by Kennedy Fox
I immediately get a text back.
Lennon: Yes! I want to be there for you the same way you’ve always been there for me. I’ll try to get out of my last class, which means I can be home around two since I won’t have to pick up Allie yet.
I smile. I love her so fucking much it hurts. Considering I’m so goddamn antsy, I decide to go to the gym until Lennon comes home. There’s no way I can sit around the apartment and wait. I might literally go crazy. When I get to the gym, I do heavy squats until my legs feel like they’re going to fall off, then finish on the treadmill. I try to get lost in the music, in the pain, in anything other than what’s running through my head. Nearly two hours pass before I get a text from Lennon letting me know she’s on her way home. They found a substitute to cover for her, and apparently, it wasn’t a big deal at all.
The envelope nearly burns a hole in the seat where I placed it. As I pull up to the apartment, Lennon arrives at the same time. She walks toward me and holds my hand as we head down the sidewalk.
Once we’re inside the apartment, we sit at the kitchen table and both stare at it.
“You open it,” I say, sliding it closer to her. “Open it and tell me.”
“Are you sure?” She lets out a breath and grabs it, and that’s when I notice her hands are shaking.
“I’ll do it,” I tell her, and she hands it over to me like it’s poison in her palm. Shaking my head, I rip it open and pull out the papers. On top is the paternity test result, and at the bottom, it says NO MATCH. I instantly smile.
“I knew it!” I tell her, handing her the paper. “I fucking knew it!”
Lennon reads it and immediately stands, then sits on my lap with tears in her eyes. Our lips crash together, and I get lost in her touch.
“I’m so relieved,” she tells me, her shoulders falling.
“Me too, sweetheart. And now it’s out there, and everyone knows. Even Jenna. I’m sure we won’t be hearing from her ever again.” I sigh.
“Better not.” Lennon’s nose brushes against mine. “I feel bad for her, though. I do. I hope she finds the real father, and she can get the closure she needs.”
“Yeah, she’s not a bad person. She’s just lost,” I say.
She turns and notices the other papers on the table. “What’s this?”
I turn her toward me, my eyes meeting hers. “I wanted to see if anything has changed with my sperm count, and they did the testing there, so I went for it.” I shrug.
She frantically searches my face. “You didn’t tell me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to get your hopes up because I’m sure nothing is different from five years ago, but now that I have you, I wanted to know for certain.”
“So there’s a chance?” she asks, sounding hopeful, and it nearly destroys me. She notices me swallow hard. “Hunter.”
My eyes meet hers again. “I don’t know.”
I’ve been tested twice, but it’s been so long I honestly don’t know if it can be reversed at this point. After the initial results, I did some research about low sperm count and how men can increase it naturally with better nutrition, avoiding certain medications, drinking less alcohol, and eating less processed foods. The first test was done in college when I played football and trained hardcore year round, which was another suggestion to avoid.
Later, I did the physical exams to make sure it wasn’t cancer or a genetic disorder, which were all clear. I always figured when the time came, and I was ready to have kids, I’d do more tests and anything to increase my chances. This test will be the first step in deciding how we move forward.
Lennon presses her hands on either side of my face, cupping my cheeks so sweetly. “I’ve already accepted it and so have you. It doesn’t change the way I feel about you. At all. But knowing will help us either way.”
I let out a ragged breath. “I know.”
Lennon repositions her body on my lap and grabs the stack of papers. I don’t look, but instead, I watch her as she reads through it. Her smile falls, and tears form on the brims of her eyes.
“I’m sorry.” It’s all I can say. Having this test done did nothing more than get her hopes up that maybe we could one day have more children, and I regret putting her through this.
“No,” she croaks out. “Look.” She holds the papers so tight in her hand and points at one specific reading at the bottom that says normal.
My mouth falls open.
Shock. Happiness.
A load of emotions stream through me.
