Beauty From Love (9 page)

I bet she’s pissed. She’s already told me she’d think about it and I agreed I wouldn’t pressure her. But now I have. And without giving her the option to respond if we stick to these stupid rules.

I have fucked up again. Why do I keep doing this? “I’ll find somewhere else to sleep tonight. Just give me a minute to grab something to sleep in and brush my teeth.”

I take my sleep pants from the chest and go into the bathroom. I’m changed and finished brushing when L comes up behind me. She slides her arms around my waist and places the side of her face against my back. She’s shorter and smaller so her image is almost completely hidden in the mirror. “I didn’t ask you to sleep somewhere else.”

“You told me to forget touching you.”

“It doesn’t mean you have to leave our bed.”

I’m not trying to convince her to kick me out of bed but I know when I’ve fucked up. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did. Even I know I’ve done wrong, L.”

“You’ve also done right.” She kisses the bare skin on my back and then her touch is gone too soon. “Even I know that.”

I watch her reflection in the mirror as she turns and lifts her hair. “Unzip me?”

I grasp the zipper of her black sheath dress and pull, letting my fingers graze her skin on the way down. I’m sure it’s the most action I’ll get tonight.

We’re standing in the bathroom and I’m peeling her out of a dress following an incident with one of my former lovers. This is like déjà vu because we’ve done this before. I recall being sent away that night, but not this time. She’s letting me stay.

I’d like to kiss her bare shoulder. It’s right there, so close to my mouth, begging me to place my lips against it, but I resist because I’m still not sure where I stand.

She catches the straps of her dress and eases them down her body. She wiggles as it slides down and tosses it onto the bathroom counter, leaving her in a black lacy push-up bra and a G. She’s hot as hell—like always—and I think this is my punishment for my earlier offenses.

I don’t think I can take this. She needs to be covered if I can’t touch her. And it doesn’t need to be any of that sexy stuff she usually wears to bed. As much as I love her in it, I don’t want to see her in it tonight if I can’t touch her. “I’ll grab you one of my T-shirts.”

“Don’t.”

She reaches behind her back and unfastens her bra before tossing it on top of her dress. I’m surprised by what she’s doing because even at her angriest moments, I’ve never known her to be cruel.

I close my eyes because it’s agony to see her this way when she’s already told me I can’t touch her. “Please don’t.”

“Please don’t what?”

“Torture me.” I wave my hands back and forth in front of her near-naked body. “Using this.”

“Torture isn’t my intention.” She pushes her panties from her hips and shimmies out of them. They drop to her feet and she kicks them to the corner, leaving her wearing only black pumps. “Something you said changed my mind. I want you to touch me.”

L’s forgiving me? Forgetting tonight’s events?

“What did I say to change your mind?”

“Shh … it’s against the rules to discuss anything we said during our confessional.” She steps close so her body is pressed against mine. “It’s two thousand fourteen. Let’s start the year off right.”

She begins at my top button, making her way down until the front of my shirt is open. She brings my hand to her lips and sucks my index finger into her mouth as she removes my cufflink. She makes a show of sliding it in and out of her mouth, her tongue swirling. Then she moves to my other hand to do the same.

Fuck, it’s hot. I’m instantly hard.

She hops up on the counter, her bum landing on my hand towel, and motions with her finger for me to come closer. When I do, she yanks the front of my trousers open and drags my zipper down. She pushes my pants and boxer briefs to my knees and wraps her legs around me. I put my hand on her bum and easily slide her bottom to the edge of the counter.

She puts her hand around my rock-hard cock and slides it up and down her drenched entrance. I flex my hips, trying to get inside her but she pulls away. I expect her to tell me she needs to insert the spermicide but doesn’t. “Tell me I’m the only one.”

“You’re the only one, forever. It’ll always be you, L. Never doubt that.”

She wraps her arms around me and tilts her pelvis so my tip is pressing against her. “You’re the only one I ever want inside me.” She reaches around to my bum and digs her nails in as she pulls me into her … without birth control.

I don’t think she’s ovulating but this is still me inside her without contraceptive so anything could happen. And she’s not telling me no. Her body is telling me the complete opposite as her legs alternate between squeezing hard and relaxing as she rides me on the bathroom counter.

Her arms are wrapped around my shoulders and her mouth is pressed to my ear, enabling me to hear every sound her mouth makes as she grinds her body against mine. Every moan, every grunt. Even the soft, breathless sound of her saying my name when she comes, followed by her whispering how much she loves me.

