Modern Arrangements: Complete Trilogy (Modern Arrangements #1-3)

by Sadie Grubor

  I set everything out on the counter.

  "Grab the knife." I ordered Aidan with a smile.

  He grabbed the knife and then took two pieces of bread out of the bag. After placing the bread on the plate, he opened the peanut butter and began to spread it on one slice. Then, he opened the jelly and started to spread it out on the other half. Smashing the two pieces together, he handed the plate over to me.

  I picked up the sandwich and smiled at him before I took a bite.

  "Mmmm…good job." I giggled. "Here, try it." He shook his head. "Come on Richie-Rich, take a bite."

  He leaned forward, taking a bite.

  "Wow, that is…hell, that’s pretty damn good, isn’t it?"

  Smiling as he made a sandwich for himself, I poured some milk for both of us.

  "You know." He chewed, "you have an excuse to eat at three in the morning, I don’t." He laughed. "I’m going to gain a ton of weight if I pick up these habits."

  "How do you think I feel?" I rolled my eyes.

  "Yeah, but you're carrying my babies. It’s unbelievably hot." He wiggled his eyebrows and kissed the side of my mouth as I chewed my last bite.

  I rolled my eyes, again. "Yeah, okay."

  "You think I'm lying?" He stood extremely still.

  Shrugging, I placed the plate and knife into the sink. Then his whole body pressed against my back. "Does this feel like I'm lying to you?"

  He put his hands on either side of me, pressing against me further. His cock, long and hard against my lower back, sent my body straight into horny pregnant girl mode. My breathing caught in my throat.

  "Okay, I get your point." My words came out in a breathy puff.

  "Hmm…you sound a little shaky, Lilli. Are you feeling okay?" The smugness in his voice made me want to rebel against the needy creature he turned me into.

  "I’m fine. I think I should get back to bed." I stepped to move out of his arms, but his hands came to my hips, stopping me.

  With a shift of his hips, he pressed against me harder.

  "Aidan…" I warned.

  "What’s the matter?" He chuckled in a husky voice before leaning forward and lightly biting the back of my neck.

  "You are messing with a hormonally crazed woman."

  "Mmmm…does that mean you’re ready to be my midnight snack?" The purring of his voice brought me to the edge of my restraint.

  "Uhng." I panted with the next press of his hips. "Seriously, Aiden—"

  "I am completely serious." He growled as my robe was yanked up to my hips.

  When his hands touched my bare hips, I wiggled my ass against him. He grabbed my hands, putting them on the countertop in front of me.

  "Hold on." He whispered, sliding his hands up my arms, over my shoulders and down my back until they rested on my bare hips once more.

  Soon, the bare, swollen tip of his length slipped between my thighs. Tilting my hips back, he found my wet entrance and submerged completely inside.

  "Lilli." My name mixed with the rumbling from deep within his chest. He pulled out and pushed into me, over and over, hard and fast, slow and precise, again and again.

  "Oh, Aidan." I panted, gripping the countertop until my knuckles turned white. It wasn’t going to take long for him to send me over the edge.

  "Fuck, Lilli!" He attacked the back of neck with his lips. His hands gripped tightly to my hips as I came around him, my walls constricting tightly. After a few more thrusts, he followed me over.

  My wobbly legs barely held me up. Aidan chuckled, picked me up and carried me back to bed.

  The next few days went by quickly. Aidan went to work and I spent most of my time doing things for the foundation. No matter what, we were home at night, where we would curl up after amazing sex.

  Friday arrived and, in the afternoon, Viola arrived to pick me up for lunch and maternity shopping. Excited to see Elora, who I had only spoken to briefly on the phone, I agreed to this shopping trip.

  "Good afternoon." Viola kissed Elora on her cheek as we met them at the restaurant.

  Elora was glowing, pregnancy suited her beautifully.

  "How are you feeling?" I asked as we hugged.

  She patted her stomach.

  "Oh, you know…fat, tired, hungry…all of that fun stuff." She giggled.

  "Oh, Lilli, dear! Good afternoon. How are you feeling?" Aunt Anne pushed past Elora with open arms.

