Chapter 21 Tariq “Reek” Horton
TARIQ “REEK” HORTON
After the shower, I followed behind Ava through traffic with my truck full of gifts. Once we got to her building, I made five trips from the truck to her unit, using the large laundry cart the receptionist got for me.
By the time I was done stacking everything up in the nursery, the nursery looked like Christmas had exploded in it all over again.
I found her in the living room after that.
She was sitting on the couch sideways with one leg folded under her and the other stretched out, rubbing at her foot with this tired little frown on her face.
Her shower dress was still on, but she had kicked the heels off somewhere between the front door and the couch.
Her hair was still done, makeup still pretty, but the whole rest of her looked worn out.
I stood there for a second just looking at her, appreciating that this was the woman bringing my child into this world. I never wanted this, but since it was with her, I was appreciative.
Then I went over and sat down beside her.
“You got everything?”
“Yeah.”
I looked down at the way she was rubbing her foot, then reached for it. I lifted her ankle and set her foot across my lap.
That startled her. Her brows pulled together, for a second, like she didn’t know whether to let me. But she did. I started rubbing slowly, working my thumb into the arch and then the ball of her foot. She let out a breath and leaned onto the couch.
“Ooooh,” she moaned quietly.
I chuckled. “Yeah?”
“That feels good.”
I kept going, working the soreness out. “You’re going to need a bigger room for Cairo. He doesn’t have enough room for all of his stuff.”
She chuckled, with her eyes closed and head leaning back against the couch. “I know. I need to take what he can’t fit yet and all of the surplus downstairs to my storage.” Then she looked down at me rubbing her foot and asked, “Why are you being nice?”
I shook my head with amused scoff. “My rep that bad?”
She gave me a small smile. “You know what I mean.”
I did. So, I kept rubbing her foot and answered her honestly for once. “Because I’m tired.”
She frowned. “Tired of what?”
“Tired of fighting what this is.” I rubbed my hand over her ankle, then back down her foot.
“Tired of acting like I don’t feel what I feel.
” I kept my eyes on her foot because saying all this while looking straight at her would be too overwhelming.
“I stayed away from love and children because family sounded like a trap to me. Everybody who was supposed to love me made me feel left, used, or in the way. So, the whole idea of family always sounded good for other people and bad for me.”
Ava got real quiet, but I knew she was listening by the way her body stilled.
“I thought if I stayed out of all that, then I couldn’t ruin nobody the way that I was.
I thought I was doing the right thing by never promising more than I could give, by keeping women at a distance, by not pretending I was some man built for forever when I ain’t never seen forever done right a day in my life.
” I finally looked up at her then. “But I was so determined not to ruin anybody with my emptiness that I ended up hurting you anyway.”
Ava’s eyes teared up.
“I know I hurt you in one of the worst moments of your life. I know I made you feel rejected. I know I let my fear come out mean. That’s on me, and I am so sorry.”
She blinked back tears. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”
For a second, neither one of us said anything. I just kept rubbing her foot, slower now, while all the anger that used to sit between us felt farther away than it had before.
“I don’t want parts of you, Ava. I want all of you.”
She looked at me like she didn’t want to believe that too fast.
“I want you as my woman. Not just the mother of my child. I want you, all of you, in every way you’re willing to give it.”
Her whole body went still.
I leaned in a little. “I assumed for a long time that I didn’t know how to love as deeply as it was needed.
I’m learning that that ain’t the truth. The truth is I was scared of what it would cost me to love somebody for real.
I was scared of failing at it. I was scared of becoming every weak, selfish motherfucker that came before me.
But that ain’t the same as not being able to do it. ”
Ava’s eyes dropped to my mouth, then back up.
I kept my hand on her ankle, holding her there with a gentleness that didn’t feel weak to me anymore.
“I can do it,” I promised her. “I want to do it. And I want to do it with you.”
She let out a shaky breath. “Reek…”
“I’m serious.”
“What are you saying?”
I stared right at her. “I’m saying you’re mine.” I brought her foot down carefully and set it on the couch, then turned more fully toward her. “I’m saying I love you. I’m saying I want to be with you. For real. Out loud. No more hiding behind fear.”
The tears slipped out of her eyes then, and she laughed through them like she couldn’t help it. I reached up and wiped under one of her eyes with my thumb. I rested my hand against the side of her neck and said, “You down?”
