Chapter Thirty-Two
The last few days have been hard for both of us. Struggling with the idea of hurting the Keaton family and wanting to leave creates an internal battle I wasn’t ready to fight.
Walking downstairs, I find Wyatt making coffee. As soon as he sees me, he hands me my mug.
“I don’t think we should go today,” I blurt out. And I know exactly what he’s going to say.
“We’re still going. We aren’t going to let them win. We are going to enjoy a day with the entire family. It’s going to be fun and safe.” He shuts down any argument.
“Wyatt.”
He wraps his arms around my middle and leans into me. “No, Goddess. I’m putting my foot down on this one.”
I stare up at him with raised brows, waiting to see how this is going to go.
“I know. You don’t like that. But I don’t like watching you curl into yourself.
You are a strong, badass woman. Hiding isn’t you.
Cowering because of them isn’t you. And watching all of it affect your mental health every single day we don’t leave this house…
I just can’t do it anymore. So I’m giving you what you need, not what you want. ”
“Guess I can’t argue with that.” I finally wrap my arms around him.
“You really can’t. And if you do, I’ll just have to find other ways to convince you.” His hands roam down my body, slipping into my shorts.
Suddenly the smell of the coffee hits my nose, and I run to the bathroom.
Footsteps sound down the hall. “Are you okay?” He grabs a cloth and wets it with warm water, handing it to me to clean my lips.
“I’m so sorry. The anxiety of everything just has my stomach in knots.”
He sinks to the floor next to me, letting me rest back on his chest.
“Don’t be sorry. I just wish I could help you.”
Looking over my shoulder so I can see his face, I say, “You already help me. Everyday.”
Kissing my forehead, he gets up before pulling me off the floor.
“Come on, let’s go get ready.” Scooping me into his arms, he carries me upstairs to our bathroom.
After depositing me on the bed, I watch as he draws a bath in the jacuzzi tub, adding some lavender epsom salts and a few bubbles.
I lose focus when the man starts stripping. First the gym shorts, then his tank top. Watching him peel off those tight-as-fuck boxer briefs is my favorite part of the show. The striptease works at pulling my mind from the real world and back into our bubble.
“Are you just going to watch? Or are you going to join?”
“I think watching seems to be just fine with me.” I lean back on the bed, my elbows holding me up.
“Don’t think so, Goddess. You’re going to join the fun.” He winks before he’s on me within a second.
First to go are my shorts, along with my underwear. His finger swipes through me.
“Seems like you’re ready to join the fun, too.”
He removes my shirt next, followed by my sports bra. Moving behind me, he starts raking his fingers through my hair, twisting it up into a bun and securing it on top of my head.
Moving off the bed, he tugs me up to follow him to the bathtub. Climbing in, I let myself sink under the warm bubbles, the jets soaking into my muscles. His body slides in behind me, pushing me forward while still letting me lay back on his chest.
My breasts poke out of the top of the water. His slippery hands slide up my ribs and squeeze them, tweaking my nipples.
“My favorite view,” he whispers in my ear.
I wiggle my ass in turn, feeling his cock twitch underneath me.
“This is just for you, Goddess, not me. I want you to relax, to let go of all the stress and feel better.” He begins kissing down my neck, moving my head to one side.
“What if I want to touch too?” I pout.
“Nope. Later.” Nips at my collarbone make me moan as his hands travel down my stomach.
His fingers swirl around my clit before slipping inside me. “Oh, God,” I moan.
This man knows how to work my body and get it to do whatever he wants. And my pussy is a greedy girl when it comes to him.
Between his fingers working my clit and slipping in and out of me, rubbing at my G-Spot, the other hand working my breasts and nipples, and his nips at the skin on my neck, it doesn’t take me long to be ready for him.
“That’s it, Goddess. Ride my hand. Chase what you need.”
His breath on my skin is the thing that pushes me over the edge as I fall apart in his arms.
“Watching you come apart is pure perfection. I love seeing it, but I love being the reason even more.”
Relaxing into him, going boneless, he starts to wash my body, truly taking care of me.
Just when my eyes start to drift closed, the jets turn off, and the water starts draining.
“Time to get you ready for the day.” He taps my arm.
“Do we have to? A nap would really be great.”
