Trusted Page 16

  “I’ve had it for a while, hoping, praying, that one day you’d be mine,” he whispers.

  “I’m yours,” I whisper back and our mouths collide.

  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

  She said YES! I’m so happy I’m about to explode! With my hand still around the back of Pearl’s neck I turn my head to Rosie and smile. “Mommy said ‘yes’, pumpkin!” She looks at me and screams, raising her little arms in the air, and I laugh as mashed potatoes fall in clumps onto her hair. I know she has no idea what she’s screaming about…. Or does she? Once everyone calms down and gets back in their seats, the jabbering conversations are all over the place at once. I look at everyone, one by one, and can’t believe how drastically and swiftly my life has changed. My head moves to Rosie and I watch as she laughs when she eats, and then I turn to Pearl, watch her talk to her family, laugh and take a bite of chicken, her ring glistening in the sunlight and my heart spills over with love. Maybe every horrible thing that happened in my life was for a reason, some purpose. Maybe it was to make me stronger, make me wait and appreciate what I have, my daughter, my Pearl. Maybe….

  My thoughts are interrupted by the feel of warmth on my arm, and I smile at Pearl. “What’s wrong, babe? Is everything okay?” Pearl whispers, the look of worry marring her sweet and beautiful face.

  I lean over and kiss her full lips and smile against them. “Everything is perfect, my love.”

  I’ve never been around such a loving family, and I have a blast watching Rosie trying to rip the paper off her presents. Pearl had left early this morning and ran over to the mall to get something for Rosie from her and me. However, I already had something in mind, something that’s unique and that she’ll never have from anyone else. Rosie yelled and clapped when she opened our presents. Her little feet were moving back and forth against each other as she sits on a blanket on the grass with everyone sitting around her. She holds up a plastic fork and pretends to eat from it, then slides it across the plastic plate and then stands up, holding onto the play sink and pretends to wash everything. I look at Pearl and wink, her face beaming with the gift she bought. “I’m hoping the play kitchen set will help her learn to eat with her real utensils better,” she laughs. I lean in and kiss her temple and then brush back some of her long hair as it blows across her face.

  We all have fun laughing and the girls gasp each time she opens one of her presents. Finally, she sits down, a big smile on her face, and I hand her my present. She looks up at me, her eyes brightly shining, and then looks down at it in her small hand and starts ripping the paper off. She has a hard time opening the little velvet box, so I reach down and help her. Her face lights up, her eyes wide as her little eyebrows raise and her little mouth lets out an ‘ooo’. I help her by taking the necklace out of the box and hold it up for her, her little hand holding the locket, and I open it up to show her. “This is your birth mommy, Venice. This is something we’ll put away for you so you can wear it when you get older.” I turn my head to Pearl with tears in my eyes and I see her wipe some of hers away.

  “Harley, that’s the best present, ever.” She leans into me, kissing my lips and my heart swells with her love.

  I take the necklace out of Rosie’s tight grip and place it back in the box and then in my pocket. Rosie’s cute little lips pout at me until she looks down and grabs another toy, shrieking. We all laugh, and I feel someone touch my arm. “Harley, that was so sweet and precious. I’m sure Venice was a special woman and I love how you’re keeping her memory alive for Rosie,” Jade’s voice is tearing me up inside, but in a good way.

  About two hours later, Rosie starts yawning and rubbing her eyes. The guys help me load up the back of the SUV with most of Rosie’s presents, but we decide to leave some of them here for her to play with when she visits. Jade tells Pearl and me that she’d love to keep her in a couple of days for the night to give us a break, and so we can have some alone time. Even though I’m not quite ready to have Rosie out of my sight just yet, I’m also thrilled with the idea of having some time with Pearl, so I agree. Pearl put Rosie in her car seat as I finish loading the back and after shutting the hatch I turn around and see Knox.

  “Uh, I’ll return the car tomorrow.” I hold out my hand, and he shakes it while patting my shoulder. “Thank you so much for all you’ve done. I can’t…. I can’t tell you what it means to me.” I get a little choked up with my words, but he really has no idea.

