by J. J. McAvoy
“I stole them from my father,” he admitted. “I told you he was a writer, didn’t I?”
“Then you have no problem letting me steal them?”
“My father was a writer,” he repeated. “Your father is a lawyer and rightfully had them copyrighted,” he said, jokingly.
Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. This was one of the reasons I devoted myself to winning arguments … to undo the years of trauma losing to this man. I hoped I was half as great as my father. I hoped Thea and I were even greater parents.
THEA
Something was off.
I stood there for almost two full minutes, watching as he sat on our bed, his thick framed reading glasses on his nose, dressed in only his dark blue pajama bottoms, his bare muscular chest tempting me.
“Levi?”
“Huh?” he asked, his head turning toward me, but his eyes still on the computer screen. When I didn’t say anything, he glanced over, and once he looked, he couldn’t look away.
“Jesus…” he whispered, reaching up to take off his glasses. His gaze traveled my legs until he stopped right at the small silk robe, which didn’t even cover my ass, showing the black lace of my panties. “You’re way too far away.”
“Don’t mind me. Just keep staring at the computer. I’ll go change into something more—”
“Oh, no you don’t.” He tossed his laptop to the end of the bed and rushed over to me. Grabbing my arm before I could go back into the bathroom, he pinned me against the door. “I’ve been waiting to be alone with you all day.”
“Really, and that’s why you were—”
“Why I got excited and nervous and curious, so I was Googling what happens now … now that you’re … we’re pregnant.” He couldn’t even say it with a straight face. He just kept grinning at me.
Looking down, I pulled the robe open so he could see my bra. He started laughing, which made me laugh too.
“This was my plan. I was going to tell you right before I got annoyed and asked you in the shower,” I said to him as he stared at my black, bedazzled bra with the words I’m pregnant written on the cups.
Calming down, he stood straighter, placing his hands on my cheeks. He just kept staring at me.
“What? Why are you staring at me like that?”
“You’re pregnant.”
“I am.”
“You said yes.”
“I did.”
“You love me.”
“I do.”
“How can I not stare at you like this?” he said softly, resting his forehead against mine. “This is my how-the-hell-did-I-get-so-lucky-to-get-everything-I-ever-wanted stare?”
Taking his hand, I led him to the bed, pushed him onto his back, and straddled his waist. He sat up on his elbows, his brows raised, grinning at me. Staring down at him, I softly brushed my thumb across his bottom lip, before running my finger down the center of his chest, around his pecs, and down to his abs. He closed his eyes, his breathing slowed, and he relaxed under me. Leaning over, I kissed him. He opened his mouth, but I just kissed the side, then his chin, his light stubble not at all bothering me; in fact, it turned me on more. Kissing my way to his ear, I gently bit his earlobe.
I wanted to tell him just how much I loved him too. The words couldn’t come, so I just kept kissing him. Kissing down his neck.
“Ah…” he moaned, holding my waist, which only made it easier for me to grind myself on him.
Sitting up, I reached behind my back to undo my bra hooks and threw it to the side. The moment he saw my breasts, he reached for them, his cold hands making me jump. He squeezed, sitting up, running his thumb over my nipple before taking it into his mouth. His arm wrapped around my waist as he kissed and sucked on me.
“Oh…” I licked my lips, trying to focus, but he was relentless, alternating from one breast to the other his tongue running over my nipple over and over again before he took me into his mouth.
I felt myself getting hotter as he got harder beneath me. Putting my hands on his shoulders, I pushed him onto his back again. He exhaled deeply from his nose, frustrated, lust blazing in his green eyes.
With my face just above his, I grabbed his chin and said, “Behave, Mr. Black.”
He extended just enough to kiss my lips. “Make me, Future Mrs. Black.”
When he got like this, nothing but a rough fuck could calm him back down. Reaching into his pajamas, I grabbed hold of his hot cock and squeezed. He bared his teeth, jerking forward in my hands.
“You play dirty.”
