Frosted Midnight: A Christmas Novella (6 page)

“I know,” he said hoarsely. “But it’s my turn.”

I lay back on the bed, opening myself wide for him. He positioned himself. 

“I’m going to make you feel so good,” he said,
lowering his mouth over my clit.

I
had every intention of giving him a response. I wanted to tell him he already did make me feel good, but his tongue licked my clit and slid down my slit.

My body shuddered. “Austin,” I moaned, grabbing fistfuls of hair.

He suckled my clit and moved his tongue and lips until I was lost in the pleasure, lost in the heat and pressure and tightness as my need for him built and grew. I didn’t think I could take anymore and moved my head from side to side. Austin slid his tongue inside. That sent me over the edge and I came undone.

“How you feeling?” he asked with a smug grin
, kissing me firmly on the mouth.

“Awful,” I
responded breathlessly, tasting myself on him, kissing him deeper, sucking on his tongue.

He growled and pushed my thighs wider as he
pushed deep inside.

I moaned
.

He lifted
his chin and shut his eyes. “I love the way I feel inside you,” he whispered, rocking into me.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him, admiring the tightness of his chest, the ripples of his abs, his trim w
aist, and the cut of his thighs. He looked incredible and felt even better. I moved my hips so that our bodies slammed into each other. His eyes found mine and held me fast. I reached out and touched his abs. He grabbed my thighs and pulled me further onto him. I cried out in ecstasy.

“Fuck, Austin.
” I moaned, leaning up so I could watch him move in and out. Seeing the way his shaft rammed into me was so hot. Austin moved faster, our body slapping together. Another orgasm was building and I lay back, closing my eyes. He slowed, readjusting his body so he covered mine. I wrapped my legs around his hips. He tucked his arms under my shoulders and then pushed his hips so he went even deeper.

I held his gaze, trying to focus, and bit my lip. He leaned down and suckled my lip away from my teeth and pressed into me again.

“I love making love to you. I love you,” he said.

“I love you too, Austin. And I fucking love the things you do to my body.”

He smiled like a kid in a candy store. His eyes twinkled. “You ready to come again?”

I rolled my eyes. “If you think you’re up to the challenge.”

He rocked his hips into me again, letting my feel just how up to it he was.

I gasped. He covered my mouth with a kiss.

We moved as one, our bodies coming together seamlessly. He started out slowly and then moved his arms, angling himself so that he could get really deep. I could keep myself quiet any more.

“Fuck me, Austin. Oh, God. Fuck me hard.”

He moved faster and faster. My orgasm built quickly and I came to pieces under him.

His orgasm happened right after mine. He gave one final thrust
, then he rested his forehead against mine. Our noses touched. Our breaths mingled.

And I realized anything was possible if we did it together.

The doctor’s office was pristine
: white walls, clean lines, modern furniture. A woman in her fifties sat behind a cherry wood desk. On it was a computer screen, a thick pen, and a cream file. I was guessing it was mine. Nothing else.

The doctor
wore a light gray suit with a white blouse, shiny taupe nylons, and black pumps. Her silvery-white hair was pulled back in a bun. She had the bluest eyes and thin silver reading glasses sat on the end of her nose.

Austin was next to me, holding my hand. I’d taken all the tests and this was the moment when the doctor would give me the results, give it to my straight. I noted her stoic demeanor, the look of a woman who’d been delivering bad news for a really long time.

“Well, Miss St. James.” She picked up my file and opened it, though I had the feeling it was out of habit and not because she didn’t already know what it contained. “Your results came back that you do in fact have a tumor sitting on your spine between the fourth and fifth vertebrae.” She paused. “I’m sure you’re aware of that.”

I swallowed, nervous. Austin squeezed my hand. It wasn’t any easier getting crappy news the second time around, but I was doing it for the man next to me. He needed to hear what the doctor had to say.

“Yes, I am,” I said crossing and uncrossing my legs. I’d chosen to wear a flowery sundress; even though it was mid-January, the weather in Dallas was a balmy seventy-six degrees.

“Of course.” She cleared her throat and worried butterflies began zipping around in my stomach.
“It seems,” she quickly glanced at Austin before continuing, “that there’s another, smaller mass between your third and fourth vertebrae…”

I gasped.

