by Haley Weir
“You wanted to get me pregnant as soon as we started dating, remember?”
“Technically, I’ve been courting you since we kissed in my elevator.”
Tilly rolled onto her back and groaned. “That kiss was so hot.”
“Until you kneed me in my tender parts.”
“Hey, you had it coming! You called me a prostitute.”
“You called yourself a prostitute,” he reminded her. “I just insinuated that you used seduction to get your own way. But if you’re into role play…” She bit his shoulder and he pulled her hair. Tilly barely bit back her moan. The heat that entered his gaze made every fiber of her being tingle with awareness. “Playing with fire, love. Don’t goad me into an argument just because you like your loving a little rough. Just tell me.”
“I don’t want you to think that I’m insatiable.”
“But you are,” he countered.
“But you’re not supposed to think that! I’m a teacher. That means I’m supposed to act like a proper lady or something.”
“I’ve always had a thing for teachers,” Michael teased. Tilly kissed him to shut him up and felt it all the way down to her toes. He gasped when her hand moved between their bodies to push his sweatpants down his narrow hips. She wanted to sink her teeth into something other than his shoulder, but he was right about her being impatient. Tilly tore her nightgown off and threw it to the side.
She straddled his hips and sank down onto his length. Michael’s brow furrowed with concentration and Tilly began to ride him. Each drag of his flesh against her sensitive muscles caused her thighs to flex. She rolled her hips and barreled down with all of her weight. Michael grabbed her bottom and met each of her thrusts with one of his own. Tilly bounced in his lap until they were both glistened with sweat in the moonlight that spilled in through the open window.
The warm summer breeze caused chill-bumps to prickle against her arms and Michael wrapped his hand in her hair and tilted her head back. A wanton moan burst from her lips as he brought her to an earth shattering climax that triggered his own. They breathed in the darkness, feeling the connection between them grow stronger with each breath. “I think we need to do that as often as possible.”
“We’ve gone three times in one night!” she protested.
“I meant you on top.”
Tilly blushed like a virgin even as she climbed off her mate’s lap. “I’ll think about it. The weight doesn’t bother you?”
Michael scowled at her from beneath the arm draped over his face. “I would have complained if it had. Stop thinking that I’m like whatever men you dated in the past, Matilda. None of them were as strong as me. Besides, don’t you like it when I press you into the bed and ride you?”
“Yes,” she said bashfully.
“Well, I like the same thing. You’re perfect. Stop worrying so much. My friends and I refer to plus size women as succulent.”
Tilly’s face scrunched up. “Gross,” she chuckled. “But I guess everyone has a type. I’m just glad we can give each other what we need. Both sexually and not.”
“I’m blessed to have you. Never think anything less.”
***
Michael received a text from the agency the following day, inviting him on a date to his brother’s house for dinner. He snorted and replied with his usual answer whenever Tilly used the agency to force him into socializing. The last of his belongings were finally moved into the house as he dropped the box at his feet just inside the door. She appeared around the corner and sighed.
“What is it?”
“I need to get rid of some of my things,” Tilly announced. “And I need your help.”
“You don’t have to get rid of your mother’s things just because I’m moving in.”
“Destiny’s moms funeral is tomorrow and it made me realize that her things won’t bring her back. I’ll keep the really meaningful stuff, but I think the rest should go to charity or something.” She walked into his outstretched arms.
Michael kissed the top of her head. “I’ll help you. But I think we should start with the car. If we plan on having children, you’ll need something safer to get around in.”
She nodded against his chest and Michael stepped back to push the box aside. He walked into the kitchen with her on his heels and cooked an actual meal instead of a frozen pizza or a microwave dinner. “But we have dinner tonight.”
“You need to start eating more than just supper. It’s not healthy to wait until dinner each night to eat something. That changes now,” he stated firmly. “We’ll have lunch and then get ready for the circus at Brock and Destiny’s house—”
His phone ringing loudly cut off Michael. He pulled it from his back pocket and answered Sapphire’s call. Her voice boomed in his ear. “The baby is coming!”
He yanked the phone away from his ear and checked to make sure they weren’t bleeding. Tilly grabbed it from his hand and he heard only one side of the conversation. “Alright...yeah...yeah...we’re on our way ...is all that cursing necessary? Sorry, forget I asked...alright...be there soon.” She hung up and slipped her feet into a pair of thong sandals while he turned the burner off.
They drove down to the clinic and ran right into Destiny, Corey, Mitra, Dorian, Jenny, Brock, and Anders. The expectant father looked downright nauseous as he swayed on his feet. Michael steadied his best friend with a firm grip on his arm. “What happened? Is Sapphire alright?”
“She had a lot of damage to her body when she fell from the cliff a few years ago. We’re hoping there aren’t any complications with the birth,” Anders answered. Michael remembered how terrified everyone had been the when Sapphire was nearly died after tumbling off the side of the mountain and being swept downstream by the river. She climbed out of the frigid waters and right into a forest fire that nearly consumed her. Even though they hadn’t been friends at the time, Michael felt sorry for Sapphire when he got that particular call from his brother.
