A Family By Valentine: A Secret Baby Second Chance Romance

by Sullivan, Piper

  Lucy’s eyebrows rose in question at their dinner choice and she couldn’t help but wonder just what Seth had been feeding her son in addition to the potato chips and cola. Chris caught her expression and smiled apologetically.

  “Apparently Seth’s culinary skills only include ordering takeout and you know I don’t cook,” he explained and lifted the thin lid from the bucket. Her stomach rumbled in response to the delicious aroma of food. She’d been eating bland hospital food for weeks; perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to eat a little fast food – for now.

  They all sat down, Chris loaded her plate first and then the boys filled their own. They dug in with a flourish and Lucy moaned as her taste buds exploded with each bite. It put the tasteless food she’d been eating to shame.

  The boys settled into a witty banter and she couldn’t help but watch in fascination as Seth and Jacob teased each other mercilessly. She was shocked at how much her little boy had come out of his shell since Seth had been around. It warmed her heart to see the ease in which they got along during an everyday activity.

  “Lucy, I was thinking about taking Jacob to a movie after dinner,” Chris offered as they cleared the table, carting the leftovers back into the kitchen. Lucy stood at the refrigerator door, polishing off her bottle of water. “That new cartoon is showing and it’ll give you some time to relax and settle in. I’m sure you’re tired,” he explained but slid a salacious grin at Seth. It didn’t take much imagination for her to realize that Seth had finagled a way for them to spend some ‘alone’ time together.

  Her stomach hitched at the mere thought of being alone with the man, but at the same time, she felt excited.

  “Please, Mommy?” Jacob tugged on her leg and smiled up at her. His blue eyes twinkled with such innocence. It was a smile she couldn’t say ‘no’ to.

  “Alright,” she relented and reached down to tousle his dark hair.

  “Perhaps Mommy would like to soak in a nice, hot bubble bath for a while?” Seth offered softly. “It’ll help you relax,” he added with a smirk.

  “I think that’s a good idea,” Lucy agreed all too quickly and turned to flee through her bedroom into the safe confines of her private bathroom. She closed the door and leaned back against it with her chest heaving. But before she could so much as catch her breath, she took in the room before her.

  Candles in all shades of red and pink were spread throughout the small room and bottles of scented bath stuff littered the side and back corner of her tub. On top of the toilet tank sat a huge vase of red rosesand a small white card sat beside it. Reaching for it, she took it in her hand and opened it.

  “I hope this makes you feel as special are you truly are.” The words were scrawled in a chicken-scratchy style and it was simply signed, “S.”

  Smiling like a teenager, she quickly stripped out of the pajama set and turned on the hot water tap. Slightly adjusting the cold to suit her comfort, she lowered herself into the filling tub and studied the selection of soaps, gels and creams.

  “A girl could definitely get used to this,” she mumbled to herself and poured a dollop of jasmine scented gel under the running water. Once the tub was full, she turned both taps off and lowered herself down to the nose in the hot, bubbly water.

  She needed to do some serious landscaping, but for now, she merely indulged in the hot, blissfully scented water. After being in the hospital for so long and only able to shower, she’d had no strength for shaving and refused to ask the nurses for help. So, once she soaked a little while, she’d take her razor and shave the cavewoman from her body.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jacob

  Chris urged Jacob into wearing his thick coat and the two of them headed out. The little boy was so excited to be going to the theater that Seth couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. He couldn’t imagine all the comforts Lucy and Jacob had done without all these years. All while he’d been living it up. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he sighed heavily and reminded himself that he couldn’t do anything about the past, but he could and he would make their future the best he could.

  He’d move heaven and earth to make sure they were happy. He raced back into the kitchen and tossed all the dirty dishes into the new dishwasher. He grabbed the bottle of detergent and read the instructions before shrugging his shoulders and squeezing a hefty dollop into the designated cup.

  He lifted the door, slid the latch to lock it and hit the ‘start’ button. The little machine roared to life in a whisper soft hum and Seth congratulated himself on a job well done. He gave the rest of the apartment one last glance-over and when he was satisfied that everything was still neat and tidy, he eased into the bedroom and began lighting candles.

  He heard water lightly sloshing in the bathroom and smiled to himself, happy that Lucy was enjoying her bath. Looking down at himself, he realized he needed to tidy himself up as well.

  He headed toward the little bathroom just to the left of Jacob’s bedroom and quickly undressed, tossing his clothes carelessly in the corner. He squeezed his large body into the crowded shower and bathed in record time. He wanted to be in bed, waiting, when Lucy emerged from the bathroom. The mere thought of her skin, moist, hot and pink from her soak, had him hurrying even faster.

  He cringed when he got shampoo into his eyes and vigorously scrubbed his eyes until they didn’t burn any longer. He hit his elbow a couple of times and cursed the small confines of the shower, but put that out of his mind in lieu of a more important task.

  He barely had time to dry off, toss the towel and race across the apartment, sliding between the covers before her bathroom door eased open and Lucy emerged with an oversized towel wrapped around her petite body. Seth inhaled sharply when he noticed just how much weight she’d lost.

