"Open wide."
"I don't need to be fed."
"Actually you do. That stay in the hospital caused you to lose too much of your hips and ass. So what the hell am I going to hold onto while you're riding me, if we don't get your weight back up?"
"Ha. Ha."
I'm not kidding.
"Was the food gross or something?"
"I was asleep most of the time, so I didn't spend much time eating. Are you saying I look bad?"
I look at her like she's crazy because she is. Elizabeth Hill has never had a bad looking day in her life.
"You need to eat for the baby. Speaking of my baby. How exactly did we get into this predicament?"
I rub my palm across her abdomen.
"I'm pretty sure you know how we managed to get in the family way. You were there. Repeatedly."
"I'm also pretty sure you told me you were on the pill."
She snaps her eyes up to mine. "Are you angry?"
A flash of worry crosses her face.
"Of course not. I'm just curious as to how we created this human being when I've seen you pop your pill practically every morning."
"I may have skipped a few pills a while back when my prescription ran out. I thought I'd be fine as long as I got back on track a few days later. Honestly I thought my system was so flooded with birth control hormones that missing a few days wouldn't make a difference."
"Did you ever think about not having it?"
"Never." She looks like she wants to slit my throat right now. "Is that what you want?"
"Calm down, mama bear. I'm just trying to see where your head is at about all of this. You've got a lot going on, and you've never talked about wanting kids. You can't blame me for being a little surprised by it all."
"I haven't talked about kids before?"
"Not in a positive way."
"Well I suppose I'm a little afraid of the sticky little troublemakers, especially when I'm barely an adult myself, but getting rid of our baby was never a consideration. Listen, I know I've just complicated what is already a pretty complicated relationship between us but–"
She sounds like she's apologizing.
Shit.
I didn't mean to put her on the defensive, so I cut her off.
"It's not complicated. I mean it is, but it doesn't have to be. I admit that I don't know shit about raising a kid. I'll also admit that I never seriously considered bringing kids into this world because of who I am, what I come from, and what I do for a living, but all that's changed now. I want this baby. I want our baby."
That puts a beautiful smile on her face, and I can't help but reach out and finger a few strands of her hair. I've missed her so fucking much. Talking to her. Touching her. But I better let go of her hair, because I can't help but think about how I'd rather be pulling back on it, while I'm deeply rooted inside of her.
She's got one good leg, asshole. Get control of yourself.
"Have you talked to Joseph?" she asks, which breaks through my lust filled daze.
"No."
"Why not?"
"He knows I took the letter. He's probably waiting for me to call him and curse him out about it."
"And you haven't?"
"I've been a little preoccupied."
"Worrying about me?" She grins.
"Every single moment of every single day. Here, take another bite for me."
I feed Elizabeth another forkful of her salad. It's important that I shove as many veggies and healthy proteins I can down her throat so that my baby will overcome being jostled around and scared to death by the car accident. I don't care what those doctors say. I'm sure my little bambina or bambino was scared as shit inside of there.
I also feed her to stop myself from doing what I really want to do, and that's to move in between her legs and never leave. I can't get her pussy off of my brain. My horny ass is already sitting here planning how I'm going to need to strategically position her, so that she can receive all of my cock without getting hurt. It's going to be tricky to get around this neon yellow leg cast she's wearing, but if anyone can figure out how to get it done, it's me. I'm highly fucking motivated.
"We have a lot to talk about, Roman."
"So talk."
I want us to put everything on the table, so that we can get past it and get on to the making up part.
"I don't see how I can work with Blake, now that you've beaten him to a pulp."
"I agree." I smirk. "There's no way you can work with him now."
"I'm not kidding."
I sigh. She doesn't get the humor I guess.
"He seems to be taking it rather well if you ask me. Over here for a holiday lunch with your family. Buying you expensive Christmas gifts with my fucking money."
"Seriously!?"
"I paid his bills, AND I gave the prick extra. So yeah, seriously. He bought you a fucking laptop with my money."
"You've got some nerve. He wouldn't need your money if you hadn't broke his frackin' jaw."
"All right, all right. Maybe the money comment was a cheap shot, but I'm serious when I tell you that he doesn't give two shits about making School Bucks a household name. All he wants is to get in your pants."
"I'm flattered that you think I have this universal sex appeal, but I thought that we were in agreement that you're a bit over the top with it."
"What agreement? We're talking for the first time in weeks, and I told you in the hospital that I wasn't sorry that I beat Blake's ass. I meant that shit. He deserved it. He said some very foul shit to me while you were fighting for your life–"
"I wasn't dying, Roman. Stop being dramatic."
"He wants you, and he can't have you. He seemed to need some clarity on the topic, so I gave it to him. I'm just sorry that your parents had to see it. So really you should admit that not everything I tell you comes from a place of insane jealousy, and that I actually know a lot more about the deviant nature of people, especially men. I knew early on, maybe even before he knew himself, that Blake was interested in you."
I lower her injured leg on the floor and pull her chair in even closer towards me.
"I don't blame him for wanting your pretty ass, but he picked the wrong woman to crush on."
