Текст книги "Cherished"

Автор книги: Kelly Elliott

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Текущая страница: 19 (всего у книги 24 страниц)

As I held my daughter in my arms, I glanced over at Scott sleeping away in the recliner next to the bed. I smiled and slowly shook my head.

“Your daddy seems to be tired, sweet baby girl.”

I looked at the cast on his ankle, and my heart broke for him. He was supposed to be training a horse next week, and now, he couldn’t, and he was so upset about it. When he’d asked Ari if she would do it, I’d thought she was going to jump through the roof because she had been so happy.

Lauren yawned while I used the tip of my index finger to gently trace a pattern along her face. She smelled so good, and she was so precious. Every time I looked at her, my heart wanted to burst open.

“You know, I remember the first time I felt you move. I was standing outside, and at first, I thought it was like a nervous feeling, but then Ellie told me it was you moving around. I also remember the first time I saw your little body move across my stomach.” I let out a little chuckle. “Your daddy cried the first time he felt you move. I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I’m pretty sure you are going to be spoiled beyond belief. Between your daddy and your two grandpas, you will be one tough little girl. Don’t worry though—your grandmother will be sure to keep you dressed to the nines in pink ribbons and bows.”

Lauren opened her eyes, and I could swear that we were looking into each other’s souls. The strangest feeling moved over me, and I couldn’t pull my eyes away from hers.

As she slowly closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep, I thanked God for the blessings in my life. I had been feeling so sorry for myself the last few weeks—wishing my mother could have been here to see the birth of my child or to watch me marry the love of my life. I knew though that she was with me. In some strange way, it almost felt like she was letting me know she was here.

I slowly moved to get up when I heard the door open. I looked and saw Melody walking in.

“Hey,” she whispered.

“Hey! What are you doing here? I thought you had a lunch you had to go to today?” I asked as I tried to stand up. I was so sore that all I really wanted to do was soak in a hot bath.

She walked up to me, took Lauren from my arms, and took her over to the bassinet.

Oh, thank God. I don’t have to get up and move now.

“Are you still going home today?” she asked in a whispered voice.

I nodded my head and grinned like a fool. Scott and I had put Lauren’s bassinet in the sitting room off of our master bedroom, and I couldn’t wait to get home and start working on her room. We’d held off until we knew if it was a boy or a girl, and I had so many ideas.

Melody walked up to me and held out her hand. “Come on, you need to walk around. Trust me, it will help with the pain.”

I rolled my eyes, and she put her hands on her hips.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me, young lady?”

“Uh…”

“You’re in deep shit now,” Scott said from behind me.

I turned to see him looking at us with that panty-melting smile of his.

Oh Lord…

I instantly wanted him, but after I was split open from giving birth to his child, I had made a vow never to have sex with him again. I slowly licked my lips, and his smile faded for one brief second. Then, it was quickly there again, but this time, he raised an eyebrow. He always could tell when I was turned-on, which turned me on even more.

“Come on, up you go. I see you are dressed and ready to go, so I think a walk around will do you a bit of good,” Melody said.

I slowly stood and felt every single pain.

As we made our way down the hallway, arm in arm, we chose to remain silent.

“Let’s get a bit of fresh air, shall we go outside?” Melody asked with a smile as big as the Texas sky.

I couldn’t help but smile back.

As we walked over to a bench and sat down, I took a deep breath of air in and slowly let it out.

“Jessie, I wanted to apologize to you.”

I snapped my head over and looked at her. “For what?”

She shook her head, and then she looked up toward the sky. “For the way I treated you when you first started dating Scott. I know I was nothing but a bitch to you.”

I pulled my head back and widened my eyes. Where is this coming from? “Melody, you don’t—”

She held up her hand. “No, please let me get this all out. I sat down today at brunch, and I looked around at all these women who were sitting there. They are the best of the best, I guess you could say. Then, I saw Chelsea take a seat, and my stomach turned. Just thinking about what she did, using brother against brother just to hurt you, and how I-I…” She quickly shook her head as if she were clearing a memory or thought from her mind. “I just let her do it. I knew she didn’t want Scott. I knew that. I knew they were never meant to be together, and when I heard her say she was going to win him back, I chose to do nothing. Now, Scott and Bryce barely talk to each other. What if…what if you had never come back? Scott’s heart would have been devastated.”

