Chapter 13
He gave her a hard stare and took a deep swallow of the water. He was weary. In the past, he would never put up with anything like this.
He hated scenes, but he supposed that being married, being completely in love and now starting a family comes with its difficulties. He did vow to be with her in sickness and in health, not to mention the irrational insecurities.
Tossing the empty bottle in the nearby recycler, he walked over to where she was hovering just inside the doorway.
“What do you want me to say?” he asked quietly, his anger spent.
“That I am wrong.” Her eyes shimmered with tears and her bottom lip was trembling.
“That I am being an imbecile, that you would never cheat on me, no matter how fat and frumpy I get.”
“Perhaps fat, but never frumpy.” Lifting a hand, he used his thumb to whisk a tear off her cheek.
“I am serious.”
“So am I," he said solemnly. “I already told you it’s not about appearances. Clamping his hands on her shoulders. He faced her earnestly. “You are the only woman for me and if you want that notarized, I will get it done.
Why are you allowing her to get to you?” Her chin wobbled. “Because she is beautiful, and she shared something special with you. You wanted to marry her and have children. You are not together because she was the one who left. I get this feeling you did not have closure with her.”
His hands slid up to cradle her throat, his expression gentle. “She meant a lot to me and at one point, I thought I was in love with her.” His expression turned whimsical.
“I was dazzled by her, because she was different, or at least, I thought she was. It was a flash in the pan, and it would never have lasted. When she left, I was not heartbroken, I was simply angry that she had chosen to leave.”
He caressed the hollow of her throat, soothing, rhythmic motions. “I could have followed her, even after she left, she begged me to reconsider.
I did not love her enough to just pack up and leave.” Using his thumbs, he tilted her face upwards. “You on the other hand were different. I would have followed you to the ends of the earth.
That’s how I knew I was completely and irrevocably in love with you. Now can we put this to bed?”
She nodded, her eyes shimmering with love.
“I am sorry.”
“You have nothing to be scared about.” Sliding one hand down her throat and over her arm, he took her hand and placed it where his heart was beating unsteadily. “You have my heart Georgie and it’s time you realize that.”
“Kiss me," she whispered achingly.
Hauling her into his arms, he crushed her lips with his.
*****
“Did I hurt you?” Reaching over, he switched the lamp on so that he could see the bruises. They had started in the gym, tearing at each other’s clothing. At some point, he picked her up and came upstairs where they barely made it to the bed.
She was still straddling him, her body quivering in the aftermath of the passion that had rocked them to their very souls.
“No.” She laughed softly, leaning forward, her fingers tangled in the dense dark blonde hairs on his chest. “It was wonderful.”
“I was rough.” He winced and felt a touch of remorse as he stared at the big red bruise above her left nipple. There was another one on her neck where he had sunk his teeth in, when the climax punched through his body.
It had taken him over completely and he had lost control.
“Dammit, Georgie, you are pregnant and have been ill for weeks. I behaved like an animal.” He touched the slightly broken skin of her throat tentatively.
“Makeup sex is amazing.” She laughed at the grim look on his face. “Relax darling, I put a few bruises on you too.” She touched the bite marks on his shoulder.
“We have to practice some decorum and exercise a modicum of self-control.”
She burst out laughing. “Good luck with that.”
“I mean it.” He tried to sound resolute, but did not quite pull it off. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“That’s not hurting me.” Her hands wandered over his chest as she reveled in the feel of the muscles flexing at her touch. “I feel pregnant and unattractive. What you did, the way you made love to me confirms that I am not. That you still think I am beautiful.”
“How can you doubt that?”
“I don’t know. Oh yes, it might be the fact that I was skin and bones and now just getting some flesh on me. That might have a lot to do with it.” Her impish smile had him pulling her head down for a rousing kiss.
“Even so, you are still the most beautiful woman in the world to me," he whispered against her lips.
“I will remind you of that when I am unable to see my toes.”
“When that happens, I will tell you what they look like.” He grinned at her pained expression. “Now how about we try and get some sleep? Hmm?”
