by Lulu Pratt
“Okay,” I scream. “I’m sorry. I take it back!”
“Good,” he says with a smile. He stops tickling me, allowing me to rest back in his arms. “You’re far too sassy for my liking.”
“It’s a defense mechanism,” I say. “The benefits of being an only child and an orphan.”
“I didn’t know you were an orphan,” he says, sitting up and looking at me with curiosity.
I had forgotten that I haven’t told him that yet. I’ve been trying to keep my past hidden and secret, just in case.
“Oh, did I not mention that?” I ask quietly.
“No. You told me you had a sister who passed away. And the way you spoke, it sounded like you had a family, too?”
“I was adopted,” I admit.
It’s odd, but I want to tell him more. I want to open up to him and share my secrets with him. I’m usually pretty closed off, but Blake brings it out in me.
“Are you and your adoptive parents close?” He asks.
“Not really,” I admit. “I was close with my adoptive sister, but when she passed away, I kind of lost contact with my adoptive parents. Her death was hard on us, all of us.”
“How did she die?” He asks softly.
I can tell that he is treading lightly, not wanting to push me to hard. I appreciate it.
“I’d rather not go into it,” I say. “It’s hard to talk about.”
“Sorry, I’m sure it must be difficult.”
“No, you don’t have to apologize. I’d just rather hear about your childhood. I’m sure it’s much more interesting than mine is.”
I try my best to deflect the line of questioning, and it seems to work as he sits up further.
“Oh, it’s your typical broken home story,” he says. “It’s a wonder I turned out so normal.”
“Did you?” I joke.
“Relatively. But I think that’s why I want a child so much. I had a pretty lousy childhood, and I feel that I need to remedy that, to prove that it wasn’t my fault. If I can be a good father, it might do some work erasing some of the bad memories I have of my own childhood. You know?”
His voice is soft, almost vulnerable. It’s the most open he has ever been with me.
“And a wife?” I ask. “Any plans for that?”
“Hang on,” he says, grinning. “I barely know you. A kid is one thing but slow down.”
“Shut up,” I say, slapping him on the chest. “You know what I mean.”
“I do. And yeah, one day maybe. I’ve never really had a long-term relationship before. So, let’s concentrate on that first. Then, if you’re nice to me, I’ll ask you to marry me.” He chuckles to himself.
“You can,” I begin. “But I probably won’t say yes. I’m holding out for someone really special.”
“Oh, well I wish you good luck, then.” He kisses me on the forehead, as if giving me his blessing. I slap him on the chest again.
“Anything else I need to know about you?” I ask. “I am trying to have a baby with you after all.”
I decide to change the topic. The conversation is getting very intimate, and I can’t help but feel the need to change it. Every time he opens up, I feel myself falling harder for him. I can’t let that happen.
“Hmm, I love pineapple on my pizza,” he says.
“That’s it,” I say quickly, sitting up and pretending to climb from the bed. “We’re done here. You’re clearly unhinged and your mouth is broken.”
“I don’t think so,” he says, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me back. “And just so you know, my son is going to love it, too.”
“Son?” I ask suddenly. “You think it’s going to be a boy?”
“A son. A daughter. As long as it’s healthy and happy, I don’t care. I just want a child,” he says seriously.
I stop what I am doing and stare at him properly for the first time. At the mention of a possible child, my heart begins to ache. I don’t know why, but until this point, this whole thing has felt kind of fake. Like it wasn’t really real. But thinking about the gender of the child? That makes it so much more tangible.
It hits me hard. To me, this has been about the money, but to Blake, he really wants a child. He really wants to be a father. And not just a father, but a good father. And what’s more, this will make me a mother.
He leans forward and kisses me on the forehead, wrapping his arm around me. I fall into him, allowing for him to pull me back into bed. Despite myself, I feel a tear rolling down my cheek.
Chapter 27
BLAKE
I don’t know who is more nervous, Carrie or me? On the one hand, I know that she is nervous about meeting Ben and my other friends. Over the past week, we have slowly become closer and closer. I don’t want to call her my girlfriend, but essentially, that is what she is. Bringing her over to meet Ben is a sign of this.
Her nerves directly correlate with mine. She is worried about what Ben will think of her. I know what kind of a person Ben is. He likes mischief. He is more likely than not to latch on to how Carrie and I met, why we are together, and try to poke fun at me and our relationship because of it.
Usually, this would be fine, if only Carrie and I had spoken about it. But as we haven’t. Well, not about how serious we are becoming anyway. Today will either make or break us.
And there’s also the fact that I haven’t told anyone that we are trying for a baby.
The two of us are silent as I navigate the Aston Martin along the freeway to where Ben lives. It’s only a short drive, but it feels like it has been hours.
“Just so you know,” I say, in an attempt to break the silence. “As soon as you want to leave, all you have to do is tell me. If you’re bored, or not having a good time or whatever.”
“Why would I not have a good time?” She asks, raising an eyebrow at me.
“No reason. But just in case, you know?”
“Don’t worry,” She smiles and reached across to take my hand. “I am sure that today will be fine. They’re your friends, and you like them. So, I assume that I’ll like them just as much.”
