Taking You (3 page)

“No,” he said. “This is for you. Just relax, let me do the work.”

He intensified his efforts, until Lark was squirming on his lap, her breath coming in desperate little pants as she neared the edge.

“Come for me,” Mason whispered against her throat, kissing her with the words as he expertly brought her to completion with his hand.

Moments later, her head fell back with a soft cry, sparks flickering behind her closed eyes. Lark wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, holding on for dear life as waves of pleasure coursed through her body, tightening her womb and sending ripples of delight skittering across her skin. The release lasted far longer than usual, surges of bliss that came and went like waves lapping at the sand, confirming that pregnancy did have a few perks.

“Wow,” she panted as Mason pulled his hand away and she finally came drifting back to earth. “That was…amazing.”

“I do what I can,” he said, nuzzling her neck as he pulled her dress down over her legs.

“Orgasms are way more intense when you’re pregnant,” she said, smoothing Mason’s hair back into place, knowing they had to pull themselves together and get back to the rest of the family.

“Really?” Mason asked. “Now I’m
really
jealous that all I get to do is sit around and feel helpless while I worry about you.”

Lark smiled, catching his chin in her hand. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t want you to be sad or stressed out,” Mason said, squeezing her hip gently. “We’re getting married tomorrow, and even if there are no flowers or decorations or if Aria’s cake explodes at the last minute or Nana gets drunk and dances naked on top of the piano, it will still be one of the best days of my life.”

Lark giggled. “Thanks for putting that naked Nana on the piano image in my head.”

Mason smiled. “Seriously though, hearing you say ‘I do’ is the only thing I need for everything to be perfect.”

Lark sighed and brushed his hair tenderly from his eyes. “You are going to be an amazing father. Our girls are going to be two lucky little ladies.”

Mason’s eyebrows lifted. “Girls? They couldn’t have seen that on the ultrasound this early, could they?”

“No,” Lark said, rising from Mason’s lap and doing her best to smooth the wrinkles from her dress and look like she hadn’t been making out with her husband-to-be. “I just have a feeling they’re girls. You weren’t desperate for boys, were you?”

Mason shook his head as he stood up and claimed her hand with his. “Healthy babies are all I’m hoping for. Healthy babies, and healthy mama, and an easy birth. Boys or girls, doesn’t matter, though I’ll probably be as bad as your dad if we have girls. They’ll hate me for scaring all their boyfriends away.”

Lark giggled again, letting Mason lead her toward the stairs. “Poor Dad. He’s so stressed out about Melody and Nick living in sin together. If Nick doesn’t propose soon, Dad may give himself a heart attack.”

Mason glanced back over his shoulder as he descended the stairs, a knowing look in his eyes. “I don’t think your dad will have to worry much longer.”

“Oh, no?” Lark stepped off the last stair behind him, plucking at his sleeve. “Tell me everything, Mason. You can’t keep juicy news like this to yourself.”

Mason laughed. “I don’t know any specifics, but I think there’s a reason Nick brought that flask along tonight. I think he’s working up a little liquid courage.”

“Really? You think he’s going to ask her tonight?” Lark squeezed Mason’s hand, fighting the urge to squeal with delight.

“The kid is so nervous,” Mason said, chuckling. “It’s pretty funny, really. I mean everyone knows Melody is going to say yes.”

“Maybe he doesn’t. In any event, I think it’s adorable that he’s nervous,” Lark said with a happy sigh. “It makes me like him even more.”

“Me too,” Mason said, swinging their joined hands. “You ready to go finish up?”

Lark nodded firmly, feeling a thousand times better than she did twenty minutes ago. “Absolutely. Let’s get this done and get to the rehearsal dinner. I could use an Italian salad, breadsticks, and extra cheesy ravioli. And if I can’t zip up my dress tomorrow, I’ll pin it together with safety pins. I’m done stressing about that stupid dress. I don’t care how much my mom paid for it.”

“Sounds fabulous,” Mason said as they headed back into the sanctuary.

“I mean, I’m having twins,” Lark said as they pushed through the door. “It’s time I gave myself permission to eat like it.”

“Excuse me?” The sharp voice was enough to make Lark jump.

“Lark Angeline March,” her nana continued in a strained tone, “what did you just say?”

