Falling Stars (50 page)

"Oh
god…please," she begged and thrust her hips forward. Grabbing a pillow,
she covered her face to muffle the volume of her cries.

My
touch stayed constant between her thighs as I crawled back up her body, leaving
kisses and nibbles on her skin. With one stop at her breast, eliciting a deep
moan, the work of my tongue ring, I continued up her body.

Once
face to face, she knotted her hands in my hair and attacked me with a deep
kiss. Her body trembled and she whimpered into my mouth. When she'd come down
from her release I pulled away her underwear and removed my boxers. Our bodies
positioned to complete our union. We met each other at the same time.

Skimming
across her skin lightly I ran my hand over her breast and down to her thigh. I
grasped her thigh easily and pulled it upward as we slowly moved in unison.
Moaning incoherently, I had to still myself until I could find the strength to
continue.

"Ah…Christopher,"
she pleaded and pushed her hips forward to get me moving.

Slowly,
I began to move in and out of her, over and over, building an amazing tension.
Mia writhed beneath me and as hot as she looked while doing, it I kept my
motions easy and loving. I needed her to feel everything I couldn't find the
words to say.

Releasing
her thigh from my grasp, I ghosted my hand over her body, cupping her face. Her
eyes opened to meet mine. Staring into hers, I made love to her, hoping it
conveyed all of my feelings.

Her
head snapped back. With a loud gasp, her body tensed around me. I claimed her
neck as the wave of my explosion took me under. Lying side-by-side just
touching and lightly kissing for almost an hour she cupped my face with a
worried look on her face.

"What's
wrong?" My hand smoothly ran over the roundness of her hip.

"Um,"
her brow furrowed and she bit her lip. That damn lip biting was so erotic
without her knowing. I had to lean forward and suck on that lip for a second.
When I release her lip, she still looked worried.

"Tell
me," I grinned.

"My
father wants to meet you tonight," She said quickly and covered her face
with her hands. "He knows about the baby."

That
was the last thing I heard before I visualized a shotgun-wielding cop chasing
me down the driveway and out the state.

Chapter
Twenty-Five

In
the shower, I had hoped the hot water would ease my stress. Her father wanted
to meet me and he knew about the baby. I hadn't even told Nicholas and Gwen. I
wasn't sure what Mia wanted. After showering and shaving, I pulled on some
jeans and a long sleeved black t-shirt. Hiding the tattoos covering my arms was
the least I could do. My appearance was the last thing I needed working against
me. And, let's face it. I wasn't exactly the nine-to-five boy next door that
fathers preferred.

When
I got downstairs, Mia's voice mingled with Serena and Laney is in the kitchen.
Ryan was watching cartoons. Sitting down next to him, my leg nervously bounced
making Ry glare at me. There was a quick knock on the door. I froze. Mia
appeared from the kitchen and walked up to the women who'd let herself in.

"Hey,"
Mia greeted with a hug and kiss to Linda's cheek.

"So,
a baby huh?" Linda smiled brightly. Mia reluctantly nodded. "Yeah!"
she reached for Mia and squeezed her tightly. "I'm excited! Are you?"

"Uhm,"
A tall dark haired man with a thick beard stepped into the house. My mind
conjured up Grizzly Adams with a hint of Brawny Man.

"Hey,
baby," leaning down, he kissed the top of her head. Quickly, I stood from
the couch. My t-shirt suddenly felt stifling.

"Ganpah!"
Ryan jumped from the couch.

"There's
my little deputy," he chuckled and lifted Ryan to his chest. "So,
have you been keeping the house safe?" Ryan nodded. "Good job. It's
important to keep our girls safe."

"I
do," Ry exclaimed proudly.

"Hey
dad," Serena kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly. Once he was in full
view, I scanned for his gun. Hey, if you were me, you would do the same damn
thing. My shoulders relaxed a little and I breathed easier when I didn't see a
weapon.

"Hey
princess," he squeezed Serena around her shoulders.

"Dinner
is almost ready," Laney announced as she entered the room.

"Fast
Lane," Mia's father exclaimed with a large smile. He walked forward to
meet her in the middle. They hugged.

"Hey
Jonathan," Laney giggled.

"Laney…what
did I tell you about that name?" he used a joking tone.

"I
know, I know….Dad," she laughed. Then Laney stepped over to Linda.

A
large lump formed in my throat when Mia appeared next to me. Her father's
narrowed eyes locked on me.

"It's
good to see you again."

My
attention was drawn to Linda who'd come to stand in front of me. She rubbed my
shoulder and smiled.

"Yes
good to see you too." I sounded like an idiot. Linda smiled.

Walking
by Mia's father, she put her hand on his shoulder and leaned in to the side of
his head. I couldn't hear what she said to him, but his grunt didn't sound
promising. Linda disappeared into the kitchen with Serena, Ryan, and Laney.

Mia
cleared her throat.

"Dad,
this is Christopher, Christopher, this is my dad, John."

"It's
good to meet you, Mr. Ryder." Putting my hand out to him, he eyed it
before applying his firm grip.

"Nice
to meet you Christopher," his tone was flat. "Mia, why don't you let
Christopher and I have a moment to talk…man to man."

Uh
oh. Commence double check for guns.

"Uhm,"
She looked at me from the corner of my eye. I forced a reassuring smile. "Okay."
She rubbed my arm and stepped to the kitchen. My eyes followed her until she
disappeared through the doorway.

"Ahem."
He deliberately cleared his throat.

"Let's
have a seat." He motioned to the couch as he sat in a chair. He didn't sit
back. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "So, Christopher,
you were on tour with Mia and the girls?"

I
nodded. "Yes sir."

"I
guess at some point during that time you realized you loved my daughter?"
he looked skeptical.