“Normal,” I whisper. She sets the papers down on the table and turns her body until she’s straddling me. With her arms around my neck, she presses her lips ever so slightly against mine. She rocks her hips against my growing cock, and I need her right now. When she pulls away, we’re both shocked and breathless.
“We could add to our family, Hunter.” A tear streams down her face, and I kiss it away.
“You and Alison are all I’ve ever needed, but the possibility is there now. I’m so fucking happy.” The corner of my lips tilt so high they nearly reach my eyes.
“Me too,” she whispers. The joy on her face has my heart rapidly beating.
She stands and holds out her hand. Once I take it, she leads me to the bedroom. As soon as we cross the threshold, we can’t keep our hands and mouths off one another. Taking my time, I unsnap each button of her blouse, brushing my fingertips across the tops of her breasts as I watch them rise and fall. She helps by unzipping her skirt, then steps out of the pool of fabric around her feet.
“Fuck me,” I say, admiring her curves. “You’re so gorgeous.”
She smirks, watching me with smoldering eyes as she removes her bra and panties. “I need to feel you, Hunter.”
I love it when Lennon takes control. Within a minute, she has my clothes removed and is dropping to her knees and taking me in her mouth. I run my fingers through her hair as I let out throaty groans. Not missing an inch, she sucks and twirls her tongue along my shaft, paying extra attention to the tip as she gently plays with my balls.
“Lennon,” I tell her, knowing if she keeps this up, I’ll explode in her mouth, which at this rate, I think that’s what she wants. She looks up at me with big blue eyes and gives me a half-smile. I pull her up, sliding my tongue into her mouth before I lead her to the bed. I grab her thighs, bringing her to the edge and bury my head between her legs.
I growl. “You taste so fucking good.” I flick and lick her clit and love it when she writhes against me. Lennon isn’t quiet when I curl a finger inside her.
“Yes, yes, Hunter. God, yes...” She pants as I slip in two fingers.
I reach my other hand up and pinch her nipple between my fingers, mixing a little pain with the pleasure. She’s gasping, begging for more as she grabs the comforter. With an arched back, she sinks into my tongue, and I slow my movements, allowing the orgasm to build to the maximum. Soon, she’s moaning my name, riding out her release. I stand, aligning our bodies so I can slide inside her. Then it hits me that the test results are normal, and I don’t go any farther. I’m practically suspended above her as my thoughts take over.
She searches my face. “What’s wrong?”
I furrow my brows as I contemplate what to do. “We don’t have any condoms. Should I pull out? Just in case?” I know she’s not on birth control either.
A sweet smile slides across her lips, and she shakes her head. “No, Hunter.”
My eyes go wide.
“I want to be the woman to give you a baby.” I see something in her eyes that has my blood pumping fast, shaking me to the core.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life,” she continues, and the sound of that is music to my goddamn ears. It’s as sweet as her singing, and my heart is ready to explode.
As I hover above her, our mouths crash together, and I’m lost in her touch, in her taste, in every inch of her as we make love. Slowly, I enter her, and our bodies bec
ome one. My movements are calculated, and Lennon pulls me close to her. We’re panting and moaning, falling into the abyss with each other. This woman is my everything, and I can’t imagine her not being in my life. We’ve been through so much shit together, and somehow, we both survived but not without the other. I lose myself inside her just as she wanted.
My eyes flutter open, and she’s looking at me with admiration and satisfaction. I can barely contain my happiness. Lennon wants to have my babies, and I want more than anything to give her that.
“I love you so much,” she whispers as we stay connected.
“I love you too, sweetheart. More than you’ll ever know.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lennon
Hunter being able to have children is a miracle in and of itself. Not being able to expand our little family was okay, and I was completely content with it, but this changes things drastically. I want to be the woman to carry his children, and hopefully, one day I will. It’s as if our jagged edges, the broken parts of us, have somewhat smoothed with time. Though we’re still healing, together we’re whole.
