Hollywood Prince

by Natasha Madison

  “You went a little overboard,” she says, and I shake my head.

  “Not even a bit,” I tell her. “Do you think we can get married next week?”

  “What?” she asks. “Highly doubtful.”

  “Challenge accepted,” I say, and I hug her, bringing her to me. That night, when I close my eyes, it’s with her naked in my arms. My hand on her belly, and her hand on mine.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Erin

  “Oh, baby.” My mother puts on my veil. “I honestly didn’t think we could pull it off,” she says, and I look in the mirror, “in one week.”

  “I can’t even believe it.” My stomach flutters. I put my hand on my little belly and think about when I said yes. The next day, he was out of bed at the crack of dawn and on the phone with my father. Nothing could stop those two together. My father had my mother on a plane that afternoon, and for the past week, we planned the wedding. I didn’t even think we would have a big wedding, but when Ryan Crest and Carter Johnson send out invitations, people move. With everything going on, I can’t believe the press hasn’t gotten a hold of the plans. All week, Sylvia has been putting up pictures of Carter from Montana, so everyone still thinks he’s there. I also didn’t think I would be able to get a wedding dress, but boy, was I wrong. Dad had the best seamstress come to the house the day after we got back, and just like that, she sketched what was my wedding dress. I wanted it to be lace with long sleeves and backless. I wanted it tight all the way down because who knew if I would ever get this skinny again. I wanted the back to kick off with a train. Well, it was so much better than I thought it would be. It fit me like a glove, and although I had a little bit of a belly, you could hardly see it. I turn to the left and see that the veil has crystals all over it, making it glitter in the light.

  “Are you feeling okay?” my mother asks me, and I just nod. “Good.” I look at her, and she is in her own beautiful gown. Hers is a champagne-colored chiffon dress that flows around her with a beaded belt. Her hair is curled just like mine. “You look beautiful.” I smile at her and then hear a knock on the door. “I swear if that is your man again,” she says, shaking her head. Carter is not a fan of traditions especially when it means he isn’t sleeping with me or waking up with me. He’s come by at least ten times today just to check in and make sure I was okay. The last time, my mother said if he came back, she would take me away. He left with a huge belly laugh and shouted through the door that he would find me no matter where they hid me.

  “Hey, princess.” I hear from behind me and see my father walk in. He is in his tux, and he looks so handsome. He comes to me, and I see the tears in his eyes. “You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen.” Then he turns to my mother. “We did good.” She nods, and he puts his hand around her waist and brings her close to him. “Are you ready?” he asks me and then looks at my mother. “Carter is about ready to bust down the door.” I laugh, and my mother shakes her head. “Can you imagine what he is going to be like when she gives birth?”

  “He’s going to need to be knocked out. I’ll take Lamaze classes, too, just in case,” my mother says, and then they look at me and smile. “Let’s go,” she says, handing me my bouquet. I walk with them out of the room to the door that leads outside. We are getting married at my father’s house. I stand with him at the door, and I hear the song for my mother. She turns and kisses me on my cheek. “See you down there,” she says and walks down the aisle.

  We take our places, and I look down at the ground. “Thank you,” I tell my dad, and he looks down and then up at me with tears pooling in his eyes. “Thank you for being the best dad a girl can have.” I hold his cheek in my hand. “And thank you for not killing him when I know you wanted to.” He laughs now.

  “Daddy,” I say softly, “take me to my husband.” He nods and holds out his arm, and I wrap my hand in the crook of his elbow. The doors open, and I finally see outside. I want to look around, but I can’t. The only thing I can see is Carter standing right in front of the big willow tree where I used to swing. The tree my father had planted when I told him it was my favorite tree in the whole world. He stands there in his black tux wearing the biggest smile I have ever seen. He looks at me as I walk down the rose petal pathway. I watch him the whole way, my stomach doing little flips. I swear this child knows when he is near. When I make it to him, my father hands me over to Carter who thanks him and then looks at me.