"Umm…yes."
As the answer left my lips, my mind flashed back to all of the 'Mia' moments
over our time together. I tried to pinpoint that exact moment I fell, the
moment I missed the first time. The moment I didn't realize until my fucking
therapist had to drag it out of the depths of my messed up head.

"You
don't sound so sure, Christopher. Are you sure you even love my daughter?"
One thick bushy brow rose. This man was really hairy.

"Dad!"
Mia scolded from the doorway.

"Eavesdropping
isn't something I taught you," he smirked.

"Look
–"

"Mia,
please, it's fine," she was about to argue with me, but my deep sigh
stopped her. "He just cares about you." I turned looked back to John

"Mr.
Ryder," he looked back at me. I made sure to hold his eyes. "I've
never been surer about anything in my life." His eyes stayed on mine,
reading my face.

"Very
well then," he sat back into the chair. "So tell me why my baby is
having a baby? Are condoms an inconvenience to you, son?" There went the
caterpillar brow again.

"No
sir," I cleared my throat quietly. "It wasn't something that was
planned. To be honest I wasn't thinking clearly and even though the baby wasn't
something either of us expected I wouldn't want to ever take it back."

"So
if you could go back and change it you wouldn't? You would still be unsafe and
allow her to get pregnant?"

I
took a deep breath, sure, he was going to hate my answer, but I figured it was
better than lying.

"No,
I wouldn't change it. I couldn't want anything else, not now that I know and
feel what I do."

"Hmmm…."
He was analyzing my every move, my every twitch. "So have you thought
about marriage?"

I was
quicker with this response.

"She
won't marry me," I grinned.

"That's
my girl," he smiled proud. With that, he stood up and I stood with him. "Pleasure
to meet you Christopher," he held his hand out to me this time. I shook it
firmly. Then he leaned in close to me. "Just remember to treat her good
because as the Chief of Police I have connections and a legal right to carry
and use firearms." I blinked a couple of times. He chuckled on his way to
the kitchen.

"You
okay?" Mia pulled me out of my hunter versus prey visions.

"Yeah,"
I smiled and cupped her concerned face. "He was fine."

"Yeah
well just ignore his threats. Every boyfriend I've ever had is still alive."
She giggled, walking away.

Her
comment about 'boyfriends' started to rip a whole in my chest. Grabbing her
arm, she turned her head back to me with a questioning expression.

"How
many boyfriends are we talking about?"

Mia
laughed and shook her head pulling away from me. She hadn't answered me. She
assumed I was kidding. I wasn't.

Many
horrid visions were going through my head. The little girl with mahogany hair
in the photo on the wall with her first crush, junior high Mia when boys
started to notice her maturity, high school Mia when guys would be drooling and
all over each other to get at her. I had to shake my head and swallow the large
lump now in my throat. Just thinking that someone else had been with her, loved
her, and held her was making me nauseous. I hated them all without knowing how
many there were.

We
sat around the dining room table laughing while John and Linda told stories
about Mia and the girls. He had a nickname for just about everyone at the
table. Mia was baby, Serena was princess, Ryan was Deputy Ryder, Laney was Fast
Lane, Kat was Kit Kat, and Linda was Woman. He used them frequently throughout
the evening. I wanted to ask the meaning behind some of them, but was pretty
sure John and I weren't on that level yet.

John
met Elliott the same night and had also pulled him aside for
the talk
.
When Elliott came back in the room, he sat next to me with a stunned expression
on his face. He blew out a large breath. I leaned toward him.

"Try
being the one that got his daughter pregnant." I grinned and straightened
back up.

Elliott
smirked, "No thanks, dude".

Once
the table was cleared, we went to the living room where Ryan was showing John
his new video game. John kept rubbing his head and looking to Mia or Serena for
help. Elliott came to his rescue with a pat on the back. He sat down and
started to play with Ryan. John gave him a look of gratitude.

Mia
was sitting away from me and I hated it. I wanted her close. However, I
controlled my urges and stayed in my seat. The conversations changed over to
the holidays. The fact they were only a couple of weeks away reminded me to
talk to Mia about taking a trip to see Nicholas and Gwen.

After
John and Linda left, I pulled Mia away to her room. As soon as we were through
the door, I picked her up bridal style, which she yelled at me for. I lay her
down and climbed over her body.

"Would
you object to going to see Gwen and Nicholas?" She couldn't hide the
nervousness and fear creasing her face. "Mia you have nothing to worry
about," I smirked. "Nicholas doesn't own guns." She laughed and
hit me in the arm. Leaning forward, I kissed her forehead.

"I
just…I don't know. I mean you dealt with John, so I should probably do the same
for you," she smiled a little and bit her lip with a shrug. She was just
too damn cute. I pressed my lips to hers. "Are you trying to bribe me?"

"I
may have to since I want to leave this weekend to see them. This way you can be
back with your family for Christmas."

"Oh,"
was her response. "Did you already make the arrangements?"

"No."
I pushed stray hairs from her face. "I wanted to talk to you first."
She smiled and kissed me back.

After
leaving her room, I called Nicholas to let him know we would be arriving on
Saturday. Gwen called me a half hour later, over-the-moon about our visit,
wanting to know what she should make for dinner, breakfast, etc. She also
wanted to have an early Christmas with us. I knew Gwen would adore Mia. Hell,
she was already infatuated with Mia. To Gwen, she is the girl that had drawn my
attention and changed me. In Gwen's eyes, Mia was an angel.

The
drive was mostly quiet, with a few questions from Mia about Nicholas and Gwen.
When we pulled down the long driveway, I looked over at her. Her eyes enlarged
at the size of the house. This was Gwen's pride and joy. She restored the old
three-story Victorian home and decorated it.

Before
I could get around to the passenger side of the car, Mia had gotten out and
stood holding onto the metal frame of the open door.