Necessary Lies (Men of Phantom, #1)

by Jacki Renée

  “We’d love to. I can research therapists in the Littleton area?”

  “Dr. Stevens already gave me referrals.” She sighs. “I also want to apologize to both of you for my behavior.”

  “Holly, if you need anything please let Dani know. I’ll make sure it happens,” Bryan says.

  “Mark came by this afternoon. He gave me a check and said he’ll transfer money into my account every month.”

  “I thought I was going to have to use my kickboxing skills on him.”

  Holly and I laugh while Bryan mumbles expletive threats involving my ass if I do. He admitted to hiding the Vin dummy; the only exercise he’ll approve is walking or a marathon of sex.

  Bryan ushers me to the next people waiting. Marie and Willis. They both have tears in their eyes. It’s a warm and loving embrace, full of emotion.

  The singing voices of four girls make me turn around. The adults join in.

  Kourtney, Emma, Penelope, and Melissa are wheeling in a cart, holding my favorite cake. Vin is helping them.

  It’s a Bridal White cake with a pastel green double border and lettering. The scent of the Buttercream icing makes my mouth water. The cake is covered with mint green candles. It’s from my favorite bakery, Hansen’s Cakes.

  Kourtney must have told him we spent my birthday weekend in Los Angeles and I always got a cake from that bakery.

  Bryan steps behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. Ignacio and Anthony lift the cake. “Make a wish.” His lips brush my ear.

  I wish my first birthday with family and friends and the man I love will never be forgotten. I open my eyes, take a deep breath, lean over, and blow out the candles.

  “What did you wish for, Mom?”

  Kourtney and Emma giggle uncontrollably. They’ve been giggling all day.

  “Her wish won’t come true if she says it out loud,” Willis chimes in.

  “I bet I know what she wished for,” Bryan says.

  Everyone in the room gasps. The girls squeal, jumping up and down holding each other.

  I look around. What are they reacting to? I turn around.

  My hands shake as I cover my mouth, muffling my scream. Bryan’s on one knee, an open square crystal box in the palm of his quaking hand. Inside, nestled on a red satin pillow is a princess cut diamond solitaire on a solid platinum band. Unassuming yet powerful.

  Me.

  “You bring out the passion, energy, and drive in me. You have my complete and utter attention. I’ve remembered you every minute of every day we’ve had and I look forward to adding more. You have my admiration and appreciation.” He hands me an orange rose. “We’ve bridged that gap. I want to begin and end my day as your husband until I take my last breath. I love you, Danielle Lauren Edwards. Will you marry me?”

  Everyone else in the room ceases to exist. I drop to my knees, the rose falling to the floor. I cup his cheeks in my hands.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you,” I whisper.

  He throws his head back and exhales. Bryan takes my left hand and slides the ring on my finger, kissing it, then me. He wraps me in his arms like he’s never letting me go.

  Our girls join us, sharing this hug. Family and friends applaud.

  I hear the shutter of multiple cameras going off. I hear sniffles.

  “You guys are the best birthday helpers.” I rain kisses over the girls’ faces and the man in front of me.

  “Daddy promised us something super good,” Kourtney giggles. “A weekend trip to Anaheim, California.”

  Wait! Did she call him daddy? My eyes shoot to him. The smile on his face and tears in his eyes take my breath away. He’s looking at her.

  Emma picks up my rose. “We told you to come up with something better, Mommy.”

  I grab her, squeezing her tight. She called me mommy.

  We stand with the girls in front of us.

  “We have one more announcement to make.” Bryan places his hand on my stomach. “Go ahead, girls. You don’t have to keep this secret.”

  “Mommy’s having a baby,” Emma yells.

  “Please let me be the one to tell Madelyn,” Max begs. “Please, please, please!” He’s jumping up and down like a little kid.

  “Be gentle when you break the news,” Bryan says.

  Nancy and Marie rush over to me, Jessica and Max following behind. They want to talk wedding details. Champagne and cake are served.

  I notice Willis staring out the window wiping his eyes. I excuse myself from the wedding planners, go to him and rest my head on his arm.