Her climax comes before mine but moments later when I come, I squeeze her hard and close when I empty myself deep inside her womb. “I love you too, L. Only you.”

Things have been surprisingly good between Jack Henry and me since our New Year’s confessional. Good isn’t the right word. Great is more like it. Who would’ve thought that telling one another our innermost thoughts would be so healthy? I like this newfound depth in our relationship so much that I may ask him if we can do it again.

Jack Henry asked me to have his baby. Becoming parents is something he began talking about before we were married, but it seems to be on his mind all the time now—which means it’s on mine constantly as well.

A baby. That’s what I’m thinking about as I stand in Margaret’s kitchen preparing the lasagna I’m making for Jack Henry’s birthday party tonight, per his request. My mother-in-law comes to me with a bowl of chocolate frosting. She’s baking his favorite cake, something she does for every member of the McLachlan family on their birthday. “I have extra. Want to help me clean the bowl?”

“Absolutely.” She passes me a spoon and I dig in. “Omigod. That is so good, Margaret.” And it is. I’ve never tasted frosting this delicious. I can see why this is my husband’s favorite but it makes me realize something. I’ve never seen him eat chocolate cake. Ever. I didn’t know Jack Henry liked it. I’m his wife so how could I not know that? I bet it’s this family history with the heart stuff. He exercises religiously and rarely indulges in things he considers unhealthy because he’s fearful of ending up like his father and uncle. I’d like to ask Margaret about it but I don’t want to introduce concerns if she hasn’t already considered them.

“Did they start work on your music studio yet?”

“They poured the concrete early this week and said we could expect it to be finished sometime in May.”

“I would think that’s soon considering all the equipment that’ll be installed.”

One can anticipate fast progress when she’s married to a man with money and high expectations. “You know Jack Henry. He sets the bar high and expects everyone else to as well.”

Margaret grins. “He gets that from his father. Henry is a hard worker. I’m not sure he would have ever retired if I hadn’t cut him off.”

“You cut him off of what?”

“Nookie.” I giggle because the word itself is funny but hearing her say it makes it even more so. “I’m going to give you some advice because you’re still a new wife—and because my son can be a little shit at times. I know; I’m his mum.” She looks around as though she’s about to reveal top-secret information. “Nookie equals power and there’s a reason he wants it from you all the time. It levels the playing field. Don’t like something he’s doing? Take the nookie away. Get the results you want. Need him to see things your way but he refuses? Withhold the nookie and he’ll make the fastest attitude adjustment you’ve ever seen. Want your husband to retire because he’s going to work himself into an early grave and miss his grandchildren growing up the way he missed his kids? Close the gates of nookie and get your husband home with you instead of burying him. That’s how you work it, darling. You use the power of the nookie to get the results you want.”

Oh, my. She’s a sly one. I could learn a lot from her.

Henry comes into the kitchen and opens the refrigerator. He bends down, searching for something, and Margaret sashays over to him. She whispers something in his ear and gives me a wink before returning to the sink of dirty dishes.

Henry grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator and takes a big swig. “You girls have been standing in here on your feet for too long. Go rest a minute and I’ll wash these dirty dishes for you.”

Wow. What a sweet father-in-law. “Thank you, Henry.” I give him a kiss on the cheek as I pass by. “You’re so thoughtful.”

Margaret and I go into the living room and put our feet up. “Don’t be mistaken, Laurelyn. That was not the offer of a thoughtful man.”

“You used the power.”

“Yes, I did, and you want to know what’s so brilliant about it? I still love being with Henry after all these years so I’d have given it to him anyway. Hell, I’d probably have instigated it myself, so it’s win-win.”

“You are the master.” Margaret is so cool. I think I just fell in love with her a little more. “What time is everyone coming?”

“Seven.”

Perfect. That gives me plenty of time to go to the apartment and get ready. “Who should I expect?”

“It’s normally only family but we’re having extra guests tonight. Chloe is bringing the new guy in her life and three of Jack Henry’s mates will be joining us.”

“I didn’t realize Chloe was dating anyone.”

“It’s still new so we’ve not met him, either.”

Wow. A few weeks. I guess I’ve been too busy if I’ve missed something important like that. “That’s great.”

