by April Wilson
“Of course I don’t have to. I want to.”
I fall back onto the mattress, groaning as I reach out to stroke her hair while she reduces me to an incoherent mess.
* * *
After my wife makes me see stars and shout to the rafters—something else for Cooper and Sam to rib me about—we take a joint shower, where I return the favor, kneeling before her beneath the spray of hot water, gently licking and sucking on her until her legs are shaking and she comes with a breathy, keening cry.
Seeing to my wife’s needs is my greatest pleasure on Earth. Tasting her, seeing the evidence of what I do to her, hearing her soft whimpers and breathy cries—those are my rewards. As her orgasm reverberates through her, she pulls me up and leans into me, our bodies plastered together beneath the hot water. Her lips tremble as they cling to mine.
While she stands boneless in the water, I grab her shampoo and squirt some into my hands, creating a lather so I can wash her hair. I love the feel of those long, wet strands in my hands.
We take turns washing each other, exploring and teasing each other’s bodies, and eventually rinsing off.
Finally, we dry ourselves off and dress, then head to the kitchen in search of breakfast.
Sam is seated at the breakfast counter plowing through a mound of pancakes. Wearing only a pair of shorts, he looks like he just rolled out of bed, his red hair mussed and his eyes at half-mast.
Cooper is mixing eggs in a glass bowl. “Good morning, sleepyheads,” he says to us, nodding toward the barstools. “Have a seat. Coffee, eggs, and sausage coming right up.”
Beth hops up on the barstool next to Sam and elbows him in the side. “Good morning, studmuffin,” she says, grinning at him.
He practically chokes on a mouthful of food as he reaches for a glass of orange juice. He elbows her back gently. “Good morning, princess. Did you sleep well?”
She blushes. “Yes.”
“I’ll bet you did. We heard you all the way down the hall.”
“You did not!” she cries, swatting at him.
He raises his brow at her. “Did so.”
Cooper stares Sam down. “Don’t embarrass her.”
I head for the Keurig machine to make Beth a cup of her favorite French Vanilla decaf. While her cup is brewing, I watch Cooper out of the corner of my eye as he observes the interaction between Beth and Sam.
To be honest, when Cooper first approached me with the idea of Sam coming to live here in the penthouse with him—with us—I wasn’t sure. I didn’t have any particular objections, but I worried that adding a new person on a permanent basis would change the dynamics of our living arrangement. But then again, adding Beth to our living arrangement had changed things, too, for the better. Cooper had someone to dote on finally, which satisfied his need to nurture. And since he’d become Beth’s adopted father, more or less, I worried that Beth might feel slighted if Sam moved in with us and Cooper’s attention was diverted from her to his lover.
When I initially asked Beth what she thought of the idea, she’d immediately given it her full endorsement. “Oh, my God, yes! That would be awesome,” she’d said, practically jumping up and down in her excitement. “Our family is growing!”
Now I realize she was exactly right. Sam is part of our family, just as much as Cooper is.
When Beth’s coffee is ready, I set it on the counter in front of her. “Sam, how about you?” I say, glancing at the empty coffee mug in front of him. “Want a refill?”
“Sure, thanks,” he says, handing me his cup.
I make him a cup, then one for myself.
Cooper plates up eggs and sausage for everyone, while I retrieve the toast. I take the empty barstool beside Beth, and Cooper eats standing at the counter, facing the three of us.
“I love the four of us together like this,” Beth says, smiling contentedly.
“Soon to be five,” Sam says, hopping off his seat. He pats Beth’s belly. “Don’t forget about my little namesake—shoot, what is he to me?” Sam looks at Cooper, considering. Then he starts laughing. “If you’re essentially Luke’s grandpa, what in the hell does that make me?”
* * *
After we eat, Beth and I head back to our suite to brush our teeth and collect our overnight baggage. We’re not bringing much—just one large duffle bag that we share and a toiletries bag.
“How’s your back feeling?” I ask her, as she collects the last few items she needs from the bathroom.
