Heart of the Hunter (108 page)

And she knew he’d be a loving and loyal husband. He hadn’t looked at another woman since meeting her. He’d barely spoken to another person, other than to get in a fight with them. Again, she was aware of the fact that she really was the only person that he seemed capable of opening up to and letting in. He was at war with the rest of the world, it seemed.

Her, and his family back in California. Those were the things that mattered to Forrester and it was so clear. He’d kill for family, he’d die for family, and nothing else really mattered that much. And that made her feel safe. It made her certain that he’d look after her, protect her, and protect whatever children they might have together. She put her hand over her belly at the thought of children.

She looked at the engagement ring. How had this happened? She thought of all the things that had led to this very moment. That ring had been on the hand of a woman who’s husband abused her. It had ended up in a box in a basement. A little boy had been locked in that basement and found that ring.

She’d been sold to a criminal gang, and then miraculously rescued from that gang when they were all killed. She’d struggled in a life with Gris until she’d gained the courage to leave him. She’d arrived here in Stone Peak, and at the exact same time, Forrester was there, getting a cup of coffee on his way to his father’s funeral.

It was almost too strange, too unlikely, too miraculous. It couldn’t have all happened without the guiding hand of God. She was convinced of that. God had led her to that point, and he wanted her and Forrester to be together.

“Am I really going to be your wife?” she said to him.

He caressed her hand in his. “Yes you are, Elle Barclay.”

“Elle Snow,” she said.

He smiled. “Elle Snow.”

A few minutes later she was in the shower. Forrester was waiting in the living room, drinking more coffee. She looked up when there was a knock on the bathroom door. Forrester entered.

“I’m joining you if that’s okay,” he said.

“Of course.”

He climbed in and washed her body, head to toe, and then kissed her passionately on the mouth. She got out and let him have the shower to himself. He washed his tired, sore body while she put on her makeup and then she wrapped him up in fresh bandages, which they made by cutting up the bed sheet.

They walked together to her work. When they walked through the door, Kelly and Grace stopped what they were doing and watched.

“You look so happy you could burst,” Kelly said.

“I think I might,” Elle said.

She held out her hand to her friend and showed her the diamond ring.

“No way,” Kelly said.

“Good heavens,” Grace said, coming out from the kitchen and grabbing Elle’s hand. “That diamond is enormous.”

“I know.”

“So it’s happening?”

“We’re getting married,” Elle said. “Forrester proposed this morning.”

They all looked at Forrester who was sitting at the counter nonchalantly, waiting for someone to give him a cup of coffee. Then Grace and Kelly both got up and gave him a huge hug.

Elle felt as if her life couldn’t be more complete. And so it felt. All that day, and all the next day. And the next. Their days became happier and happier. She went to work with Grace and Kelly. Forrester finished up some dealings with his father’s lawyer. They were making sure all of his father’s estate went to charity, which impressed Elle. She wasn’t just marrying a man who had more money than he knew what to do with, but he was generous too.

In the evenings they went to Harry’s bar and had a quiet date together, or went with Kelly and tried to find nice guys who might be romantic prospects for her. It was during those days that Elle got to know everything about Forrester, the man she was going to marry.

She learned about Lacey, and her father, the man who’d adopted Forrester and rescued him from the system. She also learned that Forrester had three other men he called his brothers, even though they were also guys who’d been adopted by Lacey’s father. He spoke regularly on the phone to Lacey, who he regarded as a sister, as well as to the brothers, and Faith, one of the brothers’ wives.

She knew he was eager for them to meet her, and she was eager to meet them too, but there was no rush. They were so happy to be together in Stone Peak, in the little attic apartment, that they were in no hurry to leave. Elle had never been so happy in all her life. She loved that Forrester was always there, walking her to work in the morning, coming in for his meals, and waiting for her at the end of her shift to take her to Harry’s. She loved that he was friends with Kelly and Gracie.

