by Nikki Ash
“I am leaving. Can you move your truck for me please?”
“No, I can’t. I gave you a few days but now we are going to talk, but first we are going out. Go get changed, please. ”
I don’t bother arguing. The look on his face tells me he isn’t playing around. I guess tonight we will be talking.
Caleb
Watching Hayley legally adopt Marco was one of the most beautiful moments I have witnessed. I wasn’t sure how she would feel about me being there but I couldn’t imagine not being there with them. Hopefully one day it will be my turn to sign those papers, but first I need to fix Hayley and me.
I have everything planned. I purchased the engagement ring, made the reservations, wrote down the show times, and have written out an itinerary for the weekend so I don’t forget anything. I spoke to Hannah and she was more than willing to take Marco for the weekend.
Now, I just need to pack for Hayley and me. I would tell her to pack but that would give away the surprise of where I am taking her and what we are doing so I am doing it myself. I grab a luggage from the hallway closet and pack for myself first and then make my way to Hayley’s room to pack for her.
After grabbing a bunch of outfits I have seen her wear, I head to her bathroom to grab her toiletries. When I open the cabinet I see a prescription that wasn’t there before. Prenatal vitamins. Why would Hayley be taking these? Unless… Holy shit! Is it possible? Is she pregnant?
Then it hits me; if she is pregnant she is keeping it from me. She watched what happened to Kayla and Bentley when Kayla hid her pregnancy from Bentley. She listened to me tell her how hard it is for me to trust a woman. She heard my stories of my sister and mom hiding shit from me. There’s no way Hayley could be pregnant and keep something this important from me.
Thinking about it… she’s been emotional lately. We have been having sex for months and she hasn’t gotten her period at all. Then like a punch to the gut I remember she was beaten up when she was taken! What if she lost our baby? What if the reason she is avoiding me is because she lost our baby because I left them and they were taken. But wouldn’t she be more upset?
I know I should be mad that Hayley hasn’t told me if she is indeed pregnant or if she lost our baby but I know Hayley and she wouldn’t keep something this important from me. She went through a huge ordeal and she needs time. I am going to show her this weekend I love her and want to spend my life with her, and I have to believe if those pills mean she is or was pregnant she will open up and talk to me. Hayley has done nothing but fight for us and I am not going to assume she is like every other woman who has proven they can’t be trusted. I am going to trust Hayley until she proves otherwise.
I finish grabbing her stuff from the bathroom and haul the suitcase out to my truck. I drive to the jewelry store and pick up the ring. I was able to grab another ring Hayley wears on the same finger occasionally and have them size it.
Once I get home Hayley is home with Marco and Hannah is about to take Marco for the weekend. Hayley asks me to move my truck so she can run away like she’s been doing the last two nights but that shit stops now.
Once she is dressed we jump into my truck and head to the strip. When we arrive at the Bellagio, Hayley gets excited but tries to tone it down remembering we need to talk. I don’t want our weekend to be tainted so I decide to have us go to the room to talk first, and then hopefully we will enjoy the weekend.
After I am done checking in we make our way up to our room.
“What are we doing here?” Hayley asks sitting down on the couch.
“I thought it would be a good place to talk.” I kneel down in front of her on the floor and spread her legs a little so I am face to face with her.
“Baby, I cannot even begin to apologize for leaving on Sunday. Saturday night when you were upset and I was giving you a massage you said something and I had a horrible flashback. The truth is I get them often but this one lasted longer and it scared the shit out of me.”
“A flashback from your time with Gloria and those other women?” she asks softly putting her hands on both my cheeks.
“Yeah, I am so sorry. It feels like I am cheating on you when I have them.”
“Caleb, don’t say that. You can’t help where your brain goes. You aren’t cheating on me. You went through a lot as a teenager. Something like that doesn’t just go away. Would you consider seeing a therapist?”
