Whoa. She hasn’t been like this in a while. Lucky me.
She gets on all fours and then moves over to straddle me. “I’m big and slow these days.”
“No, baby. You’re perfect.”
I put my hands on her round belly and rub each side before gliding my hands to her hips. “No panties? Man, you came to bed ready.”
I love it.
“You have no idea just how ready I am.” A streak of white leaves her body and lands on the foot of the bed.
Damn. She stripped that gown off fast for a pregnant woman. “I’d say you’re the opposite of slow.”
Lawrence tugs my shirt upward. “Get this off. And your pants.”
She lifts, and I do too, so I can obey her orders. “Damn, I’m loving this nesting thing.”
I push my fingers into the hair at her nape and pull her face to mine. She sinks down until I’m all the way inside her. She moves up and down several times, sliding me in and out, but it isn’t like normal.
“This isn’t working. I can’t get going. I’m too big and unbalanced.”
“You’re not too big.”
“Well, I’m too… something.”
“Tell me how you want it.” I will stand on my head and give it to her if that’s what she wants.
“Side lying, from the back.”
“From the back is not a problem.” It’s my favorite position.
I ease inside her and it’s so good that it’s impossible to suppress my groan. I pull back and thrust slowly, savoring the squeeze of her body around mine. “Fuck! I can’t believe how tight you feel. It’s sending tingles all over me.”
I thrust a few more times. “Is this position good for you, babe?”
She’s tilting her hips backward, rocking, to meet me with every stroke. “Mm-hmm.”
I reach around her pregnant belly to that sensitive place between her legs. “Tell me when I find the spot.”
She moans, and without a word, I know I’ve hit it. “Oh, right there. Right there.”
I circle the whole area fast and hard. Slow and soft. Back and forth. Side to side. It’s anybody’s guess what will come next. “I’m almost there.”
I move faster. My cock and fingers. “Do it. Come. I want to feel your body quiver and contract around me.”
“Ohh… I’m coming.”
Yes, she is. And so am I.
I bury my face in the back of her hair. “I love you, baby.”
She reaches over her shoulder and grabs the back of my head. “I love you, too.”
Our arms, our legs, our entwined bodies collapse like rag dolls. “That was fucking awesome.”
She giggles. “Our baby’s first word is going to be fuck if you don’t find an alternative soon.”
“I think we have a little time until he says his first word.”
“You always say he and him. Do you want a boy?”
“I don’t care what we get as long as he or she is healthy.” That’s it. The only thing I care about.
I pull out and reach for a pillow to place under her head. “Need one between your knees too?”
“Yes, please.”
I spoon behind Lawrence, wrapping my arm around her waist and rubbing her tummy. The movement beneath my hand is like a restless sea. “Feels like he’s awake.”
“Yeah. That stirred him up.”
“He’ll be stirring in our arms before too much longer. And keeping us up half the night. Mom thinks it’ll be soon.”
“I would be completely okay with that.” She places a hand on her belly next to mine. “I’m ready to get my hands on our little snuggle bug. This has been a long wait.”
It has indeed. But even miracles take a little time. I see that now.
Granola earth birth. Hippie style. All natural. Nothing for pain. That’s how Lawrence wants to labor and give birth to our child. I admire her for that. But damn. I can hardly stand seeing her in this much pain.
“I didn’t know it was gonna hurt like this.” Her breathing is no longer slow and deep. She’s panting. “Uhh… it’s… baadd.”
She’s writhing all over the bed. “Get the epidural, baby.”
“No, no, no. I’ve come this far without it.”
Lawrence was dilated seven centimeters last time she was checked. The nurse said she didn’t feel like the last three would take long. God, I hope not. This is horrible to watch.
“Hold my hand.” She squeezes it. Hard. “I don’t think I can do this. It hurts too bad.”
I move lower so we’re face-to-face. “Look at me, Lawrence.”
Her eyes meet mine and I see the agony there. “Will it be easy? No. Will it be worth it when you hold our baby in your arms? Absolutely. Remember that little face we saw on the ultrasound. The one with your nose and chin. You can do this for him.”
She squeezes her lids tightly. “Get the nurse. I’ve… gotta… push.”
“Don’t push yet, Lawrence.”
“I… can’t… stop.”
What the fuck is happening?
I release her hand and dash for the door. “My wife says she has to push.”
Lawrence’s nurse rushes in and does an exam. “She’s right. It’s baby time.”
The moment has arrived. Almost four years of wishing, longing, praying, and waiting for this child. We finally get to meet our son or daughter.
Lawrence reaches for my hand and squeezes, her teeth clenched. “Ohh… this one hurts really bad! It’s all the way down… in my butt!”
The nurse stops what she’s doing and pats Lawrence on the leg. “It’s okay. That means the baby is moving down. You’re getting closer.”
Oh fuck. The heaviness of the reality hits me—I’m about to become a father. And very soon from the looks of things.
I bring her hand to my lips for a kiss. “Almost time to hold our snuggle bug.”
