51. Madison
My body achedin all the best places. If it weren’t for the baby growing in my womb, I’d declare that I’d been a virgin up until a couple hours ago.
It certainly felt that way, but then the deliciousness that followed, along with Ian’s tender nurturing afterward had me feeling wanton and wanted. Our night at the Four Seasons was intense and passionate, but this afternoon was next level.
Languishing in a cloud of postcoital bliss, I stretched and sighed and slowly opened my eyes. Late afternoon sun poured through the slatted wood shutters, spilling across the bed, and bathing the room in warm, golden light.
“You’re awake.” Ian stood in the doorway, smiling, holding a steaming mug of tea.
I held out my arms and wiggled my fingers in a gimme motion. “For me?”
The answering grin sent tingles to my lady parts, especially now that they were well-versed in what that mouth of his could do. I wanted to give in. Hand over my heart and trust that he’d know what to do with it.
But this was Ian Donohue. Playboy, party boy, fuckboy. And expectant father.
The walls surrounding my questioning heart had grown wobbly, but they still stood. Weaker, but upright.
Ian crossed the room and handed me the mug. “How was your nap?”
“Delicious. I may miss these little power naps once our Little Satsuma arrives.” I took a sip of peppermint tea and sighed.
Smiling, Ian planted a gentle kiss on my forehead. “No worries. We’ll tag team her.”
Ian sat down on the bed beside me. “We should probably talk about names. How about this weekend we each make a list and then Sunday night, we’ll compare lists to see if we have any matches.”
“And if we don’t?”
He ran his thumb across his lips, and I followed the movement, licking my own bottom lip in tandem. “I guess we compromise.”
“How? What if you want to name our daughter something country like Daisy May and I want something classic, like Elizabeth?”
“Elizabeth is a nice name. Is that what you want to name her if she’s a girl?”
“No… I don’t know. I’m just throwing that out there. I don’t want my child to be named Starlight or Moonbeam or Fender, Gibson, or Taylor after one of your guitars.”
“What about Squier? Squier Donohue would be kick-ass name.”
I narrowed my eyes. “No.”
“I’m kidding…sorta. But I do kinda like Taylor. That works for a girl or a boy. Too bad it’s Beau’s last name.” He laughed. “We’d never hear the end of him telling everyone we name our kid after him.”
“I like the name too, but you’re right. Scratch Taylor. I do think we should agree on the name. Both of us, but I want veto power.”
“Agreed. How many vetoes do we get.”
I recalled seeing something like this once, and the couple used a nice, odd number. “Three.”
“Three it is.” He rose. “Think you can get up and get dressed? There’s something I’d like you to see, and if you’re up for it, my mom wants us to come for dinner.”
I set my empty mug on the nightstand and tucked the sheet tightly over my bare breasts. “Then you should leave so I can get dressed.”
“Leave? I’ve seen you naked, Madison. Up close and personal.” He drew his tongue across his lips, and instead of getting out of bed, I wanted to talk him into getting into bed.
“I know, but not so much walking around in the daylight.” I rested my hand on my belly. “I’m a little rounder than usual.”
Ian bent down and kissed my belly. “You’re stunning and ripe, and I love watching you. Seeing you walking around my house naked would be a pleasure. You are hot and sexy, and I love your body.”
Blinking repeatedly at his words, I inhaled sharply and squeezed my thighs together.
Reading me like an open book, Ian chuckled, and then said, “How about we unpack all of this later…” he ran his finger in a circle over my clenched thighs, “…and get a move on? There’s a bit of a timeline we need to meet.” He picked up my suitcase and set it on the bed, unzipping it before heading for the door. “Five minutes, okay?”
“Five minutes? I need more than five minutes to get ready to meet your father.”
“He’s gonna love you no matter how you look, and before you start jawin’ at me, you look beautiful.” He winked. “Five minutes.”
Then he closed the door and left me to get ready, although he shouted a countdown from the other room as each minute passed.
Ian pulled a funny-looking golf cart up to the front porch and then helped me get situated before jumping back in and taking off through the field beyond his little farmhouse.
