Taming Him

by Kennedy Fox

  “She’s gonna go stir-crazy if she stays holed up all day and night,” he tells me.

  “Yeah, I know. On top of being hot as fuck, she can’t get comfortable sitting or lying down, so she’s not sleeping much. I read to the baby in hopes it’ll help her relax enough to fall asleep, but she always wakes up a couple of hours later with back pain.”

  “That means it’s gonna be soon.” He pats me on the back.

  “Doctor said she measured at three centimeters already, but that means it could be now or another two weeks. Honestly, though, I don’t think River has another two weeks in her.”

  Dylan chuckles. “He’ll come when he’s ready.”

  I snort. “Don’t say that ’round River. Natalie told her the same thing the other day, and she growled back at her.”

  “Good to know.” He laughs. “Did you guys pick a name yet?”

  “I think so, but we aren’t revealing it till he’s here.” I smile, thinking of our talk a few nights ago. River had a list of names she liked and asked for my approval on which ones I liked best.

  “Well, good luck.” He gets into his truck, and I follow suit getting into mine. I need to shower badly. Once I’m cleaned up and eat, I plan to rub River’s back and feet and anything else she needs. She’s texted me about fifty times today, and even though the heating pad helps, it’s not enough. I feel awful.

  “River?” I call out as soon as my shoes hit the floor of the kitchen.

  “In here,” she shouts from her bedroom.

  I quickly strip down to my boxers to avoid getting mud on the carpet. Setting my hat down, I brush a hand through my hair to remove the dust. When I round the corner and see her lying in bed, my shoulders fall.

  “How ya doin’, sweetheart?” I walk over and kneel beside her.

  “I went walking today.”

  “In this heat?” My eyes widen.

  “No, Benita picked me up, and we walked around the dining hall.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s supposed to help jump-start labor. Then I did squats and bounced on a big ball.”

  “Oh man.” I suck in my lower lip to hide my smile. “Didn’t work, huh?”

  She groans. “Well, do you see a baby?”

  I bite the inside of my cheek and shake my head. “Sorry, darlin’. He’s just not ready yet.”

  “I’m thirty-seven weeks. That’s technically full-term. He can come any day now,” she whines.

  “I know, but according to the book, you could go as long as two weeks over your due date.”

  She tightens her lips and scowls at me. “Fuck that book. I am not going another five weeks. I will pull this baby out myself if I have to.”

  Swallowing hard, I realize there’s no reasoning with her right now. I know not to take it personally when she snaps at me like this. Hormones, I remind myself.

  “I’m going to take a shower quickly, then how about I rub your feet for a bit?”

  Her shoulders relax, and as she nods, she starts crying.

  “River?” I hold her face in my hands and kiss the top of her nose. “Baby, it’s gonna be fine. We’ll get through this, okay?”

  “Whoever said pregnancy was beautiful is a liar,” she grumbles.

  “If I remember correctly, you said those exact words last month.”

  She blinks and looks up at me, her scowl on point as she groans. Okay, probably not the best thing to say.

  “Do you need anything before I hop in the shower? I’ll be ten minutes tops otherwise.”

  “Could you get me some of that Butterfinger ice cream in the freezer?” she asks, wiping her eyes.

  “Oh, um…I think you finished that off last night after dinner.” I cringe, regretting not buying another pint when I was at the grocery store.

  Her head falls back on the pillow as she mutters, “Fuck.” I’d offer to run into town and buy her more, but I have a feeling she’d change her mind by the time I returned and want something else.

  I quickly shower and scrub all the dirt off my skin. Being outside all day has me covered in sweat. I try to dry off throughout the day, but it’s not easy keeping up with the heat.

  Once I’m washed and dried, I walk back to my room and grab a pair of gray sweats and a dark blue T-shirt. I shake out my hair, and when I walk back to River’s room, I see she’s finally fallen asleep.

  Oh, thank God.

  I know she probably won’t sleep for long, but she needs it.

