Forgotten Sweethearts: A Romance Novel

by Bender, Melissa

  “Lila?” I whispered as I walked quietly into the bedroom. “Please don’t hide.”

  I pulled the covers down when I sat beside her on the single bed. Her big beautiful eyes watered as she stared up at me. It broke my heart to see her so sad looking.

  “I’m sorry, mama.”

  Her voice was so soft and pure. I felt the honest remorse from her as she began to silently cry, and my heart bled with tears as I leant down and wrapped my arms around her tiny frame. “I know, baby girl, so am I.” More than she would ever know, I was so sorry for all of this. “I love you so much, Lila, you and Noah both.”

  Her arms clung around my neck with tightness and desperation. “I love you.”

  We stayed like that for some time until I climbed into the bed with her and just held her. She was my daughter, and I would do whatever it took to help her and try to understand her better. When her sobs had died down, I finally asked. “What you said at dinner last night was very naughty. Why would you say that?”

  She was quiet for a moment, and I know she was afraid to tell me the truth.

  “Aunty Cathy told her to say it.”

  The voice that answered me wasn’t Lila’s. It was Noah’s sleepy one instead.

  Turning my head, I frowned, as I was extremely confused. “How do you know that?” And more importantly, why wasn’t this brought to my attention earlier?

  “Lila told me before I went to sleep. She said Aunty Cathy told her to say it to you, and that she would be in trouble if she didn’t,” Noah replied as Brody now stood at the door with a toothbrush in his mouth. He, too, looked confused.

  “When did she say that?” Brody asked through a mouthful of paste.

  At his grossest, he still made my heart flutter.

  “She told me to say it when you came back home. That it would make you leave again because she told us you didn’t really love Noah or me. She said you had another family and didn’t want us anymore,” Lila said quietly, her voice shaky with nerves and tremor.

  I assumed that maybe it could be Scott or even Rose. Not in my wildest dreams would I have suspected my best friend. Luckily, I had been lying down; otherwise, that news may have just knocked me off my toes. That little cagna aka bitch; I was stunned beyond belief that my best friend had filled my daughter's mind with such lies. Cathy and I hadn’t spoken as much lately, and I knew I was too wrapped up in my family life to be going out for our weekly coffee dates. Being in the hotel, I knew if Brody were the one dropping the kids off at school, then Cathy would know something was up. She’d suss it out by asking the kids, and they didn’t have a filter. They knew how to tell the truth. I was guessing they had told her that I was no longer living at home, and daddy and mama were fighting.

  Cathy has always been the biggest gossip around. I’ve always known that, and now, I also know that she’s been gossiping about me. It was a slap in the face. Sitting up, I pulled Lila closer. “Is that why you’ve been so naughty? Did she tell you to do that?” I asked as Noah climbed out of his bed and joined us on ours.

  Brody also, after spitting out his paste, came, sat and pulled Noah onto his lap. “You’re not in trouble, Lila. We just want to understand better.”

  “She said you would send me away if I didn’t do it,” Lila spoke again, clearly becoming more upset.

  “Bloody oath,” Brody muttered under his breath. “No, Lila, that’s not true at all.”

  Kissing her tangled up hair, I just cuddled her. “Baby, you never have to do that. All you have to do is be a little sister to Noah and a big sister to your new brother or sister. If Cathy comes up to you, and says anything like that again, I want you to tell her no and then you tell me right away. Okay?”

  “I didn’t mean to be bad. I thought you would send me away,” she said softly again.

  Shaking my head as I clung tightly to her, “No, baby, never, we’d never send you away because your daddy and I love you so much.”

  “We love you both like crazy,” Brody grinned and held his hands out for Lila to come and hug him.

  Climbing over to her father, she jumped onto his lap and squeezed him tightly with a hug. Noah pulled a face as his sister hugged him also. Brody and I did share a look with each other, though, and we were both going to be having a talk with Cathy.

  I wanted to find what the hell had been said and why she would fill our daughters head with such garbage.

