“Do you want to?” he managed to ask.
“I’ll kill you if you don’t.”
His casual clothes fell by the wayside, his jeans a loose tumble beside the couch with his boxer briefs and shirt dropped on top, even as he stripped Celeste of her pajamas. Her breasts drew him in, fuller and delightful. He gently palmed them before taking a beaded tip into his mouth.
Remembering her comment about being sensitive, he drew on it carefully, savoring her taste, knowing in time she’d be suckling their child. As he worked her other nipple between his fingers, she moaned quietly and pressed her belly against him, her thighs rubbing his aching cock.
Releasing her, he kissed over her heated flesh and up the length of her throat. She tipped her head back further to allow access and shivered when he nipped over her shoulder.
“I missed you so much, Elliot. Even when I was so busy I barely had time to breathe.”
Pressing his lips against the vibration of her throat, he murmured, “And I missed you.”
Her fingers laced through his hair, fingertips massaging his scalp, and he closed his eyes at the pleasurable touch before moving down the front of her to linger at her belly.
Dropping kisses on her silky skin, he followed the tart scent of her arousal, knowing she’d taste sweet and salty, anxious to refresh his memory. Her thighs parted to let him in and he drew his tongue along the seam of her sex, parting her.
Tiny little moans greeted his foray into the wet, sultry heat of her folds and he settled in to relearn her, absorbing her scent, making her whimper with need. The little knot of nerves at her apex stood proudly for his attention and he lavished it with the care it deserved.
When she arched and writhed, he sucked it hard to send her over, hearing her call his name. And all was right in his world.
Holding her close until she settled, he stroked a finger down her cheek, and looked into her eyes, their soft, languid stare washing over him. He slipped her beneath him, notching his cock at her gate and sliding inside. She clasped him like a hot, velvet fist and he nearly disgraced himself.
As he shuddered, she said, “You okay?”
“You feel amazing.”
“Bareback,” she teased as her arms came up to hold him close.
With measured strokes, he worked over her and lost himself in sensation. Better than anything he could recall, because this was Celeste… She whimpered under him, throaty sounds of pleasure, her body welcoming his throbbing length.
When his orgasm announced itself at the base of his spine, he thrust harder, aware she was reaching for that pinnacle again. She sobbed into his shoulder, teeth finding purchase, and the tiny shard of pain released him. He came on a rush that choked the shout in his throat, made him moan instead, and he registered the rippled clasp of her tiny muscles around him. Fuck.
Easing to the side, he tucked her against him, still connected—in so many ways—and simply looked into her face.
Short of breath, she said, “Are you here only because of the baby?”
Certain the truth stood starkly written in his stare, he replied, “I’m here because of you—and our child.”
“It’s hard for me to process.”
“What if I hadn’t made you pregnant? What then? I thought I’d never see you again. I fucking hurt to think about it. You left a hole in me, Celeste, when you moved away—took a part of me with you, maybe. I can admit it.”
“Like I said, I missed you. But I didn’t know how to … reach out. You were here and I was there and…” She sighed against his shoulder.
He reluctantly withdrew and she grabbed for her pajama top as a makeshift towel. “Not my couch,” she confided and he couldn’t contain a smile.
Leaning to his jeans, he felt around for his phone and opened it to a page he’d bookmarked a month ago, the better to keep checking the site. He’d already programmed the number into his contacts, considering the number of calls he’d placed.
“That’s an investment firm in New York.”
He laughed and drew her close. “Are you cold?”
“Not with you wrapped around me. And quit distracting. Were you thinking about coming to New York?”
Closing his eyes, he let go of the last vestige of his pride and kidding himself. “I might have made some inquiries. Maybe considered some business trips. Commuting.”
“I was so miserable when you didn’t reply to my message.”
His lids popped wide and he shuffled to look at her face. “That vague, innocuous thing?”
Arrived! Wish we’d met sooner. xo Celeste.
Okay, so he’d memorized it. And kind of made it the basis for checking out New York investment firms.
“I’m so bad at reaching out and asking for something.”
“We’ll work on that together,” he promised.
They lay together in comfortable silence, her heart beating beneath his palm. “Elliot?”
“Hmm.”
“People think someone in New York knocked me up. And that he’s an asshole.”
“We’ll just change the city, then.”
“My sister is going to want to hurt you.”
“I’ll survive.”