  Stepping into the nursery, I look around and smile. River’s been working hard on getting it ready. All the baby clothes are washed and hung. The diapers and wipes are both stocked. She picked out the cutest crib bedding set with a ranch theme. Cows, horseshoes, and cowboy boots are displayed on the quilt. The sheet has cowboy boots and stars on it—perfect for our little guy.

  Mama, Aunt Charlotte, and Aunt Patsy have all made us blankets. Benita made a special blanket, too, with Bishop crocheted on it. This baby is definitely going to have everything he needs and more. As the days tick by, I find myself more and more excited, but I’m nervous too. I haven’t been around babies like River, but I like to think I’ll catch on and already plan to be up with River when he wakes up for feedings or changings.

  The rocking chair is in the corner next to the nightstand and lamp. I made some floating shelves for all the books we received and are displayed next to the chair as well. Everything’s in place and perfect. I can’t wait to hold him for the first time and bring him home finally.

  After I grab myself something to eat, I peek in on River once more and am relieved when she’s still asleep. I head to my room and decide to watch some TV and relax.

  I’m dozing in and out, my head bobbing up and down when I hear footsteps in the hallway. My door slams open, and River walks in like she’s on a mission. Her long, blonde hair is pulled up, and she’s breathing heavy.

  “What’s wrong?” I pop up, looking at her. “You okay?”

  “Take off your clothes,” she demands as she starts pulling down her shorts.

  “Wait. What?” I ask, jumping up.

  “You heard me, cowboy.” She kicks her shorts off and flings them across the room.

  “River, what are you doing?” I tread carefully, making sure I’m reading the situation correctly.

  “I want to have sex.”

  “Now?” I arch a brow. “I thought we were waiting, taking things slow and all that.”

  “Slow ended weeks ago. Any slower and my vagina is going to fall off.” She’s completely serious, but I’m certain this is the hormones talking again.

  “Sweetheart…” I walk toward her, closing the gap between us and cup her face in my hands. “Don’t take this the wrong way, because I absolutely want to make love to you, but I want to respect your wishes. Building our relationship from the ground up, starting fresh, and having a solid foundation. We don’t have to have sex to prove our love to each other. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”

  “It’s time,” she says softly.

  “Darlin’…”

  “Hey, you owe me.”

  “Huh?

  “You said you’d do anything to make it up to me when you went out and got drunk that night.”

  I try to hide my laughter but fail. “River, you’re acting like making love to you would be a chore. Trust me when I say I’ve had to pray for some serious willpower to stop myself around you. I’ve dreamed of making love to you again, so believe me, I fucking want to—desperately. But I want to make sure it’s what you really want and not just because you’re hoping it induces labor.”

  Her shoulders drop, and she pouts. “Damn, I forgot you read that book cover to cover.”

  I smirk. “Twice.”

  “Okay.”

  I bring our mouths together and tangle our tongues as we kiss deeply. She fists her hands in my T-shirt and pulls us closer. Fuck, she tastes good. I feel the way she arches her hips against me, and that willpower I was just talking about is diminishing by the second.


  “River, stop.” I pant against her lips.

  “No.” She wraps her hands around my waist, pushing my erection into her stomach. “Please, Alex.”

  Goddamn, is she begging? Fuck me.

  “I want to make you feel good, sweetheart, I do. But I’m afraid after all this time waiting, I’m going to end up hurting you. Or the baby.”

  “You won’t, I promise.”

  She reaches for my cock and begins rubbing it. Considering I’m wearing sweatpants, there’s not much fabric between us.

  “I’m so damn horny, Alex. My hormones are going insane.”

  I snort, pressing our foreheads together and moaning when she increases her pace.

  “So take off your damn pants.”

  “River.” I plead with my voice, though I don’t want her to stop. Fuck, it’s been way too goddamn long.

  “TAKE. OFF. YOUR. PANTS,” she demands slowly. Her eyes shift, and I watch the rise and fall of her chest. She’s as worked up as I am, and I’m not sure I can deny her much longer.

  “You tell me if I’m hurting you?” I look in her eyes and demand.

  “I will,” she vows.

