by Wood, Vivian
Soon my panties too are gone, slid down my legs by his hasty hands. I look up at him as he spreads my thighs wide.
“Fuck,” he says, running his hands down my inner thighs. “You have the prettiest pussy I’ve ever seen, Olivia.”
He brushes his fingers along my slit. I groan, trying to stay still. When he draws his fingers to his mouth, glistening with the juices of my excitement, my mouth falls open.
Has anything ever been sexier than watching Aiden lick my juices off of his own fingers?
Then he lifts himself up, his fingers going to his waistband. I watch, wide eyed, as he begins to unzip his pants. His cock springs free almost immediately, unencumbered by any underwear. My eyes zero in on it. It’s long, thick, and perfectly pink.
Now he’s naked before me, his thighs and hips as taut with muscle as the rest of him.
There is even that little vee of muscle at his hip bone. I shiver when I see that. My fingers reach out to touch that vee, without me ever having consciously thought about it. He moves closer, allowing my inspection.
And why not? He’s certainly got nothing to hide.
When he finds my pussy with his fingers again, stroking up and down the slit in rhythmic caresses, his gaze latches onto mine.
In his dark eyes, I see an expression of pure want. As his hand works a little faster, I make tiny mms and ohhs of pleasure.
He leans down, his cock pressing against me intimately. My mouth opens to kiss him when he gets closer, but he surprises me by murmuring in my ear.
“I have been waiting to do this to you since the second I saw you today,” he whispers, bringing his hand up to part my pussy lips.
Then he touches the tip of his tongue against my exposed clit, the part of me that has been throbbing for so long. It feels like a lightning bolt, straight to the pleasure center of my brain. The breath leaves my lungs for a minute as his tongue works around it in steady circles.
Soon I’m burying my hands in his hair and moving in time with the rhythm he sets. It’s so good that my whole body is on fire. He seals his lips around my clit and sucks. I’m on a precipice, holding onto my connection with reality by a thread.
Then he groans into my flesh, sending a tidal wave straight to the heart of me. With a shudder and a low moan I come apart, gripping at his hair. He continues to lick and kiss my clit gently until I stop him with my fingers.
I pull him back up to my head, kissing him hard. He tastes like ozone and something a little sweet. With a start, I realize that that’s me I’m tasting on his lips and tongue.
Aiden fists his cock, bringing the head to my entrance. I’m still slick from what he just did with his mouth, but when he starts to push his cock inside, even the smallest amount stretches me out. My body is resistant even though I want him.
There is a moment of genuine pain, bringing tears to my eyes. And then he is thrusting all the way in, making me forget the pain. Our bodies merge. For a second I am not sure what I am supposed to feel.
But then I close my eyes and relax into the thrust of his big cock. I start to feel something building, a vague pressure from far away. It is different than the burning desire I felt before, more like a spring slowly tightening.
“Open your eyes, Olivia,” he grits out.
So I do. I stare up into his gaze, feeling the coil of my desire tightening, inch by inch. Raking my nails down his back and meeting his thrusts with my own, I feel I have never been closer to another person than I am to Aiden right now.
“Fuck,” he mutters. His expression says he is either in pain or ecstatic, one of the two. “You are so goddamn beautiful.”
Watched by those dark eyes, I start to shatter once more, spasming as I come. He is right behind me, fucking me frantically, finding my hand and gripping it so hard that I am honestly afraid that it will break.
He comes with a shudder, pounding into me relentlessly. I can actually feel his cum inside me, but in the next second I forget that I was even thinking about it because he kisses me, long and with tongue. For several seconds, it’s just me and him, no one else even existing in the entire world. My heart beats erratically, in time with Aiden’s, and it just feels so right.
In the stillness afterward, my heartbeat frantically galloping in my ears, he rolls to the side and cups my stomach. I squirm a little; there is nothing to cup really, nothing of substance anyway, but I hate the idea that there will be soon.
