Love Redeemed, Book 4 (50 page)

“Hey,
Brenda. Is everything okay?”

“Hi, Rayna,” she returns warmly. “Everything’s fine. I’m calling because Amber and I have run into a scheduling conflict for today
and tomorrow. I know it’s short notice, but do you think you can swing by and pick up Erin from school? Amber will be home tonight at six to get her from you and tomorrow, I’ll be in at seven to receive her.”

“Oh, sure. I can swing that,” I agree to it feeling a bit of satisfaction that I’m needed in Erin’s world when Amber’s in a jam. All I want
is to be viewed as a stable figure for her. “I’ll likely drop her off a little later than seven tomorrow. We’ll be out to dinner, celebrating Azmir’s mother’s birthday. I can have her in right after though.”

Brenda
exhales into the phone. “Thank you so much, Rayna. This is such a relief for me. I appreciate it.”

“No, problem. It’s my pleasure,
Brenda…really,” I assure her. “Just text me the address of the school and I’ll get her.”

W
e’re saying our goodbyes when Dr. Barnes walks in, clinking her designer heels. She waits for me to disconnect before speaking.

“Rayna, I’m so sorry for my practice’s lapse in organization over the past few weeks. It’s really been crazy here
.” She offers a regretful smile as she scoots her stoop underneath her and sits.

“It’s okay,” I grumble because I’m lying. “As a practitioner, I know the rush.”

“Okay,” she flips her bone straight hair over her left shoulder, licks her freshly manicured middle finger and fingers the pages of my file. “I won’t keep you long. I just want to tell you that Patti did find your urine and processed your test—”

“
And?” I sputter anxiously.

Her long and thick lashes flip up. “Okay,” she sighs as her shoulders sag. “I know this isn’t in your plans, but you are indeed pregnant, Rayna.”

I cup my mouth. The tears fall. My body trembles.

She gives me a moment before she clears her throat and forges ahead. “So, given the first day of your LMP, your missed pill days, and the days you were on the antibiotic, I have a delivery date of November 11
th
.”

I still don’t speak. I have no idea of what to say. I mean, I knew it was a strong possibility. I know my body has been off…but I always thought if I’d gotten pregnant unexpectedly, Azmir would learn of it before I was able to figure it out.
What is he going to think of me?

“Rayna,” Dr. Barnes gently calls out to me. “I see you need some time to
settle this in your mind. I’m not going to inundate you with information, but I’ll write you out a prescription for prenatal vitamins and will have Patti make you an appointment for at least one week from today for the first monitoring of the heartbeat…”

That’s all I heard before I mentally tapped out.

I go through my day in a fog. I see my afternoon patients with less vigor than I’m known for. I almost forget to eat.
Almost
. I’ve been starved a lot lately, I guess like April was last night. Before I know it, it’s time for me to head over to Erin’s school.

On the drive there I
ride in silence only hearing the voice of my navigator, my self-loathing thoughts play the background music in my head.
Pregnant.
I have to show my I.D. and sign in to Erin’s school before being directed to her class. When I walk in, I’m met with toddlers running amok all through the colorful classroom. It’s the end of the day and I assume the two teachers in the room have depleted energy levels.

God, help me! I don’t know how
I’ll handle just one of these little creatures.        

“Hi!” one of the teachers greet
s. “Who are you here to pick up today?”

“Uhhh…Erin Smith.”

She turns and calls out, “Erin, it’s time to go home, honey!”

Seconds later, I see a little head full of sandy blonde curls bouncing in the air.
Erin barrels over to me with such great speed that I think she’s going to tackle me, but she doesn’t. She places her little palms flat on my belly and shouts, “Baby. Baby. Baby.”

I jump and m
y heart drops to my stomach. “Erin!” I call out.

