Chapter Fifty-Seven
Mac studied Grace’s face as she held the positive pregnancy test in her hand. She looked numb.
“Grace, are you okay?”
“It’s positive. I’m pregnant. I’m not supposed to be pregnant,” she said softly. “I have an IUD.”
“It’s not impossible, though, right?” he asked, still trying to discern if Grace was happy or upset by this unexpected news before he expressed his own joy at the news.
“Not impossible, no.”
Grace sat in the chair as silent tears streamed down her face, giving Mac the answer he sought.
“I’m not ready for another baby, Mac. I’m barely able to keep up with the two kids we have. DJ’s not even fully potty-trained yet. How am I going to work full-time with three kids?”
Mac crouched down and took her chin in his hand. “Hey, we’ve got this, okay? Another little person to love doesn’t mean you can’t keep working if you want to. If we have to hire more help, we’ll do so.”
“So, I should just keep pushing out babies, and the answer is to hire more help?” she barked crossly.
Mac bit his tongue. He didn’t deserve a snarky comment like that, but he was trying hard to remember that her emotions were all over the place. He’d come up here hoping to discuss a memorial for her late parents, and now they had this to deal with. He inhaled sharply but said nothing. It was clear she just needed to be heard.
“The pregnancy might not even be viable.”
Mac frowned. “What do you mean?”
“When I had the IUD inserted, Dr. Francis mentioned that although it’s very uncommon to get pregnant with this method of birth control, it’s important to have the device removed if pregnancy occurs. There’s a high risk of miscarriage. There’s also the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy. I never gave any of that much thought at the time. I figured the IUD was a better choice for birth control than the shots since it wouldn’t take much time after removing it to get pregnant if and when we decided to try for another baby.”
Mac took a moment to take in all the information Grace was sharing. At least it didn’t seem like she was opposed to the thought of adding to their family, even though the timing was not at all what she planned in her mind. He continued to listen and nod in what he hoped were all the right places.
“I’ll call Dr. Francis in the morning and make an appointment. But please keep this news between us for now. I know you’re over the moon about another baby, but it’s something I wasn’t prepared for. And until I know if this is a viable pregnancy, I can’t feel joy. I’m sorry. I know that might annoy you or make you angry, but…”
“Hey, it’s all going to be okay.”
Grace nodded, though she remained unconvinced. Her emotions were all over the place, and she felt exhausted. She sank further into Mac’s arms and let him comfort her as silent tears fell.
Unsure of what to say to make her feel better, he said nothing at all. He simply held her and let her cry.
It proved to be exactly what she needed, just the quiet, tender comfort of her husband’s loving arms around her, making the world feel less overwhelming.
As her tears subsided, Mac kissed her forehead and said, “I love you, Gracie. And while I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about having another child, I want what’s best for you more than anything.”
Grace smiled weakly. “I love you, too.”
“Take the rest of the day off, my love. I’ll grab the littles from Claudette at 5:00, and we will order take-out pizza from Serafina’s.”
“Thanks.”
When he left her, he struggled with the fact that Grace had asked him not to say anything to anyone about the pregnancy. And, while he understood why, he felt almost obligated to say something to Bentley, who would wonder why they weren’t going ahead with a memorial service for Jordan and Genevieve Remy at this time.
But to break his wife’s trust would be an unforgivable betrayal; he’d have to figure out some excuse to pacify Bentley. Fortunately for him, his house manager was currently occupied, so he’d have some time to consider what to say.
Time passed slowly for the remainder of the day, but eventually it was time to get the kids to bed. Fortunately, they went to sleep without a fuss. Mac and Grace retired to their bedroom, both painfully aware of the awkward silence between them. He got into bed first and waited for her, and when she finally climbed in next to him, she turned her back to him.
Mac was hurt at first until Grace said, “Spoon me, Mac. I need your loving arms around me.”
“Always,” he said as he pulled her close and felt her tense body relax as he held her.
They said nothing; there was nothing to be said. Hopefully, answers would come tomorrow.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Meanwhile, across town, Aislyn sat in bed waiting to hear from Andy. She’d never worried about anyone like this before, had never cared enough about anyone else to do so. She gripped her phone, willing it to ring or buzz with some word from her boyfriend about why he was so late in coming home, and why she’d heard no word from him.
She refused to send another text. It was bad enough she’d embarrassed herself by admitting she was worried. She sure as hell didn’t want to come across as a needy, whiny girlfriend. He’d gotten busy with a case and hadn’t had time to reply; that was all, wasn’t it?
Fuck! She sat there, chiding herself for falling in love with a fucking cop. Because all she could think about was him lying dead somewhere.