  “You are so beautiful,” he says and then kisses me softly on the lips, causing the officiant to clear his throat.

  “It’s not that part yet,” he says, and the whole crowd chuckles while Carter just shrugs. We go with traditional vows, and when he slips on the eternity band, he grabs my face and kisses me again, making the officiant speak up.

  “She’s mine. I can kiss her anytime I want to,” Carter tells the man, and he just laughs.

  I finally slip the black gold band on his finger, and this time, the officiant finally says, “You may now kiss your bride.” He puts a hand around my waist and kisses me, and everyone cheers for us. I turn around and walk back down the aisle. This time, I’m on the arm of my husband.

  We take more pictures than I’ve ever taken in my whole life, and that night, Jessica finally makes her way to us. “Thank you so much for having us,” she says, looking over at Tyler. “It was beautiful.”

  “Thank you for coming,” I say, and then she looks over at Carter.

  “I just published the story.” She’s wearing a huge smile on her face. “Congratulations,” she says, and they both walk away.

  “What is that all about?” I ask him, and he brings out his phone. His screen saver is the picture of me lying on the couch holding my belly. He types in something and then hands it to me. I read the title right over a picture of us at the altar right when we were announced husband and wife.

  How Hollywood’s Prince nabbed the role of a lifetime . . . as a husband.

  “Come on, wife,” he says, taking my hand, “it’s time to consummate our marriage.” I throw my head back and laugh, reminding him that that horse has already left the barn. He picks me up and carries me inside and has his wicked way with me all night long anyway.

  Epilogue One

  Carter

  The sound of crying fills the baby monitor, and I look over to see that she is moving in her crib. Her legs are moving up and down, and her hands are in fists over her head. I smile, thinking she has as much patience as I do.

  She came into the world three months ago screaming and didn’t settle down until she got her mother’s breast. Only then did her eyes open and she looked around. I was a mess, to say the least. Seeing Erin in pain while she bounced on a fucking ball was the worst time of my life. But then she became a warrior and gave birth to my nine pound, five ounce baby girl we called Annabella. I still call her little one. The nursery started out neutral since we didn’t know the baby’s sex, but slowly, pink things started to appear. I walk over to the crib, and her feet and arms are going nuts.

  “Hey there, little one,” I say, and she stops crying. “What is all the fuss about?” I grab the bottle that Erin left me right before she walked into the bedroom to do her glam stuff. I grab my phone and snap a picture of her, wondering if I can put another picture of her on my Instagram. When the press finally found out we were expecting, I did it with a picture of us on the beach. Me sitting with Erin in the middle of my legs and both our hands on her stomach with the caption.

  “Dreams really do come true.”

  Then once a week, I would post things about being a dad. It was brilliant, as Sylvia said, because my popularity went through the roof, and people kept following just to keep up with our journey.

  Walking to the rocking chair, she starts to fuss again, and when I finally cradle her and put the nipple into her mouth, she settles down. Her tongue moves it out of her mouth. “Sorry, little one, this is the best you are going to get.” She looks at me with her huge blue eyes, and she just starts sucking. “Momm
a is getting ready,” I tell her, and she just looks at me. “Tonight is the movie premiere.” I smile at her. “Grandpa says we don’t have to watch the movie.” She looks at me and takes in all my words as though I’m telling her all the secrets in the world.

  “Momma is having a hard time leaving you. She got Grandma to fly in to make sure you are okay.” She finishes the bottle, and I put her over my shoulder and start to rub her back and then burp her. Once she burps, she starts to fuss and cry again. “Don’t tell me you’re still hungry,” I ask her, and she stretches in my arms. I walk to our bedroom, and I hear the blow dryer going, and when I step foot into the bathroom, I’m met with two women working on my wife. My wife, the best thing that has ever happened to me.

