Love Undiscovered (Love in San Soloman Book 2)

by Denise Wells

  I laugh even as a wave of exhaustion washes over me. And I know that I’ve been talking too much. Doing too much. Audrey must see it on my face. “We’re gonna go. I’ll let everyone else know that you’re doing okay.”

  “Thank you, Audrey,” Remi says with a yawn. I have a feeling the day is catching up to her as well.

  My sisters leave the room, closing the door softly behind them.

  “I should go too,” Remi says trying to push herself up.

  “You aren’t going anywhere, woman. I’ve finally got you back in my arms, I’m not letting go now. Stay with me. Please.”

  She snuggles farther into my side and swings one leg over mine. I’m happy she’s on the side that wasn’t shot.

  “I love you, Remi.”

  “I love you, Chance.”

  I put the mask back over my face, close my eyes, and listen as Remi’s breathing evens, until I’m certain she’s fallen asleep.

  Then, feeling at peace for the first time in days, I do the same.

  Epilogue

  Chance – Six Weeks Later

  My family has a barbecue planned for today to celebrate my ‘graduation’ from the wheelchair to crutches. My leg has been healing nicely, and faster than the doctor predicted. I’ve followed all of his instructions, for the most part. We did start having sex sooner than I should have. But when you are in love with a woman like Remi, you can’t help yourself. Or at least, I can’t help myself.

  She practically forced me to move in with her after I was released from the hospital. I’ll admit, it didn’t take a lot of convincing. One, because I am head over heels gone for this girl. And two, because my apartment is upstairs, with no elevator. So getting to it was near impossible. Her house is a one-story mid-century rambler on a large lot with a fenced yard, and Hudson loves it. I deprived him of a decent yard for too long.

  Plus, her house feels like home. I mean, I think anywhere I was living with Remi would feel like home, but it’s also just comfortable here. It’s not too knick-knacky or refined and the furniture is big and cushy, made for sitting in. For as particular, and dare I say uptight, as she is about everything else, her house is all relaxation. I can even put my feet on the coffee table. Well, as long as I don’t have shoes on. And not just because I can’t bend one of my legs and it has to remain slightly elevated. She puts her feet up on it too.

  Remi comes down the hallway to the living room, connecting a back to one of her earrings. She looks incredible, as usual. Today she’s ‘casual’ in a tank style jumpsuit that is fitted on the top and cuts in at the waist, then a little loose at the hips and legs. My girl knows how to dress for her curves, that’s for sure.

  “You look amazing, beautiful,” I say. She looks up, eyes wide, then her face breaks into a smile. Even after a few months, she’s still not used to a compliment.

  She comes toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck, I balance on my crutches and place my hands on her hips. Which makes me think of earlier when she was riding me. Head thrown back, eyes closed, mouth open, tits bouncing, screaming my name through her third orgasm. Turns out she likes to be on top.

  I still can’t do much pummeling with my leg in a cast, so it works great for me. Though I can’t wait until I can be in control of the fucking again. Taking her from behind. That luscious round ass tilted up in the air, her head hung low, tits swaying back and forth, pounding into her until she cries out my name and can’t remember her own.

  “Well, someone is at attention,” she says referring to my hardening cock, then kissing me lightly on the lips.

  “I was thinking about this morning,” I say. Her gaze turns hot and her face flushes slightly.

  “This morning was amazing,” she says slightly breathless.

  I nuzzle her neck. “Then I was thinking about when I finally get to fuck you from behind again.”

  “You were behind me the other day,” she says, referring to when we laid on our sides.

  “I want you on your knees.” I bite down lightly on her earlobe.

  “Oh,” she says, her body shivering.

  God, this woman. I can’t believe she’s mine.

  “Only me?” I ask. Still not able to fully comprehend that such an incredible creature, such a sexual being, didn’t orgasm at the hands of another before me.

  “Only you,” she says.

  I capture her lips with mine and quickly deepen the kiss. Not caring that I’ll probably mess up her lipstick and end up with a faint red stain around my lips. She slows the kiss, then pulls away, slowly opening her eyes.