  “Son?” His hand grasps my shoulder. “Looks like you’re gonna be my son-in-law so congratulations. I would have put a bow on it but had no idea this was gonna happen today.” My brows crease and my arm instinctively wraps around Pearl as she fits into my side, her arm moving around my waist as her hand lays against my stomach.

  “I’m sorry?”

  He laughs and moves his arm out at the SUV. “Consider it an early wedding gift. I’ll get the paperwork done tomorrow and have it put in your name.”

  My head shakes and I look at the car, at Pearl, who’s smiling wide, and then back at Knox. “What? You’ve already given me so much, how can I….?”

  “You just do,” Jade’s voice rings out as she walks up beside Knox and puts her arm around his waist. “You’re part of our family, Harley, you and Rosie, and we don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.” She smiles and winks at Pearl and then looks at me.

  I look down at my boots, my head still shaking, “Well, I haven’t…. I don’t….” I look up at Knox then at Jade. “Thank you. I’m not used to all this kindness…. I….”

  My head turns when Bo walks up behind me, his hand pats my upper back and then Stormy walks over and kisses Pearl on her cheek. “Might as well get used to it, man. It’s the way things are around here.” Bo laughs and I nod, then turn to Pearl, squeezing her close.

  “Let’s go, babe. Time to get our little one in bed. I think she may take a little nap,” Pearl winks, my brows lifting as her meaning sinks in, and I take her hand, rushing her over to the passenger side, opening the door, and she laughs as she sits down.

  I run around the front of the car, open the door but raise up and shout back at everyone. “Gotta go! Thanks!” I hear laughter as I get inside, push the key into the ignition and start it up.

  As soon as we get home Pearl takes our sleeping Rosie upstairs to put her in bed while I start unloading the car. It takes me three loads to get everything upstairs, and then I stop off in the kitchen for some cold water. I finally make it upstairs, peek into Rosie’s room and smile when I see her laid out flat on her back, her little legs and arms all stretched out. I know she has to be exhausted with all the fun she had today. I walk across the small hallway and into our room but don’t see Pearl anywhere. My head turns swiftly when I hear the shower water running, and I quickly remove my clothes, my cock already hard. I stop when I walk into the bathroom, seeing her silhouette under the spray, my heart already beating fast. I open the shower door, step in and close it, then wrap my arms around her waist. My hands immediately targeting her full breasts as her head lays back against my shoulder. “Harley,” she moans as I tweak her nipples, my now fully hardened cock pressing against her bottom. “Ungh! More,” she gasps as my cock rubs up and down between her butt cheeks, my hips pushing causing it to go in between her legs. She turns, my hands leaving her breasts but move down to her waist. I lift her up, her legs wrapping around me, and push her gently against the cool tiled wall. Her mouth is on mine, and I can’t wait anymore so I push my cock into her, her mouth opens against mine and gasps, a breath of her air invading me. “Closer…. I need you closer,” she breathes into my mouth. I push against her hard, her body rising a little on the wall and pull back out only to repeat the movement again and again. My mouth leaves hers and finds her nipple as her hips start moving in time with my thrusts that begin to get faster.

  “Fuck!” I yell out as I begin to release inside her, my thumb finds her clit and begins to rub, then press down and rub harder as my hips buck against hers.

  “Ungh! Harley!” she sc
reams my name as her climax is reached, and I keep pumping in and out as we ride it out together. Her hair is wet, and some is plastered against her glowing face. I move it away and press my lips against hers. Finally, I lean back and stare into her half closed eyes and smile. “Come, let’s get you clean. Looks like someone else may need a good nap.” She laughs as she removes her legs from around me, her body sliding down mine, and I’m getting hard again. We take turns washing every inch of each other. I grab a towel, wrapping it around her luscious body, and then dry her off. I smack her cute bottom lightly and tell her to go get dressed. I remove another towel from the rack and look at my beaming face in the mirror as I dry off. I’m the luckiest man in the world.

  After throwing on some clean boxers and jeans, I crawl into our bed behind her. I spoon her beautiful body, laying my arm around her and clasp my hand in hers, our fingers threading through each other’s. “I’m the luckiest woman in the word,” she yawns. I kiss her head and close my eyes, smiling.