She sighs, reaching around to lay a hand on her lower back. “It still aches. I might have pulled a muscle last night.”
“And that would be my fault. What about the contractions? Still feeling them?”
She frowns. “Not really. I think they stopped.”
“Good.”
Once we have what we need, we head out to the great room. Lia and Jonah are there waiting for us, their bags in the foyer.
“Ready for a road trip?” Lia says, offering Beth an eager fist bump.
“You bet,” she says.
“We’re as ready as we’ll ever be,” I say, trying to suppress my own misgivings about this outing, which I keep to myself as I don’t want to spoil this for Beth. I’m sure everything will be fine.
Cooper comes out of the kitchen drying his hands on a towel. He tosses the towel onto his shoulder and props his hands on his hips, eyeing us critically. I know he’s still not happy about this trip.
Sam comes up behind Cooper and puts his hands on Cooper’s shoulders, squeezing them. “Looks like you and I get the whole place to ourselves for the weekend.”
Cooper smiles, looking a bit self-conscious, and I have to give Sam credit for skillfully defusing the situation.
I step forward and offer my hand to Cooper, and we shake. “Hold down the fort while we’re gone, okay?”
Cooper nods, eyeing me with his steely gaze. “You take damn good care of our girl.”
Our girl. That makes me smile. I squeeze his hand. “I will. I promise.”
He nods, then releases my hand.
“Oh, puh-lease!” Lia says. “We’re going to Harbor Springs, not the ends of the Earth. Can we stop with all the drama? And what about me? Who’s going to take care of me?”
“I will, babe,” Jonah says, laughing as he hooks his arm around Lia’s neck and pulls her close. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you.”
Lia rolls her eyes as she heads for the foyer, Jonah close on her heels. “You’d better.”
Sam hugs Beth and kisses the top of her head. “Be safe, okay?” he says. “Remember to use the buddy system. Don’t wander off anywhere alone.”
She laughs at him, returning his hug. “I will.”
I pick up our bags and steer Beth toward the elevator where Lia and Jonah are waiting. Down in the parking garage, we load our gear into one of the Escalades. Lia sits in the back with Beth, and Jonah and I climb into the front seats.
“Let the road trip begin,” Lia says.
I glance into the rearview mirror and see the small smile on Beth’s face.
Here’s hoping for a quiet, uneventful weekend.
Chapter 8
Beth
As we head north on Lake Shore Drive, skirting along the edge of Lake Michigan, I lean back in my seat and sigh with pleasure, feeling the effects of weeks of cabin fever slowly eek out of me. My gaze is locked beyond my window as we speed along the freeway. The sky is a clear, bright blue, punctuated with white clouds, and the lake is calm today, stretching out as far as the eye can see. Sailboats in a multitude of shapes and sizes skim across the horizon as if they’re racing the sun. Massive yachts churn effortlessly through the water as they head for destinations unknown. We pass several beaches filled with tourists and locals alike sunbathing on the sand and frolicking in the surf.
Once we leave the city skyline behind us, any lingering stress melts away. I’m so looking forward to a night at the cabin, just the four of us sequestered away in the woods. We can relax, grill out on the back deck, and maybe watch a
movie tonight.
I shift in my seat in an attempt to get more comfortable. My back still aches, and sitting in a moving vehicle isn’t helping. The baby kicks, and I rub my belly, wondering if he can feel me. I love to feel him moving—it means he’s okay. When he goes silent, when he naps, I worry. I know he has to sleep sometime, but I can’t help feeling reassured when he’s active. Just six more weeks and I’ll be able to hold him in my arms.
“Baby moved?” Lia says, her voice low.
There’s a small smile on her face as she watches me. She tries to act nonchalant, but I have a sneaking suspicion Lia is looking forward to becoming an aunt. As if on cue, Lucas rolls once more, making my abdomen ripple. “He’s doing somersaults.”
She lays her hand on my belly. “Can I feel?”
I reposition her hand and press it against me. “Of course you can. He’s right here.”
