“Baby It and I are so hungry. Feed us before I show you what hormones can really do. I’ve read that pregnant women have frightened even the strongest of men.” He cupped my cheeks between both hands, his face breaking out into another sensual, panty-dropping grin.
“Sweet thing.” He leaned in, kissing me. “I missed you so fucking bad.”
More frustrating tears slid down my cheeks. I’d cried plenty in my life, but since being pregnant, they just turned on all by themselves. No thought process at all had to be taking place. It irritated the hell out of me.
“I missed you, too, JT.” His jaw clenched as his eyes slid shut, his expression stiffening. I reached for his hand, placing it against my lips, and before I had time to say or do anything else, he was pulling me against his chest.
“Fuck, Hartley,” he uttered as his grip around me hardened.
“I’m a goddamn bastard,” he whispered. “I’d do anything to have acted differently. I was just shocked. I was scared.” He pushed me from his chest, looking down into my eyes.
“I’ve never been afraid … but this.” He stopped talking, shaking his head again.
“Justin, it’s okay. I’m scared, too. We weren’t ready to be parents, but we’ll figure it all out.”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re pregnant with my child … and I walked away from you, leaving you to deal with it on your own. That’s the same thing he did. My father.” His hands reached for mine, taking both of them and bringing them to his mouth, placing small kisses against my palms.
“Please forgive me.” His eyes glowed with faithfulness and care. “When you first told me you weren’t on birth control, I wanted to take you over my knee and spank your ass. That’s fucked up, Hartley. You’re carrying my child.” He kissed my hands again.
“You were upset. It’s understandable. You’ve never hurt me, JT. You never will. Forgive yourself for what happened years ago. You aren’t that man now.” I put my arms around him, caressing his back and trailing downward until I reached the cheeks of his flexing, muscular ass. I squeezed. He moaned just a little and I squeezed again, tighter than before.
“I love you, JT. And of course, I forgive you. That was never a question. And the whole spanking thing—it still sounds hot.”
His expression was hard to read, surprising me with what he did next.
He dropped both hands and gently pushed them across the slight baby bump on my belly, his eyes turning emotional. For the next few seconds, he was perfectly still, his hands glued over my stomach. All I could do was hope our baby had the privilege of being born with their daddy’s beautiful blue eyes and touching soul.
“It’s a boy.” His voice was soft, thick with feeling. Instead of walking away from us like I’d expected, he did the exact opposite. He hadn’t actually said the words to prove my intuition, but I could read the thoughts on his face … in his eyes. I grinned, all the past stress and terror of loneliness replaced with hope and a small twinge of excitement.
“Really? A boy? Is that just wishful thinking?” Tears were clinging to my cheeks.
“I just know. Call it a fatherly premonition.” He eased me against his chest and held me there, my hormonal tears still spilling. I wanted closeness. His hands on me. Inside me. I wanted him to make love to me.
“I better get the two of you fed. Before you turn on me and kick my ass all the way to Shinola.” His fingers were stroking my hair. I could feel his smile. My easy-going JT was back.
“Hey, that’s one of my lines,” I teased. “And you might be surprised at what I can do. Hormonal changes cause all kinds of things to kick up in a pregnant woman, stud,” I said.
“Stud? I think I like you calling me that. I’ll show you stud after I feed you … if that damn premature ejaculation doesn’t get in the fucking way.” He pulled me back against his chest. “I really love you this way. You’re more beautiful than you’ve ever been, Hartley. I guess it’s true what they say about pregnant women glowing.”
He was different. I knew he was still skeptical about this whole baby issue, but I also knew he was mine. Sam wasn’t a threat. Shit, she probably never had been. I owed her and Josh a huge apology. Since the sonogram, we’d turned another huge corner. We’d shifted yet again. He knew it. I knew it. Even my brother saw the change. I just needed a little time to process everything before I came back home.
Yes, Dallas was my home now. Wherever he was…
Chapter Forty-Nine
Hartley
“What do you mean? What exactly is a silent partner? You’re giving up Venture?”