I felt tears stinging my eyes, but I tried desperately not to cry. “I did come back though because what Scott and I have is real, Melody. I love him with all my heart, and I have loved him for so long. What happened is in the past and doesn’t matter anymore. It really does no good to keep thinking about it. We have an amazing future ahead of us, and I want to focus all my energy on loving and taking care of Scott and Lauren. And I might add that we have a wedding to plan.”

She nodded her head and looked at an older couple walking by as they held hands and laughed. When she looked back at me, our eyes met, and I saw the sadness.

“I just need you to forgive me for acting like such a snobby-ass bitch because, really, I’m not. When you and Scott came over and I saw his grandmother’s ring on your finger, I was so happy. Then, you said you were pregnant, and I thought Scott, Senior and I were going to have heart failure because we were so excited. I just want you to know that you are like the daughter I never had, and I’m so happy that you are a part of this family.”

That was when I lost it. The battle to hold back the tears was now over and done. I began sobbing, and Melody pulled me into her arms and began rocking me.

A lone memory of my mother holding me while she sang to me entered my mind. I could almost smell her perfume and hear her voice. Everything hit me at once—the loss of my mother, the guilt I felt about leaving Scott and being with Trey in Belize, and the guilt I felt about Trey’s death. All of it crashed down in that one moment, and I cried like I’d never cried before.

I wasn’t sure how long we sat there as I cried, but by the time I was done, I couldn’t believe how much better I felt.

Melody pulled back and looked into my eyes. “Listen to me because I’m only going to say this once. It was not your fault. No one blames you for leaving. I would have probably done the same thing if I had walked in and seen what you did. No one blames you or judges you for staying away for so long, and it is not your fault that Trey died. He made the decision to do the things he did. Okay? So, I don’t want you to ever have those thoughts in your mind again.”

I nodded my head and wiped at my tear-soaked cheeks.

“Now, I know I could never, ever replace your mother, but I will do the best I can to be like a mother to you. I always wanted a girl.” She smiled as she gave me a wink. “I can’t dress you up in pink ribbons and bows, but I sure as hell can do that with Lauren.”

I busted out laughing, thinking about how I’d had the same thought earlier.

She laughed and shook her head. “You know I’m going to spoil the hell out of her, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know,” I said.

We both stood up and started to head back to the room.

“Let’s talk wedding. Do we have a date in mind?” she asked as she slipped her arm through mine again.

I peeked over at her. “Scott wants to get married on Halloween.”

I cringed at how she was going to react. I was pretty sure she wanted a huge wedding where we would have to invite everyone in town, but Scott and I wanted something with just family and our closest friends.

She let out a gasp, and then she threw her head back and laughed. “Oh Lord! Halloween was always his favorite holiday besides Christmas, so I’m not surprised in the least bit.”

I slowly let out the air I had been holding in. “Wait—you’re not upset? I mean, if we decided to get married on Halloween and only have family and our closest friends attend, you would be okay with that?”

She stopped and looked at me. Her whole body seemed to straighten up more. “Jessie, I’m already thinking of the decorations…and what I want to wear! Oh, please say the guests can come dressed up. I have the perfect costume in mind!”

My jaw dropped to the ground, and I just stared at her. Who is this woman? And where did the Melody I thought I knew go?

“You’re looking at me like I have two heads, Jessica. I can get my party on just like the rest of them. Come on, let’s get y’all home. We have only a little over three months to plan this! Oh, we can set up games for the kids, too. My mind is racing with ideas.”

As we walked back to the room, Melody kept coming up with all these wonderful plans for the wedding.

“Damn it, I wish I had a pen and paper, so we could write this all down,” I said as I pushed the door open. Then, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Scott was holding Lauren and dancing with her in the middle of the room as he hummed a song. He was totally lost in the moment with her. My knees began to wobble, and I had to reach for the wall to hold myself up. I felt Melody steady me with her hands.

