Chapter 7
Zahara sat on the couch near the roaring fireplace, drinking the hot cocoa that Elizabeth had made for all of them to drink. Hers was a virgin hot cocoa, as the others had run mixed in with theirs.
It had been a good day, and she was looking forward to tomorrow and everyone opening their presents. Her gaze panned the active room. The trio, Ben, Michael, and Ambra, were at the pool table playing a game, and Ambra was beating Michael at the moment. Both the brothers wore dark jeans and black sweaters, while Ambra was wearing a loose-fitting red track suit that hid most of her body shape.
When Zahara had first met Ambra, the woman had said that, growing up, she had been more of a tomboy and didn’t like to wear frilly dresses or lots of makeup. She had preferred wearing loose clothing, as she was very athletic and always playing some sort of sport or working out at the gym.
Zahara noticed that while Ben was waiting his turn, his gaze was fixed on Diamond, who was sitting on another couch with a fashion magazine in her hand, ignoring all of them. Diamond was the more feminine of the two sisters. Her hair and makeup were immaculate, with nothing out of place, and she wore a very feminine and sexy black jumpsuit with black heels, even though they were indoors relaxing for the night. Zahara could tell Ben had it bad for Diamond and was not pleased that she had just recently got engaged. The mood had only gotten darker when he heard that the boyfriend had proposed the day before and they were expected to get married by summer.
Zahara then turned her attention to Elizabeth and Carter Sr. playing a game of cards, laughing, and teasing each other. She looked at the salt-and-pepper haired Senior and could see what the boys would look like when they were around that age, especially Carter. He was the exact replica of his father. Carter Sr. was a very handsome man and was aging well.
They had not spoken much since she arrived here, but he had smiled and embraced her before disappearing into the basement to work on his hobby. She was told he liked working with wood and crafting furniture, which he gave away to shelters and people who could not afford it for their homes. She now knew where Ben got his quiet nature from. Carter Sr. was like that and only came alive around his wife and children.
Her gaze finally rested on the man who had her heart and whose child she was now carrying. He was brooding and pensive, looking into his mug as if it held all the answers.
She was glad that he had kept the end of his bargain and had not pressured her any further to marry him, but she knew that she was running out of time, and he was going to do it again.
She was fighting him and herself because she just wanted to shout yes, but she wanted him to love her; to fall for her just as hard as she had fallen for him the first time she saw him.
Zahara jumped when she heard, “Penny for your thoughts.” She jerked her head around and saw that Ambra was standing next to her. The other woman then flopped down onto the couch next to her with a mug of her own.
“Finished with the game?” Zahara asked, sipping her cocoa.
“Yeah, I beat Michael and then had enough of the game and hearing about the model he met on the slopes recently. The way he is talking about her sounds different from how he usually speaks about women. He claims to have found the one,” she mentioned with a slight frown and a look of unhappiness marring her pretty features, but it was gone in a second, and she turned her focus to Zahara.
“How are you holding up with all the testosterone in the room, particularly one individual?” She grinned.
Zahara laughed. “It is not so bad now that you and Diamond are here. Elizabeth was a great buffer and kept us all busy with decorating, baking, and taking me out on long walks. Have you known the Brooks family for a long time?”
“Yes, I was in private school with Michael and Ben.” Ambra suddenly smirked.
“They were both getting the shit beat out of them when I and Diamond stepped in to save them.”
Zahara’s eyebrows rose.
“Michael, as you know, likes to joke around or pull pranks, and on his first day decided to open his mouth and antagonize one of the known bullies at the school. I don’t like bullies and people at the school won’t mess with me or Diamond because of who our father is and our mom being the Head at the school. ”
She grinned and continued not leaving Zahara wondering for long about Ambra’s father. “My dad who is a retired mixed martial artists taught me a trick or two. He is Winston Jackson.”
Ambra’s eyebrows rose higher because even she knew who Winston Jackson was. He was a legendary heavyweight fighter known for his winning streak before he retired.
She took another sip from her mug. Zahara could tell she was lost in her memories of meeting the twins.
“We hung out after that. I taught them some of my dad”s moves, and they both taught me how to box, as their older brother Carter later taught them, and we have been best friends ever since. They think of me as just one of the guys,” she said, letting out a small sigh. “Do you want them to see you as more than just a friend?”
Ambra swivelled her head around, her face registering surprise. “No,” she said and rolled her eyes.
Zahara almost broke out laughing at how fast Ambra suddenly changed the subject.
“So, what did you wish for from Santa?”
She shrugged. “I am just grateful to be here, spending time in the Alps with the Brooks family.”
“Parents still haven’t come around?”
She raised her eyebrows in surprise that Ambra knew of her situation with her parents.
“Carter mentioned it to Michael and Ben, and they told me.”
“Hell, even I know.” Diamond muttered without raising her head from the magazine.