  "I…I’m good." I stuttered, looking at Viola who rolled her eyes.

  "That's so wonderful to hear." She smiled brightly. "Why don’t you sit here?" She motioned to the head of the table where Elora had been sitting.

  Her ass kissing, over the top niceness was freaking me out. But, then it all fell into place. This snobby bitch was pushing Elora aside because I'm pregnant with the Iverson heir!

  Oh, fuck that!

  "I believe Elora was sitting there." Turning to Elora, I motioned for her to take her seat. She smiled warmly. Turning back to Anne, I glared, hoping it conveyed just how pissed I was at her behavior.

  "I think I'll sit with Viola." Smiling, I took the seat between Elora and Vi.

  After sitting, Viola leaned over and whispered in my ear.

  "Calm down." She giggled quietly. "You know how she is."

  "So, what? Now she likes me just because I'm pregnant?" I hissed.

  "Of course, you are keeping her rich and snobby." Viola giggled. I couldn't help but laugh.

  "How are you feeling?" Elora looked at me. "You are almost my size already." She placed her hand on my stomach.

  "Gee, thanks!" I wrinkled my nose. "I guess with two I should’ve expected to get big faster, but I just didn’t think about it." Shrugging, I rubbed my stomach absentmindedly.

  "You look great." Elora smiled, picking up her menu.

  "She looks gorgeous." Anne exclaimed. I wanted to grab a straw and use her head as a spitball target.

  While waiting for our food to arrive, Elora and I began discussing our pregnancies.

  "Are you going to do Lamaze?" Elora looked at me, hopeful.

  "Um...I don't know. I guess I hadn't thought about that yet." I sipped my water.

  "That’s ok. I keep forgetting that I’m further along. Either way, I am signing up for classes." She smiled warmly, "you should come too."

  "Hmm...maybe. But, Aidan is always so busy. I don't think that he would be able to always find the time for it."

  "What?" Viola interjected. "You tell him he better find the time!"

  I laughed. "He's a busy guy, Viola, you know that."

  Viola shook her head.

  "No. He better not be too busy for his wife and children. Ever."

  I surrendered, placing my hands in front of me, palms forward.

  "Okay, okay, I'll talk to him." I giggled.

  "Good." Viola gave a firm nod.

  "Perfect!" Elora beamed. "I'll send you all the information!" Elora was on cloud nine for the rest of lunch.

  Once we finished lunch, we were off to a couple of maternity boutiques. Viola was adamant on getting an entire maternity wardrobe in one day of shopping. Thankfully, I got to use my pregnancy as an excuse to sit in comfortable chairs most of the time. I even gave Elora a high-five a couple of times at our ability to lounge around.

  At the end of the day, I was definitely going to have more than just one wardrobe of new clothes. Phoebe would be thrilled.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Aidan

  "So, Albert, can you please explain to me why your daughter would drug my wife?" I was glaring at Doctor Johnson. I wanted fucking answers.

  "Aidan, I assure you that I did not, do not, know anything about the drugging of your wife. I don’t believe that Becca would…" I tossed the file on the desk in front of him to show him the evidence that proves it was Becca. He looked through the papers and horror seemed to fill his face.

  "I think you should answer my cousin." James was leaning on the back of the doctor’s chair.

  He shook his head.

  "I can’t
believe that she would do this." his words were hushed and pained. I started to realize that he may not have been a part of this.

  "I swear to you that I had nothing to do with…” A sob came from his chest. “Aidan, I haven’t been able to get in touch with Becca for a week now." He looked at me terrified. "You don’t think that something has happened to her, do you? I mean, she had to be caught up with someone or in something bad for her to do such a thing as this!"

  I looked at James. For a moment, he looked tense and nervous but quickly shook it off.

  "Doctor, I think that you’re lying!" James spit out at him.

  "I’m not! I would never, ever do this. Especially, not to your family!" The doctor slammed the papers down onto the desk. "You are like family to me, I would never betray my family in such a fashion!"

  I sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of my nose.

  "Okay." I growled out.