  “What was that for?” she asks.

  “Because I love you,” I say, kissing her on the tip of her nose.

  “You know, I thought it would annoy me, you saying that all the time. But it doesn’t. I kind of like it.”

  I laugh. “I’m glad.”

  “Hey, it works,” she says, running her thumb under my bottom lip.

  “What works?”

  “New lipstick. Long last, smudge proof. There’s nothing on you. Is it smeared on me?”

  I inspect her lips. “Still intact, you look flawless.”

  She smiles big. “You ready to go?”

  “Lead the way,” I say, motioning with my crutch toward the door.

  “You just want to watch my ass when I walk away,” she says.

  “Every day, baby. Every fucking day.”

  We arrive at the BBQ a little late. Remi is still getting used to driving the rental car and takes it slow. It’s a little crossover SUV we had to rent since I can’t fit my casted leg into her little vintage Porsche. Truth be told, I’d much rather have her driving something larger, with more metal protection around her. But she loves her car.

  I had a service driving me around for a while when I was in the wheelchair, but they don’t provide it any longer now that I’ve transitioned to crutches. I hate that Remi has to drive me everywhere. Which makes getting to drive myself again another thing I can’t wait for.

  I’m living at her house, waiting for her to drive me places, and only making sixty percent of my previous pay, thanks to disability. It doesn’t get more emasculating than that. I try to make up for it by giving her as many orgasms as possible. Even if she doesn’t appreciate it, which I’m pretty sure she does. It helps to make me still feel like a man. I never would have thought losing the use of a limb, temporary though it may be, would have such an impact on my self-confidence. But it does.

  We pull up outside my parents’ house. Remi shuts off the car and turns to me. “Do you need help getting out?”

  “Pfft, no. I got this,” I say.

  “Good,” she says. She gets out of the car and turns back to me before shutting the door. “Because I think I’m pregnant. And I’m freaking the fuck out. Audrey brought a pregnancy test with her today, I’m going to take it here at your parents’ house.”

  She shuts the car door and strolls up the front walk toward the door. Audrey and Eliza were obviously waiting by the front door because it opens before she even reaches the stoop, and they quickly usher her in.

  What the fuck?

  I knocked my girl up?

  She’s pregnant?

  Fuck, yes!

  I’m the man!

  My leg may be weak, but my swimmers are strong.

  Remi is mine. All mine. And soon she’ll be swelling with my baby and everyone will see my mark on her.

  I punch my right fist in the air in victory, hitting the ceiling of the car. Which would hurt, except I’m way too pumped about Remi’s news.

  Pregnant.

  I bungle my way out of the car with my crutches and head toward the house. Feeling full of manly testosterone and all sorts of other anti-emasculating things.

  Yeah. I’m the fucking man.

  Remi

  Audrey, Eliza, and I squeeze into the upstairs guest bathroom. The same one that Chance got me off in one of the first times I was here. I remember it feeling so strange that day. Trying to fit into this family and understan
d their close dynamic. Now it’s natural, because they feel like they are my family too.

  “Okay,” Audrey says. “We each got a different one so we can be sure. Use as many as you need.” Audrey and Eliza both hand me their boxes. I sit down on the closed toilet seat and open each with trembling hands. I never would have thought the day would come that I would be taking a pregnancy test.

  “You know,” I say. “I’m not even sure I want kids. I mean, I’ve never thought about it before. I didn’t even really want a relationship a few months ago. Now I’ve got this guy living with me and I might be pregnant with his baby. Don’t you think that’s a little fast?”

  “Nope,” both Audrey and Eliza say simultaneously.

  “We Bauers have always moved fast in love,” Eliza says. “I knew Nate was the one after our first date.”

  “It wasn’t that fast for me with Mike,” Audrey says. “And I’ll tell you, Remi, you may feel like you have doubts, but there is no doubt in anyone else’s mind how much you love my brother. It’s all over your face when you’re with him.”

  “But, that doesn’t mean we should have a baby,” I say.

  “Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t,” Eliza says.

