Indulgence

by Liz Crowe

  “Angel, I … I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you want to marry me,” she urged, and I could tell that she was scared this news would make me not want her. God only knew what was going on in that head of hers, but nothing could be further from the truth.

  “I want to marry you.” I said with as much conviction as my emotions would allow. My voice was strained but loud enough for her to hear.

  “Say you’ll marry me,” she asked and clutched my hand with hers.

  “I’ll marry you.”

  “Okay,” she whispered with a tentative smile.

  “Okay, when?” I asked, gripping her lovely hands to mine, waiting for the moment when I could kiss her.

  “I don’t know?” She was beautiful when she was confused. She was always beautiful.

  “Tomorrow?” My smile must have reached my ears because she stood up.

  “No. Soon though.” She laughed lightly.

  “Okay. Can I kiss you now?”

  Her smile melted my heart. I stood and pulled her out of her chair. My hands cupped her face. “You’ve made me happier than I ever dreamed. Thank you.”

  And I kissed her. I kissed her as if I’d never get the chance again. I kissed her as though the world was ending when it had only truly just begun. Our worlds were colliding in the best possible way. I’d always remember the day that my Angel fell into my arms. The day she agreed to become my wife. The day she told me I was going to be a father.

  “How pregnant are we?” I asked, cupping my hand over her belly. If I focused really hard I imagined I could barely feel an outline of a little something growing there. My baby.

  “We’re about nine weeks. I didn’t even realize I’d missed my cycle last month completely. With all the work and … ” I put my fingers over her lips.

  “Angel, don’t. This is the best news of my life.” I pulled her hand and slipped on her engagement ring. She grabbed the box and slipped my ring on my left finger. It fit perfectly. “Shouldn’t we wait for the ceremony for mine? Isn’t that custom?”

  “It’s customary to have a ring when you propose. I asked you and you agreed. You going to tell me you won’t wear my ring?” Her eyebrows pinched together and her mouth set into a pout.

  “Not a chance. I’ll wear it proudly. I love you so much.” I whispered against her lips and kissed her. Then I dropped down to my knees in the middle of the restaurant and held her stomach to my face. I nuzzled her belly and kissed the entire surface. She swatted my hands away when I tried to lift her shirt to kiss her bare skin. I wanted nothing but my Angel’s flesh between me and connecting with our baby.

  “Hank, you’re making a scene.” She was right. The entire restaurant was watching us. I couldn’t sit here and have dinner. Excitement about getting married, about having our baby, was flooding me and filling my thoughts to the brim.

  “Let’s go!” I pulled on her and ushered her out and into the street.

  We made it home in record time, probably because I was threatening the limo driver every five seconds to hurry up or he was going to get a boot up his ass. He didn’t disappoint.

  We went straight into the bedroom. Without a word, I stripped her of all her clothes then laid her bare on our bed. I removed all of my clothing and surveyed her entire body. Now that I was paying close attention, there were very subtle changes.

  The fullness of her breasts, the soft glow of her skin, her stomach even looked as if it had rounded out just a hair. Though it was probably wishful thinking. I straddled Aspen and planted my face on top of her belly. I spread my hand out over the entire expanse and looked at her in awe.

  “You know, pretty soon you won’t be able to cover that space with your hands,” she said.

  “Oh, I can’t wait to see you all round and swollen with my child.” I slid my hands all over her bare skin. “Hell, darlin’, it makes me rock hard just thinking about it.”

  “A man who’s turned on by pregnancy.” She laughed but enjoyed my hands on her.

  I spent the evening worshiping every inch of my pregnant fiancée. Knowing I was going to do so for the rest of my life only made the world seem that much sweeter.

  She slept through the night, and in the wee hours of the mornin’ I stared at our baby’s picture. It didn’t look like a baby yet, but it was still the most beautiful thing I’d seen aside from my girl.

  “You still looking at that picture, Stud?” she asked, then stretched out and put her head on my chest.

