Broken (8 page)

Ciera stirred, feeling uncomfortable.

“Sometimes I wonder how she would have been with Melly, as Melly is now.”

“What do you mean?”

“She wasn’t the motherly type. We got pregnant unexpectedly. She didn’t want kids, but I did. I pleaded with her on my knees to have Melly. She did because she loved me.”

Ciera gasped. She couldn’t believe what he was saying was true. A mother not want Melly? Not possible.

“She loved Melly after she was born, of course, but I was the one taking care of our daughter most of the time. I retired from the military to do it so she could keep working. Melly is my world.”

Ciera grinned. “I know.”

“You’re not like her, Ciera,” he said again. “Not in the least.”

Chapter Ten

Melly held her spoon up in the air waving it around. She happily chewed the food that Ciera had cooked with Nathan. He had insisted she stay over another night, and she had. With access to her online files using his Internet connection, she was able to get her work done. Well, in between the interruptions from Melly, who wanted to use the computer sitting on Ciera’s lap, and Nathan, who just wanted attention period.

Now they sat together at the table, eating dinner. Ciera had wanted to continue talking to him about how he felt, but earlier Melly had run into the room and insisted on them being her playmates the rest of the day.

“I think she likes your mashed potatoes,” Ciera told Nathan.

“Mm, me too. I’m a great cook.”

Ciera smirked and rolled her eyes.

“Don’t be jealous. Your sloppy joe was fine.”

She smacked his arm. “That’s why you wolfed down three and stole half of mine.”

“Two,” he corrected. “It was only two, and you have to admit you’d eaten most of yours.”

“Whatever, piglet.”

Melly jumped up in her chair and pointed at her daddy, grin wide and hand beneath her chin waving it. Ciera knew from previous teasing between father and daughter that this meant pig.

Nathan snorted a few times. “You’re going to pay for that!”

Melly shook her head.

“Nope, you lost that round, Daddy,” Ciera tease, and Nathan got an odd look on his face as he watched her. She raised her eyebrows at him, but he went back to playing with Melly. Ciera wondered what he was thinking but dismissed it. She reached across to take Melly’s hand. “Sit down, baby. No standing at the dinner table.”

Melly popped into her seat and continued to eat her food.

When they were done eating, Ciera helped Nathan wash dishes while Melly serenaded them banging on a pot.

“Bedtime, young lady,” Nathan announced at eight.

Melly jumped to her feet ready to take off, but Nathan caught her by the back of her overalls and hoisted her over his shoulder. Ciera started into the living room, but Nathan caught her, too.

“You help,” he said.

“Help what?”

“Give her a bath.”

She blinked at him and bit her lip. “Really?”

“Yeah, really. Let’s go. This one is liable to conk out unexpectedly because she goes zero to sixty all day.”

Ciera laughed. “I’ve seen that. Okay, let’s go.”

As the two of them bent over the tub washing Melly, Ciera grew misty-eyed. They were like a family. She didn’t want to enjoy the time spent with Nathan and Melly so much, but she couldn’t help herself. She tried thinking of it in terms of it being a great experience that even if it didn’t last, she could enjoy looking back on it in the future. That was no help either because she needed it to last.

Water splashed in Ciera’s face, and she blinked. Nathan grinned. “Are you here?”

“I’m here.” She splashed him back. Melly slapped the water surface, soaking them both.

“Great, Melly, thanks for that,” her daddy said.

She gave him a thumbs-up and stuck the tip of her tiny tongue out. He laughed, and so did Ciera. Nathan let Ciera lift Melly into the towel and dry her off. The two of them got her into her pajamas and tucked her in. When Nathan had read her a story from one of her many books, with full dramatic flare, they each kissed the little girl and left the room.

Ciera started for the living room, but Nathan stopped her once again. “You’re coming with me. We’re going to finish what we started.”

“What did we start?”

“Come and see.”

Chapter Eleven

In Nathan’s bed, naked and in his arms, Ciera rested her hands against his chest. His skin was so hot, and she felt his heart racing beneath her palms. Was it beating so hard because he’d pushed a thigh between hers or because he promised to tell her how he felt? Either way, she waited for him to speak.

