by Rose Harper
“Oh, my fuck, you get more gorgeous every time I see you. I’m going to rock your motherfucking world,” he sizzled with a seductive purr.
I cocked an eyebrow at him. “Then why are you still dressed, killer?”
His eyes instantly hooded, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. He moved from between my legs to stand up at the foot of the bed. He slowly began removing his clothes until the last piece fell to the floor. Stroking his cock with long, leisurely strokes, he caught my eyes transfixed on him. He smirked before lowering himself to settle between my open thighs.
I watched with bated breath as he slowly entered me, a gasp escaping as every inch of his manhood filled me. Leaning forward, he pulled out as his mouth enveloped my nipples, each in turn. My nipples instantly hardened for him into painfully taut peaks. His tongue swirled around my nipple with each thrust of his hips.
“I won’t last long. It’s been so long since I’ve felt this pussy squeeze my dick. God, I love it,” his words mumbled against my breasts.
I moaned and arched my back, pressing my breasts closer to him. “It’s a good thing I’m so strung out then … Oh God ... Isn’t it?”
I could already feel my climax building, the arousal from being with him beginning to be too much for my body. He leaned back, throwing his head back as his hips began slamming into mine. His body pulling absolute ecstasy from mine. His arms wrapped around the underside of my knees, lifting them to the crook of his elbows.
I watched as his washboard stomach tightened and released with each thrust in and out of me. His eyes closed, head thrown back in pleasure. His grunts came faster, his pubic bone grazing my clit with every inward thrust.
“Give it up, love. You know you want to,” he seduced, opening his eyes to stare into mine.
“Fuck ... Brad, oh my God. I’m almost there. Harder! God, harder!” I moaned, grabbing my breast, pinching my nipples.
“Fuck,” he huffed, pumping into me faster.
He lowered his hand between us, twirling his finger around my clit. I felt his already thick cock swell. I fell, my climax completely overtaking me and I felt him deep inside touching the spot only he could find. My breath caught in my throat as my back arched up from the bed. I could feel my pussy squeezing his length over and over, milking him for all that he was worth.
“That’s right, come all over my cock!” Brad roared into the room, as his release came over him.
His entire body was shaking from the onslaught of pleasure coursing through him, his hips jerking into mine. I trembled against him as the high left my body. I was slowly able to drag a painful gasp of air into my lungs. I looked at him resting back on his haunches, a satisfied smile on his face. I don’t know why, but I giggled.
His eyes met mine and he winked before slowly pulling out of me. Lying down on the bed, he pulled me to rest on his chest. His heart was beating furiously against my ear. It was a lullaby that made me drift off into the first peaceful sleep I’d had in months. The only thing running through my mind was, were we back together. Or were we still apart.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“You ready to go?” Brad yelled.
Today was the day we were going to find out our baby’s gender. I was so nervous that I’d already changed in and out of three outfits. No matter how I fixed my hair it wouldn’t come out right either. I was a total mess. If we didn’t leave now we were going to be late. That was something that I didn’t want to happen. But as I sat here in the middle of a pile of clothes in nothing but a bra and panties, I broke down.
The tears fell hot and fast. I had nothing to wear and I was going to miss my appointment. In any other situation I wouldn’t be crying. However, with it being today of all days where I felt fat and ugly, I couldn’t stop them from coming. I sat there in a daze when my door opened. I looked up to see Brad with a worried look in his eyes.
“What’s wrong, love?” He frowned as he came closer to me.
I was so lost in my grief that I didn’t bother to cover myself in front of him. I lifted the clothes that were around me, choking on another sob. “I can’t find anything to wear. Nothing fits me like it used to. I feel like such a fat cow.”
He walked over the clothes around me and grabbed me underneath my arms, lifting me with ease. “Love, you are not fat, you’re beautiful. The best sight that I’ve ever seen is you filled with my child.” His hand laid gently against my rounded stomach. “Claire, nothing will fit you like it used too, accept that. Our little baby is getting bigger and healthier every day, it needs room. You are such a strong woman, and I can’t think of a better person to carry my child.”
