "I figured now was the best time to do it. Now we'll have time to get over it before the band starts playing again."

  We were silent for a long time. "Are you sure you've done the right thing? Did you try and find out why she doesn't want to have sex with you?"

  He nodded. "She said she just didn't want to. That's all she would say. And here I am, starting to look at all these other women. It's not fair on either of us, you know?"

  We spent an hour on the beach talking about everything that had been happening privately to us. When we stood up, I felt relieved. "I was so worried about you. And I didn't know I had so much to talk about either." He hugged me. "Don't give up on love. I really believe in it now - you're going to find the right person soon enough, whether or not that person is Andrea."

  As we entered the house I took note that I no longer heard the voices of Steven's parents. "Have a seat and I'll make us some coffee." He seemed much more relaxed now that it was just the two of us inside.

  "Wow, this really is some house. Almost as great as mine," he said, smiling as I handed him a cup of coffee and we sat down.

  "Well, I wish you wouldn't feel so uncomfortable, Craig. It's my home and you know I love having you around. Why don't you stay for dinner? But you'll have to fear my cooking!"

  We laughed together. "Alright."

  Steven appeared then and came to sit near us. "Your Mum and Dad didn't stay long," I said, trying to bring him into your conversation.
>
  "Long enough, don't you think?" he laughed.

  "Craig is going to stay and have dinner with us," I said and Steven gave Craig a doubtful look.

  "You're brave. Debbie's cooking is an experience in itself," he said and I gave him an evil look.

  Beside me a voice replied, "Yeah, you don't have to tell me!" I punched him playfully, laughing.

  It made me feel nice to finally see my best friend and my husband getting on so well, really making an effort. They chatted away right through into dinner, when the phone rang. I got up to answer it. "Andrea, hi," I said when she said who it was. I looked to Craig, who was signalling for me to tell her he wasn't here.

  She was so upset I could hardly understand her words but finally she calmed down. "Do you know where Craig is? We had this awful fight last night and I want to talk to him so much." I felt torn between two good friends, and couldn't lie but didn't tell the truth either - that Craig was in my house.

  "Okay, wait. I'm going to change phones. Just calm down and wait a minute, alright?" She agreed and I switched to our bedroom extension and shut the door behind me. I lay down on the bed, expecting this was going to be a long conversation. "Alright, Andrea. Tell me what's going on between you and Craig."

  She took a deep breath. "Well, do you remember I told you a long time ago that I thought Craig was great because he didn't put any pressure on me ... you know, to have sex?" she asked and I acknowledged. "We've talked about it so many times, I thought he understood. But last night he told me he didn't want to be involved with me anymore - he wants us to just be good friends." She started to cry again.

  "Andrea," I started. What was I to say, in any way but be direct? "May I ask you why you don't want to have sex with Craig? Is it a religious thing or something?" She was quiet.

  "Do you not believe in non-sex relationships, Debbie? Don't you believe a woman has a right to decide when the time is right?"

  I had to be careful how I spoke. "Yes! Yes, I do. But you've been seeing Craig for a year now. That's a long time. Do you know why the right time hasn't arrived yet?"