Making my way down the steps, I did my best not to make much noise. If he was in the middle of writing new music, the last thing he needed was for me to disturb him. Of course, I wasn’t sure what I would do when I reached the main floor. He had his back to the steps so he wouldn’t see me, but if the floor creaked at all, he would know I was awake.
As soon as I made it off the last step, I froze. Not one time during my descent did I make any noise. Still, something caused Ayden to cock his head to the side like he was listening.
Great. I’d disturbed him.
“It’s just me.”
He flinched at my words and turned to face me. A smile swept over his lips. “Did I wake you?”
I shook my head. While I remembered hearing music just before I woke, the house was silent once I was awake. If anything caused me to stir, it was hunger pains.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you while you were playing.”
“You didn’t.” He set the guitar on its stand and stood. Once I reached him, he opened his arms and took me into a warm embrace. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah.” I drew in a deep breath, taking in the savory aroma coming from the kitchen. “Whatever it is you’re cooking, it smells delicious.”
“It’s ready. I was giving it a little time to cool down.”
The thought of food made my mouth water. “What did you fix?”
“An old family recipe for beef stew and bread bowls.”
My mouth gaped. All this time, I had no clue the man I was about to marry could cook. With the restaurant we had in the community, we didn’t cook often, but I had made him a few meals.
“I had no idea you could cook.”
His sexy laugh made my heart flutter. “My grandmother and mom both taught me. They wanted to make sure I didn’t starve if I ever moved away or found a woman that wasn’t—how did they say it—domesticated.”
“I think it’s great they taught you how to cook. It smells amazing. I can’t wait to try it.”
“Come on. Let’s eat.”
As he took my hand and led me into the kitchen, I gazed at the guitar once more. I wanted to ask him about the song but didn’t. Something had been on his mind, something he didn’t want to talk about. I’d leave it alone for now, but before the night was over, I’d make sure I knew what was troubling him.
~Ayden~
Mia curled up on the sofa and sipped on some tea as she stared at the fireplace The wood crackled as the flame around it wavered toward the chimney. I sat near her feet and took the blanket off the back of the sofa. As soon as I covered her with it and smoothed it over her legs, she clasped my hand.
“Thank you.”
“You look cold.”
She shook her head and stared at me. “That’s not what I meant. Thank you for taking care of me.”
I brought her hand to my lips and kissed the back of it. “I’d do anything for you, Mia. Don’t ever forget that.”
Nodding at me, her eyes trailed to the end of the couch. “Tell me about the song you were playing earlier.”
My face grew hot. I wasn’t sure how much of the song she heard. It came to me while we were at my parents’ house. I’d jotted down the lyrics, but the moment I found the guitar sitting in the corner of the den, I decided to finish what I’d started. Yet it wasn’t as easy as I thought.
“How much did you hear?”
She studied me as I leaned my back against the couch. “Enough to know it was beautiful. It’s new, isn’t it?”
I nodded. “The night we took Toni to see the parade, the lyrics came to me after we went to the apartment.”
“What’s the song about?”
No matter how hard I swallowed, I couldn’t remove the lump from my throat. This was part of the reason I had quit playing earlier before I knew Mia was awake. This song was powerful and personal.
“It’s about you and our baby.”
Her breath hitched when our eyes met again. She squeezed my arm and gave me one of her amazing smiles. “Will you play me the rest of the song?”
I wasn’t sure if my voice would fail me. It nearly cracked earlier when I sang. Still, it was hard to refuse Mia. I just told her that I’d do anything for her. Refusing to play the song would make me a liar, and I swore I’d never lie to her again.
Lifting the guitar into my lap, I glanced at her again. “You heard the first verse and the chorus, right?”
“Yes.”
My insides shook. Even though we’d been through so much together, it still made me nervous to play in front of Mia. This song would make it more challenging. It was me baring my soul to her and the rest of the world, but it was the only way I knew how to express my feelings.
Placing my fingers on the strings, I found the next set of chords and began to strum. I focused on the chamber and cleared my throat. Maybe I could keep my emotions in check if I didn’t look at her.
It doesn’t matter what they think.
It doesn’t matter what they say.
You are mine ‘til the end,
‘Cause God wanted it that way.
Put your hand in mine.
Face the unknown with me.
Where you go, I’ll be.
With each moment that you and I share,
I’ll protect you, your burdens I will bear.
Please believe me,
No other love compares to the one we know.
Never let me go.
When I came back to the chorus, I took a deep breath, felt the music vibrate through my body, and my emotions come alive. There was no fighting back anything. I couldn’t.
And if my world would suddenly end,
It’d be worth it just to feel your skin.
Under my hand,
To remind me,
That I’m just a man,
Who would give his life,
So that yours would remain,
Take the love we have,
Never let it fade away.
Hold it close to your heart,
When you need me,
To remind you,
That I’m just a man,
Who would give his life,
So that you could breathe.
