“Because I trust you. You’re so nice,” Angel said through sobs. She hiccupped, looking scared. “I’m sorry – I know I shouldn’t have done that, but I was so afraid.”
“It’s okay,” I told her. Patting her hand, I looked into her eyes. “You’re going to be okay.”
The cab screeched to a stop at the ER entrance and I helped Angel out of the cab and into the arms of a waiting nurse. They took her back almost immediately and I stood there, staring and wondering how things had managed to get so fucking crazy in less than an hour.
Today had been insane, and it wasn’t even over yet. It felt like I had just lived through the most exhilarating and stressful moments of my entire life. Sometimes, the universe could really throw a curveball.
I’d gotten two today, and I could only imagine how Lyssa was feeling. She’d come to me to tell me something really special, something wonderful, and I’d had to let my work take first priority. She was an adult and I knew that she’d understand, but that didn’t mean I didn’t feel like a total and complete asshole.
I stayed at the hospital until my obstetrician emerged and told me that everything would be fine, but just barely. The placenta had begun to separate, but Angel had arrived at the hospital in time – both she and her baby would be fine. The obstetrician told me that she’d be placed on bed rest for the last trimester of her pregnancy, but that everything would be okay. Currently, Angel was resting and they were planning to keep her overnight for observation.
It was a relief, but my mind was already focused back on Lyssa. I thanked the doctor and left, walking slowly away as my mind churned. Instead of heading back in the direction of my clinic, I walked through Manhattan. The weather was cold but bright and sunny and I barely noticed the chill.
I crossed Fifth Avenue and stopped. Right in front of me was the Diamond District, the premier location for jewelry shopping in the entire city.
Normally, I wasn’t the kind of person who believed in signs. I thought astrology was bullshit and that superstitious people were naïve. I prided myself on being rational and calm – it was one of the reasons that I’d become a doctor, after all.
Something had come along and changed that. I was surprised to find myself lingering in front of several jewelers, staring into the windows at sparkling diamond rings nestled in their velvet boxes. Was it that Lyssa and I had finally embarked on the relationship I’d always wanted?
Or was it something else?
Before I could dwell on it, I stepped inside the jeweler and went straight to the counter.
“I’d like to see a selection of your most popular ring styles, please,” I said to the woman behind the counter.
She raised an eyebrow at me. “And is your girlfriend here?”
“No,” I said. After a beat, I added: “She’s not my girlfriend. At least, not yet.”
The woman blinked in surprise. “Perhaps you’d like to see some of these, instead,” she offered, motioning her hand over the display case where necklaces and bracelets were stored.
I shook my head. “No. Rings, please.”
What was I doing? I was never this impulsive – I was always so controlled, so careful.
And then I thought about that fateful night in Cos Cob, when I’d run outside after Lyssa and offered to father her child. At the time, I’d blamed it on drinks and hormones. Now, though, I wasn’t so sure.
What if, all along, this had been fated to happen?
What if we were meant for each other? God knows we’d both been through so much on our own. But being together had changed everything, and I knew now with absolute certainty that I could never live without Lyssa.
Or at least, I knew that I could never live without giving the prospect of ‘us’ a real shot.
The woman cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes. “Sir, if I may—”
“What is it?” I asked. I was beginning to feel impatient.
She flushed. “It’s just ... does the lady in mind know how you feel?”
I didn’t answer. She didn’t – and that was all my fault. If only I hadn’t been such a coward, such an asshole, too wrapped up in my own mind to do the right thing.
“Not yet,” I said. “But she’s carrying my child.”
For a second, I thought the woman behind the counter was going to faint.
“I know how it sounds,” I said quickly. “But we’ve known each other since we were children, and—” I stopped talking, unsure of why I felt like explaining the whole damn truth to a total stranger.
She gave me an odd look, then glanced down and took out a tray of sparkling diamond solitaires.
“These are some of our most popular styles,” she said in a strained voice. “Let me know if you’d like information about financing.”
