Chapter Sixty-One
McKinley Stewart stood in his office, peering out the window, wondering what to expect from his moody, pregnant wife today. He realized it was more than pregnancy hormones causing her short tone as of late. She’d made it clear that she was less than thrilled about this baby and refused to allow him to tell anyone about it.
“It’s too soon, Mac,” she’d insisted. “And honestly, I am still concerned that things could go wrong. I’d rather not announce we are expecting until I’m sure we truly have a viable fetus.”
Fetus. She wouldn’t even call it a baby. He tried to understand her logic; getting pregnant with an IUD was unexpected, and the possibility of a miscarriage was still very real, even though the device had been removed. She’d been a huge mess of moods during that procedure and for a few days afterward. Once the spotting had stopped, she seemed calmer.
But it was still clear that she was avoiding getting attached to the baby that grew inside her. Nothing he said or did seemed to make much difference. And, frankly, he was annoyed by her attitude.
The doctor had given a thumbs up on resuming sex, but even that seemed to lose its usual luster lately. It was as if she were going through the motions, and he found himself alternating between being pissed off and feeling like a shitty husband for not being more understanding. Then again, he’d been adamant about not having intercourse, insisting on hands and tongues only. After a while, he could tell she was growing weary of what she called his overprotectiveness. It had caused a few squabbles as he accused her of not being concerned enough about the well-being of the baby, and she chastised him for not caring enough about her well-being.
He was beyond frustrated with her. Sure, neither one of them had planned for baby number three this soon. But it didn’t mean he wasn’t excited about adding to their family. Why couldn’t she feel that too?
Bentley stood in the doorway and watched his boss. It was clear that something was amiss with Mac and Grace, but his attempts to gently inquire as to what was wrong were met with uncharacteristically gruff rebuffs.
Still, his job was to manage the household, and that included the people in it. So, he debated saying something for a moment, thought better of it, and turned to leave, bumping smack into Grace as he did.
“Oh, goodness, my dear! I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t hear you approach. Are you okay?” Bentley asked, genuinely concerned.
Mac looked up. “What’s going on?”
Bentley inhaled sharply and said, “I’d like to ask you that same question.”
Mac frowned, about to chastise his employee for being so forward, when Grace spoke up.
“I’m pregnant, and I’ve asked Mac not to tell anyone because there are complications. But I can see that by keeping you in the dark, we’ve made you concerned. Please, won’t both of you step into my office?” she asked, her voice a little shaky.
Mac followed Bentley into Grace’s office and closed the door. Grace sat behind her desk and gestured for her husband and their house manager to take seats across from her.
“I’m sorry we didn’t say something sooner, Bentley, but I asked Mac to keep the news just between the two of us until we are sure that this baby won’t have anything wrong with it. Getting pregnant with an IUD comes with possible complications, and while we’ve been assured that it’s not an ectopic pregnancy, there is still a chance that I could miscarry since Dr. Francis had to remove the device.”
Mac said nothing; it seemed best to let Grace do the talking.
“On top of all that is the fact that I’m struggling with the idea of three kids in diapers since DJ is still resisting being fully potty trained, and a scenario where the littles outnumber the adults.”
Bentley smiled gently. “That’s where you’d be wrong, dear Grace. You have a houseful of adults who adore your two littles and would be more than pleased with an addition.”
“I wish I could say I was more than pleased, Bentley. My anxiety level hasn’t been this high in a long time. And, while I know we have a wonderful staff, I also can’t just decide to slough off my responsibilities as a mother because I’d rather focus on growing my role as COO and expanding our presence in the NYC area.”
Mac tilted his head. He had never heard Grace discuss her business goals so plainly and realized now why she might be feeling extremely overwhelmed. But he remained quiet; he let her continue.
“I do want another child, eventually. But it would be nice to have a bit more of a break between Mimi and baby number three. I will handle whatever happens, but I just need to keep this news… I don’t want to have to pretend to be excited and then end up losing the baby and dealing with everyone knowing, and…”
“Grace,” Bentley said softly. “We’ve got your back here, okay? For now, let’s keep the news quiet, although I do recommend telling Avery and Claudette since they interact with you on a far more personal level than the remainder of the house staff.”