As the note rang through the air, I lifted my eyes to Mia. It was a mistake. She was tearing up. I tried to look away when I began the next verse, but I decided not to. This was the hardest part for me to sing, but it was the whole reason the song came about. Now she would know how I felt about her and our child.
And if I had to choose,
I’d die a million times,
Just to make sure the light in your eyes never faded,
Never jaded.
I’d face every single battle,
I’d fight ‘til the death.
Give up everything I had
‘Til nothing was left.
Then I’d take my last moment,
I’d take my last breath.
Just so you could breathe.
Take a part of me.
And remind her,
That I’m just a man,
Who would give his life.
Just to see her breathe . . .
The words caught in my throat. I blinked my eyes as they began to blur. Mia’s hand rested on my shoulder. I heard her whisper my name, but I couldn’t speak. I didn’t trust my voice.
As I placed the guitar back on the stand, I turned to face her. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her arms were around my neck a second later and her chest heaved as she wept.
“I love you, Ayden.”
Squeezing her body, I drew in a deep breath and buried my face against her neck. “I love you too, Mia, you and our baby.”
She didn’t say anything for the longest time. All she did was hold me close and sniffle. I’d already lost the battle with my emotions too. Warm tears streamed down my face. This moment would remain in my mind for as long as I lived. It was when all the walls came down, and I exposed my heart and soul to the woman I loved.
When she finally regained her composure an
d eased back, she kissed me softly. This time, when she pulled away, she stared at me. “You said her. Do you think the baby is a girl?”
Wiping tears from her cheek, I inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume and nodded. “I’m probably wrong, but for some reason, every time I think of our child, I think of a girl. Maybe it was from spending time with Toni. I don’t know.”
I felt stupid for saying it. It’s not like I had psychic powers and knew without a doubt that Mia and I would have a daughter. It was just a gut feeling. I’d love our child no matter if it were a girl or boy, and if I got my way, this wouldn’t be the only baby we had. I wanted more kids.
The thought drifted from my mind as Mia’s lips pressed to mine again. There was something desperate about the way she swirled my tongue with hers. I gripped her body, tugging it closer to me.
She was on my lap a second later. I grabbed her ass, squeezing it harder when she worked her hips in a circle. Her hands slid under my shirt and lifted it from my chest. I helped her yank it off. Before she could undo my jeans, I stood up. Her feet touched the floor, then we took turns undressing each other.
I led her to the rug in front of the fireplace and eased onto it. Mia went to her knees. I guided her body to mine until she straddled me. As I gazed at her, taking in every inch of her beauty, she covered her belly.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m getting so big.” Her head hung like she was embarrassed. It took me a moment to realize it, and when I did, I stared at her in disbelief.
“Mia, look at me.” Her eyes rose and locked with mine. “You are a beautiful woman. No one can deny that. I was attracted to you the moment I saw you.” I folded my hands over hers and broke them apart. She tried resisting at first but finally gave in. “When I look at you, I see the same woman I met almost a year ago. When I see this—” I teased the firm mound below her navel and smiled. “—it reminds me how lucky I am that a beautiful woman chose to share her life with me. I love this part of you, and knowing you’re carrying my child . . . I think that’s sexy as hell.”
The corner of her mouth lifted. She lowered her body until her chest pressed to mine, then she kissed me. Nothing else was said. As our tongues rolled together, I lifted my hips and guided her onto my cock. Warm, wet heat sheathed me. I groaned at the sensation, loving the way it felt to be inside of her.
Her hips circled slowly. She took me in and out of her as our tongues danced together. The instant her body relaxed, I sank deeper and rolled her hips into me. Mia broke our kiss as moans left her mouth. She closed her eyes and sat up, but she kept her hips working with mine.
I gazed up at her, dazed by her beauty. Her breasts had increased in size and were twice as sensitive to my touch. The moment I cupped them and thumbed over her nipples, she moaned louder. The sweet sound of her voice made me thicken as she rode me.
Too amazed to look away, I stared at her face, even though she wasn’t looking at me. Just seeing the way it contorted as her little nub got caught in the friction building between us was almost as satisfying as feeling how deep my cock was buried inside of her.
When her movements quickened, I knew she was close to orgasm. I eased into a sitting position and curled my hands around her shoulders. As she tossed her head back and slid onto me again, I raked my teeth over her neck.
Working my mouth up to her ear, I bit the section below it, causing her to buck against me. When she took me to the hilt, I grabbed her ass and held her in place. She whimpered when she realized she couldn’t move. Just as I teased her nipples with my tongue, she began grinding against me.
A second later her nails dug into my shoulder. Her pussy contracted around me as she began to come. I worked her hips faster, building the friction between us. She convulsed around me, making my cock so hard and thick I knew I couldn’t hold off.
So I didn’t.
As we came together, I held her body and cried her name against her neck. My chest heaved in and out as I struggled to breathe. A few seconds later, her body grew weak. She had to be drained at this point.
