The Running Series Box Set: Books 1-3

by DeLaine Roberts

  I felt blessed in so many ways. The house was an amazing wedding gift from Dad and Gretchen. He wasn’t taking no for an answer, even though we tried to argue with him. I smiled at the thought of decorating with a lifetime of family memories.

  I sat down on the sofa to take a break for lunch, when I felt something knock on my tummy like a door.

  Knock, knock, who’s there. Babies! The babies were kicking, one or both of them. I was so excited I ran to the car and drove to the office without even thinking. I had to show Grayson. I hoped he could feel it from the outside like I could from the inside. It was a strange feeling, but simply wonderful.

  On the way there, I talked to them and encouraged them to do it again, and I felt it a few more times. Waltzing through the door, I found Grayson and Zoe in his private office on speaker phone with someone. It was Millie. She was doing very well, the tumors were responding to the chemo, and she felt like she could come back one day or so a week. She was so excited for all of us and all of our baby news and was thrilled to be called Aunt Millie. I promised to go by and see her on my way home, and we made plans to have her over, just as soon as we got settled in the new house.

  “What a wonderful surprise. What brings you by the office?” Grayson was beaming, his mood happy these last few weeks, with much to celebrate.

  I couldn’t contain my surprise any longer. Lying on his sofa, I took his hand and put it on my pelvic area, and before I could say anything, he burst out, “If you wanted to get lucky, you should’ve probably closed the door!” He laughingly made fun of me.

  “Yum, that sounds inviting, and I’ll get to that in a minute, but just be still for a moment and feel.” I silenced him. “Feel that?” I could barely ask him through my giggles.

  “No, I can’t feel anything. What am I supposed to be…?” He stopped and just started grinning from ear to ear. “Aw, I feel it. They’re moving around!” His face lit up, and he put both hands on my belly and started kissing it. In between kisses, he talked to them. It was so sweet to see him like that, such a precious love of my life.

  “Okay, break’s over! I need to run, and you’ve got a waiting room full of ladies whose breasts need your attention.”

  We kissed passionately for a few minutes, and then as I walked out his office, he shouted, “Black stilettos for dinner.” We both laughed. I knew what he wanted, and I couldn’t wait.

  “Sure thing, Doc, sure thing,” I called as I walked out the back door.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Our new house echoed with emptiness since most of our things barely filled up one room. We were still trying to find where we had unpacked things and agreed that we’d hid them from ourselves. The week before we’d moved, we made a few purchases and now some of those things were beginning to arrive. One thing was for sure, we enjoyed having his and her closets.

  Grayson made good on his promise to hang my sexy photos in his closet. It was a sweet gesture, and we both had fun looking at them. It was a reminder of what my body used to look like.

  I was over four months along and amazed that I was well into maternity fashion. I couldn’t fit into any of my old clothes. I was carrying the babies really low, so Dr. Stewart stopped my running, allowing me to walk and add yoga or Pilates, but that was it.

  We were going to find out the sex at our next appointment. Grayson didn’t want to know, but I insisted. With twins coming early, I wanted to be ready with everything.

  “Did you eat breakfast already, angel?” He had been out for a run and was making himself some toast when I found him in the kitchen.

  “No, I was waiting for you to get back from your run. Daddy and Gretchen wanted to go for brunch this morning. Can you wait?”

  “No, sweetheart, I can’t. I’m hungry all the time these days. You would think I’m the one eating for two, make that three.” He uttered with a sheepish grin. “Although, I’m a little concerned about your diet. You haven’t gained much weight. Dr. Stewart said you should eat more.” The bossy side of my husband was in full gear.

  I ignored him and changed the subject. “Did you hear her also say it was okay that I go to Venice with you next week, but that would be my last chance to travel before their births?”

  “Yes, I heard her. We discussed this, Alexandra. No travel. No being alone for days and days. No taking risks, you promised.” He was staring at me with both hands on his hips. Those were some sexy hips, especially in his running clothes. They showed too much, in fact. I could see the outline of his man-goods quite well. I have seen the neighbor ladies swooning over him in the last few weeks since we’d moved in.