I think about it for a minute and I know it’s the right thing to do. Maybe speaking with someone will help me work out what goes through my head.
“Yeah, I will. Will you come with me, Hayles? I need you.”
She leans down and gives me a soft kiss and it has me craving her but I know it’s more important we talk.
“I promise you I will never run again. No matter how rough it gets I am in this for the long haul. There’s nowhere I would rather be than with you and Marco. I looked at three apartments and in every one all I thought was none of them are home unless you guys are with me.”
“Caleb, I feel the same way. But you seriously hurt me by running. It’s not fair and I won’t tolerate it. You have got to trust me enough to talk to me or we will never make it. I care so much about you. Aside from Marco you have practically become my entire world. These last couple nights I even dreamt you were holding me at night. I don’t want to live without you.”
I laugh softly. “Oh Hayles, I am so sorry. I have so much to work on and I will. I promise. And baby, those weren’t dreams. I was there in your bed every night after you fell asleep holding you. I couldn’t go that long not holding you in my arms.”
Hayley wraps her arms around me and I pick her up in my arms. “I need you, Hayles. Right now I just want to make love to you.”
“Caleb, there’s something I need to tell you.” I know she is going to tell me about the baby but I stop her because when I propose I need her to know it’s about us and not because she is pregnant or was pregnant…
“Whatever you need to say can wait, baby. I need you now.”
“But…” she attempts to cut in but I cut her off with a kiss.
Hayley
Caleb picks me up and carries me to the bed. I try to tell him about the baby but he isn’t having it.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers into my ear. “Whatever you need to tell me can wait until after I worship your beautiful body.”
He lays me down on the bed and begins kissing me. His kisses start off affectionately. They are slow and sweet and he tastes so good. But after a few minutes they get rougher and more intense causing my sex to clench wanting and needing more. He sits up on my legs and unbuttons my blouse one button at a time until my shirt falls to each side leaving my bra exposed.
“I never imagined ever wanting to willingly be with a woman. I didn’t trust women. Now I can’t imagine not being with you. I trust you with everything I am, Hayles. But most importantly I trust you with my heart. ”
He takes my bra cups and pulls them down and taking both nipples in between his fingers, pinches and pulls at them just enough to send shivers straight to my sex. My legs tighten at his touch seeking relief.
“I want to spend the rest of my life touching you.” He pinches my nipples again. “Kissing you.” He leans down and gives each nipple a soft wet kiss before giving my lips a kiss and then trailing kisses down my neck. I can feel my breathing going erratic at his touch. “Tasting you.” He slides down the bed taking my skirt and panties with him. He throws them to the side and plants a single kiss on top of my sex. Then his tongue hits my clit and he licks it with such expertise I almost come on the spot.
“Oh my God, Caleb!” I yell out grabbing his hair needing something to hold on to. He doesn’t back off, though. He licks and sucks on my clit until my orgasm hits causing my ass and pelvis to lift off the bed, and I come all over his tongue. “Mmm… baby, you taste so good.”
He comes back up and kisses me softly. I can taste myself on his lips and tongue and if it doesn’t turn me
on even more. “Making love to you…” He pushes himself into me slow and deep. I almost forget what he’s talking about. “I want to spend the rest of my life making love to you, Hayles,” he whispers into my ear.
I wrap my hands around his neck as he makes love to me with his mouth and cock simultaneously. Kissing me passionately while continuing to thrust in and out of me. I have never felt so loved and cherished before. Within minutes we both find our release and I know without a doubt I don’t want to spend another day without this man. When we both come down from our orgasms Caleb looks into my eyes and says, “ Baby, I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” and then kisses me one more time before pulling out. I want to believe him so badly but I am scared.
He must sense my fear because he takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger and kisses me softly. “I meant what I said Hayles. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I am not running anywhere. I know it’s going to take time for you to believe me but I will prove it to you. I love you, baby.”
