Cherished

  She pulled back, and the look in her eyes about brought me to my knees.

  “Josh, will you please make love to me?” she asked.

  I smiled as I gently picked her up and kissed her. She tasted like heaven.

  “Yes, princess,” I said as I carried her back up to our bedroom.

  After laying her down on the bed, I slowly crawled on top of Heather. I took in every inch of her beautiful body with my hands. I just wanted to touch every square inch of her. I’d never gone so slowly while making love to Heather before, but I just wanted it to last forever. I wanted to stay like this with her, connected together.

  Then, she grabbed my arms and threw her head back. I could practically feel her squeezing my dick. I leaned down and took her lips with mine as we both came together. Nothing would ever feel better than making love to my wife and then seeing the love in her eyes as she smiled at me.

  “That was amazing, Josh.”

  I kissed her nose and gently pulled myself out of her. I rolled over and lay next to her. She rolled onto her side and started running her fingers through my hair.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  I looked over at her and laughed. “Thank you, princess. I swear to God, it gets more amazing every time.”

  She shook her head. “No…I mean, thank you for what you said to Libby.”

  I closed my eyes and then opened them again. “How much did you hear?”

  “All of it. I started to come downstairs, but then I heard you talking to her, so I stopped and listened to you. You’re my everything, too, Josh, and I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have you and the twins. I feel so blessed that it’s not even funny.”

  I nodded. Then, I thought about Scott and Jessie. I hadn’t told Heather that I’d heard from him. “I got a text from Scott. He said he was with Jessie, and he had gotten the best Christmas present ever. What do you think he meant?” I pushed a piece of her hair out of her eyes.

  She took a deep breath. “Probably just getting Jess back, maybe? I just can’t believe Jessie left us all hanging like that. I’m kind of pissed at her.”

  I let out a chuckle. Ari had said the same thing to Jeff and me earlier. Ellie was so mad at Jessie that she’d told Gunner to keep Jessie away for at least a week after she got home.

  “I kind of feel sorry for Jessie. Y’all are mad at her. She’s not going to get a very good welcome home.”

  Heather smiled. “No…no, she’s not. So, Scott better make sure he gives her one!”

  I laughed. “Oh, believe me, I’m sure he intends to.”

  As Heather snuggled in next to me and drifted off to sleep, I tried to shake the bad feeling I was having. A part of me didn’t think that everything would be going back to normal.

  I closed my eyes and thanked God for the girl in my arms and for the babies sleeping downstairs. Then, I prayed for my friends to be happy and for the feeling in my gut about Jessie and Scott to be wrong.

  Jessie had hardly spoken two words during the entire drive up to Mr. Martin’s house. After a quick tour of the house, Lark showed us to the guesthouse, which I swore was almost the size of my house.

  I couldn’t shake the unnerving feeling I had. Jessie seemed to be uncomfortable around me.

  Does she really believe it wasn’t me?

  Maybe once we were finally alone, it would be better. I shut the door and turned to see Jessie standing there, staring at me. My heart started pounding.

  “Did you want to call your dad or anything, honey?” I asked as I noticed the look in her eyes change.

  The next thing I knew, she was slamming into me and holding on to me so tightly. Then, she began sobbing.

  “Jessie…baby, please don’t cry. I’m so sorry all this happened. It took everything out of me not to kill Bryce and Chelsea. I’m so sorry, baby, that she hurt you and caused you to—”

  She pulled back and looked at me with tears streaming down her face. She looked down and said, “Run away? Because that’s what I did, and I’ll never forgive myself for it. Never.”

  I shook my head and tilted her chin up to make her look at me. “I love you, Jessie. I’m not going to lie and say that the past five weeks were okay because they weren’t. I was dying a slow death when you were gone.”

  She sucked in a breath of air and started shaking her head as she began crying harder. “I’m so sorry. I should have talked to you instead of running away like an idiot and—”

  I pulled her to me. “Shh…it’s over now, baby. We’re together now, and you know the truth. Jessie…as God as my witness, I promise you that I’ll never be unfaithful to you…ever. I’m yours, body and soul. And now…now, we’re going to have a baby.”

  She buried her face in my chest and just kept repeating how much she loved me. She finally looked up and said, “Please…I just need you so much. I need you to hold me…I need you to make love to me, Scott. I’ve missed you so much.”

  My heart was breaking. She looked so sad, and I knew she was feeling guilty for leaving and for being gone for so long. I reached down and gently moved my lips across hers as she let out the sweetest moan ever. Just the idea that she was carrying my child caused my heart to practically burst with happiness.

