Southern Riders (Scars Book 1)

by Robin Edwards

  I called Mariah to talk about it while eating the slice of chocolate cake Aiden had delivered to my house earlier in the day when I’d mentioned my craving for sweets.

  “Hey Pregz,” Mariah answered. ‘Pregz’ was her new nickname for me ever since my belly began protruding through my shirt.

  “What’re you doing?” I asked, hopeful she had time to talk.

  “Not much. I should be going to the gym, but…” she sighed, and I could tell she was lying down being lazy. “What’s up?” She asked concerned.

  “Same old, same old. Feeling so much for Aiden and not knowing what to do about it,” I confided in my best friend.

  “I know, Bestie. You’ve just got to take it one day at a time. It’s clear he feels for you, but guys work on a different clock than us.” She explained as I stuffed my face.

  “But what if he never comes around? Like, what if I just have to find a stepfather for our baby?” My voice cracked on the last sentence. The thought of raising our baby with another man made me uneasy.

  “I don’t think that will be the case, but if it comes to that I’m sure there’s someone great for you, Emily,” Mariah attempted to cheer me up, but her words were actually worrying me more.

  “I don’t want to find anyone, Mariah. I want Aiden,” I cried as tears blurred my vision.

  “Are you crying again, Emily?” She asked as she bit back a laugh.

  “I can’t help it! I cry about everything now. It’s the damn hormones!” I exclaimed while reaching for a tissue to wipe my tears.

  “You’re just emotional, and Aiden is very supportive, so you naturally want more. He’s a good guy, and he cares for you, Emily. Don’t sweat it; he’ll come around. Just give him a little time.” She assured, and I decided she was right. After filling me in on her plans for the weekend, we ended the call, and I decided to take a long shower.

  I thought about all of the possible scenarios that could become my reality as I washed my hair and scrubbed my body. My belly was growing every day, my boobs had grown another size, and my hair was about three inches longer than usual. Everything about me seemed to be growing, especially my feelings for Aiden.

  He was all I could think about as I daydreamed a future life with him. Mariah had hit the nail on the head; it was his increase in care that made my love for him grow. His thoughtfulness and protective nature made me want him around all of the time.

  After drying myself off, I slipped into a green silk nightgown, I’d recently purchased. Lying in my bed, I decided to just relax; it was really all I could do. So I turned on the television and watched a crime drama until I fell asleep.

  My phone vibrating awakened me as I squinted to block the bright sun from blinding my eyes. It was Aiden calling, probably to check on my morning sickness update.

  “Hey,” I grumbled.

  “Did I wake you? I’m sorry,” he breathed like he was out of breath.

  “It’s fine. What’s wrong?” I asked sitting up in bed.

  “Nothing. Can I come over?” He blurted out.

  “Uh, sure,” I answered while pulling the covers off to get dressed.

  “Okay, I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said quickly before rushing off of the phone.

  I quickly brushed my teeth and washed my face before slipping into a maxi dress and fluffing my hair. Aiden was ringing the doorbell before I could even make it downstairs.

  “Hi,” I opened the door out of breath.

  “I’m really sorry to wake you, but this couldn’t wait,” he kissed my check before briskly walking towards the living room where he sat on the sofa. He was holding a manila folder in his hand, which peaked my curiosity.

  “What’s in the folder?” I asked as I made my way towards the sofa.

  “It’s what I want to talk to you about,” he patted the seat next to him, encouraging me to sit.

  “Okay,” I said nervously.

  “I’ve been thinking,” he paused and took my hands in his. “I know this is all sudden and unexpected, but it’s not like you were ever someone I didn’t care for, Emily. I thought about you a lot after our first night together. I tried to find you on social media, I checked with the hotel staff; I really wanted you to get in touch with me,” he smirked.

  “I thought about you too, Aiden,” I added softly.

  “Well, I know I don’t know anything about relationships, but I really want to try. You know, to be just you and me; well and the baby soon,” he flashed that perfect smile.

  “Really?” I asked shocked, I was worried my ears were playing tricks on me

  “Yeah, do you think that’s a bad idea?” He frowned.

  “No, I’ve wanted that for a while, but I didn’t want to force anything on you,” I admitted as the emotions again began to bubble in my chest.

  “Okay, so that’s the first part,” he paused to look into my eyes before continuing, “I think a child should have one home; with a backyard and a swingset. They should know their Mommy and Daddy will be there every day when they wake up, and I want that for us,” he was a little nervous. His brow furrowed adorably as it always did when he was unsure of himself.

  “Are you serious, Aiden?” I choked out. I hadn’t even considered living together as an option, so his suggestion seemed surreal.

  “When we were shopping I realized all of the things we wanted for the baby couldn’t fit in either of my homes, and I don’t think they would fit here either,” he glanced around before lifting the manila folder from the coffee table.

