“I’m assuming you put Genevieve back to bed last night?”
“I did. I also noticed you were doing Kangaroo care with her. I didn’t know you knew about that.”
“I may have done a bit of research. I picked up a great book on bonding and I thought I’d try it. She didn’t really get to know my voice like she did yours so I thought it was important.”
Tears filled my eyes, and I tried to wipe them away without him noticing.
One strong arm went around my waist and his mouth went to my ear. “Don’t cry. I didn’t mean anything by that. It was just a fact I was stating.”
“I’m so, so sorry. I can’t say it enough.”
“Just answer me this. Would you have told me after she was born?”
I bit my lip and turned my head away. Fresh tears went down my face.
“I see.” He stepped back and I instantly missed his warmth.
“I can’t answer that, Grant. I don’t know what I would have done. I’m sorry.”
“That’s fine. Look, I need to get into the office early today. I’ll put her seat here for you to watch her. See you later.”
I watched him walk away with my heart in my throat.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Walk in the Park
Grant
I got home from the office later than I had expected. It was nearly ten o’clock at night, which meant I wasn’t going to get to spend quality time with Genevieve tonight.
I headed straight to my bedroom when I saw all the lights were off in the rest of the house. My big, lonely bedroom. I had originally had the women putting Elizabeth’s stuff in my room when they were moving her in. After she insisted she be in a guest bedroom, I figured I should let her have that space. Sometimes I felt that no matter how many steps forward we took, we always took twice as many steps backward. Like the scene in the kitchen a few days ago. It hurt more than I wanted to admit that she might not have told me about Genevieve. I was still wounded by it and had been studiously limiting my interactions with her since then.
I removed my suit and tie. I slipped on a white t-shirt and a pair of lounge pants. Elizabeth and I were going to need to have a talk soon. Our emotions were far too raw and on the surface when it came to each other. Maybe if we got it all out in the open, we’d be able to put it all behind us instead of having it brought up again whenever a comment was made.
I ducked my head into the baby’s room and saw Elizabeth sleeping in the chair with our daughter. She looked gorgeous with her hair tousled and her tight little pajamas on. When I saw her in them the other day, I was instantly hard at the sight of her luscious breasts straining against the material and her thick beaded nipples poking out. I wanted to bury myself inside her and tell her I loved her more than anything in this world.
Deciding that I wasn’t going to spend another night without her, whether she liked it or not, I picked the baby up and brought her into Elizabeth’s room and settled her into the bassinet. Then I went back and lifted Elizabeth into my arms and carried her to her bed. I tucked her under the covers and slid in behind her.
“Grant? What?” She sleepily murmured.
I placed a gentle kiss behind her ear and snuggled in closer. “It’s okay. Just go back to sleep.”
When her body settled, I relaxed a little. I inhaled her hair and fit my body along hers. It wasn’t long before I fell into the most sound sleep I had in months.
I rolled over and encountered an empty bed when I woke up. I could hear the water running in the shower. I got up and went to my bathroom to take care of business and brush my teeth.
I came back to Elizabeth’s room and checked on a slumbering Genevieve in her bassinet.
The bathroom door opened, and Elizabeth walked out in nothing but a towel. Her damp hair hung around her shoulders. My cock immediately stood at attention.
“I didn’t realize you were still in here and awake.” She tightened the towel around her breasts.
I couldn’t talk. My mouth was dry, and my hands were fisted so that I wouldn’t touch her the way I wanted desperately to do.
“I’ll just grab my clothes and–” She gestured towards the bathroom.
At that moment, I decided to throw caution to the wind. I erased the space between us in three long strides and kissed her with all the passion I had pent up for her.
Her arms were trapped between us, but she forced their way out and wrapped them around my neck, pulling me closer. My mouth swallowed her tiny little moans.
I walked her backwards to the bed, and we tumbled down, never breaking our kiss.
My dick throbbed in my pants. It severely wanted some sort of relief. It had been a long eight weeks of living with Elizabeth without any release other than my hand. I ground myself against her, loving the friction, and her moans grew louder and more desperate.
“I need you, love,” I whispered into her neck. My hips ground harder, completely under their own control.
“Yes. God, yes,” she panted out.
I pulled her towel aside and pushed my pants down over my erection. She spread her legs, and my hand went between them. I was thrilled when I found her drenched and ready for me.
I slowly slid inside, not wanting to waste time with a condom. I wasn’t going to take my chances with her changing her mind if I left to get one from my room. If we made another baby, we made another baby. There was no sense in worrying about it now.
Her tight, wet sheath squeezed me, and my eyes closed with the intensity of the sensations I was feeling being inside her again. I pulled out and pushed in a little harder this time. Once I had a rhythm down, my forehead rested on hers, and I watched the pleasure as it washed over her face. Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes glazed over.
“You’re perfect,” I whispered and kissed her nose.
It didn’t take long for the telltale flutters in her pussy to start. I laced our fingers over her head and pounded into her, wanting to go over the edge with her.