  After breakfast, we all got dressed and rugged up in warm weather clothing. Taking a walk, we went to Dove Lake, which the kids loved. They were spotting possums and even wombats waddling through the snow. There were snow fights, and then they tried making snow angels. Brody even got down on his back as I snapped photographs of the three of them flapping on a blanket of fresh snow.

  We had a fun snow fight near our chalet, and the boys won. It wasn’t fair since they were faster at gathering the snow than we were. It ended with Brody slipping over and falling flat on his ass, and the kids jumped all over him.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Walking back down the stairs, I caught Lila’s voice as I entered the kitchen. “What is it?” she asked, peering into the bowl of food that Brody placed in front of her.

  “Dinner,” he replied, blinking. “I just said it was.”

  Noah frowned also. “Yeah, but no offence, dad, it looks weird.”

  “Well, I had no idea what I was doing.” Brody kept his cool and just turned to me. “Did you enjoy your swim?”

  Smiling, I did indeed. “It was nice. It’s also nice that you cooked for us all.” Pausing a moment, I covered my mouth. “Excuse me, I feel…” Yeah, no time for any more words, I was up and running to the bathroom, where the bile in my throat rose and burned as I threw up.

  I could hear Noah’s curious questions. “What’s wrong with mama?”

  “Sometimes, she gets sick because of the baby. But she is fine, and the baby is fine. It’s normal,” Brody replied he was getting better at explaining things to them when they wanted to know something.

  “Will she throw up the baby?” Lila asked. I almost laughed but instead, threw up again.

  Brody just laughed. “No, she won’t throw the baby up.”

  Walking back into the kitchen where they all were sitting, Brody came over to me, his hands against the lower of my back. “Are you okay?” He had been everything he promised, caring and very involved with the pregnancy.

  “Yes, I’m good. So, what did you cook?” I raised a brow, trying to peer over his shoulder.

  He blocked my view, wincing as he said the words. “Spaghetti with packet pasta.”

  “Oh, you’re a naughty man,” I laughed loudly. “That’s okay. We only came home a few hours ago. I think the fact you cooked dinner is extremely sexy.”

  “Yeah?” he lowered his voice and eyed me cautiously. “I think two certain kids need to go to bed, so I can lock myself in a room with their mama for some sexy time.”

  My insides squirmed with delight and desire. “I love the way you think.” I wiggled my brows.

  We all sat down to eat. The kids finally picked up their forks and dug in. After unpacking the rest of our bags and walking into an extremely clean laundry, we made our way up to our room, and I undressed. Sitting on the edge of bed, I watched as Brody knelt before me. His hands ran up my ankles and the inner of my thighs, massaging my skin ever so gently and placing kisses along the insoles of my heels. I ran my fingertips through his hair and tugged.

  Standing up and taking a step backwards, he slowly undressed. I watched, taking everything in and anticipating his next move. Taking me by surprise, I gasped when he took himself in his hand. “Do you like watching me stroke myself, baby?”

  My lips parted, and I grew even wetter between the thighs. “Yes.” It was all I could whisper. “I need you.”

  Smirking, he nodded back at the bed. “Why don’t you get comfy and enjoy yourself a little more?”

  Holy fuck! It would be unbelievably hot if we were to come together by not touchin
g each other.

  I was so nervous to lay down on the bed, and part my thighs for him. I was exposed and had never touched myself this way. I had no idea what to do or how he wanted me to touch myself. I just relaxed into the large fluffy pillows underneath my back and began rubbing myself in slow circles. My other hand skimmed up over my skin and cupped my breast. The sight of him stroking his hot length made me so wet.

  Brody let out a groan. “God, baby, that’s so hot. Slide your fingers inside yourself. Tell me how wet you are. I want to hear it,” he growled at me with a command. His eyes did not once leave mine as he walked to the edge of the bed and pumped himself with a swivelling fist.

