by Dawn, Penny
A shiver ran up her spine when he tucked a hand against her satin panties, rubbing her between her folds of skin, front to back, to front again, rolling her clit between his fingers. He lowered his mouth to a breast, tonguing her, his saliva bleeding through the cotton garment, tantalizing her tender nipple.
"God, I love these breasts.” He slipped a hand between the buttons on her shirt, cupping a full, naked breast. “You're killing me."
Inside, the phone rang. She pressed against his chest. “I have to get that."
"No, you don't.” He leaned over her again, impeding her trek to the telephone.
"Yes, I do. It'll wake Allie.” She escaped his hold, his hands pulling out of her clothing, as if she'd rolled away in bed. “I'm sorry, but I have to.” She flung the door open and grabbed the phone. “Hello. Hi, Bren. How was your day?"
Luke followed in silence as she paced the kitchen floor, phone at her ear, and he leaned her back against the island.
He tickled her down her sides, crouching before her and inching her pants over her hips. He slipped the diamond ring off her finger. His lips landed upon her stomach and made their way to her panties. The heat of his breath against her privates, more intense than fire, drew a long gasp from her lips. His tongue flattened against her clitoris, the satin of her panties now dampened by his wet mouth.
She shivered, staring into his eyes, captivated.
"Are you all right, Coco Bop?” Her husband's voice sounded through the receiver.
She gave her head a slight shake. “Don't,” she whispered.
"I have to,” Luke mouthed against her plump, pregnant thighs.
"Kimmy?” Brennan asked.
Luke whisked off her panties.
She traced the scar near Luke's eye. “Yes."
"Are you listening to me?” Brennan asked.
"Yes."
Luke's pink tongue wiggled into her, brushing her inside and out, slowly, sweetly, his full lips working magic, massaging her flesh.
"Kimmy? Are you there? I asked if we were free to go to Lauren's on the fifteenth."
"Um, Brennan, I have to go."
"Are you all right?"
"Fine. Just ... you know."
About to come.
"Pregnant,” Brennan said.
Thankfully, she had sense enough not to correct him.
Luke's tongue slowly licked her up and down, lulling her, convincing her to relax. She propped a thigh onto his shoulder, and gyrated against his mouth.
"Uh-huh. Bye, Brennan. Good night."
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
Luke's arms tightened around her, his hands gripping her ass.
She hung up the phone, and haphazardly dropped it to the floor. “Luke, we can't ... can't keep—"
"We can,” he said against her, licking a long, slow path around the opening of her channel, swirling his tongue over the hard nub her clitoris had become, closing his lips around it and sucking, humming, shoving a thumb into her cunt. “Beautiful girl.” He tugged on her shirt and caught her when she dropped to the kitchen floor.
"Tell me what you want,” he whispered.
Their lips united in a sugary sweet kiss, and her head spun, the line between right and wrong, cloudy and hazy, his naked seven-and-five-eighths hard against her.
"Oh, God."
He pushed his way inside her. “Beautiful girl."
"We can't."
His steamy gaze pierced into hers, and he slowly rocked further into her body, kissing her deeply.
Her every nerve jittered, and her arms encircled him, squeezing. She tightened against his cock, ready to explode over the entire length of him. An orgasm rumbled deep inside, in response to his stroking her just so perfectly.
"Kiss me,” she breathed.
He nipped at her mouth, his tongue dragging along hers.
Her eyes watered, her legs quivered.
"Come on, beautiful,” he whispered against her lips.
Every muscle in her body clenched, and at once, she felt a warm gush, rushing over him, around him, tingling deep inside. “Oh, God.” He was so deep, so thick. And still moving, silently calling for more.
Another orgasm began before the first ended, and she was powerless to take a breath, for fear she might chase the feeling away. Her limbs tight and aching, she squeezed him with all her might, as he stroked her into the oblivion of pleasure, with it starting at her g-spot and shooting out from her core. Her nipples tingled, her fingertips numbed. The inner walls of her vagina quaked against the length of him, and a soft cry of satisfaction slipped through her lips.
"So passionate.” He smoothed a curl at her temple, staring down at her.
She struggled to catch her breath. Tears curbed around her ears. “We can't keep doing this."
"I can't let you stop me.” He cupped her body in his strong arms and pulled her onto his bare thighs. He removed her shirt and then his own.
The phone rang again, and she ignored it, their lovemaking continuing amid a tender embrace against the kitchen floor, Luke whispering into her ear. “This is it, what I've been waiting for my whole life."
* * * *
"I have to go, Kimber,” Luke said without looking at her. He pulled his snug T-shirt over his rippling stomach. “I want to peek in on my boy.” His arms whisked into the denim outer shirt, which he didn't bother buttoning.