Sure enough, the baby rolls again, this time kicking my bladder, making me jump with the force of it. The little guy sure is strong. He does it again. “Ow!” At Lia’s questioning look, I explain. “He kicked my bladder. Twice.”
Lia shakes her head. “That’s just too weird. I don’t think I could ever do that.”
“Do what?”
“Be pregnant.”
“Sure you could. If you wanted to.” I lower my voice so that it doesn’t carry to the front seat. “Do you guys want kids? Have you talked about it?”
Lia shakes her head. “Not really. He’s brought it up a couple of times, but I always change the subject. I mean, we’re not even married, right? Anyway, I don’t think I’d make a good mother. I’m far too impatient.”
I feel a pain deep in my chest at her quiet remark. She’s not being snarky this time. It’s an honest self-assessment, and it makes me sad to think she feels that way. “Lia.” I squeeze her hand. “You’d be a fierce and wonderful mother. You and Jonah would both be fantastic parents.”
She shrugs again, trying to appear unaffected, but her lips turn up in a small smile.
We pass Old Town, and then the exit to Lincoln Park Zoo. I have such fond memories of Mom and Tyler taking me to the zoo when I was young. I can’t wait until Lucas is old enough to go on family outings.
I relax in my seat and watch the cyclists making their way along the Lakefront Trail, with the lake as their backdrop. Then my eyes migrate to the front seat, to the back of Shane’s head, and I feel a surge of emotion run through me, making me shiver. How did I ever get so lucky?
The farther north we go, concrete and steel give way to green landscape. Shane eventually exits the highway for a smaller thoroughfare, and the landscape becomes more rural, trees replacing houses, pastures and horses far outnumbering other signs of human habitation. We pass a few small towns.
“How much farther is it?” I ask. My bladder feels like it’s about to burst. One of the downsides of being pregnant is an almost constant need to pee.
“About forty-five more minutes,” he answers, meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror. “Are you doing okay?”
I shrug. “I’m fine, but my bladder’s about to explode.”
He chuckles. “I guess that means we need to make a stop.”
Reluctantly, I nod. I hate being a party pooper, but if Luke sends one more well-aimed kick to my bladder, I’ll wet myself. “Yes, please.”
“Not a problem,” Shane says, laughing. He turns left, off the main road, and follows the signs to a small town about five miles to the west.
When we reach the center of the town, which doesn’t amount to more than four blocks of two-story buildings dating back more than a century, my hopes sink as there don’t seem to be any recognizable places to stop.
“This looks like our best bet,” Shane says, as he pulls into the parking lot of a small gas station and convenience store. He pulls the Escalade up to an available gas pump. “I might as well fill up the tank since we’re here.”
I grab my purse, open my door, and hop out. “I’ll be right back!” I call as I jog across the pavement toward the store’s front entrance.
I hear the other car doors open behind me, then Shane’s voice.
“Go with her, Lia,” he says.
“I know,” Lia says, following after me.
An elderly man holds the door for me as I dash inside. It’s a typical convenience store, shelves filled with everything from chips to candy bars to nuts to batteries and motor oil. There’s a small line of customers waiting to pay at the check-out counter. I’m tempted by the self-serve coffee station, but first things first. I need the restroom.
I ask one of the young men standing behind the check-out counter where the restrooms are.
“Through that door,” he says, pointing to the back of the store. “Then turn left. It’s the first door on the left. You can’t miss it.”
As I head toward the back of the store, Lia falls into step beside me.
“Slow down, princess. Where’s the fire?”
“I’ve got to go!” I say, pushing through a swinging door that leads to a large storeroom filled with mountains of boxes, a worktable, and a fridge that looks like it has seen better days. Just as the guy said, there’s a door immediately to the left marked RESTROOM. I head straight for it, relieved to find it unlocked. I yank open the door and step inside the rather squalid, single toilet room. Doesn’t anyone ever clean in here? But beggars can’t be choosers, and I’m just grateful they have a restroom.
Lia pokes her head inside the bathroom, making a quick visual sweep. “I’ll wait out here.”