“She’s going to see a fairytale ending once she gets past me lying and you being an asshole.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
He stroked down the long line of her back, cupping one buttock, enjoying the way her breath hitched at his possessive touch. “I can help plan a wedding, or just show up. Your call.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” He’d found a woman who didn’t use twenty words when one would do? Was that a good thing or not?
“Not much else to cover, is there?”
“Nope.” He wanted her again. Pressing his obvious interest against her belly, he said, “Can we? Is it okay to do this so often while you’re pregnant?”
Chuckling, which made her breasts bob enticingly, she said, “It’s fine. We’ll talk to the doctor, but from what I’ve read, it’s fine. And the book says I’ll be insatiable in a month or two. So look out.”
He needed to know more about this book. Insatiable sounded like something he could handle. But later. Celeste had maneuvered on top of him and the damp heat of her sex was cradling his aching cock. She straightened to curl above him, those sensitive breasts a firm weight on her narrow torso, her skin flushed with need.
Placing his hands on her hips, he held her steady as she slipped him inside, both of them loosing a moan as his cock stretched her and dragged along tender tissues. His scarred and lonely heart soared at the sight and feel of her and beat a little harder, although he couldn’t yet form the words.
“Lady’s choice,” he said, and she gave him a smile full of promise.
Epilogue
Elliot shouldered through the double doors into the waiting room. Expectant faces turned his way before a variety of adults were on their feet and rushing toward him—and the bundle in his arms.
“This is Avery Lynne.”
“She’s perfect,” his sister-in-law proclaimed, easing the blanket aside with a careful finger. His daughter’s pink, sweet little sleeping face was exposed.
Cynthia had forgiven him almost as quickly as Celeste, though informed him no one would find the body if he hurt her sister again. She’d seemed reassured when he told her he’d shoot himself and save her the trouble, though he knew he hadn’t been perfect in his relationship with his wife. But she tuned him in and forgave him.
“She is perfect,” he said, choking on pride and elation. “And Celeste is fine. She was amazing.” He’d decided he wouldn’t share that transition stage the book had warned about where his beautiful bride had threatened his manhood. And said there would be no more sex for eternity.
Veronica peered at his daughter’s tiny face, unashamed tears running down her face. “I’m so proud to be her godmother.”
He’d been a little worried about Celeste’s friend, more so than his sister-in-law as s
he reserved judgment for a whole lot longer. Still, she’d finally accepted him too.
Tom thumped him on the shoulder and invited him for a round of drinks whenever they could get away from their respective houses and the old ball and chain. Cynthia responded, as expected, with a pinch and quietly voiced threat, and laughter filled the space. Elliot was never so glad for such a connection, a warm welcome to a happy, full life.
“The first of many babies,” his brother-in-law suggested.
“As many as Celeste wants.” If she let him near her again. “I’d better get back. She’ll be ready to go to her room by now.” And then home. To his house, that austere, showplace now transformed into their home and a welcoming, charming place it was indeed.
With a chorus of well wishes and see-you-laters, he returned to his wife with his precious burden in his arms.
“Were they suitably impressed?” Aside from appearing a little pale and tired, Celeste looked beautiful. Not at all like someone who had produced a perfect replica of herself after nearly two days of effort and some frightening moments. He was grateful to be alive, the stress of seeing her in pain and not being able to do anything to mitigate it taking an indescribable toll on him.
“Naturally.” He jiggled the sleeping bundle a little. “She looks just like you.”
“Red and squashed.”
“She is not!” He peered anxiously at Avery who slept on, probably tired out from her entry into the world and the indignant screaming after the flick to the sole of her tiny, perfect foot. “Don’t say things like that.”
“She is so, and she’s beautiful regardless.”
He carefully placed their child in her arms and walked beside the gurney as the orderly rolled it along. “She’s perfect.”
All those months living with Celeste, getting to know her better, fitting in with her family and friends, hell, making new friends while watching his wife swell large with their child hadn’t prepared him for this. The book hadn’t prepared him for the insane rush of love that nearly took him to his knees when Avery arrived.
His repertoire of emotions kept growing, not that he talked about feelings unless Celeste needed him to. When she was figuring out ways to express herself. She’d been correct in thinking they complemented each other.
“Perfect, huh? You won’t say that when you don’t get any sleep.”
“I’ll be saying it forever,” he vowed. “Even through the terrible twos and the temperamental threes. Even the teen years.”
“I know you will, Elliot.” Celeste’s smile lit up her face, sherry-brown eyes glowing with love. “If anyone can make that possible, it’s you.”
The End
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Impossible (Romance on the Go Book 0) Page 5