  She reached her hands up and ran her fingers through my hair. She pulled on it as she bit down on my lower lip.

  Oh god, I want her so much. “Jessie…I’ve missed you so damn much,” I whispered against her lips.

  “Touch me, Scott…please just touch me.”

  I put my hands on either side of her face and deepened our kiss. I was going to go slow with my lovemaking. It had been too long since I had been with her, and I needed her to know how much I wanted her. She had come back to me, and that was all that mattered right now. I slowly started walking her backward until she hit the bed. The windows were open, and all I could hear were the waves crashing on the shore.

  I pulled my lips away and whispered, “I love you, Jessie. I love you to the moon and back.”

  I watched as a tear slowly made its way down her cheek. I used my thumb to brush it away. I moved my hands and began taking off her T-shirt. She stood there, chewing on her lower lip, and I didn’t think my dick could get any harder than it was. Then, I placed my hand on her stomach as I dropped to my knees. I kissed her on the stomach and looked up at her. Her head was back, and she was touching her breasts. I wanted to rip off her damn clothes…but slowly. I needed to go slow.

  I looked back at her stomach and said, “Best Christmas present ever.”

  “Scott…oh god, I love you so much.”

  I began to unbutton her jeans, and then I slid them down her legs…oh-so slowly. She lifted one leg and then the other as I pulled off her pants. I glanced up her body. She had on a pair of blue boy shorts and a white lace bra.

  My god, she’s so damn beautiful. The thought of her stomach growing bigger with my child sent shivers through my body.

  I began kissing her body as I stood up. She had her hands in my hair, and the little noises she was making were making it harder for me to go slow.

  “Scott…” she whispered over and over.

  I began kissing her gently as I unhooked her bra and slipped it off her shoulders. I cupped her breasts in my hands and squeezed gently.

  “Oh god…they’re so tender,” she said as she snapped her head straight and looked me in the eyes.

  “I want to kiss them, baby…can I kiss them?” I licked my lips.

  She smiled and nodded. The moment I put her nipple in my mouth, I reached my hand into her panties and brushed my fingers against her.

  My god, her panties are so wet. I stopped sucking on her one nipple and made my way over to the other one. “Jesus, Jessie, baby…”

  “Yes…oh god, yes.”

  I slipped two fingers inside her and started gently moving them in and out.

  “Scott…my god…I feel like I’m going to come.”

  I stopped my fingers.

  She immediately grabbed on to
my shirt and called out, “No! Please don’t stop.”

  “Hmm…I don’t want you to come yet, baby. Lie down on the bed, Jess.”

  The look in her eyes was driving me insane. She quickly moved and lay down on the bed. Her whole body was shaking. I began to take off my clothes.

  Slowly.

  She locked her eyes on mine, and I swore she was peering into my soul. I’d never in my life loved her as much as I did at this very moment. As I took off my jeans and boxers, I watched her eyes move down and lock on to my rock-hard dick. When she licked her lips, I let out a growl, and her eyes snapped back up to mine. I gently made my way onto the bed and hovered over her.

  “Scott…I want you inside me so badly. I just need to feel you close to me. Please.”

  As much as I wanted to just slam myself into her, I forced myself to smile and wink at her. “Oh, baby, don’t worry…I plan on burying myself so deep inside you that you’ll know I’ve been there for the next few days.”

  She closed her eyes and lifted her body up to me as she threw her head back. She sucked in a breath of air as she brought her hands up and touched her breasts.

  “Please. I can’t stand it any longer.”

  A part of me wanted her to beg me. I wanted her to know how I’d felt all those weeks when she had left me alone…wondering where she was and what she was doing…and who she was with.

  I moved down and kissed right above her clit. She let out a gasp as she put her hands in my hair and began pushing me down. I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

  “Oh, baby…have you missed my touch?” I asked.

  She began thrashing her head back and forth as I started to blow on her clit. I quickly ran my tongue over it, and she let out a small scream.

  “Oh god…Scott. Yes! Yes…I’ve missed your touch and your smile. I’ve missed your laugh. I’ve missed the way you hold me and kiss me. I’ve missed making love to you. Fuck! Jesus…I’ve missed being with you…”

  That was all I needed to hear. I placed my lips on her clit and began sucking as I put three fingers inside her.