  “I must look hideous,” Lucy murmured self-consciously and ran her hands down over the towel, smoothing the overlapping cotton.

  Seth rose on his left elbow and extended his right hand, beckoning her toward him with a deft crook of his fingers.

  “You’re beautiful,” he hurried to encourage her. “You just need to let me spoil you with the best meals possible. That will help you get your strength back.” He smirked when she narrowed her dark, chocolate colored eyes at him.

  “Fried chicken is neither a healthy nor proper meal,” she scolded him but smiled anyway.

  “But I appreciate the thought and effort you put into it. Jacob really enjoyed himself tonight. Apparently you’ve taken great care of my son. Thank you.”

  “Our son,” Seth corrected her. “And it’s time I accept my responsibility. I want to take care of you both, if you’ll let me,” he murmured softly. “Now, come to bed and enjoy yourself tonight,” he invited and gave her a cocky grin.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lucy

  Inhaling deeply, Lucy reached up and tugged the towel free of her body. It fell heavily to the floor while she stood, feet firmly rooted to the new carpet. It’d been so long since she’d felt vulnerable and small. She’d been both mother and father to Jacob and in taking on both those roles, she’d felt larger than life. She was their sole support and every decision was hers, alone, to make. She found it difficult to allow someone else the chance to take the reins. It was why she’d had such a hard time with calling Seth to begin with. It was even harder to leave him alone with her – their – son.

  She heard Seth’s quick intake of breath and raised her head to study his reaction. His eyes were on her small breasts and his lips were slightly parted. He looked like he’d had too many glasses of wine.

  “Get in bed,” he ordered in a deep and husky voice. “I’ve waited far too long for this and I plan to remedy that right now.”

  Lucy smiled and pulled back the comforter, blanket and sheets. She sighed in supreme contentment as she slid her freshly shaven legs between the linens, the silky soft material sliding across her skin like a knife through hot butter.

  But if she thought the sheets felt good, they were nothing compared to the solid
wall of muscle she suddenly found herself encompassed in. Seth had wrapped his arms around her small frame and pulled her to him as though he couldn’t stand another moment without feeling her body against his.

  “You feel so right in my arms, your body crushed against mine,” he whispered in her ear and then nibbled lightly at her lobe which caused her entire body to shiver in pleasure. “I’d forgotten just how hot your body is,” he added and continued a trail of teeth, tongue and lips down the column of her throat before she turned her head and captured those lips in a soul-searing kiss.

  His tongue brushed out, licking along her lips before demanding entrance into her mouth. She complied and suckled lightly at his probing tongue. He moaned low in his throat and shifted toward her, pulling her body beneath his. The solid weight of him settled warmly into her bones, giving her a sense of protection like she’d never felt before.

  “Am I too heavy?” he rasped and Lucy shook her head as she looked up into his downturned face. He braced his weight on both arms and simply hovered above her, his eyes studying every naked fraction he could.

  His eyes stared into hers a long moment and then suddenly he leaned down and began kissing her with an intensity she didn’t remember him having that first time they were together so many years ago.

  “I love the contrast of my body against yours,” he praised and ran his whiskered jaw against the swell of her breast. “It’s like caressing a pillow; I can mold you to me. It proves how well we fit together.” He continued murmuring similar things all between nibbling and kissing her in all the right places.

  When he’d teased her to the point of frustration, Lucy lifted her hips, rubbing her core against his erection. He stopped kissing the column of her throat and smiled down at her, his eyes smoldering with desire.

  “Are you in a hurry?” he teased.

  “I just want you,” she whispered in response. “We don’t know how long we have before Chris and Jacob are back and I don’t want them to catch us in such a compromising position,” she admitted sheepishly, hoping she didn’t upset him or turn him off.

  Instead he nodded curtly in understanding.

  “You’re probably right,” he admitted and slowly, yet painfully, slid his long shaft into her welcoming channel. He moaned low in his throat, Lucy joining him as all her nerve endings suddenly blazed to life inside her womb. Like an expert lover, Seth pulled out and slid himself back in, slowly torturing her in the process, until he’d seated himself fully inside her. She could tell he was afraid of hurting her so she wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her ankles. She intended to show him just how strong she was.

  Was she making a mistake? Yes, more than likely a colossal one. Did she care? No, honestly she didn’t. It felt so right and if she had limited time on this earth, she’d start crossing things off her bucket list.

  She lifted her hips every time he thrust and he ran a hand down to her hip, pulling her lower body tighter against his. His hand was so large, or her body was so small, that his hand almost reached around to her spine. He spread his hand against the small of her back and supported her in each lift she wanted.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Seth

  He studied her face; her eyes closed in pleasure, her long brown hair spanned across the pink pillow. Her lush lips were parted and her breath rushed in and out in little moans and catches. He memorized everything about her; he wanted it all burned into his mind like a permanent tattoo.

  He kept a steady pace, not even disappointed when he felt her inner walls tighten around him. He was on the brink of exploding but had been holding out in a desire to please her first. He couldn’t blow his load before she reached her climax. They didn’t have all the time in the world and he had to make this as good as possible.

