Royce (17 page)

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Royce wanted her. He wanted her in ways he didn’t understand yet, but was very happy to explore with her. But more than anything, he wanted to simply hold her. She was his world right now and he wanted her to realize that.

He knew that she’d felt his cock. He’d have to be a dead man not to want her. He wouldn’t hurt her, wouldn’t even touch her because he didn’t want to hurt her. He pulled her to his chest and held her to him.

“Royce, I can’t—”

“I know. I just want to hold you. I’m sorry if I make you feel uncomfortable like this, but Christ, woman, you’re beautiful and sexy to me.” She shook her head and he brought her mouth to his for a quick kiss. “I know sexy when I see it and you are so. Now, let’s get cleaned up so you can get back to bed. I can feel you getting a little shaky.”

The shower wasn’t what he’d hoped for when he’d thought of getting naked with her like this. He helped her wash her back and she returned the favor. By the time he got out, he was in pain, but he didn’t say anything. He wanted her to know that he wanted her in his life, not only his bed. He gave her one more of his shirts, put her into his bed, and she fell asleep within a few minutes. He kissed her on the forehead and after getting dressed himself, he left her to her quiet to call his mom.

“She’ll be fine, Royce. She just needs to rest and take it easy. It can’t be easy for her right now. Poor thing has lost so much.”

He felt tears gather in his eyes when he thought of the amount he’d taken from her all on his own. “She hasn’t said she loves me. I wonder…do you think she ever will?” He wished he knew, wished he knew that she could forgive him. “She cried again.”

He heard his mother laugh softly. “She will be doing that a lot for the next few weeks. The doctor said her body will have hormonal rushes because she’s pregnant. And honey, crying is the least of your problems. She’s going to be an emotional bouncing ball.”

“I want her to be mad at me again. Hell, I’d take her throwing something at me rather than tears. They hurt more than her punches do.” He smiled. If Kasey heard him say that, she’d probably make him regret it. “And she’s not eating much. She needs to stay healthy and she won’t be able to do that eating like a bird. I had Margo bake up some sweet stuff to tempt her.”

“You should call her uncle. I’m sure Jay knows something she really likes. Also Bobbie. Bobbie is sweet on Jay and I’m betting she knows more about that family than anyone.” He heard her say something then come back on the line. “Donald said to tempt her with a shopping spree. He said his wife will do most anything for that. And no, I did not ask him what she’d do. I believe that goes under the heading of too much information.”

Royce started to laugh. His mother was one of a kind. He did think about the shopping trip, though. She would need some clothes while she was recuperating. While he enjoyed her wearing his shirts, he wondered how practical that would be once she was up and about. He made a mental note to see about getting one of the local stores to gather some things up and bring them to her. He wondered how he’d figure out sizes when his mother spoke again.

“Now about her living there. You know I don’t really like it so you’ll either have to make more permanent arrangements with her or send her to her uncle’s. I’d actually prefer that you marry her. I like her a great deal and your brothers can’t say enough good things about her. But as before, I don’t think you should. You can’t possible think that—”

“If she’ll have me after this, I want to marry her. I’m in love with her.” She didn’t say anything for several seconds. “I am in love with her. I think I have been for some time. She certainly has no reason to love me, but I’m going to work on that.”

He realized then that he really did want her to love him. He’d been fighting with her and mostly himself for so long that he’d fallen in love with the most wonderful woman in the world. And he’d been a complete ass the entire time too.

“I should have shut up and listened to you all. But…Mom, you had it so great with Dad that I didn’t want to lose her, I think. I know what it did to you to have Dad die like he did and I didn’t…I’m an idiot.”

“Yes, you are. But you’ve finally come to your senses and have finally admitted that you’re going to love her no matter what. And, Royce, you should know that she loves you too. I think she has for some time.” He heard her clear her throat. “Do you have any idea how happy I am for you?”

“No…yes. I’m happy too. And I want her to love me, but I’m afraid that it’s going to take me some time to convince her of that.”

“Good. Then you’ll need to work faster. You’re not getting any younger and the thought of having a grandbaby just makes me all simple in the head. But don’t you dare rush her.” He laughed at his mom before she continued. “Also, let’s try very hard not to piss her off too much this time, son. And don’t think I’ve forgotten that you didn’t practice safe sex with her and that’s how you got yourself in the situation you’re in now.”

