“If you keep kissing me like that, you might scare them away,” she teased and licked his mouth, slowly and seductively sending hot rush of heat through his body.
He grinned. They had to get the hell out of here. Now.
“Let's try.” He kissed her again, this time sliding his leg between her legs, taking in Cece’s low moan and enjoying every one of her curves that fit perfectly adjacent to him. She was perfect. They were perfect...together.
But their kiss was cut short by loud commotion behind them. Honestly, Avery had let his family watch him profess his love to Cece...they couldn't give them a few minutes before dragging in the attention of the McAdams?
Avery and Cece’s heads both lazily turned toward the bustle at the door. Avery didn't want to, but he enjoyed the way Cece rested her head against his, like she didn’t want to part either. He could stay with his arms wrapped around her like this forever. Cece was the woman that Avery was going to spend the rest of his life with.
As Avery’s eyes took in the scene unfolding, he saw Violet pull open the double doors for Marc, who went running out and down the hall. Running. That was Avery’s first indication that something wasn’t right. It wasn’t just the usual loud, joking laughter of his family...and they were a loud crowd...that sent Avery red flags. Avery’s family was in a panic, moving around the floor like they didn’t know what to do and all of the uproar revolved around Peyton.
“Peyton...” Avery took Cece’s hand and led her across the ballroom. “What’s going on?” he asked, going straight to Peyton’s side.
Peyton grabbed Avery’s arm and he felt whatever weight Colt wasn’t supporting on him. “I’m not ready,” she said. “Oh, good Lord, I am not ready.” She stopped walking and her fingers tightened around Avery’s arm.
“What the hell is happening?” Avery asked.
Kate came up behind him and hit his other shoulder, as though Peyton wasn’t inflicting enough pain on him. “She’s in labor, you dork.”
She’s in labor? She’s in labor!
“We have to get her to the hospital,” Avery announced, as if the thought hadn’t crossed all their minds. He joined the McAdams panic.
The only person who seemed to have it together was Kate. She stepped in front of Peyton, bending down in front of her hunched upper body. “Tell us when you are ready to go.” Her soothing voice calmed even Avery’s growing alarm.
However, it only seemed to anger Peyton. Her head whipped up and her eyes bore holes into sister. “Are you deaf? Are you missing your twin intuition? I said, I am not ready. I have a month before these little babes are due and I am not ready.”
Kate rubbed her shoulder. “Peyton, they’re coming now. You don’t have a choice, sweetie and you are ready. You have been ready for a long time. Everything is going to be fine. You are going to be great. Okay?”
Peyton’s hard stare softened. “Okay.”
“Marc has a car waiting for you at the lobby doors. Are you okay to walk?”
With Peyton’s nod they started to walk, but she stopped after three steps, turned and said, “Colt?”
Avery glanced at his brother-in-law and saw that Peyton wasn’t the only one who wasn’t ready.
“Colt?” Peyton pulled out of Avery’s grasp and he stepped back, feeling Cece’s fingers lace through his. “Hey.” The panic in Peyton’s voice vanished as she talked to Colt. “What’s going on?”
It amazed Avery that while his sister was in labor, the strength of her love for her husband to overlook her own worry to soothe his. That was exactly how Avery felt about Cece.
Colt spoke so low Avery had a hard time making him out. “I’m not ready,” he said. “What if something happens to the babies? To you? I just...the hospital...I can’t...”
Peyton’s hands cupped Colt’s face and pulled his head down against her. For a retired pro-hockey player who body-checked the competition and stood higher and wider than anyone in the room, he was quite terrified.
“Nothing is going to happen to any of us,” Peyton told him.
“You don’t know that,” Colt defended.
“You’re right. I don’t. But I know we have each other. Me and you. I know I can’t do this without you by my side. You’re scared Colt, and I’m scared too. But we are in this together. Remember?”
Colt nodded against Peyton, as Marc rolled a wheel chair into the ballroom. “Are we ready?” he asked.