“You’re the one who taught me how,” I reminded him, kissing his chin as I stroked him. My bare breasts pressed against his chest. His head bent back, allowing me to continue where I’d originally left off—his neck—sucking until a small, red mark appeared.
“Baby…” He exhaled, his mouth open. “I have … court … in the morning.”
“So?” I squeezed his cock, sucking and licking and kissing his neck again.
“I can’t … I can’t … I can’t have hickies…”
“Thank God for scarves.”
“It’s … May.”
“Poor you.” I smirked and ran my tongue down his chest, then bit him.
“Damn you!” he cried out.
“No, baby,” I said softly, sliding down to kiss his abs until I got to the waistband of his pajama pants. “Is that any way to talk to the mother of your child?” His dick was so hard, it stood proudly when I pulled it from inside his pants.
Licking the tip of him before sliding my tongue down him until I’d gotten to his balls, wanting to take them into my mouth when he grabbed on to my head and pulled me up and then flipped me over. He pinned my hands over my head.
“You shouldn’t have said that last part,” he whispered, his eyes on my lips. “You had your fun … now I’m going to have mine.”
He stood up. Taking off his bottoms, he walked to the dresser, as my heart thumped against my chest. When he came back, his cock was pointed directly at me, and he flipped the top of the oil with his thumb.
“Turn over,” he demanded, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to look away from him. He was giving me chills. “Now, Thea.”
Doing as commanded, I turned on to my stomach, feeling the bed shift when he got back on. He gently he took my hair and pulled it into a ponytail, brushing his fingers over my shoulder.
“Levi…”
“Shh,” he whispered directly into my ear, sending another shiver down my spine. Trembling eagerly, I closed my eyes, just as I felt the oil drip onto my back, and then just slide down me. He didn’t care that it poured on to the sheets either. He grabbed my ass, squeezing and rubbing making sure the oil slid between my cheeks before throwing the bottle to the side. From my waist, he rubbed up my back.
“Ohh…” The more he rubbed, the warmer the oil got. But it wasn’t just that … it tingled. Biting on my finger as he reached under massaging my breasts, his cock sliding between my ass cheeks creating that same fire again. “Ahh…”
What was this? It felt so good … and so damn frustrating at the same time. Feeling his hard cock against my ass was driving me insane. Grabbing on to the sheets, now sweating, panting, one of his hands moved to grip my neck. With the other to my ass, he pressed himself down on me again.
“Please,” I whispered, my gaze unable to focus.
“We’re just getting started baby,” he whispered back, biting the top of my ear, his grip on my neck still tight, my breathing slowing down, making everything else feel like it was slowing down with it.
What else could he do? His hand was at my pussy, stroking me.
“I need you,” I begged. “Please … oh…”
He stuck two of his fingers into me, pulling them out so slowly I was ready to cry.
“You’re so wet, baby,” he said as he tortured me.
“Damn you.”
“Is that any way to speak to the father of your child?” He had the nerve to snicker.
“You—Oh … oh...�
� I pulled on the sheets so tightly, I was sure my nails had ripped through as he slowly entered my ass.
“What were you saying?” he asked, completely inside me, but giving me no time to respond. I rose on to all fours. As he gently stretched me out, pulling out some and thrusting back in, he played with my clit. I reminded myself that I’d planned to be charge tonight, and somehow I was at his mercy. Pushing myself off the bed, and sitting up on my knees, I reached back and wrapped my arm around his neck.
“I…” I closed my eyes for a second as his pace quickened. “I was … saying … your…”
He bent over, his lips over my own before I could get the words out … not that I was making much progress anyway. This kiss was much more lustful—sloppy. He held on to me, ramming himself deeper, and faster—so hard that we both fell on to our sides. Our lips broke apart as our moans filled the room. Even then he didn’t let go, and I didn’t want him to. My whole body trembled.
“Oh my…” I gasped.
“Thea … ah,” he said as he finished, kissing my shoulder.
“You just couldn’t let me run tonight, could you?” I whispered, rolling over to see him.