I take my eyes off the road and glance at her, smiling as I do. I can’t even put into words how much I appreciate her in this moment. It’s as if she can read my mind and knows what I am thinking. Maybe today won’t be so bad after all?
***
“There he is! I was about to send out a search party!” Ben calls out from across the yard the moment that we enter.
Ben is now a full-on suburban dad. He lives in a modern, single-story home, complete with a wooden picket fence, a spacious backyard and a happy family. The barbecue features roughly twenty people, only half of whom I recognize.
I get the sense that most of the men are fathers, just like Ben, and that’s how he knows them. Ever since Ben became a father, I have noticed the two of us drifting apart. That’s just the way things go sometimes.
“We were going to skip it and go to the beach instead, but I figured that we should at least make a brief appearance,” I call back as I cross the yard to him.
“Honestly, I think that would have been the better option. Jake just burnt the meat, and my youngest has Janet trapped inside the house. He’s going through that ‘no’ phase and is being a bit of a pest, if I’m being honest.”
He reaches me and pulls me into a hug.
“And for the life of me, I just can’t imagine why I’m not a father yet,” I joke.
“Who would have your baby? Oh, hello!” Ben beams as he spots Carrie trailing behind me. “You must be Carrie, who I have heard, well, probably a normal amount about. Not too much, not too little.”
“That’s funny, Blake hasn’t mentioned you at all,” Carrie shoots back.
Ben erupts into a fit of laughter, and I feel the tension melt away.
“Damn, she has an acid tongue this one,” he says, slapping me on the back. “I like her already.”
“Uncle Blake!” I hear the call coming from across the yard, nearer the house. I turn to it,
smiling the moment I spot its source. It’s Simon, Ben’s son.
“Simon Says!” I yell back. “I’ll be one moment,” I whisper in Carrie’s ear as I turn and charge toward Simon. The moment I reach him, he throws open his arms and I scoop him into the air, holding him there.
“Put me down!” he wails.
“Why would I do that?” I ask, holding him by his waist.
He still has a bandage on his head from his accident. I’m careful not to touch it. I love Simon as much as I have anyone. He and his brother are the closest things I have to children and are a large reason behind my desire to have one of my own.
“Because I’ll tell Dad!” Simon giggles and screams.
“Do it. I think he’ll tell me to keep going.” I throw him in the air, catching him by the waist and planting him back on the ground. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he wraps his arms around my leg and pulls me into a tight hug.
“I didn’t know you were coming,” he says excitedly.
“For you, I would cross the world,” I say, and I ruffle his hair. “Did your father not tell you?”
I look back across the yard and see that Ben and Carrie are still talking. Carrie is laughing, and Ben clearly loves the effect he is having on her.
Despite how light-hearted their conversation looks, I still feel my stomach drop as I watch them. I know what Ben is like, and he is likely to mention something embarrassing. As he knows how I feel about Carrie, that something is likely to be in the vein of how much I like her.
That wouldn’t be a bad thing, if Carrie and I had had that conversation yet. But we haven’t, and I don’t want the first time being in Ben’s backyard in front of his friends.
“I’ll be right back,” I say to Simon, and I ruffle his hair again. I then turn and hurry back across the yard to Ben and Carrie.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
“Oh, nothing,” Ben says back, and as he does, he turns and winks at Carrie. She cracks up laughing again.
“Somehow, I don’t believe you,” I respond lightly.
“It’s seriously nothing,” Carrie says, wiping away the tears. “We were actually just talking about you and Simon. I can’t believe how good you are with kids.”
“Oh,” I say surprised. “Yeah, well, I have a knack for it, I suppose.”
Ben turns back, waving at his son. “I always said you would be a good dad. You’ll have to settle for being a good uncle instead.”
As Ben is looking across the yard and away from Carrie and me, I catch her eye and wink. She smiles knowingly back. Yes, I am a good uncle, and I will be an even better father. I just can’t wait to prove it.
Chapter 28
CARRIE
Blake feels so good inside me. Like really good. I lay on my back with my legs wrapped around his waist. I relish the way he punishes me. He thrusts up and down, deeper and faster with every move. He bites my neck, he pulls at my hair and he digs his fingers into my exposed ass.
I’m fully clothed, except that my skirt is pulled up around my waist. And so is Blake, save for the fact that his pants are down around his ankles. We weren’t meant to have sex today, at least, not right now. I was on my way to the front door, my bags all packed, when he grabbed me and dragged me back to his bedroom.
I wrap my hands around his ass and guide him. He moves faster and faster. There is no foreplay or anything like that. We don’t need it. I am so wet and so aroused whenever I am around him that I am always ready to go. He is too, and the way he has me now is proof of that.
Back and forth, he pushes himself, his hips dancing. My legs stick up in the air now, and my ass is raised. He goes deeper and deeper. His hand moves down and rubs my clit. It sends a spark through my body. I bite his ear, and his nails press into the skin on my ass.
He continues to thrust inside of me, and his movements become harder and faster. His head is buried into my shoulder, and I can feel his whole body shuddering.
“I’m close,” he growls.
“I know, babe,” I reply.
