Twenty-Two.
Duke
I trail my tongue up and down her dampening slit, eliciting a soft moan from Maci.
“Duke.”
I growl into her pussy and lick her slow and sweet. Her legs tremble, and she grips the bedsheets. I slip a finger into her tight, dripping cunt. I suck her swollen clit between my lips and pump my finger. Her body arches.
“Oh, Duke, yes-yes-yes.” She writhes in pleasure as her walls begin to tighten.
My cock throbs to be inside her as she comes on my face and hand, her hot pussy bursting with her release. I grin into her, licking up every last bit.
I crawl up the bed beside her as she rolls onto her side. She holds her leg up so I can rub the head of my cock over her soaking entrance, trailing her juices up to her tight little asshole.
“Don’t even think about it,” she warns with a breathy laugh.
Amusement rumbles in my chest as I kiss her neck. “I can’t help it. Every bit of you is fuckin’ sexy,” I growl, pushing into her from behind. We moan in unison as I fully seat myself inside of her. “Goddamn, angel.”
I reach around to her core and rub at the soft sides of her clit. She pushes her sweet ass against me, sending my cock deeper. My hips move to a slow, steady rhythm.
“Right there,” she gasps, and I can feel she’s close once again.
I groan, burying my face into her neck—kissing and nipping and breathing her in. My orgasm begins to creep up on me, and I buck my hips forward, slapping her ass with the force of it.
Her whimpers and moans urge me to a punishing pace as I fuck her. I slide an arm under her head and wrap my hand around her neck, forcing her to look at me. I pin her with a pinch of her clit, a hand on her throat, and my cock pulsing deep inside her.
The slick, snug walls of her cunt flutter around my length and pull my release to the brink. I come hard, groaning her name.
My movements slow as the raw tension of our combined orgasms washes over me in a calming wave. I pant, kissing her before I drop my hands and allow her to get up—giving her ass a light tap as she does.
She peers back at me. “You better stop, or we’ll never make it to Cassidy’s baby shower,” she says, sashaying to the bathroom.
I grin at the sight of my cum sliding down her luscious thighs.
“You know, that’s probably the last time you’ll be able to come in me,” she calls out.
I get up to follow her. “Why?”
She turns on the shower. “Dr. Sanderson said once my cervix starts to open we have to be careful, otherwise I can get an infection. Sex is fine, but no jizz.”
“Jizz,” I snort, and she giggles. “All right. Anything else we need to start being careful of?”
“I’m not sure,” she says, throwing her beautiful, auburn hair up on top of her head. “We can ask her tomorrow at my appointment.”
I wait for her to step into the shower before doing the same. She balks when I do. “Babe, this shower isn’t big enough for the two of us anymore with my belly.”
I scoff. “Sure it is.” Her eight-month bump presses against my abdomen with my back nearly touching the far wall. Water pours between us and down my neck and shoulders. It’s a tight squeeze, but manageable. “See?”
She bursts out laughing. “You’re crazy.”
“Crazy for you.” I chuckle, and she pecks my lips.
Our relationship has been a dream these last six months. Except for the bickering over moving into the new house, which I’ve decided to let go…for now. The house has been done, furnished, and ready to live in for the last four weeks. And per our compromise, we’ve been staying there a few nights a week, building a comfortable feel for the place.
I know she’s nervous about letting the cabin go because of the safety net it provides, but she needs to decide where we’ll be bringing the baby—sooner than later. We’ve bought everything she and the baby will need and, whether she realizes it or not, the majority is at the new house. Including her storage pod from Oklahoma.
If she’s leaning toward the house, she hasn’t confirmed it. I’m doing my damnedest not to pressure her and ruin the momentum we have going. But fuck… It’s hard when she’s been doing that ‘nesting’ my mother warned me about, getting things ready for the baby’s arrival at both places.
It’s taking a lot out of her. I’ve already convinced her to cut her hours at the coffee house to stay off her feet, and the resort narrowed down the yoga classes to only three per week. Everything is falling into place.
Because with the help of Cassidy—and even my brother—I’ve bought an engagement ring for Maci. One I hope she’ll love enough to wear for the rest of her life as my wife.
Fuck. My wife. I never thought I’d say those words again.
