“How about some melon and a glass of milk with your pizza?” I asked Cheyanne as I plated the pizza and set the table.
“Yummy,” she said as she helped me set everything out.
I was slicing the melon into small chunks when Gage returned. He put the bags into our bedroom and came back out in sweats and an oversized tee, looking good enough to eat.
“After dinner we gotta get a quick bath and go straight to bed. Okay, kiddo?”
“Otay, Daddy,” Cheyanne said with a yawn. She had a busy night, and I knew the exhaustion would settle in once her belly was full.
She quietly finished her dinner, which wasn’t like her, but I attributed it to tonight’s events and didn’t think too much about it.
Gage gave her a bath while I cleaned up the dinner dishes and wiped down the kitchen and table. I grabbed Gage’s surprises out of my purse before I went into our bedroom to get ready for bed. Laying the items on the nightstand, I changed into some silk pajama pants with a matching shirt and sat down on Cheyanne’s bed to wait for them to get out of the bathroom.
Moments later, they both appeared. Cheyanne held a brush in her hand and held it out to me after she climbed into bed. I remembered as a child loving when my mother would brush my hair. It soothed all the aches away from the day. I brushed all the tangles from her ends before I started at the top of her head and gently brushed through her beautiful brown locks.
“Don’t forget to feed Nemo before we tuck you in,” I reminded her. She made her fish face as she climbed out the bed and pinched the food into her hand. Gage helped her open the lid, and she dropped the tiny pieces into the tank.
“Night, Nemo,” she said with a yawn. Gage and I followed suit in the yawns, their contagiousness striking yet again once the first one was finished.
“Night, sweetie,” I whispered as I kissed the top of her head and tucked the blankets around her tiny frame once her head was laid on the pillow.
“Night, Mommy,” she whispered, shutting her eyes and snuggling into the blankets.
“Night, kiddo,” Gage said before he leaned in to give her a kiss of his own.
“Night, Daddy,” she mumbled, almost half asleep before he stood and we left the room.
I held my excitement in as we walked the short distance to our bedroom and shut the door behind us. My luggage sat off to the right side of the room. Unpacking it all would be a chore within itself with our busy schedules, but I’d get it done and might even ask Cheyanne for her assistance to make her feel even more included in this decision than she already was.
Gage looked exhausted as he pulled back the covers and slid into bed. He turned on the monitor and shut off his lamp as I sat down on the bed, giddy with excitement to share my surprise.
“Did you forget about something?” I asked with a sly smile as he turned to face me.
“Your surprise. I did forget,” he replied as he sat up in the bed, the covers slowly sliding down his body and pooling around his lap.
“Well, I want to say that I had this planned out even before tonight’s turn of events so I hope you know that even if everything hadn’t turned out the way it did, I’d have made this choice regardless.”
“Okay...” His eyes searched mine for a hint as to what the surprise entailed.
I handed him the piece of paper that I’d folded in half while at the office.
He held the paper in his hand for a second before he unfolded it and looked down to read its contents.
“You did it.” He seemed in shock as he read the words repeatedly just to make sure what the paper read was true.
“I did. You’re now looking at the official Mrs. Rivers.”
I’d gone down to the social security administration to change my name and then went to the DMV to get the name switched on my license. I’d change everything else soon, but for now, I wanted this gesture to show him that I meant what I said—I wasn’t going anywhere.
“You’re being very quiet. I can go and…”
“The hell you are. I’m just trying to make sure this isn’t a dream. I wanted this more than I let on, and you doing it so soon just caught me off guard. Damn, Avery. You’re full of surprises tonight, aren’t you?”
He had no clue I was about to show him one more. He fell right into the plan I had when he grabbed my hands within his and pulled me in for a kiss.
“What did you?” he started to ask after he pulled away and looked down at our hands.
“I wanted to make it official.” I went out after I’d ran those two errands and picked out a wedding band for him. It didn’t matter to me that I didn’t have one, but I wanted to show him in the last way I could think of that we were in a serious, committed relationship.
He held up his hand to look over the ring that I’d just strategically placed on his left ring finger.
I knew he didn’t like flashy items, so when I went shopping, I knew that I wanted something that would fit him and his personality. I also knew that he wouldn’t want me to spend a fortune. Based on how he downplayed his wealth, I went with a band that suited his personality.
Tungsten is a one of the hardest metals, and the wedding bands are durable and strong. Even though he worked in an office, the black metal band would withstand the test of time.
He stared down at the band on his left hand, not saying a word.
“I guessed at your size, and it appears I guessed right.” The band fit perfectly over his knuckle and wasn’t too tight over the bottom of his hand.
Still, he didn’t speak.
“Tungsten is a strong metal. I wanted you to have something as strong as this relationship will become over time. Our bond and love will continue to grow and will withstand the happiest and toughest of times. This ring signifies the start of our journey, not the last of it. I promise that I will cherish you, grow with you, fight with you only to make up with you, and I’ll stand by you for the rest of our lives.”