Sapphire and Brock had always been best friends since college, so watching her in a coma for over a year and a half had taken a toll on him. In fact, Brock looked just as anxious as Anders. Tilly saw to his brother’s needs while Michael focused on Sapphire’s husband. “She’s a fighter, alright? We both know she won’t give up.”
“But she’s so fragile,” Anders said with a distant voice. “She isn’t like us. There’s no miracle healing that can help if she’s hurt.”
“You were there when she nearly took out Corey’s old team on her own. Sapphire isn’t like us, but she isn’t like the other women in your life either. She’ll pull through this. I promise.” Michael forced Anders down into a chair and went to speak with the doctor. Sapphire was in a lot of pain, but there was no sign of complications as of yet. It was still early and things had taken an ugly turn for them in the past, but Sapphire was stronger than anyone knew.
“When Brock was taken by Hydra and we all thought we’d never see him again, Sapphire came to me. She followed me into the bathroom after Jenny nearly tore my head off for Dorian getting hurt and patched me up,” Michael said. “We realized that our feud was childish and that we should focus on staying alive for another year. Nothing seemed more important than our friends in that moment.”
“She’s special.”
“I told her as much,” he admitted. Anders looked at him with a perplexed expression, but Michael continued. “There’s no one like her in this world, Anders. She’ll constantly surprise you. That’s why I know she’ll get through this.”
Nine hours and two serious scares later, Sapphire and Anders McKinney welcomed their little boy into the world. Michael was the first to hold the baby besides the exhausted parents. Sapphire looked up and said, “We’re naming him Julius. Tilly told us that was your middle name and we think it’s perfect. Julius McKinney.”
Dorian, Brock, and Corey all looked offended that their names hadn’t been chosen, but their spouses shut them up with a single glare. Michael found the entire thing hilarious and didn’t
hesitate to laugh out loud. The tiny infant in his arms gave a gummy little smile and melted his heart. He looked over at Tilly and saw the tears in her eyes. “I hope you’re pregnant,” Michael said boldly, causing everyone else in the room to laugh along with him. Tilly, however, gave him a droll look.
“I hope you are too, sweetie.”
Corey shuddered in mock repulsion. “That’s a sight I don’t want to be around to see. Especially if he’ll be wearing maternity dresses with cats on them like Sapphire.”
Tilly cocked her head and moved to stand by Corey. “I don’t know...he might look pretty good in a dress.” Their friends and family laughed at Michael’s expense, but his gaze was focused on the baby. He bounced and sang songs until the little guy yawned and fell asleep in the big bear’s arms while his parents dozed off in the hospital bed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Manchester, England
The plane landed and Tilly shivered as she descended the stairs. Michael had a car waiting for them when they stepped out of the airport and it took them directly to the hotel. Tilly laid across the bed and curled into a ball. “It’s freezing,” she complained while burrowing beneath the covers. “And why is it raining?”
“I don’t control the weather, love.” Michael walked out of the closed while fastening his cufflinks. “But you need to get ready. We’re expected at the funeral in an hour. There’s no time for a nap.” He stood beside the bed and patted her rear. Tilly climbed out of bed and changed into her black dress with matching heels. She pinned her hair back and placed a veiled hat on her head.
Michael pulled on his custom pea coat as she tugged on her long black gloves. She caught his eyes roaming her figure in the mirror and scoffed. “No time for a nap means no time for anything else,” she taunted. “You don’t know the definition of a quickie, Mr. Stamina. It takes us at least an hour and you know it.”
“Fine. Let’s get this over with. I need to ravish you.”
She kissed his cheek and they were out the door. Jenny and Dorian met them outside of the church in similar outfits. “Did you guys know that their mother was a countess of...something?” Jenny asked. “They’re loaded. Like blue blood loaded, and everyone’s gathering at the family house for the reading of the will after the burial.”
“Isn’t that just for friends and family?”
“Destiny wants us with her for support,” Dorian answered. “Corey’s already inside. Let’s go see how he’s doing. Having his memory back before all of this has to be rough.”
Sapphire and Anders didn’t travel to England for the funeral, but everyone else filed into the front row. It seemed as though the Countess of Something didn’t have much family left. Tilly hugged Corey and his fiancé and then made her way over to Destiny. Brock held her hand tightly as she hugged Tilly. “I’m so happy you’re here. Thank you so much. Without you and Michael, I never would have been able to give my mother a proper burial,” Destiny sobbed.
“I’m glad you get to have some closure. It’s better to know than to live your life constantly wondering what happened.” Tilly sat down beside Destiny along with the rest of their friends. The priest went through the ceremony with impressive grace. There wasn’t a dry eye in the building by the time he finished reading from the scripture. Those close with Destiny’s mother took turns saying something in honor of the woman whose fate had been more tragic than anyone knew. Corey, Michael, Tilly, and Anders all thought it was best to keep the truth of her end between them.
