Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
RYDER
I lunge at her and silence her laugh with a kiss. My fingers dive into her hair as my mouth moves against her. I feel so much love in this moment that I don’t even notice the tears that mix with hers as I break away.
I drop to the floor in front of her, and with my heart in my throat, I lay my head against her stomach as I grip the sides of her dress.
“I’m going to be with you every step of the way as you grow, little one. I’m going to take such good care of you and your momma,” I whisper the words to another part of my heart that now belongs to another…the same words I have whispered to Ryland.
I feel her hands weave through my damp hair and close my eyes to the sensation. Placing a kiss on her stomach, she grabs my hands and pulls me up to her. I crawl over her as she backs up until her head rests on the pillow. I see the pink t-shirt and smile at big sister written on the front.
“I thought she could wear it when we tell your family. See how long it takes them to figure it out,” she grins up at me.
“It’s perfect. You’re perfect.” My thighs press against hers as I cage her in on all fours.
“We’re going to have another baby,” she whispers.
“We are,” I grin back at her. “I’m buying more cherry garcia ice cream tomorrow and anything else you want.” I bend down and kiss her neck, inhaling her sweet strawberry scent. “I can’t wait to see this body round with my baby,” I breathe against her skin. Just the thought of her carrying our child makes my dick throb painfully.
“You may change your mind when my feet are so swollen I get cankles,” she laughs softly.
“I will love your sexy cankles,” I murmur as I lightly suck her neck. I finger the straps on her dress before pushing them down her arm, exposing her breasts. I swirl my tongue along her nipple before taking a deep pull, causing a soft moan to escape her lips. I palm the other one in my hand and can already tell they feel more swollen. “Do they feel different to you?” I tease the other one, and she arches her back.
“They’re more sensitive,” she breathes. “A little swollen, too.”
“So you feel this more?” I flick her hardened bud with my tongue and lightly bite down.
“Yes,” she moans, her fingers digging into my hair.
“What about this?” I suck one and grasp the other nipple between my two fingers.
“Yessss.” Her breath is coming out in little pants sending blood rushing straight to my already swollen cock.
“We are going to have so much fun these next nine months,” I grin between her breasts. “I’m going to make sure with this pregnancy you feel loved, and every little thing your body desires, I’m going to give it to you.”
“I only need you.”
“You have me,” I say without hesitation. I slide her dress the rest of the way down with her thong before removing my gym shorts. I place a tender kiss on her stomach before lying on my side next to her. Bringing her flush against me, I feel her sweet ass press against me.
Bringing my hand around, I slide my finger through her folds and groan against her ear as her arousal coats my fingers. She presses further into me as I move against her. Grabbing her hand, I guide it between her legs.
“Touch yourself. Feel how good you feel,” I whisper in her ear. I keep my hand on hers as she rubs against herself. When she gets to her center, I press my finger in with hers. “We fit so damn good together.” I move with hers and add another, stretching her wider.
Her moan fills the room as her hips move to our rhythm. I release our hands and bring her finger to my lips, sucking it clean. She brings her ass further up against me, giving me just the angle I need to fill her in one deep motion.
“Oh God,” she pants as I pull back out, and her pussy greedily wraps around me again as I go deeper. My hand flattens against her stomach as I possessively hold what’s mine.
“Grab your breast,” I softly growl, knowing her sensitivity is going to push her over the edge.
Her hand comes up to tease and squeeze her nipples. “Ryder…” My name comes out as a plea, and I fucking love that sound. I shift my weight so I’m more on top of her behind, keeping a firm grip on her stomach as I raise her ass higher to meet my thrusts.
Her walls start to squeeze me as I feel her ignite beneath me, causing my body to follow.
She cries out my name just as hers slips past my lips on a moan. My dick pulses, matching her pussy’s heartbeat that drums deep inside. We ride out the pleasure together until our bodies fall into a deep, sated place.
Lying back down on my side, I hold her against me, still deep inside her. My hand never leaves her stomach as my thumb caresses her skin.
“I can’t wait to meet this little one,” I say softly against her neck.
“Me either,” I hear her whisper sleepily.
“I love the baby so much already. How is that possible?”
“I felt the same way about Ryland the moment I found out. You feel their soul.” She places her hand over mine, pouring our love into something so tiny yet feeling something so big that it can’t be defined.
I lie there for the longest time, listening to her breathing as she sleeps. My eyes finally drift shut as I hold both of them close to me.
I push the grocery cart down the aisle as Ryland happily munches on her free chocolate chip cookie from the bakery. We were tasked with getting food for this weekend, putting Jake and Miles in charge of getting the last of the fireworks and decorations. You would have thought they were two kids this morning on the way to Disneyland. There’s no telling what they will bring home. Thankfully, Savi went with them to be the voice of reason.