“You’re right, of course,” Grace said stiffly. “I’ll check on the kids and let Claudette know what’s going on. Mac, perhaps you could fill in Avery?”
“Of course,” Mac answered, keeping his annoyance tucked away as best as possible.
After Grace left her office, Mac ran a hand through his thick, dark hair and sighed. “I’m sorry for the secrecy, Bentley. She’s being so weird about this baby, and I’m a little frustrated by that.”
“Would it help if I explained things to Avery?”
“No, I can talk to him when he gets back.”
“Are you okay?”
Mac inhaled sharply. “I’m sure I will be, but I dislike the feeling that I’m walking on eggshells with my wife. I get the moodiness, I even understand the anxiety, but her unwillingness to acknowledge this baby has me irritated.”
Bentley frowned. “It’s been a while since you’ve asked me to clear the upper floors of staff. Perhaps you and Grace need some time?”
Mac shrugged. “I’m not sure what we need, Bentley. I feel like we are just coexisting lately.”
“All marriages have their moments when things seem out of balance. But you and Grace love each other very much and have a good, solid foundation.”
“True, but it feels, I don’t know… awkward not to be on the same page right now. I’m trying to see her side of things, I truly am. But I don’t feel like she sees any side but her own. And it’s throwing me off my game because that isn’t how Grace operates.”
“It isn’t,” Bentley said, sighing. “I guess that means you need to ask yourself what is throwing her off her game.”
Mac frowned. “What do you mean?”
“These past few years, your wife has managed to reconfigure her entire world around being your business partner, your wife, and the mother of your children, and she has made it look easy. But she spent a lot of her adult life in survival mode, and her anxiety level has likely triggered some of that self-preservation that used to see her through difficult times. As usual, she is trying to be everything to everyone despite her inner turmoil, but she is struggling, my dear boy, and she could use a lifeline.”
“I don’t need her to be everything, I just want… I want Grace!”
Bentley tilted his head. “I’d say your wife could use a little grace as well.”
With that, the house manager turned and left.
Mac stood alone again, inhaling sharply, trying not to be annoyed by being castigated by an employee. But maybe Bentley was right; maybe Mac wasn’t seeing the bigger picture.
Chapter Sixty-Two
Mac did his best over the next few days to be supportive; he tried hard not to bring up the baby, even though it felt unnatural. And, admittedly, things eased up a bit. They even had some fun oral sex, although he could tell that she was disappointed afterward when she begged him to fuck her, and he remained steadfast in refraining from intercourse until she was out of the woods.
Still, things appeared normal on the surface, and that was better than constantly feeling at odds with each other.
As she neared the ten-week mark, Mac sensed a change in Grace’s attitude. She wasn’t overjoyed about welcoming a third child into their lives, but she was at least acknowledging that she was, indeed, pregnant.
“I’m not ready to move the littles out of their rooms on this floor. What would you think about turning our sitting room into a nursery for the baby?” she asked out of the blue one morning at breakfast.
Mac tried hard not to bubble over with joy, but he couldn’t help but feel relieved that Grace was coming to terms with having another little one on the way.
“I think that’s a great idea,” he said, trying hard to appear cool. “We can bring the crib back up from storage this weekend if you’d like.”
“Let’s wait until I make it past the first trimester, okay?”
He took her hands in his and said, “Whatever works for you.”
Grace sighed. “I guess I’ll need to bring up the Pack N Play and the swing to put back in my office. I plan to work part-time once this baby is born. I hope you don’t have an issue with that.”
“You can work as much or as little as you want, baby. I’ll follow your lead on that. We can hire more help with the kids if we need to, and I’m sure Avery can take on some of your work responsibilities.”