“I hope Jack Henry doesn’t try to shake him down too much. I may need to speak to him before the dinner—maybe ask him to take it easy since he can be hard on her fellas sometimes.”

I can see him being like that, but she’s an adult, the same age as me. “Why is he hard on them?”

“It’s how he is. He’s always been incredibly protective of her since the day she was born.” She laughs. “He wouldn’t even let Evan near her for the longest time.”

“I haven’t seen him be overly protective with her.”

“He’s lightened up since you came along.”

“I guess she’s glad of that.”

“I suspect she is,” Margaret agrees.

We sit with our feet propped and Margaret tells me stories about Jack Henry as a child. I can’t stop smiling because I’m picturing this beautiful boy with dark hair and bright blue eyes getting into the mischief she’s describing.

I wonder if our babies will have his eyes. I hope so.

“What are you giving Jack Henry for his birthday?” Margaret asks.

I’m still smiling but for a different reason and I can’t keep it from her. “I have a few things for him but one special gift. He asked for a baby and I’ve decided to give him one.”

“Oh, Laurelyn.” She cups her hands over her mouth to muffle a squeal. “A baby. That’s wonderful news. Have you told him yet?”

“No. I’ll tell him tonight.” I have something very special planned but I’m keeping that part to myself.

“He’s going to be thrilled.”

“I know. I can’t wait to see his reaction.” I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a huge smile and then involve him taking me straight to bed.

Margaret claps her hand like a child. “Will you start trying right away?”

“Is tonight considered right away?”

She grins. “I have a bit of advice for you since you’re new at this.” She lifts her brows and whispers, “Put a pillow under your bum … after he does his thing. You shouldn’t get up right away; let gravity work for you.”

Omigod. Margaret is giving me pointers on how to keep Jack Henry’s sperm inside so his boys will swim upstream. This isn’t awkward at all. “Okay.” That’s all I can say.

“Stay that way about ten or fifteen minutes before you get up.” She giggles before giving me a wink. “I can’t wait to get my hands on another grandbaby.”

Mum meets us at the door. “Hello, birthday boy.” She squeezes me hard before hugging my wife. “Laurelyn.” She whispers something in her ear but I’m unable to make out what it is—just as she intends—and I’m reminded of another time when she did the same thing. These women get along too well. They’re going to unite and plot against me.

The old girl is wearing an unusually large grin tonight. That can only mean one thing when it comes to Margaret McLachlan. She’s up to something. “What’s going on, Mum?”

“It’s your birthday, son. I’m just thinking back on the day I gave birth to my firstborn.”

I’m calling bullshit. “But you’re smiling.” She never smiles when she talks about having me.

“Of course I’m smiling,” she says. “It was a happy day.”

She makes a nice attempt at sounding sincere but I know better. This woman has told me about the day I was born countless times—mostly when I caused her some type of trouble or worry.

It’s not really a story that will encourage Laurelyn to want to have our baby but she’s bound to tell her about that day from hell at some point. “She was in labor, without any kind of painkiller, for twenty-one and a half hours. I weighed over ten pounds and she thought she would die pushing me out. I’m pretty sure she begged someone to kill her, although she’s never admitted it.”

Laurelyn’s eyes grow large and her jaw drops. “Good lord. Over ten pounds?”

“I did not beg anyone to kill me.” She playfully whacks my arm. “Not more than five times, I don’t think. But I forgot all the pain when I saw him. He was so beautiful, Laurelyn. He had a headful of black hair … and I’m glad because he was face up when he came out and his head was shaped like a cone. But then he cried and it was music to my ears. He was worth everything I endured and yours will be too.”

Laurelyn doesn’t need my mum hounding her about a baby. I’m already afraid I’ve pressured her too much, so I lift my brows as a warning. “Mum.”

“I’m zipping it.” She makes a motion with her fingers across her mouth and we follow her into the living room. There’s a crowd, probably twice as many guests as usual. I see several of my mates and I know Laurelyn will be happy to meet them. Then there’s the usual suspects—my parents, Evan and Emma with their trio, and Chloe. And Ben-fucking-Donavon.

I’m blinded by red. “Why the hell are you here?”

“Jack Henry. Ben’s a guest in our home.” My mum’s voice has an edge of warning to it but I don’t care. She can whack me as hard as she’d like if she doesn’t like what I have to say.

“No one’s answered me yet. Who invited this dick?”

