“Enough,” Al spoke, cutting her off. His tone was neutral, but it had his kids standing at attention. “This is not the time to have this discussion again. Clyde, Gretchen, leave like your mother told you. I don’t want to hear another word from you.”
I received evil eyes again before Gretchen and Clyde left the room and slammed the front door behind them.
“I’m sorry, Clara.” Teresa spoke with her head high, but I saw the shame there – she was embarrassed by her children. “I love my kids, but they have taken the news about Abby hard. Lashing out has been the only way they handle it.” Her hands shook as she took a sip of her coffee and set it down on the coffee table. “Abby’s disappearance has been a big issue in our family since it happened. People were blaming others… It’s been difficult. I’m just happy we finally know what happened to her, and we can move on.”
My heart softened for her even more. “It’s okay. I understand.”
Oliver strode back to the couch and sat down again. Bella had curled against his chest and had fallen asleep while sucking her thumb. His expression held pain and joy as he studied me. “Thank you for letting us see her,” he whispered. “You have no idea how happy…” Sorrow flashed over his face as his words trailed off. He choked back another sob.
I nodded to him. “I do know. I was the same way when I saw her. It’s bittersweet. Our situations are different, I know, but the first time I saw her…”
“Love at first sight,” he finished, giving me a watery smile.
“Yes.”
“What are your plans with Bella?” Al asked.
I blinked at him, surprised by the phrasing of his question. “Well, the will stipulated that I raise Bella in Bliss. Galen is my lawyer.” I nodded to Galen. “He told me that there was no way to contest it. I decided not to fight that aspect, and, as you can see, I’ve moved to Bliss from Chicago. I plan to raise her here as they wanted.” I smiled a bit. “Even though I was reluctant at first, Bliss is a beautiful place to raise her.”
“You brought your lawyer into this?” Al barked, outraged. Teresa’s grasp on his arm was the only thing keeping him seated.
I held out my hands to calm him. “No, you’ve got it wrong. Galen is my surrogate father, as well as my lawyer. He raised me after my parents died, and we are very close. He came here from Chicago to spend Christmas with us. He’s here to meet you, just like we are. Nothing less, nothing more.”
Al seemed a bit calmer by the time I was done, but he was definitely wary – he appraised me with shrewd eyes. “If you moved here recently – and by the way you and this young man act,” he pointed to Grey, “I take it you two are in a relationship but aren’t married – how do you plan to provide for Bella and yourself? How can you provide her a good life if you are constantly at work, trying to survive?”
Had we gone back to the 1920’s or something? And when did my relationship status with Grey become a topic?
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Many women work full time and take care of their children by themselves.”
“But this is my granddaughter.”
“Al,” Teresa warned, scowling. “Stop.”
“I want to make sure Bella won’t be neglected,” he argued.
“My family and I can vouch for Clara,” Grey growled, his body rigid. “She would never neglect Bella. She treats her as if she’s her daughter.”
“I can attest to that, as well,” Galen added.
I held my hands up at everyone again, stopping things before they escalated. “I get it. I do. What’s important here is Bella’s wellbeing. And I understand that you are concerned for her.” I stared Al down. “I love that little girl with everything in me, and I am lucky that I have her.” I let that hang there for a minute before I continued. “But I am also lucky that I am financially independent. I have the means to take care of every need she has, now and in the future, without any help. As of right now, my only priority is Bella. I might find a job to fill my days when she’s older. I don’t know. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. But you will never bring my relationship with Grey into this. He loves Bella just as much as I do, and the way you are speaking about what’s going on between us is demeaning. I will not stand for it.”
“Dad, lay off of them,” Oliver interjected, rolling his eyes.
Al pressed his lips together and jerked his head in acquiescence.
Teresa ignored her husband and smiled at me. “I’m happy to know that Bella will be well cared for. I can tell you love her very much.”
“Thank you, Teresa,” I murmured, flashing her a thankful smile.