She let out a giggle. She whispered to me, “I remember the first time I saw his father holding him just like this. I was so swept away that I thought I couldn’t breathe. When you get angry with him…think of this moment. Always remember this moment, sweetheart.” She kissed me on the cheek and turned to leave. “Call me when y’all get home.”

I couldn’t even answer her. I just nodded my head. I was captivated by what was happening in front of me. I was falling in love with him all over again.

I walked into the room and just stood there. He finally looked up and saw me. He had a single tear rolling down his cheek, and there it was. I couldn’t breathe. This man standing in front of me, holding our child and loving her, just took my breath away.

“I’ve never wanted to have sex with you so badly than I do right now in my entire life,” I blurted out.

Scott’s eyes widened, and he slowly smiled. “I thought you said you were never having sex with me again.”

I walked up to him and looked at my sweet angel sleeping. I gently kissed her on the cheek. I reached up and gently brushed my lips against his. I tugged on his bottom lip with my teeth and then let it go. I slowly slid my hand down his stomach until I felt the evidence of his desire for me.

I winked and said, “I lied.”

I turned and glanced at the clock. It was two thirty in the morning. I rolled onto my back and attempted to go back to sleep. I could hear Ari breathing next to me, and the sounds she made while she slept drove me insane with lust. I turned my head and looked at her. I gently moved to my side and watched her sleep for the next five minutes.

I love her so damn much.

I placed my lips against her neck, right under her ear, where I gently kissed her.

“Mmm…” she said as she moved slightly.

Son of a bitch, I just have to look at this girl, and I want her so much.

I slowly slid my hand down her side and into her panties. I lightly brushed my fingers against her, and she pushed her hips into my hand.

“Jeff…” she whispered.

“Baby, I want you.”

She opened her eyes and looked at me. The smile that spread across her face was my green light. Before I knew it, I was pulling off my boxers and crawling on top of her already naked body.

I slowly pushed myself against her while she let out the softest, sweetest moan. Her fingertips moved lightly up and down my back, causing a million and one jolts of electricity to move through my body.

“Jeff…please go slow.” She pulled me closer to her.

I gently sank into her and let out a moan. I started moving in and out of her oh-so slowly. “Baby, you feel so good,” I whispered against her neck.

“Oh god…what a wonderful way to wake up!” Ari said as she moved her hips in perfect rhythm with mine.

This had to be my favorite thing to do—being buried inside the woman I was so desperately in love with, taking my time in making love to her, giving her nothing but pleasure and pure love.

I moved my lips up to hers, and she gently took my lower lip in her teeth. When she lowered her hands down and grabbed my ass, I almost felt like I was going to come.

“Don’t stop, Jeff. Please don’t stop,” Ari said against my lips.

“I’m trying not to come, baby…but you feel so fucking good.”

She smiled and let out a small giggle. “Mmm…it does feel good…so, so good.”

I moved again, slowly in and out, trying to take in every sensation that was traveling through my body.

“Jeff?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Will you please go faster?”

I smiled as I buried my face into her neck. “Faster, huh?”

She bucked her hips against me. “And harder.”

“Harder, you say?” I continued to move slowly, up and down and then in a slow circle.

“Ah…Jeff, please…I need you to go faster,” Ari pleaded.

“What do you want me to do, Ari? How do you want me to make love to you?”

She grabbed my face with her hands and gave me the sexiest damn smile ever. “I want you to fuck me, Mr. Johnson. Fast and hard, please.”

I winked. “Anything for my beautiful wife.”

It didn’t take long before Ari was throwing her head farther back while calling out my name. Every time with Ari felt like the first time. I wasn’t sure how she did it, but she made me feel like I was taking her to heaven and back every single time we made love.

The smell of bacon was calling me into the kitchen even though I was running late this morning. I needed to go help Gunner with a few fence repairs, and then we were going to head into town for a few errands.