  He handed it to me, and I gasped when I opened it. There were five sheets of paper, each with a picture of a beautiful home and a list of specifics such as the amount of bedrooms and bathrooms, total square footage, and so on. There were no prices on the pages, which I knew was intentional. This was something Aiden wanted to do for me, and I could hear his mother encouraging me to put my pride aside.

  The first page highlighted a contemporary home that looked like something Mariah would like, but it wasn’t really my style. Next was a large white Colonial style home that boasted 6- bedrooms and 4-bathrooms. I imagined it was the image that came to Mariah’s mind when she made fun of my fairy tale suburban life, but it wasn’t necessarily what I had in mind.

  I flipped passed a Mediterranean-style house, as well as the printout for a ranch style home, before flipping to the final page. It featured a redbrick Tudor home that took my breath away. The house had two floors with 7-bedrooms and 8-bathrooms. There was a home theater and 2-acres of land behind the house.

  “Wow,” was all I could get out as a tear dropped from my eye to the printout.

  “Look, this one is only 3-miles from the arena, so I can maybe teach the baby to skate,” he grinned.

  “Oh gosh,” I gushed at the thought of having my fairy tale with Aiden.

  “Is this all too much?” Aiden asked.

  “Yes, but in a good way. It’s a dream, Aiden, but I’m afraid too.” I cried.

  “What’s there to be afraid of?” He asked confused.

  “I don’t know. I just don’t want you to do this and then down the line leave the baby and me alone,” I whispered.

  “I would never do that, Emily. I could never do that to our child or to you. I already love our baby,” he said gently, and the tears began to slide down my face. Aiden gently wiped my tears with the pads of his thumbs as he continued.

  “And I’ve loved you since the day I met you,” his eyes glistened as he said it and I felt the butterflies take over my chest.

  “You have?” I lowered my face as the tears took over.

  “Of course I have, Emily. I think everyone could tell that but you,” he teased as he pulled me towards him.

  “I’m sorry for this. I’ve just been an emotional wreck!” I tried to stop the tears as I sunk into his chest.

  “It’s fine, baby. My daughter is making you emotional, that’s all,” he rubbed my back.

  “Daughter?!” I shrieked
.

  “Yeah, I’ve got a feeling it’s a girl. We’ll know soon enough, but I think I may have another girl in my life soon,” he kissed the top of my head and took a deep breath as he rocked back and forth.

  “I love you too, Aiden,” I added softly.

  “I know, Emily. I know.” He kissed my head again, before lifting my face toward his. Aiden wiped my tears once more before gently kissing my lips.

  I pushed forward, trying my best to deepen the kiss, craving his passion and his touch. He answered by cupping my neck and tilting my head before sliding his tongue into my mouth. My body lit up for him, excitement pumping through my veins.

  “Can we go to my bedroom?” I pleaded as desire pooled between my legs.

  “You want to?” He asked while raising his eyebrows.

  I bit my bottom lip and nodded. Aiden quickly rose from the sofa before lifting me up.

  “Bring those!” I pointed to the five house descriptions. Aiden knelt down and picked up the manila folder without letting me go. He was so strong he seemed to carry me with ease.

  “Let’s go pick our perfect house while I kiss all over my perfect woman,” he whispered in my ear before gently biting my earlobe.

  The sensation tickled, and I giggled as Aiden nuzzled my neck while carrying me through my condo.

  Epilogue

  EMILY

  It had been five weeks since we left the hospital with our bundle of joy. After thirteen hours of labor, I was rewarded with a perfect baby boy. Aiden was a Godsend throughout my entire pregnancy and labor; he was thrilled once Dr. Lindsey informed us we were having a boy. Aiden, Jr., or ‘AJ’ as we called him, had my blue eyes, but everything else was the spitting image of his father.

  The hockey season was over, so Aiden was able to spend a lot more time at the house as we got acclimated to our new addition. He was so hands on with the baby, and I loved seeing the two of them together. We’d chosen the last home Aiden showed me – the large redbrick Tudor home, with a winding driveway and huge backyard. Aiden had surprised me by adding a white picket fence to the front yard, which of course I loved.

  While he did play a small role and was always open to assisting me whenever I requested, Aiden allowed me to decorate our home to my taste. After a few difficult conversations, I had agreed to allow Aiden to pay for everything while he constantly reminded me not to worry about the cost. In the end, it was very cozy and welcoming; everything I’d dreamed my first home to be.

  AJ’s bedroom was decorated with a hockey theme, which Aiden seemed to appreciate. I’d made him promise not to go in while I decorated, so he only saw the finished product. I’d hired an artist to paint a hockey rink on the back wall and hung paraphernalia from Aiden’s team all over the walls. I thought he was going to cry when he first saw the nursery because he was so silent and his eyes glassed over. Instead, he just kissed my forehead and thanked me. I’d lied and told him I was going with a jungle theme, so I guess he was satisfied with the change.

  Debra was right, as moms typically are. I had no intention of leaving our son with a nanny to rush back to work. Although I did think I would return to teaching private lessons, I decided to take the rest of the school year off. Thankfully, Aiden was very supportive and didn’t seem to have a strong opinion about either option.

