Chapter 9
MADDISON
“ S o, what now?” I stroke the back of his neck as his cock throbs inside me. My ears are ringing, my heart is thumping and I feel his tension as he keeps his cum plugged deep inside me with his cock.
“I don’t know, I’ve never tried knocking someone up before.” He pulls his head back to look at me, still seeming as serious as he was before.
“I figure I should keep my cock inside you.” I watch his Adam's apple bob in his throat as he swallows.
“How long for?” I look down between us. His abs are soaked with sweat, and look so tight I can’t resist running my fingers over them. This man is pure perfection, and I’m struggling to understand why, out of all the women he must have encountered, it’s me he wants to give him a child.
“I was doing some Google research about conception while you were in the bath and?—.”
“You researched this?” I almost choke.
“Of course, I did.” He strokes some hair off my face and plays with it between his fingers. “D’ya have a rough idea when you ovulate?”
“When I ovul…You really want this, don’t you?” I try taking in everything that’s just happened. Yesterday I was marrying Adam, and now I’m getting pregnant by a guy I barely know. I belong on a talk show.
“Right now, this is all I want.” He raises one of his eyebrows.
“Why me?” I ask the question that's been going over and over in my head.
“Maddison, Clearwater Creek may be a small town, but I’ve still met my fair share of females over the years. I’ve never felt the way I do about you toward any of ‘em.
“And how do you feel about me?” I need to know what’s going on in his head.
“Outta fuckin’ control,” he admits, gripping my hip and pulling me tighter against his body. “It’s territorial, and kinda gut-wrenching, actually.” He frowns in confusion. “It feels more like an instinct than a choice. I guess it’s how animals feel.” Something tells me that Jace Sullivan doesn’t talk about his feelings very often.
“Having a baby with someone is a huge commitment,” I remind him, as his monster cock sits still and heavy inside me, keeping his seed in place
How has this become my life?
“I know, and I’m not a reckless person. Every life decision I’ve made up to now has been well thought out. But like I said, this doesn’t feel like something I can control. It’s like…” He scrubs his hand over his face in frustration.
“Like what?” I question him.
“Look, something made you run from your weddin’ yesterday, and something brought you to this town. I wasn’t gonna go to that town meeting, but something made me do it. You didn't even have to open your sassy little mouth for me to know I wanted you. I took one look at you sitting on that barstool and thought, mine .” His whole admission stuns me silent. I never had this guy down as someone who believed in fate. “When you told me the reason you couldn’t marry that ex of yours, I…Well, it put ideas in my head, ones I didn’t think would be possible. And I’ll be honest with ya, they’re selfish.” He looks mad at himself and when I reach my hand up to stroke his cheek, he starts to slowly grind his hips, stirring his still-hard cock inside me.
“You carrying my child makes you unquestionably mine. I need that,” he admits, sounding a little weak. I nod my head back at him because there's something inside me that can relate to that. I’m too proud to admit it, but I’ve felt like I’ve belonged to him ever since he kissed me. I may not know him, but the instinct I have to trust him is overwhelming.
“You know, once I decide I want something, I become obsessed with it,” he warns me, picking up the pace and gripping my hair like he needs it for leverage. “Do you have any idea how good your pussy feels right now? Coated in cum, and full of my cock.” I nod, liking how that feels so much, I can feel myself building up to come for him again.
“Why don’t you fill it with some more?” I challenge him, and this time when I bite my lip it’s not because I’m nervous, it’s because I know how much he likes it.
“You're such a brat.” He shakes his head and laughs. “I’m gonna make ya a pregnant, little brat,” he promises, reaching down and stealing my lip so it sits between his teeth instead of mine. “I’m gonna own this fuckin’ body, Mads. I’m gonna knock you up, and you're gonna let me take care of you.” I get a warm sensation in my stomach when I think about how that might feel. The way he went feral on Adam earlier came as a shock but made me feel so protected. I believe what he says, I can depend on him and, maybe, that's why having his baby doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
“Fuck!” His thrusts get harder and faster and his hands grip my body like he’s unsure where to place them. “This is what the thought of knocking you up does to me,” he growls as he fucks me deeper into his mattress. “It makes me feel fuckin’ savage. I could have killed him earlier, I swear I could have fuckin’ killed him.” I hear his words but the force trapped inside me is scratching to be let out so I ignore them.
“Come with me, pretty girl. Squeeze around my cock and take what ya need from it.” His words are like a trigger, and I moan out loud as I tighten around him.
“That's right. Fuck, I’m gonna come.”
His hand tightens around my hip as he spills into me, and I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him tight like I did the time before.
“You good?” he whispers a few beats later.
“I’m good,” I tell him, realizing that I mean it. I am good. I’m really good and, as mad as this idea is, I think I want it as much as he does.
“Where do you think you're going?” Jace speaks without opening his eyes, and the arm he has wrapped around my middle drags me tighter to his body.
“In case you’ve forgotten, I have a mob to feed and Cheerios don’t cut it.” I lean my head over when his mouth presses against my neck.
“I thought I fired you,” he whispers.
“I’m looking at what happened last night as being more of a promotion.” I look down at my stomach and try to imagine how it would look if I did get pregnant. It puts a tingle between my legs that I have to ignore because I can’t risk pissing off those bunkhouse boys again.
“Damn right,” Jace tells me, reaching down and pressing his fingers where that tingle is.
“Jace. I really need to get to work. If I’m staying here, I want to pull my weight.”
“ If ya staying?” He raises one of his brows, then rolls himself on top of me. “Princess, last night you made a commitment and while there's a chance you’re carrying my child, I’m not letting you out of my sight.” I feel a nervous flutter in my chest when his hand slides over my stomach. If my mother knew about this she would have me sectioned.
