by Hooper, Sara
“You're pregnant?” Matthew's voice was weak.
“I know this is unexpected,” Faith set the afghan aside. She was feeling stronger and more confident with every word. And I know that you and I never talked about the future, if we had one or if kids would ever be a part of it...”
“I've never told you about my family, have I?” Matthew interrupted, his tone soft and sad.
Faith wasn't entirely sure where this change of subject had come from, but if it helped Matthew work through the shock of the news, she'd go with it. Besides, despite all that was happening, she was curious to know more about her lover's past, the parts he didn't normally share.
“As far as I know, I'm an only child. I say 'as far as I know' because there could be brothers or sisters, half or whole, running around out there.”
Faith could tell how difficult this was for Matthew and reached for his hands. They were as cold as her own.
“I was six months old when a homeless man found me in an alley frequented by prostitutes. He took me to a hospital to treat me for malnutrition, dehydration and exposure. When I was healthy enough, I became a ward of the state. From what I understand, the police searched for a couple of weeks but never found any trace of who I was or where I'd come from. The most likely scenario is that my mother was a prostitute who decided that she couldn't take care of me anymore, or her pimp told her to get rid of me.” There was little emotion in his voice. “The foster system was overrun with kids so I was sent to a group home. I don't remember the first two, and by the time I was old enough to start counting, I'd been in half a dozen. I made the rounds, often returning to a prior home when a space opened up, but I never stayed anywhere more than a year at a stretch, usually six months. I aged out just after I graduated from high school, but I'd gotten a full scholarship that included room and board, so I was never without a place to stay.” His hands tightened on hers. “But I never had a home. Until I met you.”
Faith almost stopped breathing, the pounding of her heart deafening in her ears. Was he saying what she hoped or was she just reading into it what she wanted to hear?
“You're my family, Faith. I love you, and even though we didn't plan this, I'm happy,” he smiled, a soft, gentle smile that made his eyes glow. “I have a family. For the first time in my life, I have a family.”
Faith could barely believe what she was hearing. Not only wasn't Matthew mad, but he was happy that they were having a baby. She wasn't losing him.
“I was so scared,” she found herself confessing. “I was so scared that I was going to lose you, that you'd be angry.”
“Baby,” Matthew cupped her face in his hands. “I'm not going anywhere.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips firmly against hers. “But I think you should.” Faith gave him a puzzled look and he clarified. “I want you to move in with me. I want us to do this together.”
Faith's head spun. It was happening so fast. “Matthew, I don't want you doing this just because I'm pregnant.”
Matthew shook his head. “I've been wanting to ask you to move in with me for a while.”
“Really?” Faith hardly wanted to dare to hope.
“I've considered asking you pretty much every day since the middle of August. I just wasn't sure if you were ready. You're so independent,” Matthew placed his palm against Faith's stomach. “I hate it when we're apart and now that we're going to have a baby, I don't want to miss a moment of it. I want my family to be together.”
“Yes,” Faith nodded, a smile breaking across her face. “Yes, I'll move in with you.”
Matthew's smile went from soft to luminous. He slid his hand around her waist and pulled her towards him. His mouth slanted over hers, lips moving with determined purpose. His teeth scraped across her bottom lip and Faith moaned. Desire sparked, sudden and bright inside her.
She wanted this man. She wanted him not only because he was beautiful and his touch made her sing. She wanted him because of who he was. His self-confidence bordering on arrogance that was just a cover for a real vulnerability. The way he'd smile shyly when he didn't think anyone was watching. The strength it had taken to grow up that way and not lose all hope for love.
Matthew pulled back, gasping for breath and, suddenly, Faith was aware that she hadn't showered today. She flushed. “I need to get cleaned up.” She stood.
He got to his feet as well. “That sounds like a good idea.”
Before she could react, Matthew scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the bathroom.
“Matthew,” Faith protested as he began to undress her.
“Shh,” Matthew's eyes shone with desire, but his actions remained as platonic as they could be while taking off her clothes. “I came over to take care of you and make you feel good. And that is what I intend to do.” He knelt to remove her pants and underwear, pausing to place a chaste kiss on the silky smooth skin just below her bellybutton.
Faith shivered, but didn't argue. Matthew turned on the water and then removed his suit. The fact that he let the expensive outfit fall to the floor without a second glance spoke volumes. His cock hung soft between his legs, stirring as his hand brushed her skin. He helped her into the shower and she closed her eyes, letting the warm spray wash over her.
The scent of lilacs filled the bathroom as Matthew squirted a fair amount of gel into a washcloth Faith hadn't seen him get. With surprising gentleness, he began to rub the floral-scented lather over her body. Faith opened her eyes and watched Matthew wash her. When the almost-rough material passed over her nipples, she made a sound low in her throat, the dark nubs of flesh instantly hardening. The only indication that Matthew had heard her was a slight twitch of his lips, otherwise, he continued his task without pause. He gave a small chuckle at her whimper when he ran the cloth between her legs.
