34. Ginger
34
GINGER
A shley sprawls across my couch behind Gracie, finger twiddling in the hair falling from her bun. She’s got smudges of paint across her chin on the left, and she reaches to swipe her wet brush across his skin, a determined look in her eyes.
He’s been teasing her for the last fifteen minutes, and the only reason I don’t intervene—other than the ever-present icky feeling in my middle—is the child-like joy they both show me when I clear my throat.
Is this what it would have been like having a father figure in her life? The thought sours my stomach even further. How bad is it going to hurt when I tell them I’m pregnant and they run out on all three of us?
I should be stronger than this, but I’m barely hanging on, waiting for the rug to be ripped out from under me.
Sawyer comes to the kitchen table, where I’ve parked myself with my laptop, half-heartedly playing with the spreadsheet for the July barbeque. I agreed two weeks ago to continue planning it, and it’s mostly done. I think.
My concentration hasn’t been the best.
Sawyer closes my computer and stuffs it in my backpack, the one I packed for my morning cafe visits after dropping Gracie off at school. He settles a small plate in its place and kisses the side of my head.
It’s a freshly baked pretzelbecause, of course, Sawyer learned how to make them and a side of beer cheese sauce. I’ve only been able to keep down a few things, and pretzels are one of them. The guys think I’m still recovering emotionally from Kaleb.
I feel like an ass for not correcting them.
They’ve been over every day, no longer hiding it from Dad or Gracie, but they’re alternating who spends the night. Tonight would usually be Jackson’s turn, but he has Emily this weekend.
I munch on my pretzel and sigh as my stomach doesn’t revolt.
Gracie bats Ashley away again and laughs, and I let myself wallow in my happy place. There’s a lot of laughs and giggles with my daughter.
Once I send Gracie to shower before bed, Ashley traps me by my bedroom door with an arm around my waist. He nuzzles under my ear, sending a zing over my skin. “I’m heading out, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I brush my palms up his arms, keeping him close for another few seconds.
He plants his mouth against mine, savoring me. It’s the only way I know how to describe it. His retreat is gentle, loving, and supportive. Ashley flashes me a smile on his way out.
When I turn to Sawyer who is still in my kitchen, the look he gives me has me burning all the way down to my toes.
Gracie pops out to say goodnight and then goes to bed.
Sawyer is at my back as I close her door, and the moment his hands find my hips, I’m on fire. It’s an easy tip-toe into my bedroom. The moment we’re shut in alone, I yank at the back of his shirt, and he tears it over his head.
I enjoy fondling him, which makes him smile at me. I poke the dimple I’ve discovered in his cheek. It’s a rare treasure.
Lifting me in his embrace, he carries me to the bathroom and the shower. It’s his routine. Sawyer is a pamperer. Cooking for me, rubbing my feet, washing my hair. That’s what he plans to do for me now.
His hands cup and smooth over my skin turns me on.
Once he’s done washing me, Sawyer rubs me until I’m grinding against the hand he has between my thighs. I swear that making me come has become his new favorite pastime. His cock is trapped between my cheeks, an ever-present reminder of how badly he wants me. It’s intoxicating.
Sawyer nuzzles and nips at my neck, his stubble rough against my wet skin.
I come easy and I know it’s only the beginning.
He carries my half-limp body to bed, where he starts all over again, kissing and stroking me until I’m writhing for him.
The weight of him over me is delicious. It makes the heavy thickness of his cock as it pounds into me a kind of bliss that blitzes out my thoughts.
He never fails to satisfy me and send me off to a deep, peaceful sleep.
I also get the perk of him making breakfast in the morning. Something Gracie also benefits from. And he’s patient with her when she wants to participate.
When she begs for him to take her to school, I silently ask him with my gaze. Sawyer nods.
“All right, go grab your bag and shoes.”
Gracie claps her hands and runs off, and I get a precious few minutes with him alone. I enjoy the way his morning stubble scrapes against my palm, how soft his mouth is as he kisses me, the ever-gentle way his hands cup my waist, slide around my back, and keep me close to him.
Sawyer makes it far too easy to be in love with him. “Rest today.”
“All I’ve been doing is resting. I work part time from home.”
“Promise me.”
Giving him a long-suffering sigh and flinging back my head, I concede. “Fine.”
He kisses the tip of my nose and crushes me against him again. Here’s the thing I didn’t know about big guys like Sawyer; all of that muscle is soft when it’s not engaged. Which makes cuddling all the more luxurious.
And boy howdy, is this man a big teddy bear.
Sending Gracie off with him is easy, and I can’t bite back my laughter when Ashley pulls into the driveway as they’re pulling out.
I plant my hands on my hips. “Shouldn’t you be on your way to work?”
“I’ve got a late morning.” He hops out and catches me around the waist as he hauls me inside, leaning me against the front door once it’s closed. “I needed another taste of you to get through my day. I miss you.”
I smile at him, giggling as he teeters us over to the couch.
“You don’t mind, do you?”
“Do I mind feeling loved and being given multiple orgasms? Am I a fool?”
It’s exactly what he wants to hear, pulling me into his lap and grinding my ass against his already hardening cock. Kisses and nibbles travel down my throat. Ashley grabs a handful of my breast, kneading it, lifting his hips against my ass and digging his other hand between my thighs until I’m breathless with wanting.