  “And darlin’?”

  “Yes?” She swallows, her breaths growing shallower.

  “As mad as I was that first time I saw you at the diner, I still wanted to fuck you so goddamn bad.”

  She licks her lips as she looks at me with hooded eyes. “Then what are you waiting for, cowboy?”

  Wrapping a firm hand around her neck, our mouths crash together, and I carefully guide her to my bed. The only way this is going to work right now is if she’s bent over the bed.

  My lips trail along her jawline before lingering to her ear and pulling the lobe in between my teeth. “Turn around and bend over,” I order.

  She happily spins around and digs her elbows into the mattress, spreading her thighs wide for me. I slide a hand down her spine and carefully lower her as much as she’s able without putting any weight on her stomach. She’s hanging off the edge of the bed with her fingers gripping the sheets. Once I make sure she’s comfortable in this position, I graze my hand down to her ass and pull her panties to the side until I can press a finger along her slit.

  “Fuck, baby,” I growl as soon as her wetness coats the tip. I rub along her pussy and find her clit. The pad of my finger circles it, and she immediately starts trembling. “You okay?”

  “Yes,” she pants. “I’m overly sensitive down there.”

  “I can tell.”

  My cock is rock hard and throbbing that it’s becoming painful. I slide her panties down her legs before spreading them wide again. Once I remove my pants and shirt, I align my cock with her entrance and grip her hips, slowly guiding myself inside.

  “Oh my God,” River moans.

  “Relax, sweetheart.”

  She does, and when her hips arch, I thrust in farther. “Christ,” I hiss, grinding my teeth down. Her pussy feels like a vise grip as she clenches down on me, and I know it’s not going to take long to get either of us off.

  “That feels so good. Shit, really good.” She rests her cheek on the bed, and her eyes roll to the back of her head.

  Once I’m all the way in, I pull out and in again. Keeping my grip on her hips, I make sure to keep my stance and not lean over her like I usually would. Smacking of skin against skin fills the room along with our heated moans, but I can feel the orgasm building inside her. I squeeze her ass cheeks and spread them wide.

  “Holy fuck,” I growl, keeping up with her pace as she rocks her hips back and forth against me.

  “Right there,” she says. “Don’t stop.”

  I thrust harder, chasing the release I know she’s desperate for. My cock gives her what she’s begging for, and when I wrap a hand around to her pussy and rub her clit, her entire body shakes as she screams moments later.

  “Fuck.” That was so damn hot. “Goddammit,” I curse between my teeth as she tightens her pussy around my cock, and I can no longer hold back my own release.

  My entire body jerks as I come inside her. I feel her muscles relax as we both come down from the high. Once I slide out, I help her stand up and turn her to face me.

  She’s flushed, and I love that I made her feel that way. Wrapping my hand around her neck, I bend down and kiss her lips. She moans softly, and I can tell she’s relaxed and sated.

  “Darlin’, you’re sleeping in my bed tonight,” I say against her mouth, and she nods, happily. “In fact, you’re sleeping in my bed every damn night.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  RIVER

  The final two weeks of my pregnancy have been both heaven and hell.

  Hell, because I feel like a beached whale, and I’m sweating in places I never knew existed. It’s the end of July in Texas, and I’m ready to claw my skin off.

  Heaven, because being back in Alex’s arms every night has been the only thing keeping me going with a semi-positive attitude.

  He’s kept his word and hasn’t left my side, even though, at times, I enjoy the quiet time to myself. I know he still feels guilty about that night he went out and got drunk, but I’m over it now. He made a mistake, and he’s more than learned his lesson. I believe him when he says it’ll never happen again, and the fact that he’d given me a second chance without much thought after how things ended in Key West tells me the kind of person he truly is.

  But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the make-up sex in the meantime.

  “River,” Alex whispers against my hair. We’re lying in bed together after a restless night. It’s Saturday, so he doesn’t have to rush off to work since he’s off this weekend. I’d been up at least once every hour. Either because I had to pee or couldn’t get comfortable.

  “Mmm?” I murmur.