Lark spun to see Nana standing only a few feet away, helping one of the church deacons put away the banners that usually decorated the front of the sanctuary, but which would be tucked away in a cabinet to make way for Lark and Mason’s flowers and bows of tulle. From the horrified look in Nana’s eyes, there was no doubt she’d heard exactly what Lark had just said, loud and clear.

“Um, I…I uh…” Lark stammered, turning wide eyes to Mason as she mentally cursed Nana’s excellent hearing. The woman was almost eighty—shouldn’t her senses be at least a little dulled by now?

“She said they’re having twins,” the deacon next to Nana said in a booming voice, reminding Lark of the man who used to play Santa Claus at the church’s annual holiday festival. He sounded every bit as merry as a fat old elf announcing she’d been a very good girl this year.

Nana March, on the other hand, reacted as if Lark had just announced she’d punched the preacher in the face.

“Sweet Jesus,” Nana said, hand fluttering franticly in front of her face, as if she needed the extra air to keep living. “She’s pregnant before the wedding.”

Nana’s lashes fluttered, and her knees buckled. A cry went up from various corners of the sanctuary, but everyone in the family was too far away to reach her in time. Thankfully, the deacon stepped gracefully in, gathering Nana in his arms and easing her down to sit on one of the steps leading up to the chancel.

“Oh, my gosh! Is she all right?” Melody rushed down the aisle, reaching Nana on one side, as Mason and Lark arrived at Nana’s other side.

“Should I call nine-one-one?” Lark asked, guilt rising inside of her like bile after a platter of bad nachos.

Her mom was really going to kill her now. Sue had begged Lark to keep her pregnancy secret from Nana, hoping the old woman would lose count of how many months Lark and Mason had been married by the time the baby came and thus, be spared the knowledge of her favorite granddaughter’s “irresponsibility.”

“She’s fine, probably just excited over the good news is all,” the man said, gently rubbing Nana’s back.

“When I’m overcome with excitement, you’ll know it, Harris Nelson,” Nana said, enough sass in her tone that Lark was fairly certain they weren’t going to have to call an ambulance.

“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner,” Lark said.

“We just wanted to wait until the ultrasound today to make sure everything was okay with the baby before we told the entire family,” Mason said, embroidering the truth in that seamless way he had, the way that would have made Lark nervous if she didn’t know he only used his powers of manipulation for good, not evil.

“But when Lark went in for the check-up, we got more than we were bargaining for.” Mason looked up, grinning at the family and friends that had assembled in a loose semi-circle around Nana and her hero. “We’re having twins!”

“Twins!” Lark’s mom clapped her hands, the joy on her face helping banish some of the guilt swirling in Lark’s stomach. “Oh, honey!”

Sue rushed forward, snatching Lark up into a fierce hug.

“So you’re not mad at me?” Lark asked her mom softly as the rest of the family buzzed around them offering congratulations. “For accidentally spilling the beans?”

“No, honey, of course not,” her mom said, kissing her on the forehead. “I’m so excited for you and Mason! And I want you to know I will be there to help you every step of the way. You and Mason and the babies can even move in with me and Dad for a few months if you need to. That way I can be there anytime you need me.”

“Thanks, Mom, that means so much to me,” Lark said, tears spilling down her cheeks for the zillionth time today. But at least this time they were happy tears.

“I love you, Lark, and I’m so proud of you,” her mom said, tears in her eyes as she added, “I’m sorry if I’ve caused you to doubt that these past few weeks. Mason and I had a talk earlier tonight and he made me realize… Well, I’m just so sorry if I’ve added to the stress you’re obviously feeling.”

“It’s okay,” Lark said, sniffing.

“No, it’s not. Seeing other people have such a dramatic reaction to such wonderful news has reminded me how I should—and shouldn’t—be behaving,” she said, cutting a meaningful look Nana’s way.

But Nana wasn’t looking at them, she was staring deep into the deacon’s eyes as he patted her hand and murmured something Lark couldn’t hear. Whatever it was, however, Nana seemed completely captivated.

“Don’t pay any attention to her. Or me, or anyone else,” Sue added in a whisper. “Tomorrow is your day, and you deserve to enjoy every minute of it.”

Lark hugged her mom tight, joy swelling inside of her until she felt light enough to float down the aisle.