"So you want me to fire him?" she asks distracted by my intimate proximity.
"Is he still working for you?" I feed her a little more salad. "Chew."
"I think so," she says with a mouthful of salad. I push a spinach leaf that's sticking out of the corner of her mouth back inside with my finger.
"Would you fire him?" I ask with my face now in the crook of her neck.
She swallows. "Would you fire Jade?"
"What's she got to do with this?" I ask a little defensively.
"She basically blackmailed me."
Oh yeah, that.
"I talked to her. I made it very clear that she overstepped her boundaries, and it won't happen again."
"A conversation and it's taken care of, huh?"
"Yep."
"Okay, well Blake is now very much aware that I am pregnant with our love child, so even if what you say about him is true, I don't think we have to worry about any issues with him in the future. So can we both agree that both of those topics are settled and off the table?"
"All this bargaining and negotiating is turning me on, Duchess."
"You can't be serious right now."
"Very." I assure her while pulling her in the last few inches that I can without spreading her bum leg too far. I really wish that she could sit on me and straddle my waist, but I'm being greedy at this point.
"My leg–"
"Is easy to work around."
"Wait, I'm not done talking," she says as I wrap my hand around the base of her neck and pull her in for a long, overdue kiss. Taking great care not to jostle her leg.
"I'm listening," I whisper by her ear after my momentary exploration of her mouth.
"I don't want to ask but–"
"Then don't ask," I say while
licking and lightly sucking along her neck.
"I have to."
I already know what she wants to know, and I don't want to talk about that shit. Ever. I don't even want her thinking about it.
"What, Duchess?"
I brush my fingertips lightly across the tops of her breasts. I figure my best offense is to distract her as much as possible.
"What happened with Ethan?"
I ignore the question and rub my knuckles lightly across her right nipple. Her saying his name out loud actually makes me want to bite her damn nipple.
"If I never hear that name for the rest of my life it would be too soon."
"What. Happened." She insists.
I exhale heavily in annoyance more than anything. Even as she arches her breasts into my touch, she's not going to drop the shit. So I might as well get it over with, so I can get back to what I'd rather be doing.
"Your safety is my number one priority, Elizabeth."
"I realize that."
"So you think I could let go the fact that those two were planning on using you to get to me? Maybe blackmail you or kidnap you? Maybe even rape you. I don't know what the fuck they had planned, but I couldn't let that shit stand, Elizabeth. Just the possibility of what could have happened is too much for me to bear. You feel me?" I ask through flared nostrils.
"Yes, but–"
"I promise you that I can live with what had to be done, and if you're going to be with me for the long haul, you're going to have to learn to accept that there is shit you're never going to get all the details on. That's just how I do things. I deal with all the dirty, and then I sink myself inside of you and make myself clean again."
I know this is going to be difficult for her to let go. Maybe I need to tell her something. Anything, so I can end this conversation for good.
"Now can we stop talking about this?"
"Are they ... still breathing?"
"And what if they weren't? How would you feel about that?"
"Well ... I'd be worried about you. The last thing I need is the father of my child locked up."
"Then it's a good thing you don't have to worry about that."
"Really?"
"Really. Are we good now?"
She takes a minute to consider everything I've said. I've tried to assure her without really having to commit to an answer either way. I think I've succeeded based on the expression on her face.
"Yeah, we're good."
"Good. Now finish this last bite, so I can put you to bed. Both my girls need their rest."
"Both of your girls? Uh-uh, we're having a boy, and he's going to grow up to be just like his stubborn father."
I laugh out loud.
"Let's make a bet." I challenge.
"What kind of bet?"
"If we find out that we're having a boy, I'll grant one wish for you. Anything you want, and I won't give you any shit about it."
"Okay and if it's a girl?"
"You'll grant one for me. Anything I want."
"No ménage," she warns.
"No ménage," I say with heavy laughter as I recall my hysterical exchange with the Glamazon.
"What's so funny?" she asks suspiciously as I lift her up in my arms, and grab her jacket, handbag, and crutches to help her walk towards the front door. "Wait, where are you taking me?"
"Exactly where you belong, baby. Home with me and Mr. Tibbs."
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
ELIZABETH
It's New Year's Eve and I've been holed up in Roman's penthouse for several days eating some of my favorite foods, binge watching Walking Dead episodes, and getting ready to release School Bucks' latest update in the app store. It sucks to be stuck in the house during the holidays, but I couldn't have wished for a better place to become an invalid. Roman makes sure that I have everything that I need, even before I realize that I want it for myself. Food, drinks, pillows, my Kindle, my laptop. He's the perfect host.
Unfortunately that's about all he is. A perfect host. He hasn't touched me except for a few chaste kisses that have done nothing but made me angry ... and horny. A few days ago he couldn't keep his hands off of me, but now nothing. I think my visiting nurse must have gotten into his head, and convinced him that I was some sort of fragile porcelain doll. I'm going to fire her and fix his ass soon enough.
I get a text message on my new cell phone (one of my many Christmas gifts from Roman) alerting me that a package has been delivered. My new cell is a private number added as a second line to his main account, so I haven't had many calls. My parents, Sloan, and Juliette.