His eyes were closed but the corner of his lip turned up. “Blame yourself for being so beautiful.”
Rolling my eyes, I tried to get up, but he held on to me.
“I’m sticky.”
“Stick to me then,” he muttered, wrapping both of his arms around me.
“How do you always have the perfect comeback?”
He grinned not answering but gathering me into his arms.
BABY: DAY 1
LEVI
“The cavalry has arrived,” I said, sitting up from the bed as she gently pulled on Ulric’s hat. I paused, taking out my phone to take another picture.
“Levi.” She made a face at me. “That’s like your hundredth photo.”
“Hundred and one, but who’s counting,” I said, taking another one.
She rolled her eyes at me. “Go get everyone.”
“They can wait; look, he moved his nose!” I pointed, and her head snapped down to see as I took another photo.
She shook her head, and looked at me. “We’ve become ‘those people,’ Levi.”
“What people?”
“Those people with thousands of photos of their kids, who get super excited when their kid has gas.”
I snickered and put my phone back in my pocket. “Everyone wants to be those people, but they just don’t know it.”
“Oh my gosh, your daddy is cuckoo,” she said to our son who’d been in and out of sleep for the last couple of hours. Who knew watching someone, a child, our child, sleep would be so exciting?
“Knock knock,” a very familiar voice called from behind the door just before my sister, Bethan, now a blonde, poked her head inside. The moment she saw the baby, she gasped and invited herself all the way in, dressed in a long, one-shoulder black gown.
“He’s beautiful, Thea.” She gasped hovering over them.
“I had something to do with that, too,” I said, but she just waved me off, cooing at the baby. But her and Thea were laughing again.
“Don’t take it personally,” Tristan muttered, entering the room next, in his black tux, Bellamy asleep in his arms, the bottom her puffy gold dress sticking out under his arm. “She’s upset with me and has decided to take it out on the whole male sex.”
He sighed tiredly before his brown eyes shifted, and the corner of his lips turned up. “I’d shake your hand, but father duties.” He lifted Bellamy a little in his arms. “He looks like a future heartbreaker.”
“With parents like us, how could he not be?” I said softly, looking at how big Bellamy was already. Three years old, soon to be four. “Do you want me call for a small bed for her?”
“Never, and Happy New Year,” he replied, moving over to say hello to Thea and Ulric. Bethan placed her hand on his Ulric’s head, smiling up to him, and they shared a look. Whatever fight they were having, or had, was apparently a moot point.
“Oh…” I turned to see my mother, dressed in a champagne gown, her hair pinned up. She stepped inside, with her hand over her mouth.
“I’d like to hold him sometime today, Denise,” my father said to her, and she smacked his arm.
He gave me a handshake, which led to a hug. “Congratulations, son.”
“Thank you, Dad.” I exhaled patting his back as he patted my own.
“He’s … oh … he’s perfect.” My mother cried as she held him in her arms. “Walter, come and see.”
You didn’t have to tell him twice. He walked over to them, putting his hand on Thea’s cheek as she laid back on the pillows, before he turned to my mother and son. “Look at those cheeks. Just like when Levi was born,” he whispered down to Ulric.
I’d just taken a step to them when there was a knock at the door again and and in walked Thea’s little sister, Selene, and her father, Benjamin, still bundled up. Selene gave me a huge hug, and had you know her three years ago, you’d never realize this was the same person.
“I would say 'way to go,' but my sister kinda did all the hard work…” she teased and I pitched her side making her jump. “Just kidding … but not really.” She ran away from me, and toward her sister before I could get her again. “Sis, you finally look like the mom you are.”
“Oh, you are so lucky I’m on painkillers or I’d kick you,” Thea grumbled, but still accepted the hug.
“Ben?” I looked back to him when he hadn’t moved.
He blinked, coming out of whatever deep thought he’d lost himself in. Putting his hand on my shoulder, he gave it a good squeeze. Nothing else needed to be said; I understood from the look on his face, as he headed over to his daughter.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said to him.
