Chapter 17
Cole
At the scan, I thought my family would make a scene when they realised that Lacey and I were together. But are we really together? Sure, I poured my heart out to her the other night, but we hadn’t officially decided that we were together, together.
When she received that message from Ted today, my blood boiled. What kind of man doesn’t want to be in his kids' lives? In some way, he’s like Lacey’s dad. He abandoned her when she needed him the most.
I remember when I first met him; I hadn’t seen Lacey for two days, neither at school nor after, when she would come and knock on my door for us to play. I begged my mum to take me to her house to make sure she was okay.
When we arrived, there was no sign anyone was home.
I knocked on that door so hard that I busted open my knuckles, and finally, Lacey came to the bathroom window.
She told us that her dad left two days ago and hadn’t been back since, and she couldn’t get out.
She was only fourteen. My mum was just about to phone social services when he turned up.
He shouted at my mum for interfering, said he’d only been gone a minute, but he stunk like cheap alcohol, cigarettes and body odour that said differently.
My mum still made the call, despite Lacey begging her not to, but nothing ever came of it.
As I stand here now, watching her move through the aisle of pink baby clothes, I can’t help but smile at how far she has come. When life keeps knocking her down, she just gets right back up. Little Peanut is lucky to have her…So am I.
“Are you going to stand there creeping at me all day, or are you going to help me pick some of these clothes out?” She sasses me without even looking at me. Busted.
“I’m not very good at styling anything. That’s more Ethan’s gig, but how about this?” I hold up an all-in-one pink suit with a tutu attached, which reads ‘Ballerina in the making’.
Lacey puts a hand over her heart. “That is the cutest thing I have seen; it can go in the basket for sure. Okay, I think that’s enough for today. My feet hurt and I’m starved. Can we go get food now?”
“Sure, Mama, let’s go feed you.” I put my arm around her, and we walk to the till to ring everything up. Before she can pull out her purse, I’ve already paid and taken the receipt.
She looks up at me. “I have money saved, I’ll pay you back.” Her head dips.
“Hey.” I lift her chin. “Lacey, look at me.” When she doesn’t, I kiss her cheeks.
“Lacey, you’re not paying me back, and I am more than aware that you have your own money.
I’m sorry if I overstepped. I don’t want you to think I’m coming in and stepping on your toes.
If that’s what I’ve done, then you need to say so, just like you always would have done before we…
you know…” I trail off and wince—real smooth, Cole.
She smacks a hand at my chest. “Are you saying that I’m expecting you to buy me and the baby things because we did some sex stuff?” Her eyes bore into me, and I panic and scramble my words together.
“What? No! That’s–that uhm, I didn’t– that is not–” I splutter my words but suddenly stop when she doubles over, cackling.
She points right at me. “Oh…my…gosh! I got you so good just then!”
“Hilarious, cruel woman.” I shake my head, and we start walking back towards my car.
She’s silent for a moment before she says, “Although, I hope you know that I’m not expecting anything from you. But you…I know you’re financially better off than I am, but I’m not expecting money from you, Cole. Just so we’re clear.”
We reach my car, and I put the bags in the boot before turning around. I beckon her closer as I rest against it. She steps between my legs and wraps her arms around my neck while my arms snake around her waist.
“Lacey Fullman, just so we’re clear. I think we’re both tiptoeing around what we are without asking, and a solid foundation is built on communication…”
“The therapist told you that?” She smirks at me.
“Actually, yes, smart arse. As I was saying, you need a solid foundation for anything, especially a relationship. I’m not wasting another minute wondering whether or not I’m doing the right thing or if I’m good enough.
I want you, Lacey, and I want that little girl growing right here…
” I put a hand on her rounded stomach. “I want her to know that she has a dad who loves her no matter what. Is that okay with you?” She’s smiling as she nods.
“Good. This may be a few years overdue, but will you be my girlfriend, Lacey? Will you let me love you?”
She brushes her lips against mine, and I deepen the kiss, my hand snaking through her hair to hold her head in place. She moans, and the sound shoots straight to my cock.
“Well, well, well. How cosy.”
As if a bucket of iced water is thrown over me, Gabby’s voice grates through the air.
Lacey turns around to face her, one hand on her hip. “Can we help you, Gabby?”
She steps forward with a look of pure hatred as she points at Lacey. “You! You were fucking him behind my back? You dirty little slag, you’re gonna pay for this…” She raises her hand, but not before I’ve stood and moved Lacey behind me.
Grabbing Gabby’s wrist, I pull her towards me and lower myself to her ear. “I don’t hit women, but you lay one finger on her and you’re going to be very fucking sorry. Do I make myself clear?”
She looks up at me, hurt clear over her face. Let her think what she likes. I’m done pleasing everyone else for their sake.
“Fuck you, Cole,” she spits out before she takes off in the opposite direction.
Turning back to Lacey, apprehension sits heavily in my stomach. Her arms are crossed above her stomach, and she’s tucked in on herself.
“Is that what people think of me, Cole? Just some cheap tart that wrecks relationships…” Her voice, usually loud and strong, is small and unsure, and I hate that.
“There was something you used to say about Gabby when we were together. What was it?”
She looks up at me, her brow furrowed, before she realises, and her cheeks blaze red. “Oh god, you knew about that?”
I shake my head. “Forget that, tell me what it was that you used to say.”
“I used to say, ‘fucking Gabby’ or ‘fuck Gabby’ or ‘fuck off, Gabby’.” What starts as a snigger soon turns into both of us belly laughing in the car park.
