by Miley Maine
“Will Grandma and Grandpa come back to live with us again?”
I wasn’t sure if giving him false hope was going to help. Sighing, I crouched down and pulled him closer. “No, sweetie. They’re gonna have their own house now. It’s gonna be in town, and we’ll go visit them all the time.”
“Promise?” He gave me one of his sweet smiles.
“Cross my heart.” I kissed him on the cheek. “Now let me finish dinner before Daddy gets here. You know how hungry he gets after work.”
“I wanna be big and work with him, too.”
Giggling, I ruffled his soft blond locks. “You’ll get to do whatever you want, Baby. All in time.”
When Danny came home, he helped me set up the table and was extra sweet. I thought he was making up for all the days when my mother’s behavior ruined countless dinners for the both of us.
As I took a bite of my mashed potatoes, I realized that smells weren’t the only thing that had changed. Even my palate received foods differently.
It was like a light bulb went off in my head.
“Honey?” I whispered, sitting back in my chair as my hands calmly put down my knife and fork.
“What is it?” He tilted his head as his eyes examined my almost untouched plate.
“I think I might already be…” I quickly glanced in Billy’s direction. He was busy pushing his peas into a corner with the tip of his fork like he always did before eating them. “Pregnant,” I whispered and mouthed to Danny with a cautious smile.
Immediately parting his lips as his jaw dropped, Danny widened his eyes, pushing his head forward for me to elaborate.
“I’ve been feeling really odd. My stomach couldn’t handle lunch earlier, and the smells of shampoo and the stables earlier made me a little queasy.”
Smiling, he mirrored my carefulness, and I could tell he didn’t want to get prematurely excited. He looked down at his plate, trying to hide his elation. “Are you sure you didn’t just catch a stomach bug or somethin’?”
“I can’t be wrong about all of this,” I smiled coyly. “It’s exactly how I felt when I was carrying Billy.”
“Carrying me where?” Billy finally paid attention, butting in curiously with his big, inquisitive eyes.
Danny chuckled. “When you were a baby, Billy. Mommy carried you around everywhere.”
Nodding, Billy’s attention quickly went back to his plate as he attempted to stab each individual pea with his fork.
“Well.” Danny stifled a smile, leaving only its shadow on the corner of his lips. “I’ll arrange for you to see the doc in town just to be sure.”
I nodded with a mixture of apprehension and joy. A part of me felt that I wasn’t wrong about this feeling I had. Unable to restrain my glee, my grin grew bigger as I straightened up and forced myself to eat. If I truly was carrying Danny’s child, I had to pay better attention to my nutrition for his or her sake.
Billy sure held a special place in my heart forever, but I deeply wanted another child—Danny’s child. I wanted our love to manifest in another human being we could love and nurture, just as we did for Billy.
Oh please, let it be a girl. I thought as I chewed my food. When I lifted my eyes up to my husband’s direction, I caught his loving gaze upon me, beaming an insane amount of adoration that pierced right through to my soul.
When we were done eating, Danny took Billy upstairs while I cleared the table.
About half an hour later, he came back downstairs with a satisfied smile on his face.
“You look like you’re floating on a cloud,” I commented, setting the rag down and placing my hands on my hips. “I wonder what has you feelin’ so happy.”
Danny’s mouth split into a grin as he reached the bottom of the stairs and covered the distance between us. In no time at all, he had his hand on my waist, and his face buried in my hair.
“I can’t believe you’re carrying our baby,” Danny murmured, his voice soaring with each word, filled with hope and joy. “Billy will finally have a sibling.”
“I don’t think we should celebrate prematurely,” I told him, regret lingering in my tone. “Until my visit to the doctor.”
Danny drew back and placed a kiss atop my head. “We can still celebrate, right?”
Before I could protest, he swept me into his arms and carried me over to the couch, rearranging the pillows before he pulled me onto his lap and buried his face in my neck.