A long, low moan came from her mouth when her pussy contracted hard around my shaft sending me headlong into oblivion. With a final grunt and groan, I planted myself inside her. Our bodies shook and convulsed together. It was everything I could have wanted for our first time together again.
“Oh God,” she groaned and tried squirming out from under me.
“Elizabeth. Don’t move. I want to stay inside you a while longer.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come on to you. I swear.” Her face looked panicked, and I didn’t want her to regret what we had done together.
“If memory serves me correctly, I was the one who came onto you. And I’m glad I did. It looks as though we both needed each other badly. I’m a little embarrassed at how fast I came.” I chuckled which made her muscles tighten down on me. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to get hard again.
I pulled out of her and situated us on the bed facing each other. I drew my finger down her neck and over her collarbone.
“We didn’t use a condom,” she said with that panic in her eyes again.
“No, we didn’t. The way I see it is, the worse that could come from it is another Genevieve and that can’t be all that bad, can it?”
She let out a slightly humorless laugh. “Easy for you to say, you didn’t carry her around for eight months and then have to have emergency surgery to deliver her.”
“I know,” I whispered seriously and pulled her closer to me. “I’m grateful you did, though. Besides our track record with condoms working wasn’t that great given how Genevieve came into this world. Maybe it will be the opposite this time. We can’t go back now. We’ll just have to worry about it later.”
“Okay,” she agreed quietly.
“I think we should talk,” I suggested.
Elizabeth nodded her head, but Genevieve’s squeals interrupted us.
“She’s probably hungry. I need to feed her.” Elizabeth jumped from the bed and wrapped a robe around herself. She picked the baby up and headed for the nursery.
Guess we’d talk later.
♥♥♥♥♥
It’s true when they say that babies take up all your time. Elizabeth and I had been in a new sort of routine for a week now, but neither of us has had time to talk about the issues that were still plaguing our relationship. When I wasn’t working, we were usually wrapped up with the baby. I was not about to have a serious, meaningful conversation while Genevieve sucked on Elizabeth’s breast or was drooling down my arm. Add to that the fact that I was constantly working late, and it was all seriously hindering our talking to each other.
However, I was beginning to wonder if talking was as important as I initially thought, given the positive turn we’ve had this week. I was beginning to think that maybe Elizabeth realized how I felt about her.
The morning after we made love for the first time since the baby was born, I raced off to work and spent a long day in court. I came home late to discover Elizabeth and Genevieve were already in their beds. I got undressed and slipped into bed with Elizabeth and pulled her into my arms. I was smart enough to bring some condoms in with me and leave some in her nightstand, so we wouldn’t have any more incidents. Just as I hoped she would, she stirred and woke up. We then proceeded to make love, slowly and passionately.
In the morning, I made us breakfast while she fed the baby, and then I scarfed down my food and raced out to work again, only to return late that night after she was in bed. That was the routine we had built.
I’d be glad when this case was finally wrapped up, seeing as how it was dominating too much of my time since Genevieve was born.
It felt good though, our time together. Our lovemaking was just as powerful as it had been before the falling out. Elizabeth’s body yielded to me unlike any other ever had. Most of the time she didn’t even realize she was under my command.
Our time together over breakfast was so easy going and relaxed. Elizabeth’s opinions never ceased to amaze me. She was both smart and funny. I enjoyed our spirited talks and found myself looking forward to them.
Today, however, I was going to shake things up and take my girls out. It was a warm spring day, and I had Madison clear my schedule. Being late April in the city, Central Park was beckoning.
“Elizabeth?” I called out when I closed the door.
“In here.” I followed the sound of her voice into the nursery where she had Genevieve on her back underneath a learning center.
“How’s my girl?” I bent down next to Genevieve and ran my finger along her chubby little cheeks. She smiled and started flailing her arms and legs excitedly. It warmed my heart to know that she and I were bonding, and that she looked forward to seeing me as much as I did her.
“Someone’s excited to see daddy,” Elizabeth rested back on her elbows and her long, silky hair trailed on the floor. My fingers itched to wrap themselves in that hair and hold her just where I wanted her – with my dick between her lips. Yes, that would be very nice right about now.
Instead of ravishing her and scarring our daughter for life, I picked Genevieve up and kissed her sweet little mouth. I had to laugh a little when she drooled on me.
“You’re home awfully early. Is everything okay?” Elizabeth’s eyes were closed like she was enjoying a few minute reprieve from the baby. I felt guilty in that moment for not being home at night to help her and then waking her up to make love to her for hours. That couldn’t be helping with any fatigue she must be feeling. I needed to be more cognizant of the fact that she and I were in this together. Now that my priorities were changing, I thought it was necessary for me to begin cutting back on work and delegating more.
“Perfect. When is she going to need to eat again?”
“Um.” She looked at her watch and then back at me. “Probably in another hour or two.”
“Good. Get ready. We’re going out.” I stood up with the baby and nuzzled her neck. I could do that all day. Her skin was so soft, and she always smelled like baby powder.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Okay, but I need to know how warmly to dress her. Will we be indoors? Outdoors? You have to give me something, Grant.”
