Текст книги "The Exhibitionist"
Автор книги: Tara Sue Me
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Copyright © 2015 Tara Sue Me
Author photograph © Glen McCurtayne, Coleman/Rayner 2013
Cover photo © Julia Reese / Shutterstock. Cover design www.isitdesign.co.uk
The right of Tara Sue Me to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Published by arrangement with NAL,
A member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC,
A Penguin Random House Company
First published in this Ebook edition in 2015
by HEADLINE ETERNAL
An imprint of HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP
Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.
All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library
eISBN 978 1 4722 2654 9
HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP
An Hachette UK Company
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
www.headlineeternal.com
www.headline.co.uk
www.hachette.co.uk
Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
About the Author
Praise for Tara Sue Me
By Tara Sue Me
About the Book
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
An enticing extract of The Master
Discover more from Tara Sue Me
Find out more about Headline Eternal
About the Author
Tara Sue Me wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. It would be twenty years before she picked up her pen to write the second.
After completing several traditional romances, she decided to try her hand at something spicier and started work on The Submissive. What began as a writing exercise quickly took on a life of its own, and sequels The Dominant and The Training soon followed. Originally published online, the trilogy was a huge hit with readers around the world. Each of the books has now been read and reread more than a million times.
Tara kept her identity and her writing life secret, not even telling her husband what she was working on. To this day, only a handful of people know the truth (though she has told her husband). They live together in the southeastern United States with their two children.
Find out more about Tara by visiting her website www.tarasueme.com, or visit her on Facebook www.facebook.com/TaraSueMeBooks and on Twitter @tarasueme.
Praise for Tara Sue Me’s breathtakingly sensual Submissive series:
‘I HIGHLY recommend The Submissive by Tara Sue Me. It’s so worth it. This book crackles with sexual lightning right from the beginning … It has heart and the characters are majorly flawed in a beautiful way. They aren’t perfect, but they may be perfect together. Step into Tara Sue Me’s world of dominance and submission. It’s erotic, thrilling, and will leave you panting for more’ Martini Reviews
‘For those Fifty Shades fans pining for a little more spice on their e-reader … the Guardian recommends Tara Sue Me’s Submissive Trilogy, starring handsome CEO Nathaniel West, a man on the prowl for a new submissive, and the librarian Abby, who is yearning for something more’ Los Angeles Times
‘Unbelievably fantastic! … Nathaniel is something special, and he has that … something “more” that makes him who he is and makes me love him more than all the others. Beneath the cold and detached surface there is a sweet and loving man, and I adored how Abby managed to crack his armour a tiny bit at a time … I can’t wait to continue this beautiful story’ Mind Reader
‘A blazing hot BDSM story between a billionaire and someone who’s admired him from afar. I really enjoyed this smoking tale and recommend it to erotic romance readers’ Night Owl Reviews
‘Tara Sue Me’s The Submissive was a story unlike anything I’d ever read, and it completely captivated me … It’s an emotional, compelling story about two people who work to make their relationship exactly what they need it to be, and how they’re BOTH stronger for it’ Books Make Me Happy
‘I am awed by Tara Sue Me … a very powerful book written with grace and style. The characters were brought to life with a love story that will leave you wanting for more’ Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
‘Very passionate … The characters are very easy to relate to and there is a depth to their feelings that is intriguing and engaging … intense and very, VERY H-O-T’ Harlequin Junkie
‘This is the kind of erotic writing that makes the genre amazing’ Debbie’s Book Bag
‘Titillates and captivates from the very beginning’ Romantic Times (top pick)
By Tara Sue Me
In The Submissive Series
The Submissive
The Dominant
The Training
The Chalet (e-novella)
The Enticement
The Collar
The Exhibitionist
In The Partners In Play Series
Seduced By Fire
About the Book
Book Six in The Submissive Series
She’s ready for even more…
When Abby West discovered her submissive desires, she felt like she was born anew. But lately, her Dominant husband hasn’t been the demanding Master who once fulfilled her every passion. Abby begins to crave something else – and to wonder if Nathaniel can still push her past her boundaries.
