31. Beth
31
BETH
I didn't even bother going back into the boardroom. They weren't interested in hearing my side of things, and even if they were they didn't care about facts. They wanted someone to take the blame for the chaos and unfortunately Will was bearing the brunt of that. My heart was heavy, but that small interchange, seeing how quickly his anger diminished when I touched him, told me everything I needed to know.
Will might not have been able to articulate it, but he needed me. I couldn't just sit and wait in his office. If his workday today was anything like the past four days, he wouldn't have time for me anyway. So I went down to the lobby and opened my Uber app. I thought about just going home and curling into a ball, waiting for Will to call me, but I remembered Abby saying she wanted to get together. So I shot her a text.
Beth 1:09 PM: Hey, Abby. Any chance you're up for coffee now?
It only took her a few seconds to respond and I smiled at my phone when her text came in.
Abby 1:09 PM: Just got done with English…I can be home in 10?
Beth 1:10 PM: See you then!
I looked up from my phone and thought about Will for a second, wondering if he knew Abby was meeting with me. Then I saw his car parked out front, the driver waiting in the driver's seat like normal. I glanced around and decided it was worth a shot to ask his driver, who knew me well by now, to take me to his house and save a buck on the Uber.
When I knocked on the window he rolled it down with a smile and gladly accepted my request. Ten minutes later I was parked outside Will's building and feeling a bit nervous. The driver opened the door for me and I felt a little spoiled. He nodded and smiled, and it was awkward. I didn't know if I should tip him or not, so I shook his hand and thanked him. Then I headed up to Will's penthouse.
Abby opened the door for me with a huge grin on her face. "Beth, I'm so glad you came. I am so excited to talk to you. I just got accepted to Columbia!"
"Wow. Columbia is no joke," I said, grinning back at her. I shed my jacket and hung it on the back of a chair as we walked toward the sofa, and Abby's eyes got wide.
"Your belly," she said, gawking at me. "I mean, I heard the rumor but…" Her hand reached out and I smiled.
"Of course," I told her, pulling my sweater tight around my belly. It stuck out a little more than last week, but I could still effectively hide it from people who didn't know. Abby's palm rested on my stomach, but Baby Caldwell was being reclusive today. The little flutters I'd been feeling were growing stronger but currently my stomach was calm.
"Bummer," she said, and she flopped onto the couch. "I can't believe you're having a baby."
I sat slower than she did, but it wasn't due to awkwardness or discomfort. I felt at home with her here, like I belonged finally, or at least like I was accepted. It was a good feeling, especially following my interaction with Will and seeing how he responded to me.
"Yeah, I can't either." I rested my hand on my bump and sighed softly. It had taken me a while to grow accustomed to the idea, but as soon as I saw Will's reaction and how happy he was to be having another baby, I fell in love with the idea.
"Do you think you and Dad are gonna be okay?" Her honest question was something I didn't have an answer to. I knew the answer I wanted to say—that more than anything I wanted that to be the case. But deep down, Will and I had a few things to work on and the only thing I could tell her was the truth.
"I'm not sure. But I know we're both committed to trying." I shrugged a shoulder and as I did, I felt the baby moving. "Oh, here, here!" I smiled as Abby leaned over. I positioned her hand on my abdomen right where the baby was kicking and her eyes popped open wide.
"Oh my God. It's moving. Aw…" Her eyes welled up. "I'm gonna be a big sister."
I loved sharing that precious moment with her. Seeing her face light up and the tears in her eyes warmed my heart. I held her palm against my belly until the movement stopped and she sat back and seemed content.
We talked for two hours about her different college choices and the benefits of each school. She had a really good head on her shoulders, and I could tell Will had really worked with her to help her understand her options and what she wanted. I was so honored to have been chosen by her to have these hard conversations, and I was proud of her for being such a responsible high school senior.
Eventually she went off to her room to do homework, and I sat on the couch waiting for Will to come home. Unless his driver told him he'd brought me here, Will had no knowledge that I was at his house. He sent me a text telling me he was looking forward to speaking with me this evening and the chime of my phone startled me. I had dozed off and it woke me up.
The clock said almost six in the evening, and I knew he was probably on his way home now. So I got up and made a pot of coffee which finished just as the front door struggled open and a very tired-looking William Caldwell walked through the door.
His eyes swept over the living room area first, and when they landed on my jacket draped over the back of a dining chair, he looked more intensely. I poured some coffee in a mug and held it up in his direction as he finally spotted me.
"Beth?"
