by Ali Parker
“That sounds fantastic.”
She clicked on part of the calendar and started typing in notes for herself. “Perfect. Oh, and before I forget, your two o’clock appointment called. He’s running fifteen minutes late. I shifted things around so your four o’clock comes at four twenty. Nobody will lose any time and you can still bill for the full hour.”
I leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “How did I do this without you?”
She smirked. “You didn’t do this, Jackson. You made up for your lack of organization with your charm.”
“I love when you compliment me.”
“Is that what I was doing?”
I chuckled. “You good here for a minute? If I have an extra hour, I have something I need to go do.”
“What’s that?”
“None of your business, that’s what.”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. But don’t be late.”
“I won’t be late. I promise. Why don’t you lock the door for a minute and take a breather? Put your feet up? You could make some of that tea you like so much.”
Hailey shrugged. “Maybe. I like the work. And this chair is very comfortable.”
“Only the best for my baby mama.”
“How many times have I told you not to call me that?”
I flashed her a smile as I pushed out the front door. “Not enough apparently.”
The gentleman behind the glass display case had a bald head and a long, sharp nose. His nametag did not have a name in it. It was just an empty holder attached by a pin to his black blazer that looked like it was straight out of the seventies. I imagined he might have a name like Reginald or Hubert. Or perhaps a mix of both.
Regibert. I snickered to myself.
Regibert, as I was now going to refer to him, looked up at me. “Did I miss something funny, sir?”
“No,” I said hurriedly. “No. Sorry. I just got caught up in my own thoughts.”
Regibert acknowledged my comment with a small nod before he finally found the key he’d been searching for on his ring. He slid it into the case-door lock, gave it a twist, and slid the back panel open so he could reach inside and lift out a velvet tray lined with dazzling rings.
Regibert set the tray down between us on top of the glass case. “Did you have a specific ring in mind you wanted to see?”
Yes. I pointed at the third one from the top on the far right side. I’d first seen it over two months ago when I passed by this shop on my lunch break. At the time, Hailey and I hadn’t been on the best of terms, but the ring had caught my eye, and for some reason, it made me think of her.
It was elegant, delicate, and sophisticated all at once. But still youthful and fun. The band was simple with a gentle swoop upward that held a large round diamond sitting atop a bed of smaller diamonds. Regibert called this a halo style. Two matching, diamond-studded, interlocking bands completed the set, but for now, I only had eyes for the engagement ring.
“That one,” I said, pointing it out to the salesman.
Regibert plucked the ring from its velvet bed and handed it to me. It was heavier than I expected. Next, Regibert passed me a small microscope and explained I could use it to inspect the ring for any imperfections. I did and found none.
It was perfect. Just like the woman whose finger it belonged on.
“Is this the first ring you’ve looked at?” Regibert asked.
I nodded. “Yes. And I suspect it will be the only one.”
Regibert seemed startled by how easy the sale was. “Would you like to look at our financing options? We have plenty of ways to purchase a ring of this price with manageable monthly payments if you would like.”
“I will pay in full today.”
Regibert stammered before he managed to slap on a well-rehearsed salesperson smile that I knew all too well. “Very well, sir. Would you like the warranty for that as well?”
“Absolutely.”
“And the accompanying bands?”
“Next time,” I said. And there would be a next time.
Regibert took the ring and we spent the next fifteen minutes covering all the boring paperwork like warranties and receipts and how to care for the ring. I was fairly certain I had the right size but Regibert explained that we could get it changed free of charge since I had the warranty.
“She’s a lucky girl,” Regibert said. “We don’t sell many pieces of this caliber out of this location.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
Regibert smiled genuinely this time. “Well then, congratulations. Do you have a plan of how you’re going to propose?”
“No, actually. She and I had a bit of a rough go the last couple of months and I think I’m going to wait it out and find the right moment. Neither of us are in a rush. And we have a lot to look forward to already right now. I just couldn’t leave this here knowing it was her ring.”
“A wise man.”
“She would disagree.”
Regibert laughed. “She will be delighted with your choice I’m sure.”
God, I hope so.
Regibert packaged the ring up beautifully. He found a blue velvet box that it sat perfectly in, and every time I opened the box, the ring caught the light of the shop and glittered magnificently. I had never seen such a stunning piece of jewelry before and it was easy to imagine how good it would look on Hailey’s left hand.
“Can I get you anything else, sir?” Regibert asked at the end of the transaction.
I laughed off his gentle push to buy more from him. “Not today. But I’ll be back. And I’ll come to you for business. What’s your name?”
He extended his hand over the counter to shake mine. “Harvey. And you?”
Damn. Not even close to Regibert. “Jackson.”
“It was a pleasure to help you with your purchase today, Jackson. Come back with your fiancée. Maybe we can find her a nice pair of earrings to complement that ring.”
“You’re a shark, you know that, Harvey?”
His eyes twinkled deviously. “She’s worth it, no?”
Damn, he’s good.
“Every dime,” I agreed.
