by Sienna Grant
“I love you too.”
My words were breathless because he slid his hands up my top, tugging it over my head and tossing it to the floor as his hands went to my bra and unclasped it.
“So what do you say? You in?”
His lips tugged on my nipple, and I moved against his hardening cock, making him hiss out a breath.
“I’m in, Chris, I’m so in.”
His hands wound around my ass, and he carried me to bed where he stripped me and fucked me until the sun came up.
Our bodies were a tangled mess of sweat, lust, and passion, but my head swam as I thought over his proposal and I turned to see him staring at me. We’d been quietly contemplative for a while as we both processed our thoughts.
“What if I make it earlier? What if I land a job out here? Would you come here for me?”
“If you get a job in L.A., then yes, I’m with you. Wherever you go, I go too.”
His hands brushed over my chest and he ran his fingers down, skimming my belly button before he rolled over until he was between my legs.
Our kiss was slower, more passionate and intense, and when he shifted lower, kissing my neck, he spoke again.
“Whenever you land the job, we get married. If that’s in six days, six weeks, or six months, I don’t care. I just want you to know I’m here. I’m staying and I’m yours.”
His mouth closed over my breast, and he sucked on my nipple before biting down. My back arched into his body, and he toyed with the other nipple before sliding down the bed. His lips pressed soft kisses up one thigh and down the other as he teased me, and his hands lifted my ass, giving him better access to me.
“Chris,” I moaned, and he smirked. I could feel his smile against my skin before he brought his head round and began licking and sucking on my clit.
His hand moved, and he slid two fingers into me, concentrating his mouth on my clit as his fingers pumped in and out.
My breathless moans got louder, and I started riding his face until I came apart around him, throwing my head back and grinding against his face and hands as he milked every last bit of my orgasm from me.
Before it’d fully subsided, he moved me up so I was sitting astride him, and I sank down onto his cock until he was fully sheathed inside me.
His lips brushed mine, and I could taste myself on his tongue as he thrust up while I bore down. Our bodies moved in sync, and when my next orgasm hit, harder, faster, and more furious than the last, I could only ride out the wave after wave of awesomeness, feeling him come inside me.
“Cals,” he muttered after a moment, and I lifted to meet his eyes.
“Marry me. Say yes to the bet! Say yes to me, please?”
“Yes,” I breathed, and my heart hitched in my chest at the happiness that shone in his eyes. I finally believed he was going to stay, that I was enough to hold him, and as his lips slammed into mine, I knew there was nowhere else in the world I wanted to be than in bed with my guy.
Four Weeks Later
I took a massive gamble coming to L.A., but Callie was so worth it. When I arrived and overheard her telling Charlie her secret, I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. I couldn’t believe I never knew that. I wasn’t about to hold it against her though. Enough had come between us already, and the past was just that, the past. I refused to let it rule me. You couldn’t miss what you’d never had, right?
I’d been in L.A. almost four weeks. It’d been out of this world, but I was on my last week. I’d got to watch Callie in her element, and being with Charlie and Beth had been amazing. If we shared half the fun and love those two did, Callie and I would have no problems. I knew in my heart that the love I had for Callie ran deep, and we’d come a long way since we’d been out in L.A. There were no obstacles in the way, no bad memories of what happened all those months ago. We’d grown as people, and also as a couple, but unfortunately, I had to go back to work. I intended to make the most of the time we had left together.
Callie landed that musical she auditioned for, so she’d been away filming and rehearsing, while Beth and I had been shopping and relaxing around the pool. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, a big guy like me, a hard-nosed detective at that, shopping, but Beth and I had a plan. We walked into Tiffany’s one afternoon and I bought the most stunning ring you could ever see. Beth was so excited. If she wasn’t the size of a house, she would’ve jumped on me. We did that on the second week. I’d had it stored in my case ever since to keep it hidden.
Beth and I were sitting around the pool while Charlie and Callie were filming when Beth pushed herself to sit upright. She placed her hand on her belly, rubbing gently and blew out a breath.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
I sat up straight and spun around to the edge of the lounger on full alert. Nodding, she looked up and met my gaze, a scowl lining her brow.
“Yeah… I think this little bugger is playing football with my bladder. I’m going to pop to the toilet and have a lie down for a bit. You don’t mind, do you, Chris?”
“No, of course not. Do you need anything?”
“No, no. I’m good.” I shifted to stand and curled my fingers around her bicep to help her stand. “Thanks.”
“Text me if you need me. I’m just gonna have a swim.”
“Cool.” She waddled away across the path. I watched until she was safely inside the house, and I walked to the edge of the pool and dived in.
I got some lengths in while it was quiet. It was big enough that I knew I’d get my exercise in. The amount of waffles and burgers I’d consumed while I was there, I needed to exercise.
The coolness of the water refreshed me, and I sank beneath the surface.
Once I’d got a few laps in, I was just coming toward the edge and was stopping for a break when I felt someone watching me. I snapped my head to the side and saw Callie. Her eyes sparkled and were trained on me with a smile spread across her face. I was sure my smile matched hers just seeing her there. She placed her bag on the free lounger and came around to me, squatting down.
