The Surprise

by Alice Ward

  My hand fluttered to my throat where I was swallowing hard, trying to clear it enough to answer. “Yes. Of course, I’ll marry you, Langston. I love you. I love you very much.”

  He stood and slipped the ring on my finger, practically shoving the platinum band through the bone. “Are you happy now?”

  I blinked at him, trying to read his face. “Of course I’m happy.”

  His smile was tight. “Terrific. Let’s get this over with.”

  He grabbed my hand, dragged me from the room, and into a hallway that was so familiar. He jabbed a thumb on the elevator button and we were swept into the depths of the hospital. When the elevator door opened, Lorie was there. She held a camera up to her face — click, click, click. Olivia beamed as she placed a veil on my head, pulling the gauzy material over my face.

  I twirled as Amy waved a magic wand, and a beautiful dress swirled around. She was wearing a blood red gown that nearly showed her ass. “Follow me.”

  Music boomed through the room as I followed her down another long hallway, and I found myself humming, “Here comes the bride.”

  I was at a chapel. I was getting married! To Langston. The father of my babies!

  A man who looked absolutely gorgeous at the end of the aisle. Except for the cape. Why was he wearing a cape? And why was his hair so long? It didn’t matter because I was suddenly in front of him, a priest joining us, Bible in hand.

  “Do you, Scarlett Delilah Alder, take him, Langston Samson Kimbrough, to be your baby daddy, officially?”

  Delilah? Samson?

  I blinked at the priest, who gave me a withering look, then twirled his hand in a come on gesture. He glared at me in impatience as I hesitated. “Um, I do.”

  He turned to Langston, who was stiff by my side. “Do you, Langston Samson Kimbrough, take Scarlett Delilah Alder to be your ball and chain, and do you promise to financially support the two kids she roped you with?”

  Langston shrugged. “Sure. Guess I have no choice now, do I?”

  I turned my head to look at Amy. She was holding the babies, one on each hip. How did they get so old?

  “Because I have no choice in the matter, I pronounce you man and wife. At least now we don’t have yet two more people living in sin. God bless you all and may your children grow up to understand healthy relationships, unlike their parents.”

  I bristled and pointed a finger at the walrus-looking man. “Hey—”

  Langston saved me from cursing the priest by grabbing my hand and marching me down the aisle. I looked back at Amy. The babies, toddlers now, were running around her legs.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, trying to pull away, trying to get back to my children.

  He didn’t answer, just pulled me into another room.

  It was beautiful. Wow. Like a luxury suite at a hotel. Wait. It was a luxury room of a hotel.

  “Is this the same room as before?”

  He shrugged again. “It began here. Might as well end here too.”

  End?

  As Langston began to unbutton his shirt, his face softened, and he smiled at me for the first time. “All I want is to spend the rest of my life with you,” he said, his shirt falling to the floor. He stepped closer to me and lifted the veil from my face. “Mrs. Kimbrough.”

  Being called that made me tingle all over as did the fingers unzipping my gown. I was speechless, only able to utter a moan as his lips moved to my neck.

  “I’d be completely lost without you,” he murmured against my skin. “Thank you for coming into my life and giving me babies. I’ll cherish them always and take very good care of them.”

  His hand was on my breast now, tweaking and pulling at the nipple. His mouth lowered to mine, and he kissed me in that way that made me forget everything else.

  I sighed when he touched my skin with just the tips of his fingers, his gentle touch driving me wild.

  My body was one big erogenous zone, and everywhere he touched gave me tremendous pleasure. But not just anyone could make me feel that way. It was him. Only him.

  His tongue made slow, sensual circles in my mouth, leaving me whimpering with need as heat flamed inside my core. His hand roamed over my bare back, down each bone in my spine before cupping my ass and pressing me to his raging erection.

  “You’re mine now, Scarlett. Only mine.”

  His lips left mine and then were on my neck, licking gently, teeth nipping as he went. I dug my fingers into his hair and pulled his head back, covering his mouth with mine again.

