by Mia Pride
“Mon...” I licked down her throat, and she groaned again.
“This is a bad idea...”
“The fucking worst,” I murmured before gripping her stretchy tank top and pulling it over her breasts, immediately unclipping the black lace bra hindering my view of her perfect tits.
“Jesus, Mon... you drive me crazy. Do you know that?”
“I do now,” she sighed and arched her back when I sucked one nipple into my mouth. “God, Chris... is this what you wanted to discuss with me?”
Chuckling, I nodded and went to the other breast. “Basically,” I said as I lapped at her nipple and then came up to stare into her eyes. “I offered you this job because you needed one, I needed a cook, and your food is the best thing I’ve ever tasted... so far...”
I grinned as I placed my hands on her hips, ready to yank her yoga pants down her legs. I looked at her for a sign of consent, and when she lifted her hips to help me, I knew I had the green light. Pulling them down, I groaned when I saw she wasn’t wearing underwear.
I slipped one finger between her wet folds, and she bucked her hips, leaning back on her elbows. “Chris... wait...”
I looked at her but continued to circle her clit, making her eyes flutter and her nipples harden. “I need to tell you something very important...” she sighed. “We need to stop.”
“Are you sure? We’ve only just gotten started,” I whispered, aching to taste her, to drive inside her. “Can it wait?”
“I want this... want you. But I can’t, Chris.” Pulling my hand away, Monica hopped off the counter and pulled her pants back up her hips, looking around for her top that I had flung across the room. “Where is my shirt?”
“Tell me what is more important than this, and I will tell you where your shirt is,” I said and wiggled my brows. Monica naked in my kitchen was something I could get used to.
“I would really rather say it without my tits in your face. It kind of requires all of your concentration.”
“I can concentrate and hold your tits at the same time,” I insisted, stepping forward to cup them in my hands, running my thumbs over her nipples as I stared into her eyes. “See... fully concentrating.”
“Chris, this is serious,” she said with a frown.
“So is this,” I said. “I have so many more things to do to you.”
“Ohhhh... you’ve done quite enough. Trust me.”
Her words caught my attention, and I frowned, dropping my hands to my sides. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Shirt,” she demanded, crossing her arms over her breasts as if she were suddenly now some virtuous maiden being ravaged by the beast.
Turning around, I walked over to the other side of the large island counter and tossed the shirt to her. She grabbed it, and I mourned the loss of her bare breasts but sensed the mood had dramatically shifted. Playtime was over.
“Okay, Monica. What’s up?” I couldn’t possibly imagine what she had to say that was so important. Our most recent interactions involved having sex, me pretending I don’t want to have more sex, me offering her a job because I foolishly thought that would prevent me from pursuing sex, and now... me stripping her naked in preparation for sex.
“First of all... what just happened?”
“Well, I was planning on eating your—”
“No. Not that. And stop. I’m horny as hell. You have no idea how hard stopping is for me.”
“Look at me, Monica!” I signaled to my massive erection pressing against my loose sweatpants and made an incredulous face. “Clearly, it’s a bit hard for me, too.”
That made Monica laugh, and I couldn’t help but smile. The pun hadn’t been intended, but it worked. “I’m sorry,” she responded, the smile slipping off her face. “I should not have encouraged you. It’s just that I haven’t had sex since we were together, and I’m pretty primed and ready.”
“Same here,” I admitted.
“Really? What about Samantha?” she asked, crooking a brow.
I made a face and shook my head. “God, no. I have standards. There has been nobody but you. And to be honest, Monica, I haven’t stopped thinking about you since that night. I try to act normal around you, but it’s impossible. I try to tell myself I just want more sex with you, but that’s a lie. I like you. That’s what I wanted to tell you. I hired you for the reasons I already mentioned. But honestly, I wanted to be around you more often. I must be a glutton for torture. I know I should leave you alone. I know you’re supposed to be off-limits. But, fuck that. I like you, Monica. If you want to put sex on a shelf and have like... half a date before I rip your clothes off, I’d be more than happy to take you through a fast-food drive-thru.”