Nathaniel knows that Abby belongs to him completely, but even he can’t ignore the pleasure on her face as they get to know their new BDSM group. They’ve invited Nathaniel to guide their group to a new level, and he’s promised to show them the way, even as he recommits to fulfilling his beautiful submissive wife’s every desire. Only this time, uncovering her sexual limits may also expose their relationship to more conflict than it can withstand…
Before there was the fan fiction that became Fifty Shades of Grey, there was The Submissive… Indulge in the series that started it all: The Submissive, The Dominant, The Training, The Chalet, The Enticement and The Collar.
To my sister,
my secret keeper, my cheerleader, and friend.
Acknowledgments
When I started The Submissive in January 2009, I thought maybe ten people would read it. It was a new venture for me. Up until that point, I’d never written anything more graphic than a kiss. Truthfully, if you had told me everything that would happen as a result, I’d have had a good laugh, slapped you on the back, and told you that was the funniest thing I’d ever heard.
Well, what can I say? Life is funny sometimes.
Since I took that step forward and opened the bedroom door in my writing, so many incredible things have happened. I’ve met some of my closest friends and I’m now able to spend my days doing what I love.
And though I never planned to write Nathaniel and Abby beyond The Training, it’s been a lot of fun visiting with them again. Of course, I can’t do this alone, and I’m forever thankful for the people who helped me.
Christin, who helped me with the German parts. Any error is all me.
Tina, who very graciously read and gave me feedback.
Elle, who is always there for me to brainstorm with, laugh with, and share stories with. (P.S. Cole’s next!)
Claire, Jenn, and the entire team at NAL, whose enthusiasm for Nathaniel and Abby keeps me going.
Steve, who made this possible.
My children, who ensure I actually turn the laptop off at times.
You, my readers, who encourage me. I wish it were possible to meet every single one of you.
And Mr. Sue Me, who doesn’t bat an eye when I blurt out, “OMG, I JUST REALIZED WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!”
Chapter One
ABBY
The smell of lust filled the room. In fact, the sexual tension was so high I would bet most of the women present longed to be in the place of the lovely redhead. Currently standing in front of Cole Johnson, the Partners in Play group’s newest senior Dominant, the petite woman trembled slightly. Although she was fully clothed, she displayed a vulnerability I was all too familiar with.
“Daniel told me she’s been having difficulties focusing,” my husband and Dominant, Nathaniel, said. We were at a play party being held at a private residence. He stood behind me, and though we were somewhat removed from the group, he still whispered. “He said he hopes the session with Cole will help.”
“With everyone watching?” I asked. “That seems unlikely.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
We couldn’t hear Cole’s voice; he spoke too softly. The submissive’s gaze drifted from him to the watching crowd. Bad move. Quick as a lightning strike, Cole grabbed her chin and forced her to meet his eyes.
“On me,” he said, the threat in his voice noticeable before it dropped back down to a whisper.
“Perhaps he believes if she can focus while in the middle of a crowd, she can focus during anything,” Nathaniel said.
There was probably some truth to that. The submissive certainly didn’t appear to be tempted to look our way again. Then again, Cole had placed his hands on her shoulders and started a slow stroke up and down her arms. All the while, he kept his eyes locked on hers. I doubted there were many women who would be able to think about anything else if he was looking at them like that.
After a few minutes, he stepped back and spoke to her again. “As far as you’re concerned, you and I are the only people in this room. Understand?”
She answered with a softly spoken, “Yes, Sir.”
“Louder,” he said. “Own your words.”
“Yes, Sir,” she repeated, this time with more confidence.
“You are to keep your eyes on mine the entire time we’re together unless I tell you to do otherwise.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“What’s your safe word?” Cole asked.
“Red, Sir.”
“Thank you. Take your shirt off.”
Her gaze briefly flickered to the floor.
“That’s one, sub,” Cole said, and she sucked in a breath. “Tell me what you did.”
“I looked at the floor, Sir.”
“And what were you supposed to do?”
“Keep my eyes on yours.”
Cole nodded. “Take your shirt off the proper way.”
This time, she kept her focus on him while she unbuttoned and slid the shirt off her shoulders. It fluttered to the floor.
“Very nice,” Cole said. “Now remove your bra.”
I wasn’t a Dominant by any stretch, but I’d been an active submissive for long enough to know and recognize hesitation. Hell, I’d done it often enough myself, but I always learned something new when I was an observer. It was certainly interesting seeing things from a different perspective.
Cole took a step toward her. “On the checklist you filled out, how do you have public nudity listed?”
“As won’t object, Sir.”
“And how else am I to interpret your hesitation as anything other than objecting?”