  “Fine,” I say. I open a test from each box and set them out on the bathroom counter. I stand and lift the toilet seat, then turn, gesturing for one of them to unzip my jumpsuit in the back.

  “It’s a good thing nudity doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” I say to them as I peel my underwear down with the jumpsuit and sit back down on the toilet.

  “Okay,” Audrey says. “With each one, you have to hold it under the stream for a few seconds, so make sure you stop going in the middle then start again with the second test.”

  I nod my head and grab the first test, and wait.

  “God, your breasts are fantastic,” Eliza says. “Breastfeeding is going to ruin them.”

  My hands go up to my breasts instinctively and cup them. The first test still in my right hand.

  “Shit, I didn’t even think about what it’s going to do to my body. I can’t do this. I have a hard enough time with my weight as it is!” I say.

  “Are you kidding me? You have such an amazing body,” Audrey says.

  “Says the tall, willowy model with no muffin top,” I say sourly.

  “Right?” Eliza says in my defense.

  Audrey waves her hand at us in dismissal. “Can you pee?” she asks.

  I nod and concentrate, do my thing with each test stick, re-dress, wash my hands and wait the requisite three minutes.

  “Where do your parents think we are?” I ask.

  “Dad won’t notice we’re gone,” Eliza says.

  “And Mom thinks we’re getting your opinion on maternity fashion,” Audrey says.

  “Charlie wasn’t here yet, so she doesn’t matter,” Eliza says.

  The timer Audrey set on her phone goes off. We all look at each other.

  “I think I’m going to be sick,” I say, bending over to put my head between my knees.

  “Oh, that’s definitely a sign,” Audrey says clapping her hands.

  “What do they say?” I ask, still bent over. Part of me wishes I was doing this with Kat and Lexie. But I’ve grown close to Audrey and Eliza over the last couple months, and I definitely appreciate them being here. I don’t think I could do this alone. I’m not sure what I want. I’m hoping the results will tell me what I want.

  Like, if I’m pregnant and I’m happy about it, then I’ll know having a baby is the right choice. Although I guess if I’m not pregnant and I’m sad about it, that is the same thing.

  So, what if I’m pregnant and I’m sad about it? Do I abort? Does Chance get a say either way? Does his family?

  Fuck.

  I wish I knew what I wanted.

  “Ready?” Eliza asks.

  “Ah! Yes. No. Yes,” I say.

  “Pregnant!” Audrey and Eliza both say at the same time.

  Chance

  My dad and Mike have to help me bounce on one leg up the stairs to get to Remi. According to Audrey, she fainted in the guest bathroom and hit her head on the sink.

  “What were you all doing in the same bathroom anyway?” my dad asks once we enter Audrey’s old bedroom.

  “Girl talk,” Eliza says.

  Remi is laying on the bed with an ice pack on her forehead.

  “Baby, are you okay?” I ask as I perch myself on the side of the bed.

  “I’m fine,” she says. “It was just stupid.”

  I peel the ice pack away. “You’re going to have quite a goose egg,” I tell her.

  “I know,” she says. “Eliza warned me already.”

  My mom enters the room with Hailey in her arms. “Remi, dear, do you need anything? Would you like some soup?”

  “No. Thank you, Mrs. Bauer,” she says.

  “Memi, Memi, Memi!” Hailey cries, having developed quite the attachment to Remi over the last few weeks. I’m just glad that for Hailey, Remi comes out as Memi, and not Mimi. My mom sets Hailey down and she waddles to the bed, pulling herself up by my pant leg.

  “Memi. Booboo,” Hailey says. Then she hits me on the thigh. “Kiss it.”

  I lean over and lightly kiss the goose egg forming on Remi’s forehead.

  “All bettah, yay,” Hailey says, clapping her hands.

  “Well, you come back down when, or if, you feel better, Remi dear,” my mom says as she hustles everyone else out of the room. “Let’s go, people,” she says. “I’ve got enough to feed an army and I don’t want leftovers.”

  They leave the room and shut the door behind them.

  “We were taking the test,” Remi whispers.