  “Okay fine, have it your way. I just wanted us to have one more trip, and Italy would be absolutely amazing this time of year.” I tried to camouflage my disappointment, but he could see he’d hurt my feelings.

  Change the subject, I thought. “The furniture is coming on Tuesday, and I’ve been researching baby room ideas. Once we know the sex, we can pick out a theme for girls, since I think we are set with jungle theme for boys. Care to see what I’ve found for girls?”

  “Come here, sweetheart. I see the disappointment in your face about the trip. We can discuss baby themes in a minute.” He threw up his hands in defeat. “I know you want to go, but let’s wait until Dr. Stewart says it’s okay to travel when we see her on Thursday. Otherwise, Monica or your parents will stay with you while I’m gone, okay?”

  He took me in his arms and held me tightly, kissing the top of my head, my cheeks, before expressing his desire through his seduction of my lips.

  “How much time do we have before we meet your dad?” he asked between kisses, but he had his hand in my panties, which left me certain that he was going to make them wait regardless.

  “Not long enough for what you have in mind, but they’ll wait. What do you have—”

  He shushed me with his mouth, taking tiny nibbles of my lips with his teeth. He began to kiss me feverishly while he pushed me backwards to our bedroom. My pace was too slow for him, so he reached down and picked me up, carrying me to the bed.

  He was so tender making love, and the orgasms had been beyond exhilarating up to that point of my pregnancy. My breasts were enlarging and were extremely sensitive to his touch, erotic even. I fantasized about him touching me there, which led me to explore more parts of my changing body. My sexual desire had increased, if that was possible, and I wanted him all the time, morning, noon, or night, didn’t matter. But he was driving me nuts with his plain vanilla ways, even though I had tried to spice things up by bringing out the handcuffs. He refused to get wild. Ever since he felt the babies move, his touch had only been gentle and caressing. No wall sex, for sure.

  “Where are we on the names list?” he asked as he finished shaving.

  “Well, you didn’t like Asia and Abigail, so what did you come up with?” I was poking fun at him. We had been tossing names around for days, but nothing we could agree on.

  “You weren’t really serious, were you?” He had stopped shaving and was now staring at me. He had such a gorgeous face and beautiful sapphire blue eyes, a pointed nose, and a chiseled jaw with that deep cleft in his chin. Oh, how I hoped our kids looked like him.

  “Nope, with Alexander and Alexandra, I prefer no more ‘A’ first names. Other than that, I have no real preference. I don’t even care if they rhyme. Have you got a family name you want to use? We also have to consider that Zoe is also picking names and needs to pick first.”

  “She has picked a boy name, didn’t she tell you?” He placed his hands on my bare tummy before I finished dressing.

  “No, she didn’t. What did they pick out?”

  “Don’t laugh, but they are calling him Levi Matthew.” He looked at me with a quirky grin.

  I knew he thought the same thing I did. That name was going to take some getting used to, so I tried hard to stifle a giggle. What was it about names that was so hard?

  I pondered the name thing as I finished getting dressed. I needed to buy a baby name
book, so that I could make notes of what we liked on the flight to Venice.

  Dressed, I was happy with my outfit. I had some of the cutest maternity fashions, compliments of Cooper and all his stylist friends. We had to hurry; we were already late to meet Dad and Gretchen for brunch at Blue Mesa, one of my favorite places to eat Mexican food. Their Sunday brunch happened to be nothing short of amazing.

  While visiting with my parents, Grayson confessed he’d caved to me on the trip to Italy. Dad was not happy about me traveling and Grayson agreed with him, but reminded him it would be our last opportunity.

  “Fine, but you’ll take my new jet. It has a bedroom where you can rest while Grayson works. I’m not one hundred percent comfortable with this, but at least you’ll be together. You’re certain the doctor said it was okay?”