Monica laughed again and shook her head. “That’s the best offer I’ve ever heard. And sadly, I mean that.”
Stepping closer, I took both her hands in mine and slowly leaned in, hoping she would give me at least one more soft kiss. “I just want more time with you. I want to get to know more about you, everything,” I whispered, bringing my lips closer to hers. “Will you allow that?”
I saw her swallow, watched her eyes close as she licked her lips. “I think you will regret those words,” she whispered so softly, I almost missed them.
“I’m not sure what you mean. You seem to be speaking in riddles. Do you want to go out with me or not?”
Opening her eyes, Monica stepped back and leaned on the counter for support as if she was sapped of strength. “I mean, Chris, that there is a good chance you will be seeing a lot of me, in more ways than you even think... unless you decide not to after what I’m about to say.”
“Ok...” Now she had me nervous as hell. What was she talking about?
Taking one more breath, Monica stood up and looked so pale, I thought she was going to be sick. My eyes narrowed as I stared, waiting for her to say whatever it was that made her start to look slightly green.
“It’s been nine weeks and four days since we had sex,” she blurted.
“Has it?” I scrunched my forehead and scratched my head. “Seems about right, yeah.” It was a bit odd that she actually knew that, but I was glad she remembered it as fondly as I did.
“You came inside me.”
“Not on purpose...” I said slowly.
“I know.”
I stopped talking, stopped breathing. A wave of panic washed over me. “You’re on the pill.”
“Yep.”
I exhaled, feeling the blood rush back to my brain. “Thank God,” I breathed. “You scared me.”
“Thanks, you dick,” she said with a scowl and took a step away from me.
“Mon... we both know that would be a disaster. I don’t want kids right now. Hell, maybe someday, but now? God, no. I’m sure you don’t either, right?” Why were we talking about this? I asked her to dinner, not to plan our future family. I hadn’t taken her as a stage-five clinger.
“Sometimes the pill doesn’t work, Chris!” she all but shouted, her hands balling into fists as her face turned red.
“What? Well... I mean, I suppose. Like maybe two percent of the time...”
“Someone has to be that two percent,” she persisted.
My heart rate picked up again. The room spun. “You aren’t saying...”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“I’m pregnant, Chris.”
“No.”
“I assure you, I’ve vomited enough times, had enough hot flashes, can’t stand to smell certain foods... which makes my job a lot harder, and taken three tests. Also, my hormones are raging... even right now, with you being a total jackass, I’d still do you. I’m pregnant, Chris!”
“Jesus Christ, Monica!” I shouted. “What the fuck! I... we can’t have a baby! This will ruin my life! I can’t sire a bastard!”
She stared at me, pain in her eyes, but she didn’t respond.
“I... you... we can’t... no, no, no.” I spun a circle and pulled at my hair. Maybe she was wrong.
“Yeah, well... You don’t need to do anything. I didn’t ask for this, either. I didn’t expect it, and I didn’t want it. I still don’t! But guess what, asshole? Your devil-spawn is growing inside my body, so I can’t just decide I want nothing to do with this! But I certainly can decide I want nothing to do with you. I don’t want your money, your time, your anything! So, there you go. Now you can stop chanting ‘no’ and go back to being all alone in your huge mansion forever!”
My entire body went numb. I heard every word she spoke, but I couldn’t think of a response. It was like my brain shut down and went into protective mode. I knew she was hurting, but so was I. This wasn’t okay. I wanted to date her, and maybe, if things went well in the next five years, we could consider marriage, then children five years after that. Now? I wasn’t ready for this, and neither was she.
Farrington men don’t leave their children behind, and I knew for certain I was in this for the rest of my life, like it or not. But right now, the buzzing in my ears clouded my thoughts, and every limb in my body weakened.
“Anything else you want to say before I leave?” she asked, collecting her purse and cloth shopping bags. I stared at her as she moved around my kitchen. A few moments ago, my only concern was convincing her to go out with me. Now, she was having my baby. I licked my lips. Those felt numb, too. Swallowing, I crinkled my brow and just shook my head. I didn’t have the words. Hell, I didn’t have any words.