  “I just can’t believe it. Ma is going to go through the roof. You better get ready for a visit, because once she finds out you’re expecting and we’re gettin’ married the whole lot of em’ will be coming to New York.”

  She kissed my chest and tilted her head up. “I thought maybe we could get married at the ranch. The landscape is beautiful. Just invite our families and our good friends. Keep it small. I’ll be a pregnant bride unless we want to wait until after the baby is born,” she said.

  “Oh, hell no. My baby is not entering the world a bastard. We’re getting married, and fast!” There was no budging on this one. The sooner the better in my opinion. If Ma wasn’t going to be so happy about getting a new grand she’d be lecturing us until the wedding day about getting pregnant before the wedding.

  “Okay.”

  “So how do you think you got pregnant, anyway?” I asked. She’d been on birth control, which is why we never used condoms.

  “The doctor thinks it was the course of antibiotics I took when I had that sinus infection after we visited Coney Island, remember? I was on them for ten days. Apparently they can minimize the effects of the active agents in the birth control pills.” She snuggled back into my side and closed her eyes with a yawn.

  It was still early yet and we’d gone to bed really late. My girl needed her rest, more now than ever before.

  “Did I tell you how happy you’ve made me?” She nodded and rubbed her cheek against my chest, then her breath evened out and she was sound asleep once more.

  Hugging her close, I ran my fingers through her golden hair with one hand and stared at the image of our baby in the other until sleep took me, too. Sweet dreams of flowing white dresses, puffs of pink and blue twinkle lights danced across my subconscious, along with one perfect vision of an Angel falling into my arms and me holding onto her for an eternity.

  The End.

  Audrey Carlan Bio

  Audrey Carlan is a Best Selling Author who writes erotic contemporary romances, such as the wildly popular "Falling Series." She lives in the sunny California Valley two hours away from the city, the beach, the mountains and the precious…the vineyards. She has been married to the love of her life for over 10 years and has two young children that live up to their title of “Monster Madness” on daily basis. When she’s not writing, sipping wine with her “soul sisters”, or doing yoga, she can be found with her nose stuck in book or her Kindle. A hot, smutty, romantic book to be exact!

  In life she believes that all things have their purpose even if we are unable to determine the purpose immediately.

  Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated and feeds the soul. You can contact Audrey below:

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audrey.carlan.1

  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7831156.Audrey_Carlan

  Email address: carlan.audrey@gmail.com

  Website: www.audreycarlan.com

  Twitter: @AudreyCarlan

  Escaping Me

  By

  Cat Mason

  Introduction

  Daisy’s Fall

  How did this happen to me? Just months ago I was in a loving, committed relationship with a man who, I believed, adored me. Nothing was standing in our way of being married and having the white picket fence, babies and all the happiness I could stand. Now I’m sitting here on a bed, in a shitty tour bus, crying into my hands. All while a dozen little white sticks lie all over the floor, laughing at me, proving that I am a total fuck up.

&nbs
p; The diamond on my hand does nothing but make me angry, as it glistens with my wet tears. I’ve screwed everything up. I let myself believe, for a while, that I could have a happy ever after. I let myself think that I was worthy of something as precious as love. Instead, I have ruined at least four lives in the ashes of my monumental lapse of rational thinking.

  I always think things through. Daisy Shayne never jumps without looking where she would land. I had a plan. I mean, literally, I write shit down and check it off as I complete it. I was nothing, if not meticulous, in the calculating of my life this far.

  My parents planned nothing. I watched them constantly bailing water from the boat, borrowing from Peter to pay Paul and getting nowhere in life because of not having a plan. Well, I had a plan damn it! Now, as I look at my list, all I want to do is jump from my boat and let myself drown. It would be so much easier than to face what is coming when those bus doors open and my life comes to an end. There will be no hiding this. There is no fixing the situation. It’s going to destroy everyone involved, including myself in the process…

  Wait! I am getting too far ahead of myself. You need me to start from the beginning to get the full picture here. You need to know everything and then you will understand.