“What about us?” Oliver questioned, glancing between his mother and me. “We live so far away…”
I had thought about this since my first conversation with Teresa, so I had an answer. “I have no intentions of keeping her from you. I am more than happy to have you whenever you want to visit. Since I am free of other responsibilities, I can also travel to you as often as I can. Once she’s older, she can come visit you by herself. I want her to know her family. All of her family.”
Teresa’s eyes brightened with tears, but Oliver was the one that spoke. Still, he was choked up and could barely get the words out. “Thank you, Clara. That…that means a lot to us.”
“I want Bella’s life full of love, and if you can help provide that, I’ll do whatever I can to make this process easy,” I explained.
“We want that, too,” Teresa whispered. “So much.” She took in a deep breath. “Tell me about her. About Bella. I want to know everything.”
Oliver gave a nod, agreeing with his mother.
We sat and talked for about another hour. Al was still standoffish, but Oliver and Teresa became friendlier as I told them everything I could think of about Bella. When I was done, they chatted with us about their lives back home.
Oliver was a CPA in Indianapolis, but was single with no prospects. Grey, Oliver, and Galen seemed to have hit it off after the emotions calmed down. I liked him so far. He seemed like he had a kind soul. Teresa had been a housewife since Al and she were married, almost forty years before – she was only eighteen at the time. She told us that they owned a large, lucrative farm outside of Indianapolis. We found out that Gretchen and Clyde were married, and that they were the ones with the children – Clyde had three boys and Gretchen had a boy and a girl. Clyde and Gretchen helped their father with his business.
They gave us a bit of insight on Abby (or Stacy). She was diagnosed with depression and a severe case of bipolar disorder when she was younger, and it had been a struggle up until she left. Apparently, Clyde and Gretchen had a harder time with Abby and resented their parents and Oliver for how much attention they’d shown Abby (Oliver was mighty chatty). It had been an ongoing family feud for years.
Because they planned to be in town until after the first of the year, they wanted to spend as much time with Bella as they could before they left. I was fine with this. I just didn’t want any more run-ins with Clyde or Gretchen. Teresa promised to speak with them to calm them down. Hopefully, it would work. I didn’t think Grey, nor Galen, would take it well if we had more scenes like that. I didn’t see good scenarios playing out if that were the case.
The Montgomery’s finally left after making plans for dinner. They didn’t want to overstay their welcome it seemed, and I was emotionally exhausted. The highs and lows of their visit hit me like a freight train. We promised to meet them at The Ridge later in the evening with Grey’s family. I thought it was best that they saw how much Bella was loved here.
As the door closed behind them, I sagged against it. Grey stood in front of me with his hands in his pockets, looking thoughtful. “You okay?” he asked.
“I can’t answer that truthfully just yet. I’m exhausted.”
“Come here.” He held out his arms for me, and I willingly walked into them.
I rested my head against his chest and let his comforting presence roll over me. Closing my eyes, I sighed. “Thanks for being here with m
e. I couldn’t have done that alone.”
“I’m sorry you had to do it in the first place.”
“Clara? Grey?” Galen stood at the end of the hall, holding Bella. “Come in here for a minute.”
I gave him a questioning look, but decided to go with it. Grey and I sat on the couch while Galen paced in front of the fire place.
“What’s wrong?” Grey asked.
“I don’t like those people,” Galen declared, storms waging in his eyes.
I laughed softly. “I didn’t much care for Gretchen, Clyde, or Al.” I chewed on my lower lip, wondering what the story was with them. Were they normally such assholes? “Teresa and Oliver were different, though.”
“I agree,” Grey offered. “It’s strange. Teresa has this natural ease about her that Oliver seemed to inherit. The other two took after their father – they’re jackasses.”
Galen nodded, but something else was off.
“What is it, Galen?” I inquired, concerned.
