“But I appreciate the thought and effort you put into it. Jacob really enjoyed himself tonight. Apparently you’ve taken great care of my son. Thank you.”
“Our son,” Seth corrected her. “And it’s time I accept my responsibility. I want to take care of you both, if you’ll let me,” he murmured softly. “Now, come to bed and enjoy yourself tonight,” he invited and gave her a cocky grin.
Lucy
Inhaling deeply, Lucy reached up and tugged the towel free of her body. It fell heavily to the floor while she stood, feet firmly rooted to the new carpet. It’d been so long since she’d felt vulnerable and small. She’d been both mother and father to Jacob and in taking on both those roles, she’d felt larger than life. She was their sole support and every decision was hers, alone, to make. She found it difficult to allow someone else the chance to take the reins. It was why she’d had such a hard time with calling Seth to begin with. It was even harder to leave him alone with her – their – son.
She heard Seth’s quick intake of breath and raised her head to study his reaction. His eyes were on her small breasts and his lips were slightly parted. He looked like he’d had too many glasses of wine.
“Get in bed,” he ordered in a deep and husky voice. “I’ve waited far too long for this and I plan to remedy that right now.”
Lucy smiled and pulled back the comforter, blanket and sheets. She sighed in supreme contentment as she slid her freshly shaven legs between the linens, the silky soft material sliding across her skin like a knife through hot butter.
But if she thought the sheets felt good, they were nothing compared to the solid wall of muscle she suddenly found herself encompassed in. Seth had wrapped his arms around her small frame and pulled her to him as though he couldn’t stand another moment without feeling her body against his.
“You feel so right in my arms, your body crushed against mine,” he whispered in her ear and then nibbled lightly at her lobe which caused her entire body to shiver in pleasure. “I’d forgotten just how hot your body is,” he added and continued a trail of teeth, tongue and lips down the column of her throat before she turned her head and captured those lips in a soul-searing kiss.
His tongue brushed out, licking along her lips before demanding entrance into her mouth. She complied and suckled lightly at his probing tongue. He moaned low in his throat and shifted toward her, pulling her body beneath his. The solid weight of him settled warmly into her bones, giving her a sense of protection like she’d never felt before.
“Am I too heavy?” he rasped and Lucy shook her head as she looked up into his downturned face. He braced his weight on both arms and simply hovered above her, his eyes studying every naked fraction he could.
His eyes stared into hers a long moment and then suddenly he leaned down and began kissing her with an intensity she didn’t remember him having that first time they were together so many years ago.
“I love the contrast of my body against yours,” he praised and ran his whiskered jaw against the swell of her breast. “It’s like caressing a pillow; I can mold you to me. It proves how well we fit together.” He continued murmuring similar things all between nibbling and kissing her in all the right places.
When he’d teased her to the point of frustration, Lucy lifted her hips, rubbing her core against his erection. He stopped kissing the column of her throat and smiled down at her, his eyes smoldering with desire.
“Are you in a hurry?” he teased.
“I just want you,” she whispered in response. “We don’t know how long we have before Chris and Jacob are back and I don’t want them to catch us in such a compromising position,” she admitted sheepishly, hoping she didn’t upset him or turn him off.
Instead he nodded curtly in understanding.
“You’re probably right,” he admitted and slowly, yet painfully, slid his long shaft into her welcoming channel. He moaned low in his throat, Lucy joining him as all her nerve endings suddenly blazed to life inside her womb. Like an expert lover, Seth pulled out and slid himself back in, slowly torturing her in the process, until he’d seated himself fully inside her. She could tell he was afraid of hurting her so she wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her ankles. She intended to show him just how strong she was.
Was she making a mistake? Yes, more than likely a colossal one. Did she care? No, honestly she didn’t. It felt so right and if she had limited time on this earth, she’d start crossing things off her bucket list.
She lifted her hips every time he thrust and he ran a hand down to her hip, pulling her lower body tighter against his. His hand was so large, or her body was so small, that his hand almost reached around to her spine. He spread his hand against the small of her back and supported her in each lift she wanted.
Seth
He studied her face; her eyes closed in pleasure, her long brown hair spanned across the pink pillow. Her lush lips were parted and her breath rushed in and out in little moans and catches. He memorized everything about her; he wanted it all burned into his mind like a permanent tattoo.
He kept a steady pace, not even disappointed when he felt her inner walls tighten around him. He was on the brink of exploding but had been holding out in a desire to please her first. He couldn’t blow his load before she reached her climax. They didn’t have all the time in the world and he had to make this as good as possible.
He inhaled sharply when her fingertips dug into his biceps and she lifted her mouth toward his. He bent down to envelope those luscious lips in a searing kiss when he felt her release. A loud moan erupted from her open mouth and he bent to swallow her pleasure. She bucked against him for what felt like forever and when he felt like he’d wrung her orgasm for every little aftershock, he left himself go, bathing her womanly womb with his seed. His mind only briefly wondered about protection, but then he reminded himself that she’d just underwent several weeks of chemo and radiation. Her getting pregnant was a very unlikely event.