“As well as another between the first and second.”

Austin sat up straight and squeezed my hand tighter.

I couldn’t breathe. I tried to inhale but I couldn’t do it. I leaned over, hanging my head. Austin got out of his chair and kneeled next to me.

“It’s alright,” he repeated over and over.

But the more he said it, the more I didn’t believe it. I gritted my teeth and forced back any emotion. My hair had fallen into my eyes and I tucked it behind my ears. After several more deep breaths, I sat up straight. “I see. So what’s the prognosis?” I asked, staring at a point directly above the doctor’s head. I couldn’t look her in the eyes, and I sure as shit couldn’t look at Austin. One tumor was bad enough, but three? Shit. Shit. Shit.

Austin knelt next to me a moment longer, but when he realized I wouldn’t look at him, he moved
over to his seat.

She cleared her throat. “I think we need to go after the cancer aggressively. I think we should operate to remove them and then—”

“Wait.” I raised my hand. “My doctor told me the tumor I had was inoperable, that the only treatment was chemo. Are you saying you can operate on them?”

“Yes, Miss St. James, I’m saying I can operate and that I can get most i
f not all of the tumors. Once the operation is over, I’ll recommend you go through a round of chemotherapy and that should destroy the rest, leaving your body cancer free.”

I leaned forward. “And what are the risks of doing the operation
?” Obviously if my doctor said he couldn’t do it that meant it was difficult to say the least, probably near impossible.

“Well,” she took off her reading glasses and clasped her hands together. “There is a chance you’ll be paralyzed, if not fully then partially from the waist down
, and there’s also the possibility that there’ll be complications while you’re on the table and you’ll die.”

I glanced at Austin finally with raised eyebrows. He was pale and his jaws were clenched together.

Austin was freaking out.

Keeping my eyes on him, I asked, “Okay, and if I don’t do the surgery? What then?”

She nodded as though she expected the question. “Then you’ll live a relatively pain free life over the next three to six months. A year if you’re lucky.”

Austin closed his eyes and I felt the butterflies burst.

“How soon do I need to give you an answer?” I turned back to the doctor.

“The sooner the better.” She clicked a few buttons on her computer. “I can get you
in for the surgery on Friday at eight-thirty in the morning, if that’s what you decide to do.” She leaned back. “Mr. Merrick, do you have any questions?”

He opened his eyes. “No, not at the moment.” Then he stood and stuck out his hand. The doctor took it. “Thank you so much for your time, Vivianne. I really—” his voice broke.

“It’s my pleasure, Austin. Really.” She patted his hand.

Austin grabbed my hand and we walked to the door. “We’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow. Will that be enough time?”

“Yes, that’ll be fine.”

We left
, walked past the receptionist and over to the elevator. Austin pushed the down arrow. I sensed the stress rolling off him.

“Are you going to be okay?” I asked quietly.

He glanced over but didn’t respond.

The elevator doors opened and we stepped inside. He pushed the L for lobby and we rode down in silence.

When we were outside, Austin leaned over taking in big gulps of air. I stood beside him, wondering if he was going to puke. Emma had been sick often enough that I figured I could handle it. What I wasn’t prepared for was the sob that ripped from his chest. It tore into me.

“Austin,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around him. We were on the sidewalk. People gave us a wide berth and I was grateful.

He seemed to suddenly realize where we were and stood, adjusted the jacket on his black suit, and grabbed my hand. We walked to his vehicle—a big black truck. He unlocked it and helped me in.

When the doors were shut he started the car, then turned to face me. “You’re having the surgery.”

“Excuse me?” I said, irritated by his commanding voice.

“There isn’t even a question. Of course you’ll have the surgery.” 

I buckled my seatbelt and turned away from him. “I could die,” I whispered, thinking about Emma. It was a Monday. Emma was almost six months old, and in four days I could be dead. No more seeing her beautiful face, kissing her chubby cheeks, kissing her sweet feet. Nothing. I wasn’t ready for that possibility.

“You won’t die. You won’t,” he said, his voice full of anguish.

It almost killed me hearing the pain in his voice. He’d already lost his first love, and now he might lose me. I wished there was a way I could take his pain away. I would do anything in my power to make him happy. Anything.