Lawrence’s nurse coaches her through a series of contractions and she’s in so much pain. Suffering.
“How much longer?”
“Close. We’re almost ready for the doctor.”
Almost ready isn’t close enough.
I’m supposed to take care of Lawrence and this baby, but I can’t do a fucking thing to help her except push her sweat-soaked hair away from her forehead. “Not much longer, baby. Don’t stop. You’re almost done.”
“Pressure’s… coming. Oh… God. Gotta… push.”
The nurse motions for me to look between Wren’s legs. “Want to see the top of your baby’s head?”
I’m scared to look but I’m afraid not to as well. This may be the only child we ever have and I’d hate to miss this opportunity.
“I do.”
Lawrence pushes and I watch our baby’s head come down until I can see the entire crown. I’ve never seen anything so amazing in all my life. So surreal. “There’s a ton of dark hair.”
She pushes three times and then falls back, breathing heavily. “I’m glad he’s taking after you because I didn’t have hair until I was almost two.”
“I think we’re ready for a doctor.”
“Hear that, babe? She’s calling the doctor to come for delivery.” I lean down and kiss her forehead. “I love you so much.”
She strokes my face with her hand. “I love you, too.”
Dr. Nichols arrives and the medical staff takes their places. “You’re starting a contraction so push hard and we’ll meet this little bundle of joy.”
Lawrence takes a deep breath and blows it out before taking another and holding it. I help her pull her legs back and her face turns beet red as she pushes with every bit of her remaining strength. She stops mid push and releases her legs as her back bows from the bed. “Omigod, get it out. Get it out.”
“Push, Lawrence. Push.”
Her legs are shaking and she reaches up to grab me. She pulls me down and squeezes me around the back of my neck. “I can’t do it, Lucas. It hurts too much.”
“Come on, Lawrence. Do it for our baby. Push him out.”
&
nbsp; She releases her ironfisted hold on me. “Okay. I’m doing it.”
Lawrence rears up and pulls her legs back. Her eyes are squeezed tight, her brow wrinkled. Tears escape her eyes and it breaks my heart to see her suffering in silence. It’s worse than if she were screaming.
“Look down here and watch your baby come into the world.”
I lean over Lawrence’s leg and watch a perfect little head emerge from my wife’s body. That face. It’s the one we saw months ago. I’ve never seen anything more amazing in my life.
“Head’s out, Lawrence. Let’s see the rest of this baby and find out what you’ve been cooking in there all these months,” the doctor says.
“Push, baby. You can do it.”
I hear a gush of fluid and then a piercing cry—our baby’s first sound.
“It’s a boy.”
I kiss the top of her sweat-soaked head and attempt to tell this woman what I’m feeling, but I can’t find my voice.
I love you so much, Wren. Thank you for giving me a son.
Our crying son is placed on Lawrence’s chest where the nurses wipe him clean, cover his head with a blue beanie, and stuff him inside his mother’s gown. “Hello, my sweet Emeric.”
“He’s okay?”
“Looks healthy as can be.”
Thank God.
I look at my son and know that I owe every bit of this to Lawrence. Our happy life together. This healthy child we wished, hoped, and longed to hold in our arms. Without her, I would have been content to sail through my stagnant life and never know this kind of joy.
“Lucas Emeric Broussard II.” I lower my face so I can get a better look at him. I can’t believe how chubby he is, considering he has a vegan mama. “I can’t believe how much I already love him.”
“I know. Me too.”
When I met this beautiful woman, all I wanted from her was a dirty weekend… until that wasn’t enough and I wanted so much more. I had no idea that more would eventually translate into making her my wife and mother of our child. Or maybe even children. Who knows what the future holds? I only know one thing for sure. I’m no longer afraid of what life with Lawrence Thorn Broussard has to offer.
The End
I hope you enjoyed Lucas and Lawrence’s story. I would be incredibly grateful if you choose to leave a review.
Now please enjoy this excerpt of Oliver and Adelyn’s story.
Neighbor Girl
She'll give him more than her body. She'll give him her trust in this sizzling romance from New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author Georgia Cates.
A beautiful stranger.
That’s all she was when I moved into the house beside her.
And then I discovered something.
My neighbor isn’t your typical girl next door.
She’s a preacher’s daughter.
She’s a business professional.
She’s a fiery vixen who desires a strong alpha in the bedroom.
And a firm grip around her throat.
That’s what I give her.
But more than that, I want to leave my mark on the most intimate, untouched part of her body.
Her heart.
Things are perfect until that cruel twist of fate.
We learn that our paths aren’t crossing for the first time.
And we aren’t strangers at all.
Our history is painful.
Our love, fragile.
Our ending, inevitable… unless I can convince her that the past shouldn’t end our future.
PREVIEW NEIGHBOR GIRL
Oliver Thorn
A house surrounded by a white picket fence, sitting in the middle of a perfectly manicured lawn, with the inviting brick steps leading up to the front door. A home where every member of the family living under the roof wears a true smile. Says please. Says thank you. Says I love you.
Not shut your bratty mouth before I give you something to cry about.