“Hi, Thea bear.” He kissed her forehead. “You did good.”
My mother moved, lifting Ulric for Ben to hold. But he just froze. My mother, never one to be ignored, took his arms and carefully put Ulric in them, still supporting his head until he did it himself.
“Thea, you sure he’s yours? He so calm.” He laughed, his eyes glistening with tears. “Your mother screamed her pretty little head off when I first held her.”
“He’s hers all right. The little guy had no patience, so that’s proof enough,” I said, moving to take a seat beside her.
“Mom,” Thea said sleepily, and my mother went to her. “Make them stop picking on me. I’m too tired to fight back.”
She laughed and sat on the opposite side of her. “Next person to tease my daughter while she’s defenseless will get a shoe to the skull … good enough?” She directed that last part to Thea, who gave her a thumbs up.
“So what did you name him?” Bethan asked, now sitting Tristan’s lap, and Bellamy in hers.
“Ulric,” Thea and I said together.
Selene and Ben both smiled, obviously knowing why, but the rest of my family was a little confused.
“It was my grandfather’s name,” Thea said proudly.
“Ulric Black,” my father repeated.
“Ulric Pierre Black,” I corrected, looking at my mother as she held Thea’s hand.
“I’m guessing Ulric Oidhche Black didn’t have the same ring.” My father pouted, and my mother groaned.
“Oidhche?” Selene asked, trying not to laugh.
“Levi’s grandfather, on his father’s side, was Oidhche Black, and to this day, Walter still believes I should have named Levi that.” My mother shook her head.
Bethan laughed. “Oh, that would have been awesome! Why did you strip me years’ worth of puns?”
“Hey!” my father said to her. “It means ‘the night’ in Scottish.”
“Night-Black,” Thea, said nodding her head. “That’s kinda cool.”
“Don’t—”
“Ulric Pierre-Oidhche Black,” she cut me off already going there.
“What … is he a prince? Why does he need four names?” I asked her.
&nb
sp; “Because it sounds cool, right?” She looked to my father, who was halfway to the moon.
“She’s the smart one.” My father nodded, now holding Ulric. “Listen to her.”
Thea looked up to me, hopeful, and I lost the fight the moment she’d said it out loud. “Ulric Pierre-Oidhche Black, it is.”
“In honor of the little prince, and everyone looking so dapper, let’s take a picture. It is a new year, after all,” Selene said, taking out her phone.
“We should see if a nurse can take the photo—” Ben said, but Selene just shook her head. Reaching into her coat and she pulled out what she needed.
“What are selfie sticks for if not for group selfies?” she replied.
“On three, everyone say, 'Oidhche.'”
Both my mother and I groaned.
THEA
“Umm…” I yawned tilting my head to see Levi resting with his left hand resting on Ulric’s tiny bed foot. It was just the three of us again. Everyone else left once the snow fall got heavier. By the time they called us to let us know they were home, the snow had come down even heavier. The doctors told us to stay until the blizzard was over. We were fine but the cold weather and the road conditions on top of it still beginning new year’s, it was just safer. I wasn’t going to risk it with lunatics driving or the black ice.
I’m such a mom.
I grinned, looking at Ulric, watching his tiny chest rise and fall as he slept peacefully alongside his father. I felt bad; it didn’t too look comfortable for Levi.
Nnmmmm
Nmmmm
Levi’s phone vibrated on the bed next to my leg. I picked it up, thinking it was his mother, but it was none other than the twin clowns. Dialing instead of texting, it was only a second before I saw their faces.
“Atticus, Viv, happy new year.” I waved at them.
“Look at her.” Atticus grinned, completely bundled up as he walked outside, the street lamps on in the background. “While someone of us were getting drunk and kissing strangers, Thea Cunning was bringing life into the world, all while looking like a model.”
“What can I say? I’m awesome. You know this,” I replied dusting off my shoulder.
“Where is he?” Viviane jumped into the frame, snow in her dark hair and on her bronze cheeks, apparently totally uninterested in me.