“Hello, beautiful. How did filming go?” I planted my hands on the side and pulled myself up, leaning on the side with my elbows.
“Good, I think.”
I greeted her with a kiss. When I pulled away, she screwed her nose up and wiped her hand over her face.
“Ah, what’s up? It’s just a bit of water. Don’t tell me you don’t like water.” I knew she loved the water. There were many nights we’d spent in the pool after midnight, loving each other. I’d better not let Charlie know that though. Or the guy who cleaned the pool…
I took her hand in mine and a wicked thought ran through my mind. Our fingers entwined, and leaning on one arm, she must have seen the glint in my eye.
“Don’t do it…”
“Do what?” I lifted my chin and smirked before I gave her hand a sharp tug. She squealed, and the splash that followed had me laughing. I dropped myself down into the water and turned around.
She came up for air, gasping and using the heel of her hands, she splashed me. “You fucker.”
I closed the small gap between us, wrapped her in my arms, and kissed her properly.
I was going to miss all this when I went back to London. I was going to miss her more, but we’d get through it. Being there though, it was just so magical.
I shifted her hair from her face, laughing, when I heard my name being shrieked. We both snapped our heads to the side and saw Beth standing just inside the patio door, bent over with her hand on her belly.
“Chris!” Beth shrieked. “My waters have broken.”
“Fuck!”
Callie and I swam to the edge and got out of the water, and I ran towards her. Callie stopped for a towel but soon followed, and I led Beth to the couch with my arm supporting her.
“Okay, Beth, remember your breathing. Have you got the number for the hospital, and I’ll give them a call?”
Beth passed Callie her phone and did what Callie told her, a
nd I ran back outside and grabbed mine and called Charlie.
It went straight to answerphone. “Fuck!” I tried again. This time I left a message and told him it was urgent and that he was about to be a dad before I put it on the unit on the side of the couch.
“What can I do, Beth?”
She breathed through her contraction, and then I saw the relief on her face as it passed. “We need to time the contractions but I’m not leaving without Charlie.”
Callie got her comfy on the couch, placing some cushions behind her, and she rested her head back. Callie and I looked at each other over her head.
“You watch her and time her pain, and I’ll go and fetch her bag for the hospital.”
I nodded to let her know I’d heard her and took her hand, sitting on the edge of the couch. I felt the tightening of her hand around mine as another contraction came along. Her nails bit into my skin as she growled through the pain.
“FUUUCK! WHERE IS CHARLIE?”
“Let me try him again. You’re doing amazing,” I told her.
I couldn’t help but imagine Callie doing this, and a tear sprang into my eye. I wiped it away before Callie came back; I had to be strong about this, I couldn’t let her see I was close to breaking. I heard the vibration from my phone. I leaned up and grabbed it and saw it was Charlie.
“Chris?” His panicked voice came over the line, and I knew I had to calm him down.
“Charlie, she’s okay, but you need to get back here. She’s refusing to go to the hospital without you.” A scream overwhelmed me, and I had to shift away, her nails digging into my skin again. “Fuck.”
“What? What’s wrong?” He shouted.
“Your wife has just taken a chunk from my hand. What the fuck?”
“I’m on my way. I’m just getting in the car.”
“Hurry up.”
I cut the call and threw my phone to the floor beside me. Callie came back into the room with Beth’s bag and had changed into some dry clothes. She rang an ambulance, telling the dispatch she was close. I reiterated to her how far apart the contractions were, and they said they’d send a unit right away.
We spent the next ten minutes just being there for her and helping with her breathing. Callie had alternated with Charlie from week to week, going to her antenatal classes with her as her partner just in case Charlie was away filming. Luckily, he was local.
The door banged, and I ran around to it, letting in the paramedics, and they took over.
Callie stood and tucked herself into my side, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing me. She quietly sniffled, and I knew exactly how she was feeling.
“You’re 5cm dilated. We’re going to take you in okay, darlin’?” the paramedic said.
“Not without Charlie,” she forced out through a gasp.
“Who is Charlie?” the paramedic looked between us and waited for an answer,
“Her husband,” Callie answered quickly.
“Okay, do we know if he’s on his way?”
“Yeah, I called him,” I added.
“Call him again. We need to go.” The other paramedic went to the unit to grab a wheelchair and came back a few seconds later.
I lifted my phone to my ear after clicking on his number. It rang out a couple of times and went to the answerphone again.
“I’m here,” he shouted as he rushed through the house and dropped to his knees at her side. “Oh, baby. I’m here now.”
Callie and I watched as he peppered kisses across her forehead before moving to her lips then reared back up.
“It hurts, Charlie,” Beth cried. Charlie wiped her brow and soothed her.
“I know, baby. Come on. Let the paramedics do their job.”
He stood up and grabbed the hospital bag while they placed her in a wheelchair and wheeled her out. Charlie rushed to catch up, telling us to meet him at the hospital. I nodded and smiled.