After what happened between us last night, I didn’t know what to think. He was spouting all these wonderful things into my ear, but hadn’t put a definite label on what we were. It was confusing me to no end. I tried to fight the feelings I had for him, but my heart won out instead. I could have turned him away last night. But after waking up to him this morning, his legs and arms wrapped around me, it just felt right.
He led me over to the bed and set me down. Kneeling in front of me, I had no other choice but to look into his amazing eyes. “Brad, I don’t look like I did five months ago,” I say, gesturing to my midsection. “I’m bigger, rounder. No man wants to see this. It doesn’t matter how much they say it doesn’t bother them, it does,” I huffed.
He steeled me with a fiery gaze, leaning forward, his face was within an inch from mine. “Listen here, I don’t give a shit what you think or what you say. Claire, I love you. Your body is going to fucking change, you hear me. It is inevitable, but what I won’t sit here and tolerate is you putting yourself down. From my point of view, you’re smoking hot. If I could fill you with my children for the rest of my days, I’d be one lucky son of a bitch. Now get that fine ass up and get ready. We’re about to see whether this bun in your oven is a little girl or a little boy. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited as fuck to find out.”
I didn’t like the verbal bashing he was giving me, but it knocked me to my senses. “Thank you, Brad.” I leaned forward the inch separating us, kissing his lips chastely.
He gave me a cheeky grin before leaving the room. His words lit a fire under my ass, and I was down in the sitting area and ready within ten minutes. Lacing his fingers through mine, we made our way to the doctor’s office. His mouth went non-stop the entire way. I’ve never seen him this excited about anything in my life. Soon his excitement spilled over onto me, and I started giggling uncontrollably when we came to a stop in front of the office.
After filling out all the necessary paperwork, the wait began. However, since everyone knew me in this town it didn’t take long for us to get back to see the doctor. He checked to make sure everything was going great, which it was. Then he led us to the ultrasound room. My nerves knotted in my stomach. Just a month ago I didn’t believe that any of this would be possible. That Brad would be here getting to see his baby on the day they told me the sex.
I’d been thinking about him telling me he loved me ever since this morning. I was thrilled that he still did, but scared at the same time that he wouldn’t act on it. We’re going to be bound together no matter what, but the idea of being with him in that sense made me feel giddy. I just didn’t want to face the sting of rejection, so I opted to keep my mouth closed on the subject until a later time. When we got into the room, he helped me lay down on the table. I lifted my shirt up, resting my hands behind my head. The nurse gave me a kind smile before turning on the machine.
“This is going to be cold. Well, you already know that,” she said with a chuckle.
I nodded my head. “Yup isn’t my first rodeo,” I joked.
“It’s mine, though,” Brad said with a sad lilt to his voice.
I looked over to see that his eyes were transfixed on my stomach. I lifted a hand to his, lacing our fingers together. I gave an encouraging smile. “At least you’re at the most important one.”
His eyes lit up like a child on Christmas day
. “Hell yes, and I couldn’t be happier.”
The screen flickered to life just as the nurse put the monitor on my belly. I didn’t look at the screen, but instead looked at Brad’s reaction. His mouth hung open in awe as his eyes began to tear up. He looked from the screen to me, then back to the screen. His hand tightened on mine with every drawn out second before the picture of our baby came up.
“Do you want to know the sex of the baby, Mr. and Mrs. Titan?” the nurse asked. I didn’t mention to her that we weren’t married and neither did Brad. We both nodded our heads frantically when words were too much for us.
“Oh gracious, looks like it’s a little girl,” she said softly.
My eyes brimmed with tears as Brad leaned over and kissed my forehead. “We have a little girl, Claire. I bet she’ll be as pretty as her momma.”