“You’re the fucking sexiest woman alive, Ginger. You know that? The fucking sexiest.” Ashley groans in my ear. “And it has nothing to do with your body. Although I like that, too.”
His teeth find my earlobe, and I moan back at him.
I like the way he talks to me. The dirty things he likes to do to me. With me.
Ashley works the waistband of my leggings down my hips, rolling them under my cheeks and squeezing the bare flesh.
Freeing himself, he draws himself through my wet folds, and the pleasure burns. Sex and salty carbohydrates seem to be the only things that keep my morning sickness at bay.
All three men are great at providing me with consistent opportunities for both.
Ashley thrusts himself into me with a soft moan. “So good. God, you always feel so good.”
Taking a knee in one hand, he spreads me open and thrusts nice and slow. The curve of his cock hits so many good places when he takes me from behind. I can barely stand it.
“Fuck, Ginger. You’re the best fucking thing to ever happen to me.”
He takes his time making me come at first, but once he starts, he gives me another two orgasms in rapid succession.
When he fills me up, Ashley stays nestled there, trapping his cum in me. It strikes me that I can enjoy this now, because I don’t have to fear getting pregnant. That ship has sailed.
None of them have asked me about birth control, either trusting me implicitly or not minding the thought that what’s already happened would happen.
The sneaking around and lust-induced hookups didn’t leave us much time or brains to talk about these things. We should have, but we didn’t. I thought I had it taken care of in any case.
But Ashley still has me nestled in his lap, cock slowly deflating inside of me. What’s he going to think about this? At thirty-nine, does he want a kid?
I fight the hope building in me because the guilt of keeping this a secret prevents me from ever truly relaxing.
After he runs off to work, I settle back into worrying. Working to keep my mind off of it only gives me an hour or two of peace at a time before I’m spinning again.
Jackson shows up at lunch with mac n cheese, which I don’t eat right away. He spreads me out on the kitchen table and helps me build up an appetite. I swear he’s taken me on every surface in this house outside of my daughter’s room.
He keeps me close, my legs wrapped high on his back, his face nestled in the crook of my neck. “I missed you this weekend.”
I laugh and tighten my grip in his hair. It makes him thrust a staccato beat within me. My breath strangles in my chest as he builds me up to the brink of an orgasm before pulling back.
Slamming my fist into his chest, I huff. “We went bowling on Saturday.”
“I’m used to getting more time with you.” Jackson grins and drops a small kiss on my mouth. “And I’m greedy.”
After another round of coming and cuddling, Jackson goes back to work, and so do I.
Life continues this way for the next month until it’s time for our big Fourth of July Barbeque Benefit. There’s lots of food to grill, outdoor games and competitions to enjoy, a live band, and a chill atmosphere to talk about what we’re raising money for: the veterans.
Right off the start, I’m nauseous. Seeing everyone again has me shaking. This is stupid. It’s been months. And Kaleb won’t be here. Still…
Sawyer opens my door for me when I don’t. “You okay?”
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly and nod.
He brushes the hair from my face and helps me out. The moment the crew sees me, they head over, patting me on the back, giving me hugs, and smiling at me.
“We’ve missed you,” Daniel says. “Work has gotten boring without you.”
“Certainly less beautiful,” Mike says.
“Less sweet.” Nick grins.
“Fuck that guy who attacked you,” the other Nick says.
Brenda comes up to grab my arm, looking me dead in the eyes. “Really, fuck that guy.”
“Brenda!” I pretend to be shocked, and she pulls me into the best matronly hug ever.
I knew she was a softy all this time.
Everyone was right, I should have just gone back to work. I get five marriage proposals after I bring the food in and they get to try it. It’s like old times, although I’m still tired, overheated, and a bit dizzy as we fire up the grill for hotdogs and hamburgers.
Other local businesses have prepared fresh barbequed meats, ice cream, and snow cones. And the baked goods are stored away in coolers until people start showing up. I’m putting them out as Jackson and Sawyer man the grill. Ashley is helping set up the games.
Darkness weaves in and out of my vision. I try to blink it away.
My body feels light and heavy at the same time.
I wobble.
Then, I’m falling.
When I blink myself back to reality, I’m in Sawyer’s arms, half laid out on the grass inside the tent. The worry onhis face makes my heart flutter. I push my thumb against the furrow between his brows.
Jackson kneels down beside me. Ashley hovers behind him, and I can see Mom and Dad peeking around them, too.
“What happened?” Mom plants her fists on her hips the same way I do when Gracie is being a handful. It yanks a soft laugh out of me.
“You just dropped.” Sawyer checks my forehead. “Are you sick?”
“No.” I push his hand away. “I’m not sick.”
“Heatstroke?” Ashley crosses his arms, and clenches his hands into fists.
“No. Not heat stroke.” I really don’t want to tell them like this. “Let me sit up.”
My hand automatically braces my stomach as I shift, and Sawyer’s hands grasp my elbows, watching the movement. No one’s commented on my slightly rounder shape. It just looks like I’ve put on five pounds.
Jackson’s caught it, too.
I close my eyes.
“Ginger?” The brothers say in unison.
My lips press together, another last-ditch effort to procrastinate. It’s no use.
I have to detonate this bomb.
I gulp past the lump in my throat and whisper, “I’m pregnant.”