He waited for her breathing to regulate before carefully extracting himself from her body. He found himself surprised over how empty he felt outside of her. He wanted nothing more than to rejoin her and stay there for all eternity.
He bent down and pressed a soft kiss to her bony shoulder, slightly proud of himself when his lips found her skin soft and dewy.
“I’ll slip back to Jacob’s bathroom, shower and redress before they get home,” he whispered against her stomach, his tongue snaking out to dip into her navel. He smiled when she shivered and reached down to tangle her fingers in his disheveled hair. Her legs scissored, obviously needing the friction against her core and he knew that if he didn’t get his ass in gear, he’d be balls deep in her treasure trove all night long.
He rolled off the bed and gasped when her hand slapped him smartly on the ass cheek. He tossed a smirk over his shoulder and wagged a finger at her.
“Naughty girl,” he accused and hurried from her room. Leaving her gloriously naked, well loved, body sprawled across the pink silk sheets was the second hardest thing he’d ever done. Strange how the most difficult things he’d accomplished in his life both involved Lucy.
That alone should tell him just where he belonged and it wasn’t away from his newfound family.
Lucy
February 14th
Lucy smiled as Jacob squirmed while she dressed him for daycare. He’d had his Uncle Seth go out and buy cards for all the girls in his group and he bragged about how pretty they all were. She tried not to let the fact that he’d just noticed the beauty of the opposite sex bother her, but knew it was inevitable given his gender.
“Hurry, Mommy,” Jacob insisted. “I’m going to be late.”
“Yes, yes,” Lucy agreed. “We can’t keep the ladies waiting, now can we?”
Amber had arrived the previous day and she and Chris had spent the night in a hotel. Lucy knew they hated being apart and considering the nature of the holiday, they needed some alone time that her small apartment and number of guests wouldn�
��t allow. She was proud of her brother’s happiness and she loved Amber like a sister. They were both so good for each other. She just hated that they had to spend this Valentine’s Day watching over her.
Once she had Jacob properly dressed, he raced from his room and grabbed Seth’s hand.
“I’m ready,” he declared loudly. “Take me to the ladies Uncle Seth,” he added and pulled the man toward the door.
Seth chuckled but tossed a wink at Lucy.
“I’ll be back soon, Mommy, don’t do anything strenuous while I’m gone,” he announced and then warned. Lucy saluted him like a good soldier and went about straightening up the breakfast dishes and wondering when Jacob had learned the word “strenuous”.
She’d all but cleared the table, loaded the dishwasher and put the cold breakfast foods back in the refrigerator when she heard the front door open and close. She pulled the sink’s plug, drained the soapy water and then rinsed the sink out, waiting for Seth to peek in on her. But when he didn’t she went in search of him.
She halted short when she walked around the corner and found him in the middle of her living room, on one bended knee, an open jewelry box in his hand. She closed the distance between them and peered down into the red, velvet box. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the diamond engagement ring. Her face heated when she realized what he was in the throes of.
“Seth,” she started but he stopped her short by standing and grabbing her by the hands.
“Don’t,” he warned. “Just sit down and listen to me.”
Lucy nodded curtly and allowed him to lead her over to the sofa. He waited until she was firmly seated and then he, again, kneeled in front of her, offering her the open ring box.
“I know what the doctors have told you,” he admitted and paused when she inhaled sharply. “Chris told me,” he admitted much to her dismay. “But I also know that I can’t go another day without you knowing just how much I love you and Jacob. I want to marry you,” he insisted. “Today, if necessary, or the sooner the better. I want you to tell Jacob that he’s my son and I want to spend the rest of our lives together. Till death do us part,” he finished and sighed heavily.
“Lucy, will you marry me?” he asked softly. “Please, give me the chance to show you how much I’ve changed and how much I want a family with you. You’ve already given me a son, you’ll get better and maybe give me a daughter to spoil,” he rambled and she stopped him by placing her finger against his lips, successfully silencing him.
He complied but stayed where he was, his eyes searching hers for an answer. Her eyes went to his throat and she saw the way his pulse hammered in conjunction with his heartbeat. She knew she loved him and now she knew that he loved her. Her only dilemma was whether or not she should chance breaking his heart.
“I’ll never stop loving you,” he added. “I don’t care how long we have together. I’ll never stop. Even if you refuse, I’ll never leave your side, so you might as well just say ‘yes’ and put me out of my misery,” he rushed on.
“Okay,” she relented and almost squealed when he lunged to his feet and pulled her into the tightest embrace she’d ever felt. He squeezed so hard she feared he would break her ribs.
“But we have something to do first,” she whispered against his chest. Seth pulled back to look down questioningly into her eyes.
“When Jacob gets home this afternoon, we need to sit him down and tell him the truth,” she said. “I want him to know that I’m marrying his daddy.”
***
THE END
Epilogue
May 14th, one year later
Lucy sat in front of her antique dressing table and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Running her fingers through the thick, brunette curls, she couldn’t help but smile as feelings of warmth and happiness gathered in her chest.
