I meet my matching blank looks from the best friends. I get the door when the bell rings and usher Caerwyn inside.
He somehow still looks official in jeans and a navy henley shirt. He smiles like he’s been up to no good and will never tell.
“This is the first time I’ve seen you since the day before my birthday. How are you?”
His concern is touching.
“Good, much better. Oran dropped my ass off in counseling the very next day to keep me sane. Then he learned he had to go with me.”
Wyn and I chuckle at the thought of Oran being cooperative.
“You’re doing too much giggling over there, Trophy.”
I roll my eyes and lead Wyn to the poker table.
“Look guys, you have a third. Ainslee and I are out, we have baby shower things to discuss.”
Wyn claps his hands together and rubs. “I love poker.”
“Of course, he does. I should have known you were the one over there laughing away with my wife,” Oran prods Wyn as he takes the seat I vacated.
“I wasn’t flirting,” Wyn promises then turns to Ainslee and gives her a super enormous smile. “How are you today? You look beautiful. Pregnancy gives you an amazing glow.”
“That’s not the pregnancy that’s making her glow, it’s my cum.”
Jagger’s announcement makes Wyn snort because he’s not used to them like we are.
“You two are so possessive. I’m not trying to hit on your wives.”
“Are you dealing or not?” Oran asks, ignoring Wyn’s comment.
Ainslee and I refresh their snacks and drinks before disappearing into the home office Oran created for me after noticing my lack of desire to go to my actual office. Ainslee’s eyes glaze over when she sees the charts. She doesn’t much like details so I’ve created full concepts for her to choose then I’ll go over the details with Esme. I’m excited when she picks the white and gold motif. I get to use the angels.
“Your baby shower will be heavenly,” I tell her happily.
***
“I have something for you, Trophy,” Oran says from behind me. I’m plotting out the last minute details to ensure tomorrow is perfect.
“If you say your dick, we will fight, Oran.”
His low chuckles turn me on, although I’m engrossed in my to-do list. I’m positive I have everything we need for the baby shower to be a success, but I’m hard-wired to triple check.
Oran pulls me away from my desk and turns me to face him. “First, if I’m offering my dick, you need to be grateful. Second, that’s not what I’m offering.” He pauses. “At least, not right now.”
He guides me into the living room where everything is dim and romantic. Soft music plays, a candlelight dinner, “What’s all this?”
“Do you know what today is?” He hints.
“Nope. Total blank,” I admit because nothing is ringing a bell.
“Ugh,” his eyes roll upward. “As the woman, aren’t dates supposed to be your thing? You never thanked me for your house key, either.”
His complaint makes me remember he’d had a date engraved on my key. I meant to look at it but kept forgetting.
He frowns at my blank look.
“Go get the damn key, Trophy.”
“Okay, okay,” I say to appease the big grump.
Snatching up the house key, I read the date. It looks familiar…
“Our wedding date, dummy,” Oran gripes with his arms crossed.
I ignore him calling me a dummy, I would have called him worse if the roles were reversed.
“That’s right! You weren’t my favorite person then. I didn’t bother committing it to memory.”
“Well, you better store that shit, etch it, lock it, or whatever else the fuck you need to do because this is your only pass.”
“It’s not our anniversary right now so why are you tripping?”
“You, Trophy are taking all the fun out of this moment,” he chastises me but manages to look all gruff and sexy at the same time.
“I’m sorry. You’ve put in a lot of effort. Give me a moment to catch up.”
I look at the key once more since it correlates with his plans. I pop my head up when my brain clicks it into place.
“Oh, wow,” I whisper in awe.
Oran smiles now that I’ve caught up. “Tell me, Trophy, do you think you would have held out this long?”
I shake my head as I calculate the innumerable times we’ve had sex since our honeymoon.
“Not a chance in hell.” So much has changed in six months, our wedding seems so much farther in the past. “The thought makes me want to pull out my hair.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t remember this date. I did. I had a fucking countdown alarm set. Only difference, I would have ripped off your clothes at midnight and fucked a new year into you.”