Tears spring to my eyes hearing him tell me for the first time he loves me and I know I love this man more than life itself.
“I love you too, Caleb.”
We both clean up and when I think we are going to get into bed to relax he says, “Oh, no. Tonight has just begun. Get dressed; we have somewhere to be in…” He looks down at his watch. “Thirty minutes,” he says excitedly.
I want to tell him about the baby but figure it can wait until after we go wherever he is so excited to take me. After we are both dressed we head down the elevator. He stops at the concierge desk for a couple minutes and speaks to the man in charge. He won’t let me listen in, which causes me to pout.
“It will ruin the surprise.”
Once they are done chatting, he takes my hand in his and walks us back to the elevator and back to our room. When we walk in I notice the curtains are no longer covering the back doors and at the table is chocolate covered strawberries. Rose petals are littering the floor and bed.
He walks us out to the balcony and that’s when Celine Dion starts singing My Heart Will Go On. Not even a second later the fountains and lights begin to dance beautifully in tune. Caleb reserved a room where we can watch the Bellagio Fountain show right from our room! I watch the entire fountain show in amazement. It is one of the most beautiful shows I have ever seen, the way the music and water dance in synchronization. I am glad my first time seeing the show is with the man I love. It’s simply magical. Caleb stands behind me holding me close while we sway to the music playing. I can’t keep the smile off my face. I am blown away that he not only remembered I have never seen the show but put forth so much effort for us to watch it.
The shows ends and I feel Caleb’s body leave from behind me. I turn around to tell him thank you but he is gone. That’s when I notice he is kneeling on one knee with the most exquisite pink diamond engagement ring in his hand.
“Hayles, the moment I spilled coffee all over your blouse I knew you were the one.” I laugh. “I knew you before that day but didn’t take the time to see you. When I felt you up on accident and heard you giggle I was done for. And then when you offered to foster and adopt Marco I saw what a selfless person you truly are and you won my heart over. When I made the mistake of thinking you would be better off without me and went to find my own place… I looked at those places and knew no matter what house or apartment I picked it would never be a home without you and Marco in it. I love you baby, and I don’t want to spend a single day not sleeping in the same bed as you. I know we have a long way to go, but you are the only woman I want to be on this journey with. Hayley Roberts, will you marry me?”
“I’m pregnant, Caleb.” I can’t believe I just blurted that out. Clearly my conscience is getting the best of me. This man is down on one knee proposing and I am the worst person in the world for keeping this from him.
Caleb stands up and taking my hand walks us inside the room to the couch. “You’re pregnant, Hayles?”
“Yes, I found out in the hospital. I am seven weeks along. I should have told you.”
I put my face in my hands and start crying. God, these damn hormones are going to be the death of me. Caleb lifts my face and wipes my tears away. “Don’t cry, baby. It’s ok. You were going through a lot. Is that what you were trying to tell me earlier?”
“Yeah,” I sob out.
“Do you want to marry me?”
Oh my god! I forgot to answer him. I felt so guilty for hiding my pregnancy I didn’t even give the man an answer to his question.
“Yes, I want to marry you.”
He slides the ring onto my finger and kisses me like his life depends on it. He picks me up and moves me to the bed where for the rest of the night my fiancé makes love to me until we both fall asleep in each other’s arms.
In the morning we wake up and after eating breakfast in bed, Caleb takes me down to the Casinos to gamble. He said he planned to take me later tonight but with me being pregnant he doesn’t want me around the cigarette smoke. He also said we would be skipping the strip club portion of the weekend as well because he’s not going to bring his pregnant fiancée into a club. I laugh remembering when he told me he would take me gambling, to a strip club, and to see the fountains in one night. Two out of three are ok with me. We spend half of the day gambling and the other half lounging by the pool at the resort while we spend the night making love to each other.
It’s Sunday morning and we are packing up our stuff to go back home. When we arrive I see all of our friends cars parked along the road.
