“Thank God you’re finally here!” A waitress she knew by sight but not by name grabbed Erica by the hand and tugged her inside.
“What? Is Rhonnie okay?” Immediately concerned, she rushed after the girl, who headed straight back through the doors to the kitchen.
As soon as they entered the surprisingly quiet kitchen—it was the lunch rush and she could almost hear a pin drop—she heard Rhonnie’s stressed-out voice, shouting, “How the hell you thought this was a good idea is beyond me!”
Erica burst into Rhonnie’s office and stopped dead. Rhonnie was bent nearly in half, breathing heavily, with one palm flat on her desk and clutching the phone with her other hand. Oh man. Her usually unflappable friend was evidently in labour and falling apart at the seams. She could hear a masculine voice on the other end of the line and she plucked the phone from Rhon’s unresisting grasp, running her other hand soothingly along her friend’s shoulder.
“Barry?” she asked, cutting his placating voice off.
“Er? Oh thank fuck. She’s having a meltdown and won’t listen to anyone. Get her to go to the hospital already, would you? I’ll meet you there.”
“Tell him to bring the car seat! They won’t let me bring her home without the car seat!” Erica winced as Rhon yelled right in her ear.
“God! Yes! I will bring everything. Tell her, Erica. And get her out of the office!”
After assuring Barry she’d get her there, Erica hung up and looked around. Rhon had her hand in a death grip and groaned. Erica knew that first babies always took a long time to come but who knew how long Rhonnie had been at this?
“Rhon. I need my hand back, hon. Let’s go have a baby, okay?”
Rhonnie met her gaze. She looked terrified. “I changed my mind. I can’t do this.”
“Oh, come here.” She pulled Rhonnie into a hug. “You can and you will. Don’t you want to meet this little sweetheart you’ve been taking such good care of for this long? I know I do.”
Rhon gulped in a breath then another and finally nodded.
“Good.” How the hell was she going to get Rhon to her car? The hell with it, she decided, and she pulled out her phone to call her assistant. Within minutes she’d cleared her schedule for the day and arranged for a hired car to pick them up in the service alley.
She sat with Rhon while they waited for the text. Her friend seemed to have got herself a bit more under control and she gave rational orders left and right to her relieved staff. Erica smiled as she wondered how together she would feel when her time came.
“And what are you laughing at?” Rhon scowled at her, but there was little heat in her tone.
“Oh, just trying to decide whether I’ll freak out in about seven and a half months.” She braced herself.
“What? And you’re just now telling me? Jesus.” Rhon smacked her hard then abruptly pulled her into a hug. She backed away enough to look down between them at Erica’s still flat stomach with a smile. “Seven and half months. You guys didn’t waste any time, did you?”
Erica shook her head, tearing up a bit at the joy in her friend’s expression. “No—probably happened the first time without the condom.”
“La, la, la.” Rhon covered her ears. “I don’t want to hear about the yucky mechanics of it. Ugh.”
Erica’s phone pinged, and she glanced at it to confirm it was the car service. “The limo’s out back. Can you walk okay?”
“Yeah, I think so. Ooh, first class service. Oh”—Rhonnie stopped short halfway to standing—“grab the towel out of my hospital bag. I don’t want my water to break all over the nice seats. I mean, if it was just a taxi, I wouldn’t care but…”
Erica laughed and lifted the bag. “Come on, mama. Let’s get you there.”
* * * *
Around midnight, they had just been moved from Rhonnie’s birthing suite to her permanent room when a knock came on the door. “You have a visitor.” One of the nurses came in, followed closely by Colin.
“Hi, sweetheart.” He set a colourful arrangement of flowers on the side table and gave Rhon a kiss on the forehead. Then he took Erica into his arms and she went limp against his welcome strength. “Tired?”
“Very. But wound up, too, all at the same time.”
He walked her over to the padded bench along the wall, sat and pulled her down onto his lap. She rested her head on his broad shoulder. As was becoming a habit, he ran his hand down to her abdomen. She smiled against his neck.