“I don’t know, Sir.”
“That’s because there is no other way. That’s two. Now remove the bra.”
She quickly reached behind her back to unsnap her bra, but my own focus was suddenly shifted to my husband’s two hands, which were unbuttoning my shirt.
His voice was rough in my ear while his fingers stroked my breasts. “You like watching, don’t you?”
“Especially with you teasing me like that with your hands, Master.”
“You like teasing?” he asked.
I realized what I’d said and how he’d probably interpret my words. “Uh, well …”
He chuckled. “Too late. I’m going to thoroughly enjoy teasing you tonight, but for right now, watch Master Johnson.”
In front of us, Cole had bound his submissive for the night with her arms above her head. Two identical floggers sat on top of a bag off to the side of where they were standing. From the look of them, he’d be demonstrating Florentine flogging.
Cole went right into the scene with both floggers, warming up the submissive with light and easy strokes. Interesting. Whenever Nathaniel used two floggers, he’d start by warming me up with a single one first. But the technique appeared to be working. The submissive’s expression transformed into a look of complete bliss, and by the time Cole started putting more power behind his swing, she was in subspace.
I was transfixed by the sight of them. It appeared almost like a choreographed dance, the way his arms moved in time with her side-to-side sway.
“Very nice,” Cole said to her. “I’m going to bring you down. No climax for you tonight, since you didn’t follow directions at the beginning of the scene.”
She started to protest, but he cut her off. “Unless you want me to demo how to properly discipline with two floggers, you’ll keep that comment to yourself.”
She wisely didn’t say anything else and Cole’s movements grew slower and slower.
I jumped when Nathaniel slipped a hand down my skirt.
“Someone liked watching,” he said.
I pressed back against him and wiggled my butt across his erection. “Yes, Master.”
“I’m going to flog that wiggly ass. Let’s go to the garage.”
The garage was set aside for public play and filled with all sorts of fun toys. Plus, there were always people observing the play scenes. It would be our first time being in the garage, and I smiled at the thought of finally being a participant.
I walked in front of him, nodding and smiling at the people we passed on our way. The party had been going on for about an hour and a half, so the house was filled to capacity. About half of the partygoers were in the garage. A laughing couple pushed past us on their way into the popular play space. I feared the garage would be too crowded, but when we made our way inside, I was happy to see that wasn’t the case.
The room was large and clean and there were no cars. Different play stations had been set up with plenty of room between the areas for people to stand and observe without getting in the way of the people playing. Also, next to each station was a basket filled with cleaning spray and paper towels.
“I like the cleaning stations,” I said to Nathaniel.
“Yes, it’s important.”
I stood for a minute just inside the doorway and tried to take in the entire scene. Between fifteen and twenty people were in the garage, and of those, about eight were engaged in play. The two padded benches and the padded table were occupied, as was the St. Andrew’s cross. Both the people playing and those watching were being observed by the group Dungeon Monitor. He saw us and nodded.
I looked to Nathaniel for instructions and he nodded toward one of the remaining free areas: a whipping post. “On your knees in front of the post.”
I crossed the floor and knelt down while I waited. I closed my eyes to focus myself on serving him. I thoroughly enjoyed playing in front of others, but I never wanted my focus to drift from where it was supposed to be.
“So you like it when I tease you?” he asked.
“Most of the time, Master.”
“Whereas I, on the other hand, always enjoy teasing you.” He took a few steps and stood behind me. “And I love to hear you beg. So tonight, I’m going to start a scene and we’re going to finish it at home. How does that sound?”
“Like a long ride home, Master.”
He laughed. “And if you don’t want it to be an even longer night, you’ll behave.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Stand up and face the post.”
I rose to my feet and turned to the post, imagining how I looked to the crowd as I did, and positioning myself to please Nathaniel.
He ran his hands up my back and situated my arms so they were above my head. “You would enjoy this better if you were naked, wouldn’t you?” he asked.
“Most things involving you are better if I’m naked, Master.”
He gave my ass a slap. “Someone feels a little sassy tonight, doesn’t she?”
“Maybe just a little.” I wiggled my butt, hoping he’d spank it again.
But he didn’t. Instead he moved my hands to two grips on the post. “Don’t let go and no speaking unless I ask a question.”
He hadn’t brought his toy bag with him, so I couldn’t imagine what he was going to do.
