The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone

by D H Sidebottom

  “Hi.” he grinned at me.

  “Hey.” I grinned back when the blur had passed.

  “Jesus, Ava, You’re gonna kill me,” he laughed and kissed my forehead again before climbing off the table.

  I lifted my clenched hands. My eyes widened when I found Kade’s boxer shorts stretched to within an inch of their limit and knotted around my wrists.

  He grinned at me and undid them, kissing the red marks that now adorned my wrists from the friction of the material. “Now that’s fucking hot,” he said huskily.

  I raised my eyebrows. “What the red rings around my wrists?” I asked bewildered but he nodded and grinned but didn’t expose any reason.

  I shrugged, rubbed my wrists and gave him my hand to help pull me up. “What are you gonna do when you’re ready to drop?” he chuckled as he pulled me.

  “Don’t!” I grumbled and he laughed again.

  “Go get cleaned up before we’re disturbed again,” he said seriously and as I turned round he slapped my arse quite hard and I jumped.

  His eyes dropped to my bare bum and he groaned deeply. “Now that IS a magnificent sight! A bright red hand mark on your pale ass.” His eyes hooded and his breathing became heavier.

  I widened my eyes and rushed from the room before he could pin me down again. God! He was limitless but I wasn’t complaining. Oh No! In fact I was bloody grinning like a Cheshire cat.

  CHAPTER 11

  KADE AND I enjoyed each other for the next week and three days before Christmas I was leaving with Courtney to attend my next ultrasound scan as Kade was leaving to drive down to Newquay to spend Christmas with his family.

  He had me pushed up against the car and was nibbling on my neck while Courtney waited patiently in the car.

  “I’m gonna miss you, sweetheart. You sure you won’t come with me?” he urged.

  I shook my head. “No, me and Courtney always spend it together.” I hadn’t wanted him to know about our log cabin visit. We both needed a break from each other and I didn’t want us getting too attached as I knew he had to leave for Italy after the New Year.

  “Aww,” he whinged and I laughed.

  “Hey, they are your family, go and enjoy a family Christmas” I scolded and he caught the undertone in my voice.

  “You’re right, sweetheart. I’m sorry” he said with a contrite expression on his face.

  I smiled softly. “Merry Christmas, Kade” I whispered as I reached up to kiss him. His mouth covered mine in a demanding but owning kiss. He was starting to get a little possessive and I was worried I was going to hurt him again, even though I had told him it was just sex and he had accepted that.

  He groaned and pulled away, sliding his long lean legs into his Mercedes then grinned at me, turned the engine over and sped off.

  I clambered into my car next to Courtney. She narrowed her eyes on me. “What?” I asked, pulling off and heading towards the hospital.

  “He’s getting a little clingy Ava, I like him and I don’t want him to get hurt. If you’re not gonna reciprocate his feelings then you need to tell him.”

  I held up a hand to her. “I have told him from the start it’s just sex between us, and he has agreed all the way along.” I defended.

  “Well I don’t think it’s sunk in, I can tell by the way he looks at you, Babe.”

  I nodded sadly. “I care for him. I can’t help it. But my heart belongs to Mason and always will.” I was utterly truthful with her and I knew she appreciated my honesty.

  I hadn’t heard or seen anything from Mason since the night in my kitchen and to be honest I was a little worried about him. Greg had said he had seen him and he was fine but he hadn’t seen him broken and crying at my table and I will never forget that heart-breaking sight.

  Courtney sighed and nodded, changing the subject. “I am so ready for this Christmas break.”

  “Me too, who’s going? I stuck two fingers up at an arrogant male driver who cut me up and then had the gall to mouth ‘stupid fucking bitch!’ at me.

  “Well there’s you, me and Greg, Sam and Marcy and another couple I think but I’m not too sure,” she divulged, rooting through her bag to retrieve her phone.

  “Oh God, I’m gonna be a great big gooseberry,” I grumbled.

  She scowled at me. “No you’re not.”

  “FOR GODS SAKE” I barked as the road rage nutter slammed his brakes on in front of me. Courtney jumped through the roof as I blasted him with my horn and he stuck his middle finger up at me through the rear view. I made a ‘wanker’ motion to him.

