Chapter 19
Clare
Cannoli and Almond Biscotti
My entire body was humming with a pleasure I had never experienced before in my life. Yes, I’d slept with other men who made sex good, but this wasn’t sex. It was so much more, and a part of me wondered why I wasn’t scared by that.
Wes started the shower and stepped in, reaching for my hand. The feel of the hot water felt heavenly. It had been several months since I had been with anyone. Hell, it might have been over a year if I thought about it. I had muscles I hadn’t used in months now firing off and making it known I needed to go to the gym. Or make love to Wes more.
“What are you smiling about?” Wes asked as he took his soap and started to clean my body. It felt so good to have his hands on me.
“I have muscles hurting that I clearly haven’t used in a very long time.”
He grinned. “I bet I can help get those muscles in shape.”
“I bet you can,” I replied with a wink.
“Sit down on the bench.”
Doing as he asked, I closed my eyes and felt the hot water falling over my body from the rain shower. It felt amazing.
“I don’t have any fancy shampoos, but do you want me to wash your hair?”
“You want to wash it?” I asked.
He smiled and nodded.
“I think I would like that. I love when my hairdresser washes my hair. It’s the best part of getting a haircut.”
Wes placed his hands on my arms and turned me so that my back was facing him. Then he got to washing my hair, and I melted into his body.
“That is so much better than when my hairdresser does it.”
With a soft laugh, Wes placed a soft kiss on my shoulder before going back to massaging my head. When I felt like I was about to fall asleep, he took the handheld attachment and started to rinse my hair.
“It’s a one and done shampoo,” he said as he faced me back to him. Cupping my face in his hands, he kissed me so tenderly, my knees felt like they would give out.
Breaking away, he winked. “Let’s go get you a snack.”
? ? ?
The Uber pulled up outside of Mike’s Pastry, and I nearly bolted out of the car. Wes beat me to the door and opened it.
“I thought this would be better than ice cream. I take it you like Mike’s?”
“Like it?” I replied as I brushed past him. “This is my favorite place ever!”
He laughed as he followed me in. Normally there was a line out the door to get into this place.
“I’m surprised it’s not more crowded with it being almost Christmas.”
“Maybe because it’s after ten at night,” I said with a chuckle.
We walked up the counter, and I was nearly bouncing on my toes.
“I don’t know what I want!”
The girl behind the counter smiled at us. “Take your time.”
Wes took my hand in his as we both tried to decide what we wanted.
“Okay, I think I want to get one limoncello, one peanut butter, and one yellow cream.”
Wes exhaled. “Okay, I think I’ll take a lobster tail.”
“Oh! I want one of those too!” I quickly said as I grabbed onto Wes’s arm.
The young girl chuckled. “Anything else?”
“A chocolate-dipped biscotti. Maybe one of the almond biscotti as well.”
We watched as the girl packed up our large order.
“Do you have any of your ricotta pie left?”
I gasped. “Yes! Do you have any left?”
“We do, would you, um, like that as well? A slice or…”
“The whole pie,” Wes and I said at the same time.
Once we had all our goodies, we headed back outside to the waiting Uber. It took everything I had not to dig into the white box. Wes held the bag, and every time I reached over, he moved it away.
“Patience, we’ll be back home soon.”
The way he said home made my insides warm.
“Do you have milk?”
He nodded. “Yep.”
“My mouth is watering. I don’t know what I want first!”
Laughing, Wes said, “I love seeing you like this.”
“Like what?” I asked as the car stopped and Wes got out with the goods. I quickly followed.
“So happy and carefree. When you smile, it makes me happy.”
I lifted and gently kissed his mouth. “I feel this way because of you.”
He grinned and his cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. “I feel the same way, Clare.”
Once we were in Wes’s place, I kicked off my shoes and headed into the kitchen. “Milk?”
“Yes, please. Also, I have some paper plates in the pantry if you want to grab some.”
I put the two glasses of milk down on the table as Wes opened both boxes. “Do we have pie first?”
Sinking down onto the sofa, I looked between both boxes. “I don’t know. I want a cannoli, but that pie looks so good.”
Wes stood and headed to the kitchen as he said, “Let’s do both.”
I rubbed my hands together. “I think I want the peanut butter cannoli.”
Sitting back down, Wes started to cut the pie.
“Oh, bigger than that!”
He looked at me. “How do you stay so fit with the way you eat?”
I shrugged. “I love food. It’s a good thing I like going to the gym also.”
Smiling, he cut two pieces of pie and placed a slice on each plate. I cut the cannoli in half and gave him the bigger half.
“Which one should we eat first?” he asked.
Staring at the desserts on our plates, I chewed on my lower lip. “This is a hard decision, but I say let’s eat the cannoli first. Then we can savor the pie.”
