My Sister’s Boyfriend: A Forbidden Romance

by Cassandra Dee

  There isn’t much room in my life for anything other than studying, classes, and my daughter, but I don’t mind. When Lily was first born, I had no idea how I was going to cope. When I revealed that Hunter was the father, my sister went ballistic and kicked me out of the apartment.

  “I’m pregnant,” I sobbed. “Where will I go?”

  Angela’s face was as hard as stone.

  “You’ll figure it out,” she said before slamming the door in my face.

  Fortunately, I was able to stay in university temporary housing, before they moved me into an apartment for families. Now, we have a small one-bedroom. Lily’s crib is next to my bed, and the quarters are cramped, but I don’t mind. The most important thing is that my daughter is safe and healthy, and that I’m able to finish school.

  After all, I’m not ready to drop out. I got pregnant so close to graduation that I didn’t want to give up everything I’d worked for. Instead, I pulled in favors from everyone in order to survive. Corrie has been the best. She’s Lily’s regular babysitter, and even her new boyfriend, Mark, has pitched in.

  But now, Hunter’s back, and judging from the thunderous look on his face, he’s angry. But why? I’m sure some fancy-schmancy football player from New York doesn’t want to be saddled with a woman and her child. I’m letting him off the hook! He should be grateful.

  But now, everything’s been thrown into turmoil. He looks like he wants to rip me a new one. And what happens if he suddenly realizes that he wants to be a part of Lily’s life? What happens to our cozy family unit then?

  Oh god, I shouldn’t be doing this. I shouldn’t let Hunter see her. I should have lied and told him that it was someone else’s kid.

  Yeah right, no one would believe that. Besides, a few key people already know the truth, so I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret for long.

  My heart thuds and my hands feel clammy as I grip the front door to the daycare.

  “Don’t be surprised if she doesn’t warm up to you right away,” I say, over my shoulder. “Remember, she’s a baby, so she’s still too young to speak much.”

  The last thing I want is to set unrealistic expectations about this interaction. After all, there’s no telling what’s going on inside Hunter’s head. For all I know, he’s expecting a little girl to run to him and throw her arms around his neck while calling him “Daddy.”

  I can’t bring myself to look at him. I can already feel the doubt rising in me as we move down the hallway to the last door on the left.

  I open the door, revealing a bright-yellow room with cribs situated along the sides. Cooing noises greet us, and there’s a diaper-changing station in one corner.

  “Ms. Lauder,” Trish, the attendant, smiles as I tiptoe inside. “Come to get Lily so soon? Is the graduation celebration over already?”

  I smile.

  “It was just about over, and …”

  But then I stop, because Trish has seen the huge man behind me.

  “Oh my god, you’re Hunter Brody, aren’t you?” Trish gushes as her eyes light up. “I’m such a huge fan of the Jets! Oooooh!”

  Don’t look. Let them have the moment. Maybe he’ll find her attractive and forget why he followed you here.

  “Yes, I’m Hunter,” the man beside me says in a deep baritone voice that makes my heart skip.

  “You are so amazing,” Trish says, batting her lashes. “The way you handle the ball? It’s like it’s glued to your hands or something.”

  “Thanks,” Hunter says abruptly. “But the baby? We’re here to see Lily.”

  “Oh, of course!” sings Trish. “Let me get her.”

  She goes to one of the cribs, and picks my daughter up. Lily looks angelic with her sleeping baby face, her mouth in a small pout. Her black hair is curly and springs in haloes around her face as she lets out a small yawn.

  “So, she was an angel like usual,” Trish says, bringing Lily over to where Hunter and I wait. “She’s such a good girl, aren’t you, Lily-poo?”

  She puts the baby in my arms, and sure enough, Lily wakes up. Her blue eyes blink at me and she smiles. Then she burps.

  “Oh, Lily-poo, did you just do that?” Trish coos. “Let me get you a towel.”

  I merely cuddle my baby close, loving the heavy weight of her in my arms. Then I grasp her even tighter to my body and look up at Hunter. The expression in his eyes blows me away. He looks shocked and confused, but also possessive. There’s a light there that tells me he’s not walking away.

  “Catherine,” he begins, but then Trish is back.

  “Here you go,” she says, handing me a soft baby nappie. “What a cutie pie!” she coos again, tickling Lily under the chin. The baby burps once more, and a bit of spit-up comes out, which I pat away with the nappie. I’m about to apologize, but then Hunter stops me.

  “Catherine,” he says in a low voice. “I need you to listen.”

  I turn wide eyes toward him.

  “Yes?”

  Trish senses that this is a good time to leave, and she slinks away.

  “Catherine,” he begins again, a tormented look on his face. “I know that what I did was strange. We made love, and it was the wildest, most exciting experience I’ve ever had. But I never expected that you’d get pregnant.”

  I look down while patting my baby on her back.

  “I know,” is my quiet admission. “I never expected it either.”

  “Good,” he says swiftly. “Because if I had known, I would have turned my life upside-down to be with Lily. And to be with you. This is where I want to be, with my child and her mother. I know I left without leaving my contact info, but you have to believe me,” he says a bit desperately.

