Take My Breath Away

by Mia Ford

  “There was no future with us, Sterling.” Rosie said slowly. “Ever.” She looked at me. “You’re moving home. Do you think that I’d actually be welcome?”

  “Probably not.” I had to be truthful. “I’m not moving back home. I’m getting a condo for the time being. They’re handling the first part and I’m going to make payments on it. If I decide to move and go to law school, I can sell it and keep the money to use towards school. They’re fine with that. I don’t know what changed but something did.” Pain filled her eyes, and she nodded slowly.

  “Makes sense. They are your family forever. My parents weren’t as forthcoming as yours, so I chose to leave.” I hated those words. I leaned in to kiss her, needing the taste of her mouth on mine. Rosie moaned in surprise, stilling before she kissed me back. We moved together with the same desperation and I pushed her back onto the bed.

  We kissed heavily, but she fought my hands pulling up her shirt. I sensed her need in the kiss, but her hesitance confused me. I knew that sleeping together was stupid since I was leaving tomorrow, and she was going to move out of the state. Rosie pulled at my shirt and I lifted it, looking down at her for a moment.

  “Rosie, do you want this?” I asked her as she looked at me with big eyes. She slipped her arms out of the sweatshirt and lifted it over her head, revealing a gray t-shirt underneath. I looked at her expanding breasts and blinked for a moment as she blushed. “Wow. You look different.”

  29

  Rosie

  I felt my stomach twist as he looked over my body, knowing this was the moment of truth. I should have told him about Texas and wished him well. I should have left this room but being near him made my uncontrollable hormones flare up. It was terrible to be pregnant and single because they never stopped.

  When he kissed me, I knew that I was done for. I was going to fuck the hell out of Sterling tonight for closure. I wasn’t showing too much apart from my breasts and maybe he wouldn’t understand what was going on.

  I pulled Sterling down to me and kissed him again, needing his tongue against mine. This was a goodbye tonight because we were going our separate ways. He pulled me over his body and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. I moaned as I straddled him, knowing that our baby was inside of me.

  I was keeping it. I was wavering on telling him because he’d made a choice that couldn’t include me or this baby.

  We stripped each other, and he kissed me again before moving down my neck. One hand cupped my breast, and I arched my back, needing the contact. Sterling held me as he pressed his lips against me, circling my nipple with his tongue.

  “You look beautiful.” Sterling told me before he sucked me into his mouth.

  “Thank you.” I felt his hand move between my legs over my soft abdomen and nearly came when he brushed my clit. He looked at me and slipped his fingers harder over me as I reacted loudly. “Make me come,” I begged as he pushed me back and pressed two fingers inside of me. I cried out and spread my thighs wide as he moved deeper.

  “You’re so responsive,” Sterling murmured as I rocked against him, so close to the edge. I moaned as the pressure released and I flooded him. “Jesus.” He moved his mouth down to cover me and drank in my juices as I gripped his hair. Nobody ever felt this good before nor would they again. Sterling made me come again that way and kept sucking as I tried not to cry. “Do I need a condom?” He asked as he pulled away and reached down to stroke his cock. I craved it inside of me and let out a breath.

  “No, I’m good.” You couldn’t get pregnant twice. He cursed and positioned himself before sliding inside. I moaned, feeling him fill my tight pussy. I couldn’t masturbate enough to come the way I did with Sterling,

  “You’re so tight,” he said as he moved inside again. “Has it been since the last time, Rosie?” I felt his lips brush mine and smiled as I pulled him closer. This was so perfect, but it would never happen for us. “Why?”

  “You know me. I don’t sleep around,” I answered as I rocked against him. Our rhythm came back, and I felt him moving harder as I felt my third release take me over. Sterling joined me as me moaned my name and I felt it deep inside. This is what made my baby, and I felt emotions flood me. Sterling rested his head over my chest, closing his eyes as he breathed in. I felt silent tears slide down my face as I struggled to wipe them away.