  “Does this count as a thirty-day challenge?” I asked as I slid two fingers in deep to my knuckles. I gasped. I was in such a daze. Matching his pace, I lifted my hips and began grinding into my palm. “Brody… oh, God.”

  Picking his own pace up, he groaned again, squeezing the head of his engorged cock and his fist jerking faster. “I’m close, baby. Are you? I want to come together. Fuck,” he moaned, hissing through parting lips. “Fuck, you’re so fucking sexy like this.”

  “Mmm,” I bit down on my lower lip, a moan boiling up inside as I clenched and pushed out around my fingers. As soon as the first stream of thick silky cum shot onto my belly, I came instantly and fingered myself harder. “Fuck, yes! God, I want you so bad right now!” I cried out, needing him inside me.

  He was up, on the bed before my orgasm could fully die down, and slammed into me, hard. Over and over, he was hard again and making me come once more. His mouth slammed against mine. Digging my heels into his ass, I clawed at his back. I was going to come again. I never whimpered before, and now, I was crying, whimpering and screaming with a desperate need for him to give it to me as hard as he could.

  When I finally woke the next morning, I was woken by soft kisses against the bare skin of my belly. Looking down, Brody was running his hands over my little bump that had only begun to appear.

  “Morning,” I whispered, my voice full of sleep.

  His husky voice replied to me, “When does the kicking start again?”

  “Few weeks yet, eager much?”

  Laughing as he kissed his way up my stomach, chest and placing a kiss to my lips, he nodded. “I am very eager to have this baby grown and out. I’m not that patient as you may know.”

  “You’re never patient.” Smiling, “Hungry?”

  “Yes.” The look told me. He wasn’t hungry for food.

  Later that afternoon was when the nerves really began to set in. Cathy would be here within the hour. As far as she knew, we were just having come catch up drinks. Except, she had no idea I was pregnant and was going to dig for answers.

  Cathy brought a bottle of red with her. I grabbed the platter of fruit, crackers and cheese and made my way out onto the back deck where the sun was beginning to set. I warned Brody to keep his distance and just let us girls have a bit of a catch up first.

  “So, what’s new?” she asked while pouring us both a glass of bubbly. “Haven’t caught up in so long.”

  “Not a lot, you know. We just got back from Cradle Mountain. It was so nice down there.” My fondest memory was riding Brody’s face the night before we came home.

  Lifting her glass to her red lips, she smiled. “Oh, I bet it was lovely to get away.”

  Almost an hour later, my friend hasn’t realised that my glass was still full; and she was onto her third. I noticed her eyes were locked behind me as Brody made an appearance. Raising a brow at the glass in front of me, I picked it up and tipped it back into the glass bottle. Cathy didn’t look pleased judging from her scowl.

  Waving him off, “She can’t drink now? That’s a bit rich coming from you.”

  “Well, since she’s such a possessive, controlling cunt, then I guess it isn’t rich at all.”

  Spluttering her mouthful, she coughed “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me right. The funniest thing happened. I was at school, and a friend came over, asking how things were. We began chatting and soon enough, she tells me that she overheard a rumour that she thought I should be aware of.” My voice was calm as I watched it sink in. “You told people that Brody is so possessive and controlling, that I don’t to have any money. And that the only reason I am still with him is because he’s giving me such a lavish life that I refuse to give up.” I was more than disgusted to hear this, humiliated that people had possibly believed her and thought this about us.

  Right away, she was on the defensive. “How could you say this? You’re willing to throw away a friendship over lies… It doesn’t explain why you’re not allowed a drink. Since when do you say no to wine?”

  “She’s pregnant. She won’t be drinking.” Brody’s words were sharp and clear.

  Cathy snorted with a laugh. “What? How?”

  “Fucking. How else?” Okay, the way he was talking was incredibly hot but a little disturbing.

  “Okay, that’s gross. So, what are you two back together now?” she asked, raising both brows.

  “We never left each other,” I smiled, sitting up straighter and placing a hand against my stomach. “We’re pregnant, and the kids are so thrilled about it, which brings me to my next question. why are you talking to my children and encouraging them to cuss at us?”