I’ve talked it out with Butch, my father, my mother—Maci deserves it all. Her and the baby. And I know in my gut, as much as I loved Rachel, and I always will, I feel it in my heart… Maci is my true soulmate.
The light of my life has been these last six months with her, and I wouldn’t change a thing—not her, not the baby, not the biological father. Because all of that brought her here to me.
So, with my plan in place to take Maci away on a surprise getaway next week, I’ll be getting down on one knee to propose for the last time to the woman I love.
So why can’t I tell her I love her?
My mother says it’s fear that I’ll lose her the way I lost Rachel if I do. She’s probably right, but no matter how I feel about it, hearing those words will mean everything to Maci. And proposing to her before the baby comes will show her exactly how serious I am about being there for her—no matter what.
Helping my stunning, soon-to-be fiancée out of the passenger side of her car—since she hates me having to lift her to get in my truck now—I take in how gorgeous she truly is. The light grey, body-hugging dress molds around her curves and swollen stomach to stop just past her knees. Her hair cascades in waves down to the middle of her back, her full lips curling into the same smile that captured my heart on the side of the road just outside of town.
“What?” she asks, catching me staring at her.
I grin. “You look beautiful.”
Her face lights up. “Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself, hot stuff.” She makes a show of biting her lip and ogling my jeans, boots, and a black T-shirt.
“I’m a slimeball compared to you, angel.” I chuckle, retrieving the gift bag from the backseat.
She tugs on a thin black sweater, taking my hand as we walk up to my parents’ house where over thirty cars line the driveway. A large tent sits in the front yard with several shades of blue balloons and ‘baby boy’decorations all over the place.
My mother offered to throw Maci a baby shower, but she declined. We’d already bought the big ticket items, and between the women at the coffee shop and my mother buying baby clothes and accessories along with everything they’ve been doing for Cassidy—we’re set to dress this little girl for a solid year in different outfits every damn day.
She isn’t even born, and she’s already got a bow drawer.
Butch is the first to greet us. “Thank fuck you’re here.”
I raise a brow. “Everything all right?”
My brother huffs, glancing over his shoulder. “If I have to hear one more fun fact about labor and how you can shit during it, I’m going to lose my shit.”
Maci smothers a laugh.
“Yeah, well, it could happen.” I hold up the giant gift bag in hand. “Where do you want this?”
Butch leads us to a table under the open white tent, and before I know it, Cassidy is pulling Maci away for pictures. I grin at her beautiful smile and the sound of her priceless laugh—the one where she can’t help but snort a little.
She’s perfect.
“Did you pick up the ring yet?” Butch asks quietly as we stand side by side.
“Not yet,” I say. “I’ll get it at the end of the week before we leave. I don’t want her to find it beforehand.”
“Cassidy’s already talking about a double wedding.” Butch shakes his head. “And since she can’t tell anyone else about it for another week…she’s been talking my ear off.” His mouth lifts at the corner, a sure sign he doesn’t mind it one bit.
“Sounds like Cass.”
“You busy tomorrow?” he asks. “The crib came. Could use a hand putting it together.”
Maci and Cassidy start making their way back to us.
“Maci’s got an appointment tomorrow, but we can stop by after.”
“Hey, Duke.” Cass smiles, grabbing Butch’s hand. “We’re going to do pictures before we eat. You, too, Duke. I want you and Maci with us,” she demands, dragging her fiancé along behind her.
Maci takes my hand. “We better follow before she comes back for us.”
I playfully smack her ass and earn myself a sexy laugh from her. “After you, gorgeous.”
We go through the motions of taking pictures, then eat. There’s a lot of mingling between my family, Cassidy’s family, and friends. The conversations between nearly fifty women in one place seem to go on forever. There’s a bunch of games and the number of gifts…
I didn’t realize how big a baby shower really is.
“So, have you settled on a name yet, Cass?” Lily asks. “And please, don’t say Blaze.”
Butch scowls.
Cassidy beams. “We did. Gage Anthony Montgomery.”
My mother claps. “Oh, I love it.”
“Blaze is cool, though,” I chime in, and Maci swats me on the arm.
Butch cocks a grin. “I tried to tell her. He’d be an even bigger badass than he already is with a name like Blaze.”