“Stop,” I tell him softly, pushing his hand away.
Aiden looks up at me, bemused. “You’re carrying my baby, Olive. Maybe I can't tell now… but I will be able to soon.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Yeah. I know.”
Still, when he kisses my stomach, I can't help it. I want him to stop.
“Quit!” I insist.
He looks up at me with a grin. “All right. I will, for now. But can you imagine? A little girl or a little boy is growing inside there right this second. A baby with our features and our… I don't know, brains.” He stops, considering. “God, I hope it gets your brain.”
I suck in a breath. “You are… surprisingly cool with this. Like, shockingly understanding.”
Aiden just shrugs. “I don't know. I mean… in the back of my mind, I always thought I would have a family someday. I didn’t picture it being now, but…” He exhales a long breath. “I don't know. I’ve never done any of this before. I’ve never been in love. I’ve never proposed to anyone. I’ve never been a parent-to-be. I just figure… when it rains, it pours, I guess.”
My lips curl up at that. “Life has sort of dumped a lot on us at one time, hasn’t it?”
He smiles, resting his hand on my flat stomach. “Are you re-thinking saying no to my proposal of marriage?”
I shake my head. “Not even a little. We aren’t even sure that we can live together yet.”
“We can,” he says.
“You aren’t sure about that. You can't be!” I say, rolling my eyes.
He scrunches up his face. “I can. The question is, what will it take for you to get on board?”
I huff. “You just like to vex me.”
He grins. “Maybe.”
I make an aggrieved sound. “Okay. Let’s make a pact. In six months, if we have lived together and don't completely hate each other, you should ask again.”
He looks thoughtful. “That sounds reasonable.”
“And in the meantime, we should like… prepare.” I press my hand over his, against my stomach. “For everything.”
“Everything?” he asks, raising his brow. He cups my cheek with his free hand, his lips finding mine.
“Everything,” I repeat breathlessly, my lips moving against his.
It feels like a vow, or a promise.
I just hope it’s real, I hope it’s forever.
Because I feel so safe and so cherished right here in Aiden’s arms.
It feels like where I should spend the rest of my life. In a world of unknowns, that counts for more than I can say.
Chapter Forty-One
Aiden
Three Months Later
I pull my Jeep down the bumpy lane slowly, casting a worried gaze over at Olivia in the passenger seat. She bites her lip and looks out her window, but I can tell that she still feels sick.
My new therapist would tell me to check in with her right away, not just wonder whether or not she was feeling super sick. Originally I went to Dr. Schmidt for help with some of my anger problems, but now his help is starting to branch out and touch all kinds of parts of my life.
“Are you okay?” I ask. I feel a little burst of self-congratulatory pride, but I tamp it down. Dr. Schmidt would say that I’ve been making progress, especially with dealing with Olivia’s needs.
Olivia glances at me, her lips tipping up. “Yeah. Just tired.”
When I woke at seven this morning and padded out across the tiles of our rented bungalow, the light was on in the bathroom. She was in there again, bogged down with morning sickness. Any damn time sickness
is more like it.
Since then, it’s been ginger tea and those weird cookies — Biscoff cookies are the only thing she can eat without throwing up these days. She mustered her strength because it’s a big evening, putting on a fancy dress and a little lipgloss. But she still looks green around the gills as I slowly pull our vehicle onto the grass, parking it beside the other BMWs and Mercedes. They gleam under the moonlight.
I look up, checking out Eve, who is in the backseat. Eve looks apprehensively out her window, eyeing the Morgan house. As I watch, Eve smooths out her face into a neutral mask. It’s a little eerie seeing her do that.
“Ready?” I ask both women.
Eve is already jumping out of the Jeep. She heads up to the house, not waiting around for us. I roll my eyes and focus on my pregnant girlfriend. She pulls her wrap a little closer around her shoulders; it’s late October here, and judging by the weather, the first snowfall is undoubtedly just around the corner.
