Emma nodded eagerly while Aspen just shook his head.
10
Nick
"She's with Emma," was all the text from Aspen had said. It wasn't much, but at least it kept my heart from wanting to explode out of my chest. Being with Emma meant she was at least safe.
I wanted her with me though. I had to go to her. Now.
"Hey, it's Gabbie. I'm going out tonight with Emma. We're gonna hit the clubs with Emma's friends from school." The second message was a picture of Gabbie and Emma posing in front of a full-length mirror. Both wore dresses that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Despite all the stress, my cock came to life instantly as my eyes ran up and down the image of Gabbie.
God, she looked so fucking sexy in that dress. I could only imagine just how gorgeous she looked wearing it in person. It wasn't a dress I'd ever seen on her, a sleek black number that ended mid-thigh. Her breasts looked like they were squeezed into it and would burst out at any second. It had to be one of Emma's.
Desire coursed through me, darkened by a sudden possession. Gabbie was mine, and I wasn't into showing off my things.
"Don't wait up," was the final text from her.
My hands balled into fists, and I took deep breaths, trying to get myself under control. This must be her way of telling me it was over, that I'd pushed things too far last night and there was no coming back from it.
For a long while, I just stared at the phone, trying to think of what I could say in response. Gabbie was my wife. Before that, she was my friend, almost a sister. I'd always loved her and always would. But how could I tell her that? Worse, how could I tell her in a text message?
For a while, my thumb hovered over the call button.
Wasn't this what I wanted? For her to go out and live her life? To be with someone her own age? Gabbie was young still. She'd married me right out of high school. She hadn't had the chance to be young, to go out partying and all that, when she was in college. Didn't she deserve a shot at that, rather than being stuck tethered to me? It was why I'd offered her a divorce.
It would be wrong for me to deny her that chance.
Part of me regretted ever marrying her. It wasn't fair to her. She shouldn't have been forced to marry me just to inherit what was rightfully hers. Her old-fashioned father believed marriage, and a family came before business.
Her father was a great man. He'd taught me a lot, both about business and life. But he was from a different generation and set in his ways. To him, it was the man's job to bust his ass, working long days, while the wife stayed at home raising the family. Even after his wife had died, he hadn't been able to change who he was, which is why Mom had spent so much time taking care of Gabbie.
He'd loved Gabbie, more than anything. She was his daughter, his only child. In his mind, locking her share of the company behind marriage was a way to ensure his daughter would be taken care of and provided for. It was like a dowry, something to make his already amazing daughter even more attractive.
Once we'd gotten married, I put the lawyers to work making sure Gabbie's portion of the company was hers and hers alone. He'd left me my share of the company, and the CEO position. I didn't want anyone to think I'd married Gabby just to find more shares of the company. Even if we divorced, Gabbie would always have her own shares of the company. And if she got married again, it would be up to her whether she wanted to share them with her new husband.
“If that’s what you want, I’ll respect your decision,” I texted back finally. I was on my own. Alone. Just as it should be.
So why did it feel so wrong?
Because I wanted her. I wanted my wife.
But I could never allow myself to give in.
Desire coursed through me. I had to douse it. A shower.
I throw off my clothes, leaving them on the floor. Normally, I would have been appalled by leaving clothes strewn about. I couldn't care less. I got in the shower and stood under the cold spray. It did nothing to ease the tension in my heart...or in my cock.
Ugh. I felt like a raging hormonal teenager again.
I shut off the water and forced myself to towel off. There was only one thing to do: go to bed. It was either that or go to Gabbie. And in the state I was in...well, let's just say I knew exactly what I'd do if I found her.
I can't. This was a marriage in name only. She deserves a less jaded man her own age. Not someone dark and intense like me.
I stared at the still messy bed. I lay down on her side and breathed in the floral and cinnamon scent of my wife.
I got up, fists clenched.
Gabbie deserved someone better than me, which meant that I’d just have to be better. I was older, which just meant I could use all of my experience to please and care for her in ways she never could have imagined. She was my wife. And now, she was not my wife in name only. From the moment I claimed her as my own, our destiny was set. Like hell any other man would ever touch her. I’d fucking kill any man who tried.
She. Was. Mine.
11
Gabbie
My jaw ached from clenching it so hard as I stared at the phone. I wanted so badly to just throw it against the wall and watch it shatter into a million pieces. Had It been my phone, I'd have probably done just that. But it wasn't. It was Emma's phone, and I had to keep reminding myself of that. Emma was my friend and had done my a favor by lending me her phone, I wasn't going to return that favor by destroying it.
But as I read the message from Nick over and over again, the anger wouldn't fade. God, he really was a heartless bastard, wasn't he? He didn't care about me at all. He was probably glad I was out of his life. Me leaving had saved him the effort of having to kick me out.
I'd locked myself in the guest room after Emma and I had taken our pictures together. Aspen had gone home, but not before reminding me how badly this plan was likely to backfire. And, of course, he'd been right. I'd hoped so badly sending that message to Nick would awaken something in him. And it had, I guess. Relief though, not jealousy like I'd wanted.