His conviction makes me giggle. “It’s nowhere near New Year’s Eve.”
Oran pulls me close as we sway to the music. “Had you made me wait six months, you would have definitely seen fireworks.”
Chapter 41
Karessa
“Set up the dessert table right there,” I tell my crew as we work to finish decorating before people arrive.
Esme is putting the finishing touches on the photo booth where she has rose gold glitter material on the wall with the words “Heaven Sent” in white block letters all softened by white tulle. The cotton and tulle clouds that will make the guest look like they are in a heavenly wonderland.
Ainslee made the cupcakes because they didn’t want the gender getting out. We made the gift table look like a golden bassinet. Jagger hates baby shower games. This will be more of a mixer. Small plate, music, and gathering.
“Done.” I announce thirty minutes later and smile at my handiwork.
The marshmallow babies dusted in gold are my favorite, and I can’t wait to get some juicy strawberries that are white chocolate dipped and sprinkled with gold.
Guests pour in, and my job is done. I pass the reins to Guinevere since she’s the hostess. I rub my temples because my head is killing me. I recount my day only to realize I haven’t eaten at all. In route to the food table, Oran meets me with a plate of items I would’ve picked. I kiss him like he saved my life, and he smiles against my lips and pulls me into a hug.
“I’d guessed you hadn’t eaten yet.”
“You’re very right.” I say around a bite of my chicken salad sandwich.
“Talking with food in your mouth, this is serious.”
I nod but keep eating as I follow him to our table. I’m starving and this food is worth much more than conversation. My moan from biting into a delicious meatball gets me a dirty look from Oran, but damn it’s good.
I’m inhaling my juice and wondering if I should refill my plate when Imala slides in the chair next to me.
She kisses me on the cheek in greeting since my lips are busy and she pulls out a list.
“So, I’m too busy to plan it myself, but I trust your taste. I provided a list of hard no items though.”
“I’m confused,” I tell her. We haven’t seen each other in two weeks and it’s nowhere near her birthday. “What are we planning?”
She blinks her big brown eyes at me as if she’s trying to slow down her brain to catch me up to her speed.
“Right.” She blushes five shades of red. “I should start from the beginning.” She pauses and thinks better of it. “Later. Now, I’ll give you the Cliff Notes version with spoilers. Don’t attempt to talk me out of it. I’ve made up my mind. It’s a good deal.”
“Okay,” I answer slowly. “What’s a good deal and what do you want me to plan.”
“My wedding.”
Oran rubs my back when I choke on a grape. Then gives us his full attention.
“Are you okay, Trophy? What happened?” His gray eyes shoot from Imala to me.
“She asked me to plan her wedding.”
Oran’s confused face matches mine. We’ve never seen her
look at a guy.
“When?” I ask thinking she’s being her usual over organized self and looking into the future.
“Two months,”
“Two months?” Oran hisses like she’s his little sister. “Who’s the groom?” Oran jaw ticks like he’s ready to fight whoever she names.
This is what it’s like to have brothers.
She fidgets with the bracelet he got her one day for no damn reason.
The blush is back and I know at the very least she finds him attractive.
“Caerwyn.”
“Caerwyn? Caerwyn Hale? As in, I’m about to have one less cousin, Caerwyn?”
“Yes?” She responds, not sure how to answer Oran.
My “I knew it!” clashed with Oran’s “I’m going to kill him.”
Imala reaches over and pats his hand like she is trying to tame a beast. “Please don’t. It was my decision. I got to go. Here’s Ainslee’s gift. Give her squeezes for me. I have to get back to the bank.”
The little workaholic disappears as Oran stares stunned at her back.
“But, my angel.” I don’t know his deal with nicknames, but we each have one.
“She can still be your angel with a whole husband.”
He scowls at me like I’m the one in line to take her virginity. “What kind of sister are you? Do something!”
