Alluring Temptation (Bayou Stix #3) (25 page)

My mouth drops open in shock again and I can’t form words. I’m so choked up my throat feels tight.

“Yes, I know you love her. You brought her here to meet me. You have never done that. Not one time. Take this ring, Liam. When you’re ready, use it. You deserve the happiness Vivian and I shared. You can have that with the girl downstairs.” He swallows and his watery blue eyes challenge me to deny what he’s saying. “You already have it with her.”

He drops the ring into my hand and my fingers instinctively close around it. I shake my head again. “Paw? I do love her. But am I enough?”

His voice raises in anger. “What in the Sam hill are you talking about, boug? Are you good enough?! Don’t be a fool. Stop overthinking everything and feel. Listen to your heart. It will not steer you wrong. What does it say?”

I look at him and all of the worry, insecurity, and shame in my life is clearly on display. “I’ve been with hundreds of women. I’ve done some stupid things. She’s so good and amazing and perfect and I want her. I love her, but I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t know what I’m doing here. I love her. I love us. I can’t even sleep if she’s not in my arms anymore, but what if that’s not enough? I want the baby.” I start pacing. “It’s
my
baby. I want it. I want both of them. I want to be his father. But I’m so scared I’m going to screw up.” I look at him beseechingly. “What if I screw up?”

Walking over to me, he takes my shoulders and he shakes me one time. “Look here, Liam, marriage is hard. Life is hard. It’s work. A successful marriage is one that the people in it work on every single day. There are times you will fight, but you never go to bed angry. Fighting is normal. Fighting means you have passion. As long as you are fighting, you are loving. You will both screw up, but you learn from that. Being a parent is the scariest thing you’ll ever experience. It’s also the most fulfilling. I raised you, boy. I raised you right. Everything you are and everything you know, you know from Maw and me. Use those values. Teach them to that babe in her belly and to future babies.” He shakes his head again and smiles. “If you are this worried you’re going to screw up, then you are ready to be a husband and father. If you weren’t scared then you aren’t prepared.”

A tear escapes. This man is brilliant and I’m so lucky he raised me.

I nod at him. He smiles and claps me on the back, “I’m proud of you, boug. I couldn’t be any prouder of you that I am right now.”

He asks me to pick up the box in the closet and hands me a bag for the ring. Tucking it into my pocket, I help him down the stairs. Verna meets my eyes and winks at me.

We stay until the sun starts to set. I see Clove getting tired, we say our goodbyes, and head for home with promises to be back soon.

Clove falls asleep as soon as the truck is in motion and I think over everything Paw and I talked about on the drive home as the woman I love softly snores beside me.

Clove

I
can’t believe I passed out in the truck last night. It was so good to meet Liam’s grandfather and Verna. They are the cutest, sweetest old people I’ve ever met. It makes me sad that I never had that, but I’m so glad that Liam had them growing up.

I have another appointment with Dr. Bird today and tonight is our shindig for Rock With Us. I’m so nervous. People from everywhere are coming and everyone from music to movies and everything in between will be there. I’ve never been around so many famous people in my life. Bayou Stix doesn’t count. They’re my family. I’ll also be there with Liam and he’s warned me that the paparazzi will be there and to be ready for photos and questions.

Being in the public eye so much scares me to death. If I’m going to be with Liam though, I need to thicken my skin and get ready for it and I very much want to be with him.

He’s still asleep and he looks so boyish in his slumber. The scruff on his face is the only thing that makes him look manly. In sleep, his face softens and he just looks like he’s too perfect to be real. He is real though and he’s mine…

He smiles and says in a voice gravely from sleep voice, “Stop staring at me.” He opens his crystal blues and winks.

I swoon and smirk. “I can’t help it. You’re so pretty, Mr. Christianson.”

He sits up faster than I can blink and pulls me up and over him. My chest is pressed against his and my breathing is ragged.

My nipples bead against his chest and he traces them with his finger as he chuckles. “Damn you’re so responsive. But look here, pretty boys don’t make girls swoon. Pretty boys don’t leave you panting. Pretty is not something you call a man!”

Laughing through my moans, I reply, “But baby, you are just too pretty for words.”

He flips us and leans over me as he chuckles. “Ok, you can call me pretty. As long as pretty works for you.”

He takes my mouth and sweeps me away into sensation.

Two hours later, we’re both fully sated and ready to go. Dade is in the kitchen on the phone as we walk through to grab me a banana. Whoever he’s talking to, he’s pissed. “I understand your policy, but I just gave you the dates and all the information you need. All I need from you is the last name!”

I look at Liam and he shrugs showing he doesn’t know either. Dade says, “Yes, fine. Thank you for nothing.” And disconnects the call. He turns away from us and groans in frustration. Then turns back and smiles though it doesn’t meet his eyes.

I walk over and hug him. He hugs me back and asks, “Where are you two headed?”

He already knows this. I guess he forgot. “My appointment is today.”

He smiles sheepishly, “Oh, right. I’m sorry, baby girl. A lot on my mind.” He looks at Liam. “You going, too?”

Liam pulls me into his body and wraps his arms around me, crossing them just over my stomach. He rests his chin on the top of my head as he answers Dade, “Yup. That ok?”

Dade laughs and says, “What if I said it wasn’t?”

Liam pulls me closer. “Wouldn’t matter.”

I melt against him. I love him. I smile at my brother. He winks at me and says to Liam as he walks out the door, “Yeah, I know. Which is why it’s ok.”

Liam chuckles. “I thought he was going to punch me.”

