Beyond the Orange Moon (Mathews Family Book 2)

by Adrienne Frances

  “No?” he asked, and spun her around. “Then when?”

  “Well, I really don’t want any part of this to freeze. I want to watch Jackson grow and I can’t wait to see what the rest of our life together is going to be like.” Her cheeks burned as she looked up at him from under her long lashes. “But, if I absolutely had to choose a moment, it would be later tonight when you’re making love to me.”

  Charlie drew in a deep breath and blew it out. He bent down and sucked on her ear, before whispering, “My hands are not going to leave your skin all night.”

  Lucy raised her eyebrows. “Promise?”

  “God, yes,” Charlie said, and pressed his mouth to hers. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, and she groaned at the sweet taste of him.

  Lucy pulled back, just about panting. “Time to go,” she said with a giggle.

  “Time to go,” he agreed, and led her inside.

  They climbed the stairs together and headed into the room where Jackson had fallen fast asleep. Lucy looked down at his face and loved how his tiny lips puckered as he slept. She could never tire of that image. Charlie lifted Jackson, pulling him against his chest, and smiled as Lucy grabbed his blue blanket from the crib and draped it over him.

  They headed back downstairs and walked through the front door without saying a word to anyone. Outside, though, they were stopped by the sight of Linda and Mike sitting together on a porch chair, laughing. They had a blanket draped over them and a bottle of champagne beside them.

  “Goodnight, Mom,” Charlie said with a chuckle, and pulled Lucy past them.

  Linda giggled and gave Lucy a small wave. “Take care of my boys, Lucy.”

  Lucy walked backward, promising, “Always,” and waved.

  * * *

  Charlie unzipped Lucy’s dress and let the soft fabric fall to the floor, where it pooled at her feet. She smiled as he kissed her bare shoulder and undid her strapless bra at the same time. He finished undressing her by sliding her panties down at an unbearably slow pace that had her so worked up she could hardly breathe.

  “Charlie,” she moaned, and threw her head back.

  He led her to the bed and slid his shirt from his body. “I feel like I haven’t touched you for so long.”

  She sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed his bare stomach while he ran his hands through her long blonde hair. She undid his pants and pulled them down his long legs. She reached up and ran her fingers on the inside of his boxer briefs, and loved the sound of him breathing above her.

  With a gentle hand, Charlie pushed her back until she was flat on the bed. He crawled on top of her and gave her the most precious smile.

  “Make love to me,” she said, and ran her fingers through his hair.

  He raised her leg at the knee and wrapped it around his lean waist before making his way inside her with a long groan. He stilled, and leaned down to kiss her lips. As he ran his tongue along hers, he began to move his hips, slowly rocking into her and bringing her body to life.

  “I love you,” he whispered, and never took his eyes from hers.

  She didn’t even need to hear the words. Every I love you in the world couldn’t compare to the love in his beautiful green eyes.

  “I love you,” she said back, and whimpered into the air above them.

  Every nerve in her body started to light up with sparks of rolling pleasure. Charlie thrust his hips against her and breathed her name, which only brought her climax that much closer.

  He rose up on his hands and stared into her eyes, filling her with every emotion possible with only one look. He leaned down and took her nipple in his mouth. As he swirled his tongue over the hard peak, her breathing came in heavy pants.

  She needed more of him.

  She raised her hips, taking him in as far as he would go. He pushed into her faster and harder, and she nearly screamed his name. Before she could, his mouth crashed into hers. As the surge of pleasure rolled through her, she groaned against his lips and raked her hands through his hair.

  He followed her climax with his own as he said her name and collapsed on top of her. After the waves ebbed and his breathing calmed, he rolled to his side and pulled her closer to him.

  “My God, I missed you,” he said, and moved the hair out of her face.

  Lucy reached up and touched his cheek with her finger. “I never want to be without you again, Charlie.”

  His eyes on hers, he brought her in for a long, sweet kiss. He drew back and smiled. “Never again. You’re stuck with me forever.”