  I was naked in front of him, my dress at my feet. The way he looked at me made me feel brazen. I ran my hands over my breasts as he stepped back to watch. His eyes swept down my body slowly, almost solemnly, as though it was the first time he’d ever seen me like this. He took his time, grazing every inch of skin with his honeyed gaze. I closed my eyes, allowing my head to roll back as I soaked up the sensation of his attention, focusing on how I felt.

  “Come here,” he murmured, pulled me toward him by my hips, his nails sinking into my skin. He bent down until his mouth was level with my breasts, and his tongue lapped at one of my erect nipples. I inhaled a sharp breath, throwing back my head, feeling the warmth spread down my stomach and into my very core.

  I whimpered, undone by him, but he didn’t increase his speed, no matter how much I wanted him to. If he didn’t hurry, he would build me up until I exploded.

  He sank to his knees, tonguing my navel. His hands moved up my thighs to fondle my ass, and I groaned when his fingers dug into my soft flesh.

  “Don’t stop…” I moaned, encouraging him. He skimmed his teeth over my skin, just at the curve above my upper thigh, and I nearly collapsed from the delicious pleasure of it all.

  “You’re driving me crazy,” I gasped. My knees were so weak, I could hardly stand and placed my hands on his broad shoulders, feeling the muscles clench and relax under my fingers.

  He chuckled and stood, walking me backward until a chair hit the back of my knees. I collapsed into the cool leather, and Langston pulled my hips forward until my ass was nearly off the seat, then spread my legs so they laid across the arms.

  “This hot pussy should have a caution sign on it,” he murmured, but he didn’t give me time to question him because his tongue was there, licking up my center in one firm stroke.

  My fingers sank into his hair, and I pulled his head closer, grinding myself against him. He grabbed my wrists and held them down on the soft arms of the chair, binding me in place.

  He moved wickedly slow, licking at my labia without going deeper. Taking me to the brink of insanity as the tension spread a burning heat throughout my body.

  “Don’t bite my tongue off,” he said with a smirk when he finally dipped it inside me. If I hadn’t exploded instantly, I would have laughed at his joke.

  Was it a joke?

  My emotions were in turmoil, my vision blurry as he watched me from between my legs. I came again, screaming softly as I trembled from head to toe. He grinned at the speed and force of my orgasm.

  “You’re mine. Say it.”

  I met his gaze as his tongue licked into me deep. “I’m yours.”

  “For better or for worse.” He scraped his teeth over my clit. “Repeat after me.”

  “For better or for worse.”

  He blew on my heated flesh. “That’s right. Remember your promise.”

  I sighed through the sensations. “I will.”

  When he slid two fingers inside my waiting depths, I arched against his hand, moving my hips in time with his fingers. When he curled them and found my g-spot, he pressed his tongue against my clit. Mouth and tongue moved as a single unit until I screamed again, thrashing around in the chair as wave after wave of pleasure attempted to crush me under its weight.

  He didn’t let me recover, just continued to hammer his fingers inside me, making me come over and over until I begged him to rest. “Stop,” I gasped. “I can’t take any more.”

  He just grinned, his eyes seem
ing to glow. I shivered, a spider of fear walking up my spine as he took one last, long lick up my center. “On your knees, wife. It’s my turn.”

  I slid off the chair, kneeling in front of him, and ran my hands up his legs. This was our wedding night, and I wanted to memorize every line and curve of him, every warm inch of skin, every muscle. I loved the way he shivered when my fingers grew close to his cock, the groan of disappointment as they skittered away. His cock pulsed when I blew on it, but I waited to take him in my mouth. I was going to take my time, just like he had. The doctor would find out how it felt to be the patient.

  Grabbing his hands, I pulled him down until he was on the floor, his hard cock stretching up to his abs, pulsing with his heart beat. Instead of taking him into my mouth, I wanted to tease him as he’d done me. I lapped at the head, my tongue flicking lightly over the tip before circling the ridge and trailing down the thick vein underneath.