“Have you told Rhon yet?” he whispered into her ear and she nodded in response.
“Gave her plenty to yell at me about. It was probably a good distraction.”
“I wasn’t yelling,” Rhonnie protested from the bed. After a briefly raising an eyebrow at Erica, her eyes went straight back to the small bundle in Barry’s arms where he was sitting in the glider.
“Have you named her yet?” Colin asked and Erica laughed. Rhon and Barry had been arguing for months about names and hadn’t resolved anything yet.
“Sounds like you’re having fun in here.” Trevor came striding into the room unannounced, carrying a giant stuffed elephant with balloons attached to its collar. The nurse turned around from where she was taking Rhon’s vitals, startled, then looked back and forth between the brothers. Her eyebrows shot up when Trevor went straight to Erica and kissed her lingeringly on the mouth as she sat on his twin’s lap, but she didn’t say anything, just gave a quick shake of her head and turned her attention back to her task.
“Hi, sweets. You look exhausted. Can we take you home? You need to be resting. Oh…” He straightened and eyed Rhonnie while loudly asking Erica, “Have you told her yet?”
“Yes, damn it. She finally let me in on the secret that everyone else in the freaking world knew.”
“I didn’t know,” Barry pointed out.
“I just wanted you to enjoy your time in the spotlight. I wasn’t going to tell you until after you took…what’s-her-face home.” Erica waved her hand in a see-what-I-mean gesture. “Seriously, you need to choose a name, Rhon.”
Rhonnie looked at Barry and cocked her head, but didn’t say a word.
Barry sighed. “Fine. Have it your way.” His expression was resigned but quickly softened as he looked back at their sleeping daughter.
Rhonnie smiled triumphantly. “Thank you. Elizabeth it is.”
“Why was that so hard to decide on?” Trevor asked with a curious look. He stepped aside to give the nurse room to get by on her way out of the room.
“They’re gonna call her Liz, I just know it,” Barry warned. “I hate that name.” He shuddered. “I have a friend with a sister named Liz and she’s a total b—”
“Don’t swear in front of the baby,” Rhonnie interrupted. “They’ll call her whatever we call her. There are a kazillion different nicknames for Elizabeth. Eliza, Beth…”
Erica tuned her friend’s list out as Colin murmured in her ear, “Do you think we’ll have as much trouble deciding on a name?” Colin’s breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine.
“Hmm. I don’t know. There’ll be three of us trying to agree.” Erica glanced up at Trevor to find him completely still and staring at them. “What?”
“You’ll let me help pick a name?”
“Of course. You’re going to be the dad just as much as Colin.”
Trevor looked at Colin, who nodded. He slowly grinned. “Cool. I’ll start coming up with ideas. Oh…I’ll make a list.”
“Oh brother.” Colin shook his head, but tried to look innocent when Trevor mimed, “What?”
“You guys suck.”
They all looked at Rhonnie, who was angrily dashing tears from her cheeks. She held her hand out, palm facing them. “No. Just go. You are way too emotionally sappy for me right now.”
Erica rose and crossed to give Rhon a hug after pushing her arm to the side. “I think we’ll let you guys bond and all that. Try to get some rest, okay, hon?”
“Fat chance in here with these sadistic nurses,
but I appreciate the sentiment. You need some rest too. Take your boys home and straight to bed with you. And no funny business.” She gave the brothers a half-serious glare. “Bad enough you already got her in the condition she’s in. Do you know how much it hurts when—?”
“And I’ll call you tomorrow and probably come by,” Erica hastily interjected as Colin and Trevor paled. “Night, mama. Good night, Barry. And you too, baby Elizabeth.” She walked over to give Barry and the baby a quick hug too, then waited for the guys to say their farewells. They all walked out together and silently made their way to the elevator.
Erica’s thoughts were full of all that had happened and what was to come in her own life, so it was a few minutes before the continued quiet finally registered.
“Okay, guys. What’s on your minds? Not that last bit about it hurting.” She linked her hands with theirs and tugged them off the elevator once they’d reached the quiet main floor.