  We’d chosen Jeff and Amy as our son’s Godparents, while Mariah was an honorary aunt. Luckily Mariah and Amy hit it off upon meeting, so the three of us had regular lunch dates and shopping excursions. My life didn’t look much like it did the previous year, but it was perfect in its own way.

  Aiden’s parents were unbelievably helpful and hands-on with AJ. They even had a nursery decorated in their house, despite Aiden urging his mother against it. Between my friends and Debra, I didn’t even need a nanny, or so I thought.

  I quickly realized that I was falling off of my beauty routines, barely managing to sleep. Aiden, Jr. had just begun sleeping through the night, but I still found myself wearing pajamas more than I did dresses.

  Being a mom was a full-time job, but I loved every minute of it. I had just placed the baby in his crib after a feeding when I decided to take a break before sneaking in a quick shower for the day. I plopped on the sofa in my pajamas with my hair in a sloppy bun on the top of my head, flicking on a Law & Order rerun. I hadn’t worn makeup in over a week, and I made a mental note to get dolled up for Aiden soon. I couldn’t imagine he enjoyed seeing me in such a state every day.

  On cue, he came through the front door, and I quickly tried to brush my hair; tucking strays behind my ears.

  “Hi,” I smiled as he grinned from the doorway.

  “Hi, baby,” he smiled as he walked towards me.

  “AJ’s just gone down for a nap,” I explained, sure he was anxious to see the baby. He always lit up when he came home, eager to hold our son. I loved his love for our child.

  “I actually just wanted some time with you. I told Jr. to take his nap around this time when I left this morning,” he joked while glancing at his watch.

  “Is that so?” I giggled, looking up at him, wondering why he hadn’t sat down yet.

  A lady began screaming from the television, and I frantically scrambled for the remote, fearful the loud sound would wake the baby. He was a soft sleeper like me, and I treasured my alone time during his catnaps. I had just found the remote and muted the television when I looked back to Aiden just as he knelt down on one knee, holding a small red velvet box.

  “Aiden,” I breathed, completely in shock. I looked like a wreck! I pushed my hair behind my ears again as tears began to flood my eyes.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman in the world, Emily. Even when you’re tired and covered in throw-up,” he smirked, and I laughed loudly. That was definitely my regular look lately.

  “You know we started as the best one-night stand in the history of one-night stands, but you’ve always meant more to me. You’re so kind and understanding of everything that comes with loving a man like me. I can’t imagine my life without you, or the son you’ve blessed me with. My life is so much better since you’ve become a part of it, and I want to continue down this path with you.

  “I thought there was nothing I would change about you, but I’ve come to realize that’s not entirely accurate. If it were my way, you’d have my last name, so I want to correct that as soon as possible. Emily Morgan, will you please do me the honor of being my wife?” His eyes glassed over as he opened the small box to reveal a beautiful solitaire diamond ring that sparkled brightly while holding his hand out for mine.

  “Yes, Aiden! Yes!” I cried, placing my shaking left hand into his as he slid the ring onto my finger.

  Aiden stood, and I followed his lead as he hugged me tightly while I cried into his arms.

  “You make me so happy,” he whispered.

  “You’ve made all of my dreams come true, baby. You are my fairy tale. I love you so much,” I whispered through the tears before pushing up on my tippy toes to kiss my fiancé over and over again.

  “How long until AJ wakes up?” He whispered into my ear.

  “Long enough for me to show you how happy you make me,” I seductively bit my bottom lip.

  Aiden kissed me deeply while lifting me off of my feet and carrying me towards our bedroom.

  “I love you,” I whispered.

  “I know you do, baby. I love you too,” he said between kisses.

  About the Author

  Robin Edwards was born in Lewiston, Maine. She writes Contemporary Fiction books as well as the occasional Clean Romance story all of which are written to get your heart pounding and your pulse beating. Her approach is to develop gotta love them and hate them characters and end the story happily ever after.

  Her books are recommended for mature audiences, 18+ years of age who enjoy a unique choice of characters and situations with twists and turns that are diverse from the hum drum romance fiction.

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  Penalized by Robin Edwards is a publication by

  © 2017 Second Chances Press.

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  More Books by the Author

  Secret Revenge: Jack

  Twelve Miles

  One Little Letter

  Penalized

  Scars: Southern Riders

  Serendipity: Sutton Hill (Coming June 2017)

  Secret Revenge: Greyson (Coming July 2017)

  Secret Revenge: Trevor (Coming September 2017)

  Secret Revenge: Christian (Coming December 2017)

  Thank you.

  The End

  I wanted to thank you for taking the time in reading Penalized. It brought me great joy to write this as this book is based on a true story that is still occurring as we speak. If you can do me a favor and take the time to review my book. I would like your honest feedback that I will take with me as tools to improve this book’s future drafts and the follow-up books in the series.

  Thank you once again, and I’ll see you in the next one