  "What?" James exclaimed. "You can’t honestly believe that he didn’t…"

  "James, I don’t think the doctor knew anything about it. He has been very loyal to our family."

  "You can’t be serious! He’s lying! He is fucking acting, Aidan!" James was shouting now.

  "Calm down." I growled out at him. "I didn’t say that it was resolved. I just feel like we’ve hit a dead end." I turned to the doctor. "If you hear from your daughter, I want to know immediately. Do you understand?"

  He nodded.

  "You can go."

  "Aidan." James shouted as the doctor hurried from the office.

  "James, did you see his face? He had no idea what his daughter had done." I sagged heavily into my leather office chair, sighing loudly. "I still don’t understand the motivation for Becca. Someone else had to be involved."

  "It was her fucking father." James snapped.

  "No, I don’t believe that it was. But, if I find out that it was, I will deal with that when the time comes." I took a deep breath, trying to relax.

  "How’s Elora feeling?" I asked, hoping the change in subject would help to clear my thoughts.

  James sat down heavily in the chair that the doctor had vacated.

  "Seriously?"

  "I need to think of something else. You don’t have to answer." I put my head back against my chair and closed my eyes.

  "She's good." He spit with a little less venom.

  "That’s good to hear."

  "How is Lilli? Has she gotten any better about being pregnant?" James leaned forward on the desk.

  I sighed.

  "A little. She still seems to be slightly distant from the pregnancy. She doesn’t feel like she’s connected to it like most women." I shrugged.

  "Well, you have to admit that the increased sexual appetite is an awesome side effect." James chuckled out with a large grin. I smiled widely.

  "I knew you would agree." He laughed. "It’s fantastic. Elora was never a prude, but damn the woman is insatiable now. Sometimes I feel like the girl who ‘has a headache’."

  I laughed loudly at him and shook my head.

  "How are you holding up with everything?" James smirked at me.

  "I'm good. Is it frustrating for you that you can't feel the movements of the baby?"

  "Huh? I've felt the baby move. Frankly it's a little creepy." He chuckled.

  "When were you able to?" I pressed.

  James rubbed the back of his head.

  "Hmm...I'm not sure when, but it was after a few months, maybe five or six?" He shrugged.

  "Oh." I sighed.

  "I am guessing Lilli can feel movement, but you can't." I nodded. "Ah. It will happen, just give it some more time to get big enough, that's all." He stood up. "Come on, let's get something to eat."

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Lilli

  "Phoebe, you know Viola wants your help with the shower." I sighed. "I promise we'll set up something this weekend to talk about it."

  "Okay." Phoebe pouted. "What ideas do you have for the shower? Do you know what Elora wants? We need a theme."

  "I don't know, but I'll try to find out. Okay?"

  "Okay." She conceded.

  "Alright then, I have to go. Elora will be here in a few minutes for Lamaze."

  "You are doing Lamaze at your house?"

  "Yeah, Viola thought that having an instructor come to the house would be more comfortable and I agree."

  "But, I thought you said the Aidan was at work?"

  "Yeah, he is. I asked Dixon to come over." I shrugged, even though she couldn't see my action.

  "Aidan didn't mind?"

  "I, um..."

  "Lilli? You didn't tell him about it?" Phoebe was angry.

  "I, uh, tried to. He’s been working late every night and I barely get to talk to him."

  "Lilli..." The doorbell rang.

  "I have to go. The Lamaze coach is here." I quickly hung up with a sigh of relief.

  As I got to the door, Jay was showing in a tall, dark-skinned woman. I approached, slowly.

  "Thank you." I heard the woman speak to Jay then turn toward me. "You must be Mrs. Iverson?"

  "Yes. You must be Emily?" I held out my hand. After sharing a light shake, I motion for her to follow me.

  "Your home is lovely." Her voice held the same awe I felt the first time I entered this house.

  "Thank you."

  As Emily began setting up in the cleared out living room, voices filled the foyer.

  "Let's get with the huffing and the puffing." Dixon called out, his voice booming off the walls.

  "Well, hello to you too, you big bad wolf." I giggled. He pulled me into a hug.