When I rounded the corner, I couldn’t help but smile at what I saw. Luke and Ari were both dancing to Keith Urban’s “Even the Stars Fall for You.” Grace was busy eating, and she couldn’t have cared less about what Ari and Luke were doing. The second Grace saw me, she smiled and held out her arms for me. I walked up and took her out of the high chair. Then, I began dancing with her to the music. Grace started laughing, and Ari rolled her eyes.

“Oh, sure. For you, she drops her food and gets into it. For me and Luke, she ignores us for Cheerios.”

I laughed as I leaned over and kissed Ari. I bent down and got a big hug and kiss from Luke.

“I love ya, Daddy!” Luke yelled over the music.

“I love you, too, buddy.”

After the song was over, Ari turned off the music and helped Luke up into his seat. I put Grace back in her high chair, and she wasted no time in shoveling the little Os into her mouth.

“Where in the hell does that girl get her appetite?” I asked with a chuckle.

Ari shrugged her shoulders. “Beats me. Your mom said Ellie used to eat the same way up until she was about two.”

I grabbed the orange juice out of the refrigerator and started pouring Luke, Ari, and me a glass each. I glanced over at Ari scrambling eggs and humming.

“Ari, are you happy?” I asked her as I set the orange juice down.

She stopped everything and turned to look at me. At first, her face was serious, but then she gave me that smile that I’d do anything for.

“I’ve never been so happy in my entire life. Are you happy?” she asked with a wink.

I walked over to her and pulled her close to me. I placed my hand on the side of her face and gently brushed my thumb back and forth over her soft skin.

“I’m so happy I could burst with joy, baby. I swear, every morning I wake up, I have to pinch myself because I can’t believe this is my life. You amaze me, do you know that? The fact that you finished school online with two kids while helping me with our business and Ellie with the cattle business and spending time with my mother and father…I’m just in awe of you. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life waking you up in the middle of the night to make love to you. When I’m near you, Ari, I feel like I’m walking on a cloud. Your love is amazing. You are amazing.”

She smiled bigger, and I saw tears building in her eyes. I thought back to that day when she’d come to me as I’d sat against the oak tree.

“Jeff…” she whispered.

I kissed the tear from her cheek, and then I leaned down and kissed her lips. Our kiss quickly turned from sweet and innocent to passionate and full of need. More than anything, I wanted to make love to her right then and there.

When we finally broke away from each other, she gave me the sweetest smile.

“I love you so much, and the way you make me feel…I…” The tears rolled down her face, and she quickly wiped them away. “You make me feel so loved, Jeff, so very loved and needed, and I would never want to spend a single day in this life without you.”

I brushed my lips against hers and whispered, “Arianna…thank you, baby, so much for loving me and for giving me two of the most precious gifts I could have asked for. Thank you for saving me.”

I stood outside and watched Jeff drive off toward Gunner and Ellie’s place. My stomach was still quivering from what Jeff had said to me this morning. I touched my lips with my fingertips and smiled. He said I’d saved him, but he’d saved me.

I glanced down at Luke, who was attempting to help Grace walk. I chuckled as I bent down and brought them both in for a hug.

“Do you want to take a nap, y’all?” I asked.

Luke made a face and quickly shook his head. “Too old for naps, Mommy,” Luke said.

I pulled my head back and gave him a shocked look. “A person is never too old for a nap, son.”

I picked up Grace and looked toward the driveway. Ellie was pulling up. I grabbed a hold of Luke. He was ready to bolt out to greet Ellie, and I was sure he was hoping Alex was with her.

Ellie jumped out of the truck and smiled as I let Luke run up to her.

“Mellie!” he screamed. “Alwex?”

“She’s with her grandma and grandpa, baby boy.”

Luke pushed Ellie away, turned, and stomped into the house. Ellie looked at me and laughed.

“I wonder where he gets that attitude from?” she said with a wink.

“Not from his loving mother, that’s for sure.”

Ellie shook her head as she walked up to me and took Grace from my arms. “Oh, baby girl, you’re getting so big!”