We were sitting in a little Tex-Mex restaurant. Justin was eating sour cream chicken enchiladas and blowing through the large basket of chips on the table like he hadn’t eaten in days, while I devoured chicken fajitas in pretty much the same motion. They were just so good. His looked good, too. I guess it was too soon in our relationship to reach over and help myself to a taste of his food, but God, I wanted to.
“It simply means I’m no longer involved in the day to day operations. I’ll still provide capital if needed, and offer my guidance, but that’s it. I’ve been offered a job with an investment company. I like dealing with money. I’m good at it. I’m considering accepting the position.”
“But why? You love Venture. You won’t be happy, Justin.” He slid a napkin across his mouth, swallowing another bite of the yumminess I was dying to try, an awesome grin snaking up his lips.
“You’ve been staring at my food for ten minutes, baby. Do you want to try this?” I smiled, my cheeks heating with modesty.
Why do I feel like I could demolish a small horse?
“They just look good, that’s all. But no, I have plenty to eat.” He laughed, slipping nearly an entire enchilada onto his fork and carefully setting it on my plate. “I’ve always heard once a woman gets comfortable with her man, she eats off his plate. I guess you’re feeling pretty relaxed.” He winked.
“God, I’m so embarrassed.” I smothered the enchilada with the two-thirds bowl of remaining hot sauce and tasted it. “Shit, food has never tasted this good.”
He leaned closer. “Your appetite has definitely picked up, woman. You must be carrying my son. I guess the weird cravings are next. You definitely seem to like spicy food from the looks of all the hot sauce you just poured on there.”
I loved it when he winked at me. “Maybe. I haven’t really craved anything too over the top … yet.”
“You look hot when you eat.” I set my fork down, suddenly feeling timid.
“Hot?” I whispered. “Bruce … he always let me know if he thought I was overeating. Like he was concerned I was going to gain too much weight.” I gazed down at the food in front of me, my appetite suddenly diminishing.
“Sick bastard.” Justin’s pitch was harsh and laced with resentment. “I hate fucking men like him who think a woman shouldn’t eat.”
Crap. Why did I have to bring up Bruce?
“Finish your dinner, Hartley.” He lifted my fork off the plate and handed it to me.
“I knew you never went back to him.” I placed the fork back down on the edge of my plate, lifting my water for an unwanted drink.
“How did you know that?”
“Jackson told me.” The brother that had warned me more than once to avoid Justin told him my secret. Things were going to work out between them after all. That made my heart smile.
“Good to know my own brother ratted me out.” Justin’s eyes narrowed as he glared at me, not responding to my teasing response. I knew what he was waiting for.
“I’m sorry, baby. I just wanted you to hurt because I was. It was selfish.”
“We’ve both pulled off some pretty self-centered shit, haven’t we?” His eyes locked on mine as he lifted my hand to his lips. “Let’s forget it and move on. Plus, I have something else to tell you.” He released my hand, and gently rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not sure if it was the right thing to do or not. It’s just something I really wanted for my fam
ily.”
“What did you do?”
“You know what? Let’s finish eating first, then I’ll show you in person.” I shrugged a little and smiled. No idea what he was talking about, he seemed edgy.
Fully stuffed, I’d clearly made a complete pig out of myself. “I love Tex-Mex. You can’t get this kind of Mexican food in Kansas. I don’t know what’s different about it, but it rocks.”
“Yes, it does,” he said. “Nothing in the world like good Texas enchiladas.”
The young twenty-something waitress stepped in front of Justin, the same fuck-me smile plastered across her plump lips as all the other times she’d been back to our table, taking care of him and ignoring the fact that I was alive and sitting across from him. I would have bet my last dollar that she looked down at his crotch for a short minute.
Can I get you anything else? Is your food okay? Would you like more water? Will you fuck me now?
“I knew I’d seen your picture before. You’re the owner of that club downtown. My brother, Lincoln … he’s a member.”