“Oh,
Erin! Not again.” The teacher glances over to me and laughs. “You look as though you’ve seen an UFO!” Attempting to catch myself, I shut my mouth and try to breathe. “No.” She shakes her head attempting to slow her mirth. “The head teacher, Ms. Ana, shared with the kids today that she’s expecting. She allowed them to rub her belly and say hello to the baby. They’ve been obsessed with the notion all day.”

Oh!
My belly flutters at Erin’s gentle touch. She’s still speaking to
it.

Oh, my god…it!

“Erin, let’s go grab your things.” The teacher grabs Erin by the hand, still amused by my apparent discomfort, and they take off for her things.

I take Erin to get a bite to eat and chat with her a while before dropping her off home. I head straight to the marina to warm dinner for Azmir and me. My mind is churning with its old acquaintance
; pessimism. I try to tell myself this isn’t the worst thing in the world, just horribly timed. Azmir has made it clear that he wants kids. He is, after all, significantly older than I am and probably should endeavor to parent at his age. It’s just that I’m not ready. What if he purposely chose a younger woman whose trim and fit and after I deliver the baby, he no longer desires me? Will he replace me?

Being grabbed gingerly from behind startle
s me. I drop the serving spoon into the Alfredo sauce as I gulp in air. Azmir catches me somewhere in flight and pulls me into his hard body. He presses his warm and soft lips to my neck and nibbles.

“It’s me, Mrs. Jacobs,” he whispers into my neck on a snicker and I fight to relax my body. “I
ain’t mean to scare you.” His Brooklyn tongue is working my skin and eardrums.

“Well, you did,” I scold him as my feet find their way to the floor
. My legs are shaky, still trying to recover from being frightened. “Dinner will be ready in a minute.”

Azmir doesn’t let up off me now that I’m standing on my own. And now I feel his erection pressing against my lower back, just above my cheeks.
His delicious scent is blanketing me.

“What about you?” he growls into my neck. “Are you ready for me yet?”

I know he’s revved up, coiled like a tight wire. It’s been a while; my sexual appetite has been off. I’ve been hiding behind his travel and my enduring symptoms from the bug I came down with in San Francisco. I’ve never denied Azmir. My body has never allowed me to. It’s always betrayed me for Azmir. But since being…
pregnant
…it’s been under the weather, cooking up a mini Azmir.

Oh, my gosh
! Did I say that?

“I had a bad day at work with spitting up
mucus. It’s not as bad as it was last week, but all of the coughing has worn me out,” I lie. I haven’t coughed in about a week, but he doesn’t know this as he’s been away. “I took something when I got in.” I wrap my arm around his neck from behind me. “I’m sorry, baby. That bug has put me in a man down situation,” I try to chuckle.

“It’s put
me
in a man down situation,” he sulks. “I miss you, baby.” Azmir rubs my breasts that have been feeling heavier than usual.

“Azmir, we’re over the stove,” I try to ward him off.

“Jacobs, I’m so ready for you that I’ll let you ride me while I sit on the hot racks.”

“I know, baby
,” I murmur weakly. “I’ll be ready for you soon.” I angle my neck to kiss him. “Now, go get washed up so I can feed you.”

I feel him
exhale heavily on the back of my neck. Azmir plants another warm kiss there before he walks off, taking his warmth, leaving me feeling suddenly bereft from his tender contact.

~~~~~~~~~~

I’ve been up for at least ten minutes and the first thing I do is marvel at the absence of nausea. I don’t feel sick. This would be the first time in nearly three weeks that I’m not disgustingly ill!

I don’t exactly feel 100% like myself, but thank God I’m not prepared to puke my guts out. Before I get too excited I decide to sit up quietly without disturbing the men in my bed. Poor Azmir
: since moving in, I’ve laid claim to his incredibly plush bed, and Azna pretty much rivals my entitlement.

I hear the caws of the seagulls of the marina as I slowly turn to my left and lay eyes on a sleeping Azmir.
God, he’s beautiful!
His almond crest eyes are closed displaying is long lashes, his narrow nose is inaudible, and his luscious lips are parted and moist. He’s sleeping quietly. His left arm rests beneath his pillow, showcasing the knots in it. He looks innocent and serene. Azmir’s repose state makes me want to protect him, nestle him. He hardly resembles the formidable corporate thug that he exudes when he’s roused and in action.

I glimpse down to notice my breasts have slipped out of their holdings. The rim of my gown is below my nipple line and the straps are pulled into my breasts. My nipples...
Geesh!
They’re swollen and hard—shaped like the top of pawn pieces.

Then my eyes instinctively roam back over to an unassuming Azmir. He
’s unknowing, compromised, and...
hot
. His lips are ajar, but the soft air blowing from his nostrils causes fulgurant spikes to course through my delicate frame. The bulb between my lower lips is pulsating.

Oh, my god!
I want Azmir...like in the worst way.