  “Forever,” she said simply.

  Later that night, she watched Charlie sleep and laughed at his puckered lips that mirrored Jackson’s. Her eyes traveled up and down his naked body as it clung to hers in the bed.

  “I love you, Charlie Mathews,” she whispered, and kissed his cheek.

  The empty place in her heart was gone. Charlie had once called her the missing piece, but she couldn’t help but believe that Charlie and Jackson were her missing pieces. From the moment Charlie had put Jackson in her arms, she had been aware of how empty her life had been.

  She’d come alive in that moment.

  For the rest of her life and beyond, she knew exactly what she wanted.

  More importantly, she knew that she was worthy of it.

  Epilogue

  Three Years Later

  Charlie sat with Lucy in his lap as he slowly rocked them by the window. The sun crept in through the blinds, sending a magical stretch of light dancing across the hospital room. It was a moment that made him thankful to be alive.

  “She’s puckering her lips like Jack does when he sleeps,” he said with a small laugh.

  Lucy ran her finger over their newborn daughter’s pink cheek. “She’s puckering her lips like her daddy,” she corrected, and pressed her forehead to his.

  “Lucy Mathews, I do not pucker my lips when I sleep.”

  “Oh, yes you do, Charlie Mathews.”

  He smiled as he shook his head. She was probably right, since she was the one that saw him when he slept, but that didn’t mean he would admit to it.

  Charlie gave his gorgeous wife an empathetic stare. “How are you feeling? Are you in pain?”

  Lucy winced as she moved and tucked their daughter closer to her chest. “I’m really sore.” She gave him a dazzling smile, and added, “But being blissfully happy really makes it worth it.”

  She had been incredibly brave throughout the entire ordeal. Twenty-two hours of labor hadn’t slowed her down one bit. Even when the doctor announced that it was time to do a C-section, Lucy had been the one to comfort Charlie. She’d held his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “I’ll be okay, baby,” she’d promised with a look that had made him believe her.

  It was probably one of the scariest moments of his life, but they’d made it. Here they were, two days later, and everyone was perfectly healthy.

  “Mom and Mike are coming up to visit in a little bit. Is there anything you want them to bring for you?” he asked, and tucked a piece of her blonde hair behind her ear.

  She thought about that for a moment and stared down at their little girl. “I just want my boy. I miss him so much.”

  Charlie leaned down carefully and kissed her forehead. “They’re bringing him. Don’t worry. Mom said he’s really excited to hold his new baby sister and, of course, to give his mommy a kiss.”

  Jackson had called Lucy “Bee” until he was about three years old. Charlie had gone back and forth about whether or not he’d ever want Jackson to call Lucy “Mommy.” Finally, right before they were married, he’d decided that the decision wasn’t his to make; it was Jackson’s.

  Jackson had made his choice right after he began Pre-K Three. He’d witnessed the other children call their mothers “Mommy,” and he’d finally asked why he couldn’t call Lucy that, too. Charlie’s reply had been simple: “Do you want to call her Mommy?” Jackson had said, “Yes,” and that was it; he called her
“Mommy” from that day forward.

  Despite the fact that he knew his birth mother was not with them anymore, it was something he’d needed. And, as difficult as it may have been for others to understand, Lucy was Jackson’s mother here on earth. The love between them was the same as any mother and son; the lack of blood made no difference.

  Lucy sighed and ran her fingers over his face. “We should probably name his baby sister before he gets here, right?”

  Charlie scrunched up his nose, his lips in a firm line. “You’ve hated everything I’ve said. This is your call, baby.”

  “Okay. Well, I was thinking while I was in labor. I wasn’t going to tell you this then, but I did get a little scared.” She closed her mouth and shot him a fearful look.