“Son of a bitch,” he whispered, breaking out of his trance. Our knees had been touching one second. The next I was on my back, staring up at Gage. His eyes full of passion as he stared down at me. He pulled my hands from my sides to above my head, linking our fingers. He held me there, the coolness from the metal of his ring against the middle of two of my fingers.
“You know how to gut a man, bring him to his knees. You have no idea what hearing those words has done to me. I’ve always wanted commitment and a family, and in one night you’ve managed to give me everything I’ve ever wanted. You agreeing to be Cheyanne’s mommy gutted me to my core, brought every emotion to the forefront of my mind with the visions I’ve had of finding someone who would love my child and accept her as one of her own. You agreeing to move in with me was the icing to top that cake. But now, you giving me this ring, showing me you’re in it for the long haul… woman, you just made me harder than I’ve ever been in my entire life. Who knew a wedding band would have this reaction? I didn’t, but dammit if I don’t want this feeling to end. You won’t regret any of those promises. That I can promise you,” he confessed. I tried to break free of his hold to wrap my arms around him, but he didn’t relent. His hands gripped mine even harder before his mouth descended upon mine. He gave me the kiss that promised me the future I’d always wanted. Our mouths tested and tasted one another’s. Gage pulled back causing me to lean as far forward as I could to get his lips back on mine, but I couldn’t reach him. Opening my eyes, I saw Gage staring down at me, his chest moved up and down mirroring mine.
“What?”
“You’ve made me the luckiest man alive today.”
Before I could respond, he let go of one of my hands and pulled up my tank top, wrapping it around my wrists. I’d never allowed a man to restrain me, but the look in Gage’s eyes told me to trust him.
He pulled down my pants and underwear, tossing them over the side of the bed.
Reaching over to the nightstand, he pulled out a foil packet, pulled down his sweats and boxers just enough to pull out his hard me
mber, and covered himself before settling between my thighs.
He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it in the direction he’d tossed my clothes. His sweatpants were still covering his lower half. He didn’t bother fully removing them before he pushed himself inside of me.
“You’re fucking mine. No one else’s. Mine,” he gritted out between his teeth as he began to move.
He was raw.
Passionate.
Demanding as he kissed his way down my neck to my breasts.
Roughly, he pulled my nipple into his mouth and bit down just enough to cause pain along with pleasure. My pussy clenched around him the second the hardened peak was in between his teeth.
Damn him. Nothing compared to this.
I moved my hips, not caring how frantic and desperate I was for the friction. I sought out my release as I ground my core into him with every thrust he made.
“That’s right, baby. Move just like that. Fuck, you feel so damn good,” he grunted as he moved faster and faster inside of me.
He was rougher than our previous encounters, but I wanted this with Gage. I wanted the passion and the unhinged roughness that I’d only read about in romance novels. And boy did Gage deliver. Every time he thrust inside of me and I moved my hips, he’d pause just enough to circle his hips to match my movements, giving me double the friction.
“I’m so close, Gage. Please,” I begged for the release only he could give me.
“I know what you want. What you need. But I’m not ready to give it to you just yet.”
He slowed his movements, causing me to groan in frustration and him to moan in satisfaction.
“What’s wrong, my sweet Avery? You want more?” he taunted as he nipped the lobe of my ear with his teeth.
“Yes. More,” I moaned as he swiveled his hips just enough to cause a hint of friction that I craved.
“Your wish is my command,” he warned as he moved. Faster and faster. Harder and harder.
He pushed his body off mine just enough for him to move his hand down my torso in the direction of the center of my thighs.
“Is this what you need, Avery?” he whispered as the tip of his thumb met my throbbing clit.
“Yes,” I all but screamed out.
He applied just the right amount of pressure, but didn’t move his thumb. His hips, however, kept up the unrelenting torment. With each thrust, his thumb moved slightly, but not enough.
Damn him for being a tease.
Couldn’t he tease me later? Now, I just wanted the release.
“Dammit, Gage. Please,” I begged and tried to move my arms, but he held them down with the other hand. His fingers gripped around my wrists and finally. Finally, he moved his thumb just the way I liked.
I felt my orgasm building throughout my entire body. The tingles started first. My toes curled second. My hips moved of their own accord, seeking out what Gage could provide.
And then I detonated around him, letting out a scream of pleasure.
“Motherfuck,” Gage groaned as he pounded into me harder than he ever had before.
He stilled moments later, and I felt him pulsing inside of me as he filled the condom with his release.
I couldn’t move. He’d paralyzed me with pleasure.
“Dammit, woman. Holy shit,” Gage said as he tried to regain his composure enough to move.
I smiled up at him. Knowing I’d pleasured him in this way did something to my libido. If I wasn’t so tired, I’d be up for another round.
He kissed the tip of my nose before he removed my arms from the confines of the tank top.
“Mine,” he said before he pulled himself out of me and rolled onto his side of the bed.
Damn straight I was his. Just as he was mine.
Chapter 16
The next morning, I woke up just before my alarm clock was set to go off to the feeling of someone staring at me. I opened my eyes to find Cheyanne leaning on the bed with her head resting on her arms.
“Good morning, sweetie. Are you okay?” I asked, sitting up and reaching over to shut off the alarm clock.
