When my phone chimed at bedtime Sunday night with a text that read, “I miss you beside me,” I felt the same way.
I didn’t want to be public with our affection and throw a relationship full throttle at our boys, and after careful consideration, Ian agreed.
We decided on Sunday the boys needed to see us connecting organically as friends, which meant we were going to continue sneaking around for the intimate stuff.
I couldn’t wait for the next stolen rendezvous…
Monday morning’s paper grab meant a quick kiss hello before we both darted back in to our houses.
Ty sat at the bar, eating his oatmeal. “Momma, did you leave Yolo outside?”
I sat down my cup of coffee and frowned. “No, why?”
“I think she’s scratching on the front door to get in.”
I was so deep in my thoughts about Ian I was forgetting the rest of my world. With a silent laugh, I opened the door and received a serious brush-off from a very cold Yolo.
I tried to pat her head. “Momma’s sorry, baby. She didn’t see you sneak outside.” I tried apologizing, but Yolo dissed me and ran straight to Ty’s feet dangling on the stool.
If the rest of the world wasn’t on to my love-struck secret, Yolo was, and she wasn’t buying “Luv Brain”.
By Tuesday, my bid to buy the building had been approved and closing was set for two weeks. It made me nervous to touch the inheritance my mother had left me, but I knew she would be pleased with my decisions to use it for honoring her dreams.
Ian was just as pleased about the purchase as I was. “I know it’s a school night, but it’s a special event. Let’s celebrate with the boys, aka “friends-style”, with dinner and riding go-karts. They’ll love it.”
“I don’t know if my doctor will approve of go-karts for me, but the boys will have a great time, and I’ll have fun watching and laughing.”
“Call his nurse. There’s still time.”
I was happy he didn’t go all Rambo on me and call the doctor himself, but I took his advice. By the time we were loaded in the car and headed to Pole Position, the nurse was calling back with the green light for me ride, right along with everyone else.
We had so much fun. I didn’t know if Ian let us win a couple of rounds, but the boys stopped keeping track, and I had just as much of a blast as they did, since the competitive me was out to own it.
On the way home, both boys fell asleep. For the stolen moments, Ian gripped my hand in his, as if we were overgrown teenagers, sneaking one for the road.
The next morning Ian called my cell right after I got to the boutique. It was the third time he’d either called or texted that morning.
“I’m on call tonight,” he whispered into the phone.
“Why are you whispering?” I whispered back with a laugh. The clock on my desk said nine-thirty. He was supposed to be in his office before surgery, so there were no patients around.
“I don’t know,” he said in a normal tone and laughed.
I drew hearts on the paper in front of me. “Sneaking around is kind of fun; it’s like we’re having an affair.”
“Well, I’ve got a plan. I’m on call tonight, so Denise is coming over. I’ll tell her I’m going to the hospital, and I’ll put my car in your garage after Ty goes to sleep. Just text me when he’s down.”
“Ooh, we just got some pretty little things in for the store. I’ll let you be my personal ‘focus group of one’, and you can tell me what you think about them.” My voice was a suggestive tease.
“Damn, you’re making me hard. I can’t walk around here with a boner.”
“Then stop calling me a hundred times a day, teasing me with spending the night. I may have to run home and use my vibrator.”
I heard him sigh a couple of times.
“Meet me there at eleven-thirty. I’ll take care of you.”
“You’re serious?”
“Do you need to question it?”
“Deal.”
While Isabella took boxes out to the storage shed, I folded the nighties up and slid them into my purse. Instantly, I realized how easy it was for someone to shoplift. I laughed out loud at my own naughtiness.
“What’s so funny?” she asked from the doorway.
“Huh?”
“You were laughing.” She made a dorky face.
“Oh, just a funny thought.”
She approached me and turned my shoulder, so I faced her. “That look… You’re glowing. You’re seeing someone, aren’t you?”
I didn’t want to lie to her, but I didn’t think our relationship was ready for primetime just yet. “It’s the medicine. It makes me silly and sleepy, like pot.”
“You’ve never smoked, so don’t compare yourself to a toker. You’re nuts. Go home and get some rest before you hurt yourself.”
Perfect, she’d played right into my hands. I rushed home all right, but it wasn’t for rest.
I left the garage door open on purpose, so the neighbors wouldn’t see Ian parked out front. The minute I heard the vibration of the door closing, I knew he was seconds away from me.
“God, you’re stunning.” He propped himself on the facing of my bedroom door.
I twirled in the middle of the room, modeling a red short cami and matching thong. “You like our Valentine promotion?”
“I’ll like it better draped around your ankles, while I’m inside you.”
God, his one sentence had me panting for him.
I opened the drawer and showed him the assortment of condoms I’d purchased on the way home. The turned up smile he wore said he was pleased.
He didn’t waste any time getting me naked or removing his clothes. But when he sat on the rug beside my bed and stuck his hand out to me, I was confused.
“Join me down here, baby. Sit between my legs.”
I did as he asked, and when I looked directly in front of me, I saw our reflection in my large floor to ceiling mirror propped against the wall.
A voyeur into my own sexual experience.
