by Tracy Reed
“She did.”
I waited on her to expound but nothing. “She asked me to come give you a hand.”
“With what?”
“Aunt Connie, you and I have always been open and honest with each other.”
“Baby, thank you, but Wallis and I have everything under control.”
“That’s not what Alex said.”
“I love my daughter, but right now she’s not thinking straight.”
“Aunt Connie, what did you do?”
“The less you know the better.”
“Please tell me you didn’t call Terrence.”
“Aunt Connie, Alex will be furious with you if you went against her wishes and called him.”
“I cannot bear to hear the pain she’s in. So I did what needed to be done.”
“Did you get an answer?”
“I should have one later this afternoon.”
* * *
Moses
* * *
“HI, UNCLE WALLIS. PLEASE TELL me you have good news.”
“We have confirmation of a mix up.” My heart jumped into my throat. “But it wasn’t with Terrence.” I exhaled. “There was another baby boy born that night and his paperwork was miss filed. That’s who this boy is.”
“Thank you God.” I breathed a sigh of relief. Now we can get back to our lives. “Give my niece a big hug and a kiss for me, and I’ll see you both when you get home.”
“Thank you. Did you call Mom Connie?”
“She’s my next call.”
“Thank you. Tell her we’ll call her later.”
“Get some rest.”
“Will do. Thank you. Good bye.” Thank you God. I exhaled.
“Who was that?”
I turned around. “I didn’t hear you, baby.” I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her on the top of her head.
“Who were you talking to?”
“Uncle Wallis.”
“What did he say?”
I felt her body tense up. “It’s not Terrence. There was a mix up, but not with Terrence.”
“Oh.”
I expected a little more excitement. “That’s a good thing. Now we can get on with our lives.”
“I guess.” I kissed her, but she still remained emotionless. “I’m glad that’s taken care of.”
“Me too.”
“I’m going to take a shower.” She hugged me and walked down the hall to the bedroom.
I went out to the patio to get some air and pray. This entire thing had put a strain on our relationship. We hadn’t been intimate physically or emotionally since the morning this thing interrupted our lives. I missed my wife.
I went back inside to the bedroom and noticed the shower was still running. I immediately went into the bathroom, and saw Alex sitting on the floor of the shower in the corner. She looked like a scared little girl, with her knees pulled up against her chest, and her hands covering her eyes, crying.
“Baby…” I opened the door, turned the water off, got down next to her, and wrapped her in my arms.
“It’s…it’s like…I lo…lo…los…lost him…all…all…all over.” Once she said those words, the tears seemed to come harder. As a husband, I knew how to fix a lot of things, but this was new. “Mo…Moses…it…it hurts…it hurts…it hurts…”
She was breaking my heart. I didn’t know what to do to stop her pain. I wanted to ram my hand into the wall. My wife, my lover, my best friend was in pain and I didn’t know what to do. I was lost.
I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around her, picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. I placed her on the bed and continued to dry her off, but she kept crying. “It hurts…it hurts…it hurts…” The tears kept flowing. I needed to get her warm. I took off my clothes and wrapped her beautiful naked body in my arms and tried to share my body heat. I pulled the comforter over us, gently stroking her hair, and rubbing her back, but nothing seemed to stop the tears.
I foolishly underestimated the amount of pain this situation caused her. I thought an answer in our favor would yield tears of joy and rejoicing, not more pain. I pulled her closer, but she cried harder. The sound of her crying was breaking my heart. No matter how hard I tried to soothe her, it didn’t help.
I laid her on her back, climbed out of bed and pulled the comforter back. I walked to the bottom of the bed and started kissing her feet, one at a time. I slowly moved my mouth along her legs kissing her damp skin as I parted her legs and kissed the inside of her thighs. I heard a deep gasp, and the crying stopped. I glided my hands further up her thighs, and I could feel her skin start to heat up.
The tiny circles I drew on her thighs with the tip of my tongue caused her body to dance. I dug my fingers deep into her upper thighs, and blew on the beautiful dark curls. When my hot breath met her skin, she arched up and clutched the sheets.
I looked up. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing hard. The swell of her breasts rising and falling, sent a jolt to my core, and my entire body got hard. Even in her state of distress, she had the power to entice me. I eased my hands up her ribcage, cupped her breasts, and she let out a deep moan. Her moans of pleasure were music to my ears. I brushed my thumb across her nipple and she let out another deep moan.
I climbed on top of her and filled my mouth with one of her breasts. Savoring the feel of her nipple as it grazed the roof of my mouth. She arched against my mouth and I fought hard not to bury myself deep inside her. I traced her neglected breast with the tip of my finger as my mouth made love to the other one.
I pulled back and looked at her. She was coming alive. She slowly opened her eyes and grabbed the sides of my face. “Please, make love to me.”
I gently brushed the side of her face. “You never have to beg. It is my desire to make love to you whenever you want.”
I crushed my mouth against hers and she became aggressive. She pushed her tongue passed my lips and inside my mouth, kissing me hard. Her need and demand were sexy.