“I was thinking we could ask Brendan to come work in my office while I’m on maternity leave. I suspect I’m going to need that time off, and I’ll be less likely to be stubborn about it if he’s sitting at my desk.”
Mac grinned. “Do you see why Brendan calls you a ‘feckin’ genius’? It never would have occurred to me to ask him to do that. But it’s the perfect solution.”
“We can offer to put him up here in one of the guest rooms or pay for a room at The Plaza or The St. Regis.”
“You’d be okay with him living here?” Mac asked, surprised.
“Why not? He’s one of my biggest fans,” she said, laughing.
There it was—that laugh, that sparkle that had been missing ever since Grace had discovered the plus sign on the pregnancy test. God, it felt good to hear her sound like herself again, so much so that he felt a longing stirring in his loins for her.
“You’re so fuckin’ smart and sexy, Grace. How’d I get so lucky?”
“Mmm, maybe you could get even luckier later,” she teased.
“Why wait till later?”
“Why, indeed. Do that thing where you text Bentley and make the staff disappear. I’ll meet you upstairs.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Hey, my wife and I are, um…
I’ve got it, sir. No staff above the third floor. Happy to help.
Chapter Sixty-Three
When Mac entered their bedroom, he found her lying naked on the bed, spread open for him. Her abdomen had just the faintest swell, and for some reason, he found that extremely arousing.
“Took you long enough,” she said in a sultry voice. “We have actual work to do today, so let’s not waste any time. My pussy isn’t gonna lick itself.”
“It’s too bad that I married such a meek and mild woman,” Mac joked. “It’s hell having to guess what you want.”
“Well, what I really want is something you won’t give me, so I’ll settle for that decadent tongue and some talented fingers.”
Mac made quick work of removing his clothes and joined her on the bed. Kissing her passionately as his hands roamed freely over her body, he tried hard to fight the urge to throw caution to the wind and just fuck his hot little redhead.
He worked his way down her body, kissing and nibbling, and driving her crazy. When he finally reached her smooth, bare mound, he took a moment to inhale her scent. It made his dick twitch and ache to be inside her. But he could be patient. Even though she had suggested a quickie, he decided to play the boss card and take as long as he liked with her. What good was being CEO of your own firm if you couldn’t blow off work for a morning of hot sex with the COO, who just happened to be your wife?
The tip of his tongue moved in circles, tormenting her. Her hips rocked slowly as he slipped a single digit into her wetness and moaned softly. His teeth captured her pearl as he added a second finger, sending her up to and over the edge.
“Oh, fuckkk! God, Mac, I need you inside me!” she begged.
He was about to refuse, but his need matched hers. It had been far too long for both of them.
“If you promise to let me fuck you slowly, I’m happy to oblige,” he said, relenting.
“I’m at your mercy; fuck me any way you want, but, for the love of God, McKinley, fuck me!”
Pushing her legs up, he rubbed his hard cock along the drenched slit of her sex, lubricating himself with her nectar. He poked his head in first, as if he were about to deflower a virgin, and slowly entered her.
It felt like heaven as her soft, wet walls enveloped him, gripping him like a glove.
“Holy fuck, Grace! Did you get tighter? How is that possible?”
“It’s just been a long damn time since you’ve fucked me.”
“God, I’ve missed this. I know I made you angry when I refused to…”
“Shhh, that doesn’t matter now. You’re inside me; don’t ruin it by dredging up a fight. God, I love the way you move, the way you fill me up, the way you make me feel…”
He willed himself to move in slow, deliberate strokes. Using his thumb, he teased her hard little nub and felt her climax as her hips lifted off the bed.
“Goddd, yesss!”
Mac pulled out and flipped on his back. “Ride me, Gracie. That way, you control the movement, the depth, the speed.”
She straddled his cock and lowered herself onto him, as his eyes rolled back in his head.
“Oh, fuckkk, baby. You’re so hot. So damned sexy. Use me, baby. Take more and give me everything.”
She grinned. There he was— her passionate husband. As angry as she’d been with him, it was hard to fault him for caring so much. Not just about the baby, but about her, even though she’d accused him otherwise.