“I am not tired.” She rotated her hips and had him hissing out a breath.
“Georgie, what are you doing?”
“Just, stoking the flames.” Her fingers moved over his nipples and had him sucking in air. “Just exercising my powers of persuasion. Turns out that I still need some convincing, that I can turn my man on.”
“Baby– Oh Christ!” His fingers gripped her hips as she undulated her body.
“Sweetheart–”He broke off with a curse and realized that it was too late. He was already as hard as the proverbial rock.
“You witch," he whispered, his arms wrapping around her as he succumbed to her powers.
*****
“I cannot believe you are carrying triplets.” Marla handed her the glass of milk, before settling back in the ladder-back chair with her glass of hot chocolate. “And you really should not have come, it’s not like I am dying or anything.”
She fussed with the decorative pillows on the sofa in front of her, before stretching her legs out. “I am still awaiting the results. You have your pregnancy to worry about.”
“I am not a child anymore and I wished you would stop treating me like one. You are not my mother, Marla, you are my sister and when news came that you have cancer, I would like to believe that I am supposed to drop everything else and come running to support you.”
Tears blurred the older woman’s vision, and she very carefully and deliberately blinked them away.
“It’s hard to think of you as a wife and soon to be a mother. I brought you up when our parents died. I became a mother for the family.”
“And spent most of your teenage life taking care of us,” Georgie added softly. “Now it’s time for us to take care of you.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. It’s not who I am. Do you know why I became a teacher?”
“To discipline children?” Georgie teased.
“Because I love taking care of people. I am a nurturer. Benjamin and I wanted a house filled with children laughing and playing. A disorganized chaotic household with crayons on the walls and toys strewn all over the living room. We were blessed with one child. A son. Brian is a gem, but he is now at college and hardly ever comes home.”
She sniffed into her beverage. “Brian works all the time and when he is not working, he is out playing golf with his business associates. Which leaves me here,” She gestured vaguely around the comfortable and cozy living room. “All by myself. I am fifty years old and feel as if I have not accomplished anything.”
“That’s ridiculous and you know it.” Sandra had called to tell her the news about the diagnosis and Georgie had not hesitated in coming over.
“You brought me up as well as the others. You are an excellent teacher and a wonderful mother and wife. Beau and I have the resources to make sure you get the best possible care. It’s not a death sentence, we will get through this.”
Marla smiled at her fondly.
“I don’t know if I have ever told you how proud I am of you.”
“Once or twice. Why in particular? And please don’t tell me that it’s because of me marrying Beau.”
Her sister shook her head, with a laugh. “It’s your sense of determination and drive. You decide you want to do something, and you never allow anything or anyone to get in your way.”
Finishing the milk with a grimace, Georgie put the glass on an end table next to her.
“I think that trait might have gotten me into trouble.”
“How so?”
Rubbing a hand over her swollen abdomen, she stopped to weigh her words. “I decided that I wanted to do IVF, knowing there was a possibility that I would be carrying multiples. I never gave Beau a choice.” She shook her head.
“I am heading into my danger zone as I would like to refer to it as. I keep crossing my fingers and holding my breath. The doctors warned that for the next month, I might see some drastic changes. I am rapidly putting on weight and I am hungry every five seconds.”
“Which is a good thing. Honey, when we came to the clinic and saw you, we all came home and cried. You looked like death.”
Georgie nodded. “These babies might have to be delivered at thirty-two weeks, and I am afraid that is not going to be enough time for them to be fully developed.” “Nonsense! I have seen more than my fair share of preemies. Do you remember Diane from across the road?”
“Diane Bedford?”
“Yes. She had twins and they were both premature babies, weighing a little over four pounds and those girls are six years old now and thriving.”
Georgie shuddered out a breath and leaned back against the cushions. “Beau is worried. He is not saying anything regarding the birth, but I know he is not looking forward to the process.”
“Your husband adores you.” Marla reminded her softly. “Never forget how very fortunate you are.”
