Not According to Plan

by A. m Madden

  Jade glanced at me with a teasing smirk. “We don’t have to listen to him.”

  “A woman after my own heart.”

  Mom nudged Nate aside to hug Jade. “I’m Monica Hoover. It’s such a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Same here, Mrs. Hoover.”

  “Oh, please call me Monica, darling.” My mother then introduced Mitch, who also gave Jade a warm hug.

  It was only after we all took our seats that Brad finally joined us, giving no explanation for his impromptu comatose state. Funny, no one even asked.

  My family engaged Jade in the conversation, asking her questions here and there. My mom offered funny stories of our escapades as teenagers. Mitch griped that we were brutal on him when he first started dating our mom. “Even though Mike had died a few years earlier, they weren’t ready to accept that it was time for Monica to move on,” he admitted with a shrug.

  “But you won them over, darling,” Mom said, holding a palm to his cheek.

  “It wasn’t easy.” Mitch then looked at Jade. “I don’t have kids of my own, so you can imagine how intimidating three grown men can be when they want to protect their mother. Not surprisingly, it was Max who was first to warm toward me and talked his brothers into doing the same.”

  Both Brad and Nate groaned at the same time.

  “Well, I’m not the least bit surprised it was Max who welcomed you first,” Jade said, instigating my brothers to now gag. They took the opportunity to try and tease her over being partial, and she argued her case like the professional she was.

  As dinner went on, my heart swelled with pride at how perfectly she fit into my family.

  The waiter came by to clear our plates, and for the first time all night, we were met with silence. At the very same time, Jade and I remembered the objective for the evening when our eyes met and held.

  Brad cleared his throat. “So, Max, what’s new?” he asked, smirking at my scowl.

  Seeing my not-so-subtle glare and hearing Nate’s chuckle tipped my mom off. “What are you boys up to?” she asked, her eyes bouncing between my brothers and me.

  I grabbed Jade’s hand beneath the table and squeezed. “Jade and I do have some news.”

  “Oh?”

  I suddenly abandoned her hand to instead bring a comforting arm up and around her shoulders. After dragging in a deep breath, I then said, “We’re having a baby.”

  Mom and Mitch’s shocked gapes met my announcement, followed by silence, followed by, Brad raising his arms exclaiming, “Surprise!”

  My mom recovered from the shock with an automatic, “Congratulations,” all while a myriad of emotions played on her face. But in the tone of her voice, along with that expression, meant she wasn’t thrilled with this news.

  After losing my dad without warning, my mother had become much more, for lack of a better word, meddling. She simply couldn’t help it and worried about us more than ever.

  After an awkward silence, Nate stood, gripped Brad’s shoulder, and said, “Brad and I will be right back.”

  “We will?”

  Nate narrowed his eyes and thumbed toward the bar. “Take a hint.” Once they both scurried away, I focused on my mom. “I know this is hard to wrap your head around. Just as Tracey’s pregnancy wasn’t planned, neither was ours. But, as much as I’ll be there for whatever Tracey or the baby needs…” I glanced at Jade and continued, “I’m all in with Jade.”

  “We take it you know about Tracey?” Mitch asked her, surprise registering on his face.

  “Yes.”

  “And you know about Miami?”

  Jade met my mom’s eyes and nodded. “I do.” On the outside, Jade remained calm, but the way she fiddled with a ring under the table clued me in to her nerves.

  “Does your family?” my mother asked out of the blue.

  “Not yet.” Jade’s voice suddenly became quieter. I hated how her father reacted, and once he learned of Tracey, it would only get worse.

  “Well, as a parent, I know yours would be concerned. He’s my son, and I feel having two babies coming at once is a bit troubling.”

  “I can handle it,” I argued.

  Mom shook her head and sighed while focusing on Jade. “My Max always went above and beyond to be there for those he loved. When his father died, he abandoned his plans to live in Miami and came back home to be there for us.” My mother glanced at me before admitting, “And as busy as he was with his own life, he also took on handling my finances by himself.”