Once she eased off my cock and laid beside me, I grabbed the blanket I used to cover her up earlier and pulled her into my arms. The blanket cascaded over us, providing another layer of warmth. I kissed her lips, her cheeks, her nose, even her eyelids. She laughed at me on the last one, but I didn’t care. She was happy and content and safe. That was the only thing that mattered to me.
“I guess I shouldn’t have to tell you how much I enjoyed the song.”
My chest jiggled when I chuckled. “No. I think you just showed me.”
She smiled again and snuggled closer. “I know you will do everything you can to protect the baby and me. I’ve never doubted you, but I don’t think it will come to that. At least, I hope not.”
“We probably need to check in with your dad soon and see how things are going.”
“He texted me a few nights ago and said he’d be in touch in a few days. I’ve just been giving him time to call.”
“Well, let’s give him a few more days. We have more than enough to keep us busy here.”
She laughed when I wiggled my brows at her. “Oh, I have no doubts we won’t be bored. Besides, it’s been nice to have time away from work. I love what I do, but there are times I needed to get away. Now that we’re starting a family, I want to make sure I take more vacations.”
“Sounds like a plan. I know we’ll work it out. We’re committed this time.” When I cupped my hand around her belly, she stroked my face and nodded.
We spent the next few minutes watching the fire, holding each other and forgetting everything but the love we shared. I hated to think this would end at some point, but I knew it would. We both had careers. Still, we’d spend every second together when we weren’t working. It was those moments that would get me through the tours that were ahead of me. I hoped like hell Izzy was better or out of our lives by that point because I knew one thing for sure.
If I thought leaving Mia behind the first time was next to impossible, I wasn’t sure I could do the same to her and our child if Izzy was still causing problems. No way was I spending time away from my family or allowing her an opportunity to harm them.
I had to do something to prove to Izzy that any chance she had with me died with our relationship, and if she threatened my family again, she’d regret the day we ever met.
Chapter 17
~Ayden~
I thumbed over the side of Mia’s hand as I held it inside mine and walked through one of the local shopping centers. We both carried bags in our other hands from the first few stores we’d entered. Funny thing about it was most of the items were for Toni.
Mia was already spoiling her as much as I did. We both wanted her to have an enjoyable Christmas. If it took her mind off her father and the abuse she’d received at his hand, we’d spare no cost.
Some of the other items were gifts for other friends and family. Though we might not see them on Christmas, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t get a gift. It gave us something to do while we were staying at the cabin. I didn’t want Mia to get bored from being cooped up.
It was our first Christmas together and the last one we’d have alone for a long time. I wanted it to be extraordinary.
Of course, I had devised a plan that I hoped I could pull off. If things worked out, I’d give Mia a Christmas she would never forget. She had no idea of what I’d set in motion while she was napping yesterday.
As Mia’s gait slowed, she paused in front of another store, one that sold children’s clothing. She glanced at me with a huge smile on her face and chuckled. “One more gift for Toni. Then we can leave. I know you must be bored.”
“Not at all.” I squeezed her hand gently. “I’m getting time with you. That’s never boring.”
“You’re too sweet sometimes.” As she pushed up on her toes, she gave me a tender kiss. It made my pulse quicken, especially when she eased away and said, “I can think of better ways you can spend time with me.”
/>
My body heated when she winked at me. God, she drove me crazy with want. It didn’t matter where we were. All it took was one look. I was at her disposal beyond that point.
Following her into the store, I stayed at her side as she searched through the different racks, commenting on how cute different shirts, dresses, and outfits were. I nodded, but the clothing was the last thing on my mind. I was in awe of her. It was seeing her in action, thinking about others, doing what she could to help people, loving people she just met because she had such a huge heart.
She would be a wonderful mother. I never doubted it. I just felt lucky to be a part of her life. Mia was more than a sexy woman who drove me insane with want and need. She inspired me to be a better person. In truth, she was more than my fiancée and the mother of my child. She was my heart, my passion, my best friend. Mia Brooks was my everything.
“I think I like this one best.”
Glancing at the ice-blue dress she picked out, I nodded my head as I thought about how cute my little cousin would look when she wore it. “Toni will love it.”
“Good. Let me pay for this, and then we can get out of here.” Mia winked then walked into the line for the cashier.
As I waited for her, I checked my phone to see if I’d missed any other texts. Mia agreed to call Andi later to see how things were going back at Music Haven. She hadn’t spoken to her in a few days and it was time for her to check in on the business. Besides, we wanted updates on what was happening with Izzy.
Scrolling through my messages, I didn’t see anything new, but before I could exit the app and tuck my phone back into my pocket, I noticed a particular text. It was from an unknown caller, the one who warned me that I’d been lied to about Izzy’s pregnancy and miscarriage.
I wish I knew who had sent the text. If the person had that type of information on my ex-girlfriend, who knew what other dirty secrets they knew. Maybe they would have additional info that would get Izzy out of our lives for good.
“Are you ready?”
I glanced at Mia and took the bag from her hand. “I am if you are.”
“Let’s get out of here. My feet hurt.”
Love Deserved (Rock N Roll Heiress Book 3) Page 16
