Touched Page 19

  “I’m fine now. Go on. Tabbie and Amber should be here any minute.” He doesn’t smile back, and his face doesn’t soften. He just nods, turns and walks towards the front. He’s so much more protective of me since everything happened with Alex and even more so now that I’m pregnant. He worries about me almost as much as Knox does. It’s sweet but can be annoying, but I understand and love him for it. Shaking my head from my thoughts I look up just in time to see Tabbie and Amber approaching. ‘Well, ‘bout time you showed your pretty faces.” I stand when they reach our table, each pulling me into a hug.

  “Girl, we hurried as fast as we could but you know I take forever to get ready and get my prettiness on. Then what do you know, Tabbie takes as long as I do,” she says and then turns to look at Tabbie. “Or longer.” Then she turns back to me. “And…” Tabbie then huffs and chimes in.

  “Wait a fucking minute! I had to stop and come help your ass. Don’t even go there,” she blurts.

  I just sit there and watch them bickering back and forth, lay my chin on my hand and smile. I’m so glad they hit it off so well and are already more than best friends, they’re like sisters. All the feelings inside me stirring of love from my hot and sexy man, my childhood sweetheart and these two girls. I’m so fortunate. Who needs my mom when I have all this? Suddenly, my heart drops. My mom. I miss her.

  “Hey, what’s up, Jade? Why so gloomy?” Amber asks, her face scrunched up.

  My smile is huge as I shake my head and sit up straight. “No gloom here. Everything is perfect!”

  We have a fabulous lunch, girl talking for about two hours. Knox only texted me five times, and I laughed every time he did. Such a sweet person, so caring and loving. I still can’t believe after all these years he is the little boy I used to play in the sand with, and that I gave my heart to so long ago. It amazes me how life can throw you under a bus and then turn your life around into something wonderful. We finally all hugged goodbye at the front door as Emerson stood there with his beefy arms crossed over his chest, and we planned on getting together in a few days over at my apartment for more girl time. I figure for now it’s best to stay close until Knox gets our ‘Fort Knox’ castle finished then we will have the huge place, the wide backyard with private beach to have a little more freedom.

  The mass of photographers were still outside, but they were actually a bit pleasant without Peter there. Emerson hurried me into the car, took me to the nearest bookstore where we quickly ran in, finding the few books I wanted and then the ride home was silent as my thoughts went back to my mother. I’m so torn on what to do. I want her in my life but can I forgive her? I come back to reality when we pull into the garage, and I notice Knox’s Jag is sitting there already. After getting out of the car Emerson and I are lucky to get the elevator right away and head up to our apartment. Right before the doors open I thank him for taking me. He winks while smiling at me and when the doors begin to slide apart I’m pushed back against the wall, the railing biting into my lower back, as Knox holds me in his arms tightly.

  “Damn! I couldn’t stand not being with you any longer. I missed you,” he speaks into my ear. My heart is racing with his warm body pressed against mine and all the tingling sensations flowing throughout my body with his closeness. He’s breathing heavily, blowing warm bursts of air on my face, and I’m suddenly aware of where we are. “Angel, we better get out of the elevator. I need to be inside you. Now.” I feel his words clear down to my already wet pussy and when he leaves my body, I can feel the chill of the air around us. My head bobs up and down as I nod when he takes my hand and leads me so fast into the apartment and down the hall that I’m almost running to keep up with his large strides. I barely step foot into the room when I hear the door slam behind me. His mouth is on mine, and he’s pulling my shirt up from my pants as I tug on the hem of his t-shirt. He hardly breaks free of my mouth to yank his shirt over his head when his lips are back against mine, and I’m struggling to pull his pants down as he pushes my shirt up along with my bra and cups my breasts. We are full of raging hormones as we almost fall over the clothes on the floor as we make our way to the bed. He kicks off his shoes, and I push against his chest hard as I trip over one and we start to go down. He breaks my fall but doesn’t skip a beat when he rolls me over, his rock hard cock sliding into my slick pussy, and we begin to rock together, the carpet rubbing against the skin on my back and bottom, but I could care less and can scarcely feel it. I feel like I’m going to explode as the desire races through me, my body sweaty and warm. His face is pure sexiness as he climaxes and then my eyes close as I reach mine, heat in my body making me warm from the inside out. He moves in and out of me twice before pulling out completely leaving me chilled as he moves off my body. As my eyes open and the room becomes clearer I begin to shake.