He even made sure the sheriff’s son and his buddies treated Kelly and Grace with the utmost respect. Kelly and Grace both said it was like the town was a completely different place. Everyone was treating each other better, as if Forrester’s presence kept things in order.

It truly was a heavenly couple of weeks for Elle. She thought she could never be happier.

She was wrong.

There was one thing that could make her happier. And she learned of it one icy morning during those first weeks.

Chapter 47

Elle

E
LLE COULDN’T BELIEVE IT.
It was early spring and the snow was beginning to melt on the mountain tops around the town. She’d just had the most perfect month of her life. Every morning she woke up next to Forrester. More often than not, he’d grab her by the hips and whisper in her ear, “I want you.”

She knew he was telling the truth because his boner was pressing into her. He liked to play a game of blindfolding her before she looked at him. He said he wanted her to feel his love in the morning before setting eyes on him. So she’d keep her eyes shut as he tied a blindfold around her eyes.

Then either he’d climb down under the sheets and toy with her pussy, making her dripping wet with anticipation, or he’d climb up over her, and put the tip of his cock against her lips. She’d take him into her throat until he was so hard that she could taste the first drips of his pre-cum.

Then he’d always do the same thing. He’d whisper, “You are the most beautiful creature in all the world,” and he’d slid into her wet pussy, all in one go, and pound her until orgasm. It was a delicious way to wake up every morning. They never used a condom and Forrester made no secret of the fact that he wanted her to be the mother of his child.

He’d say, “If you give me a baby half as beautiful as you are, I’ll be the happiest man on earth.”

And Elle would lie there, blindfolded, and pray that his orgasm would find its mark.

It was just after making love one morning that Elle started to feel different. Forrester put the coffee pot on over the fire and then went out for a run. He usually went for a run in the morning, then went to the lawyer’s office, and then came home and did work on his laptop. He was working on some project with the brothers and it was taking a lot of his time. They were quite secretive about it, but Elle was more interested in the brothers themselves than in whatever they were working on.

That morning, as soon as Forrester left the apartment, she ran into the bathroom and threw up. She hadn’t eaten anything strange, and apart from the nausea, she didn’t feel like anything was wrong with her.

She smiled and put her hand on her stomach. It was happening. She knew it. She was very aware of the fact that she hadn’t had a period since Forrester’s arrival, but she’d been too afraid to jinx things by taking a pregnancy test. Now she knew it was time. She hurried getting ready, got dressed, and went straight to the pharmacy. By the time she got back she was practically shaking in apprehension. She opened the box, followed the instructions of the test, peed on the stick, and waited impatiently. She was about to pour herself some coffee when she remembered that it probably wasn’t good for the
baby
.

She poured herself some hot water from the kettle and sipped it while she waited. When she went to check, she almost fainted with happiness. It was a little plus sign. It was positive. She was pregnant.

She quickly peed on the second test to double check, but she knew in her heart it was true. She’d been feeling the change for some time. She was carrying Forrester’s baby. She was practically shaking in excitement. She didn’t know what to do, but she hid the tests. She wanted to see the look on Forrester’s face when she gave him the news. She didn’t want him seeing the test and making the deduction for himself. She wanted to tell him.

Her heart fluttered, thinking about how madly he was going to be in love with her when she gave him the news.

She went to her little wardrobe in the bedroom and pulled out the sexiest thing she owned. It was a piece of black lace lingerie that Forrester had bought for her at the only women’s clothing store in town. It still had the tags on it. Because he made love to her first thing in the morning, she was always naked. She slept naked with him.

This was going to be different. She went into the bathroom, put on her best makeup, straightened her hair, put on perfume, and was only just finished getting ready when she heard Forrester coming up the stairs. Quickly, she ran into the bedroom and got down on her knees. She wanted to be on her knees when he saw her.

“Elle,” he called.

She didn’t answer him. She listened as he took off his coat and boots and remained silent.

When he came into the bedroom, he stopped short.

“What’s going on?” he gasped.