  He groaned my name, and I felt powerful. I licked the flat of my tongue up and down him before taking him into my mouth. When he began to buck, I pressed his hips down and continued my slow, leisurely torture.

  “Fuck, Scarlett.”

  I flicked my tongue over the sensitive spot between the shaft and the head. “What do you need, husband?”

  “Harder. Suck harder.”

  I knew what he wanted, but I wasn’t ready to fulfill his wish.

  Instead, I lowered my head to lick his balls, pulling one then the other into my mouth. I sucked gently, and he twitched, groaning as if he was in great pain.

  “Is this what you meant?” I asked him innocently and began to lick again.

  “Yes. No. Fuck. Witch.”

  I laughed, then gave him what he wanted, sliding him into my mouth and into the back of my throat. Fighting not to gag, I bobbed slowly up and down, gently, wanting to make it last as long as possible. Whenever it seemed he was getting too excited, I slowed down or stopped entirely. He went crazy. His hands were in my hair as he thrust into my mouth, nearly choking me, then cutting off my breath. I pounded my fist on his thighs, and he finally let go, only to pull me up his body until we were face-to-face.

  “In sickness and in health,” he growled against my mouth. “Say it.”

  I repeated the words, barely getting them out before his mouth captured mine.

  “Ride me, Scarlett. Fuck me.”

  I sat up and straddled him, lifting until his cock was at my entrance. His hands wound around my hips, and he slammed me down on him. His nails dug into my skin until I thought I might bleed.

  “I’ll ride you, Samson. Ride you like the witch you say I am. Ride you until the end of time.” The words were a whisper as I bounced and ground on him. He began thrusting from beneath me, hard and fast.

  I lowered myself over him, kissing him, licking his chest and shoulders as I pulsed and clenched around him. I groaned, leaning on him, letting him take me as he wanted. He wanted it hard.

  He sat up, his fingernails digging even deeper in my skin. I screamed from the pain, and he laughed, the sound seeming to echo through the room.

  “To love, cherish, and to obey,” he roared against my mouth. “Say it!”

  His eyes changed, the honey rimmed with fire now. They hypnotized me and I couldn’t look away. “To love, cherish, and …”

  No, Scarlett. No. You can’t give him your soul.

  “Obey!” His teeth ground together, the muscles popping in his jaws. “Say. It.”

  I opened my mouth, but the last word wouldn’t come out. The fiery ring grew in his eyes.

  “No!”

  He stilled as my answer still rang in the room, his breath hot against my face. Then he laughed, the deep evil sound making me shiver. “Obey me, Scarlett.”

  I licked my lips and lifted my chin. “No,” I said more softly this time, but meaning it the same.

  His eyes turned black, his face white as death. “You have chosen, dear wife.” To my horror, his canine teeth grew in length before me, sharpening down to lethal points before my eyes. “Till death do us part, it is.”

  His fangs sank into my neck.

  I struggled. I struck out, the heel of my hand connecting something solid as the pain exploded not only through my throat but my entire body.

  “Scarlett!”

  He had my wrists, and I was pulled against a wall.

  “Scarlett!”

  He shook me as my blood drained away, my entire body weakening as he held me too tight. “Please don’t,” I rasped, begging him to let me live so that I could see my babies again. “Please stop.”

  A light flicked on, burning my eyes, and the pressure of the wall grew so hard that I couldn’t breathe.

  “Scarlett!”

  It was a woman’s voice. There were babies crying. There were running feet in the room.

  I snapped awake.

  Langston was holding me on his lap, one hand around my wrists while he held me close to his chest. His nose was bleeding as he looked at me with deep concern.

  Naomi, my night nurse, was on my other side. Other bodies moved around the room.

  The babies.

  Langston.

  It came back.

  It all came back.

  He wasn’t crushing me. He was holding me. Stroking my back. His lips in my hair.

  “Shhh… I’ve got you, Scarlett. You’re safe. You’ll always be safe. I’ll keep you safe forever.”

  Was I?

