“Come on,” Chase said. “Time for your exercises.”
Erica lay on her side, diligently doing leg lifts as Chase counted them off. His voice was as forceful as a drill sergeant, and gave Erica the motivation to keep going, even though her thigh muscles burned. The movements were repetitive, and allowed Erica’s mind to drift. Her thoughts shifted between trying for a baby and all the work she had to do. Slowly, the realization occurred to her.
How will I have time for it all? Am I ready for this?
She decided against bringing these anxieties to Chase. It wasn’t worth worrying him about, she reasoned. She was just nervous about the major life change in her future, and would work this issue herself.
After showering off the sweat from her workout and getting herself ready, Erica kissed Chase goodbye and headed out of the door. One of her candidates was holding rally, and she needed to be there. The rally was being held in the convention center downtown. Erica found a metered parking spot on the street, then walked the three blocks to the center.
How could I do this big and pregnant? Erica thought, walking quickly across the sidewalk.
The rally wasn’t set to start for another hour, but the place was already packed with supporters. Erica found the press section. It was standing room only. She chatted idly with a few other journalists there, shifting her weight between both feet. By the time the rally started, her feet and back were sore.
Imagine doing this with a swollen belly, Erica thought, grimly.
The candidate appeared onstage to the roaring crowd, and gave a stock speech with all of his usual talking points. When he was done, his handler announced to the press that he’d be taking questions from them after a thirty minute break. Erica was relieved. She was tired from standing for so long, and was starting to get hungry.
But she didn’t have much time. The only thing she’d have time for was fast food, which didn’t fit into Chase’s plan. Erica could hear his voice ringing in her ears, telling her that she should have planned for this by packing a healthy lunch.
Hindsight wasn’t much help, and Erica figured a drive through burger was better than not eating at all. She hopped in her car and started driving that way. Away from the crowd and the noise, her anxieties started coming back to her. What if her career suffered after having a baby? What if she had to give it up completely? Erica had always dreamed of being a journalist, and it was part of her identity. If this fundamental part of her changed, would she even recognize herself?
While waiting in line for her lunch, Erica admitted briefly to herself that perhaps she was trying to sabotage Chase’s efforts to get her pregnant by disobeying him. Did this mean she wasn’t ready?
She ate lunch on the way back to the convention center. Standing back in the press section, she didn’t feel so well. She wasn’t used to eating so many carbs or added sugars. When the candidate took their questions, he did little more than repeat the same few lines over and over again. After half an hour, Erica decided she had all she needed, and left.
In her car, she drank some water, hoping to calm her stomach. She regretted eating the fast food, and realized, for perhaps the millionth time, that it was always better to obey Chase’s rules.
And it’s always better to be honest with him, Erica realized. Chase strived to be the best possible leader he could be, and he couldn’t do that without Erica’s complete honesty. Erica sunk down in her seat, closing her eyes. Chase wasn’t going to be happy when she told him what was on her mind.
Erica drove straight to the practice field. The players were huddled around Chase, listening to him speak. Erica took a seat in the bleachers and waited until he finished.
“Hey, baby,” Chase said, hugging her. “This is a surprise.”
“Chase, um-“ Erica started. Chase gave her an encouraging look. “You said you wanted me to always be honest with you, even if I think I might get in trouble. Can we go talk in your office?”
“Thank you for coming to me,” Chase said. “Let’s go talk.”
With Chase sitting behind his desk and the whistle dangling between his pecs, Erica felt like she was in school again, being reprimanded by a teacher. Erica folded her hands in her lap, and prepared herself to tell the truth. She started by telling him about the fast food, how she’d failed to plan ahead for the day, and found herself stuck with few options. Chase didn’t seem too offended by this discretion.
“I’m glad you realize your mistake,” Chase said. “You’ll have to be extra vigilant with your diet in the future.”
Erica gripped the arms of the chair. “That’s not all. There’s something else, something deeper.”