  “Are you okay?”

  He puts his arm around me. “I’m fine. Just being a sentimental old man.”

  “May I steal my fiancée away from you?”

  “Of course you may,” Willis says and kisses my cheek before I take Bryan’s hand.

  He leads me over to the sofa. Once I’m seated, he picks up a cake plate off the coffee table. “Did I give you something you’ve always wanted?” He feeds me a piece of cake.

  I smile, nod, and chew.

  “Are you happy?”

  The goofy grin on my face isn’t enough, so I nod.

  “I truly love you, Dani.”

  I break off a piece of my birthday cake, feeding it to him. “I love you more, Bryan.”

  ***

  We walk our guests out around eleven. Mom and Dad retire to the downstairs guest rooms. The girls go straight to their rooms, happy to be going to California next weekend.

  Jessica leaves with Anthony and Vin. “I hope you two are finished by the time I get home,” she comments on her way out the door.

  Ignacio offers to drive Holly and Melissa home.

  I take Bryan’s hand and lead him up the stairs, putting an extra swing to my hips. In our bedroom, I go to my nightstand, pulling out his first gift. I hand him the card. He reads it out loud.

  Beside This Man, Is The Woman Who Loves Him

  Dani

  His eyebrows meet his hairline and his eyes bug out as he unwraps the box.

  “Read the inscription,” I tell him after he pulls out the watch.

  “Only you.”

  We think alike: those are the first two words to the song he sang to me tonight.

  “Pick a number between one and one hundred,” I tell him.

  “Five,” he laughs, playing along.

  He sets the titanium watch on the nightstand.

  “That’s an awfully low number, Mr. Hawk. Do you want to shoot for a higher number?” I untie his silk necktie.

  “Nope, I’ll stick with five.”

  I unbutton his dress shirt, kissing his chest as I go.

  “Why five?” I undo the cufflinks, placing them on the nightstand next to the watch. My hands slide up his smooth chest, pushing the shirt off his shoulders.

  “We’ll be a family of five,” he says with confidence.

  His lips turn up in that sexy smile as I unbuckle his belt, unbutton his pants, and pull down the zipper.

  His pants drop. I hook my thumbs in the waistband of his boxers. A good tug, and they join his pants at his feet.

  With a little push on his shoulders, Bryan sits on the bed.

  “Dani, that’s a six-figure watch.”

  I squat to remove his shoes and socks, pants and underwear.

  “I know.” Rising, I take his hand and lead him to a leather recliner.

  “Why?” he asks.

  I had to get creative with the restraints. I tied several mint green silk scarves together. They run under the chair and come up on either side. Before I answer his question, I secure his wrists. He hasn’t noticed the full-length mirror in front of the chair. His eyes are fixed on me.

  “That particular watch is timeless. Like my love for you.”

  I swing my hips as I saunter over to the sound system. Soft, sensual music fills the room. Closing my eyes, I sway to the beat, getting into the groove, and dance my way across the room toward him.

  My words for him. Salacious.

  My striptease for him.
Erotic.

  My dance for him. X-rated.

  My moves for him. Yearning.

  “Something new?” he asks.

  I wrapped the ribbons of the bra around my body like rope, attaching the ends to the garter belt.

  “You should know. You bought it. And I love the ruby glitters.”

  “I wanted to unwrap you tonight.” His eyes are glued to the movement of my hips.

  I turn around, sitting on his lap. “Tonight I’m unwrapping you. And your lucky number is five. Count.”

  My butt circles slowly in his lap while he counts. The lap dance stops when he moans five.

  “Aw, baby, how I wish you’d chosen a higher number,” I tease.

  “This isn’t fair, Dani.”

  “Tell me to stop.” I bend over, pulling out the timer I hid in a box of goodies under the chair. “I asked if you wanted to aim for a higher number.” Setting the timer for five slow minutes, I alternate between gyrating and grinding on his lap to the sexy beat of the music. I let the reflection in the mirror drive my movements. Bryan’s hums and moans fuel my need to test his limits.