  “Omph!” My eyes snap open when I hear Pearl and then feel a little body wiggle in between us.

  “Daddy.” My heart beats wildly, my breathing accelerating and tears form when I hear that word from her sweet little lips for the very first time. Rosie’s sitting up sandwiched between Pearl and me, her little legs folded, and she’s smiling and clapping. “Daddy!” I look around her and see Pearl turning over, the biggest smile on her face, and her arm moves around a giggling Rosie pulling her against her. She looks at Pearl and yells, “Daddy!” I sit up and Pearl winks at me. Leaning down I kiss Rosie’s cheek and whisper, “I love you, pumpkin.” She giggles again, and I look at Pearl but whisper again in Rosie’s ear. “Can you say Mommy?” Pearl’s brow raises and her smile grows. Rosie’s head turns to me, and she giggles again. “Daddy!” I look at Pearl and see she’s laughing.

  Pearl sits up and grabs Rosie, turning her upside down, and gets out of bed. “I think little Miss Rosie probably needs a diaper change.” She winks at me and walks towards the door as Rosie laughs the entire time, hanging upside down. “I also think Miss Rosie needs to start using her potty chair.”

  I lay back down, putting my hands beneath my head, and smile. She called me Daddy. I think other than Pearls ‘yes’ that is the best word I have ever heard in my life. I don’t know how much more happiness I can take, but I’m damn sure gonna try.

  Pearl leans down, kissing my lips, then runs her fingers through my hair. “I’m heading downstairs. Will see you when I get home.” She then kisses the top of Rosie’s head and Rosie looks up at her then back down at the block in her hand. “She’s gonna be so spoiled sitting on your lap, and us always carrying her around but I think she can handle it,” Pearl laughs. I smile and lean in for another kiss.

  “Text or call me. I’m gonna miss having you here after so many days.” I give her my best pout, and she lets out a laugh.

  “Awww.” She bends down, and I can feel her warm breath on my ear. “Just think how much fun we’ll have reconnecting when I get home.” My head leans back and I know my eyes are full of desire because I feel it throughout me, and all of a sudden it’s gotten really warm in here. She rubs her hand over the scruff on the side of my face, and her mouth is on mine again.

  “Daddy!”

  We both laugh against each other’s lips, and she straightens up, waving as she walks backwards to the door. I look down, grab my little girl’s waist and lift her up in the air above my head. “You, little pumpkin, don’t have very good timing.” She giggles and I rock her back and forth, the block all slobbery in her hand and against her mouth. “How about we watch a movie. Mommy got you a bunch of great little girl movies.” I pick her up and carry her with me, bend down on one knee and rummage through all the movies Pearl bought her yesterday and a few she got today. “Ah, how about Cinderella?” I show her the cover, and she smiles, patting it. “Good.” After putting the movie into the DVD player, I go back to the couch and set her down on my lap, push the power on the remote and then hit play. She leans her back against me, her little knees bending and puts her feet on my leg. She looks over at the end table. Her hand extends, fingers clenching and unclenching.

  “Dink,” she states and I grab it for her, but she doesn’t drink. She simply puts it into her arm and leaves it there. I chuckle and look back at the movie. I guess she just wanted it close in case she get thirsty. Kids are cute and a little perplexing.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Miss u. Home in one hour.

  That’s the fourth text I’ve sent, one of them telling him I love him and the other two checking on Rosie. I called him on break and he and Rosie had watched two movies, ate leftover mac and cheese and chicken for dinner, and then he gave her a bath for the first time. He said he got wetter than she did, and I couldn’t stop laughing. I tried to tell him he was the bigger person, but he only laughed and said ‘Yeah, well, she has good aim’. I hate being away from them, but someone has to work. He will be working tomorrow night, and I’ll stay home with Rosie. I can’t wait. For now, I only have one hour until I get to spend a little quality time with my love, and I’m not wasting a minute of it.