"Of course.” Her brow furrowed as she dressed.
"Aw, don't do that, beautiful girl,” he whispered, lightly brushing the crease at her forehead. “I can't stay. You know that."
"No, I know. I just thought you'd be ... I don't know ... happier about this."
"Happier? Believe me, I couldn't be any happier."
"You're ... I don't know—"
"But this could be dangerous. For my kids, I mean."
"You don't think I stand to lose as much as you do? I have children, too, you know."
"Yeah, I know."
"Do me a favor. When you exercise your powers of persuasion, make damn sure you want to hit the target."
"What's that supposed to mean?” He pulled at a wrinkle in her shirt. “Here.” He pressed her wedding ring into her hand.
"You have to be honest with me. If all you want is to fuck me—"
"You think that was fucking?” He reached for a shoe and shoved a foot into it. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph."
"It wasn't fucking until you just treated it like fucking."
"I have to go. And you know I do."
"What do you want from me? Just sex?"
"It's never been about sex,” he said, shrugging. “I mean, the sex is good, too. Incredible, but...” His gaze met hers, and he sighed.
"But what?"
"I have to go.” He fingered a lock of her hair. “And you have to call your husband."
He kissed her softly on the mouth and disappeared out the door, leaving her feeling empty and easy.
And how insane had she been to do what she did with her husband on the line?
Had she turned off the phone?
Of course.
Had she?
Yes.
She looked again.
Yes. As a matter of fact, it had rung again, right? But what had her husband heard before she'd hung up?
She dialed Brennan's cell phone. “Hi."
"Are you all right?” Brennan asked.
"Yes."
"What happened, Kimmy?"
"Just a funny feeling inside."
"But you're all right?"
"Just pregnant. A little nauseous."
"Well, just a little longer, right? How long until the first trimester's over? And did you check the calendar for the fifteenth? Lauren and Rick are christening their home theater. Give my mother a call, see if she can take Allie, and maybe you can make that shrimp salad Lauren raved about a few weeks ago."
Tears filled her eyes. Back to reality. The magic of Luke Jackson faded like music on the wind.
* * * *
Two
days later, around six in the morning, she awakened with a terrific headache and a churning stomach. Good, a sign of pregnancy.
She forced herself out of bed, ready to vomit. Dizzy, she pinched her eyes closed and felt her way to the bathroom. When she felt the cool marble floor on the pads of her bare feet, she dropped to her knees and crawled. Finally, when she reached the closed door to the toilet room on the far side of the master bath, she reached up, turned the pewter door handle, and crept to the commode, the porcelain cooling her hot cheek.
The few contents of her stomach spewed into the toilet.
Ah. Pregnancy.
* * * *
"But I can't find ‘em, Mommy,” Allison said from the breakfast room. “You have to look."
She peeled herself up from a snack bar stool and sauntered to her daughter's side. “What can't you find? Your bunny?"
"No. Pink is right here.” Of course, sitting next to her ballet bag.
"What then, Allie?"
"Mommy, I told you. My noisy shoes that go shuffle, ball change."
"Your tap shoes?"
"Do tap shoes go shuffle, ball change?"
"Yes.” Okay. Where did you last see them? Her hand fell to her abdomen for what seemed like the thousandth time that morning, her fingers dancing against it, a weak smile forming on her lips. She felt terrible. Terribly pregnant. If today weren't dress rehearsal for the recital, she would have spent the entire day in bed.
"Mommy? Are you sick?"
"I'm fine, Allie. And you know what? Your shoes are in my purse. Let's go."
* * * *
"I wasn't going to say anything,” Lauren said after half an hour of silence, “but, honey, you look terrible."
They sat side-by-side in the waiting room at the dance studio. Their daughters scampered off the maple floor, ready to switch from ballet shoes to taps, from one tutu to another.
"I'm not complaining today.” Kimberley sighed and managed a smile. “I feel pregnant for the first time in weeks."
"Mommy.” Allison shuffled toward her, taking care to tap her toes and heels against the floor with every step. Her hand outstretched, she offered up a gold object. “This was in my shoe."
Kimberley rose from her seat and took what she assumed to be part of a Happy Meal toy from her daughter's pudgy fingers. But when Allison pressed it into her hand, a bead of cold sweat formed on Kimberley's forehead.
Luke's wedding band.
Had Lauren seen it? Was there any excuse for having another man's wedding ring in her daughter's tap shoe?
Carefully, she tightened her hand around the ring. “Excuse me.” She made her way to the restroom, locked the door behind her, and stared at her reflection in the mirror. An adulteress stared back at her.