I barked out a laugh, the tears spilling over my lids. I looked away from the screen my eyes coming to rest on his. “Yup, and she’ll have the Titan don’t-fuck-with-me attitude, just like her daddy.”
We were absolutely on cloud nine when we left the office. Nothing could make this day any better. Brad had been with me for the unveiling of our little girl’s gender. How exciting was that? I’ll tell you. It was pee your pants in the middle of a chick fight exciting. Everything just felt right between us. I felt like I was where I belonged. Having been here around my family told me that this was the place I was wanted and needed.
That Cedar Grove was the place where Brad and I needed to raise our little girl.
We were almost to our parents’ house when a text message came through. I cocked an eyebrow at Brad, who did the same in return. Retrieving it from my purse, I saw that my mother had just texted me.
Mothership: Come to the house. Not Henry’s, ours. We want to know what that little button is.
Chapter Twenty-Five
I re-read the text over a couple of times wondering why in the hell we had to go over to her old house. As far as I knew she hadn’t been living there since she and Henry got married. She’d even hired a maid to upkeep the house while she was away. So, I was dumbfounded as to why she wanted us to go over there.
“Who was that?” Brad asked.
I dropped my phone into my purse and settled back into the warm seat. “It was my mom. She told us to come to her old house.”
He laced his fingers through mine and then raised our joined hands to press a light kiss on the back of my hand. “Do you know why?”
“Nope,” I stated, my mouth popping on the ‘p.’
He shrugged his shoulders then turned around heading in the direction of my mother’s old home. I was kind of skeptical about the whole thing. I wasn’t even sure if the house had electric now. But I wanted to see what my mother had in store. Knowing my luck, it was probably a damn party. I inwardly groaned at the thought. She was sappy like that. However, the thought of a party for our little girl kind of excited me a bit.
“Do you think it’s a party?” I oozed excitement, beginning to bounce up and down in my seat like a little kid.
He chuckled. “Too much bouncing and you’ll bounce that little girl of ours out too soon.”
His hand broke away from mine as he began rubbing my stomach in gentle circles. My hands came to rest on his, as I lie back and looked out the window. Watching the scenery pass by with a blur I got lost in my thoughts.
Before too long, Brad’s voice was breaking through. “We’re here.”
He pulled into the drive, putting the truck in park. He got out and ran around to my side of the vehicle, a warning glare the whole way which told me to wait for him to open the door. My belly jiggled from my laugh. As he opened the door, the front door to the house opened. At that moment I was being transported back to the first time I came back here for my mom’s wedding.
I was thinking about the first time I saw my mom standing in the doorway, the largest smile known to man on her face, the embrace that we shared. Seeing Brad again for the first time. The moment when Brad and I rekindled our broken relationship. I sighed at the memory, just as lips came over mine. I instinctively opened, allowing Brad’s tongue to caress mine before he pulled away.
He smirked. “I was just taking advantage.”
I blushed, giving him a shy smile. “I’m glad you did.”
He was helping me out of the truck when my mother came running down the drive. She swooped in, her arms wrapping around my shoulders. “So little momma, what’s the verdict?”
I smiled, chancing a glance at Brad, who was absolutely beaming with pride. “We’ve got ourselves a little girl,” he cooed, placing his hand over my stomach when my mom stepped away.
She screeched with happiness. “A girl, is it really true?”
“Yes, Mom, it sure is.”
She started jumping up and down, hollering to all the neighborhood that she was going to have a granddaughter. I giggled watching her make a complete ass of herself. I started laughing even harder when Brad joined her screaming he was having the most beautiful daughter this world had ever seen. Watching my mother and Brad jump and run around the yard like complete crazies, felt like home.
I was sitting down on the swing when Alex raced out of the house to join me. I looked over at her and began crying for no fucking reason at all. Or at least that’s what I thought anyway.
