by AC Netzel
“Did you notice my mother cooking eggs for the dog before cooking breakfast for us?”
“Yeah. Spoiled rotten.” He laughs. “Do you want to walk to the ocean?”
I nod. “Do you mind?”
“No. I already packed most of our stuff in the car. We have a little time before we have to hit the road to Elizabeth and Stuart’s place.”
After meeting up with my mother, Joe, and Father Donovan, we walk down my childhood street.
“Do you want to come to the beach with us?” I ask my mother.
“It’s a little too cold outside, I think I’ll pass,” she tells us.
Translation: She misses her dog.
After walking my mother back her to house, Joe takes my hand as we continue walking toward the beach. We stroll up the wooden plank walkway that leads from the end of the street to the sand. When we reach the end, we stop and admire the beauty of nature. I close my eyes, inhale the cold sea air and smile when I hear seagulls squawking around us. I open my eyes and watch the ocean move in a continuous rhythm with wave after wave rolling in.
Joe breaks free of my hand. “I wanna go on the sand.”
“You can go right in front of us,” I tell him. “Not near the water.”
Grinning, Joe jumps off the wooden planks and lands on his butt in the sand. He laughs and lies down, swinging his arms to the top of his head and his legs side to side.
“Do you see the sand angel he’s making?” I ask. Elizabeth is going to be thrilled when Joe trails sand all over her floors.
“He’s crazy,” Ben jokes as he stands behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Poor kid doesn’t stand a chance. He comes from a long line of crazy.”
“I happen to like crazy.” He squeezes my waist then kisses my cheek.
“I hope you mean that because the crazy train is about to get bigger.”
He freezes mid-cheek kiss and spins me around until I’m facing him.
“We’re having a baby?” His eyes are wide, shining.
“That’s what the two sticks I peed on said.”
“A baby?” He grins— a radiant, gorgeous, wide grin, his beautiful dimples dimpling.
I nod, giggling.
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” He lifts me up, joyfully twirling me around in circles. He kisses me tenderly and slowly lowers me back to the wooden planks. “How much I fucking love you?”
“Yes.” I beam back. I feel the same way about him.
He places his hand on my stomach, staring at it in awe. He looks up me, his eyes glassy. “You’re incredible.”
“I can’t take all the credit. You helped.”
He chuckles. “This explains why you want to have sex all the time.”
“Lucky you. It looks like another horny hormonal pregnancy for the Martins. And my boobs will be spilling out of my bra soon.”
He smiles then cocks his head.
“What?” I ask, smiling back.
“You and that little guy,” he says softly, jutting his chin in Joe’s direction. “You’re my world. I love you, Julia.”
“I love you too. So much.”
He wraps his arms around me again, rubbing his nose against mine and kisses me. His love envelops me—warm, perfect, and mine.
Our moment is brought to an abrupt halt when I spot our impulsive little boy chasing a seagull toward the water.
“Ben,” I say in panic.
“I got him.” He jumps over the wooden rail onto the beach. “Joe!” he hollers.
I watch as he catches up with our son, a few feet from the water, and breathe a sigh of relief. I place my hand over my heart and feel it pounding, even through my winter coat. As I steady my breath, something shiny sitting on the wooden rail in front of me catches my eye.
I gasp, my heart beating quickly again.
A silver paperclip.
And it makes me smile, reminding me that even though my dad is gone, he’ll never leave me.
I sigh, a content sigh, then look back up at the beach where Ben is tossing Joe in the air as our little boy belly laughs. It’s a small moment that feels big.
Ben looks up at me, our eyes lock, and he winks. My stomach flutters. I will always feel butterflies for this man. My husband. My soulmate.
In my heart, I know I would go anywhere with him. And never take a backward glance.
I close my eyes and smile, thinking back to what brought us here, to this place in time.
We may have started with a casual rule, but that didn’t last long and turned into something new. Better. And we’ve come to realize that the only rule that matters is that we’re together.
