To my surprise, she breaks into tears and covers her face with her hands. I snap open my seatbelt and pull her to me. She rests her head on my shoulder, and I hold her that way until she stops crying.
“I’m sorry about that,” she says with a shaky laugh. “I feel like such a baby.”
“Never mind about that. What happened?”
She looks at me. “I’m pregnant.”
“Congratulations,” I tell her.
“Thanks,” she says.
“I’m guessing this is something to do with the daddy?” I probe.
She nods. “He was a visiting doctor at the hospital, and he’s moved away. It was so stupid of me. I can’t believe I’m in almost the same position that Lexi was. What are the odds?”
“Have you told him?” I ask her.
“No, and I don’t plan on telling him,” she says fiercely.
“Why?” I say.
“He lied to me. He’s married,” she says.
“Oh. Crap.”
I’m not equipped to give this sort of advice. I mumble something to the effect that she must be strong.
“I’m sorry to dump this on you,” Vanessa says shakily. “I haven’t told anyone. Not even Lexi.”
The best I can do is hug her and think internally what bastards men are. If you’re going to marry a woman, you’d better be ready to commit and keep it in your pants. I hate cheaters, both men and women. Cheating causes a lot of unnecessary pain.
I remember when Ace’s fiancée was cheating on him. It was terrible, and it forced me to take drastic action to ensure that my brother did not marry a woman who was unfaithful even before they got married.
We stay in the car and chat until I’m sure that she’s calm enough to drive home.
“Thanks for listening to me,” Vanessa says as I lean across the car seat to kiss her cheek.
“You’re welcome and take care. You’ve got this,” I say and slip out of the car.
I’m excited to be home, and I sprint up to the front door. Before I can ring the bell, it flies open.
“Hi,” Marian says and smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Hi.” I’m struck anew by how gorgeous her green eyes are.
“I hope your girlfriend is okay,” Marian says as I follow her to the living room.
“Girlfriend?” It takes a moment to realize that she’s talking about Vanessa. Marian is jealous. At first, it amuses me, and then I realize jealousy is not an emotion that I ever want her to feel. “Sit down, Marian.”
She looks surprised at my tone, but she does as I say. I sit down too. “Marian, I’m not a cheat, and I’ll never be. If I don’t want to be with you, I promise that I’ll tell you, but you won’t see me sneaking around.”
She stares at me with wide, vulnerable eyes.
“Our marriage may be based on a deal, but I live by the promises that I made. Alcohol is not an excuse not to keep your vows.”
She cracks a smile at that.
“The woman in the car is Vanessa, Lexi’s younger sister who is like a sister to me. She’s having a rough time in her love life, so I listened,” I say.
“I bet you gave her awesome advice?” Marian says. She runs her hands over her thighs. Her miniskirt rides up to the top of her thighs, and my imagination engages gear and takes off.
“Love advice is not my forte,” I say suggestively.
“What is?” she asks, her throaty voice becoming husky. I can bet right now that she’s thinking the same thing I am.
“Are your panties wet?” I ask her.
Her eyes widen before a twinkle comes into them. “Maybe.”
I push my back against the chair and part my lap. “Come and sit here.”
She gets up and sashays her way toward me. God, my wife is hot. When she’s an arm’s length from me, she pauses, hitches her skirt up and slides onto my lap. Her jasmine scent envelops me, and I feel as if I’ve truly come home. My cock knows it, too, because it immediately springs to attention. Marian sees it and does something that turns me into a beast. She moves up my lap until she’s sitting on it.
A primal grunt rises up my throat, and my hips start to rock. Marian’s eyes become dazed. I slide a hand around the back of her neck and pull her down for a kiss. Her lips are soft and sweet and her mouth hot. She pants into my mouth as we kiss.
With the other hand, I place a firm hold on her ass to keep her firmly on my cock. Kissing Marian is like diving into another world. A world where everything is a contradiction. Icy and hot. Sweet and spicy.
Her hands tighten around my neck, and I drag my mouth away from her mouth to her neck. I cup Marian’s breasts as she heaves with every breath. Touching her through her blouse is not enough. I unbutton her shirt, and she shrugs out of it.
I stare at the gorgeous sight of her breasts spilling from the top of her bra.
“Are you just going to sit there and look?” Marian teases.
“That was the plan,” I say.
She laughs softly and moves to unclasp her bra.
“Let me,” I say and reach around her back and snap it open. Her breasts bounce as they are set free, teasing me further.
Marian slips her hand into my hair and guides me to her breasts. I take one big nipple into my mouth, alternating between sucking it softly and then hard. I take the other nipple and do the same thing while palming the one that was in my mouth.
She grinds down on my cock and makes sweet moaning sounds. The front of my pants becomes wet with Marian’s arousal. I need more than to feel her sweet pussy through her panties.
“I want you naked,” I say to her when I’ve had my fill of her sexy breasts.
She gets up and slides her panties and skirt down her hips; I half stand and pull down my pants and boxer briefs. When Marian is naked, she comes over and straddles me again.
“How did I get so lucky to land such a gorgeous, sensual wife?”
“I’m lucky too,” Marian says as her wet pussy brushes against my thigh.