Colt wheeled Peyton out of the ballroom, his family trailing behind not noticing that Avery held Cece back until they had emptied out.
He turned to her. “Are you okay?” he asked. Avery hadn’t had much time to think about how to approach this topic or whether he should ask or not, but his heart told him he couldn’t sit back quietly if Cece was suffering or hurting inside. Avery could skip the hospital and visit the twins when they were at home. “I know this is hard for you and if you want to stay behind, I reserved a room here, and we could−”
Cece stopped him. “No. I don’t want to stay behind and I don’t want you to miss this.” She gave him a quick kiss. “I love you even more, if that’s possible, for caring about me so much to offer. But, I don’t want you to miss your nieces or nephews birth because of me.”
“I don’t mind−”
Cece kissed him again. “Avery, let’s go.”
***
WHEN THEY ARRIVED at the hospital, the news about Peyton’s condition wasn’t good. One of the babies was breech, positioned the wrong way and Peyton was rushed into an emergency caesarean.
Cece was amazed at how this family came together in this time of distress, much reminding her of her parents...of a real family.
For almost two hours, everyone sat, stood or paced in the waiting room, in a combination of concern, worry and anxiousness that was contagious. Each emotion only intensified Cece’s feelings, and when she couldn’t sit another moment, she offered to get drinks. Everyone declined. Cece found a vending machine and dropped her coins in the slot.
Being at hospitals always made Cece’s heart speed up and her chest swell with a concoction of sadness and fear from the memories of her past. She had avoided hospitals as much as possible since the day she lost her baby. Today, being here and knowing anything could go wrong in that room with Peyton and her babies deepened the sensation. It was Avery that kept her from running out the front doors. How she wanted to run out the front doors.
Cece’s water thudded as it dropped to the bottom of the machine, startling her back from the idea that if she did leave no one would notice. She chugged the cold liquid down her dry throat.
Please let them all be okay.
She didn’t want to, but Cece couldn’t help think about her own daughter and how hard it had been to lose someone she’d never even met. Her eyes fell closed and she inhaled deeply, trying to keep the tears at bay. She would never bestow the pain of losing a child on anyone and prayed that the surgery went well and everyone came out healthy, including Peyton.
Cece felt Avery’s hands touch her arms. She knew it was him by the tenderness and love of his touch, even before he spoke. “Hey Babe.” How that greeting soothed her and excited her at the same time. “How are you doing?” he whispered in her ear.
Avery’s concern for Cece touched her deeper than he would ever know, especially when this visit to the hospital wasn’t about Cece. His sister was in surgery with one of the babies in distress and Avery still found time to ask Cece how she was doing. How did she find a man as wonderful as Avery?
Letting out her deep breath, Cece opened her eyes. She didn’t have to tell him that she wasn’t alright, Avery knew. He pulled her into his embrace and held her while her tears silently slid down her cheeks. Cece didn’t cry hard and loud, but soft and sad for everything that she had lost, for everything that was happening with Peyton and even a little happiness at having a man who loved her so much.
When she was left with no more tears, Cece moved away from Avery’s shoulder and again, he wiped the tears from her cheeks i
n that sensitive way he had at the resort.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I tried not to make this about me. I know you are worried about Peyton. I am too. But...it’s this place...it’s my past, and I told you I didn’t want you to bring up my past and here I am doing exactly that.”
Avery softly kissed her lips. “It’s a part of who you are, Cece. You don’t have to apologize to me for how you feel or where you feel it. I don’t want you to hide these things from me. We are a team.” He paused. “Do you want to go back to the resort?”
Cece shook her head. “No. I want to stay and make sure your family is good.”
“Our family.”
Cece smiled.
Our family. She liked the sound of that.
Abby called them.
Holding hands, they rushed back to the waiting room, where Avery’s family...their family...were making rounds, hugging each other, unable to contain their smiles and laughter of relief.