They looked at each other across the top of her head while they walked towards the lobby, then Colin slid his arm around her waist. “I hate the thought of you being in pain.” Trevor somberly nodded his agreement.
Erica smiled at their worried expressions that made them look so alike. “Well, yeah, it’ll probably hurt like hell.” She was looking at Colin and he winced. She continued, “But it’ll be brief and the reward to me is well worth it. I wouldn’t wish away any part of it.” A happy thought occurred to her. “You know, probably the next time we all go out these doors at the same time, there’ll be four of us instead of three.”
The thought made her catch her breath, and she gave each of the brothers a squeeze—Colin around his waist and Trevor by the hand she was holding. She was smiling as she began to cross the walkway towards the parking structure.
“Or maybe five…”
Also available from Total-E-Bound Publishing:
Seasoned Women: Sex on Summer Sabbatical
Stacey Lynn Rhodes
Excerpt
Chapter One
“Ohhh.”
Tori couldn’t stifle a moan as the almost-pain of exerting muscles that seldom got used kicked in. It’d been a long time. Too long.
Panting slightly, she enjoyed the stretch as perspiration beaded across her glowing skin. She strained towards the pleasure she felt hovering just beyond reach.
Almost there. Almost there…
C’mon, endorphins.
Oh no. Side stitch.
And a cramp.
Shit.
Tori limped to an abrupt halt, pressing her hands to the sharp ache in her lower abdomen while scoping out a relatively clean spot on the kerb to collapse on. Using one hand to frantically massage her spasming calf, Tori had to use some of her very limited breath to laugh out loud at her dilemma as the humour of the situation struck her. So much for a brilliant start on her goals.
“I was going to offer you some help, but it sounds like you’re doing okay now.”
The deep voice must belong to the person wearing the running shoes in front of her, but for the life of her, Tori couldn’t look up just then, concentrating on her inexpert massage while trying to breathe through the pain in her side.
“Oh, no. Not okay. But I had a feeling this would happen. It was going too well, know what I mean? First time I’ve run in years.”
A warm, sympathetic chuckle. “Well, you were looking good, right up until you seized up.”
“I’ll bet that was pretty comical to watch. Ah, ah!” The cramp in her leg spiked painfully in spite of her efforts. Why the hell had she thought she could start exercising again? All at once she felt every year of her age. Oh to be a teen again, when she could run without any effort at all.
“Here, you have to flex it. No, don’t point!” Strong hands forced her foot back towards her body as her rescuer knelt before her like Cinderella’s prince. “Deep breaths, really deep. Fill your belly. That’ll help your stitch.”
“How’d you know I had a stitch in my side?” Tori panted, curled up in as close to a ball as she could get with one leg stuck out in front of her.
“I could tell by the way you suddenly grabbed your stomach like you’d been shot. Now don’t pant, breathe deep.” The steady voice was soothing, but demanded compliance.
Abandoning the short blows vaguely reminiscent of those she’d seen in movie birthing rooms, Tori obeyed, inhaling until she felt dizzy then letting the air whoosh out. Those hands had displaced hers on her calf, and she felt a moment of panic trying to remember whether she’d shaved her legs that morning. She winced at the thought of stubbly legs then realised that her side stitch was almost gone and the cramp was easing.
“Does that hurt?”
“No, feels good.” A little too good. The man had great hands, and Tori was starting to get some ideas about other kind of exertion he could help her with.
“You winced.”
Great hands and observant. Tori started to uncurl herself bit by bit, ready to coil back up at the first sign of pain.
“That’s it, hon. Here, stretch your other leg out for me.” He slid his hand along the back of her uninjured leg, encouraging her to ease it out straight, making her think again about the shaving bit. Yes, she realised with relief—she must be freshly shaved, else she wouldn’t have worn shorts. She knew herself that well at least.
Once in a regular sitting position, she finally got a look at her Good Samaritan, and almost felt herself seize up again.
Guh.