  “Rosie? What’s wrong?” He asked as he lifted his head to look at me.

  “I… I’m pregnant, Sterling.” There it was. His eyes widened, and he lifted his body,

  “What?”

  I gestured to my breasts.

  “That’s why. I’m not showing quite yet.” He stared over my body slowly, stopping at my stomach.

  “Were you planning to tell me?” There was a hint of anger in his voice as I felt more tears.

  “I don’t know.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “I came here to say goodbye, Sterling. You’re moving on and I’ve got this. I can do this.”

  “I want to help. This is my baby, right?” he asked as I nodded. “Are you healthy? Is the baby doing well?”

  “We’re both fine.” I replied as he rolled from me to his side.

  “Texas?” He asked softly as I shrugged.

  “She’s going to help me. She’s all I have.” I sounded so selfish and I watched as he broke before me.

  “Rosie, I want to be here for both of you. I’m getting a place and you can come with me. Please.” This was why I didn’t tell him.

  “Sterling. It won’t work. They hate me and my family. They won’t accept this baby, so we can’t be together.” I told him the truth as pain flashed across his face. “You know that. Don’t give up on what is waiting for you. I’m not going to keep you out of our lives entirely. I never would. I just understand that we won’t have that family that celebrate Christmas together and birthdays. I didn’t tell my parents about this, Sterling. I’m just leaving.”

  “How will I see you?” He asked as I stroked his hair.

  “Plane. We can visit each other until he or she can fly by themselves.” I thought this over a lot if I ever had this conversation. I couldn’t tell him that I loved him.

  “I want you to stay. If not with me, just stay. I’ll make my family accept this. They can’t hate a baby,” Tears filled his eyes, and I watched as he kissed me. We stayed in bed and made love again before he pulled me against him. Sterling stroked my stomach softly, and I pretended that this was my life.

  I woke up in the morning, blinking slowly. It was dark in the dorms since the windows were small, but I saw all his boxes stacked around. He was leaving today. College was over, and we were going to be adults. I was just starting it having a baby on my own.

  He woke up and kissed my hair as he pulled me closer to him.

  “I don’t want to leave,” Sterling murmured as I smiled weakly.

  “It’s okay. We’re staying another two weeks, so we can get things shipped off. The apartment won’t be ready until then.”

  “This is fucking absurd.” Sterling told me as I laughed without humor. “I never wanted to walk away from you.”

  “It’s over, Sterling. It’s better this way. We’ll work the rest out.”

  We parted ways in an hour. He needed to start loading his car, and I knew that Violet would be filled with questions. I saw the pain in his eyes as he hugged me goodbye and I walked away. That was when I cried all the way to my room and then in Violet’s arms.

  She was sad that I had to tell him but understood. Sterling and I had a bond from being friends for so long and involved for a short while. I was having his baby, and he’d be a wonderful father.

  30

  Sterling

  I felt empty as I loaded my last box and walked back to the dorm to look around. It was empty, ready for another student to live in for their time at this school. The room still smelled like Rosie and sex and I felt tears in my eyes. I had to talk her into staying sometime over the next couple of weeks.

  I loved her. It took me all this time to unde
rstand that and now she was having my baby. I might have been able to let her go, but I needed to raise my child. I needed to be with both. I smiled and walked out, handing in my key to the desk and signing the paper that freed me from the dorms. I twisted my keys in my hand as I hopped into my car, parked at the curb. A few students were also leaving, and I watched the activity with a wistful expression. I was going to miss this place and the times I had here.

  I glanced over at Rosie’s building as I started the engine. Two more weeks.

