Runaway Bride (Across the Stars: Book 2) (21 page)

The doors opened.  She fought the fog hovering over her mind.  “Mark.”

She forced his hands off of her and placed her feet back on the floor, ignoring the sharp ache that throbbed between her legs.  Grabbing his hand, she hurried down the hall toward their room.  When they reached their door, she scrambled to find the room key in her purse.

She groaned, this time in frustration as she tried to shove his hands from her breasts in an effort to slow him down.  “Someone might see us,” she hissed.  Even as she said it, the ache in her body intensified.  Finally, she found the key and swiped it over the doorknob.  “Why does this have to be so immediate with you?” she muttered, recalling how he’d been groping her right before they got to their room in Las Vegas when it was time to do the bonding ceremony.

“I can’t control myself,” he whispered, his hands going right back to her breasts.

She gritted her teeth, partly in irritation but mostly in excitement as her nipples sent sparks of pleasure straight to her core.  Pushing the door open, she breathed a sigh of relief as they tumbled into the room.  The door closed behind them and she managed to get to her feet.  Holding her hand out to him, she helped him up.  “I swear, you’re worse than a teenage boy,” she commented, unable to stop laughing even as she unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his shoulders.

“The need to conceive is a strong one,” he replied then picked her up.

She knew he wasn’t exaggerating, but it still made her laugh harder.  Her laughter, however, didn’t last long.  As soon as he set her on the bed in their room, she slipped her panties off and pulled him on top of her.  He brought his lips to hers.  She parted her lips and moaned when his tongue caressed hers.  Lowering her hands between them, she unbuttoned his pants and helped him lower them to his knees.

He raised the dress to her waist and settled between her legs.  Gripping his arms she lifted her hips and took him into her.  She cried out and gave herself completely to the moment.  They worked together, his thrusting insistent and steadily increasing the amount of pleasure building inside her.  As much as she wanted to keep going, their climaxes came quick.  They cried out, her flesh clenching around him as he released his seed.  They remained still, suspended in their state of bliss for a few seconds.

Shortly afterwards, she relaxed and he collapsed in her arms.  For a long time, they were silent, their heartbeats slowly calming down, their breathing finally returning to normal.  When her head cleared, she kissed his cheek.

Mark rolled onto his side so he could face her.  Brushing the hair from her face, he smiled.  “I’m sorry I was so…assertive…in the elevator and hallway.”

She giggled and rested her hand on his chest.  “I was afraid someone would catch us.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t have tried to push you away.”

“I couldn’t stop myself.  I don’t know how to explain it, but it was as if my instinct to reproduce took over.”

“Will this happen again?”

“No.  Well, not until it’s time to have another child.”

“And you’re completely sure that this time was the one?”

“The bond allows for full accuracy on the timing of conception.”

Her hand went to his nipple, and she traced it with her finger.  “How can that be possible?”

With a shrug, he kissed her.  “It just is.  The way the bond works is complicated.”

“And you’ll just know when conception happens?”

“Yes.  Chris said it was similar to being familiar with the woman’s cycle.  The man just knows.”

“Well,” she began as she kicked off her sandals and wrapped her leg around his waist, “it might not be a bad idea to try again.  You know, just to be sure.”

He scooted closer to her, his erection pressing nicely between her legs.  “I can ejaculate again now that I’ve successfully ensured you’ll get pregnant.”

“Or will be able to ejaculate because you need to make sure you’ll get me pregnant?” she teased.

“However you want to think about it, I certainly don’t mind making love to you again.”

“Then let’s finish taking our clothes off and do it.”

After they removed their clothes, they proceeded to make love, taking their time to fully enjoy the process.

Chapter Twenty-Three

“You may sit here, Mrs. West.” The spa technician gestured to a chair in a sunroom.  “We’ll be ready for your facial and manicure soon.”

Caitlyn thanked the technician but hesitated over whether or not to sit next to her mother who was reading a magazine.  Up to now, their conversation had been limited to finding the spa and signing in at the front desk.  After that, the technician took them to the locker room where they took off their clothes and slipped into comfortable robes. Then they had the advantage of not having to talk to each other while they received shoulder, back and foot massages.  But now they were stuck alone in the same room and couldn’t avoid each other.

Wrapping her robe tighter around herself, she reluctantly went over to the chair and put her feet up.  She glanced at the clock and wondered if Lexie was done yet.  She promised to come to the spa when she and Mark had finished their conception ritual.  That was two hours ago.  It didn’t take two hours to satisfy the Pandoran male’s need to have a child, but recalling how much fun Caitlyn had when Chris came to her at her most fertile time, Caitlyn suspected the temptation to try again had overridden Lexie’s desire to come to the spa.  And who could blame her?  Caitlyn would much rather be in bed with Chris than stuck in a room with her mom.

The baby kicked and Caitlyn settled her hand on her belly.  She had to admit that few things were as exciting as feeling her daughter move.

“When is the due date?”

Surprised her mother asked the question, Caitlyn directed her gaze to her.  “Sometime in early October.” She held her breath and waited for her mom to make an unflattering comment about when the baby was conceived.

Instead, her mom asked, “Do you know when in early October?”