I shook my head. “That won’t be necessary,” I told her. Looking down at the rings, I frowned. They were all gorgeous, but they looked just like every other woman’s engagement ring.
Lyssa wasn’t like every other woman – she was special, perfect. Even more so now than she was carrying my child. She herself was a gem, worthy of the best and the brightest.
“Sir is not too impressed?”
I shook my head. “They’re beautiful,” I said. “But I need something more ... special.”
The woman nodded. She turned her back for a second and unlocked another box.
“These are antiques,” she explained as she showed me the second tray of rings. “Most of them are from the Art Deco period.”
I looked over the rings before me. They were all stunningly beautiful and unique – just like Lyssa – but one in particular stood out to me.
“This one,” I said as I pointed down. “I’ll take this one.”
33
Lyssa – Saturday
I was sitting at home, wondering what to do next, when there was a knock on my door. I frowned – I wasn’t expecting anyone. I hadn’t heard from Dan and while Anna had called me a couple of times to check on me, I hadn’t called her back.
I didn’t want her to know that I’d chickened out and run off before I could tell Dan what had been on my mind. He’d acted so sweet and kind at the news of my pregnancy, but I could tell that I’d confused him. The thing was, even though I’d rehearsed what I had wanted to say in my head, seeing Dan had made my mind go as blank as a slate. Besides, going to him with a speech wasn’t the best idea for confessing authentic feelings. I never wanted him to think that there was anything contrived about what I said.
But, I’d never even gotten the chance. He’d had to leave with a patient – something that was only right. I wasn’t jealous: that would have been childish. But I was a little sad that our moment had been interrupted by a work emergency. I never expected Dan to prioritize me over anything like that.
Still, it wasn’t like I could get a do-over. I’d dropped one bomb on him and if that hadn’t managed to scare him off completely, I’d have to drop another.
The knock sounded again – sharp and loud – and I opened the door, peering out through the chain.
Standing on the other side was a uniformed police officer.
“Ms. Holm?”
I could feel the blood draining from my face as I nodded.
“I have this for you,” he said, handing over an envelope.
“What is it?” I asked shakily. I dreaded the worst – that something had happened to Anna or Steven or my parents.
Or Dan.
He didn’t smile. “I’m just a courier, ma’am. You’ll see,” he said.
I took the envelope from him, nodded, and closed the door. After bolting it and drawing the chain, I slit it open with my fingernail.
PROTECTIVE ORDER GRANTED
The rest of the page was littered with words but all I needed was that first phrase. Relief swept over me and my entire body felt hot then cold, like a miniature adrenaline rush.
I couldn’t believe it.
My hands were shaking with excitement as I carried the paper into the kitchen an
d after a second, stuck it on the fridge with a magnet. It was a little childish to do, yes, but I knew that looking at it would give me a sense of security and accomplishment.
I should frame it, I thought. That would be awesome.
Even though I was upset about not being able to talk with Dan, I still felt happy. It was like a huge, heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I could finally breathe after years of being stifled and suffocated and repressed. There was a tiny part of me that worried about what Curt would do when he got the news – I just hoped for the sake of the public that he wasn’t drunk and throwing punches in a bar.
Now, it really felt like I could look forward to the future. No matter what happened with Dan, I had to believe that Anna was right: that he’d do right by my baby, even if it meant not doing right by me. I put my hand on my belly and smiled, looking forward to the day when I would finally start to show.
God, there were so many milestones between now and then. I had ultrasounds to look forward to, and bump pictures – which I’d always found both cheesy and touching. Packing a bag for my hospital stay, choosing how I’d like best to give birth. Natural, definitely – I’d heard enough horror stories about epidurals to last me a lifetime. And I’d have a doula and a midwife.
I’d have to start doing research on those pretty soon – after all, I only had a few short months before I’d become a mother. If I hadn’t been over the moon happy about all of it, it would have been almost overwhelming.