~~~~~~~~~~

Azmir

I’m hurled from my sleep. I have no idea why until my vision clears after repetitive blinks and settles on two golden globes with hard milk chocolate nubs at the apex of them. I haven’t been this up close to them in so long that they appear a little foreign, but only to my eyes. My cock springs up at the recognition.
Her scent
…that has to be what awakened me. Rayna always spritz a soft flowery fragrance on her body after a shower and before coming to bed.

My nose is so close to her breasts that her heaving brings them closer for a mili-second before they retreat. Her mound
s are pinned against the satin strap of her nightgown, appearing strained enough to pop the delicate material. Warm intermitted air breezes against my forehead from her pants. My eyes trail up her honey shaded skin and when I get to her collapsed jaw, mine reacts in the same manner. Rayna’s left arm arches over my head as she’s facing me. Her forehead is wrinkled, her eyes are wild, her nostrils are flaring out and retracting just as quickly, and when she takes a deep swallow, unable to keep her lips sealed, I realize what’s going on here.

My lady is horny as fuck. She’s trying to
maintain control.
Is she afraid to tell me she needs her back straightened out?
If it’s because she’s been unavailable from being sick, she has to know I’m not sweating that shit. I’ve been
painfully
waiting, but understanding.

My gaze traces Rayna’s erratic eye movements. She’s trying to assess me. And I want to test her. I need to know if she wants me as I suspect because now I’m feeling the beginning
s of tingling in my fucking sacs. They’ll be growing heavier any second now. My eyes descend back down to her bountiful breasts that are larger than they’ve ever appeared to me, and I flicker my tongue onto her right nipple.

Immediately, Rayna’s entire body tenses and she inhales deeply. I’m not quite sure of
what it means, so I do it again, only this time I flit it longer. Rayna’s breaths are heavier and her chest caves in. Her eyes grow wider and wilder as she stares down at me. Yup. She needs to fuck…and so do I. But before I get happy out my ass, I have to test her a little more. I shift an inch closer to continue my laps on her turgid nipples. I flicker my thumb on her left as I work the right into my mouth and softly suck on it.

“Ahhhhh!” she’s screams on a husky breath.
Fuck, she’s extra responsive today!

I use both my hands to bring her breasts together
and go bananas on them with my hungry mouth. I swear I’m trying to suppress the caveman, but her moans are releasing the beast. Rayna’s hand squeezes my left bicep, piercing my skin. Her right leg swings over my left thigh as she starts to grind, needing friction where it hurts most. I don’t let her. I bring my leg over hers and pin it down as I work her nipples that have somehow taken on a darker shade in my crazed morning brain.

Rayna cries out in frustration. She needs to work her pelvis
, but I don’t let her. I continue my torture. I miss this contact, the intimacy from her shaky frame, heat from her warm breath pushing forcefully from her mouth, hearing her cries of pleasure. There is nothing more that can affirm my masculinity.        

“Azmiiiir,” she cries out. Her breath is ragged and her body tremors are violent as I hold her in place
to ride out her release. She goes on and on like this, and now the pads of her fingers are gripping my skin as if she fears a long fall.