  He inhaled sharply when her fingertips dug into his biceps and she lifted her mouth toward his. He bent down to envelope those luscious lips in a searing kiss when he felt her release. A loud moan erupted from her open mouth and he bent to swallow her pleasure. She bucked against him for what felt like forever and when he felt like he’d wrung her orgasm for every little aftershock, he left himself go, bathing her womanly womb with his seed. His mind only briefly wondered about protection, but then he reminded himself that she’d just underwent several weeks of chemo and radiation. Her getting pregnant was a very unlikely event.

  He waited for her breathing to regulate before carefully extracting himself from her body. He found himself surprised over how empty he felt outside of her. He wanted nothing more than to rejoin her and stay there for all eternity.

  He bent down and pressed a soft kiss to her bony shoulder, slightly proud of himself when his lips found her skin soft and dewy.

  “I’ll slip back to Jacob’s bathroom, shower and redress before they get home,” he whispered against her stomach, his tongue snaking out to dip into her navel. He smiled when she shivered and reached down to tangle her fingers in his disheveled hair. Her legs scissored, obviously needing the friction against her core and he knew that if he didn’t get his ass in gear, he’d be balls deep in her treasure trove all night long.

  He rolled off the bed and gasped when her hand slapped him smartly on the ass cheek. He tossed a smirk over his shoulder and wagged a finger at her.

  “Naughty girl,” he accused and hurried from her room. Leaving her gloriously naked, well loved, body sprawled across the pink silk sheets was the second hardest thing he’d ever done. Strange how the most difficult things he’d accomplished in his life both involved Lucy.

  That alone should tell him just where he belonged and it wasn’t away from his newfound family.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Lucy

  February 14th

  Lucy smiled as Jacob squirmed while she dressed him for daycare. He’d had his Uncle Seth go out and buy cards for all the girls in his group and he bragged about how pretty they all were. She tried not to let the fact that he’d just noticed the beauty of the opposite sex bother her, but knew it was inevitable given his gender.

  “Hurry, Mommy,” Jacob insisted. “I’m going to be late.”

  “Yes, yes,” Lucy agreed. “We can’t keep the ladies waiting, now can we?”

  Amber had arrived the previous day and she and Chris had spent the night in a hotel. Lucy knew they hated being apart and considering the nature of the holiday, they needed some alone time that her small apartment and number of guests wouldn’t allow. She was proud of her brother’s happiness and she loved Amber like a sister. They were both so good for each other. She just hated that they had to spend this Valentine’s Day watching over her.

  Once she had Jacob properly dressed, he raced from his room and grabbed Seth’s hand.

  “I’m ready,” he declared loudly. “Take me to the ladies Uncle Seth,” he added and pulled the man toward the door.

  Seth chuckled but tossed a wink at Lucy.

  “I’ll be back soon, Mommy, don’t do anything strenuous while I’m gone,” he announced and then warned. Lucy saluted him like a good soldier and went about straightening up the breakfast dishes and wondering when Jacob had learned the word “strenuous”.

  She’d all but cleared the table, loaded the dishwasher and put the cold breakfast foods back in the refrigerator when she heard the front door open and close. She pulled the sink’s plug, drained the soapy water and then rinsed the sink out, waiting for Seth to peek in on her. But when he didn’t she went in search of him.

  She halted short when she walked around the corner and found him in the middle of her living room, on one bended knee, an open jewelry box in his hand. She closed the distance between them and peered down into the red, velvet box. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the diamond engagement ring. Her face heated when she realized what he was in the throes of.

  “Seth,” she started but he stopped her short by standing and grabbing her by the hands.

  “Don’t,” he warned. “Just sit down and listen to me.”

  Lucy nodded c
urtly and allowed him to lead her over to the sofa. He waited until she was firmly seated and then he, again, kneeled in front of her, offering her the open ring box.

  “I know what the doctors have told you,” he admitted and paused when she inhaled sharply. “Chris told me,” he admitted much to her dismay. “But I also know that I can’t go another day without you knowing just how much I love you and Jacob. I want to marry you,” he insisted. “Today, if necessary, or the sooner the better. I want you to tell Jacob that he’s my son and I want to spend the rest of our lives together. Till death do us part,” he finished and sighed heavily.

  “Lucy, will you marry me?” he asked softly. “Please, give me the chance to show you how much I’ve changed and how much I want a family with you. You’ve already given me a son, you’ll get better and maybe give me a daughter to spoil,” he rambled and she stopped him by placing her finger against his lips, successfully silencing him.

  He complied but stayed where he was, his eyes searching hers for an answer. Her eyes went to his throat and she saw the way his pulse hammered in conjunction with his heartbeat. She knew she loved him and now she knew that he loved her. Her only dilemma was whether or not she should chance breaking his heart.

  “I’ll never stop loving you,” he added. “I don’t care how long we have together. I’ll never stop. Even if you refuse, I’ll never leave your side, so you might as well just say ‘yes’ and put me out of my misery,” he rushed on.

  “Okay,” she relented and almost squealed when he lunged to his feet and pulled her into the tightest embrace she’d ever felt. He squeezed so hard she feared he would break her ribs.

  “But we have something to do first,” she whispered against his chest. Seth pulled back to look down questioningly into her eyes.