  The breath hitches in my throat, and I feel myself beginning to tear.

  “But why didn’t you reach out? Even once?” I ask. “I waited and waited, but you never called.”

  He looks tormented.

  “Because sweetheart, you were so sweet and innocent. I took your virginity, and then told myself that you could do better than me. You don’t need a man who travels all the time for his job. You deserve a man who’s caring, loving, and who will stay by your side. As a football player, I can’t do that. We have so many away games that I’m constantly on the road.”

  I blink, and the tears begin to fall down my cheeks.

  “But you never asked me,” I say in a tormented whisper.

  The look on Hunter’s face breaks my heart.

  “I know, sweetheart, and I wish I had, because look at the beautiful baby we made. She’s the sweetest miracle. But,” he continues, his own eyes beginning to shine suspiciously now, “I want to put that in the past. Catherine, I’ve missed you so much. I thought of no one else while I was in New York, and I kept telling myself that I should let you go. But I know now that I never wanted to let you go. The moment I set foot on Mesa’s campus, I knew in my heart of hearts that I was going to find you, and make you mine somehow.”

  I look at him with shimmering eyes, still clutching my baby close.

  “Really?”

  He groans, while nodding.

  “Really,” he affirms. “And now that we have a baby together, it solidifies everything. I want to be with you, Catherine. I want you, me and Lily to be a family. I don’t know the logistics just yet, but I know I want this to happen.”

  Tears are streaming down my face now, and words refuse to come. But then, my heart contracts painfully, and my emotions come gushing out.

  “That’s what I want too,” I confess through sobs. “Oh Hunter, I’ve missed you so much, and I felt like I was going to die when you didn’t contact me. We all knew you’d gone to New York, but I couldn’t believe that I meant so little to you. And then, when I found out I was pregnant …”

  His own cheeks are wet as he pulls me against him, cradling me and Lily both.

  “I know, sweetheart,” he shushes into my hair. “I know.”

  “It was so awful,” I sob, burying my face in his chest. “My parents dis
owned me, and my sister …”

  He jerks away, eyes blazing.

  “What? Your parents disowned you?”

  I sob again.

  “Yes. I revealed that you were the father of my baby, and Angela went ballistic. It didn’t matter that we didn’t hook up until after you guys were broken up. She spread all these rumors, and told my parents that I ‘seduced’ you with the aim of getting pregnant. She kicked me out of the apartment too,” I cry.

  A murderous look sweeps across Hunter’s face.

  “Really,” he grates out. “Well, we’ll see about that.”

  “Hunter,” I say, still sobbing. “It’s been so hard without you. If you come back, please promise me you’ll never leave. I don’t think I could survive.”

  With that, the handsome man cups my face in his hands. His look is so tender, and so giving, that my heart shatters into a million pieces.

  “I love you,” he murmurs against my lips. “You are, and always have been mine, Catherine Lauder.”

  Our lips meet in passion, and suddenly, a heavy burden lifts from my shoulders. I feel like everything in the world is right, once again. This handsome man has come home, and together, we’ll figure out what comes next for our little family.

  Epilogue

  Hunter

  Two years later.

  “Daddy, daddy, daddy,” Lily sings from the floor before launching herself onto the bed. I can’t help but laugh at the little dare-devil. She’s so much like me, from her coloring to her adventurous personality, that it’s easy to see that the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.

  “What, my little lily pad?” I ask, wrapping my arms around her wriggly body.

  “Mommy wants to know what you want for dinner.”

  “Mmmm. I don’t know. Maybe some ice cream and hot fudge with bacon and cream cheese frog legs?”

  Her little face crinkles with disgust as I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder. My heart swells as she squeals with delight. It seems that I was made for this life. After all, nothing was clear when I went back to Mesa. Catherine and I declared our love for one another, but we weren’t sure what would happen next.

  Fortunately, I was able to convince the curvy girl to move to New York. She and Lily packed up their things and moved straight into my lavish penthouse on Madison Avenue. Here, we have a nursery, a play room, as well as a huge chef’s kitchen and best of all, a big aquarium that my daughter adores.

  It’s strange to remember my life before Catherine and Lily came along. I was a single guy enjoying what I had, but much of it was meaningless. It was just football, more football, and social functions with sycophants. Nobody cared about the real Hunter Brody.

  But with Catherine and Lily, everything’s different. My girlfriend and my daughter are the light of my life, and saying that my world revolves around them would be an understatement.

  “Daddy, my head, it’s dizzy,” Lily giggles.

  “Oh, sorry,” I say, putting her down before we make our way into the kitchen. My heart skipped and sputtered when I saw Catherine, standing in a ray of light. Her curls bounced as she turned her head to look at me.

  But then just as quickly she tossed an envelope in the trash and dusted her hands off as if it were covered in dirt.

  “What was that all about?” I ask, dropping Lily to her feet.

  “Nothing,” Catherine says with a secret smile, moving around the kitchen. She reached her hands out to me and I use the opportunity to pull her close before crushing her mouth against mine. I can taste her sweetness on my tongue as she smiles.

  “Okay,” I say, reaching around her to squeeze her bottom. “What was in that letter? Who sends letters these days, anyways?”