Destiny stood up at the altar to say a few words. “Thank you to those who came to say goodbye,” she began quietly. “My mother was a woman who believed that love conquered anything. It had the potential to be the most destructive force on earth or the power to heal wounds. She used to tell me that family and the friends we hold dear are what keeps us alive even after we’re buried. And knowing that she got to see my brother Corey one last time has brought me peace. Having him back in my life has been a blessing. With us and all of you holding her in our memory, my mother will live on.”
Tilly squeezed Michael’s hand and glanced at Corey. He stared down at his hands clasped in his lap and she looked away to give him some privacy. From there, everyone exited the church and walked to the cemetery for the burial. A few more words were said in honor of Destiny and Corey’s mother and Tilly couldn’t help wondering how a woman so loved had caught the eye of Alexander Collier. She left behind her title and her family to start a life with him. Tilly hoped that the woman had been gone long before she had to watch her husband turn into a monster.
Michael tugged her along and they climbed into the car. The driver followed Brock’s directions to the family home and eased through traffic. “I’m glad they can move on from this,” Michael said. “I remember being angry and callous when I buried my mother. But I felt nothing but love back there. She must have been a remarkable woman. Despite it all, everything worked out the way it was supposed to.”
“It’s scary isn’t it?”
“What is?”
“Knowing that one day you or I will leave the other behind,” she answered. “When you were shot at the Hydra base, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I don’t think I would survive if you...if you died, Michael. Part of me understands why Alexander did it, but not how he went about getting his results.”
“I’m sure in some way everyone can understand his motivations.” Michael moved closer to Tilly and kissed her lovingly. “But death gets us all in the end. It can be sad and angry or it can be beautiful. Let’s try to live the best we can for each other and our future children. Everything will fall into place.”
The car stopped at the end of a long driveway as a privacy gate opened to allow them entrance. During the reading of the will, the lawyer announced that everything had been left to Destiny and Corey in the event of their mother’s death. Corey gave his half to Destiny and decided to keep their inheritance from their father instead. He said that he felt better about turning blood money into something useful.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Haden Springs
Wyoming
Michael Adair sat upon a stool much too small for him as a young girl painted a flower on his cheek. She told him that he looked like a prince and he had been too flattered to turn her down. A boy not much older than the girl looked on with obvious jealousy that Michael recognized right away. He felt the same way when he saw Tilly on her date with Derek. Once his face was thoroughly decorated, he called the boy over and whispered into his ear. “Tell her that her eyes are pretty. If her cheeks turn pink, then you know if she likes you or not.”
The boy soaked up his advice like a sponge and began to woo the little girl. Michael looked on with a proud sense of triumph that caused Tilly to stare at him suspiciously. She took one look at the blotchy flower on his cheek and nearly keeled over with peels of laughter wafting through the air. Her face was painted like a cat as she helped another child fix his crooked pants.
They were surrounded by screaming children of all ages, trying to keep some semblance of peace as they milled from one table of activities to the next. Michael walked around, watching as the students enjoyed the things he had planned for them. He caught sight of someone kneeling in a dark corner and made his way over. Michael knelt beside the small figure and placed a hand on his trembling shoulder. “What’s your name?” he asked gently.
“Forrest.”
“Hello, Forrest. My name is Michael.”
The teary child looked up and shook Michael’s hand with a politeness that was rare for someone of his age. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Forrest. Want to tell me why you’re crying while everyone else is having so much fun?” Michael asked.
“My little brother is stupid.”
The honesty of children never failed to amaze Michael as he sat in a more comfortable position so he was eye-level with Forrest. “I have a stupid little brother too. His name is Brock. What’s your brother’s name?” A
small hand pointed across the room at another boy that was tossing Ping-Pong balls into a series of cups to earn a prize.
“That’s him over there. His name is Wyatt.”
“Why is Wyatt stupid?”
“Because he cried until my dad got mad and then he lied. I got in trouble and Wyatt was given all of my tickets to play the games,” Forrest sniveled. Michael pulled out his handkerchief and passed it over so he could wipe his tears and blow his nose.
“I went through something similar when I was younger. Brock only had to cry and he got whatever he wanted. As the big brother, I was constantly getting into trouble and having to clean up after him. But then I realized that my responsibility as his older brother was to teach him that what he was doing was wrong.”
“But he makes me so angry.”
“So does my brother,” Michael said. Forrest looked over at him again and he brushed the child’s mop of hair out of his eyes. They were the saddest brown eyes that reminded him of Tilly. “But I love my brother and I want him to be a good person. The only way that can happen is if I teach him how. Can you do that?”
Forrest nodded his head and Michael handed him a handful of tickets.
“Go share those with your brother. Tell him that all he has to do is ask for your help and you’ll be there for him,” he instructed. “Keep telling him that, and one day, he’ll say thank you. But no matter how many times you fight, he’ll know that you’ll always be around to help. That’s what being a big brother is all about.”
Forrest lunged at Michael and gave him a big hug before running off to do as he was told. Michael stood up and brushed off his jeans. He walked over to Tilly, who had tears glistening in her eyes. “I heard what you said to Forrest,” she whispered. “You’re going to be a wonderful father, Michael.”
“I’ve always been afraid of ending up like my dad.”