His movements are the giveaway. And although I haven’t had time to reach that point, I really don’t mind. I just want him to come inside me.
And then, before I know it, he comes. Hard and fast. As he does, his body tightens up, and his lower half spasms. He pushes himself further into me, pausing as the base of his cock rams into my pussy.
I wrap my legs around him more tightly, holding him in place. I want to make sure that I don’t waste a single drop.
I never usually like quickies. They are usually aimed more at my partner’s pleasure than my own. But with Blake, I really don’t mind, and this one in particular was more than a little fun. And in his defense, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Today is my last day at Blake’s. In fact, this is my last moment at Blake’s. Before we started this quickie, I was all ready to leave, and he was all ready to take me home. But as I was on my way to the door, he stated that he just had to have me one more time. And so I let him.
“I can’t believe you’re going,” he says as he pulls himself away from me. “What a week.”
“I know, right?” I agree as I pull my skirt back down and begin to fix my messed-up hair. “It’s weird, but it feels like I’ve been here for ages. At the same time, it feels like it’s been no time at all. Does that make any sense?”
“I know what you mean,” he says. “It will feel weird coming home and you not being here. But when I think about it, it feels like you only arrived yesterday.”
With his pants pulled up, he adjusts his belt and flattens his hair. “Shall we?” He asks, holding his hand out.
“We shall.”
I take his hand and allow him to help me to my feet. He leads me through the house and out the front door, keeping a firm grip on my hand the whole way. It’s odd, but I don’t want him to let go. In fact, I don’t even really want to leave. I’ve grown to like it here. And not just because of the house, either, but because of Blake.
I stand at the front door as Blake gets his car. I look over the garden and wonder when I will be coming back. A part of me does not want to go. He pulls up the car, and I climb in the front seat. Once I am in the car and I strap myself in, he takes off, hitting the main road and steering the car back to my apartment. Back to my old life.
“Promise that you will call me the moment you get the results,” he says, a hint of excitement in his voice.
“You know I will,” I say, smiling. “But don’t get too excited. This stuff doesn’t happen overnight.”
“How long do you think? I mean, I know you’re not an expert or anything, but you probably know more than me.”
“At least two weeks, I think. I’ll check before then, obviously, but I won’t be holding my breath.”
He groans. “I don’t think I can wait that long.”
I reach out and take his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Well, you have no choice. Until then, all you can do is hope you’re as fertile as you claim to be.”
He chuckles at this and lifts my hand to his mouth, kissing the back of it. “I am going to miss seeing you every day. Just so you know.”
“Yeah, me too. Seeing you every day, I mean. I know why we started doing this, but I haven’t regretted it. Not for a second.”
And that’s the truth. As he continues to navigate the car to my apartment, I can feel my stomach dropping. I don’t want the week to end. I don’t want to go home. I am sure that if Blake asked me to stay longer, I would say yes instantly.
But then I remind myself that I can’t do that. I’m battling with myself constantly on two fronts. The first is the fact that I’m really starting to like Blake. When it is all said and done, I thank my lucky stars every day that he chose me for this. The more I get to know him and the closer we get, the more I can feel myself falling for him.
But that only conflicts with my other problem, and that is my revenge. I love my sister, and I owe her everything. I vowed to her and to myself to take the baby and leave Bl
ake in the cold when the time comes. I can’t break that promise, despite how much I want to.
Because I do want to. At least, I think I do. It’s all so confusing. I look at Blake’s face as he steers the car, and I smile. I can’t help myself. He makes me so happy, and I hate what I am going to do to him.
“Here we are,” he says.
I look out the window, and indeed, the car is parked out in front of my apartment.
“Home sweet home,” I say, sighing.
I try not to sound too depressed. I don’t want Blake knowing how upset I am. I may want to stay at his place, but that doesn’t mean he wants me staying there. Odds are that he’s glad I’m leaving.
“I’ll call you soon, okay?” He says. He picks up my hand and gives it another kiss.
“Okay, I’d like that,” I respond, offering him a weak smile. I reach out and open the car door, readying myself to get out.
“Hey,” he says.
I turn back to see what he wants. He reaches forward and runs his fingers through my hair. Pulling me forward, he kisses me goodbye on the lips. I return the kiss with full force.
There is no sexual passion in the kiss. No longing or desire. It’s a kiss shared between two lovers who are aware of what they are losing.
It’s sweet and tender, and it might be the best kiss that we have ever had. But, as soon as it begins, it is over. I hold my head there for a moment, relishing the taste of his lips on mine. I then realize what I am doing, smile awkwardly at him and climb from the car.
The car pulls away, and I make my way to my apartment. As I do, I again think about what I plan on doing to him. And worse than that, I can’t decide whether or not I will be able to. If someone asks me right now and right here, I would say that I can’t hurt him like that.
I realize that I love Blake too much.
Chapter 29
BLAKE
I don’t know why I am so nervous. I really shouldn’t be. I’ve known Carrie for a few weeks now. And more than that, I’ve lived with her, slept with her and spent hours talking to her. Yet, as I sit in my car, staring at her apartment, I just can’t bring myself to walk up and knock on the front door.