My eyes flutter open before my alarm goes off, and I feel his hardness digging into my back, which makes me grin. My body aches from where he was yesterday, but I can’t seem to get enough of him, not now, not ever. Considering Alison is sound asleep in the next room, I shimmy out of my panties and shorts and roll over. I take Hunter’s thickness in my hand and give him a few strokes, before his eyes flutter open.
“Mmm, good morning, beautiful,” he hums against my lips. Moments later, I’m straddling him. His hands guide my hips, and he fucks me until I see stars. I try to keep quiet, biting my lower lip as we ride our release together. Collapsing on his chest, I let out a small laugh. “Who needs coffee in the morning when I’ve got you?”
A chuckle escapes him before I slide off him and clean up.
“Take a shower with me?” I ask with big puppy eyes, and he agrees.
Before we go to the bathroom, I check on Alison, who’s sleeping soundly. I’m not sure a freight train could wake her when she’s out. Grabbing the baby monitor, I take it with me.
Hunter’s already waiting in the shower when I step in, and I take a moment to admire every inch of this beautiful man. My mother once told me I was lucky to find love once and not to allow the second time to slip through my fingers. Sometimes, I hate to admit it, but she was so right.
“What?” He grins at me as he grabs the soap, paying extra attention to my breasts and ass.
“I’m so grateful for you,” I admit. “I’m not sure I would’ve survived without you.”
He gives me a smile and leans forward to pull me close, then kisses me. “You would have. You’re the strongest person I know.”
I shake my head. “No. You are.”
Hunter kisses my forehead as the warm water falls over my back. I wrap my arms around him, and we stand, embracing one another like it might end tomorrow. Though I know it won’t, I don’t take anything for granted anymore, not after losing Brandon. Life really is too short.
Once Hunter lets me go, he washes my hair, massaging my scalp, and if my eyes weren’t closed, they’d roll in the back of my head. I love showering with him because every inch of my body gets washed, and his touch feels so damn good. Returning the favor, I run my soapy hands over his abs, paying extra attention to below the waist.
“Mmm. If you keep that up, we’re gonna get dirty all over again,” he warns, and I giggle, knowing we don’t have time.
Soon we’re stepping out of the shower, and Hunter hands me a towel. We dry off quickly, and as I’m blow-drying my hair, I hear Alison crying.
It’s crunch time, so I’m not late for school. I still need to get her ready for Mrs. Locke, who happily watches her while I work. She says watching Alison is the highlight of her day, and I’m so grateful for her love and support. Brandon’s parents have been a huge help and adore the baby so much.
I’m also glad my parents have been over the moon about their granddaughter. They FaceTime me as much as possible and have encouraged me to keep posting to Instagram for baby updates. I feel so lucky that things turned out the way they did with the pregnancy and having them in Alison’s life now.
Between my parents and Brandon’s, along with my sisters and Hunter, she’s the most spoiled three-month-old I’ve ever seen, but she’s also the most loved.
After she’s fed and we’re both dressed, I quickly double check the diaper bag to make sure everything is inside along with fresh bottles of breast milk. I glance at the time and know I’m cutting it close. When I walk back into the kitchen, I see a shirtless Hunter standing at the coffeepot wearing a grin.
“What are you doing? You’re gonna be late,” I tell him, shaking my head.
“It’s Friday. I don’t have to be at work until ten for a meeting. I can take Allie to Mrs. Locke’s so you’re not late.”
I let out a relieved breath. “Are you sure?”
He tucks loose strands of hair behind my ear, and I melt into his touch. “Absolutely. I owe Mrs. Locke a visit anyway. Plus, she gives me a bag of cookies each time I visit.”
A laugh escapes me. “Maybe I should be offended because I’m not getting any cookies.” I stand on my tiptoes and press my lips against his, and the kiss immediately deepens. “Love you,” I say.