“I am,” I tease and wave the list at him. “She was gonna lose it one day, Oran. Would you rather it be to her husband or some random guy?”
Oran frowns like both options suck. “I knew he was up to something. He’s always walking around smiling and shit.”
I keep my laughter soft to not bring attention to us. “He’s a regular, well-adjusted guy. No agenda, Oran. Look on the bright side, she will be a Hale.”
He plucks a grape and chews it with an attitude. “A fucked up Hale. Imma beat his ass.”
“Then your ‘angel’ will be mad at you.”
“Fine,” he concedes.
“She must see something in him; she’s not being forced to marry him. Plus, I bet he isn’t calling her inanimate objects or will put her on an air mattress or his trophy case.”
He shoots me discreet middle fingers then leans in to whisper. “The air mattress was for your safety. I should’ve fucked up your pussy on day one.”
I don’t even snort because Oran and Jagger are desensitizing me to their mouths.
Instead, I plant a kiss on his lips just as Ainslee and Jagger appear.
“I love you,” I whisper when the music starts.
“I love you, too,” he flashes the smile he has just for me. “But we will revisit your complaints when we get home.”
Epilogue
Karessa
“You look real comfortable,” Oran jokes from his chair next to the examination bed.
I haven’t been feeling well and I’m wondering if my IUD is giving me problems. Also, it’s a convenient time for my husband and I to ask my doctor any child-related questions he may have.
“Shut up.”
“So, you just put your feet in the little metal things, shoot your ass to the end, and bam your pussy is on full display?”
“Yup.”
He studies the bed like he’s considering something. “I wonder how much one of these cost…”
“You’re beyond extra,” I chastise him with the white paper crinkling underneath me.
Dr. Marin Delgado bursts into the room, flashes me a killer smile, then looks down at my chart.
“Welcome back, Ms. LeClaire.”
“Mrs. Hale,” Oran corrects, his phone game no longer fun.
“That’s right. You got married this year. I’ll have the nurse update your name. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Hale.” He rambles, then studies my chart. “Says here you want to check your implant.” He flips his green eyes from the chart to me. “And possibly remove it.” He waggles his brows and makes me laugh. “We’re getting into the baby business!”
“Um… who are you exactly?” Oran asks.
“Her OB GYN,” Dr. Delgado answers as he slips his gloves into place. “You know the drill, Mrs. Hale. Legs up. Don’t act like we just met.”
I giggle because he always makes me laugh. I’m desensitized to his bearded hotness.
“Nah. Banned. I don’t approve,” Oran folds his arms and frowns. “I thought you had a female doctor. Maria something.”
Dr. Delgado chuckles because he’s used to this thing while I cover my face with embarrassment.
“Ma-rinnn. N no A.” Dr. Delgado corrects him. The nurse ducks into the room. “Good! The nurse is here, let the fun begin.”
“Still sounds like a woman’s name. Wait, so men are okay with you being all up in their wife’s pussy?”
Dr. Delgado chuckles while I pray for the world to swallow me. “Medically? Yes. I’m sure they’d have a problem with all other possibilities.”
“Karessa is married now.”
“I’m aware. June, update her last name to Hale, por favor. Back to what you were saying, Mr. Hale. This is normal.” Dr. Delago peeks at his chart one more time with his sterilized hands still in the air. “I’ve been examining your wife’s vigina for about six years. You’re welcome.”
June and I look at each other and she gives me a sympathetic pat on my shoulder.
“Okay, Mrs. Hale. If it doesn’t hurt, I’m not doing it right.” His warning is quickly followed by gynecological molestation. “Um, I’m fantastic at scavenger hunts, and I cannot find you strings…” I flinch at the flash of pain. “Felt that? Yeah, that was me touching your cervix.”
“Okay, you made your point get out of there,” Oran gripes.
“June, let’s take this party to the ultrasound room.” Dr. Delgado continues as if Oran didn’t speak. “If that sucker is in there, we’ll find it. Mr. Hale, you have an important job right now. Make sure no one sees your wife’s ass when we move down the hall.”