Chase fingered the whistle that hung around his neck, then leaned forward, listening intently. Erica took a deep breath.
“I’m a little nervous about having a baby. Okay, a lot nervous. And I wonder if all these little mistakes are subconscious. Like, I’m trying to sabotage your program so I don’t get pregnant.” Erica looked up at him, her eyes wide.
“Interesting theory,” Chase said. “Then let’s look at the root of this. Why are you scared?”
“I’m afraid I can’t do it, that I can’t have it all,” Erica admitted. “I work long hours, and rarely even take a weekend. How am I supposed to juggle all that with a child?”
Chase stood from his chair, walked around the desk, then sat on the edge of it in front of Erica. He took her hand.
“It sounds like you’re doubting yourself,” Chase said. “This is natural. Neither of us knows how our lives will change when he have a child. But I believe it will be for the better. How could it not?”
Erica smiled. “You’re right. Our child, how could it not be wonderful?”
“And who says you can’t do it all? Erica, I’ve seen what you can do, how incredibly strong you are,” Chase said. “I don’t doubt you for one moment. You’re going to be a wonderful mother, and will continue to make great strides in your career. I believe in you, and you should too.”
Erica shook her head. “Everything you’re saying makes sense, but I can’t make myself believe it.”
Chase stroked the side of her face. “You need to clear your head, release some stress. I think a spanking would do you good.”
Erica didn’t say anything. She’d prepared herself for a spanking. Though she wasn’t looking forward to a sore bottom for the next few days, they usually did help to calm her down and put things into perspective.
Chase pulled on her hand, and she stood up slowly. He leaned back on his desk, and Erica positioned herself between his legs. They took a moment to look into each other’s eyes, to connect spiritually before the spanking. Chase grasped Erica’s face with both hands, pulling her close to him.
“I love you so much,” he reminded her.
Erica felt a peace drift over her. Gently, Chase pushed her forward, bending her over his knee. Erica held onto the edge of his desk and his pants’ leg for support. Chase unzipped the back of her skirt, and the panels opened. He pulled the skirt down until the zipper was completely beneath her bottom, then pulled down her panties too. Erica could hear people milling around the hallway outside of his office. If only they knew what their head coach was up to.
Chase patted her soft cheeks with the palm of his hand, sending her flesh quivering. Erica couldn’t help but get turned on by his touch. She pressed her inner thighs together, feeling the wetness that grew between her legs. Chase gathered her hair at the nape of her neck and held it tight. Erica’s breath caught in her throat as Chase lifted his hand. When his palm came down broadly across her bottom, she exhaled forcefully.
Though painful, the spanking had produced a soothing vibration that ran all the way up her spine. It also caused Erica’s clitoris to pulse. She bit her lip, waiting anxiously for him to spank her again. Chase regarded her skeptically, and Erica knew he saw the look of desire on her face. With a wicked smile, he tugged on her hair and spanked her again. Erica moaned involuntarily. Chase spanked her again quickly, and Erica
thought she’d climax right there in his lap.
“This is exciting you,” Chase said, massaging her sore bottom.
Erica bit her lip. “I can’t help it.”
“It’s okay,” Chase said. “Your fertility has nearly peaked this month.” His expression became serious. “Is that still what you want?”
Erica looked into his loving eyes. Chase had so much to give, and any child would be lucky to have him as a father. Erica nodded once, tears rising in her eyes. Chase pulled her off of his lap and wrapped her in a warm embrace.
*
The next morning, Erica sat up in bed, patiently waiting as Chase studied the thermometer. She knew she was close to ovulation, and she hoped today would be the day, mostly because she wanted a baby, and partly because she desired her husband badly. Chase’s expression was serious, and Erica couldn’t get a read on him.
“Well?” she said, her patience exhausted.
A smile spread across Chase’s face. His eyes flicked up at her. “You’re fertile,” he said in a low voice. A delicious sensation spread in Erica’s lower belly. She lay back on the bed, smiling at him coyly.