“Yes, ma’am. I know. And if she’ll let me knock her up every year for the next twenty, then who am I to turn a lovely lady down? And just for the record, I know there were only six months between your marriage and my birth.” He disconnected the call with his mother sputtering. He figured he was going to pay for that, but for now he’d live with it. His next call was to Jay. It just so happened that Bobbie was there too.

Chapter 18

Jay watched his niece come toward him. She’d been at Royce’s house for over three weeks and she had called him this morning and asked him to come and get her. He wasn’t sure what to do so he’d called Mr. Royce at work. The man had been positively livid when he’d found out.

“Hold her…well, try. If nothing else, I want you to stall her. I can be there in twenty minutes.” Jay started to tell him that he would when Mr. Royce spoke again. “I won’t hurt her, but there are times when I want to beat her butt. Damned girl.”

Jay knew just how the man felt. There were days when he wanted to beat her himself. Just like he had with her mother. But this woman was much more independent than her mother had ever been. Scarily so.

“Are you ready to go?” she asked as she pulled on her jacket. “Royce is at work today and I don’t know how much time I have before he comes home. And I need to get back to my own place. This is…Uncle Jay?”

“He’s coming now. I thought he’d…he’s on his way here and should be here soon. I’m sorry, baby, but the man loves you and I don’t want you to be alone.” She sat down in the chair and stared at him. “He said he loves you. Don’t you believe him?”

“I don’t…I don’t want him to love me. I mean, yes, I know he does, or at least he says he does, but Uncle Jay, he’s so out of my league. We are as different as night and day. He has so much and I’m lucky to have a pot to piddle in.”

“What a really stupid thing to say.” She opened her mouth to say something, but he raised his hand. “No, you listen to me, young lady. Do you think that a couple comes together with the exact same things? No, they do not. You think your aunt and I had even close to the same desires or…you know, that’s a bad reference. I hated your aunt. Yes, I know that’s hard to believe, but it wasn’t until later after—”

“I know you hated her. We all did for what she did to Suzy. But this isn’t the same. Royce doesn’t treat me like that. He treats me with respect and understanding. I just…”

“You just what?” Royce asked from the doorway. “You just what, Kasey? I’d really like to know because I do love you. I’m going to love you for the rest of our lives whether you care for me or not.”

Jay watched her. He needed more than anything to see if she loved him. He did feel badly for calling Mr. Royce when he should have sided with her, but he knew that Leah would have skinned him alive had he just taken Kasey home with him without seeing for himself. He watched the young man walk slowly toward Kasey and drop to one knee before her. Jay knew he’d made the right decision when he saw Kasey’s eyes light up when he touched her.

Jay thought he should leave them to their privacy, but Bobbie told him if he didn’t come back with details she’d never forgive him. He smiled at that. Who would have thought that little Bobbie would be such a passionate little thing? And her in love with him too. Jay decided that he’d been alone long enough and on his way home he was stopping to get a ring. Time to make things right for everyone.