“Fine. Trust me when I say that I’m just as disgusted with you, if not more. I wish I had never met you. Have a nice life marrying some classy woman who won’t be trashy enough to seduce you in a hotel and birth your ‘bastard.’”
The venom in her words made me flinch. She wasn’t trashy. Yes, she seduced me that night, and she did it well. Too well. But I had participated more than willingly. I would never be the sort of man to put this on her. The child growing inside of her was half of me. That thought only made me feel like I was going to vomit. Tell her she isn’t trash, Chris. Tell her you don’t blame her.
I opened my mouth to speak and floundered like a fish out of water. Open, shut, open, shut. My mouth moved, but my brain couldn’t form words.
Her mouth set in a firm line before she spoke once more. “Well, this is it. Also, in case it isn’t clear, I quit.” Turning her head, Monica Stevenson, the only woman I ever actually pined for, left my house and my life. And with her, she took half of me, leaving me completely empty inside.
Chapter Seven
Monica
I SHOOK ALL OVER. SITTING in my car, I placed my head on my steering wheel and cried, feeling myself fall to pieces. The knots in my stomach rivaled the searing pain in my heart. I gasped for breath as tears flooded my eyes.
I knew Chris wouldn’t be thrilled. I hadn’t expected him to cry tears of joy and get on his knees with a proposal. But, Jesus. He said this ruined his life. I hadn’t expected such a visceral, hurtful reaction. Sniffling, I wiped my eyes, but more tears only came. I started my car and looked up at his house, knowing this was the last time I would ever set foot here again. I would be a single mother, and that was fine with me, but my baby wouldn’t have a father, and that wasn’t okay. I felt like a massive failure. Unemployed and pregnant with a rich man’s bastard.
Driving away, I told my car to call Crystal and waited until she answered, trying to stop the tears.
“Hey, Mon. How was your first night of work with the baby daddy?”
“The worst!” I yelled. “He is the worst, Crys! I told him, and he shouted at me and called the baby a bastard!”
Crystal was silent on the other end for a moment before speaking. “No. He wouldn’t.”
“Oh, he fucking did! I’m... I’m... I can’t do this alone, Crys!” I drove through my tears, knowing it was dangerous but needing to be as far from Chris as possible.
“You are not, and will never be, alone. Do you need me to get you?”
“I’m in my car driving home,” I sniffed.
“You shouldn’t be driving like this. Our place is closer. Get over here.”
“Okay...” I hung up and swiped at my eyes, trying to take deep breaths. I wanted to be alone, but I also needed my best friend. Brent would be off work soon. I prayed I could get there and cry all over Crystal before my stupid brother showed up and started asking questions.
Heart in my throat, I pulled up to their house and bolted out of my car before I changed my mind and drove home. I needed to cry, and I needed Crystal’s shoulder for the job. Running up their front steps, I walked in and was immediately bombarded by small arms wrapping around my legs.
“Auntie Mon!”
Looking down, I smiled at Grace and hugged her back, already glad I came here. Grace always warmed my heart and brightened my day. “Hey, Bean! How’s my favorite niece ever?”
“I’m good!” she cheered and jumped up and down, still attached to my legs.
“That’s what I like to hear! Where’s Crystal?”
“She’s making brownies, so I think she must be sad. That’s what she does when she is sad.”
I knew those brownies were for me. It was a nice gesture, but my stomach was in heaps of knots, and I felt ready to vomit any minute. “I’m sure she is fine. Maybe the baby in her tummy is just really hungry.”
Grace shrugged. “Maybe. Wanna play dolls?”
“Maybe later, Bean. I need to talk to Crystal for a bit, Okay?”
“Okay,” she said with another shrug and a smile as she zoomed off to her room.
Walking around the corner, I entered the kitchen and saw Crystal, her face transforming with concern for me. “Hey, turn that frown upside down,” I said, trying not to be such a drag.