“Where are we going?” I asked, hanging on for dear life. He was taking it easy, but the terrain was bumpy.
“You’ll see. Just relax and enjoy the scenery.”
We ascended another hill as we wove our way through sections of dense trees interspersed with the occasional clearing until we eventually reached an open meadow at the top of the hill. The scent of fallen leaves, dark, rich earth, and woodsmoke curled around us. Someone must’ve had a fire going not too far away. It was earthy and pleasant, and I breathed deep, liking it very much.
In the distance, I could see purple mountain peaks that reflected the glow of the setting sun in bursts of burnished reds, orange, and gold that hadn’t been visible from the farmhouse.
Ian pulled the vehicle to a stop in the middle of the field. Other than the view—which was spectacular—I couldn’t imagine what he had to show me.
“Gimme your hand,” he said, helping me down, “and watch your step. The grass is high, and I don’t want you to trip.”
“Are there snakes in the grass?”
“Maybe, but if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.”
I froze on the spot. “Ian!”
“C’mon. Nothing’s going to bother you up here.” He gave me a sexy smirk. “Other than me probably.”
Holding his hand, I marched my way carefully through the tall grass, lifting my legs as high as I could, and wishing I’d put on my riding boots instead of the ankle booties, just in case I was attacked by a snake.
Ian stopped and gave me a look. “What are you doing?”
“Walking. What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Marching in a band. Where’s your clarinet?”
“I’m trying not to step on any snakes.”
“It’s unlikely there are snakes in the open like this. They prefer to hide under brush or in forested areas. But if you want, I can carry you.”
Defiant, although I don’t know why, I lifted my chin. “Do I look helpless to you?”
“Nope. You look ridiculous.”
“I am not—” My legs were swooped out from under me.
“Ian! What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? You’re not supposed to get stressed, and I can’t have my baby mama worried about getting bitten by nonexistent snakes.”
“Put me down. I can walk.”
“No, you can march. All the wild animals hiding behind the trees are laughing at you. Listen… I think I heard a fox.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding on. “You’re the one who’s ridiculous.” I kissed the side of his forehead. “But thank you.”
He paused and gave me a sweet kiss. “Anytime, darlin’. I’ve got you.”
Ian carried me a little further and then set me back down onto my feet. From where we were standing, the view of the valley below us and the mountains beyond was incredible. The sun was hanging low in the sky and about to descend behind the mountain peaks. The sky was ablaze in neon shades of orange, salmon, pink, and purple, setting the leaves clinging to the trees on fire in their burnished autumnal dress, a marked contrast against the deep lavender and indigo of the mountain range beyond.
Ian stood with his chest to my back and draped his arms over my shoulders, holding me close against him. “So, what do you think?”
I filled my lungs to nearly bursting and exhaled slowly. “I think I’m in love with autumn.”
He kissed the tip of my ear. “Do you think you could look at this view every day and not get tired of it.”
I laughed. “If you think you’re going to carry me through a field of snakes every day, you’ve got another think coming.”
“You can drive up and park in the garage.”
I tilted my head back to look at him. “Do you see a garage? Because I don’t.”
He turned me to the left where a short wooden post rose up from the ground. There was another one to our right. There were several more, staggered ten to twenty feet apart. On the left, there were more stakes. On each stake a thick red ribbon fluttered in the light breeze. Ian took my hand and walked me forward about ten feet, then we turned.
“The stakes you see are the corners of the house that will be built in this spot. Since the property dips here, the basement will be a walkout, but if you go up a story, there will be a covered porch that spans the back of the house where we can sit and watch the sunset over the mountains.” He turned me around again and pointed. “This whole area off the basement will include a pool, spa, and outdoor kitchen.”
Taking my hand, he led me through the ‘house’ to what I assume would be the front, going by the stakes in the ground.
“The front will also have a covered porch that spans most of the width and also runs along the right side of the house. It will be the perfect spot to sit and have morning coffee.”
“It sounds amazing.” And it did.