He pulled my hair to the side and pressed his lips against my neck. His other hand came underneath my arm and tugged at my nipples.
“Open your legs wide and lean back against me,” he coaxed with a whisper.
With a finger inside me and his mouth trailing up and down the side of my neck and shoulder, I melted into him. Slowly and sensually, he teased my body until I was on fire.
“Keep your eyes on the mirror, sweetness. Watch us.”
I tried, but the pleasure he was bringing was like a drug, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open, especially during my orgasm.
I don’t recall the exact moment I was moved flat on my back on the fur rug; my mind was trapped in euphoria.
The sound of the ripping package brought me to my senses. When I opened my eyes, he was above me, sliding the condom over his length. “You have that special glow. Did you see it in the mirror?”
Suddenly, I became timid. “No,” I whispered.
He moved a strand of hair from the corner of my mouth. “It’s my fault. I hurried. We’ll do that again tonight. I want you to see the way your cheeks and chest turn a rosy blush. I desperately need for you to see what I see. It’s such a beautiful turn-on.”
As he entered me, I no longer cared about the blush. His weight on top of me, the hoarseness of his aroused breath all echoed his need for me, and our coming together as one became my existence. It was there I found everything I’d been looking for.
After his climax, he propped himself up on his elbows beside my face. The way his hair fell down, shadowing his face, heated me. Lord, he was hot in a rugged way.
“Was that better than Mr. Batteries?”
I wiped the sweat running down his brow. “Umm, I didn’t know I was supposed to compare, so I’ll need to give him another try. You know, a fair shake.” I snickered.
“Okay, fine. I’ll stay home tonight, and you can spend the night with him.”
“Don’t you dare.”
I frowned when he left, instantly lonely from his absence, but I needed to run and pick up Ty from school then go back to the boutique for a bit—real life was calling.
What we were doing was like a prelude to a fairytale, and doubt crept into my happy place.
When Ty and I walked through the back entrance of the store, Isabella was busy with the fire marshall who was doing his annual check. He was either new or I’d never met him before.
“Chelsie, this is Mick Stevens. He’s our new fire marshall. I told him about the plans to incorporate the other side.”
When he turned to face me, I just about melted. Oh my God, he was smoking hot. The fitted dress shirt barely accommodated his bulging muscles, and I wasn’t the only one to notice. Isabella was practically dancing and drooling behind him.
“Pleasure, Mick.” I shook his extended hand.
He made a few notes on his clipboard. “Once you get possession of that property, we’ll need to schedule a walk through before occupation. Here’s my card; my cell is on the back of it.”
I took the card.
Seeing that Isabella was about to lose her mind, I decided to help her out a bit. “Isabella is my manager and in charge. I’m going to be out of the office due to surgery starting Friday. Please swap numbers with her.” I handed the card to her.
“Sure thing, Ma’am, and best wishes on Friday.”
They walked away, toward the front entry of the store, and I headed to my office in the back, where I found Ty propped up on his arm and sleeping on my desk. In front of him was the paper on which I’d been drawing hearts earlier.
My little man was my life. His happiness mattered more than mine. I silently prayed he would welcome a relationship between Ian and me, but if he didn’t, I was prepared to make that concession.
I remembered Ian’s words on the subject, “One precious moment at a time.”
Chapter 24
Friday came all too soon. Nervously, I packed my bags for a weekend at the hospital. The last time I’d packed for trip to the hospital was the day my D&C was scheduled after Carson and I got the news our pregnancy was no longer viable. It was the worst day of my life. It was the very moment our marriage started spiraling out of control.
The knock on my door came as no surprise. I was expecting Jorge and Shawna, since Shawna was riding with me and Jorge was staying to take Ty and Oliver to school.
Shawna followed me to the bedroom, while Jorge gave Yolo’s head a rub and helped himself to coffee. “Ian already at the office?”
“No, he had a surgery scheduled that would be quick. He said he’d be in Day Surgery waiting on us.”
She rubbed my back. “What do you need, honey?”
I zipped the bag and stood it up on the floor, taking a seat in its place. Our hands were locked together. “Promise you’ll take care of Ty if something goes wrong.”
She took residence in close proximity to me. “Nothing’s going to go wrong.” She was all smiles and seemed too happy for the depth of my concern.
“Just promise.” I raised my brow at her.
“Fine, I promise. I know Ty will be the best big brother or sister to our baby, even when you’re still around.”
I paused for a moment, realizing what she’d said. “A baby? You’re pregnant?”
She squealed.
I echoed her.
“Yes, it’s very early, and we’re keeping it on the down low, but I wanted you to know and have something happy to think about today.”
“I love you. This is such fabulous news. Congratulations, Momma. How far along?”
“About eight weeks from my last calculation. What about you? Did you start your period?”
“No, but I know it’s just stress. We were careful, and two tests were negative, so I’m not worried.”
She studied my face for a moment. “I know you too well, and I bet you didn’t tell him.”
“God, no. That’s all he would need to go all controlling on me. Please don’t mention anything to him. I’ll tell you about all this past week in the car.”