  Charlie frowned. “Baby, you can’t do that. When you’re scared, you have to let me comfort you. Don’t keep it bottled up like that. I’m your husband and it’s my job to—”

  She put her finger up to his lips, silencing him with a smile. “We lean on each other. Sometimes one of us has to be stronger for the other one. I may have been the one that was in physical pain, but I knew you were suffering far more than I was. I love you for that, but you needed me more in that moment.”

  As his eyes filled with tears, Lucy blurred in his vision. “I love you,” he whispered, and carefully drew her closer for a kiss.

  “So, I was thinking,” she continued, wiping away her own tears, “I want to honor Meredith’s memory.”

  Stunned into silence, Charlie raised his eyebrows and stared at his wife.

  “Amia Meredith Mathews.” Lucy sniffled a little, and looked down at their daughter. “Amia means dearly loved, and Meredith, for me, means angel.”

  When Charlie didn’t respond, she looked back up at him and met his watery eyes. “Unless that would be too difficult for you. I wouldn’t want that.”

  After the seconds dragged on and he could finally find his words without choking them out, Charlie cupped his wife’s soft cheek, and said, “You’re my angel.”

  “Does that mean you like the name?” she asked, and leaned her head into his hand.

  “I love her name,” he confirmed. He looked down at his beautiful daughter, and sighed. “Amia Meredith Mathews, you are Daddy’s perfect girl.”

  Charlie held his two girls in his arms and slowly rocked them by the window. Life was a funny thing. It changed with every moment and he never knew what the next day would bring. What he did know, however, was that he had a lot of love in his life and he was a blessed man.

  As long as his heart remained open, he would always be able to look beyond the orange moon.

  The End

  Acknowledgements

  If the cupcakes in this book sounded good to you, check out the blog that inspired them: Cupcake Project.

  Find more amazing recipes here: www.cupcakeproject.com

  This section, right here, is why it is so good to be an author. I have a team—a rather large team—that just continues to grow and now I get to list them. Everyone should try this at least once in their life; it fills you up with love. So, without further ado, here are those people, whom I cannot exist without:

  I recall the days when my boys were babies and I thought I couldn’t wait for them to be more self-sufficient. I take it back! May I please have a redo? Throughout all the laughing, yelling, breaking, wrestling, dirty socks on the floor, and constant reminders to do chores, they make me whole. Every day I wake up, check the calendar, run them to this practice or another, and I think, “Gah! I need to be writing!” If I slow down to think about it, however, I know that someday I will miss the little things. I’ll miss the crazy, because it will mean that they don’t need me anymore. So, on that note, thank you, my precious boys, for keeping me on my toes and filling my life so completely. You are the reason for everything I do and all that I’ve become. My handsome husband, you lead our little family and make us safe; you are the epitome of all things a man should be. From the first moment I saw you, I knew I was going to do great things with you. In my head, however, it wasn’t nearly as perfect as the reality; I don’t think anyone could imagine that. So, just to see if you truly read these things, you are the funny one. There, I admit it! I’m still better looking, though. Ha!

  To my father and step mother, Don and Cathy, thank you for always showing me that possibilities are endless. I don’t believe I would fight as hard as I do if I didn’t have you to always remind me of how far I can go.

  To my brother Maury and sister in-law Rochelle, sometimes it’s nice to see myself through your eyes, especially on days when I really need it. For little girls, a hero usually begins with a father and a big brother. Maury, you are still and always will be one of my heroes. For as long as I can remember and even to this day, I feel pride when I say that you are my big brother. Thank you for blessing me with Rochelle who is the best sister in-law a girl could ever ask for. Thank you for giving me three beautiful nieces and one perfect nephew…and two great-nephews (holy moly).

  Oh, my sister, my best friend…Christian, there are no words to describe what I have with you, but I’ll try. Whether you are sitting right next to me or on the other side of the country, you are always in my heart. Thank you for giving me a superb brother in-law. Mike, you made my sister whole. Thank you for loving her and being her other half. I’ve never seen her smile so big. Thank you to both of you for some pretty fantastic nephews. They are three miracles, unique in every way, and they warm my heart with every silly thing they do.

