Untimely You (29 page)

I attempt to lift her spirits. “The doctor wants you to rest. With your blood pressure spiking and staying fairly elevated those first couple of days, they just want to make sure little Lucy stays put for a few more months.”

At my words, her gaze softens and she rubs her belly. “There’s just so much I could be doing downstairs to get this place in order.”

I sit down beside her and take her hand. “I know, Crazy. Just a couple more days, though. Besides, I have something that might cheer you up.”

Her eyes twinkle with excitement. “If you bought me the
Cliff Notes
version of
any
book, you and I are going to have some words.”

Shawna laughs but then groans in pain. “She can be mean when she wants to. I’d watch it, mister.”

Neesy smiles at her friend, but I don’t miss the way worry crinkles across her forehead. Shawna says she’s broken it off with Brad, but she never went to the police with her report of what he did to her despite our pleading for her to do so. I think Nees frets that she’ll take him back.

“What’d I miss?” Eric questions as he saunters into the bedroom.

His eyes scan Neesy before he flits them casually over to Shawna. I don’t miss the interest sparkling in his eyes. I’ll have to tell him he can’t go banging my girlfriend’s best friend because when they break up, I’ll have to deal with the aftermath. Hell to the no.

“I was about to ask Crazy something important,” I tell him as I stand beside her bed. I shove my hand into my pocket and pull the ring out. When I kneel in front of her, she lets out a gasp. “I have loved you pretty much from the moment I laid eyes on you in that crowded restaurant. Your sweet spirit calmed the inner storm that was raging in that child and you did it all by just being you. It was then I realized I needed you to calm
my
storms. I needed to find your bright beacon of hope and let you guide
me
from the troublesome waters. I’ve never been so sure of anything as I was that day when I determined I needed you. And not just for the job I hired you to do. That is what I told myself. But deep down, I was selfish and greedy. I wanted
you
. My heart begged for
you
. My soul craved
you
. Love hit me hard that day, even when I was so out of it and inexperienced that I forgot what it felt like. I didn’t recognize it at first, but it didn’t take long to understand I was in love with you. Fully and without remorse. You may have been untimely, but for some insane reason, you promised you’d wait until I was ready. Until the time was right. So, I don’t ever want to make you wait for me again. I want to show you I can be the husband you need me to be, and the father our child deserves. I love you without end, Crazy.”

Tears streak down her face, and I squeeze her hand before sliding a sparkly engagement ring up her ring finger.

“Bernice Noble, will you be my wife?”

When she nods that she will, I launch to my feet and find her mouth. The kiss she rewards me with is sweet and needy. Loving and kind. Sexy and hungry. All Neesy.

“I guess congrats are in order,” Eric booms from behind me. “You two look like you’re about three seconds from ripping each other’s clothes off. So, Shawna and I will go celebrate on your behalf.”

I’m surprised when Shawna leaves with him. I’ll most definitely need to have a chat with him about not dating this girl. If I know my friend, he’ll have her on her back and naked in his bed by the end of the night.

Once the door closes behind them, I sit up and shrug out of my suit jacket. Neesy eyes my chest in an appreciative way that has my cock straining to get out of my slacks. I take my time pulling off my tie and flicking through the buttons, my heated gaze never leaving her. After I’m halfway naked, I unbuckle my belt and then push my slacks and boxers down my thighs. My thick cock springs out, ready and at attention.

“You’re teasing me,” she pouts. It makes my dick throb with excitement.

“No,” I say as I drag the blanket down her legs and reveal her bare thighs, “this would be teasing.”

She gasps when I massage her clit over her silky panties. I go up and down along her slit and grin when the panties become wet with her arousal. My mouth waters to lap up her essence and nibble on the lips of her perfect pussy.

“Just make love to me, Wacko,” she begs. Her fingers find the bottom of her nightgown and she peels it from her body, revealing her huge, firm tits. My desire was to go slow, drawing multiple orgasms out of her before I finally took her. But one starved look on her part is all it takes for me to climb on the bed, slip her panties off, spread her knees apart, and slip the tip of my cock along the wet slit of her body.

“Mmmm.” Her sexy mewl makes me crazy. I need to be inside of her like I need to breathe.

Her pussy is hot and engorged with blood—thank fuck for pregnancy hormones—and her body grips me in the most delicious way as I sink into her. I let out a groan of pleasure once I’m fully seated inside of her. “God, you feel so good.”

She grins up at me and wiggles her hips slightly, the act causing my dick to nearly explode with my climax.

“Stay still, naughty girl. I’m the one doing the fucking here,” I say with a growl against her throat and a nip at her flesh. Her pussy contracts around my cock so I bite her once more.

When she moves again, I grab her wrists and pin them to the bed beside her. Our eyes meet as I make love to my fiancée. I’d never imagined I’d be married so soon after Chrissy’s death. But the heart can’t help what it wants.

And my heart doesn’t just want my crazy, beautiful Neesy.

It craves her.

Begs for her.

Only exists with her.

Her eyes flutter closed and her lips part slightly. It’s her tell right before she comes. And like clockwork, she shudders beneath me. The already tight grip on my cock becomes even more constricting which leaves me helpless to hold off any longer. I come inside of her, marking her as mine, and draining my love into her. When my dick stops twitching and softens, I pull out of her and lie beside her so I don’t squish our little Lucy.

