Maples, Strawberries and Fairy Tales (Leaves of a Maple Book 4)
Page 8
Belle’s eyes widen on a nod and Darci turns on her heel.
“I need to speak to her.”
Forgetting her need to pee, Aubrey follows and glancing at me apologetically, Belle chases them out the door.
“Fucking women.” I rub a hand over my face, following after them.
“I have an announcement,” Jake breaks the chatter across the table, glancing to Aubrey and then back to us all, waiting for quiet.
His eyes connect with Belle’s and I can feel the emotion running off her.
“I get that I’ve put you through a whole lotta uncertainty over the last few weeks.” He takes a breath, looking down at Aubrey, his lips finding the top of her head before focusing on Belle again.
“You guys are my home. Nothing and I mean fucking nothing; not the promise of all the money in the world, not fame, not country hopping, could come close to comparing to the life you all give me and Aubs here. Moments like this, us, all together, I wouldn’t give it up for the world.”
My throat tightens and I’m not even gonna pretend I ain’t relieved. The thought of being separated from Jake for weeks, months, years at a time, scared the hell outta me.
“Would’ve supported you no matter what your decision was, Kid. But, not gonna lie, glad as fuck you’re sticking around, life wouldn’t be the same without Aubrey’s terrible singing voice.”
Ben’s voice cracks with the emotion we’re all feeling and he clears his throat uncomfortably. “Don’t mind my theatrics. I’m a sap today.”
A subdued laughter filters through the group and everyone approaches Jake and Aubrey, hugging them tight, relief settling across us all. I hug him tightest, thankful as all fuck that my brother isn’t leaving me. Grabbing his cheeks, he reads the relief in my eyes, nodding his acknowledgment of my silent thank you. He didn’t make this decision for me. He made it for him. For Aubrey. Doesn’t mean I can’t be grateful as fuck.
He looks to Belle as I step away and she throws herself into his arms, her thick sobs loud and frenzied.
“Hey.” He rubs her back, looking to me with concern. “We’re good, babe. I’m here.”
Stepping out of his embrace, her eyes find the floor, her head nodding, body shaking with the sobs she’s working to moderate.
“Belle. What the fuck?” I worry. “You were a mess when he mentioned potentially leavin’, now he’s stayin’ and you’re crying like he has a cancer diagnosis. You cried over a bunch of flowers the other day. Jesus, baby, what’s happening? I’m startin’ to freak the fuck out.”
She looks up at me, tears in her eyes and my heart stops beating.
“You sick or something?” Panic rises in my throat. She’s been secretive as fuck. She’s been temperamental as fuck. Closed off. Emotional. She’s hiding something and now worse case scenarios are flying through my brain faster than I can squash them and I can’t seem to force my heartbeat to start up again.
“I’m pregnant,” she blurts out, wide eyes caught on mine.
“Say what?” I whisper, trying to recall the meaning of the words she just spoke.
“I’m pregnant,” she repeats, softer this time.
I bite down on my tongue, my Adam’s apple bobbing thickly in my throat. “My baby’s growing inside you?”
She nods, an emotional laugh escaping her lips. “Yeah. Your baby is growing inside me.”
My nostrils flare. My eyes begin to water. I exhale the thick sob wanting to break me. “Get over here.”
She moves fast, jumping into my arms the same time I pick her up, spinning us. My feet ceasing their movement, I look in her eyes and our lips fuse in an emotional and desperate need to touch.
Lips still connected, I walk us through the room without sparing a single person a backward glance. I walk through the hotel lobby, across the short distance to the elevator, without muttering a single word, kissing her the entire time.
Stepping into the elevator, I push her against the wall, not even caring to check if we have an audience. I could give a shit, Belle’s making me a daddy. Nothing else in this world matters right now.
The elevator doors ding, signaling our arrival on our floor and I move without hesitation. After a small struggle, I free the key from my pocket, spinning to push the door open with my back.
Her eyes flutter open as our kiss breaks and the words she was moments away from speaking, catch in her throat, her legs dropping as she slides down her body, pushing me aside to walk into the room.
Hands cupping her mouth, she takes in our suite, every available space covered in red roses. Spinning slowly on her feet, she drops her hands away.
“Happy Valentine’s Day.”
She cries again, her eyes dropping to the floor and I move into her space, lifting her chin to see her eyes.
“You hate flowers. Especially roses. Overpriced and unnecessary, you’ve told me that before. I don’t need you to buy me obnoxiously large bouquets of flowers. I don’t need you to shower me with romance. You do that in your own way each and every day.”
My eyes close on a laugh. Opening them again I sigh quietly. “But you love roses, Belle Baby, and I love you, which means, you get roses. You get every beauty you see in the world.”