“Yes. We have to. Naps later.” He kisses me on the cheek, pulling me out of the tub and drying me off.
Begrudgingly, I shuffle over to the bed, allowing myself to collapse into the mattress on my back.
“What do you want to wear? It’ll be hot around town, but cooler on the water. Do you just want a hoodie?” Wyatt emerges from the closet holding options.
Barely lifting my head, I see what he’s chosen, and I know I can’t let this happen.
Hauling my body off the bed by rolling to the end, I face him.
“I love you. And this was genuinely the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. But, no.” Chuckling, I take the tank top and body-con skirt combo more suited for a night at the club from his hands.
“What? I think that looks good.” He shrugs.
“Yeah, for a night out… in the city… at a nightclub. Not a family day on a boat.”
Digging through the drawers he cleared for me, I pull out a pair of my raw edge denim shorts, a black tee, and my Converse. Holding the outfit up toward him, I say, “This is a more laid-back, casual outfit.”
Disappearing back into the closet, I emerge with his Balsam Cliffs PD hoodie. “And this will tie the outfit together perfectly.”
“You just like wearing my clothes.” He slips on his own boxer briefs.
“Sue me. They’re comfortable.” I giggle as he pinches my hip when I walk by to find a pair of underwear and a bra.
I’m excited to see everyone, but the anxiety of leaving the house is starting to creep back in, and I’m doing all I can to keep a happy face on.
The Whale Watch is putting me through the wringer. I’ve never thrown up this much in my life.
Apparently there’s a reason I was a landlocked girl. The waves are not my friend.
“Girl, are you okay?” Aubrey walks over next to me to rub my back.
Wyatt went to find me some ginger ale. At least it would put something in my stomach to come up the next time.
“No. This was a terrible decision. I was already nauseous the last few days because of my anxiety, but this is just making it worse.” I swipe at my mouth with the napkin she brought. “I feel so bad I’m ruining the day.”
“I hate to mention this right now, but are you sure it’s anxiety and the rocking boat? It’s almost that time…”
A blank stare in her direction is all I can muster at this moment. I have no idea what she’s getting at.
“Remember… Rebels… no condom… being tied to the pull up bar…” She jogs my memory in short spurts.
“Shit.” The sudden realization hits me.
“Oh my God, are you pregnant?” A sharp, high-pitched squeal from Emma sounds at that precise moment.
“No!” I shout before the rocking motion takes me out once again.
“She totally could be. Apparently, she forgot it was a possibility.” Aubrey fills her in.
“Do you have any tests? Could you test when you get home? Does Wyatt know? Obviously Wyatt knows. I mean he had to be there,” Emma rambles.
“No. He doesn’t. I haven’t told him. Or reminded him I guess.
And no tests. I’m sharing a bathroom with the man.
Plus I want to keep living in denial. Why can’t I live in denial?
” I rest my forehead on my arms along the railing of the boat, trying to focus on the floor after the horizon didn’t work.
“Okay, new plan. After we leave here, I’ll come up with an excuse to need something from my house. You two offer to come with me. I have a whole damn box of pregnancy tests that only pop negative for me.” A sad smile passes her face. “It might be nice to see a positive one for once.”
“Emma… I’m so…” I don’t get to finish my sentence.
“Goodness. Give me your wrist.” Emma grabs the arm hanging over the railing.
She digs her thumb in the middle of my arm just below my wrist. The nausea starts to ease.
“How did you do that?” I ask her.
I’d be more amazed if I wasn’t so damn tired.
“It’s a pressure point for nausea. When I was little, I’d get really seasick. They make bracelets so you don’t have to sit and hold it, I might suggest getting one.”
Wyatt approaches us, his lopsided grin turning upside down when he sees me. “I got you a ginger ale with some extra ice.”
“Thank you,” I manage to muster.
I take the cup of ice and the can from his hands, and he steps back with his hands shoved into his shorts pockets.
“Is there anything else I can do? I feel awful. I’d make Granger come get us if he was out today.”
“I’m okay, thank you. Emma is pressing on some magical spot that makes it feel better.” I offer him a lopsided grin this time.
“Thanks, Wy. We’ve got her. You go enjoy the ride with your family,” Aubrey tells him.