“Love you too,” he tells me as he slaps a hand against my ass. “Don’t forget the diaper bag and make sure Mrs. Locke doesn’t need anything. Oh and—”
“Babe. I’ve got this,” he says.
I nod and laugh. “You’re right. Okay. I’ll see you after work.”
“Have a good day,” he singsongs as I rush out of the apartment.
My heart is so damn full I can barely describe the way I feel. So much has happened in a year that I’m often pinching myself to make sure this is real life. Each time Hunter kisses me or holds me close, I know it is. Though I’ve had some horrible things happen, I’m happy where my life is now because there was a point when I didn’t think I’d be able to get up in the morning. I had no purpose, and I was nothing more than a shell of myself. Time can’t heal all wounds, but each day, it gets easier. I’ll always love Brandon, and I’ll forever be appreciative of the gift he gave me. After Alison was born, I realized that loving again doesn’t mean I’m trying to replace him. He loved me and Hunter so much, so I know deep in my heart he’d want us to be together.
By the time I get to school, it’s nearly time for class to start. The day is uneventful, and each grade practices the songs they’ll be performing for the spring concert. The kids are so adorable, and their parents will be thrilled.
After class is done, I check my phone and see a text from Sophie and one from Hunter. My thoughts go back to the night of Maddie’s birthday party and the night Hunter and I got together. After that, I knew they’d be completely over the moon when I told them about Hunter and me being official. The next morning, we did a three-way call, and when I told them about Hunter coming home and demanding I explain myself, they both said finally, but were definitely happy for us. Of course, I skipped all the NC-17 details, but they figured it out.
I sit in my car and decide to open Sophie’s text first. Ever since she moved in with Weston, I haven’t seen her as much lately, and I miss our time together. Between her busy work schedule and spending her free time with her boyfriend, it’s gotten harder to get together.
Sophie: Wanna meet at the grocery store after work? I need to pick up some things, plus I miss you!
Lennon: Yeah! When?
Sophie: I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. See you soon!
I open my texts and read the one from Hunter, and I feel a ball lodged in my throat.
Hunter: I asked Mrs. Locke if she could keep Allie overnight so we can go on a proper date, and she said yes! Get ready to be wined and dined, my love.
I immediately call him.
“Hey you,” he says nonchalantly, but I know he’s smirking.
/> “What the fuck? She can’t stay overnight. I didn’t pack everything she needs. Hunter, she doesn’t have her favorite blanket or extra bottles or—”
“Lennon.” He chuckles. “I packed all that. Plus, Mrs. Locke knows how to take care of Alison. She’s super attentive to everything that little girl could possibly need. Take a deep breath, sweetheart. She’s going to be perfectly fine. And if something goes wrong, we’ll be the first one to get a call, but trust me that nothing is going to happen.”
With a racing heart, I sit silent on the phone thinking about how unprepared I was for her to stay overnight. The last time she did, it took tons of planning. I had to make sure there was extra breast milk, diapers, and...the list goes on and on.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“You know I do,” I say without hesitation.
“Then trust me. I have something fun planned for us. You deserve a night out.”
I let out a breath and try to calm down. “Well, Sophie wanted to meet me at the grocery store after work. Do I have time?”
“Yeah, I won’t be home until around six-ish to get you, so that works out perfectly.” I can tell he’s smiling.
I sigh. “Alright. I’ll see you afterward then.”
“It’s going to be fine,” he reminds me before we exchange I love yous.
As soon as we end the call, I head to the store. It doesn’t take me long to get there, and I end up waiting for her at the entrance. As soon as I see her, my face contorts because she looks like total shit. She smiles as if nothing is wrong as we walk in. Her hair is disheveled, and she has bags under her eyes like she hasn’t been getting much sleep. I’m really fucking worried. Ever since she started dating Weston, her demeanor has changed. My sister isn’t that happy-go-lucky girl anymore, and it’s more noticeable than ever right now.