I know with certainty that the rest of my life will be wonderful. I have everything I could ever wish for… Our family, our friends, our children…
And the simple truth that Ben Martin will always love me.
Bonus Chapter
A few months and a baby later…
~Allie~
“Are you sure you can handle this? It’s not too late to call my mother,” Julia asks.
“Do you think we’re totally clueless? I’ve watched Joe before and returned him to you alive. And the baby’s a piece of cake. She just lays there.”
“But that was just for a few hours. And Joe was already potty trained. This is an overnighter.”
“We’re fine, Jules,” I promise.
Julia reaches in the diaper bag slung over her shoulder and takes a few bottles of milk out of an insulated lunch bag. “I have to put my breast milk in your fridge.”
I grimace. “That’s repulsive.”
“There’s nothing repulsive about it.”
“Those kids have turned you into a fucking cow.”
“Not funny, Allie.”
I tilt my head and smile. “It’s a little funny.”
She walks into the kitchen with the bottles in hand then quickly returns, her eyes narrowing in my direction.
“Where is it?” she asks.
“What?”
“You know what,” she says, her brow furrowed.
I roll my eyes, exhaling a breath. “I put it away. As per your unreasonable request.”
“Allison,” she says in the scolding mother voice she developed the second she pushed out baby number one. “You put my son on a sex swing. My innocent little boy.”
“It was raining. The kid wanted to go to the park. I improvised and gave him a park. He doesn’t know the difference. Anyway, it was our spare swing. It was never used. Nothing wrong with that.”
“There’s so much wrong with that. Make sure it doesn’t come out again.”
“Yes, Mother. So where are the two of you off to?”
“We need a change of scenery, so we booked a hotel room. We’re ordering room service and never leaving the bed. I want him all to myself. I finally got the doctor’s okay to have sex. Al, it’s been six weeks since I got laid. We need this. Besides, a night away from stepping on plastic toy bricks is bliss. It’s bad enough I still have to pump. Look how huge my boobs are.”
“Ben must be in his glory.”
She laughs. “He’s obsessed with them. I figure I’ll let him enjoy it while they’re still here. They aren’t going to last forever.” She glances at Ben talking to Vince in the other room and smiles. “Look at him holding the baby. It’s so fucking hot.”
“That’s what turns you on?”
“HmmMmm,” she moans. “He’s so good with the kids. I’d have five more just to watch him hold them.”
Ben catches her watching him and stares back at her ample cleavage with a smoldering look.
“He’s eye-fucking you,” I tell her.
“I know. I love it.” She leans in and whispers, “I don’t know when we’re going to get this kind of alone time again. Joe’s been sneaking in our bed at night. It’s been hard just to fool around. We both need loud, dirty sex.”
“This is why I’ll never have kids. This girl needs the Big D in massive doses.”
> Ben and Vince join us. “You ready?” Ben asks her.
“Is the portable crib set up?”
“Yes. It’s in their bedroom.” He holds up a hand. “And before you ask, I didn’t see any swings hanging from the ceiling.”
Vince slips out a chuckle.
Julia narrows her eyes at Vince then directs her attention back to Ben. “Okay, let’s get moving.” She looks back at Vince and me. “Are you guys sure you got this?”
“Stop worrying,” I assure her. “We got this.”
“Okay.” She zips up her diaper bag. “There’s formula in here if you run out of breast milk and sterilized bottles in the bag. I have healthy snacks for Joe in here too. His clothes are in the duffle bag Ben brought in. The backpack has his toys. His blue blankie is there too. He sleeps with it. Don’t lose it or he’ll never go to sleep.”
I do an internal eye-roll as she continues to babble on.
“Don’t give him any sugar after seven. He’ll be climbing your walls if you do. There are copies of our insurance cards in case you need to go to the hospital. Oh, here’s a list of phone numbers: the pediatrician, my mother, the hospital, our cell phones.”
“Your cell?” I interrupt. “Jules, I’ve had your number for years.”
“Humor me, please, and take it.”
“Fine.”