Tori was in the presence of perfection. It was as if all the women in the world had got together and held a summit to design the most gorgeous man possible, then gave him great hands and sent him out to rescue damsels in distress.
Warm hazel eyes set off by irritatingly long lashes smiled encouragingly at her, so close that every blink looked as if it was in slow motion. Ruggedly handsome features, smooth skin, luscious lips—and that was just his face. His short dark hair had a hint of wave to it, settling perfectly in place even while exercising.
He had to be a model. Or he should be. Him on anything would equal sales through the roof.
His muscular arms were revealed by a sleeveless grey T-shirt, which was rather restrained of him—most of the similarly buffed young guys who had passed her running today went shirtless altogether. It was loose enough that Tori couldn’t get an idea of his torso, but she just knew he’d be ripped. Wouldn’t match the rest of him otherwise, and that would be a shame. His running shorts were also on the conservative side compared to what she’d seen, but the legs kneeling between hers were…
Between hers?
Oh mercy. She had a man between her legs. Did that count?
Nope, gotta be full-on sex to cross it off the list.
Her gaze snapped back up to his, and his helpfully concerned expression hadn’t changed, precisely. But there was a hint of awareness there now that made Tori wish she was ten years younger. Or maybe fifteen.
Because if he was closer to thirty than twenty, she’d eat her running shoes.
He introduced himself, “I’m Adam.”
I’m Eve, wanna bite my apple?
Tori cleared her throat, all too aware of his crouching form well within her most personal space. “Tori. Thanks for the help.”
He smiled broadly. Perfect teeth too. “My pleasure. You know, it’ll help if you walk for a bit. You need to keep moving to really work it out.” He rocked back and stood in one fluid motion, then held his hands down to her.
Conscious of her sweaty palms, she swiped them down the front of her T-shirt before taking his hands. His eyes dropped to watch their path over her abdomen. Or was he staring at her breasts?
Tori couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so close to any man. That was just sad. And the proximity was wreaking havoc with her inner equilibrium. So much so that when she finally got to her feet, she kind of overbalanced and kept going, smacking head first right into the broad chest in front of her.
“Crap! I mean… Oh, just shoot me now,” Tori
muttered, trying to simultaneously balance herself, extricate her hands from his and control her libido. Not the kind of multi-tasking she was used to…and it showed.
After she finally succeeded in getting her hands free, he brought his up to steady her by the upper arms.
“Got it?”
That was just wrong on so many levels. But Tori knew what he meant. “I’m fine,” she declared. Wow, even really sounded like she meant it.
“Okay, good. Ready to walk?”
He settled her hand in the crook of his arm, for all the world as if he was going to escort her to tea, or down the aisle, and she dug in her heels.
“Uh, just said I’m fine. Don’t want to keep you from your run.” She firmly separated from…him. Hadn’t he told her his name already? Jeez, she just hated how she could never remember people’s names. She swallowed her pride and asked quickly, “What’s your name again?”
The smile that never seemed far from his lips deepened, and she added lickable dimples to his staggering plus column. Too bad he was so freaking young—the only negatory thus far—otherwise he’d be perfect for item two on her Sabbatical Must-Do List—‘Have smoking hot, no-strings-attached sex’.
Not just any sex—the best sex of her life.
“Still Adam. And you’re…”
“Running late.” The lie popped out before she could rein it in. And duh, how could she have forgotten that? She was Eve to his Adam. Eve, Adam. Adam. Adam. God, she had a bad memory for stuff like that.
“Running late? I was going to say Tori. Is that a pun?”
Huh? Oh yeah—running…
Tori snickered, appreciating his humour. “No, but you’re right. That is pretty funny. And actually I fibbed. I don’t have anywhere I need to be.” He must think I’m a complete moron. “I just don’t want to waste any more of your time.”
Adam turned and smoothly took her arm again, urging her into motion by his side. That one point of contact radiated happy tingles straight to every erogenous zone she possessed. She shivered.
Falling for the Other Brother Page 10