I see Eve knock on the watermelons and laugh.
“You expect something to knock back?”
“No.” She meets my amused eyes and laughs. “I saw a person do it once and looked it up one day out of curiosity. I guess it’s supposed to sound hollow if it’s nice and ripe.” She holds up another one and knocks, pressing her ear closer. “I can’t tell if that’s hollow-sounding or not.”
I pick a bigger one up and knock on it. “Sounds ripe to me.” I set it in the bottom of the cart.
“You didn’t even listen to it.” She laughs.
“It’s green, has a nice oval shape, and has no mushy spots. I bet when I open it, it’s going to be red inside, too,” I grin at her as she rolls her eyes at me.
“Such a smart ass.”
I pull her to me and kiss her. “Mmmmmm. I had to see what that filthy mouth tasted like,” I say, breaking away.
Her eyes dance with laughter as she looks up at me. “And what did it taste like?”
“Just like I thought it would. Dirty and delicious…my favorite combo.”
“Hmmmm. Well, maybe if you are a good boy, this dirty mouth will be put to good use later.” Her eyes shine with amusement as my gaze darkens. My dick twitches at the image of her with those pink lips around me.
“Now I’m as hard as that watermelon I just put in the cart.” She busts out laughing, and I grin against her lips before bending down close to her ear. “I’ll be a good boy for now, but later? Later, I’m fucking that beautiful mouth and leaving it way filthier than when I started.” Her breath hitches, and I grin against her neck as my words have the effect I want.
“Now I’m as ripe as the watermelon,” she mutters.
“God, I love you,” I laugh. I knock on her head, and she swats my hand away before her body starts shaking with laughter. “Just making sure.”
I immediately sense Eve’s mood change. I glance behind me where she’s staring, but I don’t see anything except a couple of random shoppers. “What’s wrong?” She blinks me back into focus and shakes her head. I can tell whatever happened has shaken her up. She nibbles on her bottom lip as her eyes search the store.
“I could have sworn I saw my mom, but I must have imagined it.”
“Your mom?” I feel my heart accelerate as I clench my fists. “Stay here with Ryland. Don’t move from this spot. Do you understand me?” I place my hands on her shoulder and search her eyes, making sure she hears me.
“What are you going to do?” She whispers.
“I’m going to make sure she’s not here.”
“And if she is?”
“Then that bitch has some explaining to do.” My voice is dangerously low and laced with a threat as it filters through my clenched jaw. I head in the direction she was looking and scan the area before searching each aisle. It’s our small-town grocery store, so it’s not that big. If she’s here, I’ll find her. I look for the next twenty minutes before walking back over to where Eve is still standing.
“I searched the whole store. She’s not here.”
“I’m sorry. I could have sworn I saw her, but that would be crazy, right? I mean, she was in Seattle. Why would she be back here? I guess I’m still haunted a little bit by the ghosts of my past.”
I pull her into a hug and rub her back. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. You have every reason to get freaked out every once in a while. She hasn’t tried to contact you, has she?”
“No, I promised you I would let you know if I had. I haven’t heard from her since I blocked her number after my father got arrested. Except…”
My hand stills on her back when she goes silent. “Except what?”
“A couple of weeks ago, I kept getting calls from an unknown number. When I finally answered, all I could hear was breathing on the other end of the phone. I hung up and then blocked them. It’s probably nothing,” she says, breaking away and picking up Ryland. She buries her face in her hair and takes a deep, calming breath.
“It’s obviously not nothing. You should have told me.”
“It was the night I told you I was pregnant. I had completely forgotten about it until now.”
“Just to be sure, we are changing your number.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m probably just jittery because of my father’s sentencing.”
Agent Davis let us know that her father’s trial was over, and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. They knocked off some time because he cooperated and gave them more names. I can tell part of her still feels guilty for turning him in and I really hope someday I can get through to her that she did the right thing.
“Don’t fight me on this, Eve. We’re getting your number changed.” If there is even the slightest chance that it’s her mother, I want Eve’s phone number out of her hands. That bitch is crazy, and I’ll be damned if she ever gets close to my family again.
“You’re right,” she says, looking at our daughter. “Either way, I’ll feel better knowing she doesn’t have my number anymore.” She hugs Ryland close to her chest and sends me a smile over her tiny shoulder. “Let’s finish up here. This weekend is going to be so much fun, and I don’t want to spend another minute not enjoying it.”
I can tell she’s putting on a brave face, and part of her is still thinking about her mom. I scan the grocery store one more time, feeling an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I need to talk to my brothers later. We need to find out exactly where her mom is, and if I find out, she’s back in town…her new son-in-law is going to be paying her a visit.