Chloe’s giving me the evil eye. “I did, and he’s not … a dick.”

I’m feeling ambushed by my own sister—and maybe by my own wife. “Did you know about this?”

“No.” Laurelyn’s voice has a high-pitched edge to it, so I take that as a sign she doesn’t like being accused. “I only knew that Chloe was bringing the new guy she was dating.”

My sister is out of her damn mind if she thinks I’m gonna let that happen. “Oh hell no. You’re not dating him.”

“I’ll go out with whomever I want and there’s nothing you can do about it, so stop being a dickhead.”

Fuck me. I can’t let this happen. He’s no good for her and I don’t want him near my wife. “Chloe, there’s things you don’t know about him.”

“Ben told me everything.” I somehow doubt that.

“Hey, man,” Ben says as he steps forward and gestures toward the patio door. “Could we step outside to talk this over instead of making a scene?”

Yeah. I’m sure he doesn’t want to have this conversation in front of a crowd. It’ll only prove how unsavory he is but I also fear what he’ll say about me. He’s aware that I didn’t know L’s last name after being with her for three months. I damn sure don’t want him bringing that up in front of the family, so he has me over a barrel.

“We’ll be back in a minute.”

Laurelyn places her hand on my arm and whispers, “He’s here for your sister—not me—so behave.”

“Like that’s supposed to make me feel better?”

L lifts her brow as a warning and it’s the same look I’ve seen my mum give me a thousand times. “We’re here to celebrate your birthday and I’d appreciate you not getting into a brawl.”

“I won’t, love. I swear.”

We go out to the patio and I stand with my arms crossed as I wait for what he has to say. I can’t think of a single thing I’d like to hear from this guy.

“I want to start by apologizing for my behavior with Laurelyn.”

He’s telling the wrong person. “Maybe you should apologize to her instead of me.”

“I plan to, but I knew it wasn’t possible if I didn’t go through you first.” He’s right. I’m not sure I’d allow him to get that close to her. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you the information you needed to find her, but it all seemed really weird to me. You were with Laurie for months and didn’t know her last name. I assumed there was a reason for that and it was her own decision. I thought I was protecting her.”

Protecting her, my ass! I know how much pleasure he took in denying me what I needed to know. “You did it while wearing a shit-eating grin. You loved seeing me grovel.”

“I won’t say I didn’t enjoy it. I wanted Laurelyn, and you came between us. I couldn’t see then that you were the one for her, but I realize that now. It was always you. I never had a chance.”

I’m not interested in discussing how much he wanted to fuck my wife. That much I already know. I’m more interested in what his intentions are when it comes to Chloe. He stands to gain a lot professionally by being associated with this family. Or he could just be a bastard looking to give me a jab since he was unsuccessful at closing the deal with my wife. “What about my sister? You going out with her to piss me off or do you see her as an opportunity to further yourself?”

“I like Chloe a lot and our relationship has nothing to do with you or your family.”

“Just how did this relationship come about?” I ask.

“I’m in Sydney with my internship, so Addie introduced us a few weeks ago and we hit it off. I asked her out and we’ve practically been inseparable since.” A mental picture of an inseparable Ben and Chloe isn’t something I need in my head. “I have my own business connections. I grew up in a family of winemakers just as you did, so I stand to gain nothing in that aspect by having a relationship with Chloe.”

I still don’t like this fucker. “I’m not gonna bullshit you. I do not care for you at all—and I really don’t like you being with my sister—but she’s old enough to make her own decisions. If she chooses you, then that’s her mistake, but I’ve got my eyes on you. You fuck with my sister—or my wife—and you’re mine.”

“I have no intentions of doing either, but you need to get used to the idea of me being around. I don’t plan on going anywhere as long as Chloe wants me here.”

Fucking perfect. I’ll need to thank Addison for this shit later.

The party wasn’t a total bust. L met three of my mates—Trevor, Ellis, and Wade—which made her extremely happy. I guess she feels like that’s an area she knows nothing about since she hasn’t met them before. But there are reasons. They’ve been thick as thieves this year. I’m not sure I want to know what they’ve been up to because it can’t be good. And I’m sure I’d have been part of whatever they have going on if I hadn’t been so wrapped up in finding Laurelyn, but I have my priorities in order. They have theirs too: T and A—tits and ass.