No wonder I didn’t like this chick.
Now she was leaning over to pick up empty dishes, her perky breasts only inches from Justin’s face as he ignored her introduction and pulled his credit card from his wallet. Underneath the table I slipped my beaded flip flop off and raised a leg, resting my bare foot on top of his crotch, giving it a small push. His eyebrows lifted as his eyes darted toward mine.
“Just the check please,” he muttered. I fought laughing out loud.
Call it hormones. Call it love. Call it I have no freaking idea why I was suddenly so turned on for this drop-dead gorgeous man sitting across from me, but right now if we didn’t get this check settled and out of here, this inferno between my thighs was going to explode right here in the middle of a Tex-Mex restaurant that I had every intention of returning to, despite the flirting waitress that also happened to be the sister of the creepy dude from Venture. All I could think of was his mouth and hands exploring all my openings before his strong body rolled on top of me and took me hard, controlling me until both our breaths shifted into mind-blowing orgasms.
A strong hand was suddenly grabbing my foot. “Is there something you need, Ms. Shipman? A foot rub perhaps?” He winked, that classic, sexy grin covering his face while the small dimple on his cheek turned up. I couldn’t keep from smiling. Who could? He was heart-stopping. And I loved the hell out of him.
“I don’t know what it is, other than the small fact that my hormones are all the sudden in full turned-on mode, or simply that I absolutely love you. Either way, if you don’t get me out of here in the next sixty seconds, I’m going to climb underneath this booth, unsnap the three buttons on those ass-hugging jeans, and slip that magnificent penis of yours between my lips. Think you could help me out with my little problem, Mr. Wisely?” I winked.
“Oh darlin’, I think I’m just the man to assist you with that.”
In seconds, my chair was being pulled out as his strong hand slipped across my lower back while we quickly headed to the exit and hopefully to the front seat of his car that was luckily parked on an end spot at the very back of the parking lot of La whatever this place was called. My own hand went around his back as I fought lowering it to grab his beautiful ass, smirking as the waitress watched.
My ass. My man.
Less than ninety seconds later, I couldn’t remember anything. Where we were. What we’d just been doing. At the moment, I absolutely couldn’t care less, because all that mattered was the fact that his amazing fingers were plunging through my sex right here in the front seat of the car, while his thumb turned tiny circles over my clit. Then I was finding it impossible not to cry out loud with the extreme orgasm I was experiencing as Justin leaned over, bringing my mouth up against his to muffle the crazy, undecipherable sounds coming from my mouth. Finally, my body went limp as I leaned back against the leather head rest.
“Wow,” I sighed.
“Better, baby?” He reached for the power button to roll down his window.
“Can’t remember the last time I made out in a car and fogged up the windows.” My cheeks warmed as he started the engine. I’d never been so worked up in my life as I had been fifteen minutes ago. Was this what pregnancy did to a woman?
We were back in the car, driving. To where, I had no clue. He wouldn’t tell me.
“Where are we going, JT?” He shrugged.
“You’ll just have to wait and see. We’re not too far away. In fact, I believe we’re here right now.” After entering a code, the long gate opened. We were driving down a long, secluded road, a house not too far up the road.
“We’re in Rockwall, just east of Dallas.”
We pulled into a long circular driveway covered in a beautiful dark red stone. The house was European-looking, made of stucco with a multi-peaked roofline that appeared to be clay, and lots of bay-shaped windows. A big round fountain sat in a corner of the driveway with a kidney-shaped pond beside the house. Tree after tree lined the entire estate.
“Whose house is this, baby? It’s beautiful. Jeez, I’m not dressed to meet anybody living in this huge place. My hair is a big frizzy mess and my mascara is smeared. I need to brush my teeth and…”Justin leaned over, taking my mouth in mid-sentence, kissing the sudden panic attack straight out of me.
“Sweet thing, stop. You’re absolutely perfect.” I smiled shyly. He jumped from the car, sprinting around to my side to open the door, and held out his hand. “Let’s go.”