Unable to resist her breasts, which are right in my face, I graze a nipple with my teeth, and she gasps. Then I swirl my tongue back and forth against it before shifting to the other one.
“Declan, I need you inside,” Marian says in a voice that sounds like a purr.
“I’m all yours, baby,” I tell her.
She moves up my thighs, her arousal leaving a trail of wetness on my skin. She grips my cock and lowers herself on it. Then she braces herself with my shoulders and starts to move up and down. Her pussy muscles clench against my cock so hard that I almost become undone in the first five seconds.
“Stay still for a few seconds,” I tell her and hold her hips firmly.
She brings her mouth to mine and as we kiss until the urge to come dissipates. I lift her hips up and down and rock mine as we settle in a rhythm that creates delicious friction. I thrust deeply into her, each time our pelvises grinding against one another.
Marian’s fingers dig into my shoulders. She whimpers and whispers my name over and over again.
“Come for me, baby,” I say, barely keeping myself from coming.
“Yes,” Marian yells and throws her head back, thrusting out her breasts. The sight of my wife coming is enough to push me over the edge. I shudder and grunt and spray my essence deep into her pussy.
Marian wraps her arms around my neck, and I hold her close to me.
Chapter 20
Declan
“Do you think we made a baby?” Marian asks the following morning.
I chuckle and stroke her flat belly. “I hope we did. I want to see you pregnant and barefoot with my baby.”
I feel her stiffen. “You won’t be around, Declan,” Marian says.
I’ve been thinking about this on and off, and it seems like the right time to broach the subject with Marian. “We could change the terms of our deal,” I tell her while stroking her hair.
“To what?” she says.
“Try and make our marriage work.”
&
nbsp; She bolts up in bed as if I’ve just announced that I’m an alien. She stares at me. “I don’t want to be married. I was married once before, and I vowed never to do it again.”
“What did he do to you, Marian, that made you so frightened of commitment?” I hate to push it, but I have to if we’re going to have a chance. Marian is special, and the more I get to know her, the more I realize that I’m not ready to let her go, and I won’t be any time soon. Being with her has shown me what a lonely life I’ve been living. After a taste of how life with her could be, I know that’s what I want. But is she capable of opening her heart to a man?
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she says and falls back on the bed. She stares up at the ceiling.
“Did he hurt you?” I fold my fists at the thought of anyone hurting Marian.
“Not with his fists,” Marian says, her voice so low I can barely make out the words. “He used words. Sometimes words are more harmful than physical abuse.”
I know because my parents liked to use words to put me down or compare me to Ace.
“He messed up my self-esteem so badly that by the time I got out, I could barely talk to anyone,” she says.
“He was an asshole,” I tell her bluntly. “But you have to understand that not all of us are like that, Marian. Most of us know that our job is to protect our women.”
She inhales deeply and looks at me fearfully. “I’ve thought about it too.”
My heart skips a beat. “About us?”
She nods.
“We fit each other so well. What’s the harm in giving it a try? If it doesn’t work, then we’ll part ways with no hard feelings,” I say.
She looks at me shrewdly. “Will you be able to give up the baby?”
She already knows me so well. “That’s another thing. I want to be part of the baby’s life. We’re both adults, and I’m sure we can work something out.”
“After seeing you with Luna and how much you talk about her, I’m not surprised.”
“We could do it,” I tell her. “We can make our marriage work. I know we can.”
“And how do you know that, Mr. Carter?” Marian says, her tone playful.
I roll over to my side and hook a finger under her chin. “Easy. Because I love you.”
A stricken look comes over her features. She looks like a deer caught in headlights.
“Love?” she says.
“Yes, love. It’s what—”
“I know what the damn word means,” Marian snaps. “But I think you’re moving too fast, Declan. I’ve barely agreed to think about us making it work, and in the next moment, you’re declaring your everlasting love.”
I drop my finger and smile. “Okay, Marian, we’ll do it your way. But know that for me, this is real.”
“I need to get ready for work,” she says.
I know that’s Marian’s way of backing off when things get too emotionally heavy. It’s fine for now. I’ve already planted the seed, and she needs time to absorb it. I’m happy to give her the space she needs.
“Oh, and I forgot to tell you that I’ll leave very early tomorrow morning,” Marian says as she puts on a robe. “I’m going to Arlen tomorrow for the day. I need to meet my mom and scope out some vendors and locations for her wedding.”
“Delegation didn’t work then?” I ask her.
“Nope,” Marian says. “She called and laid a heavy guilt trip on me. I agreed to do it.”
“If you like, I can take you,” I tell her.
She’s as surprised as I am by the offer. Her lips curve into a smile. “I’d like that.” She kisses me and, with a wave, leaves my room to go and get ready.
I pick up my phone and scrawl through my work emails and messages before jumping into the shower.
“Here’s your coffee,” Marian says when I stroll into the kitchen later.
I take the mug and sip it gratefully. She asks about the renovations, and I bring her up to date.
“I interviewed a few people for your social media account. My first choice was the best. Her name is Zoe, and she’s both a social media manager and a photographer. A winning combination,” Marian says.