Cassidy rolls her eyes. “Don’t encourage him, Duke.”
“What about you, Maci?” Lily asks.
I squeeze her thigh as she sits next to me with her arm wrapped around my forearm, deepening her hold on me. “I’ve got a few I like,” she admits, “but only one’s been sticking out to me.”
My ears perk up. She hasn’t told me she settled on one. She’s bounced a few ideas off me, but I told her it’s whatever she wants. She’ll pick something perfect all on her own.
Cassidy sits up straighter. “Please, tell me. I’ve been begging you for months.”
“Okay, okay,” Maci starts, and everyone gives her their undivided attention. “Olivia Grace.”
My chest tightens.
Olivia Grace. You’ll be as beautiful as your mother.
Cassidy gasps, on the verge of tears. “It’s perfect.”
My mother fans her eyes. “Oh, boy. I’m losing it here, kids.”
Butch tilts his head. “That’s a good one. I mean, not as badass as Blaze…” he trails off with a chuckle when Cassidy begins full-blown crying over Maci’s announcement.
My angel sniffles beside me, and I turn my attention to her. “Aw, doll, don’t cry,” I say, hugging her tight to my side.
She blows out a shaky breath, dabbing under her eyes with a napkin. “Sorry. I’ve just never said it out loud like that before,” she whispers. “It’s so official, you know? She’ll be here in a few short weeks.”
I kiss her temple, my heart pounding at the thought. “She will be.”
With the party coming to an end, people disperse to say their long goodbyes and well wishes. Maci covers her mouth on a yawn as I rub her slightly swollen ankles. “You about ready, darlin’?” I ask. She nods, pulling her legs off my lap.
Standing with her, she says, “I’m just going to run in and use the bathroom quick.”
“Come on, I’ll take you,” I say, holding her hand and leading us inside. She opts to use the downstairs bathroom to avoid the stairs. “I’ll wait in the kitchen for you. Maybe steal a few peanut butter cookies for the ride home.” I wink.
She smiles. “See if there’s any pie left. Cassidy said she bought two—one for me.”
“You got it.”
I head into the kitchen, where Lily and Grandma Judy are standing beside the island. My father’s perched on a stool—flat-out hiding. I grip his shoulder as I pass by. “Hiding out, Pop?” I chuckle, grabbing a Ziploc bag to properly steal these cookies.
My father laughs huskily. “Damn right, I am. I figured you and Butch would’ve been in here with me hours ago.”
Lily shakes her head. “You’ll be paying for not going out there to join the party later. Mom’s already made a few comments under her breath.”
My father waves her off. “She’ll live.”
“And how are you and Maci doing, dear?” Grandma Judy asks me.
“We’re doing great,” I say, loading up a dozen cookies in the baggie and tossing them on top of the untouched peanut butter pie that has a sticky note on top with Maci’s name on it.
“Did you kids move everything into the house yet?” my father asks. “Your mother said y’all were transitioning.”
Almost. “We’re working on it.”
“Good for you, Duke.” Grandma Judy nods sternly. “I wasn’t sure about this Maci-girl in the beginning, but your mother assures me she’s a good replacement for Rachel.”
“Grandma.” Lily gapes in shock—not that it’s a surprising statement coming from her. Gran has always been nasty when it comes down to her morals.
“No one’s replacing anyone,” I bite out.
My grandmother stands a little straighter, her features stoning at my hard tone. “I only hope the poor girl knows she has big shoes to fill. Rachel was a lovely woman. But I suppose replacing her and the baby you lost with Maci and her bastard child is God’s way of picking up the pieces.”
Motherfu—
“Christ, Judy.” Pop shakes his head.
My jaw tightens. You can’t tear your grandmother’s fucking head off, I tell myself repeatedly…even if the urge is still there. Who the hell told her anyhow? I snatch the pie and cookies and turn to leave when my heart drops to the pit of my stomach.
Maci’s standing in the hall, fresh tears glimmering in her emerald eyes, and her expression is…devastated.
My mind races back to everything she could’ve heard from my bitch of a grandmother, and my world stops when she puts a protective hand over her belly and a hand over her mouth before darting back into the bathroom.
No. No. No—Fuck!