“This front door is massive. How beautiful.” It was two doors actually, with a large archway on top. A lock box rested on the handle and Justin punched in a code, opening up the box and taking out a key.
“I don’t understand. What is this place?”
“Go in and take a look around. I forgot something out in the car.”
“Oh. Okay,” I answered quietly.
“Holy moly. This place is massive,” I whispered to myself. The entryway led to a large sitting area filled with huge columns, the floors covered in a taupe-colored marble with dark wood accents lining the walls. A long metal spiral staircase led to an upper floor.
“Nice, isn’t it?” Justin was back. Smiling. We walked into the kitchen.
“Wow. This kitchen, Justin.” Beautiful whitewashed cabinets lined the walls with shiny black countertops underneath. A fireplace was in the corner and windows filled the entire back wall, overlooking a big back yard and swimming pool.
“Is this a hibachi grill? This is even bigger than your kitchen, baby. And a fireplace … that’s so cool.” He smiled again. “It’s definitely bigger than my kitchen.”
I turned to look at the large wine chiller underneath the counter.
“This kitchen is absolutely…” Justin was behind me down on one knee, an open blue box in front of him with a shiny, princess-cut diamond resting in a platinum band. My hand flew to my mouth. I knew those boxes. It was from Tiffany’s.
“JT?” I whispered. Was this for real? Was my man who once told me he could never love me, on one knee, proposing?
“I bought the house a week ago without asking. Before I knew you’d forgive me. Maybe that was a long shot.” He sighed and blew a long nervous breath through his narrowed lips. “I also bought the ring without asking. Maybe you won’t even like it.” Already, I was crying. I swiped a hand across my damp face.
“But this … I can’t do this without asking you first. Hartley Shipman, I know this has all happened way too fast, but I’ve loved you since I was fifteen, and for the very first time in my life I’m doing something I know is right. I feel it in here.” He smiled and rested a hand over his chest. “I give you my word. I’ll never want anyone else by my side or having my children. I’ll never cheat on you and I’ll always take care of you. I love you more than any man could ever love a woman. And our son … I love him equally. Would you please give me the honor of being my wife? My soulmate? The mother of my children?”
I dropped to my knees, glanc
ing at the shiny ring he held and taking his beautiful face between my tear-covered sticky hands. Now I knew what he’d gone back to the car for. Not his phone like I thought.
“I pinky-promised Kelly Mayfield that one day I’d marry you and have your three babies. I made her swear to be my Maid of Honor. God, I’m rambling.” I pressed my lips against his, holding them against the mouth of the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on. Finally, I backed away, taking a second to stare into the beautiful eyes of this man of my dreams.
“I’ve loved you since I was thirteen. I’d absolutely be honored to be your wife, JT. Nothing could make me happier.”
He took my hand and slipped the ring over my finger, lifting it to his lips. “Let’s go home, sweet thing. I want to make love to my soon-to-be wife.”
We’d make love alright. Once I got him home, I planned on taking care of him properly. Pregnant woman style.
Chapter Fifty
Justin
Till the end … I’d be with her.
Today was going to be a long day. Meetings were going to keep me here later than usual, keeping me from my pregnant wife. Already missing the feel of her lips around my cock less than an hour ago, I’d be home just as soon as time permitted. With another grocery bag full of fresh coconut and jalapeno-stuffed green olives in hand. With twin boys in the house, we didn’t get a lot of alone time, so I planned on making the best of this evening. Maybe a little play on the agenda.
****
The house strangely quiet, I dropped my keys and wallet on the bedside table.
“Happy birthday, baby.” I turned to see Hartley naked, freshly waxed, standing in the bathroom door.
“Christ,” I uttered.
“Shh,” she whispered, pushing her body against mine and reaching for the buttons on my shirt. Seconds later she had me undressed, her lips against my neck as she leisurely moved south over my nipples and down my torso, until she was sucking at the skin above my naval and down to my pubic area.
Crimson Sunsets Page 27