Zahara glared at the perpetrators, who were busy playing their game.
“Sorry, you are in it now for life.” Ambra smiled and indicated her belly.
Zahara sighed and then gave a happy smile. “My mom reached out to me before my exams finished. The conversation was a little bit stiff because they were mad that I switched majors and school and then got pregnant, but she wanted me to know that both her and my dad love me and would like to talk to me and meet Carter. Carter and I will be visiting my parents after the twenty-sixth and spending the rest of the time with them until New Year.”
“Oh, that is great. Are you nervous bringing Carter home to introduce him?”
“A little bit because my parents can be a little standoffish and judgemental, and Carter, well, you know Carter. They could possibly rub each other the wrong way.”
Ambra reached over and patted her hand. “I think everything will be fine, and if they are not, babies have a way of bringing people together.”
Ambra suddenly looked serious. “How do you feel about being pregnant so young and trying to finish school? Are you nervous about giving birth?”
Zahara set her mug of hot chocolate down on the small table near the couch. “I have always dreamed of being a mother and a wife but having a career first. It is a little hard at times because I now get tired easily and sometimes have aches and pains that I never had before. But I would not change anything for the world.” She rubbed her stomach and smiled down lovingly at the child growing inside of her.
“And hell yes, I am nervous about giving birth and the pain. I hope I am one of the lucky ones and the birth will be quick and painless. I will be thankful to have a healthy baby and no pain at all in delivery.” She raised beseeching eyes to the ceiling.
Ambra nodded in agreement and then turned, placing her hot chocolate on a matching side table on the other side of the couch.
“Can I touch your belly?”
Zahara smiled and nodded in encouragement. Ambra reached over and smoothed her hand down on the top middle part of her belly. “Have you felt anything yet?”
“I think so, but it was very light. Not sure if that might be a twinge I am feeling or my own gas.”
Ambra looked up at her with wide eyes and then burst out laughing, and Zahara joined her. When they wound down, they both turned and saw everyone had paused what they were doing to watch them.
Carter wore a curious look on his face, and she smiled at him. She began to get lost in his dark eyes as his gaze trapped hers, and she licked her suddenly dry lips. She felt Carter’s full focus on her, and he looked like he wanted to snatch her off the couch and take her upstairs.
They had not really had a private moment since coming here and had slept in separate bedrooms, but Zahara’s body was missing him. She missed touching him.
He straightened up and looked like he was about to come over when his mother approached him. He bent down to hear what she had to say, and Zahara had her own distraction when she heard Ambra mutter, “Why is he staring at me like that?”
“Who?” Zahara asked, glancing up at the pool table to see both brothers now engaged in continuing their game.
“Never mind, it must have been a trick of the light because—”
“Hi everyone. I have asked Carter to get Monopoly ready for all of us to play before myself and Carter Sr. turn in for the night. Michael and Ben, is your game almost done? Can you go to the kitchen and get the platter of cold cuts and cheeses I prepared? Also the crackers and beverages I pulled out—it’s all chilling on the counter.”
“Oooh, I love Monopoly and taking other people’s property and money,” Diamond finally decided to join the festivities. She moved off the couch and sauntered over to the table where Carter had just placed the board.
Ambra rolled her eyes and got up. “I can go to the kitchen and get the food.”
Both Michael and Ben paused in playing. “Oh no you don’t, if you go in there, by the time you come out, half the food will be gone.” Ben placed the cue down on the pool table and rushed to the kitchen with Ambra hot on his heels.
Zahara chuckled and glanced down as she planted both hands on the couch to raise herself off when she noticed a firm hand in her line of sight.
She smiled and placed her small hand in his. Carter was so strong that he only needed the one hand to pull her off the couch. She had not been light when they had first met, and she was heavier now that they were expecting.
He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. She gasped in surprise when she felt a light kiss on top of her head and glanced up to see him staring down at her, his expression closed and his eyes dark.
He leaned down and gave her a kiss on her lips, a light peck, causing her to grip his black sweater and murmur a protest that he was teasing her. He finally gave her what she wanted and deepened the kiss, opening his mouth slightly.
“I have wanted to do this all day. Suck your plump folds into my mouth and hear you moan. But everyone seemed to always be around.” He cursed for only her to hear and bent down to nibble on her lips again before raising his head.
“I cannot seem to stop wanting to touch, kiss, and fuck you. Tonight—”
“Carter and Zahara, are you ready to play?”
He scowled, his eyes saying, see what I mean?
Zahara giggled and then reached up and gave him a quick kiss. “Tonight,” she promised because she had missed him too and wanted him to fill the need she had for him.
That night, Carter carried her to bed and tucked her in. She had fallen asleep watching Diamond and Carter try to win Monopoly after taking everyone else for their money and property. She woke up not knowing who had won.