Callie looked up at me, still tucked into my side, her eyes red from unshed tears. We didn’t need to say any words. We knew what each other was thinking. She turned and put her face into my chest. I held her for the longest time, my arms wrapped around her as tight as I could until she lifted her head up. A sad smile adorned her lips. “Shall we go?”
I looked down at myself, “Maybe I should get dressed first?”
“Yeah, maybe you should.” She laughed through her tears and I kissed her head.
“Five minutes and we’ll get going.” She nodded and I left her with her thoughts.
Beth gave birth to a girl weighing 8lb 12oz. It was the most amazing thing. Beth and Charlie were going to be incredible parents, and I was so proud of them. But all good things have to come to an end. Not an abrupt end, just a temporary end.
Before I left, I hugged the shit out of Beth, shook hands and hugged Charlie, and gave baby Dayton Myha James a kiss on her sweet-smelling, soft forehead, but not leaving without a hold of her first. If it hadn't been for Charlie calling me out on my bullshit—and Wyatt, for that matter—then I wouldn’t have been there at all.
Callie drove me to the airport. I held her hand all the way there. I didn’t want to let go of her. She came as far as she could. We sat together in the bar until it was time to go into the departure lounge. Her tears streamed down her cheeks and she held onto me. I didn’t want to go home back to London, but I had to. I had to work.
I looked at the time and knew it was now or never.
We made a promise since we still had the bet running, that I’d come back when her filming had finished, and we’d get married then. As I got in the line for the security checks, I dropped to my knee. She gasped because I was supposed to do this when she was finished, but I didn’t want to go all the way to London with it burning a hole in my pocket and regretting that I didn’t just take the plunge.
If life had taught us anything, it was that tomorrow wasn’t promised.
“Callie Beckett. I love you with every piece of my heart. It’s been a long and rocky journey for us. We’ve both been shattered, and at one point, I thought we were irreparable, but you were so ingrained here.” I tapped my heart. “I knew you’d be mine forever. I love you so much. I know we can’t get married yet, but at least while we’re apart, you can look at this and think of me, of us, and I hope it’ll make you smile through the sad days.”
I didn’t think she could cry anymore than she had already, but again, she proved me wrong. And in a crowd of people, she dropped to her knees in front of me. Everything seemed to stop, or maybe that was because we were in our own little bubble.
“I love you, Chris,” she cried with the biggest smile on her face.
I slipped the ring onto her finger. She stared at it for a moment and pressed her tear-stained lips to mine. I tasted the salt from her tears as I kissed her. I left her with a blistering kiss and pulled away. She glanced down at her ring then back at me and lifted her hand in a wave. I went through security and handed over my passport, not taking my eyes from hers. We communicated silently, and with a smile, I turned around and left her.
As I sat on the plane, I looked through the window and stared into the blueness of the sky as we climbed and entered the clouds. It was appropriate really, because as sad as I was that I had to leave, I’d spent the last five weeks in the clouds. At least, it felt like it. If I knew Callie, she probably hadn’t even left yet. She was more than likely sitting in the car crying and on the phone to Beth.
I smiled to myself. I never thought she’d even agree to that stupid bet, but I was so happy she did. Of course, there was never any doubt in my mind that I would marry her if she didn’t make it. She’d always be the one for me, I just wanted her to say she’d succeeded. She needed something for herself, and after everything she’d gone through, Callie deserved it more than most. She needed to take control of her life again, and she’d done it with so much grace and glamour, even if we had to hurt to get there.
As the plane levelled out, I was already planning my next trip, only that one would be a permanen
t one. I didn’t care how long it took because I got to call Callie Beckett my own, and for that, I was the happiest man walking this Earth.
Even if we could never be the family we once envisioned, we’d get there somehow; where there was a will, there was always a way.
Three years later
“Callie, hurry up. We’re going to be late and then Beth’s going to murder you. You know what London traffic is like and Beth has already told Charlie the premiere is an hour earlier than it is so they aren’t late.”
Chris’s voice reached me through the open door of our bedroom, and I couldn’t help my grin as I twisted my last curl into place. It was the night of my movie premiere, and I was running late, but Tucker, our one-year-old baby, came running into the room, holding his hands up for me.
He was our blessing and our miracle, along with his brother and sister. I’d eventually been okay with not having kids, but on a visit to the local children’s home, I found out about Marvin, Tucker, and Selene when I saw the beautiful, dark-skinned Selene sitting with the baby wrapped in her tight hold. Selene was just ten years old and had just lost her parents. With no immediate family, they were all alone.
Marvin, the other toddler, was playing on the floor, and I knew looking at those three kids that I wanted them. I called Chris from the car and asked him what he thought. We talked about it all night, and the next day, I went in to file the paperwork.
We’d already been approved because we’d decided we could give so much love to a child, and we had been looking for someone to adopt, but with my schedule, we hadn’t had any time. The next day, I cleared my schedule and asked if we could speak to Selene, Marvin, and Tucker.
The social worker was reticent at first, but Chris charmed her, and when we met the kids, we instantly bonded because we wanted to keep them together. Selene was wary of us and our motives, but I assured her we just wanted to give them a loving home, and she warmed to us over the next few weeks.