  “She said I could. We’ll be fine, Dad. Besides, I need to face my fears.”

  We finished lunch and then left them to go shopping for baby furniture. I showed Grayson the dark mahogany baby beds for either a boy or a girl, and he liked them.

  He told the shopkeeper we needed two to go, and we all laughed. He turned to me and softly touched my face. “My dad’s name was Hudson Levi, and my mom’s name was Ella Katherine. If we used their names in some way, it would mean a great deal to me.”

  “Absolutely, honey. Why didn’t you say something before now?” I was curious if the idea of using his parents’ names made him sad. It pained me to see the emotion in his blue eyes.

  He didn’t have to say it. It saddened him that they weren’t here to experience their grandchildren and likewise, our babies would never know his parents.

  “I wanted to make sure Zoe had picked the name first, like you said.”

  “Allison was my mom’s name. I know it’s another A name, and I said I wasn’t going to do that, but it would be great to have both of our mother’s names used. What about Ella Katherine and Allison Paige for girls? Hudson Peter and Parker Alexander for boys?” By then we were deep in conversation and had stopped shopping.

  He pondered the names a few minutes and decided he liked everything except Parker. So he countered with Lucas Alexander.

  “Love it! Love them, we have names!” Although a modification here or there, at least we had something to work with once we knew the sex and could focus on the names more.

  We continued to shop, and Grayson added a jogging stroller for twins, so that either of us could take them running. Our new neighborhood had nice wide sidewalks for a stroller.

  We ordered the furniture, stroller, and car seat carriers. It was beginning to look a lot like baby. We browsed the different themes for little girls and came up with the colors of butter cream and gold, but no actual theme. Grayson wasn’t a huge fan of a bright pink room. I agreed with him.

  Who knew, maybe I was carrying a couple of football players! They kicked like a soccer team.

  Most couples had more time, but Dr. Stewart was certain our babies would come early and would be by C-section by the way they were carrying so low and one of them was breach. She said no more trips after Italy, and to be sure and enjoy it in every way. At the appointment on Thursday, she was finally able to tell us the sex…

  We were having girls!

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Grayson and I were on the plane and headed for Italy without any of the anxiety from traveling, thanks to Dad’s extra precautions. He and Grayson had a small army of private security people double checking everything and everyone.

  Grayson was deep into his lecture notes, and I was reading my pregnancy books and feeling the little girls move around. It would’ve been a long flight if I couldn’t get the attention of my husband for at least part of it. I’d requested we not have a flight attendant. Anything we wanted, I was able to prepare. I wanted us to have privacy in the back. We were flying over night, and I planned on joining the mile-high club.

  I disappeared for a moment to the bedroom, so I could change into a velvet leopard skirt set with black stilettos. I had my hair trimmed, and although long, my stylist had cut some layers back into it, which gave me more volume.

  I tussled the layers and fluffed my look, put on some of my favorite lotion, and prepared the bedroom for some fun. Opening the door, I realized the studious Dr. Brooks was deep into reading a medical journal. Really?

  “Ahem.” My heart was thundering out of my chest. I was anxious to get his attention. No such luck. “Paging Dr. Brooks, could I please have your attention a moment?”

  Just then, I got it. He was on his feet and still trying to pick his chin up off the floor. With his long stride, he was in front of me in two steps.

  “Oooh, love what you’re wearing. And what is this I see, my favorite stilettos?” He was all over me in all of about five seconds.

  I felt that stiff rod of his through his jeans. He wanted me. Yes, thank goodness, because I intended on having my way with him. I left a trail of kisses from his lips to his collar bone, while I removed his shirt and started unfastening his jeans.

  Suddenly, he pushed me down on the bed and hovered over me. “You’re beautiful. Glowing. And so damn sexy in these shoes. I want to leave them on,” he said, while unhooking my leopard bra.

  The cool air grazed my breasts, and I found my nipples to be at full attention for him, eagerly anticipating his lips.

  “Please,” I mumbled.