I close the door, not bothering to lock it as I know Lia will plant herself outside the door like a guard dog. Thank goodness there’s a hook on the back of the door where I can hang my purse because there’s no where else to put it.
Just as I’m done emptying my bladder and reaching for the toilet paper, I hear a series of sharp pops. Three more cracks in rapid succession come from the front of the store, followed immediately by frantic shouts and screams. My heart leaps into my throat as I stand and put my clothes to rights.
The restroom door crashes open, hitting the back wall with a jarring clang, making me jump. Lia steps into the room and flips off the light, casting us in near darkness. She grabs my hand in a vice grip and pulls me out of the room. “Follow me, and don’t make a fucking sound!” she grates.
“What’s going on?” I whisper.
“Those were gunshots.”
My heart kicks painfully in my chest. “What!”
“Quiet!” I can barely make out her movements in the dark as she reaches behind her back and pulls out a handgun from the waistband of her jeans. I hear the click of the safety as she disengages it.
“Stay close,” she says, pulling me along behind her.
Chapter 9
Shane
Standing beside the Escalade, getting ready to pump gas, my gaze follows the girls as they disappear inside the convenience store. I have to fight the urge to accompany Beth inside, but I know full well she’s in good hands with Lia.
The convenience store is located at one end of a downtown block. Most of these old buildings have been turned into cafes, antiques shops, and clothing boutiques. Who knows what the two-story building that now houses a convenience store and gas station used to be? On the other side of the convenience store is an Italian restaurant with quaint red-and-white checkered curtains hanging in the windows.
I check my watch, making mental note of the time. I’ll give them ten minutes. If they’re not out by then, I’ll go in.
“Relax,” Jonah says, grinning at me from across the hood of the Escalade. “She’s fine.”
I smile, feeling a bit chagrined to be caught fretting over my wife. I can’t help it, though. Beth brings out my protective instincts. And the fact that she’s nearly eight months pregnant with our child only makes it that much worse. I don’t just have one person to worry about now; I have two.
The gas pump shuts off when the tank is full, and I return the nozzle to its cradle. The peac
e and quiet of this Saturday morning is shattered by the unmistakable report of three handgun shots in rapid succession. My gaze snaps to the front of the convenience store, and through the front windows I can see a figure dressed in black sweats and a hoodie pointing a handgun at the two young men behind the counter. A second figure, also dressed in black, blocks the doors, holding off a crowd of frantic shoppers at gun point. He raises his handgun and fires three times at the ceiling.
My heart slams into my ribs, throwing me instantly into high alert. I pull my Glock from the back waistband of my jeans and grip the handle with white knuckles.
Jonah’s halfway across the parking lot, running toward the store.
“Jonah!” I yell. “Get back here!”
He turns, confusion clouding his expression. “That sounded like gunshots!”
“Get back here. It’s a robbery.”
I watch in horror as one of the gunmen lines up the hostages along the glass front, using them as human shields. The fucking cowards. Three men, four women, and one child are visible through the windows, their hands pressed flat on the glass, their faces shell shocked. My heart in my throat, I scan those frightened faces, searching for Beth and Lia, but they’re not among them. I don’t know whether to be relieved or scared out of my mind.
I pull out my phone and dial 911, giving the operator a succinct description of the situation. “Two perpetrators are robbing the convenience store at 126 Main Street at gunpoint. Shots fired. No word on casualties. At least eight hostages that I can see through the glass storefront, possibly more.”
I check the magazine in my gun, popping it out and back in.
Jonah grabs my arm, looking as frantic as I feel. “What do we do?”
“Nothing yet. We need to figure out exactly where the girls are before we can help them.”
Reality sinks in, and my blood pressure spikes through the roof. There’s a deafening roar in my ears. I lean back against the driver’s door, my chest heaving. My heart is pounding so hard I’m having trouble thinking straight. Honest to God, I’ve never been so scared in my entire life. I can’t bear the thought of Beth and Lia being in there. And I have no idea of their status. I don’t know if they’re hurt or not.