  To my sister, Karen, my Shicken, my secret keeper, and constant BFF, hot damn! We have an amazing story, don’t we? You are in every tale that I tell and you are the reason for a lot of my laughter. I think my life would be incredibly dull if I hadn’t met you. Most people don’t ever get to say that they made their best friend their sister, but WE DO. It has been an honor to be your friend, and it was an even greater honor to watch your precious mother marry my father. I love you 4 EVA.

  Shannon, my baby sister, my little one, I would still fist fight anyone who messed with you. Thank you for sharing your little family with me. Your dear hubby, Brandon, and your four precious babies all complete me in ways I will never be able to explain.

  Christa, Ali, Frank (Bubby) and Ashley, thank you for being in my life. You are part of every memory and every smile. Thank you for my nieces and nephews, for all of my embarrassing secrets that you keep, and for still making me laugh to this day. It’s been too long since we’ve all been in one place. I hope someday that changes.

  To my darling in-laws, Carol, Tom, Matty, Mitch, Mallory and Dustin, I don’t know how I made it without you for the first twenty-one years of my life. You all have given me so much; you love me as if I had been born into your group and that is worth a thousand forms of gratitude. You fill me up, to put it simply.

  To the Souden, Edwards, Schirr, and Stange families, I adore you all; thank you for the memories and great laughs. Aunt Marcie and my dear cousin, Marki, man it’s good to share blood with you fantastic ladies. We are related through and through. Whatever God was doing when he connected us, I’m positive that he did it for a reason.

  To my precious Ballaghs, Milams, Ocwiejas, Rouses, and Wojciechowskis, yours are the friendships that I could never go without. To Ashley, Amanda, and Ron, I would not have done this without you. It was you three who made me take that step. Thank you. To our brilliant leader, Sherry, and the fabulous consultants at the Oakland University Writing Center, THANK YOU!

  To my fearless publisher, Jillian Dodd, the ever-patient Beth Suit, and the entire Bandit team, you have truly made my dreams come true. Thank you for the brainstorming, conference calls, and for filling the holes in my plots. My writing would be lost without you.

  There are always those people you come across in your life and you wonder, “Is this person somehow related to me? Why are we so alike?” Steph Nuss, that person is you, my dear. I swear I knew you in another life. Thank you for always answering my call. Yo
u listen to every rant and you are always there to make me laugh. I love taking this journey with you; I can’t wait to see where it ends up.

  To Holli Buck, Krista Arnold, Aimee Pachorek, Mandy Morgan, Leslie Logan, Mandie Robinson, Georgette Geras-Waters, Kenzie Dodd, and Kayla McCoy, it is an honor to know that such fabulous women read my work. Thank you for your boosts of confidence and endless support. To Brandee from Brandee’s Book Endings, thank you for your hard work and dedication in getting my books out there. To Erin from the Autumn Review, you were there from the beginning, and I can never thank you enough.

  Michelle from Indie Book Covers, once again, you amaze me with your extraordinary talent. Thank you for always making my covers so beautiful.

  To the Queen of cupcakes, Stefani Hope Pollack, thank you for allowing me to rummage through your blog.

  I owe a lot of gratitude to all reviewers and bloggers who take the time to spread the word for authors. Without these wonderful people, many novels would go unnoticed in today’s tough literary competition. So, a very special thanks to all of the reviewers who have helped me along the way. I would be utterly lost, drowning in a sea of novels, if you didn’t take the time to spread the word. Thank you!

  LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NEVER THE LEAST, THANK YOU TO ALL THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE READERS; I AM SO THANKFUL TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS STORY WITH YOU.

  About the Author

  Adrienne Frances spends her time as a writing consultant at a university near her home.

  In her spare time, she loves to be with her husband and two sons, who have made her exactly who she is today.

  Writing is a passion that she has appreciated for as long as she can remember.

  She believes that a wild imagination is a terrible thing to waste and should be captured and brought to life by all that are blessed to have one.