Turning in his arms, I wrap mine around him. His hands cup my hips. Leaning up to kiss his chin, I mutter, “No you didn’t. He wouldn’t hit you.”

He smiles down at me and laughs. “Oh, yes he would. If I hurt you, he will.”

I keep my smile in place as my heart beats faster. “So, don’t hurt me.”

He hugs me close to him and breathes into my hair as he mutters, “I don’t plan on it.”

My heart is racing. Is that his way of saying he loves me? God, please let him love me like I love him.

He pulls back and tweaks my nose. “Let’s go so we aren’t late. I want to see how much little man has grown.”

Smiling, I follow him out. Little man… I love it.

About an hour later, I’m staring at the scale in horror. “What do you mean I’ve gained seven pounds in a month?! Is that normal?” I feel like crying. Seven pounds…

The older nurse chuckles and says, “Clove, relax. It’s fine. You can’t gain seven pounds every month, but its fine. You’ve only gained ten pounds total. Trust me, you are fine.”

Liam has a look of shock on his face as he watches me almost break down. I see that way the nurse keeps glancing at him. He’s making her nervous.
Yes, Ma’am. Look all you want. He’s all mine. He’s gorgeous, huh!?

The nurse inclines her head towards me and chuckles, “Tell her she’s beautiful and not to worry. Babies need nourishment.”

He smiles at her and I can see her sigh.
Mine!!!!!
Then he looks at me and smirks, “She is beautiful. More beautiful every day. She can get totally fat and I’ll still want her.”

The nurse sighs again and this time I join her.

Damn gorgeous sweet talker!

We head into the room and she hands me a paper gown and paper sheet and tells me to get undressed with the opening in the front again and smiles at Liam as she says, “Dr. Bird will be in shortly.”

I chuckle as she leaves the room and we’re alone. I decide to just undress right here since it’s just the two of us in here.

Liam watches me disrobe and asks, “What’s funny?”

Licking my lips as I shimmy my pants and panties down my legs, I chuckle again. “You. She was eating out of the palm of your hand. You smile and panties melt away.”

He smiles at me as my panties hit the floor and grins lasciviously.

I mutter, “See.” I point at him. “You smile.” I point at the floor. “Panties gone.”

He whoops in laughter and pulls me buck naked against him and palms my rear as he plants a steamy kiss on my lips.

I want to jump him in my doctor’s office. My stomach starts to clench and I feel my thighs moisten. Pushing him away, I mutter, “Behave. She has to look down there and now you have me all aroused.”

He laughs even harder and winks at me as I swat at him. “I could take care of that really fast and you’d be all cleaned up before she even gets in here.” I swat at him again and slip the paper gown on as he bends down to grab my clothes.

Just then, we hear laughter and a knock at the door. His cheeks redden as I call out to come in. Dr. Bird is standing there and she’s laughing. I think she heard.

I’m enjoying Liam’s discomfort, so I ask, “Did you hear him?”

She nods and says, “I did. I can honestly say, I’ve never walked into an exam room while people were having sex, yet.”

Liam starts coughing and I start laughing even harder.

Dr. Bird smiles at us both and then she asks the normal questions. She has me lay back on the table and she checks me and then she asks if we are ready for the ultrasound. Both Liam and I nod enthusiastically.

As we wait for the technician, we share small chit chat. I tell her about the party tonight and ask her if she’d like to come. Dade and Cruz are single and I’m sure one of them would find her very attractive.

Liam catches the gleam in my eyes and smirks as he shakes his head.

Dr. Bird asks a few more questions and then says, she’s never been to a party like that and has been spending too much time at home, so she’d love to come. I tell her I’ll add her name to the guest list, so I ask Liam to text Blue so we don’t forget.

The technician comes in a few minutes later and apologizes. She explains that there were issues in another room but everything is ok and she’s sorry about the wait.

As I lay back on the table, Liam gets up to stand behind me. I just love that he’s so attentive and involved in the baby. He really does act like it’s his child. I start to tear up as I think about it. Not many men would willingly become involved with a woman they know is pregnant with another man’s child, or if they did they’d end up resenting the child. He does neither and it still surprises me every single day.

The warm gel is applied and suddenly the heartbeat is heard and we see him on the screen. Dr. Bird takes some measurements and then turns to both of us. “Well, the baby is growing perfectly and it’s still a boy,” she jokes.

We laugh and she takes a minute to show us everything on the screen. We can see his face and ears now and his little nose is perfect. We can also start to discern fingers on the hand of one of the photos.

My pregnancy brain takes over and before I know it, I’m sobbing. Liam looks at me in alarm, but Dr. Bird talks to him and tells him it’s normal and to just let me be. She prints out a few of the photos, says she wants me back in the office in four weeks and says she’ll see us tonight at the party.

As she leaves, I hand the photos to Liam and cry a bit more as he lovingly traces the face in the photos. He looks up at me and his face is full of joy.

I smile and hug him before getting dressed and making the new appointment.

On the way home, Bradi texts and says that the RSVP’s are over 500 now. She’s so excited. It’s infectious.

Once we get home, it’s early afternoon and Liam tells me to go lie down for a bit. I’m very tired and can probably use a nap before heading out tonight. It’s going to be a long night.

With that in mind and Liam rubbing soothing circles on my back, I pass out. I sleep for about two hours and have very weird dreams. I can’t remember them when I awaken, but I know that my terror was real… and I was fearing for my baby.

Shaking it off and chalking it up to nerves, I head into the bathroom to get ready for tonight.

Liam