“I don’t need a big wedding,” she says shyly, her cheeks turning pink. “I know it’s your second marriage and all.”

I laugh at her bashfulness. “Honestly, Nees, you could want a hundred thousand dollar wedding with ten bridesmaids, and I’d be game. Because as long as it’s you I’m marrying, I don’t care about the rest.”

Her eyes drift off and she watches more snow falling outside the window. I press kisses to her throat, unrushed and enjoying our quiet moment. Finally, she turns to regard me with a breathtaking smile.

“I want to get married on a beach. Barefoot. The only people I care about coming are Damien, Eric, Shawna, and my dad. Other than that, it doesn’t matter.”

Beaming at her, I drag my fingertip along her breast and circle her erect nipple. “Whatever you want, Crazy. Are you free tomorrow?”

She giggles and drives her fingers into my hair. “Meh, I think I’m busy. What about next Tuesday? Pencil me in?”

I smash my lips to hers and kiss the hell of her.

“Tuesday it is,” I tease. “But pack light. You’re going to be naked the whole time we’re there anyway.”

She palms her belly and frowns. “You want to see this big ‘ol belly the whole time? You really are wacko.”

I arch an eyebrow up at her. Her slightly swollen belly is cute as fucking hell. Bringing my lips down to it, I kiss her flesh gently and am met by a small nudge from inside.

“You better believe I want to see this belly the whole time.” She whimpers when I run my tongue lower and lower. “And I’m only crazy because you made me that way. Crazy fucking obsessed and in love with you.”

She laughs, and a shiver of joy ripples through me.

Neesy is life.

Neesy is love.

She’s hope and a future and excitement rolled into one gorgeous package.

The woman is understanding and forgiveness. I don’t fucking deserve her but somehow I still have her.

Bernice Noble is everything.

Fucking everything.

And I’ll never let her go.

A few months later…

“W
hat’s this?” I ask the deliveryman and gesture toward the van in front of the building.

He scratches his greasy head and looks over the paper on his clipboard. “Custom made bronze statue for Noble House. We’re to install it this morning.”

My memory has been shit lately. Thank God I have my assistant Terry to help me on stuff but she didn’t remind me of any statue.

“Umm.” Then, understanding dawns on me. I ordered this statue months and months ago. And now that I remember what it is, I’m afraid Adrian is going to have a fucking fit about it. “Crap!”

“We’ll get to it,” he says in a gruff tone and trots off, clearly annoyed with my forgetfulness.

As soon as he’s gone, I rush—and by rush I mean waddle because my belly is so gigantic I’ll topple forward if I’m not careful—and climb the agonizing staircase up to our apartment. The space is quaint upstairs but not small by any means. There’s a room for Lucy when she comes along, and we bought a couch that converts into a bed for when Damien visits. It’s not ideal, but while Noble House gets up and running, it’ll have to do.

“Terry!” I call out. When I enter the apartment, she’s sitting at the kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee as she reads over her list. “Ter, we have a major problem.”

Her pale brown eyes widen and her lips part open. “Did I do something wrong? I’ve been so careful.” She tugs at a kinky curl on the side of her head. Worry mars her pretty, chocolate colored skin. Terry is fresh out of college and smart as a whip. If anyone can fix it, she can.

“You didn’t do anything,” I huff. “It was me. God, how could have I been so stupid and thoughtless?” Tears brim my eyes and I chew on my thumbnail. “I was trying to be thoughtful.”

She stands and walks over to me, placing her palms on my shoulders. “Calm down or you’ll throw yourself into labor. We need you tonight for the grand opening. Tell me what happened and I’ll figure out a solution.”

A tear races down my cheek and I swipe it away. “They’re installing a sculpture. It was to be unveiled at the event. But…but…he…”

“Mr. Hocksted will hate it?”

“Yes!” I wail.

She hugs me before pulling back to regard me seriously. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. I’ll go down there and talk to the fellas. Tell them we’re no longer interested and to take it away. You’ll have to eat all the fees, but it’ll be worth not upsetting your husband.”

I nod. “Yes. Please. Help me fix this.”

I’m starting to feel good about the entire thing when I hear a deep voice booming from the stairwell. “Nees!”

Shit!

I send Terry a panicked look before turning to regard my stepson who bounds through the doorway wearing a gigantic grin.

“Neesy!” He charges for me and envelops me in one of those tight manboy hugs that nearly knock the breath out of me. “You’re such an amazing person!”

The love ruminating from him squashes all guilt and fear. “I’m not amazing. I don’t think your dad will like it,” I admit tearfully.

He grins at me when he finally breaks from our hug. His smiles are so much like Adrian’s that they always make me smile too. “Are you kidding me? It’s the most thoughtful thing you could have done for our family. I’m glad Dad married you. I love you, Nees.” This big manboy then kneels and pats my gigantic stomach. “You too, lil bit.”

I chew on my lip to keep from crying. “Well, then. It’s settled. You like it.”
And I’ll have to convince your father to like it too…

“I love it. Now tell me what I need to do as your intern. Let’s make this a badass grand opening.”