He smiled as if he saw the house already constructed in front of him. “It won’t be a mansion, but it will be close to six thousand square feet, have five bedrooms, six and a half baths, a grand entrance with a sweeping staircase—because why not—formal dining room, huge chef’s kitchen, music room, theater room, exercise room, family room.”
His arm curled around my neck as he tucked me against his side. “It’ll be a big ol’ farmhouse with all the modern amenities.” He dropped a kiss on my head. “I want you to look over the plans; see if there’s anything you want to add or change. I know a farmhouse isn’t exactly your style, but we can keep it clean and modern. I just can’t abide with all that chrome and marble. It’s too cold for me on the regular. But I’d like this home to be a compromise—something the both of us will love.”
I didn’t know what to say. He’d mentioned having me in his future before; he even spoke of us having more children together, but I didn’t believe he was truly serious. It sounded nice, but I thought it was more of being in the moment.
“What do you think?”
“I…I think it sounds lovely.”
“Think you can live in a farmhouse, princess?”
“Ian…I can’t live here. My firm is in Philadelphia.”
“I know, but this can be our weekend place. Maybe we can stay in the city for three or four days and then fly back to Ashwood. When I’m on the road, you’ll have my family nearby to help with the kids.” He turned so that he was facing me. There was no guile in his eyes, and I could see he meant every word of what he was saying.
“We can make it work,” he continued. “And then someday, we can make this place more permanent.” He pressed his lips to my forehead in the sweetest, gentlest kiss while his hands held my shoulders and his thumbs massaged up and down, at once relaxing me and stirring something deep in my groin.
“I wanted you to see this, Madison. Yes, the sunset is spectacular and the view of the mountains and the surrounding countryside is one of the things I love most about West Virginia, other than my family being here. But when I stand up here, next to you, I don’t just see a big ol’ farmhouse and a great view. I see a future. Our future. I wanted you to see this and maybe see some of what I’m seeing.”
Like a watercolor caught in the rain, the colors of the mountains and the sunset blurred and shimmered. I wanted to see everything that Ian was seeing, but I was too emotional for this. I wasn’t sure if I could trust my head and my heart to make the right decision.
I swiped at the tears that threatened to spill over and tried to speak. “Ian?—”
“Don’t,” he begged. “Just think about it. Okay? That’s all I’m asking right now. In the meantime, you can still give feedback on the plans without committing to anything.”
The thoughts in my head were spinning like they’d been caught in a tornado. Swirling, flying, unable to land. It was unsettling. And stressful. I rested my forehead against his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. Meanwhile, Little Satsuma was practicing kickboxing.
Ian laughed. “Is that the baby or do you have a wicked case of gas?”
I pinched his waist, and he jumped. “Funny,” I said with a sniffle. “It’s your child wanting a say in these grand plans of yours.”
He dropped to his knees in the middle of this wide-open field of gold and green grass as the sun slipped behind the mountains. He raised my shirt and kissed my belly.
“Hey there, my sweet child,” he cooed, then grinned up at me. I ran my hands through his hair and smiled down at him. “It’s your daddy, but you probably recognize my voice by now. I’m not sure we can call you Satsuma anymore since I’d venture to guess you’re about the size of a big ol’ squash by now. Mommy and I are excited to meet you. I can’t wait to hold you and sing you to sleep. We’re getting ready for the big day. In the meantime, Daddy is gonna build you a big house on top of a mountain where you and Finn can run and play and feel the grass between your toes. You’re gonna love it here.” He looked up at me. “I’m hoping your mama will too.” With one last kiss against my skin, he added, “I’m gonna be the best daddy. You just wait and see. And your mama? Well, she’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. I hope you look like her and are as smart as she is. You are gonna be one lucky kid. I promise.”
My eyes were overflowing, and if Ian didn’t have his hands wrapped around my upper thighs, I might have keeled over into the grass—snakes be damned. My emotions were bubbling and swirling, and if he whipped out a ring at that moment, down there on his knees in front of me, I would’ve said yes without a moment’s hesitation.