“I only want you.” She touches my cheek, leaning up to kiss my lips softly.
“And you have me. All of me.”
Our lips pull apart, our eyes connecting and my hands move to her stomach, palms pressed in gently.
“Your belly’s gonna swell with my baby. A little piece of you and me. Ours. We’re havin’ a baby.”
Her hands cover mine. “Yeah, we made a little person. You’re making me a mommy.”
“And I’m gonna be a daddy. Fuck, Belle. I’m so happy right now.”
Our lips meet again in fervent need and she backs toward the couch, breaking the kiss to drop her ass down.
Eyes fixed on my belt, bottom lip caught between her teeth, she looks up at me through her lashes. “I’m gonna be so sore tomorrow. We’ve fucked like four or five times today.”
“Sorry to disappoint, Princess, but there will be no fucking right now, not unless you want an audience.”
Hands still caught on my belt, Belle’s eyes startle at Toby’s voice and I growl, loudly, tipping my head back. “Fuck off. All of you.”
They all ignore me, each one of them moving into our suite, parking their asses on the couches surrounding us.
“Payback’s a bitch, eh, brother?”
I flip Jake off, stepping back from what was gonna be Belle’s lips wrapped around my cock. “You’re all fuckin’ dead to me,” I mutter.
“Thought you didn’t do shit for Valentine’s Day?” Luca quirks a brow and I ignore his comment, handing him a beer from the small fridge and moving on.
“Wait!” Toby stands, lifting a bottle of champagne in the air. “Can we take a moment to firstly thank the fucking greater power that Annabelle here isn’t just losing her shit.” Everyone laughs and Belle throws a cushion at his head in happy embarrassment. “Secondly, we couldn’t be fucking happier for you guys.” His wide grins softens, an affection in the gesture aimed at Belle as I drop down beside her. “That baby has a whole lotta love already, and we’re really fuckin’ excited to welcome him or her into our family.”
I lift a chin in appreciation and Toby returns it.
“Welcome to the world of sleepless and sexless nights,” he jeers, Ben echoing the declaration with a, “Here, here.”
“Now,” Toby’s eyes skate over the room. “Someone bring me a knife so I can pop this bottle.”
“You are not cutting the top off that bottle,” Willow argues.
“I most definitely am,” he retorts and I look down to Belle, ignoring the commentary of Toby’s non-existent party tricks.
“You look incredibly happy for someone who just lost out on a blowjob.”
I laugh quietly, dropping my lips to her forehead. “I am happy.”
She pauses for a beat, eyes trained on mine. “Why?” sh
e teases and I give her what she wants.
“Because I’m with my family.
“Because our love has created a baby.
“And because, as soon as I can get rid of these fuckers, you better believe that pretty little mouth will be swallowing my cock.”
She laughs, the sound that quickens my heartbeat and glancing around the room, I couldn’t be happier. My light keeps shining bright and I don’t think for a single second I’ll ever stop feeling as grateful as I do in this moment.
I’ve got everything I never imagined I deserved in life. Never imagined I would want. My reason for breathing is tucked into my arms, the people who make up my family surrounding us, celebrating the baby growing in Belle’s body.
Maybe Valentine’s Day isn’t that bad after all.
Playlist
Archer and Annabelle
Perfect, Ed Sheeran
Jake and Aubrey
My Kind Of Love, Emeli Sande
Bennett and Darci
Loving You Easy, Zac Brown Band
Toby and Willow
Say You Won’t Let Go, James Arthur
Luca and Frankie
Him & I, G-Eazy feat. Halsey
You can find this playlist on Spotify:
About the Author
A blonde. A brunette. A tea lover. A coffee addict. Two people. One pen name. Haley Jenner is made up of Hailey Bond and Jenna McIntyre. They’re pals, besties if you will, maybe even soulmates. Consider them the ultimate in split personality, exactly the same, but completely different.
They reside on the Gold Coast, in Australia’s sunshine state, Queensland. They lead ultra-busy lives as working mums, but wouldn’t want it any other way.
Books are a large part of their lives. Always have been and they’re firm believers that reading is an essential part of living. Escaping with a good story is one of their most favorite things, even to the detriment of sleep.
They’re first-time novelists, but long time storytellers. They love a good laugh, a strong, dominating alpha, but most importantly, know that friendships, the fierce ones, are the key to lifelong sanity and fulfillment.
Other books by Haley Jenner
Please visit your favorite eBook retailer to discover other books by Haley Jenner:
Leaves of a Maple Series
Archer (Leaves of a Maple #1)
Jake (Leaves of a Maple #2)
Bennett (Leaves of a Maple #3)
Maples, Strawberries and Fairy Tales (Leaves of a Maple #3.5)
Chaotic Rein Series
Tangled Love (Chaotic Rein #1)
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