Her life had been a whirlwind ever since Seth proposed on Valentine’s Day previously this year. Her healthy pink cheeks warmed to a deep blush when she thought back over the sweet words proclaiming his undying devotion, even though her illness gave no indication of being cured.
He’d been ready and willing to be with her no matter what life had in store.
She jumped when a small, black-haired tornado blew into her spacious bedroom and landed against her in a flurry of laughter.
“What are you doing, Mommy?” Jacob inquired, peering up at her with a big smile on his face. “Everyone’s waiting for you downstairs.” He informed her with blue eyes widened in seriousness.
Lucy smiled and ran her fingers through his spiky hair. He’d taken after his father in so many ways; she’d never realized just how many until they began spending so much time together. After she’d tearfully accepted Seth’s proposal, they’d sat down and told Jacob the truth. Much to her surprise, the little guy reacted ecstatically to the news of not only having a daddy, but also that daddy was Seth Landers – pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.
She’d been thankful that he wasn’t old enough to be angry over her deception. The very next morning, Seth had packed them up and moved them to his gorgeous manor in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Boasting a healthy population of around thirty-seven thousand residents, it about a hundred miles southeast of St. Louis.
He’d even gone so far as to get her a job at the local library and found her the best Oncologist money could buy. After weeks of being examined by teams of the world’s best doctors, she’d been successfully declared cancer free. Even her six-month checkup had suggested the illness was, indeed, gone. She was in remission and planned to stay that way.
She’d managed to delay the wedding until she and Jacob had gotten settled in and that included having Jacob enrolled in Pre-K at a private school with an excellent instructional system that encourages purposeful learning centered on each child’s individual interests and talents.
In the two months Jacob had been there, he’d grown and learned so much that Lucy sometimes caught herself searching for the timid little boy he’d once been. Seth had given so much to their son that it was getting harder and harder to say ‘no’ when they ganged up on her; especially when it came to the actual wedding.
Together they’d finally managed to talk her into setting a date and she went for her parent’s wedding anniversary. Although they’d abandoned her when she’d needed them the most, she still loved them with all her heart. They’d had a happy marriage and she hoped the date would allow her and Seth the same.
“I’ll be right there,” she whispered against Jacob’s cheek and then kissed him soundly, smiling when her action left a perfect pair of pink lips on his face. He giggled and twisted from his mother’s arms before she could wipe the lipstick prints away.
He raced from the room as quickly as he’d entered and Lucy took a moment to study the room she’d called home for the past few months. Since she’d refused to move into Seth’s room and share his bed until they were properly wed, he’d had a spare bedroom suite furnished for her.
He’d had the four-poster bed he’d bought for her moved in and practically bought out a small antique store when she’d gushed over a dressing table. She loved being spoiled and pampered but still hadn’t gotten used to it.
Turning back to the mirror, she smoothed her curls once again and then rose to her feet, studying the way the cream-colored satin dress fell to cover her ankles. Much to Seth’s dismay, she’d decided to wear cream satin of modest design that she’d found at a second-hand store on Main Street.
They’d practically argued for three days over the dress. Seth wanted to have Vera Wang design and make her a gown, but Lucy had respectfully argued that it was something she’d only wear once and there was no point in spending so much money on a dress she’d never wear again.
In the end, she’d won the argument, but only because Seth wanted her to be the happiest bride in the world. He’d gone on to warn her that eventually she’d have to give in and allow him to spend some money on a new wardrobe for her. As a professional athlete, he’d be expec
ted to make certain an appearance at certain public functions and as his wife; she had to look every bit the part.
He’d hastened to point out that it wasn’t the clothes that made her beautiful, but the other way around. He wanted the world to see the beautiful woman on his arm and know she was his and his alone.
They’d managed to keep the paparazzi and other gossip reporters out of their way for a good portion of the time, but it hadn’t taken long for the world to find out about Jacob’s existence. Much to Lucy’s surprise, most every report had been respectful to both her and Jacob. She’d feared the worse considering Seth’s bad boy reputation. But upon learning of his secret family, the world had grown to love Seth Landers even more. Of course, there had been the normal ‘rags-to-riches’ story about her and Jacob, but Lucy had managed to ignore them.
She was happy.
She was healthy.
And at last, she had the family she’d only allowed herself to dream of. Now, her son had both parents and would have the best life either of them could afford.
Inhaling deeply, Lucy lifted her bouquet of yellow daisies from the table and turned toward the open door where her brother Chris stood waiting.
“How long have you been standing there?” Lucy asked.
“Long enough to see that you’re happy,” Chris answered and offered her the crook of his arm. Since both their parents were gone, Chris was giving the bride away.
“I still can’t believe all this is happening,” Lucy admitted and smoothed her hand over her stomach, smoothing invisible wrinkles in her nervousness.
Chris smiled down at her, admiration for his baby sister shining brightly in his eyes.
“Mom and Dad would be proud of you,” he whispered. “They would have eventually come around, you know that, right?”
Lucy nodded and tried her best not to let the tears fall. She knew they loved her. Her only regret was that they’d never had the chance to meet their beautiful and brilliant grandson.
drdaddy Page 29