“I’m falling for you, Ciera.”

She trembled, and he touched her lower back with the tips of his fingers, drawing her into his chest. Ciera tried rearranging her legs but managed to spread them just enough to feel his erection against her mound. Desire coiled in her belly. This wasn’t the time to get distracted. She touched her lips to his throat and shut her eyes.

“Whether that’s because I want a woman in my life or something different, I feel like I love you.”

She made a small choked sound, terrified but swept away. “Nathan, we—”

“Shh,” he whispered in the dark. “I love you. I told you’re special, and it’s true. I loved Melly’s mom, but she didn’t need me. She wouldn’t have needed Melly, not really. I know she loved me, and she loved Melly. But need? I hope you can understand what I mean.”

She thought she understood. So long, she had stood on her own two feet, and when her ex hurt her, she curled inside and tried to stand stronger. The truth of the matter was she ached with her whole being to be loved and to love someone else. The thought of it made her want to crumble into dust, and she still didn’t accept that Nathan could love
her
, and love her so soon. Him saying it though was like a symphony playing just for her.

Ciera longed to tell Nathan she loved him, but she wasn’t sure. Of her feelings or of them. He didn’t appear to expect her to tell him she loved him.

“You need me, Ciera, and I’m the kind of man who likes being needed.” He chuckled.

“I knew you were a perv,” she teased. “You like submissive women, on their knees.”

She felt his smile. “On your knees in front of me isn’t bad.”

When she pretended she would knee him, he caught her legs between his. Then he hoisted one thigh over his hips and drew her so close, the head of his shaft pressed to her opening. A small moan escaped her lips.

“That’s what you get for sassing me,” he said.

“I think I should sass you every day.”

“Please do.” He raised her chin and kissed her lip. Ciera surrendered to his mouth, loving the way he delved his tongue between her lips and giving her that defenseless feeling. Nathan’s hand slid along her back, down to her ass, and he pulled it up. Her folds parted, and he sank inside. She gasped.

“Nathan, you’re not wearing a condom.”

“I’m only going to be making love with you. Tell me you’ll be mine alone.”

“But…”

He kissed her and then drew back. “I don’t want to do anything you don’t want. If you don’t want to be exclusive.”

“Idiot, we’ve been exclusive since we met.”

He nipped her bottom lip. “Then that settles it.” He thrust deeper, and she whined with pleasure. He was so wonderfully thick and long. She loved having his shaft inside her, stroking in and out until she couldn’t hold on. Nathan had learned her body fast, and he paid attention not only to her subtle signals, he asked her what she wanted. She’d felt freer because of it, to guide him into pleasuring her body, and she did the same for him. Not that it took much for Nathan. He was so sensitive, all he needed was to be buried in her snatch, and he could come.

“I don’t want you to be unsure of me,” he said and sucked her earlobe between his lips. Ciera grabbed the back of her thigh and pushed forward. His dick slid a tiny bit deeper, and her jaw went slack. Her core muscles clenched around his shaft, milking him, encouraging him to stay forever. She felt come dripping onto her upper thighs each time he withdrew.

“Nothing matters except you right now, Nathan.” She whimpered, and he hissed.

“Baby, say my name again. It drives me crazy.”

“Nathan.”

“You’re going to make me come in you. Please, Ciera, can I come in you?”

He set her body on fire. They moved slow and in unison, apart and together. Ciera hooked her heel against his ass and arched her hips. Her breasts flattened on his chest, nipples taut. “Yes, come in me, Nathan. I want all of it.”

He growled and rolled her to her back, bringing his weight heavy down on top of her. She spread her legs as wide as she could get them, raising her hips to take her lover. He hissed his lust, pumping deep, pulling almost all the way out, and then barrowing to the hilt.

Nathan reached under her to grasp her ass. He squeezed her cheeks and drew her upward. He ground into her hard, and she bit off a scream. The next instant, she felt his hot seed filling her. His forehead touched hers, and his breath warmed her lips. “I can’t believe how good it is inside you. I want you every day. I’m never leaving you.”

She trembled. “You don’t know that.”

“I know it, but it’s okay if you don’t believe it yet. You will. I promise you, you’ll know it when I look over at you as an old man and say ‘one more time, dear?’”