“You have no idea how happy you just made me,” Danny admitted, his voice low and full of feeling. “I’m so lucky to have you and Billy in my life, and I can’t wait to meet our baby.”
I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck, resting my head atop his head as he did. In response, his head moved from my collarbone down to my belly, where he pressed his ears and exhaled.
“I can’t wait either,” I confessed. “I hope I am pregnant.”
Even with the looming threat of Matt on the horizon, and my mother’s poisonous actions against me, well-intentioned as they were, nothing could put a damper on my happiness.
There was no power in this world that was strong enough.
“I think you are,” Danny decided, looking up at me. “And I hope it’s a girl.”
With that, he leaned back, and we spread out over the couch, our limbs intertwined as he stroked my hair. He moved down my back, over my hips, then back up, the movements sending little bursts of desire racing through me.
“Danny,” I began. He pressed his lips to mine and began to undress me, slowly, tenderly, as if he were worshiping at my feet. Once I was naked in front of him, he switched on the small lamp and flicked off the bright lights, lending the entire air a warm and intimate feel.
Then, his eyes met mine, and he began to undress himself, and my eyes raked over him, all taut muscles over smooth skin and a healthy glow that had my tongue darting out to lick my lips.
He reached for me, and I for him, the two of us sinking into the couch, his mouth on mine, tender and full of emotion. Danny moved over my lips, to my neck and over the slope of my breasts, stopping atop my stomach. With the tips of his fingers, he touched my stomach and placed a kiss there, his hot breath making all the blood rush to my nether regions.
As if sensing my train of thought, he lowered himself, elbows braced on either side of the couch as he pushed my legs open and exhaled. Inch by inch, he slid himself into me with such tenderness that it brought tears to my eyes.
“Are you okay?” Danny asked, drawing to a complete still. “Am I hurting you?”
I shook my head and tightened my legs around him. “Not at all. I’m just so happy.”
Danny placed a quick kiss to my lips. “Me too.”
Once I started moving my hips, Danny threw his head back, groaned and responded, taking his time with every move until I was panting and writhing beneath him, my nails leaving crescent-shaped marks on the inside of my palms.
Boy, did he know how to move.
Danny and I always had a connection, a chemistry that was explosive at times, but this time was different. This time, he moved with careful precious, like a maestro arranging all the notes, and making sure I felt every touch, every sensation.
As if I could possibly miss it.
Emotions welled up within me as he eased out then back in, low grunts of pleasure falling from his lips. Then, without warning, he lifted me up and pressed me to him, our naked bodies fused together as he moved, as quick as shadows, and I sank my teeth into his shoulders, not wanting to wake Billy up.
With each movement, I felt the lump in my throat grow, tears stinging the back of my eyes as I realized just how much I had missed him, how thankful I was for him.
He lowered me back onto the couch, running his mouth along every inch of my skin, and praising me under his breath, a jumbled up prayer of thanks for the universe, and everything that had brought us together, the fire within me burning brighter.
Finally, he pushed me to the edge, and I exploded, spots dancing in my field
of vision as my body shook, and I bit down on my bottom lip. My eyes forced themselves shut as I rode it out, tumbling over and over until my lungs burned.
Atop me, Danny stilled, and my eyes flew open, watching the yearning in his eyes, and the bliss etched onto his features. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, his lips swearing and sweet as he began to move again, much slower, and I shifted, feeling him fill me up until I couldn’t tell where I began, and he ended.
The smell of wildflowers and jasmine wafted in through the open window, and I sighed, hardly able to imagine a better life for myself as I squeezed my legs, and felt my Danny come undone, his body spasming before he went lax, all the breath leaving his body in one fell swoop.
“Oh my God.”
Chapter Nineteen
Danny
Delightful dreams accompanied by slumber through the night as my mind reveled in the possibility that Gigi was now carrying my child. Our child.
I awoke with a smile on my face to find that my wife, once again, had risen before me and went downstairs. As I stepped into the shower, I imagined what our life would be with another baby.