  Chapter One

  Shafted from the Start

  “Daisy! If you don’t hurry up we’ll be late!” His voice booms through the bathroom door as I hurry to finish my make-up. We are supposed to be at some bar in fifteen minutes; yet, here I am making us late. Landon is taking me to meet his half-brother, Grayson, tonight, and the rest of the band before their tour starts.

  Grayson Cole is the lead guitarist and writes all the songs for the band, Shaft. Landon isn’t close with his younger brother. Therefore, I’m trying to hide how excited I am to meet him and the band. In the whole year we have been together, he hasn’t let me get anywhere near his brother. I’ve never understood it. He swears it’s just history, but I’ve always wondered.

  According to their mother, they take after their fathers, making them polar opposites. With the band pushing for broke to make it big, they are never around. Though, I have heard enough of their music to know they have great songs. Well, I’ll be seeing Shaft up close and personal tonight. I can only imagine what they are like with a name like that.

  Tossing my lip gloss on the counter, I turn opening the door to meet a very aggravated Landon. Even annoyed he is gorgeous. His blue eyes glare at me out from under his shaggy brown hair that has drooped over his forehead forcing me to bite back my laugh. “I’m sorry. Let’s go.”

  Landon’s appraising gaze roams over me until he meets my eyes. “Is that all you’re wearing?” he asks in disbelief, eying my outfit with a frown.

  “What’s wrong with it?” I ask, looking at my jean skirt and black tank top and compare it with his jeans and polo. “We’re going to a club to hear a band,” I add, then walk over and slip into my pink wedge heels.

  “Whatever, Daisy, come on we don’t have time for you to change anyway. I’m just glad I told you we had to be there an hour earlier than we really do,” he says, as I follow him down the stairs and out to the car. Once he starts the engine, Landon turns, taking my hand in his. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be such an ass, I’m just nervous about tonight. I never thought Grayson would allow me to be involved in his career, or whatever it is he’s doing with his life.” He sighs then kisses my hand where my engagement ring rests. “Are you sure you’re alright with going on tour with us for six months?”

  I nod. “I wanna be wherever you are, Landon. I think it will be good for us; we’ll have lots of time together.” Grinning at my answer, he leans in pressing his mouth to mine quickly. Nodding, he pulls away from me and backs out of the driveway.

  Landon is jittery the entire ride to the bar and I can’t help but giggle to myself. I have never seen him like this. He’s always so calm and composed. Landon is stable and perfect for my plan. My life plan. My numbers are getting checked off and by this time next year, I will be Mrs. Daisy Cole. Everything works out better when you know where you’re going, when your goals are mapped out clearly. Because my parents had no plan for their lives, we struggled more often than not. I made my list at sixteen and followed it to the letter, determined to have better. Finishing high school as the valedictorian, getting my college degree, and all ready to start teaching English at the local high school in the fall, were all part of my life plan. The tour is sort of a last hoorah and my chance to spend time with Landon all summer.

  Pulling down the visor, I check my dark blonde hair in the mirror. After checking my make-up one last time I flip the visor back up, as Landon turns off the car. “Okay, this is it. I’ll get us a table then I’ll go find Tad, he’s the manager for the band. I’ll be taking care of everything the guys need and whatever else Tad says has to get done,” he says; I think he’s mostly coaching himself.

  I grab his hand, “Babe, quit being so nervous! Your brother obviously wants you here. Calm down and let’s go hear the band.”

  “Okay. Then we go back to my place to recheck everything. We leave tomorrow on the bus.”

  I nod, “Relax. We’ve taken care of everything. Let’s go have some fun.” Reassuring him, I stroke his cheek with my hand and he nuzzles my palm.

  “I love you so much, Daisy,” Landon says sweetly, making me smile.

  “I love you too. Now let’s go.”