"Hey…" I walked toward him with the coffee in hand and kept my expression calm. "How was your afternoon?" Will took the coffee mug from my hand and sighed.
"Awful…" His eyes searched my expression. "What are you doing here?" I could tell he wanted to grill me. There was an intensity about him I knew was related to stress. I slid a chair out and nodded at it and he sat down and sipped his coffee.
"Abby and I were just talking about college. I wasn't up for going out to a restaurant, so I came here." As he got comfortable, I rested my hands on his shoulders and gripped them firmly, rubbing out some of the tension. He was so stiff I wondered how he wasn't in excruciating pain.
"Oh God, that's amazing," he grunted. After a second, he said, "Abby invited you?"
"Yeah, she texted me yesterday…You have a good kid there, Will." Kneading his muscles, I watched his head nod. He didn't respond to that, and the room got quiet. It felt like we were a million miles apart, but I was touching him. We'd let this entire thing with the board and Nevil Banks get between us and I wanted to find a way to push it all away and make things right.
"So the board…" I sighed and he tensed a little more.
"They're wrong, Beth, and I have Allen looking into something I noticed, but I don't want to talk about that right now." His hand shot up and grabbed mine. He set his coffee down on the table and pulled me around. When he turned his knees out from under the table and patted his lap I lowered myself down.
"Will, there's something I want to talk about." I'd thought all day long about how to talk to him. There were now two firms here in New York where I could work. Neither of them was as good of a position or pay, but they would help me pay the bills, and I'd be close to him too. I wouldn't have to move to London or even California, and we could both be here for our baby.
"No, I want to talk first." He pursed his lips and his eyebrows furrowed. It was the same expression of pain I'd seen the split second he found out he was going to be a father. "Elizabeth, I know you think I proposed to you out of duty or obligation, and I swear to you that isn't the case." He put his arms around me and locked his hands together and I had to look away. I didn't know what to say to him, but he continued.
"When I told you I love you, I meant it. I want a future with you. I am thrilled that I'll be a father again, and yes, I very much want this baby and you and to be a family. But that isn't why I proposed. I don't want a future you're not in. Not with the firm, not anywhere. You're it for me. You're my ride or die, and if you say no it will destroy me."
The gravity of what he said pressed on my chest, and months' worth of uncertainty and emotion swirled. I looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity and love. I remembered how hard he fought to make sure I would be accepted by Abby, how he made me promise to try. And I had. And it turned out better than I hoped. And now he was telling me he wanted to marry me, and I felt overwhelmed.
"Yes," I whispered, and tears welled up.
"Yes?" he asked. He still looked vulnerable, like at any second he would shatter if I changed my mind.
"Yes." I smiled. "I'll marry you."
I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Happiness surged up in my chest and made me warm and full. I leaned down to kiss him and he pulled my head against himself. Our mouths crushed together fiercely and I almost couldn't breathe but I didn't back away. Will really was everything I wanted no matter how messy it was, and I believed now that I really was what he wanted.
"Will," I whispered as he moved his lips down my neck, giving me a chance to take a breath.
"Mmm …"
"Will, we should go in the bedroom…" I pressed my hands on his shoulders and he backed away. As I stood slowly, I took his hand and held it. Then he rose and led me to his room, locking the door behind. I turned toward him, and our eyes met again as I started to unbutton his shirt slowly.
Will's hands rested on my hips; my fingers touched his skin softly. This time felt different, like we were old lovers here to connect and sustain each other. I kissed his bare chest, then spread open his shirt. He placed a kiss on the top of my head as I untucked it and reached for his fly.
I unbuckled his belt and undid his pants, slipping them down over his hips. His erection was hard and ready for me. I stroked him as he cupped my cheeks and brought his lips back to mine. His tongue searched my mouth, and he backed me toward his bed. Will's hands made their way down my back, gripping me as if he were afraid to let go.
His hands pulled my sweater up and off of me then tossed it to the floor in a heap. He unhooked my bra and let it join my shirt. Then he laid me down and kissed me slowly, his tongue dancing with mine. His lips trailed down my neck to my breasts, suckling and biting. I arched my back, moaning softly as he teased each nipple. His erection pressed against my thigh, and I wrapped my legs around him to bring him closer.
I closed my eyes and got lost in the moment for a few seconds, feeling his tongue swirl on my skin. His body weighed me down and his soft growls made me want him. I pushed his shirt down over his shoulders and he rose up and peeled it off and tossed it.