“So, I guess I better get learning how to cook.” I drag myself away from him, lifting his shirt up from the floor and sliding it on. I do up the buttons as I make my way out the door and put some space between us. Being around Jace seems to make me forget all logic and reason. Am I really going to let a complete stranger knock me up? My life is a mess right now, yet the thought of it seems so…appealing.
I head downstairs into the kitchen, looking through the cupboards and feeling uninspired by what's here. I’m never going to be like the woman on TV last night, but surely I can throw something together that will keep these cowboys happy.
I start by flicking on the coffee machine, then wander over to the fridge and glance over my options.
“What do you think you're doing?” I hear Jace’s deep, throaty voice and slam the refrigerator door shut.
“Just looking at what we got. I’m figuring I should serve up something hot…maybe some eggs. Surely I can’t screw up scrambl—” My feet get taken from beneath me when he grabs my thighs and slams my ass hard on the kitchen counter.
“What I meant is, what do you think you're doing, down here, wearing just my shirt?” He stands between my legs and slides his fingers up the outside of my thighs.
“I’m getting a head start on breakfast.”
“You’re showing off far too much of what's mine,” he tells me, kissing my lips and making my knees tremble.
I hear a throat clear and when I turn my head to the door, the man wearing a suit who stands in its frame looks unimpressed by what he sees.
“Uncle Jamie.” Jace turns his body so he’s blocking mine, while I blush awkwardly. “Little early for you, ain’t it?” His body language changes instantly, suddenly he’s rigid and very serious.
“I’m heading out of town for a trail.” His uncle steps inside and places a briefcase on the kitchen table. “I didn’t know you were entertaining,” He makes an obvious point of glancing over Jace’s shoulder at me, and I don’t like the way he looks me up and down. “I would have called ahead.”
“No need, you know you're always welcome here.” Jace’s voice doesn't match his words and I can sense some serious tension between the two of them.
“I just called by to ensure that the Mathers situation will be dealt with while I’m gone.” The way he narrows his eyes almost seems threatening.
“It’ll be dealt with,” Jace assures him.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go find some pants.” I slide off the counter and smile at Uncle Jamie as I make my way out the door.
“Stay right there, darlin’…Uncle Jamie, this is my girlfriend.” I stop dead when I hear the way he introduces me.
“Girlfriend?” Jamie’s laugh sounds nasty.
“You heard right. Girlfriend .” I feel Jace’s strong hand reach around my waist and drag me back. “Maddison, this here’s my dad’s brother, Jamie.”
“Pleased to meet you, Jamie.” I hold out my hand and wish it wasn’t trembling. I also wish I had more covering my legs, but that's all my own stupid fault.
“And where did we find Maddison?” Jamie studies me over, again , eventually taking my hand and giving it a half-hearted shake. “You're not from round here.” He looks at me accusingly.
“No, she ain’t. But she’s sticking around. In fact, she’s moved in,” Jace explains and I notice his uncle's eyes flare.
“I really should get going.” I untangle myself from his arms and head out the door, taking a huge sigh of relief when I’m free from the tension. Rushing up the stairs, I throw on some jeans then watch out the window until I see his uncle get in his Mercedes and drive off. Jace is cracking eggs into a bowl when I head back into the kitchen and he half smiles when he sees me.
“Sorry about that, he’s not exactly known for his charm.” He takes out a whisk and starts beating.
“It’s fine, I was a little thrown off when you called me your girlfriend,” I mention.
“What else am I supposed to call ya?” He places down the bowl, stepping closer and when his hand slides behind my ear, my head automatically leans into it. “I was thinkin’ it’s a little too soon for Baby Momma yet, but?—”
“So, what do we have this morning?” We get interrupted for a second time and I hear the frustration in Jace’s sigh as I turn around and greet the first two bunkhouse boys to join us. “Jeeez. Sorry, boss, I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” Carter turns a little red as he makes his way to the table and takes a seat.
“Eggs?” I pick up the bowl and take over, beating them as hard as I can while the others start piling in. I find a pan big enough to cook them in while they all get settled, then smile in appreciation when the one called Miles, pulls out some plates and starts laying the table.
“I’ll get the cutlery.” One of the others gets up and opens the drawer, and Jace makes a satisfied grin at me as he pours himself a coffee.
The eggs seem to be going well, and when I pull out the turkey rashers that Jace had already put under the grill, I feel like a fraud as I place it all on the table.
“Lookin’ good, Cheerio,” one of them says, and even the old grump manages an impressed nod of his head. I take a deep breath and get to cleaning up my mess, running the faucet so I can soak the pan.
“Carter, you best take your eyes off my girl’s ass if you wanna keep ‘em in ya sockets,” I hear Jace call over their voices and stop what I’m doing.
“Your girl? That sounds like a statement,” another one of them pipes up and when I turn around and see everyone staring at me, I hold my still-soapy hands up in front of me in defense.
“That’s exactly what it is. And if I catch any of ya lookin’ at her in a way I don’t like, it’ll be the Burdizzo for you.” He steps up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. Everyone around the table looks stunned when he places a kiss on my cheek
“Jace, what's Burdizzo?” I question him.
“It’s what we use to castrate the bulls,” Kyle answers for him.
“Guys, nothing changes, you’re still going to get shit, inadequate food,” I explain to them all and giggle nervously, cussing Jace in my head. A little warning would have been good. No one laughs with me, they all still seem far too shocked for that.
“I’m glad we got that covered.” Jace lifts his hat up from the counter and heads out the door.
“Anyone for coffee?” I shrug awkwardly at all their dumbstruck faces when I get left alone with them.