The family I had always dreamed of.
Life at the ranch was starting to feel calm once more, with serenity becoming the new normal now that Rita was gone. As I let the water wash over me, dripping from my hair and onto my face, I wondered if Matt would really show up.
It didn’t matter. He didn’t matter.
Gigi loved me deeply and wasn’t willing to go anywhere with him. Of that, I was sure.
At breakfast, we enjoyed our meal as flashbacks of the night before filled my mind with a heady kind of pleasure. My wife and Billy were all that mattered, in addition to the baby we were yet to be sure was joining our little family.
Billy was, as usual, busying himself with carefully cutting his omelet into little squares. He was excited to be using the plastic knife we had bought for him because it made him feel like an adult.
“Would you like to see the doc today?” I suggested.
“Yeah.” She quickly nodded, picking up a piece of bread.
“I’ll call him and make an appointment, then.”
“I can do it if you’re busy.”
“Nah, I wanna check up on him anyway.” I paused, an idea brewing in my mind. “Why don’t you visit the folks while you’re at it?”
I wasn’t sure if Billy would want to tag along, but letting him see his grandparents would be nice.
“Huh.” She tilted her head, contemplating.
“That way, they don’t have to come all the way here.”
“Who’s folks?” Billy asked before biting into a roll.
“You’re right, that’s actually a great idea.” She then turned to him. “Billy, would you like to see Grandma and Grandpa today?”
“Yay!” He excitedly bounced off the chair.
She giggled. “Okay, yeah. I guess we’re doin’ that, then!”
Because I had a lot of work and meetings that I couldn’t get out of that day, I resigned to the fact that Michael was the next best option.
After relieving him of his ranch duties for the day, I instructed him to drive Gigi and Billy into town and bring them back home when they were done. We agreed that she would first go to the clinic, where Billy would stay with him in the car and play with his toys, after which they would stop at the hotel.
And if she felt the need to go to the market or any other place, he was to drive her there as well.
The most important matter was that he would wait for her in the car and not let her or Billy be out and about all alone. A part of me still worried that obsessed Matt would make an unwelcome appearance and upset them…or worse, attack them and try to take Billy away.
Once I arrived at my shed, I called the doctor’s office to confirm that my wife was going for an appointment. I also requested that they’d call me if anything unusual came up.
I was beyond happy and couldn’t wait to hear the news.
As I spent the hours trying to concentrate on my work, a section of my brain remained fixated on my Gigi’s little town tour. I was concerned because something else might be wrong with her. Or because Rita could try to poison her mind once again. Or both.
Shaking the worry out of my head, I urged myself to focus. With a glass of whiskey in one hand and a pen in the other, I jotted down my to-do list for the day and pushed myself forward.
Yes, I drank on stressful mornings, and this one had suddenly become one of them. I knew I needed to get used to Rita’s presence in town, and the fact that Gigi and Billy would always visit them from time to time—it was their right.
But right now, it was still a difficult pill to swallow. The woman’s insults were still fresh in my mind, and my anger was still raw.
Before I knew it, time had passed as I was absorbed in my work. When the phone began to ring, I hoped it would be Gigi coming out of the clinic.
“Hey, Danny Boy.” I was wrong. It was Tanner.
“Hey, Tan, what’s up?”
“We set the date, Man. We’re gettin’ married in September.”
“That’s awesome news. Congratulations!”
“Thank you, thank you. Obviously, you’re gonna be there. Is Gigi home? Mandy wanted to invite her.”
“She went to town, but should be back before dinnertime.”
“Great, I’ll tell ‘er, then.”
“Congrats, man, bless you both.”
“Thanks, Bro. See ya soon.”
Not wanting to get sucked back into another whirlpool of worry, I immediately dove back into the tasks ahead.
Powering through, I successfully made it through the workday without letting my mind become clouded, striking off one task after the other while the list shrunk as the hours passed.