Opening her arms wide, I immediately ran into them and let it all out, sobbing into her shoulder and likely getting snot on her nice sweater. It wasn’t the first time, and based on how my life was turning out, it wasn’t going to be the last. I told her everything. Why I accepted the job, why I decided to tell him, and of course, his horrific, gutting, devastating reaction to the news.
“Oh... Mon...” she whispered and rubbed my quivering back. “I’m sure he will come around. He was taken off guard, Sweets. This is Chris we’re talking about. He’s a good guy.”
“Sure, until you get knocked up with his unwanted bastard!” I cried louder than intended, but my heart was breaking into a million pieces. This hurt more than I could have ever imagined, and somewhere buried within the pain, I knew the reason. I liked Chris. More than liked. I was falling for him, maybe already had, and despite this unexpected pregnancy and resolve to stay independent, deep down, I had hoped for things to work out for us. I never expected a proposal or even an immediate declaration, but maybe a little understanding, a little care or concern for me, the woman carrying his child. But no, he rejected the child outright. Well, screw him. I didn’t have that option, nor would I ever reject my child. We were grown adults and created this child together, but it seemed like I would raise it alone.
“What!” I heard a growl from behind, and I froze in Crystal’s arms. I knew it was my brother, and Crystal’s hand stilled on my back.
Sniffling, I squared my shoulders and turned to face him, silently staring.
“What did you just say? Chris knocked you up!” His face was instantly beet-red, and I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen him this angry. I just stayed silent and stared; I didn’t owe him any answers.
“That son of a bitch! What the fuck, Mon! When? Where? How? Ick, no, don’t tell me! Jesus! This is not okay!”
“This isn’t your concern, Brent,” I said slowly, trying to control my rising temper.
“Like hell, it’s not! My best friend and business partner fucked my sister? Uh, uh. No. But you’re pregnant! Does he know?”
Tears slid down my face as I nodded and looked away from my brother with shame, remembering Chris’s words. To him, this child was just a bastard. I couldn’t tell Brent that, or he would literally slaughter Chris or get slaughtered himse
lf in the process of trying. I’ve never seen either man fight, but I had to believe Chris could take Brent out. Brent was strong and worked out a lot, but Chris was a giant man, built like an Adonis carved by the gods. Fucking asshole.
“And?” Brent growled. “Where is he then? And why does my fucking wife know, but not me?”
“Because of this, Brent! Because you’re psycho when it comes to men with me! Because I knew you would act this way!”
“Yeah? Well then, you shouldn’t have screwed my best friend!” he shouted.
“I can screw anyone I want! Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” I balled my fists and shook with rage. I wanted to pummel him so hard.
Crystal shifted behind me and cleared her throat. “I... uh, think I should take Grace out for some ice cream...” She slowly slid past Brent, who blocked the way quite intentionally but was smart enough to move out of her way before his wife did what I wanted to do and slugged him in the shoulder.
“I’m not done with you,” he said to Crystal.
She raised a brow and scoffed. “I’m team Monica, Brent. You need to calm down. Plus, I’m fat with your child, so you have to be nice to me.” She smiled widely and scooched past him to collect Grace and get her away before we slaughtered one another. Smart woman.
“How far along are you?” he huffed at me, crossing his shoulders.
“Almost ten weeks.”
“Almost... ten?” His brow dropped as he did the math, then his face contorted as he figured it out. “He fucked you at my wedding!”
“Correction. I fucked him. Let’s be real here, Brent. Massive instigator here.”
He made a barfing sound and flared his nostrils. “First of all, ew! But also, it doesn’t matter. You’re off-limits to my friends. He knows that. Bro code! He should have walked away. Oh, my God... is that... were you... in your room when...” I nodded, and he roared.
“Goddamn it!”
“Calm down, Brent. You’re going to stroke out. And I’m not sure if you can tell or not, but I’ve already been crying all day. I don’t need your crap. I know I messed up, okay?” I shouted.
“Okay!” he shot back. “Yes, you did! So did Chris! And he had better put a ring on your finger by the end of the week, or he is dead!”