Galen stopped and stared down at me, his forehead creased. “I don’t know… I just don’t like them.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’ll be fine. Hopefully, it’ll die down once they get to know us. After all, we are all going to be in each other’s lives for…well…forever.” God, the thought of having to deal with Gretchen and Clyde forever was enough to make my skin crawl.
“I hope you’re right, Clara. I hope you are right,” Galen stated softly.
Chapter 26
Grey
“Christ, Clara,” I growled as she took me in deeper. The scorching heat of her mouth was almost unbearable, and I was close to losing it.
She’d woken me this morning with her mouth and hands. She worked her way down my chest and stomach brazenly, reacquainting herself with every inch, though she knew it well enough already, as she tasted and teased me.
Clara had let all hang-ups fall away when it came to sex, and she’d taken to it like a woman possessed. She was almost insatiable, but I was always up for the challenge. I had helped guide her through it, showing her what to do and what not to do. And she was an excellent pupil, never ceasing to amaze me.
The seductive twirl of her tongue was it for me, and I hauled her up and over me. I fisted my cock and guided her hips, helping her take me inside. She was already wet, saturated, so the glide was smooth, blissful.
“Fuck,” I hissed.
She threw her head back and moaned my name as she engulfed me. Watching her was awe-inspiring. Her long hair fell over her shoulders and down her breasts, her nipples peeking through the strands. The color of her eyes, the exquisite curves of her body…she reminded me of a Greek goddess.
She was breathtaking.
And mine.
Her movements were slow but determined as she gyrated against me. I gripped her ass and met each grind with my own. I craved hearing her husky sighs and moans, and she was letting them go eagerly. They increased as she rode me faster, harder.
“That’s it, darlin’. God, you’re fuckin’ sexy when you lose control like this,” I whispered, my words broken as she drove me insane.
Clara leaned forward and placed her hands on my chest, rotating her hips in wide circles. Her eyes were playful and heated as she gazed into mine. There was a sexy smirk curved on her lips, too. I loved her friskiness when we made love. It proved that she’d shed her inhibitions and could just enjoy, have fun when we were like this.
I reached up and kneaded her breasts, wiping that smirk off her face, changing it to one of pleasure. I ran my thumb over her nipples, pinching them lightly. Her mouth found mine as we swallowed one another’s moans. Our tongues danced together, but it still wasn’t enough.
She let out a small cry as I flipped her over, careful never to leave her body. I rested back on my hunches and hooked her legs over each arm, driving forward as I tugged her to me. My strokes were long, powerful. Her head tipped back and her back arched as she mewled.
“That’s it, darlin’. Let me hear you,” I growled as I watched and felt. Being inside of her was my personal nirvana.
“Harder, Grey,” she begged. “Please, harder.”
She didn’t have to ask me twice.
I started pumping into her with vigor. I threw one of her legs over my shoulder and discovered her breasts again. I massaged each one, taking turns, then tweaked each nipple. Her body responded beautifully, her inner muscles gripping me tighter. I knew she was about to peak soon; I could feel it.
“Yes, yes,” she chanted, her voice throaty, rough.
I increased my pace, pounding her, not able to help it. The more she clenched, the crazier I became. I was lost, my thoughts scattered. All I could concentrate on was her beauty wrapped around me and those gorgeous sounds she emitted.
Finally, finally, she cried out and sailed over the cliff. I tunneled into her as fast as I could, wanting to follow her – I’d go anywhere as long as she was there. My orgasm hit hard after a few strokes, leaving me weak. It was like a vortex, spinning and spinning, and I was gone, mind blank.
Clara’s heavy breathing fanned my neck and her legs and arms were wrapped around me as I came to. “Sorry. I’m probably crushin’ you.” I attempted to roll off of her, but she squeezed me to her.
“No. Not yet. I like feeling your weight on me,” she whispered. “It’s soothing.”
I put some weight on my forearm and leaned back a bit to study her. She smiled lazily at me and moaned.
“Good morning.”