  “Mom.”

  “I’m sorry. It just proves my point.” She refocused on Jade. “Max is so much like his father. He tries to carry the world on his shoulders to ease the load for someone he loves. He’s my real-life superhero, to a fault…and sometimes his need to be there for everyone only ends up hurting them and himself. I’m afraid he’ll sacrifice all he worked for.”

  “Mom,” I repeated.

  “It’s okay, Max,” Jade said as she squeezed my thigh beneath the table. “I completely understand your concerns,” she then said to my mom. “I myself have been working toward a promotion. That comes with many disadvantages when trying to juggle everything.” Without saying it out loud, Jade clued my mother in that financially she expected nothing from me. “Truth be told, because I work long hours and put in many days to reach that accomplishment, obviously I’m nervous how this baby will affect the very ambitious goals I had set for myself.”

  “That only adds to my concerns, dear,” my mother said with a sad smile. “This child now connects you, whether you want it to or not. Babies are very demanding little things. I come from a different generation. I stayed home, raised my kids, and still that was very difficult to manage. I simply can’t see how this situation is going to work.”

  “We’ll make it work,” I said firmly.

  Jade glanced up at me with a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes before refocusing on my mother. “You’re correct that this baby now connects us in a very profound way. I’m grateful Max will be there to support me emotionally. I also will do my best to support him as much as I can during his own professional goals and the birth of his other child. More than that, I can’t promise right now.”

  My mom processed her words before glancing at me, with concern, love, and a fuck-ton of fear battling within her expression. “You’re about to understand how severely your entire world tilts when a baby is born…in my case three at once. In your case, two separated by many miles. It will be difficult for Jade juggling work and baby. But it will be most difficult for you, Max.”

  Needing to say my piece, I took Jade’s hand and kissed her knuckles sweetly. “I can handle it,” I said with pure conviction while hoping I could.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jade

  After that difficult conversation, there was an obvious strain on the rest of the evening. Monica had been cordial and kind, but our news hung a heavy drape of worry over her heart. I really couldn’t blame her. Whenever I thought about all the moving pieces to our situation, I could easily freak out myself.

  It was understandable Monica would be concerned for her son, but her comment regarding his super-hero complex was what I got stuck on. From the start, Max seemed too calm over the entire situation, assuring me it would all work out. It all made sense now and worried me even more.

  While in the cab, he took my hand in his. “I’m sorry tonight was so difficult.”

  “We really can’t blame them. It’s a lot to take in,” I said with a sad smile.

  “I know.” His eyes searched mine for a beat. “I’d really like to forget about our families, go back to my place, and be together for a few hours. I’ll drive you back later. I miss you.”

  The stress of our situation, along with not having had any quality time together in a while, had me feeling like Max and I were drifting apart. So, at his admission, my heartbeat sped up,
relieved he felt the same. “I miss you, too.”

  Less than twenty minutes later, he held my hand as we walked past the doorman at Max’s apartment building.

  “Mr. Navarro, how are you on this fine day?”

  “I’m great, Roger. This is Jade.”

  Roger waddled over, took my other hand in his, and kissed it. “Ah, so pretty. If I were only ten years younger.”

  I giggled just as Max scoffed, “Ten? You’ve been drinking again, old man?”

  “Not on the job. But when I get home…” He finished his sentence with a wink. The man was quite a character.

  “Well, drink responsibly. Bye, Roger,” Max said, quickly pulling me into the elevator. Once the doors closed, he looked down at me and rolled his eyes. “If given the chance, he’d ramble for another fifteen minutes. Losing his wife two years ago has turned him into a serial flirt.”

  “He’s sweet.” I remained quiet the rest of the ride up to his floor, and soon enough, he was opening the door to his place.

  With a wave of his hand, he said, “Come on in.”

  Two steps in the door, and I couldn’t help but already admire his apartment. I took in the decent-sized square room. An impressive modern kitchen near the foyer holding a long narrow island served as a both dining area for four and a room separator from a living room.