I checked on Ty and Oliver, both still asleep. I so wanted to be a mom to Oliver. He was such a sweet boy and craved attention from me, but I had to be careful and make sure he didn’t get hurt in the process, just like Ty.
I left a quiet kiss on Ty’s hand, remnants of my lipstick marking the spot, something I’d been doing since he was born. When he got old enough to talk, he called it his “Love Stamp.”
I wiped a tear away from my cheek and joined Shawna in the car.
Even though the surgery was on my eye, the nurses still made me put on the sexy hospital gown with nothing on under it. Shawna and I had a laugh as I modeled the couture medical attire.
“Ian would love it. I think you should try it out on him and play doctor.” She giggled.
The heavily frosted glass door slid open. “Did I hear my name?”
God, I loved to see him in scrubs. Complete sex on sticks—long muscular legs in form fitting fabric that only enhanced what nature had given him.
He leaned in to give me a kiss. “What’s so funny?”
“The sexy gown. She said I should…oh gosh, never mind. How’d your case go?”
He winked. He must’ve heard her. “It went fine.” His phone started buzzing in his pocket.
“Briggs,” he answered quietly. “I’ll call you right back.” He laced our fingers together. “I need to discuss my patient. I’ll step out, but I won’t go far, okay?”
“Go, I’m okay.”
He kissed my lips again and darted out of the room.
Shawna scooted her chair close. “You’re in love with him,” she gasped.
Our eyes met. “I care for him deeply, but let’s give it time.”
She patted my hand. “You’re going to be fine, he’s—“
The nurse slid the door open. “Ms. Peterson, the doctor asked me to recheck some of your history. When was your last menstrual period?”
I looked at Shawna and back to the nurse. “Late November or early December.”
She rolled her eyes. “Have you confirmed a pregnancy?”
“No. My doctor did a test two weeks ago, and it was negative. It’s not uncommon for me to skip.”
She held a chart in her hand. “Have you been sexually active since that last cycle?”
I took a deep breath. I supposed it was her business, but gah, the question was always so invasive. “Yes, ma’am.”
She wrote something on the board in the room. “He’ll get another test ordered just to be sure. Be right back.”
I closed my eyes and let my mind wonder at all the possibilities. Would Ty understand about a baby? How would I begin to explain it to him? And there was Oliver and Ian. Crap, how could something like this happen with such shitty timing?
Ian. He’d taught me so much about myself. Our week had been nothing short of amazing, and the stolen moments we’d shared during that time had been beautifully tender and so very special.
I opened my eyes to see Ian in the corner of the room by the sliding glass door, just staring at me. He must’ve slipped in when the nurse left. I couldn’t read him at all. I looked over at Shawna, and she was rubbing her finger back and forth over her lower lip, darting her eyes from mine to his and back. She sensed his intense glare as well.
“I’m not an idiot, Chelsie. I was outside in the hallway and heard the nurse order a pregnancy test on room number nineteen. You’re in room nineteen.” He paused and pointed to the board where it said “HCG HOLD” in big red letters. “This means they need to confirm you’re not pregnant before they’ll do a surgery. Why didn’t you tell me? I have every right to know.”
Everyone in the surgery wing had a right to know, I supposed, by the way his voice was so angry and loud. My body vibrated.
I sat up straight in bed. “Because I’m not pregnant. I haven’t had a p
eriod in a couple of months, but we were careful, and my tests were negative. You’ll see you’re overreacting.”
The color had drained from his tanned skin. If he hadn’t taken a seat quickly, I felt certain he would’ve fainted. He rolled over to me on the small medical stool. His reaction told me he wasn’t happy about the possibilities. It was a bit unsettling to me, but I wasn’t going to publicly deal with his emotions—I had my own.
I watched as one-by-one he chewed the cuticles on his nails. It was something I’d never seen him do before. Right then, I realized he wasn’t ready for what we’d been doing.
His actions diminished the way I felt about him.
While a baby would’ve meant a miracle in my life, I already had one child who’s father rarely offered to complete the circle of life with our son and be the mentor he needed. I didn’t want that for another child, regardless of my private longing to fill my empty wound and heal the hole in my heart.
His nostrils flared. “How could you let this happen?”
He was putting the blame on me?
“Wow, you’re commitment to me lasted all of five minutes.”
He refused to make eye contact.
“Ian, you’re a doctor and you’re asking me that question? You know, I don’t need this right now. I crave a man that’s willing to stand tall with me and be on the same page about us and life and—embrace everything. Since you’re obviously not capable of doing that, you need to get out. Please, just get out of my room and get the fuck out of my life.” My arms flung about in the air like a peacock frilling her feathers, almost ripping the IV needle from my vein. “I need someone who supports me in all endeavors, not blames me the minute the first hiccup comes along. All you’ve done is turn my world upside down.”
He didn’t move.
“I said, GET. THE. FUCK. OUT.” I left no question about the rest of the department hearing my command.
Ian’s shoulders dropped, but he offered up not a single defense for himself.
Conflicted on 5th: A 5th Avenue Romance Novel, Book One (5th Avenue Romance Series 1) Page 15