  I made the drive to the condo, parking and looking for my parents. They had the keys and waved at me as I parked. I imagined the conversation about Rosie and the baby, triggering memories of times when Dad disapproved something that I’d done. I blinked and pushed it to the back of my mind as I got out and approached the unit. The building was beautiful, made of brick and cream wood. Every unit was three stories tall with the laundry being on the first level. The living area was on the second and three large bedrooms on the third. It was beautiful, and I approved it through the pictures. Technology was great that way,

  Mom juggled the keys in her hand and I took them to unlock the door. Everything felt different now, and I looked around the foyer with a large laundry room slowly. We climbed the stairs, and I looked over the open living area with several windows, faking my excitement. I kept picturing Rosie here with a small child and walked over to the window. I pretended to admire the view of the water as I regained my composure. Mom was babbling about couches and tables as I turned to look at her, picturing her as a grandma. I felt that she’d understand but Dad wouldn’t.

  We made our way upstairs and looked at the master first. It was huge with a spacious bathroom that offered a bathtub and shower. The other bedrooms were good sized, and I chose the one across from mine to be the nursery in my mind.

  “I like it. I need to fill it with some furniture and make it home but it’s gorgeous. Thank you.” I told them both as I smiled at them. Dad’s phone rang, and he excused himself to take it as Mom stepped closer to me.

  “Is everything all right?” She asked me as she took in my face.

  “I think it’s just the changes, Mom. I walked away from my college dorm today and I’ll never go back. It’s weird for me.” I shrugged, trying to lighten the mood.

  “That’s it?” She asked with a frown on her face. “It looks so much more serious.”

  “It’s not. I’m just overwhelmed.” I glanced into the master bedroom where there was a king-sized bed set up for me, already made. Mom wanted me to be comfortable the first night, and I hugged her.

  They offered to take me to dinner, and I accepted since there was nothing in the house. I’d deal with that later. We hit a local steakhouse and got a large corner table, ordering some wine to make a toast. I tried to calm my racing heart as I glanced around, seeing Rosie’s dad seated at a table with that looked like associates. They were talking closely, and he looked devastated as I frowned. What was happening?

  Mom spoke as the wine was placed before us, and I watched as she called a toast to the condo and my new job. I had yet to see the building but knew that it would be good. I was going to be heading an accounting firm that took care of celebrity and wealthy clients. It was going to be great but as I glanced across the room again, I knew that I missed Rosie.

  I walked through the empty rooms once I was alone. It still felt empty. I sat down with my iPad and started shopping for furniture, picking out living room furniture. I selected a black leather sofa set with a sturdy oak table and asked for it to be delivered by the end of the week. I clicked back to bedroom furniture and looked through beds for the guest room before looking at things for a nursery. She was too early into the pregnancy to know what it was yet, but cribs were neutral. I could get one in white for now and some furniture to match. I’d paint the room something to suit it once I knew more.

  I set the device on my bed and closed my eyes. I hated this.

  I heard my phone ringing beside me and reached for it wearily. When I saw that it was Rosie, I smiled and answered it, stunned by her angry voice.

  31

  Rosie

  I dialed Sterling’s number with shaking hands, barely able to control my tears. When he answered, I took a deep breath.

  “When were you going to tell me that you’ll be working at my father’s first business?” I screamed as I walked further into the trees.

  “What are you talking about?” Sterling asked with confusion in his voice.

  “Your father bought the first business my family ever bought. Dad built it from the ground up and loved it. He might have turned into an asshole later, but he loved that building. Your dad knew who owned it and he bought it to hurt us.” I knew my words came out quick and sloppy, hoping that he understood me.

  “What the fuck?” Sterling asked in shock. “He hasn’t shown me the building yet. I know nothing about it. I swear to that, Rosie.”

  I started crying. I spent time there as a kid while he renovated the building into the banking firm that became the most successful in Washington. I had hope for my family in that building and dreams of what was to be. They all fell apart, but I still looked at the building as a good place. It was so beautiful with the elegant brick and charming architecture from the late nineteen hundreds. I loved it but now it was gone.

  “It’s done. He bought it and it’s done. Do you see why we can never be anything and this baby won’t be a part of either family. Do you see?” I cried out as my heart broke again. I saw Violet walk into the trees, staring at me.