Suddenly, she heard the door open.
She jumped out of bed, running to the entranceway of their apartment and flung herself into Andy’s arms.
“Wow, I should come home late every night,” he teased.
Her mood shifted quickly from worried to pissed. “No, you really shouldn’t! Where the fuck have you been, and why didn’t you contact me?”
“And there’s the girl I know,” he said, smirking. He pulled her back into his embrace and said, “I missed you, too, baby. My phone died, and my charger crapped out, too. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be so worried.”
“You’re a fucking cop, Andy; you deal with criminals. Of course, I was worried,” she ranted.
He took her face in his hands and said, “Hey, I’m sorry. I’m still getting used to the idea that someone is at home waiting for me.”
Aislyn’s anger softened. “That’s fair. But, Jesus, Andy, get used to it quicker, would you, please? I can’t do another night like this where I wonder where you are and if you’re coming home or if someone else with a badge is gonna show up at the door with devastating news.”
He pulled her into him and kissed the top of her head, smiling to himself that he mattered so much to her.
“How can I make it up to you?” he asked earnestly.
“You can eat my pussy and fuck my brains out,” she said without a moment’s hesitation.
“I do love that you’re never shy about asking for what you want, Aislyn,” he teased.
“Not want. Need.”
“Well then, let’s get you back in the bedroom so I can ravish you.”
Andy wasted no time getting naked as Aislyn slipped off her robe, exposing her perfect breasts. Unlike some Super Models, hers were real and perky as fuck. He knew she wanted his tongue in other places, but he’d start with those hard little nipples that gave away her arousal.
He nibbled playfully, varying the pressure of his bite until she demanded that he use those teeth and his tongue further south. Grinning, he worked his way down her torso, planting erotic kisses on her creamy, taut belly.
She writhed beneath his touch, her need for him raw and exposed. “God, Andy, you’re driving me crazy!”
“Oh? Am I?” he asked coyly. “If only there were a way for me to fix that.”
Before she could say anything more, he held her legs open and parted her glistening labia with his tongue. He took his time, licking her slowly and savoring her like a delicacy.
“Fuckkk, that feels so good, baby. You have mad oral skills; no one has ever made me cum as hard as you do.”
Andy felt pride swelling in his chest, and that wasn’t the only thing swelling. It made him hard as fuck every time she complimented him on being the best lover she’d ever had. For fuck’s sake, she was a Supermodel! He was sure she’d had many fabulous bed partners.
But Aislyn insisted it had never been like this before, with anyone else.
At first, he thought she was just blowing sunshine up his ass. However, she admitted to him in one of her more vulnerable moments that she’d faked a lot of orgasms over the years, but she hadn’t needed to do so with him. It did a lot for a guy’s ego to know that someone like Aislyn considered him to be the best. And he’d been making sure to prove her right every chance he could.
And tonight would be no different since he needed to make up for being late and not communicating with her. It was a new and heady feeling to have someone concerned about his well-being. That the person who cared so much was notoriously self-centered made it all the more remarkable.
Andy continued teasing her clit with his tongue as he slipped a single finger into her wet heat. Listening to her pant and moan was a huge, fucking turn-on, and he had an urge to fuck her into tomorrow. But he owed her more foreplay for making her worry, so he continued to put his own base needs on hold while he brought her up and over again and again until she finally begged, “For the love of God, Andy, fuck me already!”
He looked up at her, his mouth glistening with her juices, and grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
Kissing her passionately so she could taste herself on his lips, he plunged into her and felt gratified when her eyes rolled back in her head.
“Oh, my God! Yesss! Fuck me, Andy, fuck me like you own me!”
For a millisecond, he allowed himself to compare his late wife’s sweetness with Aislyn’s decadent lust. He had loved Anna, but loving Aislyn was like an amazing adventure, and he no longer felt guilty for enjoying every moment with his newfound love.
Aislyn cried out, demanding more. So, he gave her more. Their mating was raw and hedonistic, and it was exhilarating. He pumped into her as if their lives depended on it; she took every thrust and begged for more.
When he finally felt his balls constrict, he reached between them, massaging her clit to send her over one more time before he let go and emptied himself deep inside of her.
They collapsed together on the bed, breath ragged and hearts beating wildly. Neither could speak for a few moments.
Eventually, Aislyn whispered, “I think you broke me.”
Concerned, Andy propped himself up on his elbow, his brows furrowed. “Did I hurt you?”
“God, no. You were fucking outstanding. I… Jesus, Andy, I’ve been with guys who considered themselves God’s gift to women in the sack. But you? Fuck, baby! You put them all to shame. It’s a good thing I love you because I can’t imagine anyone ever being good enough after you.”