Olivia takes a deep breath and smooths her dress down. She’s five months pregnant now, unable to hide her pregnancy even if she wanted to… She says she feels like everyone is looking at her at all times and I feel for her.
After all, I did technically put her in this position.
“Okay,” she says, frowning. “I just hope I don't get sick during the speech.”
Climbing out of the Jeep, I hustle around to get Olivia’s door. Ushering her up towards the main house, I cast a critical eye over the structure. Carter has taken on the responsibility of overseeing the extensive repairs to the second floor and roof.
From what I can see, the outside of the house is totally repaired. Actually, it looks like the fire never happened. The only proof is in the scar on my palm… well, that and the bond with Carter. Forged in fire, apparently.
We climb the steps of the completely rebuilt front porch. Even from out here, it’s obvious from the noise level that there is a party going on inside. I catch Olivia’s hand just before we get to the front door.
“Hey,” I say, tugging at her hand. She looks back at me. “I know that these people aren’t the most friendly. Just remember that you belong here as much as any of them.”
The ghost of a smile drifts across her lips. “I love you,” she whispers.
“You too.” I kiss her, hard enough to take her breath away. Then I nod toward the door.
“Go on.” She smiles and opens the door. Sound and light spill out the doorway, having been muted by three solid inches of oak.
As soon as we get inside Carter is right there, leaning over Eve and whispering something in her ear. He turns his head and spots us. My eyes narrow on his face.
“Stop hitting on Eve,” I command.
Carter’s face tightens. “I’m not. Hi, Olivia.”
“Hello,” she says. “It looks amazing in here. I like the new staircases leading up to the second floor.”
I look where she’s pointing and I can't help but agree. The inside of the house has totally been remodeled in a style I would call modern; huge windows, black floors, white walls. Minimalist furnishings and the simple black staircase, taking up all the space and calling attention to itself.
“She’s right. It looks like a million bucks in here,” I say, scanning the people streaming past us. All in elegant attire, all looking as crisp as freshly printed money. “And it’s packed. Is this a house-warming thing or a Vogue cocktail party?”
Carter gives me a wan smile. “A little bit of both, I think.”
“Where is Margaret?” Olivia asks.
Carter looks a little huffy. “Apparently she doesn’t like the idea of being in the house with so many people. Hard to move around, she says. I suspect the real reason is that the senior center in her new neighborhood is having a Senior’s Ball, though.”
Olivia grins, for the first time all day. “Glad to know she’s doing well there.”
He rolls his eyes. “Go check out the library,” he says, nodding to the back of the house. “And get yourself something to drink. I’ll be making a little speech shortly.”
I arch my brow. Olivia tosses her mane of dark hair and starts peeling off her wrap, turning and heading for the hallway that leads back to the library. I look at Eve, sending her a glare of warning before I follow Olivia. We elbow our way through the crowd to the library, stopping short at the French doors that are thrown wide.
“Excuse us,” I say, pushing several people aside. That earns me a grateful smile from my girlfriend. We squeeze into the library, looking around.
Like the rest of the house, the library has been given a very modern facelift. It’s all sleek black bookshelves and a few low couches made of gray tweed. But that’s not the part that catches Olivia’s attention.
Her eyes widen as she reaches a podium with a little iPad screen build into it. Olivia scrolls through a couple of screens, then turns back to me. Her eyes are misty.
“They’re copies of the documents that I scanned into the archives,” she says, unable to stop smiling even as she holds back tears. Now that she’s pregnant, almost everything makes her cry. This one I understand, though.
“It looks like Carter took your project seriously,” I say, squeezing her elbow.
She looks back at the podium, only then realizing that there is an inscription on a little gold plaque at the top. Made possible by Olivia Sellwood and Aiden Moreland.
I am not ready for the hard hug she gives me. “That’s us!”