  “Oh Max, this is stunning. How long have you lived here?”

  “A few years.”

  Dark wood cabinets topped with creamy granite and stainless-steel appliances meant Max had great taste. His entire place was warm and inviting. The decor was simple, the furniture minimal, and the vibe wasn’t overly masculine. Sure, grays and neutrals were the dominant color scheme, but he had pops of color in the area rug and pillows and even a retro robin’s egg blue teakettle on his range top.

  “Did someone help you decorate?”

  A dimpled grin spread. “I once dated an interior decorator,” he admitted with a shrug.

  “Well, she did a great job.” The entire space was very calming.

  “It’s a great building.” He looked as if he might say something else but then hesitated.

  “What?”

  “I have my eyes on a bigger place a few floors up.”

  “Why?”

  “This only has one tiny spare bedroom, and compared to my master, it’s more like a closet. The one upstairs has a bigger second bedroom that will come in handy once the babies arrive.” The tentative smile that played on his lips tugged at my heartstrings. Plenty of other men would have thrown a folding crib in the corner and called it a day. “Make yourself at home. I’ll get you some water.”

  “Thank you,” I said, though I’d kill for a glass of wine.

  The framed photos he kept of his family in the entertainment center surrounding the TV caught my eye. I walked toward them and scanned each one, smiling. Everyone looked so happy. When he came to stand behind me, I pointed to one and said, “What a great picture.”

  “Thanks. It was taken about six months before my father died. The last one we had including all five of us.” The man in the photo looked so healthy, so full of life. It was hard to imagine that only six months later, he’d be gone. “Dad would’ve turned fifty that December,” Max said.

  “Your mom looks tiny next to you all.” His dad was as tall as the triplets and just as fit.

  “As tiny as she is, she sure can rule with an iron fist. We all knew when she gave us a certain look then it was time to zip it…even Dad.”

  When I twisted to face him, his sad eyes caught mine. “I’m so sorry you lost him, Max. I can’t imagine what it feels like to lose a parent.” Just having my dad giving me the silent treatment since he learned I was pregnant punched at my heart.

  “All these years later,” he said, “and it’s weird, but I feel him all the time. Everything I accomplished with my business had to do with a dream I had of him one night. He walked into my gym, slammed his hand on my desk, and barked stop wasting your goddamn life and then walked out. My father rarely lost his temper.”

  I laid a hand on his chest. “That’s a pretty profound vision.”

  “Or I’m psychotic,” he admitted on a sarcastic chuckle. “At least that’s what my brothers think. It definitely shook me up a bit. But the next day, I decided he was right. No more wasting time or using life as an excuse…and I put the wheels in motion for Miami.”

  “I think your dad would be very proud of that.” Even though Miami presented a huge obstacle to our relationship, I couldn’t help but be happy for him. “As you said to me, things happen for a reason,” I voiced, really not knowing what that reason was.

  “They do.” He glanced at the photo again before giving me a brilliant smile. I continued to take in the rest of his place, moving to the sliding door that led to a modest balcony with a small bistro table and two chairs.

  The bustling city landscape created a breathtaking three-dimensional piece of art. “Love this view.”

  “Me, too,” he said, close behind me. And when he wrapped his arms around my waist, I melted into him. “I spend a lot of time out here whenever I’m home. It’s my private little haven.”

  I turned toward him and was met with his gorgeous smile. He pulled me against his body and leaned down to place a soft kiss on my lips, instantly sparking my libido to life. “I’ll give you a tour, and then we can relax,” he said, while I conjured up a way to subtly seduce him into doing more than relaxing. And yes, I was completely aware that would be breaking my own condition to take it slow.

  It’d been rough these past weeks, and at that moment, getting lost in Max seemed like a great way to relieve all my pent-up tensions. Pathetically, I wished Amy were there to coach me on the art of seduction.

  Channeling my best friend, I went for it and slowly unzipped his jeans while lowering to my knees.

  “Jade?” he questioned as his eyes focused on my face.