  I look up and into the worried eyes of my love when I feel a warm cloth between my legs but my body still shaking with the chill. “Hey, you’re freezing. Here let me get you under some covers.” The warm cloth still in his hand, he reaches under my legs and back, lifting me with ease and takes me over to the bed, gathering up the covers and pulling them around me. He walks away long enough to dispose of the cloth but is sitting on the bed beside me in an instant, brushing away the hair from around my face. His hands move to my arms and begin rubbing them over the covers. “Better?” I nod and smile with his sweetness. “I’m sorry. I guess I got a little carried away but I just couldn’t wait. I missed you and had to have you. I had to feel you and make sure you were here. Does that sound crazy?”

  My hand reaches up, and his head tilts against my palm as I cup his face. “No, my darling. Not crazy at all. It explains why I was starting to feel so cold as soon as you moved away from me. It’s like after everything that’s happened I can’t stand to be away from you, to make sure you’re real and that you’re still here. I lost you once as a child and I don’t want to lose you ever again.” My hand drops from his face as he climbs over me and under the covers, getting closer to me as I roll over and lay my head on his warm chest, my leg moving in between his as his arm wraps around my shoulder, and his other hand grasps my arm laying on his waist.

  “I won’t let anything happen to us.” My eyes close briefly as his lips kiss my forehead then open to his that are serious. “You fucking complete me like no other ever could. I’m a shell of a man without you, not whole and hollow inside. I’ve felt that way since you first left me when we were little, my world collapsed and I felt lost. When I saw you through the gym window I felt life inside me for the first time since I was that little boy and then when I talked to you I felt like that child all over again; butterflies in my stomach, heart racing, those tingling sensations throughout me, nervousness and desire.” Tears begin to form in my eyes at his precious words, but because I feel the same. He turns, his arm leaving me but his hands cup my face. “I’m nothing without you. Nothing. We’re together again and are having a little princess, a piece of us both that will make the most perfect little person. Marry me,” he asks again.

  I can’t stop my lips from crushing his, and I pour everything I’m feeling with my whole heart into that one kiss. When we break away I look into his eyes, mine filled with tears, and my chin starts to quiver. “Everything you said, everything you’ve felt all these years has been the same things I’ve felt, the very same. Yes, I’ll marry you and even have your baby.” He bursts out into laughter and mine erupts from me as well. “Ok, I guess that’s too late but…” My brows lower and I become serious. “My darling, I love you so much and yes, I’d be honored to become your wife.” It’s his turn to press his lips to mine, and I feel like I can’t breathe with all the emotions that are coursing through me. We finally part, and I lay my head back onto his chest as his arm moves around my shoulder and we resume the position we were in before. I tilt my head, so I can see him, and he lowers his. “I want to get married on our private beach, in the sand. I think it’s fitting, don’t you?” His brows raise high, and the sweetest smile grac
es his beautiful face.

  “That’s perfect! And I want to get married as soon as possible after we move into our house. Think that’s doable?” His brows are now waggling, and a small laugh bursts from my mouth.

  “I think that’s very doable.” I smile back and try to waggle mine, but we both end up laughing at my struggle. Then I stop and grow serious. “I don’t want to wait any longer than we have to.”

  His laughter ceasing quickly. “Me either, Angel. I’d marry you tomorrow but imagining us being married on the sand, behind our new castle, is too good not to do. We met in the sand, we’ll become one on the sand.”

  Feeling so relaxed and extremely sleepy, I close my eyes and dream of weddings, sand and castles.

  § § § §

  “Yeah, but she’s slept the entire afternoon, then all night and now it’s…” I stop pacing long enough to check my watch and then resume my track in the living room. “Ten o’clock in the morning. I’ve been checking on her and she seems ok but I’m worried.”

  “Knox, I’m sure she’s fine. Even at the earliest moments of pregnancy some women are extremely tired and will sleep a lot. It’s very normal,” Phillip speaks in my ear.