“Let’s get going. I’m starving,” Ben says, his voice low, dripping in promises. She’s going to get it good and dirty tonight.
“Starving for sex?” I ask bluntly.
He laughs. “Famished.” He peers at Julia like she’s dinner. I’m pretty sure she is.
Her face turns bright red and she looks down. She gazes back up at him, her teeth sinking down into her bottom lip. “I’m famished too,” she whispers.
Jesus, these two.
“Please leave before someone,” I point my chin toward Ben, “blows their load right here.”
Julia’s smile vanishes into a scowl. “Classy, Al.”
Ben hands Kate over to Vince, who looks completely comfortable holding a baby.
“Cradle her head and make sure you support her neck,” he instructs.
“I practically raised my kid brother from the time he was born. I got it. No worries, man.”
Ben nods, trusting Vince with his most prized possession. Who would have thought Mr. Casual would be so easily domesticated? Definitely DILF material— if you’re into that handsome, loves his wife, good with kids, kind of guy.
I glance at Vince holding the baby. Temporarily domesticated—dirty in bed— dirty out of bed— and those fucking tats.
Now there’s a daddy whose lap I’d like to sit on.
“Joe, Mommy and Daddy are leaving,” Julia calls out. “Come and say goodbye.”
Crickets.
God, I hope the kid isn’t playing hide-and-seek. Last time I babysat, I forgot he was hiding and sat down and watched Real Housewives. Luckily, he got tired of waiting for me to find him and napped under the coffee table. To avoid a total motherly freak-out, I never told Julia.
Nope, taking that one to the grave.
“Leonard Joseph. Here. Now,” she says sternly.
Poof! Like magic, the kid appears, wide-eyed, tugging at Julia’s dress.
Okay, I admit it. He’s a cute kid and the spitting image of his father all the way down to his dark brown eyes and dimples. No paternity test needed here. If it weren’t for his occasional snarkiness, I’d question who his mother is.
Julia smiles and crouches down to his level. “Where were you?”
“Looking for the park,” he answers, his bottom lip protruding out to a pout.
“Your mother is a park wrecker,” I say flippantly.
Julia glares at me then redirects her attention back to Joe. “The park isn’t here anymore. I’m sure Aunt Allie has plenty to keep you busy.” She looks back up at me. “The Little Mermaid and Mary Poppins DVDs are in his duffle bag.”
“Super.” I roll my eyes. If I wanted to watch a musical, I’d get drunk with Marcello.
She bends down and wraps him in a hug, swaying him back and forth. “Mommy’s going to miss you. Be a good boy for Uncle Vince and Aunt Allie, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Will you help them take care of your sister?”
He smiles and nods.
“Good. I love you, my big boy.”
“Love you.” He kisses her cheek and a drip of his saliva runs down her cheek.
I cringe. Kids are disgusting.
Julia takes it all in stride, wiping it away with the back of her hand. I don’t think I have that motherhood gene. There’s no way I could stand that kind of wet, drippy affection and continue to crack a smile.
She hugs him tight then tickles his sides. He rolls on the floor and belly laughs.
The kid’s got a great laugh.
Ben lifts Joe off the floor, tossing him in the air. Joe giggles, bringing out his dimples.
“He’s going to hit his head,” Julia warns.
“He’s fine,” Ben tells her.
She sighs, shaking her head, and kisses the baby’s forehead. “Mommy loves you. Be a good little girl.”
How does an infant misbehave? Shits twice in her diaper?
Ben places Joe down and kisses Kate on the forehead as well. “Goodnight, my little angel,” he whispers. “You’re as beautiful as your mother.”
He looks back at Julia with so much love in his eyes. It’s so damn sweet that I choke up a little. Julia smiles tenderly back at him, returning the same loving glance, mouthing “I love you.”
They have this way of unintentionally making me feel like I’m intruding on an intimate moment. Right now, as far as they’re concerned, there’s no one else in the room. Having kids has undeniably strengthened their bond. And the way that man loves my best friend warms even my cold, sarcastic heart.