“Not really.”

She nodded and turned back to her magazine.

Figuring that was the end of their conversation, Caitlyn closed her eyes and focused on the soothing music.

“Do you have a name picked out?” her mother asked.

She opened her eyes and turned her gaze back to her mom who had set the magazine in her lap.  “Chris and I decided to name her Madison.”

“So you’re having a girl?”

“That’s what the ultrasound says.”

Her mother smiled and glanced at the magazine.  “I remember how excited I was when I found out you were a girl.  I had these visions of us shopping for clothes and jewelry.  I imagined us staying up late at night, discussing who you were dating and which young man you should marry.” She chuckled and waved her hand.  “Silly stuff.”

“I don’t think that sounds silly,” Caitlyn softly replied.  “It sounds nice.  But then I was never into all that stuff and I married the only guy I dated, so I guess it ruined your plans.”

“It didn’t ruin my plans.  You were a tomboy.  You and your brother spent most of your time with your dad because the three of you had a lot in common.  It was good.  Your dad wouldn’t trade that time for anything.”

Seeing her mother in a new light, Caitlyn sat up and turned so she could face her.  “But you felt left out, didn’t you?”

Though tears filled her mother’s eyes, she shook her head.  “Caitlyn, I understand how things looked to you.  Your father had the sense to appreciate you for who you were.  I tried to mold you into who I wanted you to be and in doing that, I pushed you away.  It’s my fault that things ended up the way they did and I didn’t help matters when Chris came along.”

“We don’t have to agree on everything to get along, Mom.  So what if I don’t like fancy clothes or fine restaurants or symphonies?  We have different tastes.  You and Dad are almost like night and day and yet you’ve had a good marriage together.”

“Early on, he and I learned to compromise.  I did some things he liked and he returned the favor.”

“Why can’t we do that?  I don’t mind going to a symphony once in a while.”

“And I don’t mind going to an all-you-can-eat buffet once in a while either,” her mother replied with a smile.  “I’m sorry, Caitlyn.  I shouldn’t have been so controlling all those years.  From now on, I’ll remember it’s your life and I need to let you live it.”

“Thank you.  I appreciate it.” She hesitated to say more but felt she had to.  “I know it’s hard to believe, but Chris and I were married before I got pregnant.  I can’t explain how it’s possible.  I just ask that you trust me enough to believe I’m telling you the truth.  Can you do that for me?”

Her mother nodded.  “Yes, I can.”

Relieved, Caitlyn stood up and went over to hug her.  “Thanks, Mom.”

Her mother returned her hug.  “Do you realize the last time you hugged me was when you were eight?”

Noting the tears in her mother’s voice, Caitlyn pulled away from her and grinned.  “It’s been long overdue.”

“I sure did miss them.” After a moment, she added, “The reason I worried about you when you and Randy got married was because you two were so young.  You didn’t have any money.  It wasn’t that I didn’t like him.  I did.  But when I married your father, money was extremely tight and I got pregnant right away.  Your father and I went through a lot of stress that first year, and we almost divorced because of it.  I didn’t want you to go through the same thing I did.  It’s scary when you don’t know if you’ll be able pay for utilities or groceries.  Had it not been for your dad getting a good paying job the second year we were married, I don’t know if we would have made it.”

“Yes, you would have,” Caitlyn replied.  “You and Dad are as solid as a rock.”

She laughed and patted Caitlyn’s hands.  “It might seem that way from where you’re sitting, but we had times when things didn’t seem like it.”

“And yet you two pulled through it each time.”

“Yes, I guess we did.” She squeezed Caitlyn’s hands.  “I adore Chris.  I know it seems like I don’t.  God knows he says some of the strangest things.  But he’s got an innocence about him that’s refreshing.  He’s a rare find.”

“You have no idea how rare he is.”

“I’ll work on being a better mother, Caitlyn.  Can we start over?”

“Yeah.  I’d like that.”

Her mother brought her in for another hug and Caitlyn held her close, glad for a second chance granted.  It looked like Lexie taking her time in arriving to the spa was exactly what she and her mom had needed.

***

On Sunday as Caitlyn packed the suitcase, Chris entered their bedroom and closed the door.  “Are you mad at me for bringing you here?”

“I already told you I wasn’t,” she replied, amused.  It was sweet he wanted to do everything he could to make her happy.  She went over to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.  “I forgive you for deceiving me.”

He winced.

Laughing, she gave him another kiss.  “I’m kidding, Chris.  I adore you.  You’re the nicest guy on the planet.” Taking her hands in his, she added, “You’ll be happy to know that my mom and I are actually getting along.  I have you and Mark to thank for that.” She let go of his hands and returned to the suitcase.  “I think I have everything.”

He glanced at the closet and nodded.  “You got all of my clothes.”

“And your deodorant, comb, toothbrush, shampoo, soap…” With a sigh, she shook her head.  “If it weren’t for me, you would have forgotten to even pack those things.  Then you would have been a mess this whole weekend.”

“I won’t argue with you.  But now you can appreciate why I needed a life mate.”