Chase was already dressed for work, wearing the white polo shirt, khakis, and the whistle around his neck. He grabbed a few pillows and started stacking them up on the bed. “I read about a few positions that increase your chances,” he said. He grabbed Erica by the waist, and scooted her down. He propped the pillows under bottom, elevating her hips.
Chase reached up Erica’s nightgown and pulled her panties down. He spread her legs, then took a moment to peer up her skirt. Desire flashed over his face and a bulge grew hard in his pants. Erica watched lustfully as Chase untucked his shirt and pulled it up to his chest, revealing his washboard abs. After slinging the whistle around his neck so it hung down his back, he unzipped his pants just enough to pull his cock out. He licked his thumb and pressed it against Erica’s clitoris.
She moaned softly as he rubbed, spreading her wetness around. Chase leaned forward between her legs, his other hand flat on the bed beside her, and slid his cock into her. Erica craned her head back as the pleasure filled her. In this position, Chase was in direct contact with her g-spot. The slightest movement sent ecstasy swirling through her.
“Oh, God, that feels good,” Erica said on a breath.
Chase pulled back slightly, then pushed himself back in. He pressed harder into her clitoris, overwhelming Erica with pleasure. She spread her legs farther apart, allowing him to go deeper. Chase stood up straight. With one hand around her breast and the other pressing into her clit, he began to thrust.
It didn’t take long for Erica to rise gloriously to orgasm. It was deep, shuddering bliss that made her body spasm all over. Chase continued thrusting relentlessly, and the orgasms fired off, one after another. Chase raised her legs straight in the air, picking up speed. With a final thrust, he released his seed inside of her.
Chase instructed her to remain in that position for at least twenty minutes to help the sperm find their way to her womb. He lay down beside her and wrapped her in his warm arms.
“Swim boys, swim,” he said, rubbing her lower stomach. “I hope this is it.”
Erica took a deep breath. “I have a good feeling that it is.”
Epilogue
Chase held Erica’s hand as she waddled down the stairs in front of the doctor’s office. She was almost forty weeks pregnant, huge, and completely miserable.
“I can’t believe he says I’ll go over my due date,” Erica groaned. “I can’t take much more of this. I’m so, so uncomfortable.” She stopped in the middle stairs and began to cry.
Chase put a soothing arm around her shoulder, and patiently waited as she got in control of her emotions. Her husband had bravely weathered her mood swings, cravings, and her rapidly changing body. He’d stood strong beside her while she went through this amazing, but sometimes confounding, experience.
“She’ll come when she’s ready,” Chase said, gently.
“I know.” Erica dried her eyes. “I’m just so ready to hold her.”
“It’ll be any day now,” Chase said. “Why don’t I take you out tonight? You need to get our mind off of waiting.”
Erica looked down at her ballooning belly, so large she couldn’t see her feet. “What can I possibly to in this condition?”
“What if I said you could eat lots and lots of food?” Chase said.
Erica raised her eyebrows. “Now you’re talking.”
Chase took her to a Sichuan restaurant. He’d researched how to encourage labor, and the Sichuan peppercorn found in this type of food was said to do the trick. They ordered a table full of dishes. Erica tasted everything. It was all delicious, very spicy, and the peppercorns produced a numbing sensation on her lips.
“Eggplant is supposed to help,” Chase said, holding a forkful to her lips.
Erica ate the eggplant seasoned with soy sauce and garlic, thinking how cute it was that Chase was trying everything he could think of to end her discomfort.
“Feeling anything yet?” Chase asked.
“No,” Erica said. “But I do feel like ice cream.”
After going to the ice cream parlor, and an emergency stop to the grocery store to get some chips, Chase and Erica came home for the night. Chase helped Erica climb up into their bed, and then he lay beside her.
“Thank you for taking my mind off of it,” Erica said. “You are such a sweet man.”