When we calmed down, I bundled her in my arms and whispered, “For anyone who questions you again, you use those sayings, because those people don’t matter.”
**********
We decide to get takeout and bring it back to Lacey’s apartment, where we demolish it in record time. We both have the day off from work tomorrow, and I plan on showing her the surprise I’ve had up my sleeve for a few weeks now. I’m scared to show her, but at the same time, I can’t wait.
I look at her as she watches TV, and I’m transported back to when she asked me to move in with her last year.
That fucker, Pete, had attacked me as I slept in my work trailer.
I was so disoriented that I didn’t fight back, not after he knocked me unconscious.
When I came to and saw Lacey barrelling into the trailer, her eyes wide, I knew then that she loved me.
She told me I was going to be moving in with her so she could look after me.
We fell into a comfortable routine: working during the day, having tea together, and then spending movie nights on the couch.
There were so many times I wanted to throw her up against the wall and make her forget her name, but I always held myself back.
When it got too much, I ran right into the arms of Gabby.
Fucking Gabby.
“Hey! Are you paying attention?” Lacey clicks her fingers at me.
“Sorry, yeah, of course I’m paying attention.” I focus intently on the screen. Don’t ask me what just happened.
“Huh, okay. Prove it. What just happened?”
Great.
“Uh…well, they just walked to that place and they did the thing. And then they–” I cut off when a cushion is thrown at my head.
“Oh my god! You weren’t even watching! You’re the worst liar!”
She goes to throw another cushion at me, but I catch her wrist and snake one arm around her waist, lifting her onto my lap. Her legs settle on either side of me, and her hands fall to my chest.
“Come here and kiss me already.” I murmur the words as I thread my hand through her hair, pulling her face down to mine.
Her lips are so perfect; that’s one thing I’ve always loved about her. I kiss her softly, building her up before I run my tongue along the seam of her lips, and she opens for me, our tongues dancing together like they’ve done this a thousand times before.
“Cole…I need…”
“Come on, Lacey, you’ve never been stuck for words before. Tell me what you need, baby.”
I kiss down her neck and bite at the apex near her shoulder. She throws her head back and moans. Grabbing the hem of her T-shirt, she pulls it up and over her head, baring herself to me. I almost choke at the sight.
“Fuuuuck…” I place a hand on each one of her breasts, giving them a slight squeeze. They’re heavier now and bigger than the last time I saw them. “These are fucking beautiful. You’re fucking beautiful.”
She blushes at my words, and I hold her gaze as I lower my mouth to one, swirling my tongue around the hardened bud. Her eyes fall closed, and she lets out a soft sigh.
I build her up as her breath quickens, changing to the other nipple, swirling my tongue around and biting lightly.
“Wait…wait…” I let go of her immediately, worried I’ve hurt her, but she moves off me and shimmies out of her pyjama pants, completely bare underneath.
She stands there, looking like my wet dream come true, with no idea what she’s doing to me.
She bends over me and grabs the hem of my shirt, a question in her eyes, so I nod.
She lifts it up and over my head and throws it to one side.
Then she grabs the waistband of my pyjama pants and again looks at me before waiting for my nod.
My cock springs free, painfully hard. She kneels in front of me and places a gentle kiss on the tip. I slam my eyes shut. Do not fucking lose it now, Cole. You have been waiting years for this, years. Don’t mess this up.
“Cole…” she whispers my name, but I shake my head.
“It’s uh, Lacey, I am really trying to– to hold on right now…”
“Don’t hold back, Cole, because I won’t be.”
Then I feel it, her mouth closes around my cock, her tongue rubbing on the underside as she swallows me down as far as she can.
My hands fist the blankets on the sofa as the pleasure builds, starting at my spine and radiating all through my body.
I need release, but I’m not going to be doing that for the first time down her throat.
“Lacey, fuuuucckk! Lacey, please.” I open my eyes, and the sight of her kneeling before me, pleasuring me, has me weak.
I cradle one side of her face. “Come here, baby.” She releases me with a pop and climbs onto my lap.
The kiss she gives me is fierce and wanting. She reaches down and grabs hold of me, lining me up with her entrance. “Cole, I’m clean and I want to feel you, all of you, but it’s okay if not. I have some spare condoms in the bathroom.”
“I’m clean too, and I trust you. But I–I won’t hurt the baby, will I?” I whisper to her.
Lacey shakes her head, no. I reach down and cover my hand with hers, while the other holds the back of her head.
She lowers herself down, and we both moan in sync when her heat envelopes me.
She stills for a minute while she adjusts, and I don’t move a muscle; she’s in charge of this, and I’ll go at whatever pace she wants.
She starts to move her hips back and forth slowly, the friction adding to the bite of pleasure that is building. I grab hold of her hips and move them ever so slightly, and her pace picks up. She circles her hips, and my eyes roll into the back of my head.
“Lacey, if you keep doing that, I won’t last long.”
Her smile is wicked as she leans down, bites the lobe of my ear and whispers, “Good, because I want you to make me come all over that big–”
I don’t let her finish. She wants to play dirty; I can play dirty.
I reach down with one hand and circle my thumb over and around her clit.
Her eyes fly open as shock registers. My other hand snakes up to her nipple.
I rub my thumb over it and relish in the shudder she gives me, then, in time with my other hand, I squeeze fast and tight, watching in wonder as pleasure takes over in her lidded eyes.
She screams out; for a moment, I think I’ve gone too far, but then her pace quickens and her breathing changes.
“Cole, I’m…oh my fucking god!” She throws her head back and her mouth opens in a silent scream as she falls over the edge, taking me along with her.
Why the fuck did I wait so long…