“Did you do this?” I ask. Caleb just shrugs. “I told them you said yes.”
We spend our day hanging by the pool with our friends and family. The guys grill burgers and when we all sit down to eat we decide to tell them our other news.
“So, it’s still early but we wanted you guys to know. I am seven weeks pregnant. We are having a baby.” Everybody cheers and gives us their congratulations. Marco comes over and gives me a big hug.
“I hope it’s a boy! We can’t let all these girls outnumber us!” Then he jumps back into the pool to splash Bella.
My mom comes over and wraps me up in one of her motherly embraces. “I am so happy for you, Hayley. I can’t believe both my daughters will be giving me two more grandchildren in the next year.”
I love that she uses the word more. I love that everybody accepts that Marco is just as much mine as this baby I am carrying. I look around and I am so thankful for everybody in my life. Last year I felt so alone and now I feel like my life is so full of love.
Caleb comes over to sit next to me. “You ok?”
“Yeah, I just feel so blessed.”
“Baby, I have told you this so many times. You deserve this life and so much more. I will never be able to thank you for fighting for me when I wasn’t ready to even fight for myself. I am sorry it took me so long.”
“No, Caleb. It just wasn’t our time yet. I believe everything happens for a reason, you moving here, meeting Marco, bringing him into our lives. It was all meant to happen just how it did. Marco has brought us so many blessings. He brought us together; he even brought Chloe into Kayla and Bentley’s lives. We owe him more than he will ever know.”
He wraps me up in his arms rubbing his hands on my belly as we watch everyone around us laugh and smile happily. I am not naïve to believe life will always be this perfect, but for right now it definitely feels pretty damn perfect.
Epilogue
Caleb
Three months later…
“Would you like to know the gender?” the ultrasound technician asks.
“Yes!” Marco says before Hayley and I can even answer.
“I guess so,” Hayley laughs out.
The technician moves the device over Hayley’s belly and then hits a button to freeze the screen.
“Congratulations! You are having a baby girl!”
“Noooo!!” Marco sighs in defeat.
“Hey there! You are going
to be an amazing big brother to this little girl. Just like you are to Chloe,” Hayley says.
“I know but do you think after you have this baby you can try one more time to give me a brother? There needs to be more boys than girls. Girls are too powerful.”
I can’t help but laugh at this kids logic. “Why don’t we get through this pregnancy first and then we will discuss trying for a boy in a couple years.”
“Ok.”
After the technician prints out pictures we head out and once at our vehicles I give Hayley a kiss goodbye.
“I need to run by the club for a last minute interview and then I will meet you guys at home.”
“Ok, babe. I have a couple errands to run as well.” She gives me a knowing wink. Marco has no idea what is happening tomorrow.
I head to the club thinking about everything I need to get done so I can spend the weekend with my family. I wasn’t sure how Hayley would feel about me working so closely to strippers all day, but she is actually really cool about it. She was more concerned with how I would feel working with women all day. It probably helps that I have hired Liz to manage all the books so she splits her time between the gym and Assets. I am working on hiring a manager for the club soon since I was given the go ahead by the doctor allowing me to fight again.
Hayley is going to work until her eighth month and then she will be quitting to stay home fulltime with Marco and the baby. When she told me it was her dream to be a stay-at-home mom I was absolutely thrilled.
I pull up to the rear of club and walk in through the back door of the club.
After I took it over I learned that Gloria actually did a good job running it once you remove the illegal shit from the equation. It is now an upscale strip club with a no touching policy. I renovated it completely and it now has a high-class restaurant where people can watch the dancers while dining or go to the second floor where there is a bar and tables to just watch the dancing going on. There are VIP booths that line the walls and in the backs there are several smaller rooms for private parties. Even those have a strict no-touching policy. I added more bouncers and have them making sure to enforce my rules. I was lucky to have found an amazing chef as well. Several people have told me they come here for the food just as much as they do the entertainment.