  The timer rings.

  Reclining the chair, I drop to my knees between his legs. I pull out the next goodie from the box and put it in my mouth. I reach for the remote and turn on the television and reset the timer.

  A quick glance over my shoulder assures me the camera is positioned correctly. Bryan’s shocked expression is priceless. One slow swipe of my tongue measures his length. He’s blessed by that old wives’ tale. His ring finger is definitely longer than his index finger.

  Bryan jumps and hisses.

  I give him a seductive smile and open my mouth to show him the green vibrating tongue ring.

  A deep torturous moan filters through his lips and his head drops back. The beat of the music continues to fill the room.

  Inside I sing a siren’s song. “I want you to watch us on the screen.” Wow, that came out confident and sexy in my ears.

  He lifts his head, eyes on the television.

  I kiss the tip of his penis before taking in as much of him as I can. My hand grips the rest.

  “Oh shit, Dani,” he moans.

  I keep my eyes on him, my mouth and hand stroking his hard length.

  “That feels so damn good.”

  His words massage my sexual confidence.

  The timer dings. He’s panting and his penis is dancing.

  To enhance his oral enjoyment, I reach in the box and slip on the vibrating finger and reset the timer.

  My finger glides up and down his penis. Bryan’s fingers curl into a tight fist as he struggles to keep control. The power to drive him crazy, sexually, is the reason I went to great lengths to plan tonight’s sex-session.

  Opening my mouth, I capture his penis. I find his million-dollar spot and massage it with my finger. His hips shoot off the chair and he thrusts deep in my mouth. His thighs strain from the position.

  I keep my eyes on him to gage the exact moment he orgasms so I can stop before he ejaculates. Bryan does a stomach crunch. I didn’t think it was possible, but his penis grows in width and he begins to chant a single word.

  The timer rings.

  I release him. The sweet-salty taste of pre-cum is left on my tongue.

  Tremors run through his limbs. I turn off the vibrating finger, dropping it back in the box.

  His watchful eyes go from the screen to me, back to the screen.

  My hips rock-and-roll to the sensual beat of the music. My fingers hook around the scrap of material of the sheer, red thong. Inch by sexy inch, I peel it off.

  The heated gleam in Bryan’s eyes makes my inner muscles contract and I need to feel him inside me.

  I climb onto the chair backwards, straddling his hips, careful that my heels don’t puncture a hole in the leather.

  “You ready?” I ask him.

  He shakes his head.

  Way to go, Dani! I mentally pat myself on the back and give him a moment to recover, the heat level of my sex rising from the view on the television. I see the glisten.

  “Are you ready, now?”

  He nods his head.

  I set the timer, position him and I drop on him, hard and fast using my inner walls to clench his length.

  “Again please,” he begs when the timer dings.

  I put five minutes on the clock and turn around to face him.

  I kiss Bryan, making love to his mouth with the tongue ring still vibrating in my mouth.

  He breaks the kiss, gasping for air.

  I appease his request, but go slow. I want to feel every inch of him inside me.

  The timer dings. I don’t move. Our connection is so much more than the act. The sound of our breathing rivals the soft music coming from the speakers.

  I ease off him and get the new Couple’s Dice out of the box. These have position numbers on one die and location on the other.

  Releasing his wrists, I drop the location die on the floor.

  I look down, then do a provocative dance on my way to the bed.

  The last die falls from my hand. I look down, then cat-crawl onto the mattress.

  I look back at him. Mr. Tall-And-Sexy smiles at me. I give him a questioning eyebrow.

  What are you waiting for?

  ***

  “Want to soak in the tub?” He kisses my shoulder.

  Still catching my breath from that last orgasm, I nod my head. “Mm-hmm.”

  Bryan climbs off the bed, going into the bathroom to turn on the water in the tub. Somewhere after the third time of preventing him from ejaculating, I lost being the one in control. Every man has his limits and I pushed him to his.

  Bryan strolls back into the bedroom. One by one, he pulls my heels off, dropping them to the floor.

  “Hey. Be careful with those. They cost a lot,” I playfully scold him.