  “I’ll walk. I’ll walk away and leave it all behind. I didn’t know, Rosie.” Sterling was pleading with me as I ended the call. I was so sick of the fighting over business between the families. I was tired of someone always trying to be better than the other. I hated them for splitting up people that cared about each other and grew up together.

  “I’m done. I want to go to Texas as soon as possible and get away from this shit.” I looked at Violet as she moved forward to hug me.

  “It will be okay, Rosie. I promise.” My phone rang, and I powered it down before slipping it into my pocket. I hugged Violet tightly, and she soothed me with soft words. She was going to raise this baby with me and he or she would never know who they were related to.

  “I should have never told him. Sterling won’t let this go,” I told her as she sighed.

  “He’s not the bad guy here, Rosie. His dad is. Sterling never knew that the building was yours. He wouldn’t do that to you.” Violet spoke, and I nodded. She was right. I was just stunned by my mother’s tearful call about the sale of the building. I didn’t want this baby to have any contact with his parents or even mine. I was willing to go to Texas and start completely over away from so much pain.

  Violet walked me back to my dorm, both of us knowing that he’d be there. Sterling wasn’t the type to give up.

  It took one day for him to be knocking at the door. I opened it and Sterling hurried by me.

  “You turned off your phone,” he said, facing me with an angry expression.

  “I know. I was upset and just needed a break. I’m sick of our families and their shit.” I told him as he stared down at the floor.

  “I talked to Dad. The business was failing, Rosie. Your father wasn’t running it anymore and the firm that was in the red. He does his research and swears that it wasn’t personal. He wanted to save it and make it a strong business again.” Sterling told me gently as he walked forward to clasp my hands.

  “It’s sentimental on my part, Sterling. That and the years of useless pain caused by both. I just boiled over, I guess. Hormones make me crazy sometimes and my emotions are all over the place.” I smiled weakly. “What a mess this is.”

  “I want you to stay here. I went home and spoke to my parents. I told them about the baby, Rosie.” I stared at him in shock.

  “What did they say?” I asked as he pulled me against him.

  “He was angry, and Mom cried. I think that she always lov
ed you and missed you, Rosie. She’s happy about another baby in the family.” I gasped. “It’s not going to be perfect, Rosie. There’s a lot of pain to get over and that will take time. But you don’t have to run off to Texas. We can do this here.” Sterling kissed my hair. “I love you, Rosie. I think I always have but all of this made me realize how much. Stay with me.”

  “Sterling,” I said softly as I looked at him.

  “You’re moving in with me. They know it and accept it. I’m going to go to your dad and ask for your hand in marriage. I’m going to make him proud of the business, Rosie. We’re going to do all of this right.” He promised me as my eyes widened.

  “I have to tell my parents?” I asked as he laughed.

  “We’re together. We can’t lie, and we can’t hide it. With a baby coming, we really can’t hide it. They need the chance to accept it be happy if that’s their choice.” Sterling lowered his mouth to mine.

  “I love you,” I whispered before he kissed me.

  Violet came back to the dorm to find us wrapped up together on the couch, planning our future. She hugged me but cried as she wrapped her arms around me.

  “You’re not coming to Texas, are you?” She whispered as I closed my eyes. I was crying now.

  “I’m not. We’re going to try to make it work. The families are all going to know about this and they’ll accept it, or they won’t. I am going to miss you so much, Vi.” I promised her as Sterling looked on from the couch.

  “I could work for a firm here and stay. I don’t want to live without this baby. I have to be here to find out what it is in a month!” She said excitedly as I laughed.

  “You can have a job on my building, Violet. Hell, it’s multiple stories and maybe one can be an architecture firm. I think a little variety is good, don’t you?” Sterling asked with a laugh as she went to hug him. Violet congratulated him about the baby and made him promise to take care of both of us.