Putting that angst right out of her head, she gripped his hips and began to ride him seductively.
He felt like he’d died and gone to heaven, and it was tempting to keep his eyes shut and just let her work his cock into a frenzy. But he opened them, unwilling to miss the glorious sight of her tits bouncing as she moved and her mass of red curls making her look a little like a wild gypsy as she fucked him.
The sheen of sweat gave her face an undeniably beautiful glow. Seeing her utter and complete joy as she made love to him made him grateful that he’d given in to his own lust.
He couldn’t help himself; he gripped her hips and met her thrust for thrust as she allowed herself to get caught up in the wild abandon of fucking her man.
“God, I’ve missed this! You feel so fucking good inside me!”
“It feels so fucking good to be inside you. I’m sorry it’s been so long! Oh, God, yes, ride me, baby!”
“Yesss! Fuckkk! Oh, God, Mac!”
“That’s it, Gracie, cum again for me!”
Her body convulsed as contractions repeatedly squeezed his dick, her climax seeming to come in big, rolling waves. When he could hold back no longer, he increased his pace and made her cum once more along with him as his balls contracted and let go, filling her with his seed.
Afterward, they lay cuddled together, their hearts pounding loudly in their chests, and their breathing ragged. Neither spoke for a few moments; they just reveled in the afterglow.
“I’m sorry it’s been so long,” Mac repeated, breaking the silence. “I just…”
“I know. You weren’t wrong to want to be careful. I just…”
“We just need sex like some people need air to breathe. We were suffocating, Grace.”
“Well, all of that is behind us now. And now that we’ve enjoyed some proper sex, we won’t be at each other’s throats. I’m sure Avery will appreciate that. The poor man has been walking on eggshells. It’ll be nice to get back to some normalcy.”
Chapter Sixty-Four
As the days went on, things did, indeed, feel more normal. And though Grace didn’t talk much about the baby, Mac did notice her hand move protectively to her abdomen from time to time. He was relieved that she seemed to be embracing the idea that baby number three was a reality.
But at the end of the week, Grace woke up with sharp pains and bleeding and had to be rushed to the hospital.
They didn’t speak, just waited in silence while the technician performed the ultrasound, then waited some more for Dr. Francis to meet with them.
Mac wasn’t sure how to feel or what to say. He was so far out of his element that he did the one thing his instincts told him: he reached for Grace’s hand and held it tightly.
When Dr. Francis came into the room, her face looked grim.
“I’m so sorry, Grace, but there is no heartbeat. And there was no growth from the previous sonogram. You’ve started to miscarry, but I’d like to perform a D and C to make sure no tissue gets left behind. I…”
Mac felt his disappointment and anger rising as Dr. Francis continued to talk, but Grace zoned out and didn’t hear anything beyond no heartbeat.
Silent tears streamed down her face, and her breath hitched. Mac was surprised by her reaction and was foolish enough to say so.
“Why are you crying, Grace? I thought this would be good news, considering you made it clear you didn’t want this baby.”
His words cut like a knife; rage bubbled up from deep inside her.
“How dare you! I never said I didn’t want this baby. I said I wasn’t ready for it. But if you think for one minute that the death of our child is something I would welcome, then you really don’t know me at all, McKinley Stewart!”
Dr. Francis cleared her throat. “I’m going to recommend grief counseling for both of you. Losing a child is never easy; when we are hurt and angry, sometimes we say unintentionally harsh things. In the meantime, try to remember that this wasn’t either of your faults. Having intercourse earlier this week didn’t cause this miscarriage. The uterine lining was not a hospitable environment for the fetus to grow because of the hormones in the IUD. I’d hoped that by removing the device, the baby would have a chance. I’m so sorry that wasn’t the case. We all knew that this might happen. But the knowing doesn’t make it any easier to accept.”
She looked at Mac and Grace, knowing neither of them was hearing her, and wishing she had some bright advice to help them remember they were on the same team.