  The bar is a dingy hole in the wall. Landon opens the door for me as the smoke pours out, hitting us both in the face. “Holy shit!” he huffs, tucking me under his arm to usher me inside. We walk over to the corner where he plunks me down in the booth. “You sit tight. I’ll go find the guys.” He kisses me sweetly before walking toward a tall man leaning against the wall. The guy is enormous; I assume Landon has to know him because with the guy being nearly seven feet tall, and he’s not very friendly looking. Tall guy grins at Landon then points down the hall. Left sitting and waiting, I watch them both disappear from view to, what I assume is, a back room.

  “Don’t have a drink yet, Sugar?”

  The raspy voice makes my head jerk up, bringing me face to face with sex and sin in black boots. The guy standing in front of me is just around the same height as Landon but his hair is jet black and spiked up. He’s in dark jeans that hug his waist and thighs, with a tucked in black dress shirt that the sleeves have been cut off of, exposing arms that are covered in detailed tattooed sleeves. My eyes drift all the way to his boots and back up to his face which has rendered me speechless. His eyes are deep steel gray and I watch as he worries his lip ring with his teeth. God, that is sexy. Wait! Daisy, down girl, you’re taken! Though this guy here is hot, he is not Landon.

  Sex and sin slides into the booth next to me, casually wrapping his arm around my neck. “So, Sugar, what do they call you?” he asks. His voice is so delicious it makes me tremble.

  Regaining my composure, I scoot away from his touch doing my best to glare at him, “My name is Daisy and I’m here with someone,” I say, but it lacks conviction.

  “Are you now, Daisy?” he asks, arching a pierced brow as he looks around. “I don’t see anyone with you, Wildflower. You shouldn’t be left alone in here, someone could come along and pluck your petals,” he purrs wickedly. Scooting closer to me, he places his hand on my thigh. My eyes dart down to his hand and then back up to his face, to find him grinning. Sliding further up my leg, his fingers brushing under my skirt, igniting my skin with every touch. I can’t make my body move even if I wanted to.

  “Grayson!” I hear Landon shout from the other side of the room. I freeze as the realization sweeps over me. Oh my God! This can’t be…

  Turning away from me, he jumps up from the table and greets Landon with some kind of uncomfortable looking hug. I think my heart stops. “Bro! Glad you’re comin’ along to help us out on tour.”

  “I see you’ve met Daisy Shayne, my fiancé,” Landon says, smiling at me.

  Grayson’s eyes widen as he looks a
t me, “This is your…” he sputters, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

  I smile at them both, “Yeah, we’ve met,” I say smugly, pushing the hem of my skirt back down before I stand next to Landon. Leaning down he kisses me on the cheek.

  “You’re coming on the bus with us?” Grayson asks, meeting my eyes, as I arch my eyebrow at him.

  “You said it wouldn’t be a problem to bring my girl, Gray,” Landon interrupts, looking back and forth between us. “I figured she can be an extra pair of hands,” he adds and Grayson smiles wickedly at me, making me blush.

  Grayson shakes his head, “It isn’t. Nope, no problem at all. I gotta get ready to play the set. You two grab a seat and enjoy the show,” he says, before walking toward the hallway I saw Landon go down earlier, shaking his head.

  Landon gestures for me to sit and then folds into the booth seat next to me, curling me into him. “So, how did it go back there?” I ask as guys are busy setting up some wires and instruments on the small stage.

  “Tad introduced me to Aiden, the drummer. He seems cool. Then, there’s his brother, Hunter. Hunter is the vocal and bass player,” he says, which shocks me; with a voice like Grayson’s, I thought he would be the one holding the mic. “They’re pretty laid back, for the most part, so this should be a great gig. Plus…” he says sweetly, “I get to take you along with me.”

  I nod as I start to talk myself up for this. The next six months are going to be great. I will spend all my time with Landon and get to have a wild spring and summer before settling into my life. I add one more thing to my list as Landon’s lips meet mine, something very important. Not sure how I’ll manage to keep my distance in the cramped quarters of a tour bus; somehow, though, I will stay as far away from Grayson Cole, as humanly possible. I already know if I get too close to him he will draw me in. My entire body is tingling just at the thought of him touching me again.