  “There she is,” I tell our daughter. Turning her in my arms, I hold her around her waist and under her bum. “There’s the source of all your food.” Erin looks over at us, her robe is off her shoulders and her hair is being curled while a woman does her eyes. “See how beautiful she is.” I kiss her head and tell her, and she smiles.

  “Is that my girl?” Erin says, and Annabella turns her head to look at her, and she smiles and then looks around. “Did she eat?”

  “Just finished the bottle, but I don’t think it’ll be enough to tide her over,” I tell her, and I suddenly want all these people to get out of our house. I want it just the three of us, the way it’s supposed to be. The way it always is. Ryan tried to get us to have a nanny, but Erin and I both squashed that idea.

  “That was three ounces in that bottle,” she says, mystified.

  “She’s growing,” I tell her and look in the mirror and see that she is drifting off to sleep while I rock her side to side. “What time is your mom coming?”

  “Dad just said that he is picking her up in ten minutes so maybe forty minutes,” she says, and then she closes her eyes when the girl needs to put shadow on her.

  “Go put her down, Carter,” she demands me, but I don’t move. I just watch my wife. “She already has the habit of falling asleep on your chest every night.” I shrug and gently turn my girl around and place her on my chest. I walk to the bed and place her in the little crib we have in the room. She moves her hands when I put her down. I place my hand on her chest, and she falls back asleep.

  When my mother-in-law comes in, she goes straight for Annabella. I’m about to tell her not to wake her, but she lets out a little whimper. My girl doesn’t like anyone over either as she fusses. “Go get dressed.” She shoos me away while she and Ryan sit on the couch and cradle their granddaughter.

  I walk back into the room and see that Erin is by herself now. She still has her robe on over her shoulders. “Is Mom here?” she asks, and I walk to her and untie the robe and slowly open it, seeing that she is naked under. “We don’t have time for this.” She pushes my hands away, but I can’t help it. She was perfect before, but after having Annabella, her body is more perfect. Is it possible? I didn’t think so, and she hates it that her hips are rounder and her breasts are fuller, but she’s just that much more of a knockout. I thought once we were parents, the sex would slow down, but it’s been the opposite for both of us. “The car is picking us up in thirty minutes, and you haven’t showered yet.” My hand comes up to cup her breast, rolling her nipple. “Carter.”

  “I can be fast,” I tell her, dropping my shorts and letting my cock out. “Five minutes.” I turn her around, putting her back to the vanity counter.

  “I just did my makeup,” she whispers. I kiss her neck. “The door isn’t closed.” Her eyes close while I open her legs and move her closer to the edge, having her ass almost hanging off.

  “I locked our door,” I tell her, grabbing my cock in one hand and rubbing it down and then slowly pushing in. Fuck, she’s always ready. She went on the pill as soon as she gave birth to Annabella, and I’m trying to prove that it’s not as effective by getting her pregnant. I mean, if she can get pregnant with us using condoms, then she can with the pill. She moans, and I have to cover her mouth to keep her parents from hearing us. “Shh,” I tell her, not stopping from fucking her as fast as I can. Her legs wrap around my hips, and she gets wetter, her pussy tightening, and I know she’s almost there. We’ve mastered making it happen in less than three minutes with a newborn.

  “I’m going to come,” she says breathlessly, her back arching, and she comes quietly with her eyes on me. As soon as I know she’s done, I plant myself all the way in her and come. I don’t move and neither does she. “That has to be a record,” she says now, kissing the underneath of my jaw. “Two minutes.”

  “Can we not point that out?” I say, slipping out of her and spinning to turn the shower on. “Ever?”

  She throws her head back and laughs, then gets up to clean herself. “I’m going to get dressed and go down and feed your daughter,” she says, and I nod as she walks into the walk-in closet to get dressed. Twenty minutes later, I’m walking down the stairs, and I head to the family room. “There he is,” Erin says, and I look at her with my daughter in her arms. “The car is here, and I just finished feeding her.” She turns and hands Annabella to her mother, and I look back and see Ryan coming out of the bathroom in his own suit. I turn around when I hear heels clicking on the floor. She is wearing a one-shoulder black dress that hugs all her curves, coming to her mid-thigh and then it is sheer until her knees.

