Chapter 25
JACK
Iknock on her bedroom door when it becomes apparent that I’m not going to get any sleep.
“What?” she bites coldly, proving that my senses were right.
She’s mad at me. Which makes no sense, because something passed between us after I made my announcement. It wasn’t just the way she looked at me, or the kiss that followed after it. It was a feeling that made my spine tingle, and I know she felt it too.
“I know I should have told you about the announcement before I did it, but it just seemed like the right time. We’re past the–”
“I’m not mad about the announcement. I told you that in the car,” she shouts back, and, refusing to have this conversation through a piece of wood, I open her door and let myself in.
“This is supposed to be my private space,” she pouts, looking adorable sitting on her bed, still wearing her dress, and eating a Snickers bar.
“Then what are you mad about?” I smile at the sight of her as I move to sit on the bed beside her.
“I’m not mad,” she lies, taking another angry bite of the bar in her hand.
“You’ve been off with me ever since I made that speech; you wouldn’t even speak to me in the car. Tell me what I’ve done.”
“Is it not okay for a pregnant woman, whose body is overtaken with hormones, to just feel a little angry? I’m fine, Jack, just leave me alone.” She turns her head from me.
“And you're sure that's what this is?” I check, still not convinced.
“Yes,” she assures me impatiently.
“Okay, I’ll leave you alone.” I do as she wishes and start walking to the door.
“Wait!” she calls out after me, and I have to hide my smile before I turn around.
“This arrangement we have, I mean, the sex.” She places her Snickers down on the bedside table.
“Yes?” I frown suspiciously.
“Is it exclusive?” she asks, blinking nervously.
“Do you honestly think I’m going to allow you to have sex with another guy while you're carrying my child?” I have no idea where this has come from, but if I find out she’s considering, the guy’s a dead man fucking walking.
“Not me…you.” Her voice trails off at the end of her sentence, and she starts fiddling with her hands.
“Me?” I laugh. “Are you crazy?”
“No, Jack, I’m pregnant, and I’m already showing.” She looks down at her neat little bump. “I’m going to get a lot bigger. Probably the size of a small village,” she starts rambling, so I take my position back beside her and take her hand.
“Mrs. Ravenshaw, what we have, despite being a little fucked-up, is very exclusive,” I assure her.
“And have I not proven that I can’t get enough of the way you're changing? I can’t keep my hands off you.
” Taking her wrist, I place her hand over my trousers.
“This is what you do to me every time I’m in the same room as you, and it’s only going to get worse the bigger you get.
” I frame my hands around the bump sticking out under her dress
“This is my baby; I put him in there, and watching him grow inside you over these next couple of months is going to bring me a whole new level of satisfaction,” I promise her
“Even when I get outrageously fat?” she questions, her pout starting to lift.
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.” I climb over her body so I can kiss her.
“But if there were...” She pushes me back, “...a time where you’d want someone else – you would tell me, right?”
“Gracie, I’m not going to want anyone else; you're pregnant with my kid. I’m fucking obsessed with you.” I don’t know how she can doubt it.
“Okay,” she whispers, seeming satisfied with my answer, but it’s not enough. I want to show her just how obsessed I am.
“Let's get you out of this dress.” I stand up and help her to her feet, turning her around so I can unzip the back of the tight, long dress she’s wearing. When it lands on the floor around her feet, I kiss her shoulders as my hands slip around her waist to stroke that pretty tummy I’ve given her.
“You're perfect, and I can’t wait to watch you grow our child,” I whisper in her ear. She must be distracted because this time she doesn’t correct me.
I unclasp her bra and let that fall to the floor, too, taking both her tits in my hands and being mindful of how sensitive they are when I squeeze them.
“Your body is doing the most amazing, powerful thing a human can do; it's going to change, and I want you to embrace it as much as I will.” My cock presses into her spine when I imagine her pretty tits dripping with milk.
“Don’t ever doubt that I want you, Gracie.
I’m going to want you until the day I fucking die.
If I had my way, there would be plenty more Ravenshaw babies stretching this belly and making you mad.
” I kiss her neck and feel her shiver. “Remember that the next time you get the stupid idea that I’d want anyone else, when I can have you.
” I turn her to face me, kissing her before she can argue.
“Jack.” She starts tugging at my belt, desperate to free my cock, but I shake my head, lying her down on the bed so I can spread her legs and kiss her belly.
She sighs so sweetly as I place delicate kisses where our child grows, and she clutches at my hair with the same desperation as she does when I’m kissing her pussy.
“You’re giving me the greatest gift in the world,” I remind her, taking my cock out of my trousers as I climb up her body and suck one of her nipples into my mouth. “I can’t wait till these start leaking for me.” I flick her with my tongue and fill her with my cock at the same time.
“Fuck.” Her hips rise off the mattress, and she fists the bedsheet.
“Only you, Gracie. Only. Fucking. You.” I watch her take each thrust I make inside her. Hoping that it’s a memory that never fades, because this time of perfection is limited, and when she’s gone, memories will be all I have.
“You don’t have to fall asleep with your cock inside me anymore,” she laughs, as we lie still and I start to drift off.
"Doesn't mean I don’t want to,” I tell her, realising that I’ve probably been on top of her for far too long, and rolling onto my side.
“You understand why we have to say goodnight now, don’t you?” she asks, looking as disappointed as I feel.
“Because you only want me for my body.” I put on a front, trying not to show how hard it is for me to leave. It gets harder every time.
“This closeness we feel isn’t real, and it’s not for keeps,” she reminds me, “I appreciate you taking care of my needs, but—”
“They’re my needs, too. I couldn’t bear the time we both spent being stubborn. This closeness is what we both need, right now.” I take her hand in mine and kiss her knuckles.
“I don’t want to hurt when this is over,” she admits.
“It’s always going to hurt; despite the situation, I’d like to think that we’ve become friends,” I tell her. “I’d like to think that if you were ever in any trouble, it would be me who you called.”
“Trust me, I’m leaving all my troubles behind me.” She laughs, shutting me out again when she rolls onto her side and faces away from me.
“You’ll make sure they’re nice to him, won't you?” Her voice turns weak, and I swear I hear a little snuffle.
“What are you talking about?” This girl never fails to confuse me.
“I know it’s not in your plan, but you're bound to meet someone, fall in love, maybe get married, and have other children. You’d make sure she treated him well, wouldn’t you? I’d hate for him to feel the way Cecelia makes you feel.” Her hand strokes over her tummy protectively.
“Gracie, the whole point in us doing this is because I don’t want a wife. I told you, I’m not the marrying kind.”
I disagree, Jack Ravenshaw. I think you could make someone very happy.”
“Just not you,” I whisper sadly, and when I notice her gentle breaths get deeper, I realise she’s fast asleep.
I could take the opportunity to stay, smell her hair through the night, hold her body against mine, but she’s set her boundaries, and I’ve already pushed them.
Pulling the covers up over her body to keep her warm, I kiss her cheek, then her tummy, and quietly creep back to my room.