She shut the suitcase and watched as he picked it up.  “And now you can appreciate why I stick with you.  I hate carrying heavy things.” Giving him a playful hug, she kissed him again and headed for the door.  “You’re wonderful, Chris.”

When they walked into the living room, they found Lexie and Mark saying good-bye to her parents.

“We should have a barbeque next month,” her dad said.  “Poor Blake probably feels left out since he wasn’t invited here this weekend.”

“I doubt it,” Caitlyn replied and gave her dad a hug.  “He’s a bachelor.  The last thing he wants to do is spend time with boring old married couples.  Besides, he’ll get to man the grill at the barbeque and he doesn’t ever miss a chance to do that.”

“That’s true.  No one grills food better than he does.”

Her dad turned to Chris and shook his hand.  “Thanks for helping me improve my game.  I can’t wait to try out my new techniques next time I play.” He shook Mark’s hand.  “Too bad you got cold feet watching Chris play.  I hope you’ll give billiards a try next time.  You might not be as bad as you fear.”

“Well, there’s no denying he’s good at the game,” Mark replied.

Caitlyn glanced at Lexie and couldn’t resist smirking at her.  Lexie’s face turned bright red, but she didn’t say anything.  Caitlyn knew exactly why Mark left the billiard hall and it had nothing to do with being afraid to play the game.  Patting her dad on the shoulder, she said, “I have a feeling you and Mom will be holding more than one grandchild in the very near future.” Ignoring the shocked expression on her sister’s face, she hugged her mom.  “I’m glad we got a chance to talk.”

“Thank you for giving me a second chance, Caitlyn,” her mom whispered.

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, honey.”

She pulled away from her mom and turned to Mark and Lexie.  “Thanks for a great weekend.”

“Yeah,” Chris added.  “We’ll have to do it again sometime.”

After they left, Caitlyn gave Chris another kiss and slid her arm around his waist.  “Do you still think I’m mad at you?”

He smiled and put his arm around her shoulders.  “No.  You’ve convinced me you’re not.”

“Good.” She gave his waist a light squeeze as they headed for the elevator.

***

First week of October

“So the doctor is sure that you’ll give birth next week?” Lexie asked Caitlyn, glancing at Mark as he drove.

“Pretty sure.  My pregnancy is far from normal,” Caitlyn replied.  “It hasn’t been easy to dodge some of the doctor’s questions, but I’ve managed.”

“Well, it’s still nice that Madison will be making her entrance into the world soon.  I’m looking forward to being an aunt and Mom can’t wait to be a grandmother.”

Caitlyn laughed.  “I’m anxious for her birth, too, but I will miss how I could eat everything I wanted and not gain weight.  Let me know how your prenatal visit goes.”

“I will.” Lexie said good-bye and hung up.  “Madison’s expected to arrive some time next week.” She slipped her cell phone into her purse and zipped it up as Mark drove the car into the parking lot of the medical center.  “Last time we were here, I was at six weeks.  Do you think that means I’ll be at twelve weeks this time or will I be further along?”

“I don’t know.” He pulled into a parking spot and turned off the ignition.  “You could have a regular Earth pregnancy.  Today, we’ll know for sure.”

“Do you really want to be at these visits?”

“Of course, I do.  We didn’t get to experience pregnancy on Pandoran.  Chris is right about it being one of the most awe-inspiring experiences on this planet.  I can’t understand why so many Earth men take it for granted.  You don’t have to create babies in a lab or raise them in dorms.  I’m glad our child will never know that kind of life.”

Smiling, she squeezed his hand.  “Me too.”

They got out of the car and checked in for her appointment.  While they waited for the doctor, Lexie had a hard time sitting still.  Beside her, Mark flipped through a magazine, seeming calmer than she felt.  She was anxious to hear the baby’s heartbeat and find out how far along she was.

When the nurse finally called them back, she jumped up from the chair and shot Mark an excited look.  This was it!  She took his hand and led him to the room where the nurse told her to sit on the exam table.

“How have you been feeling?” the nurse asked her as she checked Lexie’s temperature.

“Good,” Lexie replied.

“Any morning sickness?”

“It comes and goes.  As long as I have small snacks, it’s not bad.”

The nurse smiled and checked her blood pressure then measured her waist.  “Everything looks good.  Let’s see if we can get a heartbeat this time.”

Lexie nodded and unzipped her jeans so that her flat abdomen was exposed.  “How early can you hear the heartbeat?”

“Eight to ten weeks is average.  Based on your last menstrual cycle, you should be at twelve.  This might be a little cold.”

She squeezed gel onto Lexie’s abdomen then placed the Fetal Doppler Monitor on it.  After a few seconds, the swishing sound gave way to a rhythmic beating sound.

“That’s the heartbeat,” the nurse said.  “And it’s a strong one.”

Lexie glanced at Mark, her heart warming when she saw the way he smiled at her.

“Everything looks and sounds normal,” the nurse said and put the Fetal Doppler Monitor on the table.  She wrote the results on Lexie’s chart.  “I’ll send in the doctor.”

After she left, Mark stood up and kissed Lexie.  “Isn’t this exciting?”

“It is.  And it looks like I’ll have a nine month pregnancy.”