Will removed his pants and boxers and then my leggings and panties, discarding them with the rest of our clothes.
Will lay down next to me, the heat from his body enveloping me, and kissed my lips again. His hands slid over me, taking in every curve as I did the same to him. When we'd had our fill of exploring each other's bodies with our hands, Will rose above me again.
I felt him at my entrance and opened my legs wider for him, wrapping them around his hips. Will entered me slowly, filling me completely, eliciting a soft moan from both of us. His thrusts were deliberate and sensual as we rocked together, and I met his kisses hungrily as our bodies moved in rhythm.
The tension built as our breathing quickened, and I moaned louder, digging my nails into his back. Will slid a hand up my back and tangled it in my hair, angling my head so he could kiss me deeply. His other hand gripped my thigh, pulling me tighter against himself. I moaned and dug my fingers into his back, and he pulled my hair harder, exposing my neck.
He kissed my collarbone, then moved lower, biting and sucking on my breasts, sending jolts of electricity through my entire body. It felt as if I were on fire from the inside out. His touch was magic, casting a spell on me. Even the tiniest thrust made me whimper. I was so close.
"Oh God," I panted, and I arched my pelvis upward. When his dick slid over my G-spot at just the right angle, I came undone. My body spasmed and contracted around him, and I cried out his name. Every nerve in my body was energized, every movement and sensation heightened. I felt my body, tense and flush with pleasure, writhing beneath Will. The way his muscles flexed and rippled with each thrust, the way he buried his face in my neck, his dark hair falling over his forehead.
My vision blurred as I closed my eyes, and the room seemed to spin from the pleasure coursing through me. A metallic tang flooded my mouth as I bit down on my lip to stifle my cries. Will's lips captured mine and I could taste the saltiness of my skin on his tongue.
I opened my eyes, and I could see the look of pure bliss on his face. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, and he had a wild look in his eyes as he thrust into me over and over again.
"God you feel so good…" he panted in between thrusts. I kissed his chest, now fully sated but enjoying his skin against mine. Every inch of his length grinding in and out of me was exquisite. I clenched around him and he grunted, and then he slowed, tempering himself.
"Oh, God," he panted, and then he slid out of me. He turned us over so that I was on top of him, and then he slid back inside me. This time, he took his time, rocking his hips slowly, drawing out the pleasure for both of us. I wrapped my legs around his waist and leaned down to kiss him.
"I love you," I whispered against his lips, and he growled against my mouth.
His hands were greedy, pulling me hard against his body. "I love you too," he said, and then he found my G-spot again. I moaned into his mouth as the sensations started to build again.
His hands slid up my back and clenched in my hair, angling my head so our eyes met. His eyes were stormy, and I knew he was getting close. My pussy clenched around him as I tilted my pelvis. His body rubbed my clit perfectly, pushing me to the edge again. I arched my back and cried out as my second orgasm crashed over me. The room spun like crazy around me, and I felt like I was floating. I shuddered, twitched, and bit down on his shoulder. Then I heard him grunt and his hands closed on my hips, gripping me tightly as his load exploded in me.
I lay over his chest and recovered my breathing, and he kissed the top of my shoulder and held me. His heart was pounding, but so was mine, and we were both a little sweaty. It was so relaxing, even when he went limp and I felt the sex drain out of me. I felt like I was home now, like I could rest. Like he would take care of me from now on and I didn't have to worry about a thing.
"Move in with me…" he whispered, so faintly I almost didn't hear it. My first instinct was to say yes with joy, but then I thought of Rachel and how she would fare on her own. Rent was so expensive.
I rose up and clasped my hands together over his chest then lay back down, propping my chin on my hands. Will looked so hopeful I couldn't just outright reject him, but I did have to take time to think and plan.
"How about I think about it for a while and we wait until after the board makes their decision…" I hoped my answer would suffice and Will nodded at me.
"Alright…Now, I'm starving. I'm going to go order some takeout. You lie here in bed and don't put any clothes on." He grinned at me and rolled to the side, dumping me to the mattress with a giggle. "I'll be right back."
He swiped some shorts out of his drawer and ducked out, and I pulled the covers over my naked body to watch him leave. I wasn't sure if we were moving too quickly but it finally felt like we were on the right path. My mind wandered to the job offers I had across town and I decided that if the board fired me, I would take one of those jobs.
As for moving in with him, I had to talk with Rachel. I wasn't going to ask Will to cover my expenses with her so she could manage, but I also wasn't going to leave her hanging. The future was still really uncertain but at least now I had a better plan.