Chase turned over on his pillow. “I’m anxious to meet my daughter too. And you do look really uncomfortable.”
Erica looked up to the ceiling and sighed. “You’re right, though. She’ll get here when she gets here.” She kissed her husband good night, and turned off the light.
Hours later, she awoke in a pool of warm water, and with a terrible pain in her back.
“Chase,” she yelled.
Chase shot straight up in bed. His hair was ruffled from sleep and his eyes half closed. “It’s time?”
This is it, Erica thought. When our lives change forever.
“It’s time,” she said, smiling in the darkness.
Coached Into Submission
After being on maternity leave for four months, Erica felt something she hadn’t felt in ages. She was reading the local newspaper online when she came upon an article about new construction happening in town. To the average reader, there was nothing special about it, but a small detail caught Erica’s attention. It was an aside, a cast off comment about a worker being injured on the job.
That’s when Erica felt it, that tingling in the back of her brain that signaled her investigative urges were lighting up. There was something more here, her intuition told her as much.
The house was quiet, which was rare luxury these days. Chase had his last game of the season this afternoon, and had left early that morning. Gracie was taking a nap which could be as short as thirty minutes, or as long as two hours.
Erica didn’t know how much time she had, so she quickly started some preliminary research. The article listed the construction company as Elways Construction. With just a little bit of digging, Erica identified the owner of the company, Jeffrey Elways. She thought she recognized his name, and was able to find articles about a construction company he used to own that had gone bankrupt due to litigation from injured workers. The class action suit alleged that the worksite wasn’t kept up to code, and the employees worked in dangerous conditions.
I wonder if there have been more injuries that have gone unreported, Erica thought. Her gut told her that there probably was. All she’d have to do was dive in and get the evidence.
Erica turned back to her computer with a fire in her belly. She’d so enjoyed these past few months bonding with Gracie, her beautiful daughter. Erica was convinced that motherhood was a divine calling, but she also had another calling, and that was chasing after the truth. She started taking notes, brainstorming on where to start the investigation, when Gracie’s sharp cry broke through her concentration.
Erica put her pen down with and sigh, and went to get her daughter. Gracie cooed when Erica entered the room and kicked her legs excitedly. Erica’s heart melted as she picked the baby up and held her against her chest.
Gracie as at the age where she wasn’t content sitting still, and since she couldn’t yet walk, it was up to Erica to carry her around, finding things to play with, to keep the baby from getting fussy. Gracie was big for her age, and Erica quickly developed a soreness in her back. What got her through the day was her returned passion for journalism. She couldn’t wait to tell Chase about the lead she’d uncovered. She wished she could call him, but she knew Chase was too busy to answer his phone. She wouldn’t be able to talk to him until after the game.
Two hours before the game was set to start, Erica began preparing to leave the house. With little Gracie in her arms, Erica packed diapers, wipes, an extra outfit, bottles, blankets, pacifiers, toys, and on and on. Though it was sunny, there was a chill in the air. Erica dressed Gracie in a fleece jumper, an outer coat and hat, then covered her with a blanket. After loading everything in the car, Erica worried that Gracie would be too warm, so removed the blanket.
Erica exhaled when relief when she got behind the wheel of the car. Leaving the house now was like a Herculean effort. And although Erica had packed up half of their house, she couldn’t shake the feeling she was forgetting something.
The stands were packed with excited football fans. Erica and Gracie sat in the reserved area where they had a clear view of the field. Erica could see Chase on the sidelines studying a play book. He looked up at them and waved, then went back to the book.
Chase’s team started strong, and quickly garnered a commanding lead. In the second quarter, though, the other team picked up momentum, and the lead shrank. During halftime, Erica watched her husband conferring with the other coaches, and then give an intense speech to his players. When Chase clapped to break the huddle, his players ran to the field, looking more determined than ever.
Alpha Husbands and Obedient Wives (Christian Domestic Discipline Romance): 3 Complete Series in 1 Page 11