She glided her delicate hands down my back and it was like hot knives cutting my skin. Each touch drew me further into her web of passion. I was trying to hold on, but it was difficult. I felt like an overly shaken champagne bottle about to explode. I knew if she let me, I’d take everything she offered and leave her empty and unfulfilled and I couldn’t do that. I needed to be patient.
I felt her mouth, move across my cheek, down my neck and then a pinch on my ear. Oh man. She grabbed my behind and pulled me deeper into her space.
I wanted to bury my throbbing body deep inside her until she lost her voice from screaming out in delight.
“Baby please…” she begged.
I grabbed her hands, pulled back and stared at her. She was breathing hard but her eyes told a different story. The pain was still there. She turned her face away from me.
“Look at me.” She ignored me. I lowered my head and sighed. “Baby, please…look at me.”
She turned toward me and her face was wet. “Beautiful…,” I sighed again. “Please let me help you.” In a matter of minutes, the roles had reversed. Now I was begging her to let me make love to her.
I kissed her wet right cheek, then the left and she seemed to cry harder. I kissed her quivering mouth, ignoring the salty tears. I knew the only way we were going to get through this was together.
I kissed her again and she continued to cry. I moved my mouth across her cheek, down her neck along her collar bone and she cried harder. Then I moved my mouth to her cleavage. My mouth was in a place it had longed to be for a couple of weeks, nestled between her silky smooth beautiful breasts.
I blew on her nipple and she arched up and moaned. I gently bit on her nipple and she let out a sexy whimper that aroused me even more.
“Baby…more please,” she moaned.
I did as she asked and dragged my tongue along her other nipple while my fingers gently teased the other one. The crying had been replaced with sultry, sexy moans.
I continued to make love to her breasts and she be
gan to writhe and dance under me. I slipped my hand down the inside of her thighs, teasing her black curls and she let out a deep moan I’d never heard before.
She pressed my head down onto her breast demanding more attention. I dragged my tongue along her breast and the salty taste of her skin connecting with my tongue was the perfect appetizer. I inched my finger further connecting with her hard nub and she cried out followed by a wave of erotic spasms that looked like an impassioned dancer.
She looked incredible writhing against the white sheets, with her beautiful, full breasts bouncing up and down against my chest as she gave into her pleasure. I started to ease my fingers out and she covered my hand, shaking her head and breathing hard.
I stayed still a few moments and then I stroked her nub again. This time her orgasm hit quicker and harder. I watched as she gave into the spasms and tremors, jealous I wasn’t inside her sharing the ride.
I removed my fingers, parted her legs, nestled my hips in between her hot, thick thighs, wrapped her legs around my waist and slowly slid into her warmth. God, she felt good wrapped around me. I kept telling my body not to go too fast. As excited as I was I knew there was a possibility I could hurt her if I didn’t control myself.
She slid her delicate hands down my back and pulled me deeper inside her space. I took one of her breasts in my mouth, sucking and enjoying the sound of her moans as I brought her closer to the edge again. Our slow dance had turned into a frantic race. Each move I made was more powerful than the last.
“Baby, I…I can’t hold on much longer. I need…” I lifted her hips and dove deeper and harder.
She pushed me deeper inside and I felt her thighs began to tremble against my legs as she tightened around me.
I reached down, stroked her nub again and she became wild. It was beautiful watching her body contort and thrash as she gave in to her climax.
“Oh God…Oh God…Oh God…Moses, I…I…”
My body was pulsing and I knew my orgasm was going to be powerful and possibly be too much for her to handle. I’d held on as long as I could. I braced the bed and pounded hard and fast into Alex.
She tightened around me as the wave of climax consumed us. Our bodies danced and writhed until we collapsed against the bed wrapped in each other’s arms.
Breathing hard, I rolled onto my back and pulled Alex on top of me. I cupped her face and kissed her swollen lips.
“I love you,” she said in between deep breaths.
I kissed her shoulder. “I love you too.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Chloe
* * *
I HAD THE PERFECT DRESS courtesy of Bas’ help. All I had to do was take Parker up to my parents. Just as I was about to leave, Parker started to cry. I checked his diaper and he was dry. I picked him up and he went straight for my breast.
“Are you still hungry?”
He cried louder.
“Okay, let mommy get situated here.” I opened my shirt, unhooked the flap on my bra, hooked him up to the buffet, and he calmed down. “Why are you so hungry?”
The door bell rang and I got up and walked to the door. I looked out the side window and opened the door.
“Hi.” What a way to greet my boyfriend. “I’m so sorry I’m not dressed. I gave the nanny the night off. I was about to take Parker up to my mom and dad’s when he decided he was still hungry, and the dress I picked out wasn’t designed for breast-feeding. I thought I’d have time to fill him up before you got here and that didn’t happen. Let me finish, but we might be a little late. I got everything on the list for lunch tomorrow. Plus, I went a little crazy at Williams-Sonoma, because I didn’t really have kitchen stuff. And I decided to stay here in the guesthouse until Parker turns two, so I can be close to my mom for advice, and I want my boyfriend to teach me how to cook. But that would be hard to do without…”
“Honey,” he grabbed my arm, “take a breath.” I took a deep breath and sat down with Parker still attached to my breast. I exhaled and Collier kissed me. “I have been wanting to do that since you opened the door. Now, what do you want for dinner?”