Hands shaking, I set the phone down on the bedside table, then collapsed onto the bed. I needed to get myself under control. Reading the message from Nick over and over again was just going to make me angrier and angrier.
How could he be such an insensitive asshole? I was his wife, for crying out loud. Even if he didn't love me the way I loved him, how could he be so calm and indifferent about everything? I'd basically told him I was going out to get laid tonight, and he'd just shrugged it off! Jesus Christ, what kind of husband did something like that?
We most definitely didn't have that kind of relationship. No way would I ever be comfortable sharing Nick with anyone. He was my husband, damn it, and I wasn't about to let some other woman have her way with him. But apparently he didn't have the same feelings for me. He was fine with me going out to the bar, finding some stranger, and letting him fuck my brains out all night. How could he be so callous?
I laid in the bed, staring up at the ceiling, emotions whirling around inside me. One moment I'd be angry with Nick, the next I'd be on the verge of tears over our marriage falling apart. Then, I'd go back to wanting to go out and make Nick jealous, to show him I wasn't some weak-willed woman he could upset that easily.
Maybe I was that kind of woman though. It'd only taken a couple words from him to send me into this spiral. I doubted any amount of staring at the ceiling and thinking would help either. No. I needed to go talk to Nick, needed to see him face to face. If he wanted a divorce, then fine. But he was damn sure going to say it to my face, not over a text message.
When I stomped downstairs, Emma was waiting for me. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest, her eyes narrowed. Standing right in the middle of the hallway, there was no way for me to get passed her. "What happened?" she asked. Whether from my expression or from the way I'd come downstairs, Emma knew something bad had happened.
I handed her the phone silently, letting her see for herself what the bastard had done. I could
n't even stand saying the words out loud.
Emma's face softened when she met my gaze again. Then, she threw herself at me, wrapping her arms tight around me. The anger inside me faded as I hugged my best friend back. At least I wasn't alone in all of this. No matter how much of an asshole my husband was, at least I had Emma for a best friend, a woman who would always be there for me. Someone who wouldn't leave me at the drop of a hat.
"Oh, honey," she said, her voice soft. "I'm so sorry. I'd thought Nick was better than that. I really thought he loved you."
"Yeah, so did I." I couldn't keep the bitterness out of my voice, no matter how hard I tried. But at least I managed not to yell and scream like I so badly wanted to. But I wasn't sure where Holly was, and I didn't want to drag the girl into it anymore than I already had. No matter what he'd done to me, Nick was still her uncle, and I would not poison her relationship with him.
"Come on. There's still some food left from dinner. I'll heat it up, then we can go upstairs and watch a movie together. I'm sure Holly wouldn't say no to another late night watching cheesy romance flicks." Emma grinned at me, and I so nearly let her pull me toward the kitchen.
As we entered, I heard the doorbell ring.
My heart skipped a beat. “W-who is that?” I stammered.
“Let me get it,” Emma said, rushing off.
Emotions swirled within me as I followed.
“Nick?” she gasped as she opened the door.
I gasped to. I wasn’t expecting him. I thought it was over.
“How can I help you?” As Emma asked, Nick pushed past her.
“I need to speak with my wife,” he said, voice commanding. Then, he saw me, his dark eyes possessing me. My poor little heart, which had already been working overtime, pounded so hard I was having trouble staying on my feet.
I’d never seen Nick before like this.
He was so primal and raw. His muscles strained in his shirt as he strode toward me, taking me in his arms and pulling me close against his rock-hard body.
God, I really did go weak in the knees then. My legs turned to jelly, but he gathered me in his arms, holding me like a princess.
“Emma, my wife and I are going to the guest house. We’re not to be disturbed. She and I need to talk.” He didn’t wait for an answer. He was already stepping out into the night, ready to talk.
“Good luck Mr. and Mrs. Frost!” Emma called after us, smiling.
I was gonna need all the luck I could get. This wasn’t a Nick I was used to, and I wasn’t sure I could handle him.
12
Nick
I set her down on the bed. She looked so adorable, fidgeting and not meeting my gaze. I was eager to claim even more of her innocence, but first, we had to talk.
Experience was good for one thing. It kept me from behaving like a caveman…at least for a little while.
“Gabbie,” I began.
“H-hi,” she stammered. “I-I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I know. I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry for everything. You should have woken up in my arms, not alone.”
I stepped towards her, removing my jacket. She gulped as she took in my body.
“I will make it up to you every day of your life…if you’ll let me,” I continued.
Her bottom lip trembled. “Oh, Nick.”
“So tell me, and be honest,” I whispered, cupping her soft, dark cheek. “What do you really want for Christmas?”
She shut her eyes. “You.”
“Just me?” I asked. “You don’t want anything else?”
Her eyes flew open. “I don’t understand. You’re all I could ever want.”
“Really? Just me? Won’t that get rather lonely?”
“Well, no. We’ll have…” she looked down again.
“We’ll have what?”
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter. It’s too much, I’m happy with just this for now.”