I laughed quietly. “That was a very good mornin’.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “I’ve missed you.”
I kissed her softly, fusing our mouths together. I poured my want, the passion I had for her, into it. This woman owned my soul…every part of me.
When I finally ended our kiss, we were both breathing heavy again. “I missed you, too.” I rolled off of her but took her with me. I tucked her against my side and stared at the ceiling. As I played with her hair, I let out a long yawn.
“I’m exhausted,” I told her.
“Me too,” she softly agreed.
The last week had been insane. Clara had been with Mom, Teresa, and Oliver most of the time, getting to know one another. I’d been busy with Galen when I wasn’t working, showing him around Bliss and Asheville, per his request. Galen had grown on me, that was for sure, but Clara and I had been pulled in two different directions, no matter what we did or what was happening. When we finally made it back to her place, Galen would be around or we were both so exhausted all we did was fall into bed together.
I had the chance of seeing the Montgomery’s a few times. We had a small party at the house on New Year Eve and a couple of uncomfortable meals. Gretchen and Clyde had changed their tune and were somewhat friendly, in their stuck-up way. They apologized for their behavior and explained that they were just upset about their sister’s death.
It was understandable…to an extent. Still, I did not like them. It wasn’t over their initial treatment of Clara, either. It was because they showed absolutely no interest in Bella. Not once did they hold or play with her. They were completely impassive. I had no idea why they’d want to be on this trip if they didn’t care. It boggled my mind.
Oliver and Teresa were a different story. Wherever Bella was, they were there. All the time. They were using every moment to the fullest, cherishing their time with her. My family and Clara got along amazingly with them, too. I saw the two of them being very important fixtures in Bella’s life. That, at least, was a great development.
With everything going on, it had been crazy, and I was more than ready for everyone to leave so that Clara and I could get back to our normal lives. Thankfully, that was today. We were meeting the Montgomery’s at the B&B to have breakfast before they caught a flight home.
Galen was sticking around through the weekend, then he was heading back to Chicago. I wasn’t worried about him, though. He wasn’t that much of an interruption. Now that he’d explored the area, he was working in his room or
spending time with Shelley.
The alarm blared next to the bed, taking me away from my thoughts. I reached over and shut it off while letting out a groan. “I guess we better get up.”
“Yeah.” Clara didn’t sound all that excited either. “Can we lay here for five more minutes?” She rubbed her face against my chest like a cat.
I kissed her hair. “We can spare five minutes.” The words had barely left my mouth when Bella’s cries reverberated through the room. This time Clara and I groaned together. “Guess not,” I muttered. I kissed her again, then rolled out of bed. I shoved my legs into my discarded pajama pants and headed for the door. Clara was pulling on her robe as I said, “I’ll take care of Bella and start the coffee while you get dressed.”
“You don’t have to do that, Grey.” She was smiling, though.
I knew she liked that I did things like this for her, and in all honesty, I liked doing them. I felt like we were a family. If you had said I’d be here six months ago, I would have laughed in your face. However, this felt natural…right.
“Don’t worry about it, darlin’. After you’re done, I can get dressed.”
“Okay. Thanks, honey.”
I gave her a small smile and strolled down the hall. When I arrived in Bella’s room, her cries had stopped. As I leaned over her crib, I saw that she had both her feet in hand as she squirmed in her bed.
“Hey there, princess. You sleep all right?” Her garbled noises made me laugh as I picked her up. She let go of her feet and made a grab for me. “You hungry, sweet thing?”
I took her to the kitchen after changing her diaper and made her a bottle. I put her in her swing and let her eat while she watched cartoons. Once she was settled and happy, I got Clara and I set up with a cup of coffee.
Galen was coming down the stairs, fully dressed for the day, as I finished doctoring Clara’s mug. “Morning,” he called out.
“Mornin’, Galen.”
“Ready to deal with the family from hell this morning?”
Finding Bliss (Bliss #1) Page 39