  “Please what, angel?” he teased, thumbing and tugging on my breasts in between biting on my neck and collarbone.

  “Please have your way with me.” I panted. My breath rushed in anticipation. I needed him. “I want you. I need to feel you inside me and from the looks of it, you need me too.” I grinned.

  “Oh, I intend on having my way with you. I’ve never made it into the mile-high club. Come here to me, my little minx.” He had removed his jeans and boxers and was completely naked, lying down on his back.

  I climbed him, taking my sweet time to tease him. As I did a little grinding of my own, I could see his facial expression turn deep and mysterious.

  He thumbed my clit; it felt wonderful and had me on the edge of orgasm. He slid his finger inside me and found that favorite little spot he knew so well. That was all I needed to go over the edge, and I found my release flooding the both of us. My breaths came short and hard, my head back in the throw of satiation.

  When I regained my full consciousness, he was smiling and very happy with himself. “I can still do it for you. There’s magic in this little finger. Maybe it should be insured!” He was cocky and full of himself.

  “Yes, love, you’ll always do it for me. No one else, but you!”

  His erection pulsed under me, indicating he needed attention. With both hands around his shaft, I took him in my mouth, licked the crown, applied suction with my lips, and grasped the length of his hardness. I wanted to tease him, torture him really, since that was what he did to me when he was walking around naked and taunting me all the time.

  When I felt his member twitch and pulse, I saw the veins on the top were visibly full and the skin tight. He was close to blowing off. I took him in my mouth and coaxed him with my hands and lips until he found his release. His head was back, and he moaned his satisfaction as he came.

  I made myself comfortable at his side, snuggling under his arm and putting my head on his chest. I could feel his heartbeat strong through his chest, beating for the two of us.

  The bedroom cabin was dark and quiet, with only the hum of the engines in the background. Out of the darkness, he whispered, “I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone, Alexandra.” His pledge was spoken quietly, reverently.

  Sometime in the middle of the night, he made love to me again. Sweet tender love, even at 36,000 feet, calling my name as he climaxed.

  I felt the sexual power we possessed over each other. There was no greater connection than becoming one.

  ***

  Venice, Italy was absolutely breathtaking in the crisp April air. The sunrise was welcoming as we made our way
to the Hilton Molina Stucky. The closer we got to it, I thought it looked more like a castle than a hotel, and simply divine.

  When we checked in, they surprised me by telling me Grayson had phoned ahead and upgraded us to a suite as a surprise. He wanted me to have more room to be comfortable since I would be in the room when he was hosting smaller meetings. It was our babymoon, as Dad called it, and I planned on having a glorious time with my husband. Although he had to do quite a bit of work for PMC, we carved out some couple time and part of that included the spa with a couple’s massage. They had something special for maternity, and I couldn’t wait.

  I noticed Grayson kept looking at his watch. “Something wrong, honey? You keep checking the time?”

  “Nothing’s wrong, I just don’t want us to be late for the massage. I can’t wait; they’re so relaxing. I loved the one on our honeymoon. It felt great afterwards, but if you tell anyone that, I’ll find something to blackmail you with.”

  Grayson enjoyed massages? Yep, he secretly did, but he would never admit it to anyone other than me.

  “Oh, you’re a big, sappy, softy, but your secret is safe with me.”

  Lunch was scheduled with all the people from PMC. I was anxious to see them, since it had been too long. I missed setting up the booth and getting our show points ready. It was hard to let my job go, but it was the right thing to do.

  The restaurant was packed with all the people attending the conference, and it took a moment for us to find the crew at the table. We were genuinely welcoming, and it was sweet, like a homecoming. Some of the girls hugged me and patted the twins. Drew embraced me to the point I swear I saw jealousy on Grayson’s face.

  “Easy cowboy, I knew her first. If I hadn’t sent her to your office, you wouldn’t be here now!” Drew teased him.

  I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to discover Phillip and his wife had joined us as well. “Alex, you look incredible. Beautiful in every way. How are my pretend granddaughters?”