Chapter 39
Hailey
Jackson pushed through the front door of our apartment ahead of me and held it open with the toe of his shoe. It still felt weird to refer to the apartment as ours. But it was.
It was all ours.
I slipped in past him, dropped my purse on the table beside the bowl of our keys, and started walking to the bedroom while I unbuttoned my blouse.
“All I’ve been thinking about for the last three hours is coming home, taking this damn bra off, and putting on pants with an elastic waist.”
Jackson chuckled. “I can help you take that stuff off.”
I smiled to myself as I worked my way down the length of my blouse, popping open buttons. Jackson hadn’t been able to keep his hands off me since we got back to New York. Being in his office was like torture to him, and as soon as we got home at the end of the day, he always had the same thing on his mind.
Sex.
Wild, rollercoaster, sweaty, earn-your-sleep-at-night, try-every-position, tits-down ass-up thigh-quaking sex.
I couldn’t deny I thought about the same thing all day. Jackson knew what he was doing in the bedroom. And my body had responded to the pregnancy in several ways, one of which was my sex drive.
It was through the damn roof.
Jackson loved this little perk. I, however, wasn’t sold. It meant I always had sore thighs and wet panties, which were two minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things, but alongside all my other pregnancy symptoms like lower back pain, fatigue, and occasional nausea?
I could have done without it.
Jackson hurried up beside me as I made my way down the hall and grabbed my ass. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about having you all to myself tonight.”
I hid my bemused smile and shrugged out of my blouse as we crossed the threshold into the bedroom.
“You know what I was thinking about all day?”
He followed me around the room like a puppy as I kicked off my shoes and stripped out of my bra and work pants. I tossed it all in my laundry hamper and found a comfortable nightgown in my intimates’ drawer. It was lilac-colored silk with lace trim on the hem and it made me feel pretty. I pulled it over my head.
“What?” Jackson asked.
“Putting my feet up and relaxing.”
He arched an unimpressed eyebrow. “How did I fall for that?”
“Seeing as how you fell for it last night? I have no idea.”
“That’s it.” Jackson bent at the knees and scooped me up.
I yelped in surprise and tried to escape, but he held me fast and carried me to the bed, where he gently lowered me down onto my back and hovered over me.
“I’m going to have to teach you a lesson,” he growled seductively.
I ran one leg up the side of his. “What sort of lesson?”
He nipped at my lips. “One you won’t forget.”
“No promises. Pregnancy brain is a thing.”
“Keep being a smart ass at your own risk.”
I loved that the playful part of our friendship was still the foundation of our relationship. Nobody in this world made me laugh the way Jackson did. Nobody made me feel more beautiful, either. The insecurities I had in the beginning had long since faded away and he made me feel like a queen every damn day.
“There’s a lot of talking going on and not a lot of doing,” I teased.
Jackson fixed me with a dark, drool-worthy stare. How I’d gotten lucky enough to end up with a man like him, I had no idea. As he held himself over me, the muscles of his shoulders were bunched and his collarbones were indented. I traced a finger along the bones into the groove where they met. My tongue wandered down to the collar of his shirt, which I tugged gently on.
“Take this off,” I whispered.
Jackson chuckled deeply above me. “I think it’s funny that you think you have any control here.”
He worked his way down the length of my body. My silk nightgown shifted like water between us, gliding against my skin. My nipples were hard beneath the thin fabric, and when Jackson inched it up my thighs, goosebumps came to life on my skin.
He continued shimmying my nightgown up until he settled between my thighs. He met my eyes and held my gaze as he pulled my panties to the side.
I teased him by drawing my bottom lip into my mouth and pinching with my teeth. I rolled my hips, a not-so-subtle dare for him to touch me.
Jackson played games with me. He ran his hands along the inside of my thighs until I could hardly stand it anymore. My ass lifted off the bed and he dropped his head to meet me. His tongue flicked over my clit and slid down slowly. I settled back down on the mattress and a soft sigh escaped me as he licked and suckled.
I reached down and ran my fingers through his hair. He pushed my legs farther apart and ran a finger between my folds. Slowly, he pushed inside me.
My whole body sang with pleasure.
Yes. That’s what I need.
“More,” I purred.
Before I was pregnant, I liked to take my time. I had a normal sex drive and it would take me some time before I was in the right zone. But now? I was there if he looked at me sideways.
And I needed more.
“Please,” I begged.
Jackson gave me what I wanted. He stretched me with another finger and pushed in deep. All the while, his lips were sealed over my clit and he suckled gently, pausing only to flick his tongue over the sensitive tip. I flinched and he pushed in deeper until he was pressed up against my G-spot. I sucked in a sharp breath. Jackson smiled against my pussy and sucked harder. He flicked his fingers inside me until I thought I was seeing stars.
“Come for me, baby,” he whispered.
Jackson’s words set my body on fire. I trembled beneath him. My toes curled and a great wave of pleasure broke over me. I let it pull me under the surface. Jackson fucked me harder and deeper with his fingers until I was clutching the bedding and panting for breath. He finally took a break to let me recover.