The affair couldn't continue. It had to end.
She considered washing his cheap band of gold down the drain. He shouldn't have put it in her purse in the first place. She turned on the faucet, but before she allowed the ring to slip from her fingers, the picture on his dashboard entered her mind.
His ring, however inconvenient for her, was a symbol of the happiness portrayed in that photograph. Regardless of whether or not Luke deemed it necessary now, it had once meant a beginning without an end. She'd return it to him. In a public place, where nothing inappropriate could happen. At the gym maybe.
But there were no pockets in her sundress, and she'd neglected to bring her purse with her into the bathroom. Sandals wouldn't conceal it. Panic rose within her. What was she going to do with it?
She'd have to confess the lurid truth. She'd tell Lauren, and in turn, Brennan, that she had, safe in her keeping, a ring that not only belonged to another man, but a band of gold that had been inside her body, along with nine other digits and seven-and-five-eighths of pure man.
Her eyes darted around the bathroom. Could she wrap it in a square of toilet tissue? In a paper towel? And then what?
What was she going to do?
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her bra strap peeking out of her dress, and quickly, she shoved it back under. And suddenly, she knew what to do. She tucked Luke's ring between her full breasts and into the left cup of her bra. Its presence there, like its owner's, stimulated her and sent a vibration straight to her clit. Diane had married him, but his wedding ring pressed against Kimberley's breast, confined in her bra.
She splashed freezing water onto her face, feeling better. But deep down, she knew she had to end one of the two relationships in which she was involved.
"Why don't you go home?” Lauren said when Kimberley returned to her seat.
"I'm fine, Lauren."
"Are you?” She drummed her fingers against her Prada handbag, glancing at her, unable to hold the gaze. “Brennan called Monday night. It was pretty late. Around ten."
Kimberley's mouth dried instantly.
"He was worried about you, said you acted strangely on the phone."
Again, her courtroom experience leapt to her rescue. Don't let her see your surprise. Act as if you're expecting every sentence she utters. “Yeah. The morning sickness started again right around the time he called."
"Oh. Well, he asked me to check on you, so I called, but you didn't answer. And given the baby's heartbeat, I was worried. I sent Rick for a drive."
A long pause. “He didn't stop in."
"No, he said the house was dark, but nothing looked out of the ordinary. And the gateman said no one had come through, so he didn't want to alarm you or get you out of bed to answer the door."
Had Rick seen Luke's work truck parked on the road? Thank God Luke hadn't pulled into the drive that night. She'd have to tell him to leave his truck at Satchel Park next time.
Next time?
"So you were all right?” Lauren asked. “Just pregnant?"
There couldn't be a next time, no matter how amazing making love with him had been, no matter that she'd probably long for him every time she undressed. It was a dangerous game. And she couldn't play it.
She kept her poker face straight and dry. “Fine.” Luke's wedding ring seemed to burn into her breast. “Just pregnant."
* * * *
Rachael shyly took her pseudo-father's hand, and they filed out of the auditorium at Evanston High School.
"Did you like the show?” Luke asked.
She nodded silently.
About four feet to their right, Kimberley slowly made her way toward the door, her hand tucked in Brennan's arm. Her husband, a good-looking guy, kind of preppy, chatted with another couple.
"I wish Mommy were here."
Luke looked down into Rachael's wide, blue eyes, which were nothing like his. “Let's stop for some ice cream."
"Can we have ice cream at home?"
"Sure.” One grueling step at a time. “Hey, we spend a lot of time together, right?"
"With Mommy."
"But we have more time together than most daddies and their girls, right?” He squeezed Rachael's hand and glanced at the Rodericks. Case in point.
"So, are you up for drinks after we get the girls?"
He overheard Brennan's suggestion, and his heart ached for Kimberley. His angel.
Her shoulders sagged, and she looked around the crowded hall, as if searching for someone to save her. She caught sight of Luke and snapped her eyes back for a second look, her initial look of pleasant surprise hardening immediately to something akin to nervous rage.
He'd invaded her world. Maybe he ought to have taken Diane's advice and stayed home, saved Rachael a hell of a lot of discomfort, and saved Kimberley the panic.
"Are you all right with that? I'll just have a couple. I'll be good.” Brennan patted her delicate hand, the hand that had stroked Luke's balls.
Kimberley painted on a smile for her husband. “Fine. Allie's class will be in room one-seventeen. This way.” She looked at Luke one last time before heading in a separate direction.
Luke turned his attention back to his daughter. “Would you like to take dance lessons some
day?"
"Did Mommy take dance lessons when she was a little girl?"