  Bryan chuckles and shakes his head, gesturing to the expensive watch on my nightstand. He unhooks the straps of the garter and rolls the stockings down my legs, followed by the garter belt.

  He pulls my arms to sit me up. The tip of his tongue is caught between his teeth as he unwraps the ribbons of the bra and unhooks the front clasp. His penis stirs. I know he can’t be ready for another round that fast. Bryan has a healthy sex drive, which is a plus because with this pregnancy, I’m horny all the time. Just the thought of him makes me wet. I’m not calling uncle anytime soon. And before sunrise, I plan on using the other goodies.

  With expert fingers, he takes off my jewelry.

  I smack his hand in protest when he reaches for my engagement ring.

  “I’m never taking it off.”

  Bryan lifts me off the bed and carries me to the bathroom. With excellent balance, he steps into the tub, lowering us into the hot, soothing, bubbly water as it fills the tub.

  I sit between his legs, leaning back on his chest.

  “I can’t wait for you to be my wife.”

  His words uplift my soul.

  “Kourtney called you daddy.”

  “I’ve been daddy ever since I let them in on my plans. She didn’t ask, she just said it and hasn’t stopped.”

  “I want to adopt Emma.”

  “We can file the paperwork when you’re ready.”

  “My afternoon is light on Tuesday.”

  “Kourt’s a Hawk now,” he says.

  “How do we do it?”

  “We’ll go through the process.”

  We sit in silence, listening to the music playing on the speakers.

  “So you bribed them with a weekend in California huh?” I ask.

  “Yep, you forced me to go big.”

  “Our girls played us, Bry. And I’m sure it was all your daughter’s idea.” I laugh. “I love the rides, but I can’t get on the big ones.”

  “You won’t be getting on any. We’ll go back when the baby is old enough.” He nibbles the spot behind my ear.

  “I’m holding you to it.” I lean my head to the side giving him better acces
s. “Thank you, Bry. Thank you for giving me the best birthday present.” I hold up my hand admiring the sparkle from the diamond in my engagement ring.

  “When do you want to get married? I don’t want to wait until after the baby is here, but I don’t want to rush you either.”

  “I want the four of us to be a family all on the same day.” I run my hands up and down his arms.

  “Your wish is my command.” He begins to roam my body with his hands. “What other little naughty toys do you have hidden?”

  I turn around facing him, a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile on my face. This is my kingdom and I want my throne back. “That’s my secret.”

  Max and I went to lunch last week. I told my friend about the things I’ve read in books and wanted to try. He fell out of his chair laughing. After he picked himself up off the floor, we had a no-holds-barred talk and he helped me plan this special Valentine’s Day gift.

  “When we get out of the tub, I’m using that tongue thing and finger on you,” Bryan promises.

  I open a side compartment near the tub and pull out a waterproof vibrating finger and vibrating rubber duck too. “I so wanted you to pick a high number.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Bryan and I meet at the courthouse Tuesday afternoon to file paperwork and apply for a marriage license.

  I research the seven-day weather forecast for Anaheim, California, and take the girls shopping after school. On our way back to my truck, I see a black SUV parked five stalls down and two men looking our way. A chill fills my body. The need to protect my girls overcomes me and I get them fastened.

  “Hey, baby,” Bryan says, walking up to the truck. “What are you guys doing here?”

  Tony is walking beside him.

  “Pre-trip shopping.” I glance back in the direction of the guys in the SUV.

  They’re gone.

  “Tony, I’m riding home with my girls.”

  “Hey, thanks again for helping me pick out something for my aunt. I can’t believe I forgot her birthday.”

  Bryan walks me to the passenger side, opening the door for me.

  I wait until we get home to try and convince him I’m being followed. When I tell him about the phone calls and the trucks, he tells me to question the other therapists at the hospital to see if they’re receiving prank calls. And he blows off the black truck as me seeing something that isn’t there. SUVs are popular in Boulder, they are the ideal vehicle to tackle the mountain roads, and therefore I’ll notice them more than other cars.