Gage shifted in the bed beside me but didn’t wake.
“I just wanted to make sure you here,” she said, pulling at my heart strings.
“I sure am. I’m not going anywhere, okay?” I told her as I moved the covers off my body and sat up.
I lifted her into my arms and settled her into my lap.
“You believe me?”
She nodded and yawned, not used to being up this early.
“How about I take you to get dressed and we make some breakfast? Does that sound good?”
Again, she nodded, then rested her head on my shoulder.
I carried her into her room and grabbed a pair of jeans and a top from her dresser. She helped me in getting her dressed then we fed Nemo before leaving her bedroom.
“You want braids this morning?”
That suggestion got her excited as she bounced down the hall into the bathroom.
I braided her hair in two French braids and put orange bows in her hair to match one of the colors in her shirt.
“Thank you,” she said before she wrapped her little arms around my leg.
“You’re very welcome. You want eggs for breakfast?”
When she had agreed, we went into the kitchen. She sat at the island and watched me cook the eggs and make a pot of much needed coffee.
Gage called for us down the hall, and I called back letting him know where we were.
“Good morning, beautifuls,” he said, walking into the kitchen, giving us each a kiss on our cheeks.
“Good morning, handsome,” I said as I made him a cup of coffee and handed it over to him.
“Did Avery do your hair this morning?”
“It’s Mommy,” Cheyanne corrected, and I bit back a laugh.
“Yes, ma’am. So, did Mommy braid your hair this morning?”
“Yep. You like it?”
“No. I love it,” Gage told her as he rubbed his hand down the back of her head.
“You mess it up,” Cheyanne told him as she shifted away from him.
“Sorry, kiddo,” Gage said with laughter in his tone.
We let her eat at the island on one of the barstools. Gage sat close enough to her to make sure she didn’t fall while she ate the eggs and a couple strawberries I cut up for her.
“I’m going to go get in the shower really quick. When I get out, do you want to help me pick out what I’m going to wear?” I asked Cheyanne who told me she did with a mouth full of food.
“I’ll come and get you when I’m done,” I informed her before I left the kitchen.
Gage grabbed me by my arm and pulled me next to him.
“You’re amazing,” he said before he leaned up and kissed me.
“I know,” I said with a giggle as I pulled back and left the room.
Ten minutes later, I was showered and left the master bathroom with one towel wrapped around my body and another wrapped around my hair.
Cheyanne sat on the bed in our bedroom as Gage got dressed in a charcoal gray suit and white shirt. The tie he picked out to wear lay on the bed. The beautiful blue and gray pattern paired perfectly with the color of the suit and the blue in his eyes.
“What should I wear today?” I asked Cheyanne who fidgeted on the bed.
“I got it out you bag already,” she told me.
“You did. Show me what you picked.”
She jumped off the bed and walked over to one of my bags that was unzipped and had clothes strewn around it.
A blue wrap dress that I hadn’t even worn yet lay on top of the bag. She picked it up and bounced back in the direction where I stood.
“This one?”
“Yeah. Dat one!” She beamed as she handed me the silky material.
“Okay. How about we have Daddy go turn on some cartoons for you to watch while we get dressed. Then you can come back in here and watch me fix my hair,” I suggested, not feeling comfortable just yet
to dress in front of her.
Gage followed Cheyanne down the hall while I searched the bags for undergarments. I’d put on my panties and bra before Gage came back into the room, shutting the door behind him.
“You are a sight to behold,” he whispered as he came up behind me and kissed my shoulder.
“Thank you.”
He pulled back and finished buttoning his shirt while I pulled the tags off the dress and slid the material over my head.
“Holy shit,” Gage mumbled.
“What? Is something wrong with this dress?”
“Hell no. Everything is oh so right with that dress. Every curve you have is emphasized, and I’m the lucky bastard who gets to call you mine.”
I loved his possessive nature and the way he was proud to call me his.
“Well then. You should thank Cheyanne for picking this out for me today,” I laughed as I made sure the bow was tied on the side.
I pulled a pair of nude heels out of another bag and sat them on the floor, slipping my feet inside.
Gage mumbled something that sounded like damn heels before he grabbed his tie and left the room. I couldn’t help but laugh as I placed a pair of sterling silver hoops in my ears. I grabbed the toiletry bag that held most of what I needed and went into the bathroom. Cheyanne joined me and watched as I scrunched up my hair and sprayed the curl-defining spray through my hair. I placed the diffuser on my hair dryer and turned it on to get the moisture out of my hair. Just before it was fully dry, I shut off the hair dryer and sat it down on the counter.
“You pretty,” Cheyanne said from her place on the counter beside me.
“Thank you. You’re beautiful too, sweetie,” I told her as I rubbed my finger down the length of her nose.
Quickly, I put on some mascara and lip gloss finishing my look for the day.
“You ready to go with Gigi today?” I asked her as I placed her on my hip and walked out of the bedroom.
Gage’s mom stood in the entryway talking with Gage as we entered the room.
“Good morning, kiddo,” his mom said to Cheyanne as she squirmed to get off my hip and go over to her.
The Right Mistake Page 12