“I’m going to lift your skirt,” he said. “Are you wearing anything under it?”
He was the one who had picked out my outfit before we left. So he knew the only thing under the skirt was me. “No, Master.”
“Everyone’s going to see your ass. The only thing better would be if everyone saw me spank you.”
I tried not to think about how much that thought turned me on. He said he was going to tease me, which probably meant he wasn’t going to let me climax at the party.
He drew my skirt above my waist and I expected him to continue his upward trail, but instead his fingers slipped behind me and he pinched my butt. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from making a noise.
“You’re being so good,” he said, keeping one hand on my ass and shifting the other to stroke my breast.
I relaxed against the post, enjoying the feel of his hands on me, the experience made more erotic by the accompanying sound track of sighs, whimpers, and moans from other couples in the garage. Nathaniel’s hands finally made their way between my legs and I held my breath, anticipating his touch right where I needed it and reminding myself that no matter how good it felt, I could not make a noise.
“I’m going to finger-fuck you.” Nathaniel’s warm breath kissed my ear. “You can’t make a noise and you can’t come. Do either of the two and I won’t let you come for two weeks.”
I wasn’t about to let that happen. I took a deep breath and started reciting German in my head, my tried-and-true way of delaying orgasm.
“Are you doing your German, Abigail?” he said, moving his fingers lightly over my clit and making me rise on my toes. “Are you?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Do you think the German alphabet is going to keep your mind off the fact that I have my fingers inside you?”
“No, Master. Not entirely. Just enough…” I arched against him as his fingers found that spot inside me that felt so good. “Just enough to help me … be good.”
“There’s a man in the far corner. He’s in the shadows, so I can’t make out who he is. He’s watching us.”
I sucked in a breath and almost let out a moan before I remembered I couldn’t make a sound. Fuck. When I knew I was being watched, my skin broke out in delicious shivers and I became a puddle at Nathaniel’s feet.
“I know you like that. I know it gets you off.” His fingers moved faster. Deeper. “Too bad he won’t be able to watch you come.”
He stroked over and over and my release built within me. I started conjugating German verbs. Translated the preamble to the Constitution into German. Anything. Just when I thought my body was going to fall apart all over him, he slowed his movements.
He slipped his fingers out and straightened my skirt. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, Master.”
“You can let go of the straps and stand up.”
I straightened and turned. He watched me with his intense green gaze.
“You did very well, Abigail,” he said, and I felt my heart flutter at his praise. “I’m going to have to think of a suitable reward.”
He dropped his head and gave me a soft kiss, but his lips didn’t linger. Pulling back, he brought his finger to my mouth. Without being told, I sucked it inside and licked, tasting myself and cleaning him.
When I finished, he kissed me again. “Very nice, Abigail.”
I sighed and Nathaniel tightened his arms around me. The pounding need to have him inside me was still there. Yet it was tempered by the knowledge that he would reward me once we were home. Or, more to the point, when we were back at the hotel we were staying in for the weekend.
A few months ago when we were in Wilmington, Delaware, for a conference that Nathaniel was speaking at, we fell in love with the area and people. According to him, the tax rate was wonderful, so we decided to buy a place. Initially, we’d looked at the coast, but we soon discovered most of our time was spent in Wilmington and it only made sense to buy there.
I loved our new house. It was from early in the last century and filled with character. But more than that, it would be the first place we’d live in as a family that Nathaniel and I bought together. He’d inherited our Hamptons estate from his parents and our New York City penthouse he’d bought when he was still a bachelor. I owned a chalet in Switzerland that he had given me as a wedding present, but we only ever visited there. I was excited to have a space that was “ours.”
Wilmington, Delaware, was also where the Partners in Play BDSM group was. One of the group’s core Doms, Jeff Parks, had rescued me one night from a raunchy nightclub I’d made the mistake of going to with a friend and without Nathaniel. Another Dom, Daniel Covington, was a colleague of Nathaniel’s. That’s how we met the group. Since then, I’d become friends with both of their submissives. Dena was now engaged to Jeff, and Julie had moved in with Daniel a few months ago.
A phone call from Jeff a week ago had led to our visit tonight. Jeff had wanted Nathaniel to come down because there had been trouble within the group lately. Namely with two relatively new Doms. Nathaniel had been asked to help.