As she let the water rinse her off, she watched Matthew wash himself, coating himself with the smell of flowers. When his hand made its way over his sculpted abs, her eyes followed and her desire returned sweet and sharp, an instant flame. Matthew stroked himself once, twice, his cock filling and swelling as his blood rushed south. He joined her under the spray, but kept their bodies apart, the tension between them thick and hot.
After a few minutes, Matthew reached around her to turn off the water, his eyes locked with hers, their bodies still inches apart. He reached outside of the shower and retrieved a large, fluffy towel and proceeded to dry her off. Though the thick cotton was between their skin at all times, Faith could feel the electricity between them, burning through the fabric as if it didn't exist. He wrapped it around her, covering her breasts and hitting her mid-thigh. He then got a second towel and dried himself off before wrapping the towel around his waist. His erection was easily visible beneath the towel and Faith felt a throb of desire.
“Take me to bed,” Faith whispered.
Matthew's eyes darkened. “Your wish is my command.” He lifted her into his arms again and she put her arms around his neck. They still didn't kiss as he carried her back to her bedroom and laid her gently onto the dove gray comforter. Matthew climbed onto the bed as well, and settled on his knees next to her. Carefully, as if unwrapping the most precious of gifts, he loosened her towel and then opened it, baring her milk chocolate flesh. Her nipples were still hard little bullet points, the tips sticking up into the cool air of the room.
“I want you to know just how special you are to me,” Matthew ran his fingertips over Faith's collarbone to her shoulders and then down her arms. The wandering digits returned to her torso just as slowly. “How I would never give you up, never want anything but you.” He trailed down over her firm breasts, lazily circling her nipples before caressing each one. “You are so beautiful, inside and out. Skin as soft as silk. The most perfect breasts with nipples so responsive to my every touch.” His questing hands moved south, dancing across the plane of her stomach to the cleft between her legs. “Strong, supple body where every curve fits so perfectly against me.” He hovered over her pussy but didn't touch. W
hen he moved down her legs, Faith made a sound of pure frustration that he ignored.
Faith was sure she wasn't going to survive this if Matthew insisted on moving this slowly. The smolder of embers inside her had burst into a full-fledged flame and it was all she could do to keep herself from squirming. Then Matthew lowered his head and began peppering her body with kisses, light ones, open-mouthed ones, licks from his sinfully hot tongue, scrapes of his teeth; she couldn't hold back her whimper. The moment his lips latched around one nipple, she cried out, her back arching as a jolt of pleasure went straight to her pussy. She could feel herself dripping onto the towel beneath and had a moment to wonder how Matthew was controlling himself, then his teeth were nibbling at one elongated tip and she was calling his name.
His mouth left her body as he shifted his position, nudging apart her legs. She parted them willingly, always eager for him to be inside of her. As always, he didn't disappoint. Matthew stretched out between her legs and lowered his head to her already wet pussy. He ran his tongue from her entrance to her clit, slow and leisurely exploring every inch of her. Gone was the fierce, aggressive lover who could force her body into heights before unknown. This was a languid worship of her body, one that brought the pleasure to a simmer, keeping it there just below the surface until every cell screamed for relief.
When he raised his head, Faith nearly sobbed, her body writhing as it sought its release. Then, with one smooth thrust, he entered her and she came. Her nails clawed at the comforter as Matthew continued to sink into her wet pussy, working his cock between her quivering walls. When he came to rest, fully sheathed inside her, he leaned down, propping himself up on his elbows so that their bodies were touching, but his full weight wasn't on her. Before her orgasm had completely dissipated, he began to move, shallow thrusts that rubbed against her clit on each one, sending another ripple of pleasure through her, continuing her climax without end.
Matthew bent his head, covering her mouth with his, swallowing every cry. His tongue slid into her mouth, tasting of soap and her own tangy flavor. As their lips moved together, his tongue began to mimic his every stroke. She ran her hands over his back, his arms, feeling every muscle ripple beneath the tanned flesh.
Time lost all meaning as Faith found herself floating on a cloud of ecstasy so thorough, so intense, that she didn't know how her body could be handling it. Every time she thought she was coming down, returning to reality, Matthew would do something with his hips that made her want to scream, the sounds mingling with Matthew's words as he murmured them in her ear.
“I love you. You're beautiful. My perfect fit, my other half. I love you. I love our baby. My life. My family. I'll never leave you.”
She felt his hips stutter against her and knew he was close. She was teetering on the edge and knew that the slightest thing would set her off. Gathering together her wits, she managed to form a coherent sentence. “Cum with me, my love.”
Matthew groaned, a low, primitive sound, and he thrust deep inside her as he came. Faith's entire body shuddered as she followed him, driven by the sensation of him spurting inside her, by the sound of his pleasure in her ear, by the knowledge that they were closer than any two human beings had the right to be. The scent of flowers and love-making filled the room.
He stayed inside her as he rolled them onto their sides, hooking one of her legs around his waist. As their breathing slowed, he placed the palm of his hand against the side of her face. “I want you to know that nothing I've said or done tonight is only because of this baby. I've been in love with you pretty much from the first moment we met. I acted like an idiot because I'd never met anyone like you before and I didn't know how to deal with what I was feeling. I don't ever want you to doubt my feelings for you.”