*****
He found her in the library, seated around the desk with the laptop opened in front of her and a tiny frown of concentration on her brow. He stood there just inside the open doorway staring at her. A tray was next to the laptop, and he could see remnants of what looked like some sort of pastry and a half-eaten bowl of fruit.
He had called to let her know he would be a little late coming home, and she insisted on waiting for him to have dinner.
He loved this picture of intensity in her. From where he was standing, he could see enough to light a slow fuse inside him. Her hair was piled on top of her head, wisps of it escaping along her cheeks and neck.
She was wearing a bulky cream and gold sweater and was not wearing a stitch of makeup. He wondered if she knew that pregnancy had given her a glow and that her skin was luminous with it?
She looked up then and he basked in the warmth of love that came immediately, when she saw him.
“How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough to admire your beauty. And to realize that you ate without me.” Easing off the doorjamb, he sauntered into the room and rested a hip on the desk. “What are you doing?”
“Research. Cancer.”
“Ah.” Leaning over, he kissed the tip of her nose. “How is Marla?”
“Doing her best to be brave. I finally persuaded her to accept our help.”
“Dr. Laing is an excellent oncologist, the best in his field. She will be in good hands.”
Taking his hand, she kissed the back of it. “I love you.”
His brows lifted. “What brought that on?”
“A wife cannot make a declaration of love to her husband? What is the world coming to?”
“I love you back.” He linked his fingers through hers. “How is the decorating coming on?”
Her eyes danced with mirth. “Do you really want to know?”
He had divorced himself from the entire thing, only firmly telling her that she was not to lift even a pillow. The two rooms had been through a major reconstruction. She had been right, the ultrasound revealed they were having two boys and a girl. A twin and a single as they were known as.
“Not particularly.”
“Then don’t ask, because I am going to launch into color schemes and wallpaper patterns.”
“Thank you for sparing me. How are you?”
“Fine. You would not believe how much I ate today.”
“You are eating for four, so it’s acceptable.”
“Then I started obsessing over how long it will take to get the extra weight off and then I stopped thinking about it.”
“Good choice.” Kissing her on top of her head, he rose. “I have some calls to make and then a shower. Where would you like to eat?”
“How about here?” She gestured to the table at the window overlooking the east side of the property.
“Excellent. Just continue doing what you are doing. I will bring the tray in.”
“No. I will get it. I am finished anyway.”
*****
Dinner was pleasant and cozy. Beau had lit the logs in the small fireplace. Georgie added candles in the middle of the small table, and they sat on sofas, next to each other, enjoying the meal of flank steak with mushroom sauce.
With one arm wrapped around her shoulder, Beau ate his meal with one hand, alternately feeding her portions of the wild vegetables. A sense of peace and contentment settled over them and Georgie found herself wishing that it would last.
“Full?” he murmured when she pushed her plate away.
“To bursting," she admitted.
“I would suggest we go for a walk, but it’s freezing.” His fingers rubbed her shoulder and arm slowly. She had her feet curled up on the sofa and her head on his shoulder.
“I am not moving a muscle. Besides, it rained earlier.”
“I can feel spring in the air.”
“Lucky you. The winter is dragging its feet.”
“It will get here eventually.” Putting away his glass of fruit juice, he repositioned himself until he was settled back against the cushions and her between his thighs.
One hand drifted down to the swollen mound of her belly. “How are the babes?”
“Behaving so far. I cannot wait to pop them out."
His deep chuckle vibrated against her cheek. “That’s one way to put it.”
They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a few minutes, until Georgie noticed that his casual massage had turned into something more profound.
Her sweater was hiked up and his fingers were first splayed over her stomach, fingers rubbing the tautly stretched flesh gently. Fluttery movements against his fingers gave him pause and had her looking up at him.
“It means they recognize you," she told him huskily.
“It’s the first time–”There was a look of wonder on his handsome face that had her smiling. “How long?”
“I just felt movements just today while I was doing yoga.”
“You didn’t say anything.”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
He started rubbing again and was rewarded for his efforts when he felt the movements, this time more pronounced.
“Does it hurt?” he asked huskily.
“Just tickles.”
He continued to rub but was disappointed when nothing else happened.