  “The test?” I ask, with a smile.

  “Yes,” she says. “And, I’m—”

  “Don’t tell me,” I say quickly.

  She looks at me, head cocked, brow furrowed.

  “Marry me,” I say. “Marry me and then tell me.”

  “Chance, weddings take forever to plan. I think in the next few months you’d be able to figure it out either way.” She smiles.

  “We’ll go tomorrow,” I say. The idea growing on me the more that I think about it. “We’ll call Kat and Lexie, we’ll go to the courthouse tomorrow, and we’ll make it official. Then you can tell me.”

  “What difference does it make?” she asks.

  “Because,” I say. “I want you to know that I love you for you. And I’ve wanted to marry you almost since the moment I met you. I never want you to think I’d want to marry you because you were, or weren’t, pregnant. So if we do it before I know any better, you’ll always know I wanted you. Just you.”

  She blanches when I say that.

  “And our future kids. Just you and our future kids. Don’t mistake what I’m saying,” I say. “I just want to make sure you understand that I want to marry you because of you. And not because you’re carrying my baby. If you are, that is.”

  She looks at me, her eyes squinting slightly.

  I think she’s actually considering it.

  “Would it help if I gave you a ring?” I ask.

  “You have a ring?” she asks.

  “Well, no,” I say. “But I am wondering if it would help if I did.”

  “No.” She laughs as she says it.

  I look at her, eyebrows raised in question. She looks at me, brow furrowed in concentration.

  “Oh, what the hell?” she says. “Let’s do it.”

  “That’s my girl!” I say, pulling her into a hug. “Nothing like a what the hell to make a guy feel deserving of a proposal.”

  Remi – Five Months Later

  “Ready, wife?” Chance asks me, reaching over to squeeze my hand.

  “Just help me get out of the car,” I say. He’s been calling me wife for like five months. I can’t tell if it annoys me or not. I mean, it still blows my mind that we are married. And that we are having twins. I never, not once, thought this would be my life. But I’m settling into it okay.

&nb
sp; I think.

  We bought an SUV a few months ago. Which is good because I can’t get my fucking stomach behind the wheel of my beautiful Porsche. God, I miss her. She’s under a tarp in the garage. It’s not fair, because Chance still gets to ride his motorcycle, but I’m forever stuck in this monstrosity of an ozone layer killer.

  Today we get to find out the sex of the babies. Chance runs around to my side of the car and helps me get out.

  “Have I told you today that I love you?” he asks. A question he asks almost every day, even though he does tell me he loves me. Multiple times, every day.

  I smile. “I don’t think so,” I say, playing along.

  “I love you,” he says. We get to the elevator bay and he moves to stand behind me as we wait. “You know, you get more beautiful every day.” He reaches around and rubs my belly as we wait for the elevator. “More desirable.” He nuzzles my neck and nips at my collarbone.

  “If by beautiful and desirable, you mean fat with cankles, then I believe you.”

  “Feel that?” he asks as he presses up against my ass, and whispers in my ear, “I think about you, I touch you, I smell you, I’m near you, and I’m hard.”

  My body shivers, and I’m not cold. The worst thing about pregnancy? The drastic hormonal mood swings. I’m pissed and self-conscious one second, and a horny out of control sex monster the next. I lean back against him.

  “Chance,” I breathe. He moves his hands lower, under my belly, beneath the waistband of my pants and between my legs. Two fingers sink inside me.

  “Oh,” I cry.

  “Mmm,” he says into my neck. “Wet already. You fucking wreck me, woman.”

  He uses his thumb to caress my clit, while his fingers pump in and out of me. I’m going to come in a matter of seconds.

  “Oh my God, Chance, I’m going to—” I fall apart in his arms as my orgasm roars through me. A spectacular rush of white lights exploding behind my eyes, my body shudders and my limbs turn to something akin to Jell-O. He pulls his hand out of my pants and pulls me back against him. The elevator dings, and the doors open. An older gentleman is inside.

  I can smell myself. I’m sure the man can too. Chance positions himself behind me in the elevator.