“Matthew Callaway,” Faith was serious as she locked eyes with him. “You are the single most amazing man I've ever met and I love you with all of my heart. Don't you ever doubt that.”
His eyes brightened as he caught her mouth in a sweet kiss. Even as his tongue traced along her lips, full of promise, Faith could feel him growing again inside her. Warmth washed over her as she rolled him onto his back. The night was young and there was so many more ways they could show their love.
***
Faith reflected on how much had changed over the past year as she cradled her daughter on the couch. At four months old, Hope Callaway was perfect. She already had a thick mop of unruly hair, black with just a hint of bronze. Big, dark eyes filled with an intelligence that made her father swear she would be a lawyer someday. Her skin was the color of cream-filled coffee and one little dimple rested in her right cheek. Everyone agreed that she was the most beautiful baby they'd ever seen.
“How are my two favorite girls?” Matthew called out as he walked into the living room. He leaned over the back of the couch.
“Doing well,” Faith turned her head so that her lips brushed against Matthew's. “She actually should be waking up shortly.”
“Great,” Matthew grinned as he shrugged out of his suit jacket. He tossed it over the back of a chair and loosened his tie. “Did she do anything new today?”
“Well, she discovered that if she yelled at Tybalt, he'd run underneath the table and hide,” Faith gestured towards the fuzzy Newfoundland puppy peeking out from underneath the coffee table. “It must've amused her because she did it for an hour until Tybalt finally figured out that if he stayed underneath the table, she'd forget about him.”
“Poor little guy,” Matthew chuckled.
“Look at that,” Faith smiled as Hope stirred. Tiny eyelids fluttered and fists stretched into the air. “She heard you laugh.”
Matthew held out his hands and Faith handed over the slowly waking child. The lawyer's face instantly changed as he started talking to his daughter. Faith leaned back, tucking her feet up under her as she watched Matthew and Hope. The past year had been amazing. She'd moved in just a few days after Matthew had asked and they'd spent the next couple months preparing the place for the new arrival. Mama had been so excited about her new grandchild that she'd come over every weekend to help paint the nursery. The rest of the family had been equally ecstatic, throwing a huge baby shower just a month before Hope's birth, and almost every single person had come to see her in the hospital. Now, Ester called two to three times a day to talk to her granddaughter as much as to her daughter. Faith suspected that Josie was definitely getting some payback from Ester in regards to non-stop grandchild discussion.
Madison, of course, had been the obvious choice for god-mother and took her job very seriously. Faith was certain that no other four month-old had as many designer clothes as Hope did. The people at The Oracle had been great as well. They'd been very flexible regarding time off and had eventually worked out a part-time freelance position to allow her to be home with Hope as much as possible. This also had allowed her to start working on her own art, though the time she spent was sporadic as it usually ended up being around naps. She wouldn't have traded it for anything though. She supposed they could've afforded a nanny, but she didn't want to be away from her baby. She knew Matthew felt the same way. He called home every lunch and sometimes other times during the day just to see how Hope was doing. Faith sent him pictures on a regular basis and he spent the first hour or so when he got home with Hope.
It was strange to think that he'd been worried that he wouldn't be a good father. Since he'd never had a real father role model, Matthew had spent the entire pregnancy reading everything he could find, talking to dozens of people, trying to find out how to be a good dad. He'd been so scared that he was going to do something wrong. Now, looking at him with his daughter, Faith couldn't understand how he ever could have been worried. He was everything a father should be.
“You look particularly thoughtful,” Matthew interrupted her thoughts.
“I was just thinking about how, a year ago, I was so scared that I was going to lose everything that was important to me, and here I am, just twelve months later, with more t
han I ever could have dreamed,” Faith smiled at Matthew.
“Hold that thought,” Matthew set Hope down on her blanket and got up onto his knees. “There is something missing.”
“Missing?” Faith was puzzled. She had the most amazing man who loved her. She had a beautiful, healthy daughter. Her mother was doing great. What more could she ask for?”
Matthew took Faith's hand in his, the expression on his face growing serious. “A year ago, I found out that I was going to be a father. You gave me something that I'd never had before. A family. You and Hope are the most important things in the world to me.”
Faith sensed that something was coming, but she couldn't figure out what.
“I should have done this then, but I knew that you'd think it was just because of the baby. I waited because I wanted you to see that I love you, not because of Hope, but because you are the single most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, creative woman I've ever known. You're what I never knew I was missing.” He held out his hand and opened his fingers. There, resting on his palm, was a white gold band with a clear, classically cut diamond. “Faith Williams, will you marry me?”
Faith was vaguely aware that her mouth was hanging open, but she was powerless to close it. Was this really happening? She'd told herself that it didn't matter. That she knew he loved her. That she didn't need a ring or a piece of paper to make them a family. But, deep down inside, she'd wanted it. She wanted to walk down the aisle and say the vows that would bind her to this man forever. She hadn't said anything though, for the exact reason he'd mentioned – she was scared that he would propose just because she was pregnant.