That is the kind of house my childlike mind envisioned when I dreamed of the place where happy people lived. The home every kid deserves—from the beginning, not after six years of torment.
And now that house is mine.
Lawry and I stand side by side looking at what I’ve repeatedly referred to as a sound financial investment but it’s more. So much more even if I don’t admit it.
“I hope you’re not having buyer’s remorse.”
“No buyer’s remorse. At least not until I have to fork over the payments.”
“Your first home, Ollie.”
My first home. I like the idea and sound of those words a little more than I thought I would.
Lawry puts her arm around my waist and leans in for a side hug with her head pressed against my shoulder. “I think you’re going to be very happy here.”
“I think so too.”
I fish the house key from my pocket and dangle it before us. “All those boxes aren’t going to move themselves.”
“Agreed. We better get started.”
“Sorry, sis. You’re not moving boxes.”
“You’re being ridiculous and really making me wish I hadn’t told you.”
Who is she kidding? No way my sister could keep something that important from me. “Well, you did tell me.”
Her balled hands come to rest on her hips. I’m amused by how much she reminds me of Mom when she stands that way. No genetic connection between them yet so much alike. “I’m reevaluating that decision at this point.”
Lucas would side with me on this one. “I guarantee your husband wouldn’t let you haul heavy boxes either. Especially while wearing that damn long-ass hippie skirt.” I can imagine her feet tangling in it, causing her to tumble down the brick steps in a whirlwind of blond tresses and patchwork floral print.
She attempts to climb two steps, testing her ability to move in it. And steps on the hem.
“See? Total fall hazard.”
“Easily fixed.” She yanks the waist of her skirt up and rolls it down a couple of times. “You do realize I’m not pregnant yet?”
She follows me inside after I unlock the door. “You’re working on it, so you don’t know one hundred percent that you’re not.”
“We just started trying. If I were, I’d be all of five minutes pregnant. So you’re being dumb about this.”
“Five minutes or five months. Makes no difference to me. Pregnant is pregnant.” Lawry and Lucas already know conceiving may not come easily, so I won’t have her taking unnecessary risks.
“I can see right now you’re going to be just as bad as my husband if it happens.”
I’m protective of my sister even if she’s older. I have been since I was old enough to swing a punch, but my protectiveness doesn’t match that of Lucas Broussard. My brother-in-law is like a damn alpha wolf guarding his mate when it comes to my sister.
Damn. I was so wrong about Lucas in the beginning.
“You got the husband. You’ll get the babies too.” Lucas will see to it. Of that, I’m certain.
“Would cleaning the floors also be on the list of tasks you deem unsafe? I’d really like them to be clean before the furniture arrives.”
I forgo telling her I’ve already had a cleaning crew come in to take care of that. With Lawry, it’s better to let her believe she’s contributing. “Sure. Have at it.”
Lawry goes to work on cleaning my clean floors while I haul boxes from my truck. Stacks at least five feet high litter the floor of my dining room.
Wow. The contents of my bachelorhood are compressed into these cardboard rectangles. I have a strong feeling Lawry will try to make me trash most of it. Try. Operative word. After Lawry’s gone, I’ll put my man shit where I want it.
A box with Brewster written in big black letters across the top catches my eye. My first home-brewing beer kit. Got this bad boy before I was even old enough to drink beer… legally, that is.
Fuck, that first batch was nasty. Skunky. But my failure didn’t stop me. I started t
he next round before the first one soaked into the grass behind my apartment.
I wouldn’t part with this little beauty for a million bucks. It started it all: my love for tasty beer and the science behind what makes a great brew. This worn old plastic barrel ignited a fire in me and played a huge part in making me who I am today.
A flattened palm raps against the door leading into the dining room. “Well, I’m here, motherfucker. What do you need me to do?”
Asshole is two hours late. “I just love how you show up after I’ve already unloaded everything from the truck.”
He looks away and shrugs. “I was doing shit.”
Porter has been doing shit a lot lately. It started out as him going missing for an hour here. Another hour there. Three hours for lunch. Now he disappears for whole weekends at a time. “I know what kind of shit you’re doing. Just not who you’re doing it with.”
“You don’t know anything.”
“Why so secretive? Is she fugly?”
Porter shakes his head and looks around my new place. “What do you need me to do?”
Totally avoiding the question. Not an unfamiliar play. It was Lucas’s MO when he was messing around with Lawry behind our backs.
I’ll table it for now. “I need help getting my furniture out of my apartment.”
“Lawry’s letting you bring that junk over here?”
He forgets how much she loves pre-owned shit. “My old stuff is going to her workshop so she can refinish it. Wants to give it life again.”
“How could I forget? Turn crappy into happy.” He does a stellar impersonation of my sister. Always has.
He runs his hand over the box labeled Brewster. “Wow. I haven’t seen this in a long time.”
“Me either. Been boxed away for years.”
“You should put it on display. Maybe down at the brewery if Lawry won’t let you do it here.”
Bohemian Girl (Southern Girl Series Book 1) Page 26