“What’s with the tears, honey bun?” She hugged me to her side.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t really know,” I answered melting into her friendly embrace.
“Oh, come on, you can tell me. We tell each other everything,” she persisted, cocking an eyebrow at me.
I sighed. “Brad says that he loves me, but he won’t make a move for anything more than what we are now. He says that everything he’s ever wanted is what he now has. He’s running around shouting to the heavens about his little girl, but he doesn’t shout to the heavens about her momma. I just don’t want to be rejected, I guess,” I explained, pushing my foot against the ground to make the swing move.
She sat there looking at my mother and Brad for the longest time. She didn’t say anything, nor did I. When they finally left the front yard and went inside, that’s when she explained to me what she’d been thinking.
“Claire … I believe that if he says he loves you, then he does. I’ve never seen a guy more smitten than that boy right there. Maybe the reason he hasn’t made a move is because he’s afraid he will be the one rejected. He fucked up bad last time, but me and you both know he was trying to make things right. So maybe this time instead of being the one chased, maybe you need to be the chaser.”
She pulled me into her arms, quieting my sobs. I hated it, but dammit, she was right. What if he was waiting for me to bring it up? After months of hate and anguish, can I really forgive him so fast, to let him back into my life? My heart was saying ‘hell yes, you can’ but my head was saying ‘no, he’ll hurt you again.’ I didn’t know which to listen to at this point. But I needed to make my mind up quick.
She guided me inside after my crying fit. I saw Brad, Mom, and Henry sitting on the couch. My mother looked up from her coffee when I entered, a slow smile spreading across her face. I cocked my head at her before sitting in the recliner facing the window.
“Okay, so is there a reason why we’re here?” I asked, turning from the window and looking at her.
She touched a paper on the coffee table. I saw Henry smile and lay his hand over hers. She released a sigh before picking it up, moving Henry’s hand out of the way in the process. “I want you to see something first.”
She gestured for me to follow her to her room. I noticed that the door right across the hall was left ajar. Deciding to see what it was all about, I pushed the door open. I gasped when I was met with two pink walls and two blue. The room was filled to the brim with baby furniture, and there were three pictures on the wall. Brad, an ultrasound, and then me.
I walked further into the room, turning in every direction. I didn’t know if my mother wanted me to see this or
not. But there was no way that I could look away. A sound at the door caught my attention. I saw my mother pushing a stroller into the room with Henry and the others behind her. My chin began quivering, as my eyes brimmed with unshed tears.
“What is all this?” I whispered.
A lone tear fell down her cheek. “This is all for you and Brad.”
She handed me the paper she had earlier, motioning for Brad to join me. My hands were too shaky to open the envelope, so I had Brad do it instead. The moment his eyes took in the contents of the paper, they widened. His mouth hung open in shock which caused me to start panicking. I jerked the paper out of his hands, beginning to read.
“They put the house in your name, Claire Bear. I believe their giving you a home,” he whispered in my ear, giving me a loving kiss on the cheek.
I looked up from the paper in my hands to see that my mother was holding back her sob. I walked the little distance between us, grabbing her into a fierce hug. “What the hell, Mom?” I cried into her hair.
She laughed through her tears. “I’m not just signing the house over to you, Claire. I’m not just giving you a home,” she corrected, holding me away from her. “I’m giving both of you a home to raise your little girl in. A real home with two parents. I don’t give a crap if you two aren’t together. I can tell that man over there loves you so very much and would lay his life down for little Meredith or you,” she finished on a chuckle.
I snickered. “Little Meredith, huh?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, an old woman can hope, can’t she?”
I stepped away from her and began walking the floor. Imagining myself in just a few short months doing the same thing; however, at that time I’ll be tending to my baby girl. It was all surreal, to know that my mother gave Brad and me a house. I heard the door shut and thought that they all left me alone until I felt Brad’s front pressed into my back. I leaned into him, welcoming the warmth from his body to seep all the way to my tired bones.