  “The sooner we leave, the sooner we get back,” I tell them and grab my wife’s hand and walk out the door. We get into the car, and when we get to the red carpet, Ryan gets out first, and then slowly, she gets out. When I get out, the fans go wild. “I’ll be right back,” I tell her, and she nods, holding her clutch in her hand. I walk across the street to sign some autographs and take some pictures. When I walk back over, I see that Erin is talking to Tyler, and he smiles at her.

  “Don’t you have your own wife to talk to?” I joke with him, and he just smiles.

  “She’s home,” he says. “I just can’t stop trying to knock her up.” He shrugs, and I just laugh.

  “I know that problem,” I say, and Erin gasps, looking at me. “It’s like a challenge.”

  She shakes her head, and Tyler tells me he is going to see me in there. He walks the red carpet and poses for pictures but doesn’t stop to talk to any of the reporters. “Shall we?” Erin says, and I grab her hand in mine, and we walk the red carpet. She tells me which reporters to stop and talk to. She still works for Hillcrest but only for me. It was a compromise we both agreed to. I didn’t want her to work, and she didn’t want to stop working. In the end, we both win.

  “Carter,” the male reporter greets me. “Great seeing you.” I nod at him. “What do you think about the buzz going around that this role is going to have you winning the Oscar?”

  I shake my head. “I try not to get swept up in all the social media rumors. I already have the best award waiting for me at home,” I say, mentioning Annabella.

  What a difference a year makes. This time last year, I was a shell of a man living an empty life, and then one day, in a blink of an eye, it changed, and I wouldn’t trade it for all the money in the world. I would give all this up just to go home to my girls at night. I bring Erin’s hand up to my lips, and she smiles at me. You could give me all the awards in the world and call my name to the stage a million times over and nothing can take the place of that smile. Nothing can take the place of being proud to be by her side, proud to be Annabella’s dad. But most of all, proud of the man she made me become.

  Epilogue Two

  Erin

  Six months later

  “Is she okay?” I ask my husband, who comes into our bedroom, and I hear my daughter in the monitor calling him.

  “Da da da da da da.” I shake my head and look at him. He’s beaming, and it’s not just because he is sweeping through all the award shows. No, he’s beaming because our daughter’s first words were da da.

  “I have to get ready.” He comes to me and kisses my neck. “I wish we could skip tonight,” he s
ays, and I shake my head. “We could order Chinese.” He tries to get me to change my mind, but there is no way in hell I’m letting him get out of the Academy Awards when he’s up for best actor in a motion picture. The day the nominations were announced, we were going on a night of not sleeping. Annabella was teething, and I swear he looked like someone was stabbing him each time she cried.

  “I am going in the guest room to get ready,” I tell him, and he looks at me. “Or else you’ll destroy my hair.”

  “I can restrain myself, you know.” He pulls his shorts down, and I see his cock is already semi-hard just waiting for the word. I shake my head. “Go get ready.” I point at the shower and walk out of the room. Stopping in the nursery, I see my mother on the floor with our baby girl as she drools.

  “She is so in love with her father, it’s scary,” my mother says, and she leans forward and kisses Annabella’s neck, causing her to shriek. “Go get dressed.”

  I walk to the guest room and see the gown hanging on the hanger. I look at the rose gold gown and touch the beading. It’s his big night, and I am so proud of him. I drop the robe and then slip into the chiffon gown. “Mom!” I shout for her, and she comes in with Annabella in her arms. “I need you to zip me.” She just smiles, putting Annabella down, and then comes over and zips me in. The gown molds every curve and drops down between my breasts. It goes tight until my knees and then hangs down to the floor.

  “The train is amazing,” my mother says of the train that starts at my shoulders and then hangs down.