She laughed. Her bud buzzed, aching for her own release. Nathan was moving slow, trying to stimulate her while not as hard. She knew from experience, he would recover soon and give her all she needed.

“I’m not sure how much I’ll want your old wrinkled schlong.”

He cupped her face, keeping her from moving and sampled her lips several times. When he raised his head, he whispered, “You’re going to enjoy my schlong from now on.”

“Oh, is that right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

And he proceeded to prove it to her several times over.

Chapter Twelve

Several months later

“Okay, Ciera. We had to do some testing again before we do the procedure to remove the fibroids. It’s been a while.”

“Right, of course.” Ciera shifted in her seat. Why did she have to feel so uncomfortable? Plenty of people got new partners, some every other week. Yet, there she sat embarrassed in her doctor’s office. Instead of being there with her ex Tony, this time it was with Nathan. When she’d told the man she felt weird taking him along, he had told her in no uncertain terms he was going. Period. Talk about stubborn. She’d rolled her eyes and accepted it, but in the face of her doctor and recalling the last experience, she figured she should have changed doctors.
Why, oh, why didn’t I change doctors?

“Ciera?”

“Oh, sorry, what did you say?” She felt the room ready to swirl should she get bad news. “Am I a candidate for the surgery?”

“No, not at this time, sweetheart.”

Tears pricked Ciera’s eyes, and she looked at Nathan, who squeezed her hands lying in his.

The doctor shifted the papers on her desk and smiled. “That’s because you’re already pregnant, Ciera.”

“Wh-what?”

Nathan whooped. “You’re kidding!”

“I wouldn’t kid about something so important to you. You’re six weeks pregnant.”

“I didn’t dare believe it,” Ciera said, and her voice went out completely. She covered her face and tried to pull her other hand away from Nathan so she could run out of the room. He dragged her to him and kissed her. His arms around her shoulders brought a small sob to her lips before she suppressed it.

“We’re parents again, baby,” he whispered in her ear. “Wait till Melly hears.”

Ciera’s heart constricted. She faced the doctor. “Are you sure? I mean six weeks is early, and there’s still danger, isn’t there?”

The doctor agreed. She outlined the risks of Ciera miscarrying. “But we’re going through this one step at a time, and we’re going to be hopeful. Right?”

“Right,” Nathan readily agreed.

Ciera glared at him, but her caution didn’t dampen his excitement for a second. After they spoke with the doctor some more about prenatal care, they left the office with Ciera in a daze. She sat across from Nathan as he drove with all kinds of thoughts in her head. Meanwhile, her crazy lover practically vibrated in his joy.

“I guess there’s only one thing to do,” he said.

She glanced at him. “What?”

“Get married.”

“Are you crazy?”

“We’re having a baby, Ciera. I know you’re happy about it. I’m thrilled.”

“I couldn’t tell,” she snapped.

He squeezed her knee, and she smacked his hand away. “I love you. You love me. It’s simple.”

“I might lose it.”

“Don’t say that,” he roared. She jumped. Nathan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, and he found a lot to pull into. When he had the car parked, he faced her. “Ciera, you and I have had a lot of loss. Don’t talk about more.”

She refused to back down. “It’s a reality, and if I lose your baby, it will prove—”

“It will prove how strong we are.”

“How the hell did you come to that conclusion?”

He grabbed her hand. “Because, damn it, I would come through it, fighting with everything in me, and I’ll drag your beautiful ass with me.”

She couldn’t help a snort of laughter.

“We’re already a family. I’m just waiting for you to tell me yes. When you do, then we’ll be perfect. I want another baby or two—”

“Two?” she screeched.

“But if we don’t have another, we have Melly.”

“You’re impossible.” She climbed out of the car, and he followed her, walking around to her side. His arms encircled her, and she didn’t pull away because she needed to be held. Crippling fear trapped her in its grip, but with it came a niggling of hope. She was actually pregnant this time.
Her
, Ciera Treat. That hadn’t happened before. Ciera drew warmth and comfort from Nathan’s embrace, but then she pushed him away. “Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean we should get married.”

“In my world it does. Besides, I’ve been asking you for weeks.”