Jay nearly fell off his chair when he saw Mr. Royce pull out a small blue box from his pocket. Then he got up quietly and left the room. Bobbie was going to have kittens. He was pulling out his cell phone to call her as he opened the front door. “You’re not going to believe it,” he said with a huge smile. “My Kasey is going to marry Mr. Royce.”

~~~

“I don’t want you to leave me. Please don’t. I’ve…I love you. I know you’re probably sick of hearing—”

“No, I’m not. It’s just that…why?” He was startled by her question so much so that he was speechless. “I mean, if this is because you have some sense of obligation about the fact that I’m having your baby then you can just forget it. I don’t need you. I have enough guilt of my own. I certainly don’t need you to heap more onto me. And if you think I’m having sex with you again, then you can forget that too. I didn’t particularly think you were all that good anyway.”

He took her mouth. There was no finesse or even any kind of gentleness in his kiss, but she was breathless when he pulled back. Royce scooped her off the chair and into his arms. They were on the floor before she said a word and he simply silenced her with another kiss. He felt her wrap her legs around his hips as he moved his mouth along her neck.

He knew he’d have to be slow. The doctor had told them that she’d only be ready for sex when she was ready. When he’d talked to him again yesterday after her appointment, Royce had been told that she’d healed much better than he’d thought she would and that she had put on eight much needed pounds. Royce knew that the bleeding had stopped too. She’d told him that several weeks ago one morning.

He nuzzled her breast. He could feel the peaked tip beneath her bra and wanted to take it into his mouth. Her moan made him rock into her. Lifting her blouse, he ran his thumb up and under her bra and felt the heavy flesh as it tightened. He needed to taste her and moved the tiny scrap of lace out of his way and suckled her hard.

“Royce.” She shouted his name as he moved to the other breast to give it its due. He was rolling her nipple on the roof of his mouth when her legs tightened around him. He wanted her needy; he wanted her to want him so badly that she’d beg him. He moved down her body and laved his tongue into her navel as she arched up into his cock.

He opened the snap on her jeans. And was rewarded with her fingers tangling in his hair, gripping him tightly against her. As her pants slid down over her hips he nipped and tasted her skin, feasted on her flesh, and delighted in the way she made him feel. He hoped that his plan didn’t backfire and he was begging her, but he was going to give it his damnedest.

When he had her pants down around her thighs, her scant panties still in place, he sat up, pulled away from her heat and her scent. He pulled his shirt up and over his head and tossed it away. She lay before him like a bounty and he planned to gorge himself on her, but first, he needed to have her say yes.

“Marry me,” he demanded of her as he ran his finger against her soaked panties. “Marry me and I’ll let you come.”

“What?” Her eyes were hazed and filled with lust and need. He wanted to tell her that he’d give her anything she wanted if only she’d look like that all the time, but he wanted her as his wife.

“I love you. Marry me I’ll make you happy for the rest of our lives. Please.” He begged her now as he slid his finger beneath her panties and deep into her. “Marry me, Kasey.”

She moaned as she rode his finger. He watched her eyes flutter closed as she lifted her hands to her bare breasts. He was going to come before her if she kept that up so he stopped moving inside of her and watched as she opened her eyes.

“Royce, please. I’m so close. I need to come, please?” Her voice was low, seductive, and nearly a growl. He felt his cock leak in his pants. “Please?”

He slid his finger deep and stopped again. He watched her try and move against him and he pulled back. He was dying. Her scent, her musk was heady and strong. He found himself leaning forward to drink from her and just barely managed to hold himself steady. Royce moved his finger again, slowly.

“You know what I want. If you tell me yes, I’ll give you want you need.” She sat up and pulled his mouth to hers. He had to pull away or he’d have her regardless of her answer. “Marry me.”

He reached for the box he’d dropped to the floor when he’d first knelt before her. Opening the small box he watched as her eyes widened in surprise and then she looked at him with tears in her eyes.

“You mean it? You really want to marry me?”

He nodded, not sure if he could speak for his breath caught in his throat.

“You’re going to regret this; you know that, don’t you? I’m not going to change and I’m certainly not going to give into you like this again.”

“Okay. I can live with that so long as you’re mine.” He waited for more and when she didn’t give him an answer, he had to ask. “Is that a yes?”

“I want you to give me more children. Soon. I want…I would like lots of babies with you. Are you okay with that?” He was nodding as he pulled the ring from the box. “And there will be no more ordering me about like I’m a simpleton. And I’m going to work for your brothers.
They
treat me with respect.”

The ring slid onto her finger like he knew it would. He waited half a heartbeat before he put in a few of his own demands. “I want a good half dozen children and I expect you to raise them to be just like you. And as for working for my brothers.” He kissed her, taking her tongue into his mouth as he slid his own along her deep heat. “They work for me so you’ll be working for me too. And honey, I plan to show you how much I respect you right now.”

He pressed against her clit as he moved his finger in and out of her. Her hands slid up over his shoulders as she kissed him again. As her arms wrapped around him he lowered her to the floor and then pulled back. Her whimper nearly had him do the same. She watched him as he stripped out of his pants and boxer briefs and wrapped his hand around his thick cock. He looked down at her.