I didn’t need much time.
I propped myself up on my elbows while Jackson went to his knees and pulled his shirt off over his head. I sat up the rest of the way and pulled his belt out of his pant loops and then undid his fly. I worked to pull his pants down his thighs but he pulled me up into his lap. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he lowered himself down so he was sitting cross-legged.
I rocked my hips and ground against him.
Jackson worshipped me with kisses. He worked his way from my lips to my jaw and down my neck and further still, where he peppered them across my chest and cleavage.
I tore my silk nightgown off over my head for him and let him soak in the sight of me naked. He never seemed to tire of it.
“Fuck me,” I whispered.
Jackson struggled to free himself from his boxers. I reached between us and helped. He was hard and ready and I rocked my hips forward. I felt him pressed up against me and pushed down, sitting on his cock. He slid inside me and wrapped his arms around me, holding me close.
Somehow, it still wasn’t close enough.
I craved him with such desperation it scared me. Now that I had him, I never wanted to let go, and I wanted to show him that with my body.
Jackson rolled to his feet and lifted me off the bed with him. He was still inside me. His strength turned me on even more. He sat back down on the bed and lay back, letting me straddle him.
I liked this position a lot right now. I liked the control and the way it engaged all my muscles. My body felt so much more powerful than it ever used to now that I was pregnant. There was something about carrying life inside me that made me feel like a champion.
Jackson was reaping the benefits in the bedroom.
I slid up and down his cock, working him over. He held on to my hips as I rode him. When I worked him up to a state where I thought he was going to blow, he pushed me off him. In a fluid, effortless movement, he rolled me over onto my stomach, lifted me onto my knees, and gave my ass a sharp slap.
I giggled and wiggled my ass in the air for him.
Jackson moved in behind me. He took my hips none too gently and pulled me back against him. He ran his cock up and down my slit. I was so needy and wet. I whimpered and continued rotating my hips.
Finally, he slid himself inside me.
I took all of him and bowed my head. He put a hand in the small of my back and forced me down on the mattress. I kept my ass in the air as he leaned over me, pushing in deep.
“That’s it, baby,” he grated behind me.
I gripped the bedding beneath me and balled it up in my fists. Jackson thrust his hips and fucked me hard and deep. He moved slowly, working me up to my breaking point. He was close. So damn close.
My mind spun as he edged me close to my orgasm. Pregnancy had heightened those, too.
I anticipated my release with excitement. Jackson slapped my ass again. He held my waist and held me in place while he bucked wildly against me, and I came undone at the seams without warning. A cry of euphoria exploded out of me.
I crumpled beneath him and Jackson lost his composure behind me. He filled me up and his thrust slowed, and then he collapsed on the bed beside me, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths.
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear that had gotten caught in the corner of my mouth. “That was amazing.”
He patted my thigh. “I’m not done with you yet, baby mama. You stay right here. I’ll be back.”
He didn’t move.
I watched him out of the corner of my eye and giggled softly. “Jackson?”
He cracked one eye open. “Hm?”
“How about we just order pizza and put in a movie?”
He grinned, rolled over, and pressed a kiss to my lips. “My God. You really are my dream woman. And you’ve been right in front of my eyes all these years.”
<
br /> I stroked his cheek and pulled him down for more kisses. “It all happened as it should have. I’m yours now. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Because there is no place I’d rather be than wherever you are.
Epilogue
Jackson
Three Months Later
Our New York apartment was full of friends from all over the world. Kim, Rick, and Chessie were gathered near the cupcake table and were helping themselves to cupcakes. Chessie took one bite and was already covered with blue icing.
I chuckled to myself in anticipation of all the messes my future held.
I spied my sister Katie near the photo wall. She was with Hailey and the two of them were posing for pictures with props. Katie had a giant top hat on and was holding a cardboard cut-out of a cigar nearly the size of a baseball bat, and Hailey had a giant plastic bottle in one hand. She was leaning back pretending to drink out of it while she rubbed her tummy with her free hand.
She’d started showing about three weeks ago and I’d never seen anything more beautiful in my life than that.
Today, she was showing off her bump at our gender-reveal party in a flowing yellow maxi dress. Her boobs barely fit in it and she’d spent all morning complaining about how she needed all new clothes. I promised we could make that happen.
But since we didn’t have time to shop before the party, she was in the yellow dress. She felt like it was too chesty. I told her there was no such thing. She’d gotten compliment after compliment over the duration of the party so far and I hoped she realized the self-doubt was all in her head.
She was the most beautiful pregnant woman I’d ever laid eyes on. I knew I was biased but that wasn’t the point.
Vanessa and Rhys were chatting off in one corner while she fed their little one, and the rest of the apartment was full of other friends from all over the place. Hannah was there with a new guy she was seeing who was a customer at her bakery. His name was Troy. He was tall, slender, and really friendly. He said “rad” a lot, which I wasn’t sure what to think of, but if that was the only con to the guy, I hardly had anything to worry about.