Andy leaned in to kiss her. “So, am I forgiven for being late?”
“Yes,” she said, kissing him back. “Holy fuck, Andy. You’ve got me thinking about domestic bliss. What am I supposed to tell my agent?”
“Your agent called?”
“Yes, he wants me to do a photo shoot in L.A. in a couple of weeks.”
“That’s a good thing, right? I mean, you haven’t worked since the accident.”
“You mean since I tried to off myself? Let’s be honest, that was no accident. But it’s hard to see it entirely as a bad thing.”
“I understand. You’ve managed to mend your relationship with your brother and have come to accept that Grace isn’t a horrible person.”
“It’s more than that…”
“Well, sure, you have discovered you don’t hate all children since DJ and Mimi are probably the most adorable children on the face of the Earth, and they worship their Aunt Aislyn.”
“True, but even more than that. Andy, you’ve made me feel worthy of being loved, not to mention, you’ve made me believe that not all men are liars. I love you. I never really understood what that meant before you.”
He pulled her into his arms and held her lovingly. “I love you, too, Aislyn. I never thought I’d find love again after losing Anna, but here you are.”
“What about Grace? Did you love her?”
“Of course, I loved Grace, but not like this. We were young, she was my best friend, and I envisioned having a life together after high school. She, however, did not. And she was careful not to lead me on. I think she loved me, too, but not the kind of love she has for Mac.”
Aislyn nodded.
“I will say that I am grateful to have Grace in my life again as a friend. But you don’t have to worry about any residual feelings. I have no interest in her beyond friendship. But you? I’m just counting the minutes before my dick gets hard again so we can have another round of sex.”
Aislyn shot Andy a sultry look as she scooted down till she was eye level with his cock. “I think I can help with that.”
“I’ll just bet you can. Oh, fuckk, baby; you’ve got a wicked mouth!”
He was hard and ready within seconds.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Two days later, Mac sat in the exam room, holding Grace’s hand, while the technician finished up the ultrasound.
“Once you are dressed, you can head over to Dr. Francis’s office, and she will be in shortly to go over everything with you.”
Grace nodded as tears silently streamed down her face.
“Hey, you okay, babe?” he asked, kissing her temple.
But words escaped her. How could she possibly tell Mac that she had hoped this wasn’t a viable pregnancy without him thinking she was a monster? She wasn’t ready for a third baby, not physically, not emotionally…
“Everything is going to be okay, no matter what happens, Grace. We are in this together. I love you, and I trust that whatever is meant to be will be. I know you don’t feel ready for this baby. But if he or she is meant to join our family, things will work out, I promise you.”
She turned her face to him and felt his love overwhelm her. And suddenly, she felt her anxiety ease. Knowing that he understood her without any words being necessary was a wonderful gift. Five years ago, she didn’t even know this man. Now he was the person she trusted most in the world. He was her husband, her partner, the father of their beautiful children. He’d be there through thick and thin.
So, she took a few deep breaths and allowed his love to wash over her. He was right; things would work out. With him, they always did and always would.
When Dr. Francis entered the room, her face was unreadable. She sat down at her desk across from Mac and Grace, allowing a hint of a smile to lighten the mood.
“Well, there’s good news and bad news,” she started. “The good news is that it’s not an ectopic pregnancy. So, that’s a major relief. However, we will need to remove the IUD to reduce the risk of miscarriage. The bad news is that removing the IUD also comes with a slight possibility that you could lose the baby. But it’s significantly lower than if we leave the device in place. Overall, I believe that is the best course of action.”
When it became apparent to Dr. Francis that Grace did not look relieved, she said, “Unless, of course, you don’t wish to continue with the pregnancy.”
Mac frowned and looked at Grace.
“Is that what you want, baby? To terminate…”
“Stop. No, of course not. I will admit, the last thing I want right now is to be pregnant with two toddlers at home. But sometimes we don’t get to plan the way life goes. If I’m meant to have another child right now, then I’ll figure out a way to embrace that.”
“Great. If you want, I can remove the IUD today. Then, I’d recommend giving your cervix a day or two to not be so tender before resuming intercourse. I’ll want to see you back in a week, just to make sure things are progressing as normal.”
“Yes, let’s remove the IUD,” Grace said.
When they got home, Mac insisted that Grace take the rest of the day off. Although she felt fine physically, admittedly, she was a bit of an emotional wreck. So, she didn’t argue with him and retreated to the quiet of the library.
“I have a few things I need to see to, but then I’ll come join you if you’d like.”