Almost twenty-four hours after I texted Blake that I'd be working from Roman's house for a while, he sent me a long email explaining how he has suddenly decided to recuperate back in Washington Falls and will do freelance work from there. He finished my latest update, uploaded it to the cloud, and basically told me to have a fantastic life. I haven't told Roman yet. I'm not in the mood for how elated the news is going to make him, especially because I'm not totally happy about it. I'm out one amazing coder and possibly a friend.
"Roman," I call out to the man who refuses to leave my side, much less leave the house.
"Yeah, babe."
"I've got a package downstairs. Can you get it?"
"I'll have Darren bring it up."
Darren is the building's doorman.
"All right." I roll my eyes to myself. He won't even leave to get a package. He thinks I may roll out of bed and bump my head or something. Talk about overprotective. Good grief.
"Your box is here."
Roman tosses the box next to me on the bed.
"What is it?" he asks curiously.
"I'm sick of these bird baths the nurse has been giving me. I want a real shower."
I open the box and pull out a seal tight cast protector that I bought on Amazon.
"It says that it will cover and keep my cast completely dry. I'll be able to get in the shower. Or better yet, I can even take a bath." I bat my eyelashes in an exaggerated fashion.
"Not in my tub. The sides are too high. You might hurt yourself getting in or out."
Seriously?
"You can help me get in and out."
"Still too dangerous."
"I'd have to stand in the shower though. Isn't that a hazard as well?"
"No. I have a waterproof stool you can use in the shower."
I roll my eyes.
"Fine."
"Does Raina know how to put this thing on?" he asks while examining the plastic package.
Raina is that damn visiting nurse Roman has hired to come three times a week to check on me, and that's only because I talked him out of having her come everyday.
"Raina? I'm not waiting until tomorrow to take a shower. You can help me."
I laugh a little to myself, because Roman makes an expression like he'd rather swallow nails than help me in the shower. He's been trying to avoid looking at or touching my naked body for days.
"Elizabeth," he warns.
"What?" I act clueless.
"Why can't you wait for Raina? You just had a bird bath this morning. You're totally clean."
"There's nothing totally clean about a bird bath, and I'm not bringing in the new year dirty."
"You're hardly dirty," he says dismissively.
"You want me to call Juliette over then?"
There's no way Roman would want Juliette and Joseph to think that he wasn't taking the best care of me. I knew I had him with that. I think that something Joseph said to him during their little lunch messed with his head. That might not have been the best idea Juliette and I came up with. He refuses to ask for their help with anything.
"Fuck," he says in a defeated voice. "All right. You get undressed, and I'll start the shower. Don't try and walk. When you're ready, I'll come and get you. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
It doesn't get past me that Roman has to adjust the rather large bulge swelling inside of his sweats after hearing me respond with the word sir.<
br />
After stripping off my sweats, it only takes me a few minutes to figure out how to pull the plastic protector over my cast. It's actually quite ingenious. There's a rubber gasket at the top of the protector that creates a watertight seal around my thigh.
I think I hear a few indiscernible curse words when Roman comes back to grab me for the shower. He bends over the bed, and lifts me up as if I weigh two pounds, then walks me inside of the bathroom. I'm pretty sure he tries to stealthily take a whiff of my neck.
Roman's master bath is gorgeous. It's covered completely in creme Italian tile with caramel colored veining. The shower is huge and spans the entire length of one side of the bathroom. There's a large showerhead that hangs from the ceiling and the water falls like gentle rainfall. Then there's another showerhead strategically placed on the opposite wall which is tilted to spray directly on your body and pulses like a therapeutic massage.
The size of the room, the multiple shower heads, and the attention to detail makes his bathroom feel very much like one you'd see in a five star hotel or a spa, and it's one of my favorite rooms in his apartment. So relaxing, especially once it fills with steam.
"I'm going to sit you on this stool. See it has a wide seat and short, stubby legs. I'm leaning your crutches right here. Your bodywash is on the table. Use the handheld sprayer to wash yourself. Don't try and stand up for anything. Call me if you need to reach something, and call me when you're finished."
"And where in the ham sandwich do you think you're going?" I demand to know.
"I'll be right next door in the bedroom if you need me. I have a few calls to make, but I'll keep the door open. You enjoy your shower, baby."
Oh for Pete's sake! He is being so infuriating.
"Roman."
"What."
"Are you just going to let me take a shower by myself with a broken leg and a baby in my belly? What the hell."
More expletives under his breath and a sigh later, he starts getting undressed; and just the sight of him getting undressed to come into the shower with me is making me salivate.
What's so beautiful about Roman is that he doesn't even have to try hard. There's just the way that he moves in this world, with hard edges and confident swagger that makes me wet every single solitary time that I'm near him. I'm actually waiting for this effect he has on me to finally wear off, because there's nothing more annoying than sitting around in soaked underwear all the damn time. Luckily today I'm already undressed and under a stream of water.
The Cousins Series Boxed Set Page 60