  “Ava.” Ethan the sonographer greeted me and smiled at Courtney.

  “Do you ever get a day off?” I asked.

  He grinned. “Don’t be silly,” he laughed as I settled myself onto the examination table.

  I pulled up my shirt, wearing trousers and a T-shirt this time. He squirted me with the cold gel and settled the transducer against my tummy as a small knock came on the door.

  “Just a mo, Ava” he said and went to open the door.

  “He’s well fit,” Courtney whispered. I laughed and then my jaw dropped when Mason entered the room with Ethan.

  “Hey.” He smiled softly and came to stand beside me, taking my hand in his and holding it tightly. I glanced at Courtney who was as stunned as me.

  “Sorry I’m late,” he said as Ethan continued with the examination. A small smile grew on my face and soon I was beaming up at him as he grinned back at me. He bent, planted a soft kiss on my forehead and looked at the monitor.

  “Let’s see what the peanuts are up to,” he said as they popped up on screen.

  I sighed happily and watched my babies wiggle, kick and turn in my belly. “Amazing,” Mason whispered.

  I looked up at him and squeezed his hand. “Yes,” I whispered back. His eyes shot to mine when he grasped I was talking about him. He smiled softly and brushed my knuckles with his thumb.

  “Everything’s fine Mum and Dad. Both peanuts are growing healthily.” Ethan smiled and proceeded to print off two pictures.

  Mason cleaned my tummy and helped me up off the table, pulling me craftily against him as he pulled. He brushed his hand over my stomach and leaned in to my ear. “I have to go, I’m sorry, Ava. I have an appointment but didn’t want to miss this.”

  I smiled up at him and nodded as he kissed my mouth gently but left his lips against mine a fraction too long to make it chaste and I sighed dreamily against him.

  “I’m sorry about that Saturday night,” he whispered but I placed my finger against his lips and shook my head slowly.

  “Don’t be.”

  He shrugged but smiled. “I love you,” he whispered quietly so only I could hear him.

  “And me, you,” I whispered back.

  He closed his eyes as if relishing my words but then pulled back. “See ya later” he said to everyone and then left.

  I was nibbling on my finger contemplating the change in him when I caught Courtney’s glare. “When the hell is he gonna make his damn mind up?” she said angrily.

  “Don’t, Courtney.” I sighed and then shot wide eyes to Ethan; I had completely forgotten he was still sat there.

  He smiled softly and shook his head. “Hey, we all have relationship problems, Ava.”

  Courtney snorted loudly. “Not like Ava’s fucking love life!”

  Okayyy, she was a little pissed and I closed my eyes in dismay. “Courtney, for God’s sake. He was just apologising for Saturday night.”

  “Bollocks!” she scoffed. Now I was getting embarrassed in front of Ethan. “He was all over you. That wasn’t just an apology. He won’t ever let you loose, Ava.”

  I chose to ignore her and turned to Ethan, rolling my eyes. He seemed to find the whole thing amusing and his eyes twinkled as he smiled at me. “No worries. Well have a good Christmas you two and we’ll see you at the end of January.”

  “And you Ethan, thank you.” I grabbed Courtney’s hand and pulled her from the room.

  “We
ll that was embarrassing,” I grumbled at her and she sighed.

  “Yeah I know, I’m sorry. How the hell did he know you were here anyway?” she asked as we entered the elevator to the ground floor.

  “He was with me last time, when I made this appointment.” I was surprised he had remembered it because he hadn’t written it down.

  * * *

  The next morning I was sat in the back seat of Greg’s car as we headed up to the cabin for Christmas. Sam and Marcy were meeting us there and I was quite excited at spending Christmas with my friends in a picturesque little setting.

  I had been surprised to find that Kade had left me a Christmas gift on my bed when I had returned from the hospital and I was glad I had secretly put mine in his bag before he left. It was just his favourite aftershave and long sleeved t-shirt from his favourite brand; I hadn’t wanted to get him anything personal as to not give him the wrong signals.

  I had everyone’s gifts in the boot of Greg’s car and had had to sneak them past Courtney because she was a terrible snoop, as Greg had discovered much to his horror when she had rummaged through his bag to find her gift from him.