  Smiling widely, he put his large hand on my stomach.

  "Look at you." He rubbed large circles.

  Just as I was about to yell at Dixon for rubbing my stomach, Elora, James and Aidan entered the room. Aidan?

  His typically warm eyes were replaced with a glare. Swallowing down the lump of guilt in my throat as he approached, I noticed how he never took his eyes from me.

  Reaching my side, he leaned forward, barely brushing his lips against my cheek.

  "Can I talk with you for a moment?" Before I could answer, he grasped my arm and walked me into the next room.

  Once behind a closed door, he released me. "Care to tell me why you didn't tell me about this?"

  "I, uh, tried to...but you were working late and then..." The angry look on his face stopped my excuses. "I'm sorry. Honestly, I was going to ask you, but you're so busy." His face reddened and his nostrils flared. Before he had the chance to argue, I put my hands up in defeat. "I'm sorry. I should have told you. I'm truly sorry."

  He pinched the bridge of his nose.

  "Lilli, I want to know about these things." Reaching out, he took my hands and held them. "I want to be a part of this. Please?" Pulling me into his arms, he held me tightly.

  "I'm sorry, Aidan. I didn't mean to—"

  "Just, let me be here."

  I nodded.

  Reentering the living room, James and Elora were already seated on the floor together. Dixon was talking with another couple that sat a few feet away. Roughly four other pregnant couples, invited by Emily to join the private session, occupied our living room.

  "Are we all ready?" Emily met everyone's eyes as she looked around the room.

  Aidan and I walked toward an empty mat on the floor.

  "I threw that down for you." Dixon walked over and kissed my cheek, patted Aidan on the shoulder and headed toward the door.

  "Thanks, Dixon!" I shouted.

  "No problem, Lil!" He shouted back.

  "Hello everyone, my name is Emily. Throughout the session, we are going to discuss childbirth options, techniques and breathing, as well as pain and pain management. Also, we will be viewing a natural birth and answering any questions and concerns you might have." She smiled. "No question is stupid, so I want all of them.”

  "Let's get started." She turned to the large flip board she set up on an easel and started to go over a diagram of a baby still inside th
e womb. Emily discussed everything from the baby's position to the descent into the birth canal. "Any questions so far?"

  Emily nodded to someone. A small, dark-haired woman with a large, round face shyly asked her question.

  "Will the doctor physically manipulate my abdomen to turn the baby? Or immediately choose the cesarean option?"

  "Great questions." Emily responded with a smile on her face. "Honestly, it will depend on your doctor and the situation of your labor. These are things you will want to discuss before giving birth. I strongly suggest you put together a birthing plan with your doctor well in advance."

  "A birthing plan?" I snapped my attention to Aidan when the question popped out of his mouth. "They have plans?"

  Emily nodded.

  "It's a plan you set up with your doctor. For example, do you want an epidural or natural childbirth? Do you want a midwife or a Doula? Those types of things are discussed and planned out so that your doctor is well aware of your birthing experience wishes."

  A snort from off to the left of us drew my attention to a very pregnant red-haired woman

  "Something you would like to add?" Emily asked.

  "Oh, no. I was just thinking that I did the birthing plan for my first birth, but then threw it all out the window once the pain started." She laughed.

  Emily grinned. "What number is this?" She motioned to her stomach.

  The red-head rubbed her belly. "This is number three." She smiled widely.

  "But my first." Her partner chimed in.

  "Congratulations." Emily smiled.

  Emily went on to discuss relaxation techniques and the benefits of the breathing exercises. I noticed James cringe a few different times and had to stifle my laughter. Then she began the discussion about birth assistance; labor support specialists, midwives and doulas.

  "What is a labor support specialist? Or a Doula, for that matter?" Elora asked in a hushed voice.

  "These would be professionals that provide emotional support and encouragement while a woman is in labor. They also can support the coach. However, a labor support specialist is usually medically trained where a Doula typically is trained in a class and then attends several births to get certification." Emily ticked each statement off on her fingers.

  "We need one of those." James blurted. Aidan laughed. "Oh, dude, you know you want one too." James winked.