“Get a room,” I tell them, popping their love bubble.
Julia side-eyes me, pursing her lips then looks back at Ben and smiles warmly. “Ready, Mr. Martin?” she asks in a sultry tone.
“So ready, Mrs. Martin. Let’s go.” He offers a hand out to her.
She places her hand in his and he brings it to his lips and kisses it.
“Thanks again,” she tells us as he practically drags her out of our apartment.
Ten bucks says he screws her in the elevator.
~o0o~
Finally, the movie Joe forced us to watch is over. I guarantee Vince was waiting for those shells to fall off that mermaid’s tits.
Vince turns off the DVD player as Joe grabs a small handful of what’s left from our bowl of buttered popcorn.
“I told you popcorn is delicious for dinner,” I tell Joe.
He nods and smiles with a mouthful of chewed food.
“What are we telling your mother you had for dinner?” I raise a brow.
“Mac and cheese,” he answers.
“And…?”
“Broccoli.”
“Good boy.” I pat his head.
Vince laughs. “I’ll make you a ‘Mom approved’ breakfast in the morning.”
“Gummy bears?” Joe asks.
Vince shakes his head, amused. “Pancakes.”
“Pancakes with gummy bears?” he asks, hopeful.
“You sure like junk food,” Vince tells him.
“He gets that from his mother’s side.”
A screeching wail interrupts us. Jeez, for such a tiny thing, that baby has one hell of a set of lungs.
“I’ll get her.” I stand from the couch and walk into the bedroom where Kate is crying in her crib. “I’m here, Kate.” I bend down, scoop her up, and cradle her in my arms. “Shhh. It’s okay. I got you,” I whisper. Her cries slow down to a soft whimper. I inhale a relieved breath, only to breathe in a foul odor.
Crap.
Literally.
Crap.
Some women love this thing they call ‘baby smell’. What the hell is wrong with them? All the babies I’ve come in contact w
ith stink like shit and spoiled milk. A new mother’s sense of smell must drastically change with their pregnancy hormones because there’s nothing to love about this.
“Vince, can you bring me the diaper bag? Little Miss is stinking up our room,” I call out.
“Be right there, baby.”
He walks in our bedroom and lays a changing mat on our bed. “You want me to do it?”
“You would?” I frown. “Voluntarily?”
“Put her down on the bed. I’ve changed plenty of diapers in my day.”
I place Kate down and Vince unsnaps her onesie. He unfastens the tabs and removes the diaper, holding it out to me. “I don’t want to put this on our bed, can you take it?”
Begrudgingly, I grab it from him and take a quick peek inside. Ugh. Disgusting.
One thing I know for sure —I’m never eating spicy brown mustard again.
I look back at Vince, expertly cleaning the baby and fastening on a clean diaper.
“You’re good at this,” I say.
“Both my parents worked. My brother was a surprise baby. They couldn’t afford a sitter. When I came home from school, my mother left for her job, and I took care of him until my father got home.”
“Oh. I never knew that. It had to suck. What were you? Thirteen at the time?”
“Yeah. I didn’t mind. I did what I had to do. Anyway, I had a parent-free house for a few hours.”
“Entertaining the ladies even at the ripe old age of thirteen?”
He chuckles and ignores my question.
Yeah, he totally was.
“I’m going to wash my hands. Be right back.” He leaves me alone with the baby who’s staring up at me.
“Don’t get any ideas.” I place my hands on my boobs. “The only person sucking these is the guy who just walked out of this room.”
Vince returns and gently picks up Kate. He’s such a natural at this. It’s freaking me out a little.
“Let’s find Joe before he gets himself into trouble,” he says, as he walks out of our room with the baby cradled in his arms.
Okay, I get what Julia’s talking about. Men and babies are a yummy combination. There’s something surprisingly sexy about muscles, tats, and a baby together. Vince looks hotter than usual. And my man always looks hot.
“You coming, baby?” he hollers, snapping me out of my drifting naughty thoughts.