Shit. I hadn’t taken into consideration the fact that Elizabeth would have to plan our forage to the park. I guess the surprise wasn’t totally ruined though. She didn’t have to know where exactly we were going.
“We’ll be outside.”
She nodded and left the room to get her coat and shoes. When she came back, I was in the rocker with Genevieve listening to her coo to me about her day.
Elizabeth divested me of the baby and got her dressed in a cute cream-colored bonnet with a big pink flower and a matching jacket.
“Should I get the stroller ready?”
“No. We can take the pouch thingy.” I gestured towards the closet where all the gadgets resided.
Elizabeth threw her head back and laughed. “You mean the Baby Bjorn.”
“That’s what I said.” I smacked her ass for laughing at me and grabbed the carrier. I fitted myself in it, with help from Elizabeth of course. What man in their right mind would know what the hell they were doing with that thing the first time?
Elizabeth grabbed the Louis Vuitton diaper bag I insisted she buy when she didn’t get one at the shower Maya threw for her. Then we were off with Elizabeth’s hand in mine and Genevieve resting close to my heart.
We leisurely strolled the few blocks to the park’s entrance. There were many joggers and other people enjoying the day much the same as we were. Birds were chirping and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. It was a picture perfect moment. One that I would cherish forever and hoped to recreate many more times.
“Did you have a chance to interview any of the nannies yet?” I asked as we strolled along.
“Yes, actually. I really liked Jennie. I think she’ll work out well. Are you comfortable with that decision?”
I squeezed her hand and gave her a sidelong glance. “Of course I am. I trust your judgment with who should care for our daughter in our absence. She was one of the ones I favored, so I think it will work out well.”
“Good, because she starts tomorrow.” When she chuckled at the fact that she already hired Jennie, I released her hand and grabbed her side where I knew she was ticklish. She jumped out of my reach and laughed harder.
“Sorry. It’s a trial basis anyway. If all goes well, I’m planning on putting myself into circulation next week at work. I’m pretty excited about getting back to it. I feel like I need to get out and be a normal human for at least a few hours a day. I’m not used to being cooped up in an apartment for so long. Other than doctor’s appointments and a few errands, I haven’t been out in daylight in months.” She sighed and tipped her head up to the sun and breathed deep.
“I didn’t realize how much of your time babies really do take up. I mean, I always figured, but now it’s been confirmed. I know it isn’t the same as it is for you since I’m not with her all day, but when I’m not in court or engaged with a client I think about her. And when I’m actually home early enough or on the weekends, we are constantly wrapped up in every little thing she does.”
“I know. I wouldn’t change it for the world though. I never expected to be so ecstatic about being a mom. It’s overwhelming sometimes the amount of love I feel for her,” she said wistfully.
“Agreed.” I pulled her towards me and kissed her temple. I couldn’t have picked a better mother for my child. She was so loving and giving. Even though the memory of the child Gabriela aborted would always haunt me, Genevieve was enough balm for that particular wound. For as much as I would have loved that child, I shudder to think what my life would have been like with Gabriela.
“You’ve been working a lot lately. How is your case going? Do you think you stand a chance of winning?”
“Stand a chance? I’m offended. Of course I’m going to win, Elizabeth. Have some faith in me!” I mocked being aghast at her question. Contract law was something I e
xcelled at. My win to lose ratio was astronomical. Not that I thought I was perfect and couldn’t lose, but it was damn close.
“Oh, right. I forgot. All hail Grant Morgan,” she replied sarcastically and rolled her eyes.
“See. You’re learning. Isn’t that right, Genevieve?” My daughter kicked her feet and chewed on her fist, which I took as her agreement.
After some blissful silence of just enjoying each other’s company, Elizabeth blurted out, “Oh shit. I totally forgot. Your mother called up yesterday wanting to see the baby. I told Sal to not to let her up. Instead of going away quietly, she grabbed the phone from him and started yelling at me. She was quite offended that she had to hear about Vivi through the grapevine. She said she waited long enough for you to introduce her to them.”
“I’m glad you didn’t let her up. I don’t want my family anywhere near you or Genevieve. I’ll have a word with them now that I know they are circling and looking for their chance in. I refuse to let them taint our child in any way. After their antics towards you at my mother’s birthday dinner, they are completely dead to me. Something I should have done a long time ago.”
“Oh, Grant. I know how hard that must be for you. I couldn’t imagine the awful things they’ve put you through, but know that I’m proud of you for being better than them. For rising above it and being a better man. Your grandfather would be proud too. I wish he could see the way you are with Vivi.”
“Me too,” I croaked out.
I grabbed her hand again and laced our fingers. I loved that she felt that way about me even after all the hurtful things I said to her. If I had just listened to her and trusted that she wouldn’t behave the way I was so used to women acting, we could have been saved from all the loneliness and hardships over the last nine months. I really was an ass of the highest degree for not believing in her the way she had always believed in me.
Love, Your Concierge Page 28