“It won’t take me long. Just call the restaurant and…”
“Take care of my little friend,” he brushed the side of Parker’s head. “And I’ll make us something to eat.”
“But I bought a new dress and…Parker should be finished soon. We can still…” I hadn’t felt this out of control since the first night I was left alone with Parker. I didn’t want Collier to think I couldn’t handle motherhood, my career, and dating.
He kissed me again. “And put on your dress.”
“Okay.” He kissed Parker on the forehead, took his jacket and tie off, rolled up his sleeves and winked at me. He walked over to the fridge and began pulling out food. “You look very comfortable in my kitchen.”
He turned and smiled. “You’ve changed a few things since my last visit.”
“I did a little research and thought it would be nice to have a semi-gourmet kitchen.”
“I like what you’ve done.” His smile made it feel like a family moment. “I’ve missed you two.”
“We missed you, too. Thank you for the flowers. You remembered I like yellow roses, and Parker says thank you for the stuffed giraffe.”
“You’re welcome. No matter how many times I see you two like that, it makes me sad he’s not mine.”
“You can take him home if you want. I’ll load you up with milk and diapers, and the two of you can have a guys night.”
“I just may take you up on that.”
I looked down and Parker was drooling, which meant he was full. I wiped his mouth and burped him. I wiped his mouth again and rocked him until he fell asleep. “Finally. I’m going to put him down.” I walked down the hall to the nursery, put Parker in his crib and joined Collier in the kitchen. “Smells good. What are we having?”
He looked at me. “I thought you were going to put on your dress?”
“I’ll save it for another night. What can I do?”
“You sit down, I’ve got this.”
“No, I want to help.”
“Okay, you set the table and make the salad.”
I opened the bag of mixed greens and poured the mixture into a bowl, drizzled a little dressing, and tossed. I grabbed a couple of plates and silverware, glasses and napkins, and set the table. “Done.”
“Come on, let’s sit down. The salmon will be ready in a few minutes.”
“Salmon? My, my, my Mr. Benjamin, I’m impressed. And what else are we having?”
“Tonight, Ms. Jacobs, for your dining pleasure we’ll be having poached salmon with sautéed spinach and roasted new potatoes. Follow me to the dining room where we’ll start with a bevy of European mixed greens with a lemon herb vinaigrette and grilled Parmesan toast.” He escorted me to the table and we sat down and enjoyed the impromptu meal.
“That was wonderful. I’m stuffed.” He stood up and started to clear the table. “I can do that.”
“You check on Parker and I’ll handle the dishes.”
I went down the hall and when I returned Collier was washing the dishes. I picked up a towel and helped dry. Orlando never cooked for me, and I don’t think he knew how to wash a dish. His expertise lay in the bedroom and once the magic wore off, so did his skills. “I’m sorry about tonight.”
“I’m having a good time.”
“Really? I know we had other plans and…”
“They changed. That has a tendency to happen when you have a baby.”
“I’m still getting used to Parker being in charge.”
“You’re doing a good job.”
“Thanks. I needed to hear that.” And on cue, my little man started crying. “Oh God, he can’t be hungry again. I’m sorry.” I put the towel down and went to check on Parker. I changed his diaper and as unbelievable as it seemed, he was hungry. I hooked him up to the buffet, and walked back into the family room and sat on the sofa. “I’m sorry.” I looked at the kitchen, and
Collier had finished cleaning up. He walked over and sat down next to me on the sofa and put his arm around me. “I don’t know what’s wrong. It seems like he can’t get full.”
“Hey, little man.” He grabbed his foot and shook it and Parker’s eyes lit up. “Chloe, he’s gotten so big since I last saw him.”
“I know. The doctor says he’s a little big for his age, but once he starts walking that’ll change. But he eats faster than I can make it.”
“You might need to go to formula.”
“I don’t want to do that. The doctor said I might need to go to solid food a little sooner than expected. My mom told me to try giving him a little cereal in a bottle.” I looked down at Parker and he was drooling, the tell-all full sign. I started to burp him when Collier asked, “May I?”
“Sure.”
He put the burp cloth on his shoulder, took Parker and held him against his shoulder, gently patting his back. Collier had the magic touch. He waited for the sound, and there it was. Parker sounded like an old man. We laughed.
“Oh, my God, my greedy son is embarrassing me.”
Collier held him in his arms and rocked him until he gave in to sleep. Then Collier got up and walked down the hall. The baby monitor was on and I heard Collier talking.“God, I pray You bless Parker with a good, peaceful night of sleep, filled with sweet dreams. Amen.”
If I didn’t already love him, that moment would have made me fall in love with him.
He walked back into the kitchen and I was standing at the counter.
“What are you doing?”
“Making dessert.”
He nodded. “You’re scooping ice cream.”
“You see it as scooping and I see it as cooking.” We laughed.
“Come here.” He pulled me close and I felt my heart start to race. “You know we don’t have to go out to a fancy dinner all the time.”
“I know, but I wanted tonight to be special.”