  We approached the cabin in the early evening and I gasped at the sight of it. It was a pure log cabin and it was large, stunning and completely rustic.

  “Wow, Greg,” I breathed, mesmerised by its beauty.

  He grinned at me. “Great isn’t it.”

  I nodded. “It’s even got a hot tub Ava,” Courtney squealed with delight and we rolled our eyes at her.

  Greg carted my bags in, refusing to let me carry any. Courtney and I stood in shock, gaping around us as we stepped into the cabin. Sam and Marcy had already got a fire going, there was a huge Christmas tree in the corner of the room which the staff had decorated ready for our arrival according to Greg. The kitchen was full to brimming with food, luxuries and alcohol ready for the festivities and the whole cabin was simply stunning

  “Hey Ava” Sam beamed with a twinkle in his eye.

  I regarded him cautiously. “What?” He just grinned and shook his head innocently.

  I frowned at him but Marcy pulled me into a hug. “Merry Christmas, Ava.” She smiled and handed me a hot chocolate with a jar of peanut butter and I beamed at her. “Don’t thank me, Hun. It was Greg that ordered you a huge supply of the stuff.”

  My mouth dropped and I turned to Greg with a sloppy look on my face. “I love you even more now, Mr Chambers.”

  He winked at me. “Merry Christmas, Ava. There’s also Gherkins and curry paste.”

  A small sob erupted from my throat and everybody laughed. Curry paste was one of my new cravings and I had it with everything.

  “There’s no soap anywhere though.” He smirked and my smile fell. I had been secretly hoping that the other guests had brought some and I could sneakily steal it.

  “Hustled!” Courtney shouted pointing at me and I pouted.

  ‘Bitch’ I mouthed to her but she just stuck her tongue out and Greg pulled her into an embrace. “I can’t wait to get you up those stairs” he growled at her. She giggled like a school girl. I turned to Sam and Marcy to roll my eyes but they were already in a passionate clinch. I was already starting to regret this holiday. I was gonna be ‘piggy in the middle’ all the time and ‘The spare part.’ I sighed softly to myself, standing looking lost in the middle of the gigantic room.

  Sam broke free and winked at me. “Better show you to your room, Ava,” he grinned. What was with him?

  “How many rooms are there?” I asked.

  “Three,” mumbled Greg from Courtney’s neck.

  “Well where are the other couple sleeping?” I asked, hoping I wasn’t gonna be plonked on the couch, my belly and back would not put up with that.

  Greg shot me a questioning look, “What other couple?”

  “I thought Courtney had said someone else was coming,” I stretched my back; it was aching from sitting in the car all the way up the motorway.

  Greg shook his head. “No other couples, Ava.” He smiled cheekily.

  “Come on, Ava.” Sam lifted my case for me.

  “Wow, you are all gentlemen,” I said happily and Sam laughed.

  “Well, there is one of us here that’s definitely not going to be gentlemanly with you,” Sam smirked.

  I frowned at him. “What?” I mumbled as my phone trilled a text message and I scooted about in the bottom of my bag for it whilst following Sam.

  It was George telling me to have a good holiday; he had felt awful not to be spending Christmas with me but his new girlfriend had wanted him to spend it with her family but I had told George it was fine as I was spending it up here with my friends.

  “So what are you hoping Santa brings you, Ava?” Sam asked with a twinkle in his eye. He was starting to worry me now and I wondered if he’d been on the whisky.

  I sighed. “I don’t think I’ll be getting what I asked for this year, Sam.” I sighed sadly.

  As if he could read my face, he nodded sombrely outside a door I presumed was mine then he smiled. “You sure about that, Ava?” he grinned widely and opened the door.

  A sob choked in my throat at the sight of Mason sprawled out on my bed, a huge smile on his face and completely utterly stark naked. “Merry Christmas, my little warrior,” he beamed.

  CHAPTER 12

  MY LEGS GAVE way and Sam’s arms shot out to catch me as Mason jumped off the bed and rushed over to me, completely unabashed at his nakedness. He took me out of Sam’s arms and carried me in the room, kicking the door shut behind him.

  “Mason,” I rasped, “What’s going on?”