  I was ashamed of my tears because I didn’t know if they were of relief. Or dread.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Langston

  If I ever… ever… even had one single fleeting thought about not having enough action in my life again, I might consider drowning myself. I’d had enough action in the past week to last me a thousand or so years.

  The car bombs. My dad’s death. Taking over his practice. Scarlett. Learning I was a dad. To twins. Aliens.

  I took the cloth from the nurse and pressed it to my nose. She hadn’t hit me hard, just at the right angle to cause a trickle of blood.

  Damn. She slept like the dead, but she woke like the demons from hell.

  “Are you okay?” she asked and tried to pull away. I held her tighter and toss the rag to the floor. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

  “Shhh… it’s okay. That nightmare seemed like a whopper.”

  The screaming babies were making her twitchy, so I let her go and she reached for them. Her mouth was tight with pain as she adjusted her position on the bed, and lowered her gown.

  Sofi latched on like a champ, sucking hard, causing Scarlett to cry out.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, ready to step in and do whatever was needed.

  “My uterus.” She growled with pain as Samuel latched on then spit it out, screaming like someone in a horror movie. “It contracts when they begin to nurse.” She gritted her teeth as he finally took the nipple. “It’s a good thing but it hurts like crazy. It feels like I’m in labor again.”

  For a while, we sat like that while the babies nursed, and Scarlett leaned back into the pillows, closing her eyes against the bright lights. I stood and dimmed them a bit.

  “Do you want to burp?”

  She looked so hopeful that there was no way I could say no. Gingerly, I took a little towel and tossed it over my shoulder, then picked Sofi up, trying not to break her. She curled up into the tiniest little ball as I got her in the same position Scarlett was doing with Samuel.

  “Pat a little harder.” Scarlett smiled. “She won’t break.”

  My entire hand took up all of the baby’s back and butt, and I was terrified that I was patting her too hard. I increased the pressure the tiniest amount. Nothing. A little more. Then more. Soon, it felt like I was walloping the kid. But she burped! I couldn’t believe it. I actually made my baby do that. Scarlett beamed at me, then had her hands full with Samuel’s spit up.

  My eyes burned as I cradled my daughter in my hands. It was the first time I’d really held her without being
burrito tight in a blanket. She peered up at me, her dark blue eyes crossing then refocusing on my face. Her small fists swatted at the air as she farted on my palm.

  “That’s my girl. Get it all out.”

  Scarlett laughed and settled Samuel on the opposite breast. I took that as my cue and handed Sofi over. But it was hard. I didn’t want to let her go.

  “I’m twenty-four. I’ll be twenty-five next month.”

  My jaw sagged, not just from surprise at her seemingly random revelation. I was a dirty old man. “No shit. What day?”

  “June seventh.”

  No fucking way. “Well, that will be easy to remember because mine is the eighth.”

  It was her turn to be slack jawed. “Are you serious? How old will you be?”

  I scrubbed my face with my hands. “I’m a cradle robber. A dirty old man.”

  She laughed. “You can’t be that old. What, forty-eight? Forty-nine?”

  “What!” The minute I saw her face, I knew she was kidding. “Thirty-seven, thank you very much.”

  “That’s not so bad,” she said, her eyes shining. “You were just in junior high when I was born.”

  I ignored her. “What was the dream about?”

  The smile slid down her face, and her eyes fell to the babies. “Um, nothing. It was stupid.”

  “It didn’t sound or look stupid. It looked pretty terrifying.”

  “I don’t normally dream. Or remember them, anyway.”

  I smiled and moved until I sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve never met anyone who sleeps as deeply as you. At least you did that night, um morning.”

  “You really tried to wake me?”

  I reached up and pushed a damp tendril of hair behind her ear. “I did. I should have tried harder.”

  Her blue eyes glistened as tears brimmed. She blinked rapidly, letting out a little laugh. “I’m sorry. These hormones are kicking my butt.”

  When one fell, I lifted a hand to brush it away. “I missed you, Scarlett. I didn’t know your name at the time, but I thought about you every day. You were like that witch, or maybe a ghost sounds better, haunting me.”