“Where’s Colt?”

Ellie smiled. “Grace and Jack begged me to let them watch both of them. Who am I to argue? Besides, we have a bachelorette party to plan for tonight.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to walk into the house. I pulled out the little rolling walker, and Ells put Grace in it. Grace took off and started going around the kitchen island.

“Gesh. I take it she likes that thing?” Ellie let out a giggle.

Luke came walking in with his cars and started setting up shop under the kitchen table. He knew to stay away from the threat of a speeding walker.

“Okay, so we have a problem,” I said as I grabbed a Diet Coke for Ellie and a water bottle for me.

“With what? The bachelorette party?”

I nodded my head. “Yep, Jessie is being a pain in my goddamn ass.”

Ellie smiled slightly. “What’s she doing?”

“She doesn’t want a stripper, and she won’t stop threatening me. She said that if one is there, she wouldn’t go tonight!”

Ellie choked on her Diet Coke.

“Huh…Jessie had the same reaction you just did, Ells.”

Ellie looked shocked. “A stripper? Oh my god, Ari! Don’t you think we’re all past that? I mean, we all have kids now. We can’t do that stuff anymore! Amanda just had Taylor, for god’s sake, Ari.”

I rolled my eyes at her again and put my hands on my hips. “Would you just pull your granny panties back up, you pussy?”

Ellie dropped her mouth open. “I don’t wear granny panties, you bitch.”

I raised my eyebrow up at her. “Really? Prove it.”

“What?”

“Pull your pants down. I want to see what type of undies you have on.”

Ellie’s mouth dropped open, and she shook her head. “Are you insane? I’m not pulling my pants down to show you what kind of panties I’m wearing.”

I turned and walked toward the pantry to get Luke and Grace a snack. “Because you got granny panties on.”

Ellie stood up and stomped her feet. “I do not!”

I tried like hell to hold my laughter in.

“Fine, you bitch. You want to know what kind of underwear I have on?” She began unbuckling her belt and then her pants.

The next thing I knew, she turned around and pulled down her jeans to expose her very nice pink lace cheekini panties.

She looked back at me and said, “Happy?”

“Nice…very nice, sweets,” I said with a chuckle.

“What in the hell are you two doing?”

I quickly looked up to see Josh and Heather standing there, each holding one of the twins. Heather was trying to hold in her laughter, and Josh was standing there, waiting for his question to be answered.

Ellie jumped and pulled up her pants as she called me every name under the sun.

“Really, Ells! The kids’ innocent ears don’t want to hear your filth,” I said with a wink.

“You are too much, do you know that? You got me to do that.” Ellie pointed to me, and then she turned to Josh and Heather. “She was accusing me of wearing granny panties.”

Josh let out a laugh. “And you wanted to prove to her that she was wrong? Why?” he asked, stressing wrong and why.

Ellie grabbed her Diet Coke and took a quick drink. “It doesn’t matter,” she said as she sat down on the bar stool with a thud.

I couldn’t help it at that point. I lost it and started laughing my ass off. Luke jumped up and started laughing, too.

“Luke, you don’t even know why you’re laughing, bud,” Ellie said with a smile.

“Mommy is laughing!”

Good enough reason for me.

“Well, hell, girls, I’d love to stand here and talk about your granny panties…or lack thereof…but I was supposed to be at Gunner’s place to help with some stuff thirty minutes ago.”

Josh put Will down, and he took off, walking over toward Luke. They both started playing with the cars, and I caught Josh’s smile as he watched them.

He leaned over and kissed Libby and then Heather good-bye. “I don’t think we will be long, baby.”

“Take your time ’cause y’all are watching the kids tonight,” Heather called out over her shoulder.

As soon as Josh shut the door, Heather put Libby down. She also took off walking—a little wobbly but still walking—toward the boys.

“Is Grace walking yet?” Heather asked.

“She took three steps last night and fell on her ass. She must have cried for a solid fifteen minutes. Now, she won’t even attempt it. She’s in her safety net right now,” I said as I pointed to Grace whizzing in her walker past Heather.