All three were checking out my wife right in front of me, but Ellis was shameless in his adoration of her breasts. They looked awesome in the dress she was wearing but I still ended up telling them all to fuck off. Doesn’t matter who it is, no one looks at my wife like that. Assholes.

They cackled, thought it was fucking hilarious. I can’t believe I was once just like those dicks, but that was all before Laurelyn. She can’t imagine all the ways she’s changed me.

I’m driving us back to the apartment we keep in Sydney. I’d prefer to be home with L at Avalon for my birthday, but I wouldn’t dare go against Margaret McLachlan’s plans when it comes to an annual birthday celebration. She loves tradition, even demands it.

L didn’t seem to mind and I think it’s because she enjoys her new place in this family. It’s quite different than what she had growing up. She enjoys being surrounded by those who love her, and boy, is my family crazy about her, especially Mum. There was something different between them tonight and I don’t know what. Whatever it is, I’ve never seen Mum like this with Emma, or even Chloe.

“You’re not okay with Ben and Chloe.”

“No, I’m definitely not but what can I do? She’s not a child. I have to remind myself often that she’s the same age as you.” Laurelyn and Chloe are different kinds of twenty-three-year-olds. L was forced to grow up fast so she’s always felt more mature to me. As much as I love Chloe, she’s been spoiled by all of us, including me, so it’s difficult to think of her as an adult.

“Ben isn’t a bad guy. Take me out of the equation and you wouldn’t have had a problem with him. The two of you have a lot in common. I could see you being friends.”

Maybe, but L is in the equation. “I don’t know if I could ever be friends with him. He knew you were mine and still went after you.”

“But he didn’t get me and he never will because I’m yours and that isn’t going to change.” She reaches for my hand. “He was very sincere in his apology to me and I truly believe he likes Chloe for the right reasons. Please try to tolerate him for her sake—she really likes him.”

I better not regret this. “I’ll give him a chance, but his ass is mine if he does anything to hurt my sister.”

“I’ll gladly turn you loose on him, McLachlan.” L reaches for her phone. “Nothing from Addison. She and Chloe have been hanging out a lot since the wedding, but I’m puzzled about the reason she didn’t tell me about them.”

I’m not puzzled. “She didn’t want you to tell me so I could ruin it before it got started.”

“Maybe. She’d expect you to go apeshit crazy, so maybe that’s it. But she’s been weird lately—sort of like she’s checked out on me the last couple of weeks.”

Addison’s never been great at being there for L so I’m not sure why she’s surprised by this. “Ask her to breakfast when we get back to Wagga. Take her to Fusion and you can coerce the truth out of her with their Belgian waffles. They’re magnificent.”

“Speaking of breakfast, I’m going out to eat with your mum and the girls in the morning before we go back.”

“That sounds good.”

“What will you do while I’m gone?”

“Sleep in.”

She looks at me skeptically. “You don’t sleep in.”

“I do once a year because I need my rest after my wife gives me birthday sex all night long.” Her laugh tells me she must think that’s pretty funny. “Don’t tell me you find that humorous because I’m wrong.”

“You’re not entirely wrong but there’s more to it than that.”

“Partially wrong?”

“I refuse to answer that. You’ll find out in two minutes when we’re inside and you open your gift from me.” Nice. I bet she’s going to wear some sexy lingerie.

We go into the apartment. L tells me to sit on the couch while she gets my birthday gift from our bedroom. I’m not so sure it’s what I was thinking. She isn’t acting like herself—she seems nervous.

She returns to the living room and sits next to me before placing a small rectangular box in my hand. It’s wrapped in chocolate-brown paper with a blue ribbon bow and definitely isn’t big enough for lingerie—unless it’s really tiny.

“Open it.”

I remove the bow and tear into the paper as I ponder what could be inside. It’s a simple white gift box. What is this? A bracelet? I hope not since I’m not a fan of men in bracelets, but I’d wear it if it’s what she gave me.

I remove the top and I’m confused by what I see. “A pregnancy test?” She just had her period a couple of weeks ago, so she can’t possibly need to take a test.

“No. It’s an ovulation predictor. It tells me when I’m most fertile.”

I can only think of two reasons she’d use this: to avoid having sex on the days she’s fertile so she doesn’t become pregnant, or the complete opposite—because she’s ready to. “And you want to know when you’re fertile because … ?”

“You asked me to have your baby, and this is me saying yes.” A smile spreads across her face. “A baby … it’s my gift to you.”