And we did just that. With the Christmas tree lit up, the lights turned down and Jumanji, The Next Level, on the TV, Wes and I snuggled under a blanket. It was one of the best nights of my life, and I found myself not wanting it to end. Much like all the other times we had spent together. It didn’t take me long before I lost the battle and fell asleep.
A light touch on my arm caused me to open my eyes. Wes was looking down at me with a soft smile on his handsome face.
“How about we head to bed?”
I stretched and stood. “I’m so tired.”
Wes reached down and lifted me as if I was as light as a feather. A small squeal slipped free as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Come on, princess, let’s get you to bed.”
I wasn’t about to argue with that as I nuzzled my face into his chest. By the time he laid me down, I had already started to doze off. I felt the weight of the bed shift, and the warmth of Wes was up against my back as he drew me closer to him.
He kissed the back of my head and whispered, “Goodnight, Clare.”
Letting out a contented sigh, I closed my eyes, smiled, and replied, “Sleep good, Wes.”
? ? ?
The next morning, I woke up before Wes. I slipped out of the bed, washed my face, and brushed my teeth with the toothbrush I had left here when I stayed at Wes’s place when he was sick. I tiptoed out of the bedroom and softly shut the door before I headed into the kitchen. First thing was to make myself some tea, and Wes some coffee. After a quick search of his pantry and the fridge, I decided to make biscuits and gravy.
“Good morning, princess.”
The endearment caused my entire body to heat, and when I turned to see an unshaven Wes, messed-up hair, and a T-shirt with sweats on, the temperature in my body went up.
“Why is it you can look so sexy when you wake up, but I look like I haven’t slept in days?”
He grinned, then pulled me to him, kissing me gently. “I think you look beautiful.”
My arms moved up his body and around his neck. “You know, I have to get you a Christmas present still.”
He raised his brows. “I know exactly what you can get me, and it doesn’t even involve you leaving this place or spending a dime.”
I chuckled. “Oh, but Mr. Ward, that is a gift you can have anytime.”
“Is that so?” Wes asked, pushing his arousal into my stomach. “Will breakfast burn if we head to the bedroom?”
Playfully pushing him, I nodded. “Yes. I made biscuits and gravy and they’re almost done.”
When Wes pouted, I nearly swooned. Instead, I reached up and kissed him on the lips. “Orange juice?”
He groaned. “If we must eat, then yes, I’ll get the glasses and pour us some.”
I smiled as I watched Wes grab some glasses and start pouring the juice.
There was a knock on his door and we both froze. Wes looked at me and I shrugged. Surely this wouldn’t be a repeat of our last morning together making breakfast.
He set the orange juice down and I could tell a part of him was worried about who would be on the other side of the door. When he opened it and sagged in relief, I snickered.
“Angie, what are you doing here?”
Wes’s sister swept past him and into his place. She obviously didn’t see me in the kitchen when she walked in.
“I need to talk to someone, and I didn’t know who else to go to.”
When she turned and saw me in the kitchen, she smiled. “Clare! You’re here! I mean, are you two? Are you really dating?”
Wes and I both laughed and said, “Yes.” At the same time.
Angie’s eyes bounced from me, to Wes, then back to me. “I can totally come back another time.”
“Don’t be silly, sis. Want something to eat? Clare made biscuits and gravy.”
Angie chewed on her bottom lip, and it was then I really got a good look at her. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.
“Orange juice would be great and sure, I’m starving,” she replied to her brother.
Wes made his way back into the kitchen as I watched his sister start to pace the living room.
“Angie, what’s wrong?” I asked as I made my way over to her.
She stopped walking and looked at Wes quickly before focusing back on me and lowering her voice. “Clare, I’m in so much trouble.”
My heart sank to the floor. She looked…scared.
Taking her hands in mine, I guided her over to the sofa. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, Wes and I will help you.”
Wes brought his sister the juice and sat down opposite us.
I tried giving her a reassuring smile as I said, “The biscuits have a few more minutes.”
Wes frowned when he took in the sight of his sister for the first time.
“Angie, what’s going on?” he asked.
After she took a small drink of her juice, she slowly placed it onto the coffee table.
Angie drew in a deep breath and exhaled. “I need you to promise me you won’t freak out.”
Wes’s eyes went wide. “Okay, but now I feel like I’m going to freak out.”
Sighing, Angie said, “Please, Wes. I came to you because I knew I could trust you.”
“I’m glad you feel like you can come to me, Angie. And I promise you I won’t freak out.”
She inhaled another deep breath, but it was almost like she was drawing in the courage to say what she needed to say.
“Angie,” I said as I took her hand in mine. “You don’t have to worry. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.”
A bubble of nervous laughter slipped from her mouth before she closed her eyes, then opened them again.
“I’m pregnant.”