Now Nathaniel took my hand and we left our little corner of the garage. I was tempted to look around and try to locate the man who had been observing us. Without much thought, I decided not to. Sometimes the fantasy was better than the real thing.
He squeezed my hand. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Yes, Master.” And sometimes reality was better than fantasy.
Nathaniel and I made our way into the kitchen, greeting only a few people. Nathaniel took a bottle of water from a cooler and we walked into the living room.
He nodded to the floor and I sat at his feet while he sat on the couch. We were experimenting with different levels of protocol to see what we liked and what worked for us. Sitting at his feet was something we’d been trying lately and I was surprised to discover I liked it. In that position, I felt protected and secure.
He opened the bottle and pressed it to my lips.
“Thank you, Master,” I said when I’d had my fill.
The door to the room’s left opened and Cole and the red-headed submissive stepped out. He spoke to her softly and stroked her cheek. She left him with a smile on her face and a spring in her step.
Cole was still somewhat of an enigma to me. According to Dena, he’d broken up with his long-term girlfriend several months earlier. He usually traveled for his work, and I gathered the breakup was his reason for staying in Delaware as long as he had. He was a journalist and a good one; I’d read some of his articles. I wrote for a national news blog, and since he was a writer, I was interested in getting to know him better.
Cole spotted us and headed our way.
“Master West,” he said, shaking Nathaniel’s hand.
“Master Johnson.”
Cole inclined his head in my direction. “I haven’t been formally introduced to your Abby yet.”
I wasn’t allowed to interact with Doms at a party unless Nathaniel gave me permission, so I remained where I was.
“We must correct that.” Nathaniel smiled at me. “Come meet Master Johnson, Abigail.”
I moved to my feet and waited to be introduced.
“Master Johnson, this is my Abby.” Nathaniel lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. “She is my everything.”
I didn’t miss the subtle lift of Cole’s eyebrows or Nathaniel’s slight nod. Granted permission to touch me, Cole held out his hand.
“Very nice to formally meet you Abby.”
I shook his hand. “The feeling is mutual, Sir.”
“I understand you’re a writer,” he said.
“I just write a blog for WNN, Sir,” I said, slightly taken aback that he knew anything about me. It wasn’t a secret, of course. It was just, he was a writer writer.
“You express yourself through written words. You’re a writer.”
“And a damn good one,” Nathaniel added.
The corner of Cole’s mouth lifted in what could only be called a devilish grin. “I know. I’ve read her blog.”
“You have?” I nearly squeaked, and then remembered where I was and composed myself. “I mean, you have, Sir?”
He chuckled. “Yes. And you shouldn’t demean it by saying it’s only a blog.”
“Thank you, Sir. I’ll try to remember that.” I wanted to return the praise. “I’m really enjoying the series of articles you’re writing based on your time in India, Sir.”
All traces of joviality left his expression, and darkness covered his face. I wasn’t sure what I had said to upset him, but now I wished I hadn’t spoken at all.
“It was a unique experience,” he finally said.
“It’s a unique country,” I said.
“Yes. There are parts that are breathtakingly beautiful and I met some incredible people. But I think—” He looked pained. “I think I won’t be going back.”
I was momentarily stunned, since his articles seemed filled with a real love for India, but fortunately I was saved from any long, awkward silences by the appearance of Jeff and Dena.
“There you guys are,” Dena said. She was holding hands with Jeff, and they both looked so happy I couldn’t help smiling along with them. I spared a quick look back at Cole, but whatever had upset him was forgotten. The devilish grin had returned.
“What’s going on?” Cole asked.
Dena spotted Daniel and Julie in the hallway and waved them over.
“What’s happening?” Daniel asked.
“I’m wondering the same thing,” Cole said.
Dena looked so excited I wouldn’t have been surprised if she started bouncing up and down. “We set a date!” she finally said.
“A date for what?” Cole asked, and Dena’s smile temporarily deflated. Nathaniel thumped him on the shoulder. “Just teasing, you guys. Congratulations!”
“I love weddings,” I said. “Tell us when it is.”
Jeff replied with a date less than two months away.
Dena held up her hands as we all started speaking at once. “I know it’s short notice, but it’ll be small. We thought about just having the justice of the peace do it, but since our collaring ceremony was private, we thought better of it.”
Jeff slipped his arm around Dena and kissed her forehead. “I was the one pushing for a private ceremony.”