  Catherine sighs.

  “You’re right. It’s a letter from my parents. They’re the only ones who would do snail mail.”

  I pause for a moment. I’ve never looked kindly upon Cindy and Jim for disowning their daughter, but after a few months, they came back to Catherine and begged their way into their daughter’s heart. My girlfriend is far too kind, and she let them in.

  But I still have reservations.

  “What did they want?” I ask.

  Catherine sighs, and shrugs a bit.

  “It’s crazy, but they want Angela to stay with us in New York. Just temporarily,” she says.

  I shoot her a look.

  “That is absolutely crazy.”

  “I know,” Catherine adds. “I remember everything Angela did to me, including kicking me out when I was pregnant. But it’s not just that. Angela’s been doing porn, and she says the next step in her career is to do some appearances in New York to “raise her profile.” I told them that she should find a hotel, but they said she doesn’t make enough, and can’t afford it yet. Thus, they want her to stay with us.”

  “Absolutely not,” I say roughly. “A porn star in our house? I don’t care if she’s Mother Theresa. Angela can’t stay here.”

  Catherine shakes her head.

  “I know, right? But Cindy and Jim will do anything for Angela, and I guess that hasn’t changed even though she’s doing X-rated films now.”

  I shake my head.

  “Is she still with that Duane guy?”

  Catherine nods.

  “Unfortunately, yes. He’s the one who got her all these gigs in New York City. I think he might even come with her.”

  I sigh with exasperation and disgust.

  “There is no way these people are staying in our apartment, sweetheart. Again, I don’t care if they’re the President and his wife. No adult film stars are staying in our house.”

  Catherine merely giggles.

  “I hear you, Hunter. Trust me, I completely agree. My family is just so out of it, it’s become insane. I’m glad they live in Arizona, and we live here.”

  I come over and press a kiss to the top of her head.

  “Do you miss them?”

  She thinks for a moment.

  “Not really. They’re just too crazy. I mean, I literally have a sister who’s gotten so much plastic surgery she’s unrecognizable. And Duane … well, you heard he got that penis enhancement, right? So that he’ll appear larger on film.”

  I shake my head.

  “No, I didn’t know, and I don’t want to know.”

  Catherine laughs.

  “Well, we’ll be keeping them at arm’s length, that’s for sure. Oh, by the way, Corrie and Mark are getting serious!” she says excitedly. “I heard that they went ring shopping, and Corrie’s practically bursting at the seams with anticipation.”

  “Really?” I ask, with a smile playing at my lips.

  “Yes, I heard the ring is really beautiful,” Catherine gushes. “I’m expecting to be asked to be a bridesmaid too,” she confides.

  I laugh.

  “Well, maybe you’ll beat her to the punch and she’ll have to be your bridesmaid, because look what I have for you sweetheart.”

  I drop to one knee, and reach for the velvet box in my pocket. It’s been burning a hole in my pocket for the last three weeks, and I can’t wait anymore. I want to see this woman wearing my ring, and pop open the lid.

  “Do you think you might want to be with me forever?” I ask in a low voice. “Does that sound like something you might be interested, Catherine Lauder?”

  Her eyes light up, and then sheen over with tears. The engagement ring sparkles under the light.

  “Are you serious?” Catherine looks at me as tears of joy swell in her eyes.

  Suddenly, a small voice interrupts us.

  “Daddy?” Lily asks, glancing at Catherine and then back to me.

  “Shh, baby,” I say. “Daddy wants to keep Mommy forever. But it’s completely up to her if she is willing to make that kind of commitment.”

  “Hunter, I…” Catherine cups one hand over her mouth as she stares at the ring.

  “Just say yes,” I urge. “Please, baby.”

  “Yes,” she finally says between sobs. “Of course
I love you always!”

  I jump up and pull her curvy form into my arms. My heart beats sure and strong, and happiness suffuses my form. I claim her mouth with my own, savoring that sweet taste and taking what’s mine.

  “I love you,” I rumble against her lips. “You belong to me.”

  She smiles through her tears.

  “I love you too,” she manages to say between my hungry kisses.

  But then, there’s a tug at my pant leg.

  “Daddy, where’s Mr. Pickles?” Lily asks with her little face scrunched. I scan the kitchen quickly before turning my attention back to her.

  “Did you check the living room, sweetheart?” I ask. “Maybe Mr. Pickles is waiting for you there.” Lily nods her head and darts into the other room as fast as her little legs can carry her.

  “She has your speed,” Catherine giggles as she curls her arms around my neck again. “Makes me wonder if the next one will be just as fast.”

  I pause, the breath catching in my throat.

  “The next one?” I echo.

  A devious smile tickles the corner of my beautiful fiancée’s lips as she looks into my eyes.

  “Yes, Hunter. You’re going to be a father again!”

  I pull Catherine to me and to my surprise, my cheeks are wet with tears of joy. Never in all my life have I felt more blessed than in this moment. With my curvy fiancée in my arms, our daughter in the next room, and a baby joining the family, there’s only one way for this to end: with a happily ever after.

  * * *

  THE END

  * * *

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