  He looked down at me and brushed my cheek with the back of his fingers. “Shush, we’ll talk later. First I want to make love to my beautiful woman,” he breathed. I whimpered. I must be dreaming, or someone had put something into my hot chocolate.

  I put my hand on his cheek just to check he wasn’t a vision and a tear slipped free when I felt his beautiful face under my skin.

  “Oh Ava,” he snuggled into my hair. “I love you, I love you. I love you.”

  I choked out a sob. “Oh god Mason, are you real?” He laughed, a huge rattling laugh that stole another piece of my heart.

  “Yes Ava, just for Christmas though but we’ll see what happens after. We’ll talk later,” he repeated as he laid me gently on the bed and sprawled over me, careful of my round tummy.

  We gazed at each other for eternity, saying everything in the silence. I stroked his cheek. “I love you so much, Mason. I can’t live without you.” I wept as he held me.

  “Oh, Baby. I am so sorry for everything Ava” he said into my hair as he rocked me. I controlled my tears and cupped his face, bringing his mouth down to mine and I kissed him; kissed him with love, devotion, rawness, softness and with the very essence of my soul.

  His mouth trailed across my jaw and down my neck as he gave me the usual love bite, marking his ownership and his possession. I grabbed his hair and pulled him further into my skin, wanting his signature all over every part of me. He moaned against me, understanding what I needed. His fingers skated across my shirt, over my heavy breast and against my hard nipple. “Mine” he growled into me and I moaned loudly, intensively aroused at his dominance.

  “Yours,” I breathed.

  He unbuttoned my shirt and pulled it from me. He gazed at my pale pink lace bra then buried his head between my breasts and bit each of them. “Mine” he repeated.

  I groaned again and pushed further into him. “Yours.”

  He gently lapped at the bites and then took my nipple lightly in-between his teeth as he gazed up at me, under his long eyelashes. I knew what he wanted. “Bite me!” I demanded with a harsh whisper.

  He closed his eyes in ecstasy as he gently but firmly clamped down. I bucked off the bed, my whole body over stimulated. “Mine.”

  “Yours! All of me!” I shouted at him. I was in paradise with my man beside me. “I need you inside me, now” I begged. He started fumbling with the button on
my trousers. “Hurry,” I pleaded desperately as he yanked them down my legs with my knickers and was soon positioning himself.

  He was inside me in one swift thrust and we both cried out at the bliss of been joined again. He held still, stretching me wide around him as he held my face and stared at me. “You are so fucking beautiful, Ava. So fucking amazing. So fucking hot. So fucking delicate and so fucking mine,” he growled out the last words and ground his hips in a circular motion, rubbing his pelvis against my clitoris.

  “Oh fuck” I cried, my body bowing in an intense near painful climax.

  “Jesus, Ava” he cried as he drove into me twice and was exploding brutally inside me, shouting my name loudly and vehemently.

  I was laid on my back with Mason’s head on my chest while he stroked my baby bump. “I can’t wait to see them, Ava. To hold them!” I could feel his grin against my skin before he kissed my stomach twice and then sat up.

  “We need to talk,” he said solemnly and I nodded. “I think it’s best if I tell the others what’s going on as well.”

  I frowned at his grim face. “It’s serious isn’t it?” I knelt in front of him on the bed and cupped his face.

  He nodded. “You’re not gonna like it, Ava but I want to talk to you privately later about something, okay?” He cocked his head and stroked my jaw with his thumb.

  I smiled softly and leaned in to kiss him. “Whatever it is, I’m sure we’ll deal with it together.”

  His hands cupped my face as he kissed me back. “I love you so much Ava, I can’t seem to live without you. I miss you all the fucking time. I can’t stop thinking about you; what you’re doing, what you’re wearing, what you’re eating . . . which actually gives me some unique thoughts.” He winked and rubbed my tum. I grinned back.

  We both got dressed and as I went to open the door he turned me swiftly, pushed me against it and kissed me tenderly and lovingly.

  “I love you so much Ava, so damn much” His hands settled on my bum and he lifted me as I swung my legs around his hips.

  “We’re not gonna be able to do this for much longer” I said as my stomach was stuck like a small boulder between us.