  Stopping abruptly I run my free hand down my face in frustration. “Thanks. Should she come in and see you tomorrow? I mean… Just to be sure she’s ok?”

  A light chuckle ripples in my ear. “Knox, I believe you’re worried for nothing but if it makes you feel better I will fit her into my schedule.” There’s silence for a minute and then he sighs into the phone. “You’re going to be like this through the entire pregnancy, aren’t you?”

  I resume my pacing once again and let out the breath I was holding. “Most likely. I’ll speak with her and see if she wants to come into your office and call you if she does. I think she should because of all the stress she’s been under and she was freezing earlier and shaking. That can’t be good for my little girl or my big girl either, right?”

  “Knox, just remember, women are pregnant every day and have very healthy babies and some woman get morning sickness as others do not. Some have very easy pregnancies while others don’t. Jade is very healthy and working out will help her. But you showing your worry may cause her stress too so remember that. Stay calm around her, don’t let her know you’re concerned and just pamper her when you can. Everything will be just fine,” he says trying to calm me down and reason with me.

  “Fine. Ok, well, I’ll call you in the morning if we feel she needs to be seen. Thank you, Phillip. You’ve always been there for me.” I end the call and throw the phone onto the coffee table and turn when Jade walks into the room. She looks adorable in my t-shirt and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. My arms instantly wrap around her as she presses herself against me, her head laying on my chest as she lets out a huge yawn and the unique sweet smell of her invading my nose. “Morning, Angel. You slept for so long I was beginning to worry.” She yawns again, her hand quickly covering her mouth as her head tilts up at me and her eyes looking at me lovingly.

  “I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I just felt exhausted yesterday for some reason and now I’m starving. Please forgive me.” She smiles when I lean down and kiss her nose.

  “No forgiveness necessary, my love. Come. Let me make you some breakfast. We need to feed you and our princess.” I take her hand, leading her into the kitchen and once she’s settled into a chair I walk quickly to the refrigerator to gather some eggs to make her an omelet. I get the skillet and let it start cooking then get some fruit, placing the diced up assortment into a bowl and taking it over setting it in front of her with a spoon. “Here. You can start on this while your omelet is cooking.” She smiles as she picks up the spoon and is quickly shoving fruit into her lovely mouth. I walk back over to the fridge, get some bacon and then to the cabinet to get bread and start making toast for her as the bacon starts to cook.

  “You’re so good to me. Were you on the phone when I walked in? Is everything ok with our castle?” She pops a grape into her mouth, and I’m spellbound by her lips as she chews. Blinking I smile at her trying to get my head back into the conversation and away from wanting to take her right here and make love to her.

  I flip the omelet over and put some bacon on a plate, placing some more in the skillet to begin cooking. “Ahem. Yes. Phillip. I was concerned about how much you slept and the chills you had yesterday.” I turn to her, spatula in hand, and watch her place another spoonful of fruit in her mouth. For God’s sake, man, get your mind out of the gutter and concentrate. Shit! “Do you feel all right? Would you like to go see him today? He said he would fit you in.”

  Holding her spoon up by her mouth with another load of fruit she looks up at me. “I feel great, just really tired. Did he think I should? What did he say?” She takes the bite from the spoon and I’m memorized once more.

  “Uh, he told me it was fine if you wanted to but that some women do sleep a lot especially in the first trimester of pregnancy and to quit being a worry wart. But we can go if it makes you feel better.” That’s it, turn it around to have it be her suggestion, and maybe I can get out of being a total annoyance throughout the pregnancy. I like this plan. She gives me a smirk, and then it turns into a sweet smile. Setting her spoon down, she rises then walks over to me and puts her arms around my waist. Her smile is huge as she looks up at me, her eyes sparkling.

  “I’ll go if it makes you feel better, darling. But I’m good. Really. Are you going to be this way the whole time I’m pregnant? It’s not that I mind it. It’s rather cute in an overprotective kind of way, but I think the doctor will know what’s best.” She gives me a playful smack on my back and then leans up, pressing her full lips to mine.