“They’re okay,” Abby said. “They’re all okay.” Abby caught Avery and Cece in one of her big hugs, wrapping her arms around both of them at the same time.
“What did she have?” Avery asked.
“You wanna go find out?” Abby asked.
***
PEYTON GAVE BIRTH to a healthy, beautiful baby boy and baby girl. Leighton and Landon Patterson, were born into this world just before midnight to thrilled parents.
Cece knew that even though the twin’s last name wasn’t McAdams, they would have the little wild, noisy streak in them and they would always be surrounded by the love of this huge family.
Because of the size of the group in the waiting room, they were each ushered into Peyton and Colt’s room only a few at a time. When it was Avery’s turn, he took Cece’s hand, silently asking her if she wanted to visit. When she nodded, they walked in together.
Leighton and Landon were tiny, adorable little bundles of joy that cried and stared at all the new faces with big, round, and curious dark eyes.
While they were being passed back and forth from Colt to Avery, Cece walked to the edge of Peyton’s bed. “Hi. They are beautiful,” she told her, glad that she could say those words, mean them and not have feelings of regret, jealousy or any other emotion besides joy for the new parents. “You’re beautiful. You’re glowing.”
Peyton rolled her eyes. “Thank you, but I’m sure you’re exaggerating to make me feel better. Look at me, my hair is a rat’s nest of frizz and I think I ruined my new dress.” Peyton had no idea how beautiful she looked. Her long chocolate hair was spilling down her glowing skin and the happiness in her eyes and her smile, lit her beautiful round face. “Look at my husband.” Cece glanced over as Colt, who was holding Leighton, swathed in a pink blanket with a knitted pink hat. Colt was having a babbling baby-talk conversation with his daughter that coming from a man of his size was comical...and cute. “He is a grown man and look at what our daughter has done to him.” Peyton laughed. “She already has him wrapped around her tiny little pinky.”
“It’s adorable,” Cece said.
“Yes, it is. Give me a hug.”
These McAdams and their hugging. Cece couldn’t help but smirk as she leaned in to hug the new mother. Peyton’s arm tightly gripped around Cece, not letting go. “You will learn quickly that I am very much like Abby, only with more years of maturity. Please don’t take offense, but thank you for being here today, with everything that has happened to you. It means the world to me to see how much you love my brother. And, when the time comes when you and Avery want children, there are a lot of options available to start your own family. We will all stand behind you both and support your decisions. You’re family now, Cece.”
When Cece left the hospital, it was the first time in years that sadness didn’t consume her. It felt amazing how being part of Leighton and Landon’s arrival had changed her outlook on a place that had sent terror through her in previous years.
Even more amazing was Avery’s super attentive compassion for Cece’s. When he should have been solely focused on welcoming his new niece and nephew, he shared that welcome by including Cece, and being careful and caring about her feelings. Cece couldn’t ask for a better man than the one that held her heart.
Being separated by the console on the ride back to the resort was torture. When Avery went to drape his arm around her back, to guide her across the parking lot, Cece wrapped her arms around his neck instead, and kissed him. Avery hadn’t been expecting the action, and he stumbled back, landing with his back against the car. However, his lips were ready, kissing her back like he had been feeling the strain of separation on the drive back. His lips demanded hers to open, parting with his tongue, to scoop into her mouth for a deepened kiss. His arms enclosed around her, and he partially lifted her, as he switched places, pressing her back against the car, and parting her legs around his body.
Cece wanted him. But they couldn’t do it here in the parking lot. In the car? No, that was juvenile...that didn’t stop from turning her on more.
“We should go inside,” Avery said, as if reading her thoughts.
“We should go in the car.”
Avery laughed. “As much as I like that idea...”
Cece licked his jawline. “I like that idea a lot.”
He chuckled and the action made her want to lick his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.