“You don’t know that. You heard what the doctor said. There could be complications. Or I could be paralyzed.” I glanced at him, a sudden desire for him to really understand what he was asking. “Four days and I might not see Emma again.” Tears filled my eyes and leaked onto my cheek. I didn’t stop them. “Four more days and I might lose you again. Don’t you get that? At least if I don’t have the surgery I’ll be guaranteed another three months to a year. That’s better. That gives me time.”

“You’re selfish,” Austin barked and threw the car into drive. He pulled out into traffic.

I grabbed the dash. “It’s selfish that I want more time with the people I love?” My mom and sisters had come to stay at Austin’s gigantic house while I had my tests done. It’d been great having us all together under one roof. Austin fit
right in with the St. James girls. He was sweetly flirty with my mom and brotherly with my sisters.

And the way he was with Emma? He was the best father. Patient. Funny. Sweet. Emma adored him.

We spent the mornings together. Then Austin went to work for a few hours and my mom, sisters and I would hang out. Austin would come home. Sometimes he’d take me out, or cook us all a meal. And our lovemaking? If I could imagine the perfect lover, it would be Austin. He was everything I could imagine and more. 

I didn’t want to let that go. I wouldn’t.

When we got home, Austin told my mom and sisters. They talked and argued, but I needed to see Emma. I went into her room. It’d been done in Winnie-the-Pooh, just like her room back in Bandon, but this one was much larger.

I walked to her crib and peeked inside. She wasn’t asleep, but was staring wide-eyed up at the mobile above her.
Her eyes were red and I knew she was tired.

“Hi, baby-girl.
Can’t you sleep?” I wound the button at the top of the mobile. Music played as it twirled in a slow circle.

She’d recently learned to clap and did it all the time.
She clapped now.

“What, Emma? Are you happy?”

She looked at me and smiled.

“You want mommy to hold you?” I reached in and picked her up
, then went over to the table and changed her. She had on the cutest pink outfit with Piglet on the front. I pulled on a clean pair of socks, then picked her up. She snuggled into the crook of my neck and I sat down in the rocking chair.

“Mommy doesn’t know what to do.” I
said softly, rubbing her back. “I don’t want to leave you—ever. But if I don’t have the surgery, that’ll happen in a year.” I kissed the top of her head, smelling the delicious smell only babies had. “If I have the surgery, there’s a chance I’ll be completely cancer free and I could live a long time, long enough to see you married and have children of your own.” I leaned my head against the chair, closing my eyes, trying to imagine my life as an old lady. 

And that’s what made my decision for me. I wanted to be around to be a grandmother.
Or at least around long enough to see Austin go gray.

There was a light creaking sound and I knew someone had come in. I opened my eyes and saw Austin. The worried expression on his face softened.

“I’ll do it,” I whispered, glancing down at my beautiful baby girl. She’d finally fallen asleep.

His body relaxed and he heaved a giant breath. “Thank you, Will. I think that’s the best decision.”

“I know.”

Austin took Emma from me and laid her in her crib.

I took his hands and whispered, “There’s a lot to get done in four days.”

He raised a brow. “Like?”

I tried to pull him out of Emma’s room. I needed to have a serious talk with him. I wanted to make sure everything was in order where Emma was concerned. I didn’t want him to keep her from my mom and sisters. They were her family. Emma needed them and they needed her. They’d been in her life since the day she was born. My family adored her. I wouldn’t let him keep Emma from them.

Then there were the monetary issues. Austin’s name was on Emma’s birth certificate, but because we weren’t married that didn’t mean much. There were two options: Do a DNA test or get married. Either would legally bind Emma to Austin, especially since
she was his.

“We need to talk.”

Austin allowed me to tug him from the room. When the door was closed, he wrapped me in his arms. “Tell me?”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and snuggled into his chest. “It’s about Emma. I want to make sure she’s taken care of. That if anything happens, she’ll be safe. I don’t want—”

Austin put a hand under my chin and tilted my face up to meet his. “Willow.” He kissed me softly, tenderly, his lips massaging mine. “I love her. I’m in love with you. Nothing will happen, but if something does, she’ll be taken care of.” He kissed me harder, pushing my mouth open, exploring with his tongue. I clawed at his back, begging with my body that he move closer. He lifted me into his arms and walked me into his bedroom—our bedroom.