I can barely walk as Oran is on my ass like a secret service agent until we make it to a much colder, darker room. June helps me on the new table as Dr. Delgado covers the wand with plastic and lube.
“What in the hell is that?”
“An ultrasound wand.”
“It looks like a fancy dildo,” Oran points out, not convinced.
“Well, centuries of science and nature have proven one shape is consistent with fitting well in a woman’s vaginal canal.”
“Banned.”
“It’s not happening, Oran. He’s my doctor, don’t get uninvited to my visits.”
Oran laser focus on the device disappearing and inside of me while probably thinking of several ways to kill my OB when Dr. Delgado speaks.
“Okay. The bad news is I’ve confirmed that your IUD is on the lam. It most likely escaped in someone’s toilet somewhere. Good news is I can tell you approximately when that happened.”
“How? Does the damn thing have a tracking device?” Oran inquires.
“Better. We get to move from if to when.” Dr. Delgado hits a button on the machine, and rapid thuds fill the room. “Looks like baby Hale has been hanging out with you for about four months.”
He takes a picture, then prints it out. I’m shocked beyond words and Oran is also stuck.
“Baby… baby Hale?” Oran repeats, not trusting his ears.
“You two will be parents in about five months or so. I’ll write a prescription for prenatal vitamins, order your labs, and you need to make an official ultrasound appointment to get measurements and pinpoint a true due date.”
June and I will leave you two to process. Get dressed and meet me in my office.”
* * *
Oran
I’m still stunned. I’ve been wrapping my mind around being a godfather and now I’m damn close to becoming a full-time dad. My year has changed so rapidly. I’d gone from single, forced into engagement, happily married, and now I’m about to be a dad. I’ve opted not to kill Dr. Touchy since she likes him so much. I want her to be comfortable.
&n
bsp; Right now, I’m not not comfortable. My dick aches for my afternoon nap taking wife. I climb on the bed, her nipple is peeking out from under the cover, she rarely sleeps in clothes since she knows I’ll remove them. Slowly, I slide down the sheet, revealing her cinnamon skin. My mouth waters from seeing her breasts. She hums in her sleep but doesn’t awaken. She’s so beautiful. I don’t know if it’s the knowledge that she’s carrying my child or if I just had blinders until now, but I scan her body to note the differences. Cocoa dusted nipples, fuller breasts, a slightly rounded belly. My hand dips lower, same wet pussy. Stripping, I join her in bed, loving the silky slide of her skin on mine. I roll us to our sides, facing each other. Sleepyhead nuzzles my chest but continues to sleep. I rest her bent knee on my hip and slip my fingers inside her from behind while watching her face to see when what I’m doing will register. My aching dick grows impatient, I replace my soaked fingers with it. Two pumps in, her eyes fly open as she moans my name.
“Thank you for joining me, you were almost late to class,” I growl. Her pussy is so fucking wet. “Fuck you feel so good, Trophy. Your pussy was created just for me, love.”
“Please don’t stop,” she begs as she licks on my throat. “You’re the only one who can make me feel this way.”
“Same, Trophy.” My voice is gritty and raw from being so fucking gone inside of her.
She shudders when my fingers toy with her wet lips as my dick slides in and out. Karessa bucks to increase the pace, but I pull back to keep it slow. I want a slow, hard fucking that lets me savor her body sliding over mine. I move my wet fingers up then press them along her other hole, matching the stroke.
“More, Oran. Keep going,” she encourages me as her body clamps on my dick and pulses against my fingers.
I roll her onto her back and stare into her green depths while grinding until we’re both on the verge of release.
“Never doubt how much I love you.” Pulling out and moving down, I trial soft kisses on her belly. “You and the children we create will be the most important people in my life. With you, I’ll build the family my mother always wanted me to have.”
Hale on Earth (Arrangement Series Book 2) Page 20