  Before he can respond, his stomach releases a wicked howling sound. I chuckle, knowing exactly what he’s going to say.

  “Hungry?”

  “Starving,” he confirms. “What about you?”

  I look up at him from the crook of his arm. “Do you even have to ask?”

  He smiles, kissing the top of my head. “I’ll go see what we have. Otherwise, we’ll drive into town and go visit Betty.”

  “Sounds good to me. Except it might take me until lunch to roll off this bed.”

  “Let me help.” He chuckles, standing up and reaching his hands out for me to grab them. He pulls me into a sitting position to the edge of the bed, and when I look down, all I can see is my huge belly.

  “Thank God it’s flip-flop season,” I mutter, annoyed with how co-dependent I’m becoming. I hate asking him for help even though he reassures me he doesn’t mind.

  He tilts my head and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “You look beautiful, so stop whining.”

  I wrinkle my nose at him and scowl. “We’ll see when I’m sweating and screaming through ten hours of childbirth.”

  “And you’ll still be the most beautiful woman in the world.” He winks.

  “How do you always manage to do that?”

  “What?” he asks, grabbing one of his shirts from the closet.

  “Give me flutters every time you say something sweet and charming. Like you don’t even have to try. The words just naturally fly out of your mouth.”

  He chuckles, pulling his shirt on before grabbing a pair of jeans from his dresser. “It’s the Bishop way, darlin’. Just accept it.”

  I sigh, relaxing my shoulders as I feel anything but beautiful right now.

  “I’m going to check the fridge, but I’m almost certain we only have a gallon of milk and a jar of Aunt Patsy’s homemade jam.” He heads out and walks down the hallway toward the kitchen.

  “Okay, I’m going to attempt to get dressed. See ya in an hour.” I groan.

  Placing my palm down on the bed behind me, I start pushing myself up. After some twisting and shifting, I finally manage to stand. I really underestimated what carrying a Bishop baby would feel like. I’m convinced all those pictures of those cu
te pregnant women in their last month on the internet are Photoshopped.

  I wobble down the hallway to where my clothes are stored in my room. We haven’t made the final transition of making Alex’s room our room yet, but as soon as the baby’s out and we’re back home, I plan to turn it into a guest room of sorts. I want my parents, and eventually, Natalie and Adam, to come visit.

  “Oh my God,” I screech as I reach in my closet for one of my maternity shirts. “Dammit.” I groan and let out a growl. I’m pretty sure I just peed myself.

  Why does no one tell you this happens during pregnancy? I’m going to write one of those truths about pregnancy books because that sugarcoated shit they fed me was a lie.

  I step back and decide I’m going to need a shower, but that’s when I realize the liquid is continuing to run down my legs.

  Wait.

  My abdomen tightens as another gush of liquid lands at my feet. Holy shit. Oh my God. My water just broke.

  I’d had some Braxton Hicks contractions over the last week, but nothing that was consistent. Now I’m sure this is the real deal.

  “Alex!” I shout, stepping aside from the mess.

  He doesn’t respond, and I stand in complete shock. It’s finally time!

  “Babe, where are you?” I hear him in the other room.

  “Down here, hurry!”

  His feet rush down the hallway, and when he swings the door open, he spots my wide eyes and immediately comes toward me.

  Before I can warn him, he steps in the mess on the floor and cringes.

  “What the…?”

  “I think my water broke,” I finally tell him, blinking and meeting his eyes. “First, I thought I had peed myself, but then it just kept coming.”

  “Oh my God…” He steps in front of me, holding my face. “Does this mean it’s time? It’s really time?”

  Nodding, tears surface, and my lip trembles. Now that the reality of having this baby is happening, I can’t help feeling scared out of my damn mind.

  “Sweetheart, don’t cry.” He wipes his thumbs under my eyes before pressing a sweet kiss to my lips.

  “I’m nervous,” I admit. “What if this baby is like…fifteen pounds and ruins my vagina for life?” I blurt out, and I can tell he wasn’t expecting that by the way he chokes on his laughter.