“I don’t want you to be just happy, Gabbie. I want every day of your life to feel like Christmas.”
She smiled, laughing gently. “That sounds so weird coming form you right now.”
“Why?”
“Because you growled it,” she said.
I ran a finger over her mouth. Her lips parted as she sighed, so responsive to my touch. “Tell me what you want, Gabbie. What you’ve always wanted—besides me.”
She closed her eyes, gathering her strength. “I want a baby. Your baby.”
“That’s what I was hoping you’d say,” I told her, unable to keep it all bottled up inside anymore. "I love you more than I ever should have. God, Gabbie. You're my entire life. I told everyone I'd married you because it was the right thing to do, so you could get your half of the company. And at first, maybe that was the reason for it. At least, it was the excuse I needed to be able to propose to you. But the truth is, I've loved you for so long. I've always wanted to have a family with you."
"Do you really mean that?”
“Yes. Always.” I put a finger beneath her chin and gently guided her to look up at me until I brought my head down, pressing our lips together. She kissed me back, her hands wrapping around my waist.
The divorce could go to Hell. Gabbie was my wife, the mother of my child, and I loved her. Nothing would stop me from loving her either.
We continued to kiss like a pair of horny teenagers. This is what I'd been missing out on for so long. If I'd only gotten my head out of my ass sooner, I could've had it any time I wanted. But there would be time to berate myself later. Right now, I needed to make up for all the lost time. And she wouldn't be leaving the bed for a good, long time. Neither of us would.
Our tongues dueled together as our hands roamed all over each other's bodies. There was nothing holding us back now, no self-restraint needed.
This was what we both wanted, both needed. And damn it, we would have it.
But I would take my time with her. She was my princess, my queen, and I would make damn sure she knew that. Gabbie whimpered when I did finally break the kiss, but she'd barely had time to catch her breath before my lips were working their way down her body. I couldn't get enough of the way she tasted, kissing and licking every inch of her naked body.
She laid spread eagle in the middle of our bed, her hands balled up in the sheets, as she moaned. I loved that sound, loved hearing her moans echoing around us as I continued to tease her. I could've easily spent all day doing just that, licking and kissing and sucking her body. And something told me Gabbie wouldn't have complained for a second.
As much fun as that was though, I wanted to do so much more with her. The single time we'd had sex before had seemed to be over so quickly. I was determined to make this time last as long as I could. I wanted to see just how many times I could make Gabbie come. How long would she be able to hold on? How many times could she go before she physically couldn't take it anymore?
These were all things I should've known about her by now, and I was damn sure going to find them all out.
Her pussy was dripping wet by the time I reached it, and I dove into it like a madman. God, she tasted amazing, unlike anything I'd ever experienced. How had I gone so long without this in my life? Now that I knew this was what she wanted, knew just what I'd been missing out on, it would take a miracle to get the two of us out of bed again!
"Oh god," she moaned out. I glanced up and saw she had her eyes closed, her teeth gritted together. Her entire body shivered as I continued working my tongue in and out of her. It would not take much more to push her over the edge, to bring her right where I wanted her.
And seeing that look of pure ecstasy on her face just spurred me on. There was no stopping me now. She was at the edge, and I was determined to push her off that cliff, into the waiting abyss below.
She continued to moan out, her body shaking even harder as she got closer and closer. Her breathing turned into ragged gasps, her hips arching up off the bed. Somehow, she released her grasp on the sheets and brought her hands to my head, grabbing my
hair and holding on for dear life. It was like she was trying to suffocate me with her pussy, and I wasn't going to complain.
This would be one hell of a way to die, and I was all for it!
"Oh god!" she screamed out again. Her hips arched higher and her hands pushed tighter against me as she came. Her juices flooded into my mouth as she nearly deafened me with her moans. But I still didn't stop. I kept going, sucking and licking her pussy, letting my hands roam all over her body.
13
Gabbie
The entire world around me spun, fading in and out. My body was on fire, something burning me from the inside out. And yet, I loved every single moment of it. I never wanted it to stop. For a while, it seemed like it never would, that this would go on forever.
Then, the pleasure coursing through my veins became too much. I thought I was going to burst into flames if Nick didn't stop, and I finally had to push him away just so I could suck in a breath. He only gave me a few seconds to breathe before his lips were back on me though, and I squeezed my eyes even tighter, struggling to focus on breathing as my heart and lungs both threatened to quit at any moment.
Jesus Christ, I'd never thought anything could be this intense. Sex with Nick last time had been earth shattering, but this was beyond that. Was that what happened when you went a couple weeks, craving this? If it was, part of me wanted to have a hiatus after each time. But now that I knew Nick wanted this just as much as I did, there was no way in Hell that was ever going to happen.
We'd be lucky if we went a day at this rate!
Nick's lips teased at my breasts as his right hand moved between my legs. He ran his fingers up and down my entrance, and I shivered from the contact. My entire body was still on fire, every nerve alive and firing it seemed. Every inch of me was way more sensitive than it had ever been, and I wasn't sure how much more of this I could.
The Bride's Christmas Pregnancy Wish Page 7