  Once I can make myself release her mouth I raise one brow and my cocky grin appears without my consent. “Yes, I’m afraid so. I can’t help myself where you’re concerned.” My hand moves to cup her face and my thumb traces the outline of her lips. “You’re my life now and I can’t bear the thought of anything hurting you in any way. I may even have to take something to help me when you deliver because seeing you in any pain may cause me to lose it.” My other hand makes its way to cover her flat stomach and begins rubbing it soothingly. “My princess is part of our lives too and God help anyone who causes any sadness in any way for her. I will go ballistic and it won’t be pretty and most likely will be highly embarrassing for anyone around.” She closes her mouth tightly but a muffled giggle erupts and I tilt my head and frown with seriousness. “I’m not kidding, Angel. I will go all animal on anyone that tries to hurt you or our princess and have no issues going to jail over anything that is done to keep you both happy.”

  Her finger presses against my mouth and I can’t help but smile under it with her soft touch. “You are our hero and always will be. There’s no doubt…” My phone starts ringing on the breakfast bar, interrupting us. Her finger leaves my mouth as I lean down and kiss her hard and then walk over to retrieve it. She smiles as she walks back to the table and sits, picks up her spoon, diving back into her fruit. Once I’ve picked up the phone I quickly walk to the stove, turn off the burners and begin filling our plates with food.

  “Dunway. Yes. Very good. I’ll be over in a couple of hours.” When I end the call and turn to her, I find her face pale, her phone in her hand. I run over just in time to catch it as it begins to fall and squat down beside her. “Jade, what’s wrong? What happened?” I didn’t even hear her phone ring or know that she even had it on her. Her head turns slowly to me, her eyes wide with fear and her mouth open, the look of shock on her white face. “Angel, you’re scaring me.”

  She swallows hard. “That was Mom. The first time I’ve heard her voice in years and she tells me that she got a call from the hospital about Father. He was admitted after blacking out while driving into another lane and hit a guard rail. After being taken to the hospital and having tests run he’s been diagnosed with…” She swallows again, and chokes back some tears. “Dementia.” She
literally falls into my arms and begins sobbing. “Even though he’s been so… So cruel… To me, I still love… Love him,” she chokes out in between sobs.

  I start rubbing her back and just stay quiet as she cries out her grief, kissing her from time to time on the top of her head, her cheek and just continued trying to soothe her. I’ve never known what it’s like to love a parent, but I know what’s it’s like to love her and if something bad happened to her, it would kill me, and I’d never recover. I only hope that I can be what she needs to help her get through this. Finally, her sobs wind down to sniffs and she looks up at me with her bloodshot eyes and my heart breaks for her. “What do you need me to do, Angel? How can I help? I know the best doctors. They could give a second opinion. Do you need to go to him? What do you want to do?” Her chin quivers as I speak.

  “I… I’m not sure yet. I think it’s time I talk more with Mom.” She pulls free of my arms and sits up straight. I can tell she is gathering her inner strength, something I admire her for. “I’m ready to make amends with her and bring her back into my life. Father? I’m not sure how receptive he’ll be especially with what he’s going through now but first step is Mom.”

  My mouth finds hers, and she is so receptive and so loving. When I pull away, her eyes are drier and there’s a small smile on her pretty lips. “Sweetheart, I’m so proud of you.” I brush back some hair from her sweet face. “You’ve had to grow up so fast and yet, you’re so much stronger for it than me in so many ways. Please know I’ll always be here for you when you need me, when you need a strong shoulder to cry on or when you just need to scream and rant. I love you so much.” Her lips crush against mine, and we stay like this until my legs begin to hurt from squatting. Finally, I rise and walk over to the counter, picking up our plates of now cooled omelets and zap them in the microwave quickly then take them over to the table, setting them down and sitting beside her. “Eat. Do you want me to stay home with you? I was going to run over to talk with the contractor for a little bit to go over a few questions he has. They’ve got the framing done on our castle but needs me to tell him a few things.” I take a bite of my food and watch her pick at hers with her fork. Setting my fork down on my plate, her eyes move to mine. “Please eat? You know I’ll be crazy with worry about you if you don’t.” She smiles sadly and takes a bite even though it’s really small. My girl is hurting, and I don’t know what I can do to help her. It’s killing me.