“Is it time for food yet?” Nash asked. “I’m starving to death, and it sounds like the mom-to-be could use a breadstick.”

“Or twelve,” Lark said, pulling away from her mom as the rest of the family laughed.

Moments later, they were dividing into groups, deciding who should ride in which car. As they exited the church, Nana patted Lark’s back, declaring that she would ride with Harris. Then in an encouraging tone, she added— “Don’t worry, sweetheart. Twins come early all the time. Nobody will think a thing about it.” With that, she smiled at Lark and took the deacon’s arm, allowing him to guide her down the church’s front steps.

“That was certainly a quick one-eighty,” Mason said, slipping an arm around Lark’s waist. “I have no idea who that man is, but I think we should make it mandatory that Nana bring him to every family function.”

Lark smiled up at him. “Thanks for talking to my mom.”

“Did you two make up?”

Lark nodded, pushing up on tiptoe to kiss Mason’s cheek. “I feel so much better.”

“I’m glad. Ready to go celebrate our last night as single people?” he asked, smiling down at her with love in his eyes.

Right then and there, Lark sent out a silent prayer of thanks. Life would always be full of surprises, but with a man like Mason by her side, she knew she’d be able to handle whatever curve balls fate threw her way.

“I’m ready.” She hooked her arm through Mason’s and followed him into the cool October late afternoon, looking forward to a night filled with friends and family.

Most of all, she looked forward to the promises she and Mason would make tomorrow, and a lifetime to spend with her best friend.

Gretchen “Nana” March

The front part of the restaurant smelled like old beer and body odor, the waiters were slower than molasses, and the party room Bob and Sue had rented for the kids was so dark Gretchen couldn’t see to read the menu—even with her glasses on.

But for some reason none of those things bothered her the way they usually would.

For some reason she couldn’t seem to quit smiling, even when she caught that tattooed hoodlum, Nick, sneaking a squeeze of Melody’s bottom when her granddaughter got up to use the restroom.

At least the boy had been discreet about it. And judging from the way Melody had laughed and pecked him on the cheek before heading to the ladies’ room, she obviously didn’t mind being groped in public.

Everyone was having such a good time, it seemed silly to get worked up over a little hanky-panky, and besides—hadn’t she and Stephen enjoyed more than playing footsie under the table before they were married?

“Another glass of wine?” Harris asked, putting his arm around the back of her chair, leaning close to be heard over the din of conversation filling the room.

The March family might not be the largest in the world, but they were certainly one of the loudest. The party room sounded like the boarding platform of a crowded train station, and the more wine that flowed, the worse the noise became.

“No, thank you,” Gretchen said loudly, patting her flushed cheeks. “I’m already feeling warm in the face after one glass.”

“Looks good on you.” Harris winked, and Gretchen giggled, a silly sound she immediately blamed on the wine.

“Thanks for inviting me,” he added. “It’s nice to share in a celebration with such a happy family. You Marches are blessed.”

Gretchen smiled. “We are. Those three girls have grown into such lovely young women.” She looked across the room, finding Lark with her eyes, glad to see the girl laughing with her husband-to-be.

Gretchen turned back to Harris, patting him affectionately on the hand. “Thank you for what you said at the church. I was so surprised by Lark’s news that I didn’t stop to think. But you were right—the last thing I’d want to do is upset the girl the day before her wedding.”

“My pleasure,” Harris said, curling his fingers around hers. “Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with how quickly things are changing. It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that Robby, my youngest, is gay.”

“He is?” Gretchen kept her tone neutral, but couldn’t keep her eyebrows from floating higher on her forehead.

Harris nodded soberly. “I kept thinking it was a stage he’d grow out of, or something he was doing to upset his mother and me, or maybe a way to make himself stand out from his peers… It wasn’t until he and his partner got married a few years ago that I finally understood it wasn’t a stunt and saw all the mistakes I’d made.” Harris sighed, glancing down at the tablecloth with a sad look in his eyes. “I wasted a lot of years I could have spent loving Robby making him feel guilty for something he couldn’t change—something that it was wrong for me to
want
him to change. I just hope some day he can forgive me for it.”

Gretchen squeezed his hand, her heart going out to the man even as she quietly admonished herself for being so tough on the girls. They might be a little unconventional, but at least none of them had forced their poor grandmother to wrap her mind around something like what Harris was describing.