“I want your entire body,” he whispered in a husky, deep bedroom voice. “I want the room needed to enjoy your entire body. We’ve been stuck in a bunk, then in the cab of the bus. I want to explore this gorgeous body of yours.” Avery’s hand slid under her shirt and teased a slow, sinful trail of delight across her bare skin, over her lace bra, then laid flat on her chest. He kissed her neck and sucked her skin, making her legs weak. “Your racing heart tells me you want the same.”
“I want you,” she breathed.
“You can have all of me.”
Cece would hold him on that promise for the rest of their lives. Not a day was going to pass when she wouldn’t want this man, his body, his heart and the way he made her feel loved more than any person on this earth...all of him, forever.
***
AVERY HELD CECE’S hand like he was never going to let go of it. He had booked the room for two nights, so they could sleep all morning after he planned on staying up all night with her. They headed straight for the elevator. Their laughter and kisses distracted them all the way. Life with Cece felt magical.
Avery hit the arrow pointing up button.
Cece kissed him. “I don’t think I can wait until we get to our room,” she whispered against the side of his head, tugging on his ear lobe with her teeth and sending heat straight to the area under his waist.
“If you keep doing that, we are definitely not going to make it past this elevator.”
Cece’s eyes lit up. “I love that idea.”
He loved that she loved that idea. He loved her. Today was officially the beginning of their lives together and it felt incredible. Complete. And he knew they was going to have a whole lot more of those “games room” evenings in the future and he was getting the feeling they were about to have one tonight.
It was well past midnight. The rest of his family had gone home, besides Kate who lived in a suite in one of the wings. Avery had never been, but he should really make it a point to visit before heading back to Oakston. Abby claimed the Caliendo family each had their own suite centered around a tropical pool...that was something that needed to be seen to be believed.
Could this elevator take any longer?
“Hey, I wanted to catch you two!” Kate called just as the elevator opened.
Cece and Avery both glanced inside with dirty thoughts in their heads, and naughty grins across their faces. “We will get the next one,” Cece promised him as Kate approached.
“I wanted to confirm we are on for dinner and the theater next week,” she said.
Things that could be discussed over the phone.
“Yes, that sounds
great,” Cece said.
“Do you want us to pick you up at your place or meet at the De’laine Theater?” Kate asked.
“Kate, text me the details,” Avery said rather snippy, reaching behind and pressing the button again. “I’m trying to have elevator-sex with my girlfriend.”
Cece gasped.
Kate laughed. “That’s unnecessary to share.”
She was one to talk. “Is there anything else you need that’s keeping me from doing so?”
Kate shook her head. “No. I was just killing time while Marc tries to talk some sense into Violet.”
At this time of night? No, Avery wasn’t interested.
“Violet’s nice. I like her,” Cece said.
“She coordinated Avery’s whole night in only hours,” Kate said.
“Hours?” Cece cried, surprised. “Wow, she’s incredible, because tonight was amazing. I will have to thank her.”
It was going to get a whole lot more amazing if the elevator would open and Kate would retire to her own room. Avery had big plans with his woman and could hardly wait.
“Violet is amazing.” Kate stepped in closer to lower her voice. Avery glanced at the elevator doors again, still closed. Tick-tock. “Her ex-husband, Joel is getting married at this resort next summer to one of the maids who works here,” she said.
The naughty desire on Cece’s face dropped, a cold disappointment for Avery. He didn’t think it would be hard to reignite that fire.
“That sounds awful. It must be hard on her.” Cece crinkled her nose. “Why would her family allow that? No offense, but it doesn’t seem very nice.”
“The Caliendo’s would never agree to the wedding. Violet agreed and now Marc is down there trying to convince her to cancel it. Not only is it here, but Violet is the wedding planner.”
Cece gasped as the door down the hall opened and Violet and Marc came out, neither speaking to the other and separating without a word. Marc waved Kate away.
Lakeshore Lyrics: The McAdams Sisters (By The Lake Series Book 5) Page 25