“Thank you,” I tell her, admiring the twinkle that comes to her eyes when she talks business. “What gave you such passion for business?”
She goes still for a moment at the unexpected question. She takes a sip of her coffee before answering, but I suspect it’s a ploy to get more time to think. She’s solemn when she begins to speak. “Business is predictable depending on how much work you put in, unlike real life.”
“Sounds to me like you mean that you can hide from real life through business,” I say.
She starts to protest, then stops. “Or you can live your life through business.”
“Without risking getting hurt,” I say.
She shrugs in answer. “So, do you want a ride to the site?”
“It’s out of your way; I’ll take an Uber,” I say, not wanting to be too much in her face and space.
“It’s not,” she says. “Besides, I love your company.”
I put on an expression of shock. “Wait, was that a compliment?”
She laughs. “Maybe. I do like you, Declan; else we would have gotten an annulment on the first day, baby or not.” She stands up and takes her cup to the sink. Marian rinses the cups and grabs her handbag.
We stroll out of the house, and for a while, it feels so real. Anyone watching would easily believe that we have been married for years. We fit into each other’s lives seamlessly. After I close the door behind me, I take Marian’s hand into mine as we walk to the car. She doesn’t pull away.
“Do you want to drive?” Marian asks.
“No, I like it when you’re in control,” I say with a straight face.
She returns my stare. “That’s funny because I like it when I’m in control too.”
I’m hot as I enter the car. How many times can you have sex with a woman before the intensity dwindles? This thing with Marian seems to be increasing with each time we have sex.
“About Zoe,” Maria says as she drives us out of her street. “When would you like to meet her?”
“How about today?” I say. “Does she know that she’ll have to go to Santa Monica to take pictures?”
“Yeah, she does. Santa Monica is not exactly the other end of the state, like Arlen,” Marian teases.
We reach Second Street all too soon. Marian brings the car to a stop, and I lean to her to kiss her lips. They are soft and sweet, and I don’t want it to end. I caress her thighs as I kiss her, and she lets out a soft moan.
I reluctantly pull away. “I’ve never made love in a car, and I don’t intend to start now.”
Marian giggles. I get out, and as she pulls away, I wave.
“Looks to me like someone is falling for their wife,” a voice behind me says.
I don’t have to turn around to know that it’s Ace. “Hard not to. She’s awesome.”
Ace places a hand on my shoulder and forcibly turns me to face him. “Are you admitting to falling in love? Where’s my brother, and what did you do to him?”
I laugh. “I’ve always believed in love; I just never expected that it would happen to me.”
“Does she know how you feel about her?” Ace asks.
“Yes,” I said. “What are you doing here so early?”
“I have twenty minutes before I begin my shift, so I thought I’d come to the First Bar and grab a cup of coffee.”
I drape my arm around him. “I can spare twenty minutes, and you can tell me everything that Luna’s been up to.”
Jim and Marcus don’t have the best coffee, but the croissants that Jim’s wife makes more than makeup for the less than stellar coffee.
We catch up on home stuff. Ace had been to see our parents over the weekend.
“Mother says you don’t visit anymore. She says it’s all Marian’s fault and that she’s changed you,” Ace says, a tone of amusement in his voice.
“I’m not surprised by that,” I say.
“I’m not sure I like these reversed roles,” Ace says. “I liked being the black sheep of the family. Being a favorite is too much work.” Ace leans forward in his seat. “I can’t stand being called three times in one day.”
I burst out laughing. “See how it was for me?” Being Mother’s favorite comes with a range of responsibilities, most of which involve speaking on the phone. A lot. “You’ll get used to it.”
“I won’t,” Ace says. “I can’t stay her favorite son for a long time. I’m too rebellious for that.”
“Have you seen Vanessa lately?” I ask him.
He stares at me oddly. “If I didn’t know for a fact that you’re in love with your wife, that question would seriously worry me. To answer, no, I haven’t seen her in a while. Why, do you know something?”
“No, just asking because she looked tired and worried about something last night,” I say.
“Yeah, Lexi commented on it too. Vanessa hasn’t said anything to her that I know of. I’ll ask Lexi to call her and maybe invite her over.”
We talk about the pizza shop and how the renovations are coming along.
“I miss when we were partners,” I tell Ace. “You had the best ideas.”
“Yeah, it was nice. Unfortunately, firefighting is a full-time job, and when I’m off, I want to be home with Lexi and Luna.”
“I understand.” I can’t wait for when I’ll have my child. I’ve made a point not to pester Marian about the conception. Because we’re not a regular couple, it feels like a gross invasion of privacy to ask her if she has conceived yet. I’m sure she’ll tell me when it happens.
Collins strolls into First Bar, and when he sees us, he comes over. The burly deputy chief grins. “Isn’t it a little too early for a beer?”
“You need to get your eyes checked, Collins,” I say.
We tease back and forth while he waits for his coffee. “I do need to get going.”
“Congratulations,” Collins says. “We’re all waiting for the opening day. We’re all coming for free pizza.”
I laugh. “You’re most welcome. Tell Debra I said so.”
Chapter 21
Marian
One Hot Fake: An Accidental Fake Marriage Romance Page 12