  “Night, Pearl!” I wave at Pete as he shuts the front door. I hear the lock click, and I run around like the place is on fire, flipping off lights, checking to make sure the office door is locked and pushing the kitchen door so hard it hits the wall behind it. Once I’ve got the back door unlocked, I take the few steps into the alley and run up the stairs. I unlock the door and relock it when I get inside and run down the hallway. By the time I get in the front door, into our apartment, and lock it, run up the stairs, peek in on Rosie and get to our bedroom door, I’m so out of breath, my chest is heaving. I look inside and gasp, sucking in my breath when I see all the lit candles everywhere. I take a step in, kicking off my shoes, and look down at a trail of single pearls and follow it until I enter the bathroom doorway. My eyes now follow the lit candles everywhere, on the counter, to the fat edge of the tub, to the filled wine glasses until they hit gorgeous, sexy and sculpted abs. I let out the breath I was holding. My eyes follow up his broad chest, neck, and his scruff that I love so much and then to his blue glimmering eyes that melt me on the spot.

  “You’re late,” he whispers in his low, raspy voice, and I think I just came. “Come, baby. Time to relax.” He watches as I remove my clothes, but I’m not nervous or embarrassed. He holds out his hand, and I grasp it as I step into the tub, then sit down in between his legs with my back against his chest. I take the wine glass he offers and take a sip, closing my eyes and relishing in our quiet time together. “Busy night?” I only nod as I take in the warm water, the warmth of his body and the feel of his hardened cock pressed up against my lower back. He chuckles. “You’re not gonna fall asleep on me are you?”

  I sit up quickly, the water sloshing around us, and turn my head to him. “No!” He laughs and pulls me back down against his chest. “Of course not. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all night.”

  “Me too, baby. Just relax and finish your wine. We have all night.” I hum a response to him as his hands grasps my shoulders and begin massaging my aching muscles. “Rosie was so cute tonight and made it through the first movie but conked out shortly after the second movie started. She….”

  I turn in his arms and crash my mouth against his. His hand rubs my back as the other clasps the back of my neck. Soon the hand on my back rubs its way down to the small of my back and then it grabs my bottoms cheek and squeezes. “Mmmm,” he moans in my mouth and the heat within me starts to move up my body. I release his mouth and stare into his eyes as my hand moves in between my legs, and I take ahold of his hard cock. I can tell his eyes try to stay focused on mine, but they flitter and then close. I stroke him up and down and back up again, my thumb rubbing across the tip. Suddenly, his eyes snap open. His hands grab my waist, and he lifts me out of the water, and my legs move on either side of his as he lowers me down until I sheath him completely.

  “Ungh!” I m
oan, my head tilting back. As he lifts me again and lowers me his hips buck slamming his cock deep inside me. “God, I can feel you so much more this way.” I raise up with his movements pushing with my knees and my mouth presses against his, my hands are on his shoulders. I gasp when I’m lowered, and his cock hits something inside me that makes my inner muscles squeeze him, heat rises within me and my heart starts pounding. My knees push again. His hands help me rise, and then I lower myself faster as his cock hits the mark again. A guttural moan leaves me and is muffled by his mouth. With his help, we are moving faster and faster until I hear him scream my name, and I collapse on top of him, my body quivering with my own climax.

  “Fuck, you felt so good covering me entirely and I felt like I could feel every inch inside of you,” he says against my head, his breaths blowing a few of my dried strands of hair. I feel his mouth kiss my forehead, and I groan when he moves me. “Baby, the water’s getting cool. Let’s get you out, dried and dressed before you catch a cold. Come on.” I reluctantly sit up and he lifts me off him, rises and steps out of the tub. I take his offered hand and step out, and he commences to dry me off. I walk into the bedroom and get my sleeping attire on. By the time I crawl into bed, I’m so sleepy that I barely lay down on my front, with my arm bent around my pillow. I feel him get in beside me, his arm laying over my back and when I close my eyes, I can feel his warmth, and I drift off quickly.

  “Mmmmm.” Something smells so heavenly. “Omph!” My eyes open when a small body pats my face but lands against my chest. Rosie sits up, pushing her little hands against my arm and starts clapping and giggling. “Oh! Pumpkin! And how is my sweetheart this morning?” I put my arms around her, and she lays her head on my chest for about two seconds then sits up and looks up. My eyes follow her movements and see Harley standing there with a tray full of food.