She lowered her head, saying, “But I’m scared you’ll change your mind.”
I lifted her chin to force her eyes back on me. “You love me?”
She winced, and I knew it was because she was scared that I wasn’t solid.
“I’m scared too, but do you love me?” I pressed.
“Yes,” she reluctantly admitted.
“Then let’s be scared together.”
Ava's eyes searched mine, wide and shimmering. "What are you saying?"
I held her gaze, while my thumb still traced slow circles on her ankle. "I'm saying I love you, Ava. All of you. The mother of my child, my woman. I want forever with you."
Her breath caught, and she leaned forward, cupping my face in her hands. "I love you too, Reek. God, I love you."
Our lips met then. It was a soft kiss at first, but it deepened as the weight of our words sank in.
I tasted the salt of her tears mixed with the sweetness of her mouth.
My hands moved with admiration and worship, sliding up her legs, careful of her swollen ankles and calves.
She sighed into the kiss and parted her thighs slightly as I gathered the hem of her dress and eased it higher.
I pulled back just enough to look at her. Her belly swelled beautifully under the fabric. Self-conscious, she put one hand over it.
"You're perfect," I whispered, kissing her palm before guiding her hand away. Then I lifted her dress over her head.
Her breasts had grown heavier. Veins left faint blue paths across her brown skin. Her nipples had darkened and pebbled. Her stomach curved out and stretch marks fanned from her navel. Her hips had widened. Her thighs were thicker. Her pussy was framed by soft curls that were already damp with need.
I knelt between her legs, and my hands covered her belly. "This is everything," I said, kissing her stomach. She gasped as I kissed lower. My tongue flicked her navel, then traced the stretch marks with feather-light touches.
She trembled, and her fingers threaded into my hair. "Reek..."
"These marks? They're proof of your strength. Of us." My palms cradled her sides, and my thumbs stroked the sensitive undersides of her breasts. I lifted one and latched onto her nipple, sucking gently. Milk beaded on my tongue. I swallowed, humming approval as she arched.
Her insecurities melted under my worship. I moved lower, kissing every inch of her belly, hands kneading her thighs, parting them wider. Her pussy lips parted to reveal her pink and throbbing clit. I breathed in her musky arousal laced with soap before dragging my tongue along her slit.
Ava moaned, and her hips lifted as I licked her open, savoring her taste.
I sucked her clit between my lips, flicking it with the tip of my tongue while two fingers eased into her heat.
She clenched around them so tightly that I could feel her walls fluttering.
I pumped slowly, curling to stroke that ridged spot inside, building her pleasure.
"I love you," I murmured against her thigh, nipping the soft flesh before returning to her pussy. "I love this body carrying our baby. Love how you taste."
"Reek... please," she whimpered, tugging at my shoulders. "I need you inside me."
I stripped quickly. My dick was hard and aching as I positioned myself, rubbing the head through her pussy lips. She was drenched, coating me.
Her eyes demanded mine, and for a second, I lost myself in those electric, bright eyes.
"Fuck me so good that I never forget who I belong to." Her words ignited me. I pushed in inch by inch, groaning at her grip. Her pussy stretched around my dick, sucking me in deeper. We both stilled when I bottomed out, my pelvis flush against hers, the base grinding her clit.
"I love you," she breathed, arms wrapping around my neck, pulling me down for a kiss.
"Love you more," I replied, starting to move with long, deep thrusts, pulling almost out before sliding back in.
Each stroke savored her. My hands roamed her body.
I cupped her belly between us, as I rocked into her.
One hand teased her nipple, pinching lightly, drawing more milk that I licked from my fingers.
She met every thrust, legs hooking my waist. Our breaths mingled as our eyes locked.
"You're mine, Ava," I growled softly, hips circling to stir my dick inside her. "You. This pussy. All mine."
"I love you, Reek. Don't stop."
I worshipped her with my body, thumbs circling her clit as I thrust, lips on her neck, her breasts, her mouth. Her orgasm built slow, thighs quivering, until she shattered. Her pussy spasmed and juices flooded around my dick. "Reek, I love you so much,” she purred.
I kissed her softly, promising, “No more doubts. You're my world.” I buried deep, dick throbbing as I came, pumping thick spurts of cum into her womb. "Love you, baby. Forever."