  “The tour can wait.” Feeling bold, and horny, I reached in to pull out his now hardened length. And when I wrapped my hand around him before following with lips, he seemed to remain in a state of aroused shock.

  …

  Max

  With her big brown eyes gazing into mine, the desire I felt for Jade became a force that took on a life of its own. It pulsed relentlessly each time I saw her, and now with her in my apartment, on her knees with my cock in her mouth, it became a fuck-ton worse.

  “I’ve envisioned this,” she shockingly admitted, staring up at me through her lashes.

  “So have I,” I announced without shame.

  I could see my words rolling around in her mind as I stared at her long and hard until she slowly resumed torturing me with her mouth. Fuck, it felt incredible, and I had to palm the wall beside me to stop my knees from buckling. But every drag of her hot, wet mouth over me, every swipe of her tongue and forceful suck brought me dangerously close to coming…and that wasn’t where I wanted to after not having her in so long.

  When I lifted her off her knees and pulled her against me, she widened her eyes in surprise. Our lips connected like two magnetic kewpie dolls that didn’t have a choice. The kiss started at a slow, tender pace, but then it morphed into an event in its own right. I moved my body closer to hers to eliminate what little space there had been between us while making a path of soft kisses on her warm, delicious skin.

  Hoisting her in my arms produced an adorable squeal. While carrying her toward my room, I said, “I promise to go slow…as you suggested.” Her giggles only served to fuel me on. “In about two minutes, those sweet sounds will be turning into those damn sexy moans I remember that you release when I eat your pussy.” Like a magic trick, the giggling stopped and one of the very moans I referred to slipped out of her mouth. “Yep, just like that.”

  I placed her on her feet and bit down on her shoulder blade. She gasped, gripping my forearms. In
between kisses and nips, I admitted, “By the way, I lost count how many times I had to resort to adolescent measures from remembering the one time we fucked.” Her eyes flared when I came nose to nose with her. “Did you do the same, Jade? Tell me, did you touch yourself thinking of me?”

  “Yes.” There was no hesitancy, no shame. Our eyes connected in their usual intense way, and she then whispered, “Often.” That reckless spark I craved from her revealed itself with pride and turned me the fuck on.

  “Fuck.” My mouth landed on hers before our tongues tangled. On my assault, she pitched her narrow hips forward. The thin fabric of her slacks and my jeans failed at containing the heat building within me, a fire that smoldered into a blistering inferno that had settled uncomfortably in between my thighs.

  There was only thing I could to extinguish the flames—gently kiss her entire body before finally having her.

  Drilling my eyes into hers, I lifted the hem of her blouse until it was off her body to reveal all her gorgeousness in that pink lace bra I thought of often. The way it molded over her so perfectly had been engrained in my brain.

  “Why are you staring?” she asked shyly.

  “You’re so beautiful. And just like our first night, seeing you in pink lace has me feeling like a teenage boy.” It was meant to be humorous, yet the smoldering heat between our tethered gazes was far from funny. I molded one hand over her breast while dragging the lace down to free the other. My focus now shifted from her mouth to her exposed nipple, and there was no hesitation on my part to latch on and pull it into my mouth.

  With a relaxed bite, I tugged, yet by the response I received, you’d think I had done so much more than that. I took that as a green light to remove her shoes and then pants, leaving her in just that sexy bra and matching lace panties.

  I desperately wanted to worship her body, not spare an inch of it from my touch or my lips. I just prayed she would welcome my plan.

  Lifting and centering her on my bed, I removed her bra to resume sucking on first one nipple and then the other. My hand seemed so large as I skimmed it down her petite body, over the very slight swell of her belly, before spreading her thighs to skim my touch over her. The combination of her breast in my mouth, my finger petting and then sliding into her hot tight channel, resulted in sexy whimpers. She latched onto my hair, and every muscle in my body coiled in a tight bundle of nerves. With the pad of my thumb, I concentrated on her clit at the same time as I finger-fucked her.