“Sure, that’d be nice,” she said, curling up in her favorite chair.
“I’d like permission to let Bentley and Avery know what’s going on. And Claudette, if you don’t mind.”
Grace inhaled sharply. “I suppose you’re right. Sure, go ahead and tell the three of them, but let them know that I am keeping it quiet until I know if I’m out of the woods or not.”
Mac kissed the top of her head. “Absolutely. You know they are beacons of discretion.”
Grace nodded. They were fortunate to have a fantastic staff. She trusted them completely.
She found herself dozing when Merlin made his presence known.
“Meow! Meow! Mrrroww!”
“Hey, little man, what’s the matter?” Grace cooed as she scooped him up.
The soft kitty, purring like a motor, nudged his head against her chin. He kneaded her belly with his happy paws, then he turned around three times and made himself comfortable on her lap.
Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep with Merlin guarding her and the new life that grew inside her.
Chapter Sixty
She was patient enough for the first two days, heeding Dr. Francis’s recommendation of waiting for intercourse. However, after three days of Mac treating her like a fragile, delicate flower, Grace decided she was going to have to make the first move if they were ever going to have sex again. Throughout the day, she did her best to look focused on work while secretly planning to seduce her husband.
While he put the kids to bed, she slipped into the black-and-emerald nightgown he loved on her, spritzed a little perfume in all the right places, and positioned herself seductively on the settee in their bedroom. Her red hair hung in loose, sexy curls, draped over the swell of her creamy breasts. She dimmed the lights to set the mood and hoped for the best.
Mac walked in, saw her lying there, and stopped in his tracks. She was mesmerizing. He wanted her, God knew he did, but he was worried about doing anything that might hurt the baby’s chances.
Grace saw the conflicted look on his face and became instantly annoyed. While it was understandable that he was concerned about her, the doctor had made it clear that having sex was fine.
“McKinley Stewart, I went to a lot of trouble to look this good this late in the day. So, if you truly love me, don’t you dare think you’re going to bed without making me cum.”
Mac laughed. “I wish you’d be more vocal about your needs, darling.”
“I’m serious, Mac. I get it; you want to be careful. Fine. Then at least eat my pussy.”
Grace lifted the nightgown to her waist and let her knees part, displaying her glistening cunt in all its neediness.
“I forgot how pregnancy hormones bring out the lusty little slut in my wife.”
“If you do a good job, I might even suck your dick.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Nope. It’s a challenge.”
“You know how competitive I am, you clever woman. Well, then, Mrs. Stewart, I guess you’d best let me taste you.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
He sank to his knees before her and placed a hand on each leg. Bending down, he planted soft, wet kisses up and down her inner thighs.
She leaned back against the tufted back of the loveseat and moaned softly while he teased her relentlessly. Every time she thought he was going to start licking her needy pussy, he’d skirt around, tormenting her with his erotic tongue.
“McKinley, please…”
“What?” he asked, feigning innocence. “Is your mound not part of your pussy? I just want to enjoy the silky smoothness of your most excellent tile,” he said, making a cheeky reference to the first time he discovered there was no carpet to match the drapes.
She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to look stern. But he was too busy finally finding the prize he sought to notice.
He nibbled and licked, his tongue parting her drenched, puffy, pink folds, and flicked the shiny, gold ball that adorned her pussy before finally connecting with her hard little nub.
Panting and moaning, her hips gyrated as he feasted upon her, bringing her close to the edge time and time again. As he slipped a single finger inside her, he felt her clench, watched her back arch, and sent her over as her climax shook her entire body.
But he wasn’t content to stop there. After edging her for what felt like forever, he’d switched tactics, relentless in his mission to make her cum in big, rolling waves of orgasm that left her breathless.
He grinned, his face wet with her nectar. “Had enough? Or does my little minx need more?”
“Oh, God,” Grace panted. “No more; ça va bien!”
He reached up, took her face in his hands, and kissed her sensually. “Taste that? You’re fuckin’ delicious, baby.”
“Mmm. Let me return the favor, my love.”
“Not necessary; I’m content knowing I made you see God multiple times.”
Grace raised an eyebrow. “Not necessary? But what if I need to suck your cock to make me happy?”
He laughed. “I adore you, Gracie. But seriously, I’m good.”
“Good? Has some alien being inhabited your body?”
“Huh?”
“What other reason could there possibly be for my husband to turn down a blow job?”
He took her by the hands and led her to their bed. “I must have been momentarily insane. You’re absolutely right, my sassy redhead. How can I possibly resist your exquisite oral skills? Here you go, baby,” he said as he removed his gym shorts. “Go ahead, suck my cock.”
And she did.