Grace saw that Libby was out, and she stopped, looked up at Heather, and put her hands up for Heather to take her out. Heather reached down, took her out, and set her down. Then, Grace started walking up to Libby, and I almost died.

At the same time, Heather, Ellie, and I all screamed, “She’s walking!”

Poor Grace got scared and jumped, causing her to fall again on her bottom.

“Oh shit!” I said as I walked up to her and bent down. “Yay, Grace! You walked like a big girl.” I clapped my hands.

The next thing I knew, Heather and Ellie were right next to me. Grace pushed herself up and took off. This time, she went off at full speed out toward the living room.

I stood up and smiled. Then, my smile faded briefly. “Oh hell…now, I’m going to have two of them loose and crazy.”

“Welcome to my world!” Heather patted me on the back.

“A stripper? Are you crazy?” Heather asked as she placed a bowl full of noodles in front of Will.

Ellie pointed at me and said, “See, I’m not the only one.”

“I thought Jessie said no strippers, no way. Why are you planning on having one, Ari, if she doesn’t want one?” Heather asked as she placed Libby into the portable high chair she had brought.

I let out a sigh. “Okay, listen, you prudes…just trust me, will you? Now, what time are we going to head into Austin?”

Heather shook her head. “Ari, if Josh finds out there’s a stripper…well, hell, never mind Josh. When Jessie finds out, she’s gonna freak!”

“Agreed,” Ellie said before taking a bite of noodles.

“Bitches, just stop with your whining, my god. After all, we’re almost twenty-two. It’s not like we can’t still have fun just because we’ve pushed out a few pups.”

“Jessie is older, and I’m pretty sure she said no strippers,” Heather said.

I stood up and placed Luke’s dish into the sink. I took a deep breath before I turned around. “Listen, we’re going out tonight, and we’re going to have fun. I need fun. I need to drink a little, not get drunk but pretty damn close to it. I need to laugh and just have a good time, and I know you two need to do the same. I just want one night for all of us to have a good time. I promise y’all, I’m not going to do anything that the guys wouldn’t like or that Jessie wouldn’t want. Okay?”

Ellie and Heather looked at each other and then back at me. “Okay,” they both said.

I smiled and nodded my head. “Okay, the limo will pick us up at Scott and Jessie’s. Amanda is going to Jessie’s house, and I believe they are spending the night there, so Brad will be there with Maegan and Taylor. Scott’s mom will be there to help them get the kids to bed. Ellie, are Jack and Grace watching both kids?”

Ellie shook her head. “Only Alex. Gunner is keeping Colt.”

Heather smiled. “Josh and I are staying at Ellie and Gunner’s place tonight. Josh brought the portable cribs for the twins, and he’s watched them plenty of times alone. Plus, I think Sharon is going to stop by, right, Ells?”

Ellie nodded.

“Fine. Now that we have all of our kids taken care of, we can decide who’s not going to get drunk,” I said.

Ellie grinned. “Well, since Jessie’s getting married in two days, I think we need to make sure she takes it easy. Amanda won’t drink ’cause she’s still breast-feeding Taylor. Oh my god, did you see the cute picture of her that Amanda sent last night?”

Heather smiled. “Oh, I know! She is the cutest baby!”

I tilted my head and looked between the two of them. “Really, y’all? Can we please stop with all the baby and kid talk? Before we need to start putting the kids down for a nap, we have to talk about getting ready.”

“Fine…let’s talk about how we are going to have a clean, fun night tonight.” Ellie looked at me and raised her eyebrow.

“Hey, I said I wouldn’t do anything that would upset Jessie or the guys.” I crossed my heart with my index finger and smiled. “I cross my heart,” I said as I looked at both of them.

“Good. Now, what are y’all wearing?” Heather asked with a clap.

After we made all the arrangements and talked about who was driving over to Jessie and Scott’s, Ellie and Heather headed over to Ellie’s house.

I put Grace and Luke both down for a nap and headed back downstairs.

Now, I just have to call the stripper and make sure he has the plans down for tonight.