His jaw dropped. She knew she was making him hot. The front of his pants bulged immediately, even though they’d already had their morning love making session. She knew he loved lace lingerie, and she knew that he loved it when she dropped to her knees in front of him. She was doing everything he liked best. She was hitting all of his buttons.

“Elle,” he said again.

She didn’t say anything. She just kneeled there, looking up at him with so much love in her eyes that she thought she might burst. And then she opened her mouth, just a little, and licked her upper lip as sensually as she knew how.

Forrester came over to her and immediately began ripping open his belt. He pulled out his massive cock and she was startled when she saw how hard he was. She reached up and caressed it with her hands, then took the tip into her mouth. She toyed with it with her tongue, just for a few seconds, and then let him slide into her. He was so long and hard that his cock reached into the back of her throat, but she didn’t resist. She let her wet mouth caress his girth, she let him slide in and out of her, and when he grabbed the hair at the back of her head she thought she was going to die with excitement. Her pussy was tingling with a mixture of lust, desire, and love.

This was her man. This was her king, the father of the child that was already inside her, and she was going to swallow him. She’d taken so much of him in her pussy, and now she wanted him in her mouth.

“Elle,” Forrester gasped, driving her head onto his pulsing cock, “I’m coming, baby.”

She looked up at him and for the first time, pulled her mouth from his cock.

“Come for me baby. Let me drink you up and swallow you. Come in my mouth.”

“Oh God,” he said, looking down at her, his cock throbbing in her hand like it was about to come in her face.

“I’m carrying your baby,” she whispered, and while looking up at his face, looking at the change in expression as the meaning of her words struck home, she dug her fingers into his firm butt cheeks and pulled him all the way into her throat.

The look on his face was one of pure amazement. He loved her, he was infatuated by her, and at the same time, he was in utter amazement at what she’d just told him.

His orgasm was the hardest, fullest orgasm she’d ever dreamed of. He pulsed his come into her mouth, and as he thrust into her, he pulsed more and more into her mouth. It was as if his body lost control. He couldn’t stop coming. She swallowed every last drop of her man’s come and when the last of it poured out of him and into her mouth, her only wish was that there was more of him for her to swallow.

Instantly, Forrester fell to his knees.

“I can’t believe it,” he cried.

“It’s true, honey. I took a test.”

“You’re sure.”

“I’ll go to the doctor to confirm it, but yes, baby, I’m sure.”

He put his arms around her and squeezed her against his chest so tight she was afraid he’d break her. Then he put his mouth over hers and kissed her long and hard. It was such a passionate kiss, so intense and full of love and longing, that she was certain she’d remember it for the rest of her life.

Forrester picked her up and laid her gently on the bed.

“I’m going to be a father,” he said. He sounded like he couldn’t believe his own words.

Then he dived down on her, kissing her long and hard. As he kissed her, she felt his hand pull the bottom part of her lingerie to the side. This was followed by his cock sliding into her waiting pussy.

How many times was this man going to orgasm inside her today?

Chapter 48

Forrester

F
ORRESTER SAT AT HIS FAVORITE
table in Harry’s bar and surveyed the people. He knew all of them now, and felt at home there. He never would have imagined that he would ever feel at home in Stone Peak, not after the experiences he’d had there as a child, but during the past month, the town had welcomed him back with open arms. He still spoke with Lacey, Faith and the brothers daily, and kept telling them that he was coming home soon, but he wasn’t sure what the future held. Not that they were putting any pressure on him. They were thrilled. They’d all congratulated him on getting engaged a million times. They wanted nothing more than for him to be happy. He hadn’t told them about the baby yet, but he knew they would be thrilled. Grant and Jackson’s lives had been transformed by fatherhood, and he knew they would recommend it wholeheartedly.

He looked forward to telling them the good news.

Over at the bar, the sheriff, the mayor and some other men were sipping beers and the sheriff nodded at him. He nodded back. He liked the sheriff, despite everything he’d done. Deep down, he knew that the sheriff had once been in love with his mother, and that was the reason he’d had such complicated feelings about Forrester coming back to town.