And names, I thought. That, I knew, was going to easily be one of the most difficult parts of this. Getting pregnant with my baby had felt like a miracle. No ordinary name would do for a baby who had been so wanted and wished for. She – I was positive it was a she – would have to have the most special name in the world, so everyone would know how wonderful she was.
The sound of another knock on my door made me jump. I glanced nervously at the restraining order again. It was irrational, but all kinds of crazy thoughts were running through my head – like what if the court had made a mistake, what if they decided Curt was really a good person and that he didn’t need to be kept away from anyone?
Or worse, what if it was Curt himself? What if he’d received the news and gone out and gotten good and drunk? What if he didn’t care about violating the order because he was so hell-bent on hurting me?
I shivered as I walked to the door. My palms were clammy as I pulled the door open a fraction of an inch.
Dan was standing on the other side.
I gasped, then closed the door and unlatched the chain before reopening it to let him inside. He looked so sexy with his dark blonde hair pushed away from his forehead and just the sight of his eyes made my belly do an excited flip. My heart fluttered in my chest as Dan stepped inside and closed the door behind him and the air became thick and charged with electricity.
I had to fight the urge to throw my arms around him and kiss him and tell him everything.
“Can I get you a drink?” I asked.
Dan shook his head. I realized that there was something different about him – he wasn’t his usual calm self. He was glancing around the room, almost like he was looking for something.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Dan didn’t reply. He cleared his throat and moved forward.
Then, he dropped to one knee and I gasped.
“Lyssa,” Dan began, and immediately my heart began to pulse and race. “I’ve wanted to be with you since we were kids. But it wasn’t until recently that I truly knew you and loved you. Your resilience, your strength, your compassion ... I’ve never met another woman who has those qualities, not like you. And there’s no woman alive who can compare with your beauty. I’ve never known how truly perfect you are until now, and I want to be with you. I want to marry you. I want to love you, and our child, for the rest of my life.”
“Oh my god,” I whispered.
“I want to be a family with you, to raise a beautiful child – or more – with you, to keep you safe and happy and always have a wonderful home.”
I couldn’t believe it was happening. It was like something straight out of a dream – first the restraining order, and now this.
“Yes,” I whispered softly. My eyes began to sting with happy tears – god, I was so sick of crying, but this felt different and special! – and I nodded furiously fast, unable to tear my eyes away from Dan.
Dan leapt to his feet and pulled me into a tight embrace. He kissed me and held me in his arms, stroking my hair and nuzzling his nose against mine. Tears began to slide down my cheeks and I sniffled, then buried my face in Dan’s neck. In his arms like that, I felt better than I ever had in my entire life.
Dan pulled away slightly and grinned at me as he pulled a red velvet box out of his pocket. When he opened it, I gasped again. The ring, a large emerald surrounded by diamonds and set in platinum, was both beautiful and unique.
“That’s so gorgeous,” I whispered as Dan slid it onto my finger.
“So are you, beautiful,” Dan said. He kissed me again and I could feel the longing radiating from his body.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” I said softly as I glanced down at my ring and the way it sparkled, even in the dim afternoon light of my apartment.
“Well, I’ve never seen anything like you,” Dan joked.
“I ...” I trailed off and held my breath for a second. “I was going to tell you yesterday, at your office.”
“I know,” Dan said. “I mean,” he paused and cleared his throat. “I didn’t know know. I just ... well, I had a feeling. After I left the hospital, I walked around and it just came to me. I know it’s crazy,” he continued. “I know that we’ve never had the talk or anything about us, but I knew that I couldn’t pass up a chance to express myself to you.”
I blushed hotly. “We’ll have to have a shotgun wedding,” I joked. “My parents are going to be so thrilled about that.”
Dan didn’t laugh. “It doesn’t matter,” he said as he reached for my hand and squeezed. “We’re together, and we’ve been moving towards this our entire lives, Lyssa.”