  When Cathy lied, she would lick her lips twice, exactly what she did right now. “Huh?”

  “Don’t lie to me. I am sick of your lies, and I cannot believe what you made David look different than he ought to be. You told me that he cheated. It was you!” I was becoming angrier by the second and not in the mood for anyone else’s bullshit.

  “Yes, he caught me fucking another man,” she muttered, not seeming bothered at all. “I didn’t want to tell you and have you look down on me.”

  “I’m hurt that you would even think that. If you had told me, maybe spoken to me like a friend, I would have understood!” My voice was raising, like hell, I would understand. It soon registered in my mind — the looks, always asking about him and meddling with our family, eager for me to move out and be on my own. “You’re in love with my husband,” I barely whispered out.

  “Oh, don’t look so shocked, the wog arrives in town and snags herself the hottest guy in school. I got it in your head that he was interested in you and even told his friends about your crush on him in hopes that they’d tease you. Who knew, he actually liked you back,” she muttered, flashing me a grin. “Don’t look so shocked.”

  As she said everything, that wasn’t what my mind was still caught on but the racial slur that came from her mouth, the wog. I felt as if she slapped me across the face.

  Looking at Brody, it was obvious that he noticed it too. With a dark look, he raised his arm and pointed towards the door. “Get out.” His tone send shivers down my spine.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I said get the fuck out,” he warned once more. “I refuse to hit a woman, but I am about to lose my fucking shit with you. Get out you vile piece of filth. You are not welcome in this home again or anywhere else near my wife for that matter.”

  Stumbling, she lost her footing but still managed to throw herself into the cab at the end of our driveway. I couldn’t believe she had done such a thing. It was disgusting and a complete letdown. My best friend was really just like the others who made fun of me behind my back and like all the other times… my husband stood up for me.

  I was in the sitting room when Brody walked back in and stood in front of me as I sat and stretched out by the fire. “I never knew what you saw in me back then. Sometimes, I still don’t.”

  “I saw you, and that’s all I needed, the woman you were and the woman you now are. You are beautiful on the inside, and out.”

  With a smile, I looked up at him. “You’re still so romantic. Maybe you can start with those love letters again?”

  “You know how adorable you can be.” He bent down on his knees in front of me. “I’m sorry about Cathy. Who knew she was a jeal
ous old cow?”

  “She was in love with you,” I reminded. “Still is.”

  “I don’t love her. You know that you’re the only woman I have ever loved and will love.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  I wanted passionate lovemaking.

  I wanted to be kissed all over.

  I wanted to be held until I fell asleep warmly in his arms and wake up the same way.

  I wanted to be bent me over his desk and have him claim my ass with his seed.

  Being horny while pregnant had its advantages. It took me to a whole new level of seduction, and right now, I was standing in his office at 11 AM while he stared hungrily at me. Licking his lower lip, his eyes roamed from my fuck me heels to the red lipstick I wore for him to smear off around his cock.

  Undoing the tie on my long woollen coat, I let it fall open and revealed my curvy and pregnant body to him. My breasts swollen and full, mound freshly waxed and the burgeoning bump begging his hands to caress my soft skin. He gulped and stood up from behind his large glass desk.

  “Kiss me.” It was a simple request, but with much more meaning that made him know that I needed to feel him right now.

  His eyes darted to the window and flickered back to mine as he loosened the black tie around his neck. “Gabby,” he said low, taking a step towards me. “I will fuck you if I kiss you right now.”

  “That’s the point.”

  A smirk washed over his face, and he grinned. “Close the door.”

  “You want me to turn around, naked?” I faked innocence as I bit my lower lip.

  Taking low, slow strides, his arms reached up, and fingers grazed against my pink nipple and twisted, rolling my flesh between his thumb and forefinger. Moaning softly, I whimpered when his touch left me. He walked further behind me, and I heard the click of the door and a lock flicking over.