He nods, but still steps forward to kiss me.
I hold up my free hand. “My breath has to be terrible.”
“Never too terrible that I wouldn’t kiss you so you feel better.” He drops his lips to mine briefly. “Love you, Goddess.”
“Love you,” I whisper back.
As soon as he’s gone, Emma looks at me, her jaw practically dragging the floor.
“What?” I ask.
“I just… I never thought I’d see the day Wyatt Keaton fell for a woman that hard.” She chuckles.
“Wasn’t he engaged before?” Aubrey asks.
“He was engaged, but he didn’t love her. Not like he loves our girl here.”
“What am I going to do if I’m pregnant?” I let the tears fall down my cheeks that have been welling since Wyatt walked over with my ginger ale.
“Do you want to be pregnant?” Emma asks.
“I mean, not ideal timing. But one day I want kids. It’s not me I’m worried about. It’s Wyatt. He says he wants kids one day, but what if he’s not ready now? What if he isn’t ready with me?” I sob into Emma’s shoulder while she continues to press on my wrist.
“My brother is more than obsessed with you. Trust me when I say that. He’ll be over the moon. So will the whole family.” She rests her head on mine.
But I don’t want to answer. Instead I look off to the horizon, hoping I can make it back to the marina that is finally back in view.
I’m the first one off that boat, and I suck in lungfuls of air from solid ground. “I never thought I’d be so happy to see grass.”
“Sounds like you can’t handle the waves.” Pops wraps his arms around me as I wobble up the small hill to the cars.
“Who would have known? A cowgirl can’t be a fisherman,” I joke with him as he lets me lean on him until the rest of the crowd makes it off the boat and up to the cars.
“You don’t look very good,” Gunnar says, taking in my face that’s probably white as a sheet of paper.
“I’m going to take her to get some fresh squeezed juice down the street,” Emma says.
“Okay. I’ll join you,” Aubrey and Wyatt say at the same time.
“No, you go with Pops. You’ve gotta help him get the meat from the butcher shop, then get it on the grill. We’ll be right behind you.”
The thought of raw meat has my stomach rolling again.
“Okay, come on, let’s get you out of here.” Aubrey whisks me into the car, and I immediately lay in the back seat.
“There’s probably some animal crackers in the tub on the floor. They’ll help you feel a little better,” Emma tells me as she backs out of the parking lot.
Without sitting up, I rummage in the middle of the backseat floor where my hand lands, not wanting to expend any more energy than necessary. Finding a crinkly package, I pull it out and peek over the seat to see what I’ve grabbed.
Luckily, it’s the animal crackers. Taking three out of the bag, I munch on them without lifting my head until we pull into Emma’s driveway. By the time we get there, I’ve managed five animal crackers and start to feel a little more human.
“It’s time,” Aubrey says, turning to the backseat to look at me.
“If we must,” I mumble.
Following Emma and Aubrey into the house, Emma goes to the bathroom upstairs and emerges with a small paper bathroom-sized cup and five test packages.
“Five?” My eyes widen.
“Trust me. You’ll want a few just in case. It’s just easier.” She puts the supplies on the bathroom counter and leaves me alone in the bathroom.
I wish Wyatt were here. He’s become my safety in stressful situations. Since being with him, more so since moving into his house, I’ve let my guard down and started entering my soft era. My edges are rounding out, and it’s his fault.
Washing my hands, I open each package and dip the ends into the cups, then lay them all out on the counter and sit on the tub while I wait the instructed three minutes.
Me: Sorry I ruined the day.
Wyatt: You didn’t ruin a thing. I’m sorry you’re so sick. And that my sister stole you. I was going to take care of you myself.
Me: I feel a lot better. I stole some of Olivia’s animal crackers and the juice helped.
Wyatt: Good. We don’t have to stay late at the inn tonight. We can even go home as soon as you get back. Whatever you want, you say the word. I feel bad I pushed you to go now.
Me: Who could have known? I’ll be okay, but I promise to tell you the second I want to go.
Wyatt: Good. I love you. >
Me: I love you too.
The timer on my phone goes off.
Sucking in a deep breath, I cross the bathroom and peek at the counter…
…Where five very bright, very positive pregnancy tests stare back at me.