His words made my heart sing with happiness. And it was more than just his words. The tender, loving, smoldering look in his eyes was setting my whole body on fire. I licked my lips, then stretched up on the tips of my toes and kissed him passionately. Dan wrapped his arms around me and slid his hands down my back, cupping and squeezing my ass. Every touch, every brush of his skin against mine filled me with electricity and lust. I wanted him so much in that moment. Without breaking the kiss, I pulled him closer and we stumbled down the hallway to my bedroom.
Dan and I tumbled onto my bed together, still kissing and fumbling at each other like teenagers. His lips brushed my neck, sending a shiver down my spine, and I moaned softly as his hands slid under my shirt and pulled it up and over my head. I wasn’t wearing a bra and my nipples were instantly hard from the chill air of the room. Dan climbed on top of me and kissed his way down my body, sucking and licking at my nipples until I cried out with lust.
There were no barriers between us, nothing keeping us apart. I tangled my hands in Dan’s hair and closed my eyes as his hand moved to my crotch and began rubbing my pussy through the thin material of my yoga pants. He knew just how to please me, just how to touch me and drive me insane. I fumbled and clawed at his shirt, desperate to tear the material from his gorgeous body. As I ran my hands over his smooth chest, Dan groaned. He pressed me down on the mattress and kissed me hard, his tongue playing and flicking against mine. His hands roamed down my curves, cupping my breasts and pinching my nipples before moving to my pants and tugging them down my hips. As he threw the heap of fabric to the side, I spread my legs and wriggled out of my panties. I wanted to be completely naked with him, feel his skin against mine.
I never wanted it to stop.
Dan growled with lust as he looked at my wet pussy and smelled my arousal. He dragged his nails down the insides of my thighs and I gasped with pleasure. I
reached for his pants and unzipped them, awkwardly yanking them down his body. He was naked beneath his pants and he collapsed on top of me, sucking on my earlobe. I wrapped my legs around his body, and we tumbled on my bed, our limbs tangled together. The sensation of his hard, throbbing cock pressed against my belly made me blush and twitch with lust.
Dan laced his fingers with mine and rolled me on my back, then knelt between my spread legs. He pulled one of his hands free and slid a finger inside of my pussy, teasing me, running his thumb in slow circles around my clit until I let out a loud moan. My whole body was tingling and burning with lust and it felt so good that I closed my eyes and thrust my hips forward, eager and desperate for more.
“I want you,” I said in a breathy whisper. “Please, Dan, I want you so much.”
“I love you, Lyssa,” Dan growled. He pressed his forehead against mine and kissed me, deep and wet. When he pulled away, I could see naked emotion shining in his eyes and it was nearly enough to make me cry again.
“I love you, too,” I breathed. “I love you so much.”
“Lyssa,” Dan groaned in my ear. He put his hand on the bed and slid his cock into me as he said my name, plunging deep and burying himself inside of me. His body brushed against my clit and I gasped with pleasure as he began to rock his hips and fuck me hard. The bed shook and wobbled, and I clung tightly to Dan as he thrust deeper and deeper.
Our bodies bucked and twisted together. Sweat broke out over our bodies and mingled with the smell of my pussy juice, creating a heavy, musky scent in the room. I stared into Dan’s eyes as he pumped his cock in and out of my cunt, filling me with intense pleasure. Every second that passed felt better than the last and I spread my legs as wide as they would go. Dan leaned back and plunged inside of me, then looked down at me and put his hand to my clit. He stroked and rubbed it with his thumb, and I shrieked with bliss as the feelings washed over me, again and again.
When my orgasm crested over me, I relaxed and surrendered, moaning and gasping as the most insane pleasure I’d ever felt hit me in powerful waves. Dan groaned and bucked, thrusting hard, and I felt his cock pulse inside of my clenching pussy. He leaned down to kiss me as I trembled and shook, and I cried out into his mouth as I felt the pleasure peak inside of my body.
Baby for Brother’s Best Friend: Brother’s Best Friend Book 1 Page 21