“They are probably sleeping," she explained.
He continued to massage her stomach, his eyes holding hers. “We should think about names.” His hand drifted to the waistband of her leggings.
“I have a few suggestions.”
He grunted, his attention on what his fingers had discovered.
“You are bare-assed.”
“Yes.” She grinned. “All of my underwear are chafing, so I decided to go without.”
His fingers tangled in the dense pubic hair, his eyes still holding hers.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Why?”
“I want to make certain before I start anything.”
“What are you planning on starting?”
“Something I won’t be able to stop when I do.” He had managed to peel down the waist of her leggings to her hips.
“I should hope not.” Her breath was whistling through parted lips. “That feels so good.”
“Does this feel better?” His finger was stroking the swollen flesh and sending heat slicing through her body.
“Much. Don’t stop," she breathed.
“How else will I be able to do this?” He was sliding his finger between the folds of her flesh slowly, tormenting her until she could scarcely breathe.
“Beau.”
“Hmm?”
“Please.” She lifted her hips up, desperate to feel his fingers inside her. “I am wet.”
Hot jagged heat like a bolt of lightning sliced through his body and pooled in his loins.
“Let’s see," he whispered thickly. “Ah, you are right.” His finger explored the moisture.
“You are always ripe and ready for me.” His throat was thick, so much so that he could scarcely get the words out. She was passionate, the most passionate woman he had ever been with, and he noticed that from the very beginning.
“Not yet," he whispered, his finger sliding out slowly.
“Beau–”
“I have plans for us.” Sliding his long legs out, he settled her back against the cushions and plucked her sweater over her head. A groan escaped him as he stared at the unfettered breasts.
“Are they bigger than when I saw them this morning?” he asked hoarsely.
“That’s impossible. But the areolas seem to have enlarged.”
“Let’s find out, shall we?” he growled as he inched even closer. And he was thorough. His clever fingers examined every inch of the very sensitive area around the nipple until she was practically vibrating with need.
He did not stop, not even when she dug impatient fingers through his thick blonde hair as if to urge him on. His lips followed the movements of his fingers and sent her into a tizzy.
His tongue trailed a burning path around the puckered flesh until it was standing at alert attention. When he started to suckle, she swore she could feel it all the way down to the core of her, which was already in extreme distress.
“Beau!” she gasped, her body arching upward. “Oh, please.”
Switching to the other nipple, he treated it with the same avid attention to detail. She was trembling, her body vibrating, her skin tingling. When he raised his head up, she felt a jolt at the piercing light in his green eyes.
“I crave you.” His voice was harsh, his face taut. “The taste of you inside my mouth always manages to drive me crazy. I need more.” Trapping her thighs, he went on his knees and peeled the rest of her clothing off before getting rid of his.
He was fully aroused and throbbing.
“Touch me,” he invited thickly when he noticed her gaze on him.
She encircled his hot shaft between her fingers and arched his back when she started sliding the skin up and down slowly.
“Come here," she urged.
“Baby, you don’t–”
“Please.” Her fingers tightened around him and cut off the rest of the words. He scooted closer, his breath soughing through his chest in anticipation. He was near enough for her to just lift her head. Her tongue slid out to touch the reddened tip, licking off the moisture that had pooled there and he felt the top of his head blowing off.
Or partially blowing off. It completely disintegrated into nothingness when she closed those sultry lips over the smooth tip. When she pulled him deeper into her mouth, he thought he was simply going to die.
His heart was racing so much it was drowning out everything else, including rational thoughts. His skin was hot, so hot it was melting off his bones. He had no idea that the sounds echoing around the room were coming from him. Automatically, his hands reached out to cup the back of her head, his body arching toward her sweet mouth.
“Wait!” he rasped. “Christ! Just–”He found the strength to drag her head back so that he could move and when he did, strength failed him. Sagging to the side, he stared at her for a minute before going behind her.
For another few minutes, he just held her as he fought the animal passion that threatened to take over. Then without a word, he used trembling fingers to guide himself into her welcoming warmth, sighing as she closed around him like a vice.