“Thank goodness she didn’t go for your idea,” Daniel said. “I’ve been waiting on this day.”
“But if she had,” Jeff said, “we’d be married already.”
“There is that,” Daniel said.
Dena had stayed with us at our Hamptons estate recently. Jeff had been out of town caring for his terminally ill father, and because she’d been getting threats from a stalker, we’d offered for her to stay with us. She was a prosecutor and her father was a prominent politician, so no one was sure who was threatening her. That was all in the past now, but Dena and I had become good friends during the weeks she’d stayed with us and I knew exactly how happy she was to be marrying Jeff.
I didn’t know Jeff quite as well, but I’d actually met him first, and one of the things I picked up on was an underlying sadness about him. There was no sadness now. Only joy and, as he gazed down at the woman who wore both his collar and his engagement ring, love.
It made me a bit nostalgic for the early days of my relationship with Nathaniel when everything was so new and we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. Of course, we still didn’t want to, but it was harder to find time to ourselves. I hoped the move to Delaware would mean more time at home for him and allow us to connect more.
“Angel,” Jeff said, “didn’t you want to talk to Abby and Julie privately?”
“Yes, as long as it’s okay with Masters West and Covington.”
“Of course,” Daniel said, dropping a kiss on Julie’s cheek. “Don’t stay away too long. I have a new toy.”
The brunette’s eyes lit up. “Yes, Master.”
“I don’t have a new toy,” Nathaniel whispered in my ear. “I just want to fuck you.”
My knees almost turned to jelly. “Yes, Master.”
“Hurry back to me,” he said.
I would. I definitely would.
Dena took us up the stairs to the small bedroom that wasn’t in use. The house belonged to William Greene, a Dominant I had only met in passing. The lack of furniture and minimal decorating led me to believe he lived alone.
“I wanted to wait until Sasha was here, too,” Dena said. “But I’m not sure when all of us will be together. I’ll tell you guys and will catch up with Sasha later.”
“Everything’s okay, right?” I asked.
Her eyes lit up, and I swore she was so excited they sparkled. “Everything’s great. I’m pregnant.”
Julie’s hand flew to her mouth, and tears filled my eyes. Dena had already had one late-term miscarriage. She had told me part of her history with Jeff while she was living with us. I had been fortunate, both my pregnancies were trouble free and full term. I could only imagine how scary a pregnancy would be following a miscarriage. At the moment, though, she didn’t look frightened. She positively glowed.
“I thought it was strange you didn’t have a corset on tonight,” Julie said, and then pulled the willowy blonde into a hug.
Dena smoothed a hand over her short skirt and cropped shirt. “Yes, this isn’t my normal party outfit by any stretch, but my corsets are going into storage for the next eight months.”
“What does Jeff think?” I asked.
“Jeff’s completely besotted,” she said. “He reads Goodnight Moon to my belly every night. I told him hearing hadn’t developed yet, but he said since no one knew exactly when it did, there was no harm in it.”
“I love watching strong men get all melty because of a baby,” I said, remembering Nathaniel with our kids.
Dena nodded. “There is nothing hotter, that’s for sure. We haven’t publicly announced anything yet, so please don’t tell anyone. I had to tell you guys, because, well, I just did.”
“How are you doing?” Julie asked.
“Scared to death,” Dena said with a tight laugh. “Trying to relax, but going crazy with each ache, pain, and cramp. Jeff’s so good. He’s a great listener and he gives the best back rubs. But I know it’s hard for him, too.”
“I imagine so,” I said.
“I don’t think I’ll completely relax until I bring this baby home.”
Julie reached for her hand. “I’m glad you told us. Now you have Jeff, Abby, and me to talk to.”
“Thanks.” Dena wiped a tear from her face. “Damn pregnancy hormones. Anyway, I also wanted to ask you guys if you’d stand with me at the wedding. I’m going to ask Sasha, too.”
“Yes!” Julie nearly shouted, and I hugged Dena and told her I’d be honored.
“Jeff wants to get married before the baby’s born. I told him that was fine, but I wasn’t walking down the aisle looking like a whale.”
“Oh, we’ll go wedding dress shopping,” Julie said. “All four of us.”
“It’ll have to be soon.” Dena looked over at me. “Can you go this weekend, Abby?”
I shook my head. “No, we’re starting the move this weekend. But don’t let me hold you up. You go without me.”