Around four-thirty, I heard a knock on the door before it cracked open, and Michael walked in.
“Howdy, Boss.” He grinned victoriously.
“My man, how did it go?”
“Smoothly.” He shrugged as he relaxed on the chair across. “Everything went fine. But Gigi did seem a little pissed walkin’ outta that hotel.” He paused, shaking his head in dismay. “Guessin’ Rita pulled a number on ‘er.”
“Alright.” I mirrored his emotion as I pushed myself up. “My next meeting was postponed anyway. Why don’t you finish up here and close down? I’m gonna call it a day.”
“You got it, Boss.”
“Thank you, Mike.”
I gave him an appreciative pat on the back before stepping out and into my car. I couldn’t wait to hear all about Gigi’s day and know what the hell Rita had gone and done this time.
The only thing that was holding me back from sending her all the way across the country was Gigi and Billy.
Driving back to the house, I braced myself as I slowed down and pulled over. When I stepped inside, I smelled the beginnings of something delicious.
Was she cooking my favorite meal?
I was baffled.
“Baby, I’m home.” I announced.
“Danny!” She turned around before launching toward me, her face beaming with happiness I didn’t expect. “I was right!” she squealed, her hands clasped together and her legs barely standing still. “I’m pregnant!”
Feeling as though a heavy weight had just been lifted off my chest, I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her up, kissing her neck and chin and cheeks before finally letting my lips land on hers, locking in a deep, long kiss.
“I couldn’t wait to come home and tell you!” She pulled back to declare it as I put her back down. “But then I remembered I had to go see my parents first.”
“Oh my God,” I exhaled, feeling high on the news. “Billy would be so psyched to have someone to play with!”
“Right?” She held both my hands up to her lips, kissing my fingers. “Gosh, I’m so happy I could fly.”
Realizing that the food was still stewing on the stove, she cheerfully pulled me by the hand as we made our way into the kitchen
. She walked over to the boiling pot and lowered the flame.
“How was it?” I watched her lift the lid and stir.
“Well,” she sighed, “it started out alright. Daddy was happy to see us and took Billy to show him a new train he bought him.”
“That’s nice.” I turned to see how I could help. She hadn’t yet prepared the salad, so I picked up a knife and started chopping the vegetables she had laid out on the counter.
“Mom and I got to talking about how they were settling in and all. She told me that Mandy showed them a house this morning, but Dad didn’t seem quite convinced,” she chuckled. “It didn’t have a nice view, he said.”
“Oh, we can’t have that,” I agreed. “Your father has a few simple pleasures, and he deserves to get ‘em.”
“Yeah, but then—” She pulled the mittens off her hands as she turned around to look at me, her face revealing a tinge of shame. “I couldn’t contain my excitement…and I told her.” Grimacing with embarrassment, her dimple shyly greeted me.
Disappointed as I was that she couldn’t keep the secret for long, I pushed my happiness to the forefront of my mind, shrugging as I forced a reassuring smile. “And what did she say?”
“Honestly, that’s where it got ugly, and I immediately regretted telling her at all. I saw your point.” Frustration filled her tone. “I thought she’d be happy for me. But instead? She went ballistic.”
Furrowing my eyebrows, I put the knife down and crossed my arms as I leaned back against the counter, listening.
“She was all like, ‘What were you thinking?’ Like I got knocked up out of wedlock or something.” She paused, her eyes widening as she recalled. “She kept telling me that I should get rid of the baby. That it was gonna ruin my life...honestly, she sounded like a crazy person.”
“Oh, Baby, I’m sorry.” I took a step closer, touching her arm as I did.
She shook her head. “Then Dad came running, telling her to lower her voice because Billy was right in the next room. The look on her face scared me. Frankly, it was like I couldn’t even recognize my own mother.”
Gritting my teeth, I refrained from saying what was on my mind. I wanted her to finish and get it all off her chest.