She dissolves into tears. Not quite my intention when I mentioned the idea for the podium and a plaque to Carter, but I just hold her until her tears gradually dry. She smiles at me, beckoning me closer for a kiss.
I really should’ve brought the ring, I think. How could she say no to me this time?
Eve sticks her head into the library. “Carter’s about to do a toast in here on the staircase.”
Sighing, I guide Olivia through the packed audience. “Pregnant lady here,” I growl at one guy that doesn’t move his tuxedo-clad ass fast enough. “I swear to god, if you don't move, I will crush you like an insect.”
The guy takes one look at me and squeezes out of Olivia’s way, averting his gaze.
As we move closer, waiters shimmy through the crowd, offering everyone glasses of champagne. I snag two, offering Olivia one. Finally I can see Carter, standing a few steps higher than us on the stairs. He spots us, raising his glass.
“A toast!” he says loudly. “To family. My family is… well, it’s a living thing. Always growing, in new and unexpected ways. And in that spirit, I would like to announce…” He grins, pausing for dramatic effect. “That we are turning this house into a museum! The Morgan Museum, to preserve the history of this land and the surrounding areas.”
Everyone breaks into light applause. Olivia looks at me, her eyes wide. But Carter isn’t done.
“I don't know if you all know this, but Miss Olivia Sellwood had a lot to do with preserving our family’s archives. And I am hoping that she will help us run our museum.” He lifts his glass to us, then takes a long sip. “To the Morgan Family and our museum!”
Olivia grabs my hand, squeezing it hard as she looks at me, eyes wide.
“You knew about this?” she asks. “I knew there was a reason you pushed me so hard about coming here tonight…”
I shrug, smiling wryly. “Maybe.”
Her brow furrows. “How did you talk Carter into it?”
I shake my head. “No, you’ve got it wrong. He talked me into it. I was happy to just let you stay at home, incubating our baby.”
She flushes, pulling on the lapel of my suit to bring me down for a kiss. I take it gladly; I wasn’t sure that she would be happy running a museum, but I see now that Carter was right.
She is the perfect person to run it. She breaks the kiss off, looking breathlessly into my eyes.
“I love you so much, Aiden. I’m so happy.”
Her words warm my heart. I trap one of her hands against my chest, a gentle smile on my lips. “Me too, Olive.
Me too.”
She reaches up on her tiptoes to press another kiss against my lips, then sighs. “Can you do your crowd control thing again? I hate to ask you, but I desperately need to talk to your brother. If we are going to start a museum, we have a lot to talk about…”
I grin. “Of course. I’ll always be right here for you. Always.”
Olivia grins back, grabbing my hand and starting to weave her way through the crowd. And I follow, because I will follow her everywhere. Till the end of the earth, to the moon and back.
Forever.
Chapter Forty-Two
Eve
January
I sit in the third row of my biology class, watching as students filter in. All the chairs are set up in alternating rows, stacked like an amphitheater. At the center of the room is a desk, stacked high with medical textbooks. Behind that is a chalkboard.
Just looking at that blank chalkboard makes me a little sick with worry.
I was the first here, but I chose this seat anyway.
Middle of the room. Middle of the pack. No need to draw attention to myself just yet.
It’s only the first day. Fidgeting with my pen, I make sure that my binder is ready. This is my first day of med school, my very first class.
Yes, I’m starting a semester late. When I first applied to the University of Washington, they accepted me… only for my father to mess up my admission at the last minute by being… well… like he is.
Controlling and gruff, he refused to finish filling out the financial paperwork until the last minute. A quick flight home, some serious groveling, and letting him show me off at his law firm got through that.
When I returned though, I found my spot had been filled. I had to wait for someone to drop out before another spot opened up.
So now I’m sitting in my first class, which should be starting any minute now. My index cards already read Dr. Finanster— Cell and Tissue Biology. All around me, students are sitting down, shuffling papers, preparing.