  “Ah…oh…oh my god! Yes! Scott…I’m going to come…oh god, yes! That. Feels. So. Amazing.” Then, she began calling out my name over and over.

  The rush of wetness was more than I could take. I pulled my lips away and took my fingers out. I moved up and barely pushed my dick inside her.

  “Scott! Please…oh god, please. More.”

  I slowly pushed myself into her warm body. I lowered my head and let out a moan against her neck. “Motherfucker…you feel so damn good.”

  “Oh…” was all she could say as she brought me in closer to her.

  It was like she couldn’t get me in her deep enough. I began moving in and out, and she let out the most amazing noises.

  I began thrusting harder in her. “I missed you, Jessie. Don’t. Ever. Leave. Me. Again,” I said with each thrust into her.

  “Never!”

  I’m not going to last long. Oh god, I’ve missed her.

  “Harder, Scott. Please go faster and harder.”

  I gave her what she asked for. “Talk to me, Jessie…promise me that you’ll always talk to me,” I said as I slammed myself into her harder.

  I wanted her to feel me…to feel how much she was mine.

  “I will…I promise. God, I promise you…”

  The moment she began calling out my name with her orgasm, I couldn’t hold off any longer.

  “Jessie…baby, I’m gonna come.”

  “Yes! Scott…it feels so good.”

  I swore I could feel every ounce of me pour into her. After I finally caught my breath, I just held myself slightly off her body. I was still inside her, not wanting to move. I just wanted to stay inside her warm body.

  “I love you so much. Don’t ever leave me again, Jessie,” I said as I kissed along her neck.

  “Scott, oh god, I love you. I love you so much, and I’m so sorry for everything.”

  I slowly moved myself off of her, and then I lay down next to her. I rolled her against me, and we faced the giant window overlooking the beach.

  I closed my eyes and thanked God for her and for the baby and for finally bringing us together again.

  Finally…things are going to be okay because we are together again.

  As I listened to Scott breathing in and out, I was overcome with a sense of relief that we were together again. He had made such sweet, passionate love to me. I reached my hand up and ran my fingers along my swollen lips. I closed my eyes and could practically feel his lips on me.

  Then, the sheet of guilt swept over my body. I opened my eyes and looked out to the ocean.

  Talk to me, Jessie…promise me that you’ll always talk to me.

  My heart started pounding in my chest, and I fought the urge to start crying again. I have to tell him what happened. If I don’t…it will eat me alive.

  I slowly moved Scott’s arm off of me and rolled over to look at him. I can’t believe he got his friend to bring him here…on a helicopter of all things! My heart swelled, knowing he had come for me as soon as he’d found out where I had been.

  I closed my eyes and thought of Chelsea. I wanted to kill her for doing this to us. She’d pushed me away from him. If I hadn’t been so damn scared, I would have called my father weeks ago, and I would have found out the truth, and I would have never, ever kissed Trey…or let him touch me…or let him make me feel the way he’d made me feel.

  Oh god, please let him forgive me. Please.

  I peeked up and saw it was just after six in the morning. Scott and I had made love three times throughout the night. Each time had been so different. The first time was almost a blur. I just knew how much I’d needed his touch and needed to feel his love. The second time was hotter than hell. I had gotten up to take a shower, and the next thing I’d known, Scott had been fucking me up against the wall with the hot water just pouring on us. The third time was the most amazing. I swore Scott had kissed every inch of my body. He’d moved so slow and sweet while he’d whispered the most romantic things in my ear. I’d never had so many orgasms in one night.

  I heard Scott’s cell phone buzz on the table. I stood up and grabbed his shirt. I slipped it over my head as I walked over and picked up his phone. I saw it was a message from my dad. I thought about how angry he had been when I’d talked to him last night. Ugh…I’m going to have to hear it from him when I get back. He’s going to lay into me about how I walked away from the vet clinic…and how I could have walked away from the love of my life.

  I moved across the room over to the giant sliding glass door and watched the sky light up. So much had happened in the last two months, and at the same time, I felt like my life had been at a standstill. I ran my hand down my body and felt my tender breasts. Then, I placed my hand on my stomach.

  The moment I felt Scott’s hands over mine, the butterflies took off in my stomach. I leaned back against him and smiled.

  “I missed you,” he whispered.

  The tears began building. “I missed you, too.”

  “Did you want to try to leave today? Or would you like to stay a few days?” he asked as he held me closer to him.

  The moment I felt his erection pressing into my back, I wanted to tell him to take me again. I wanted to forget the last five weeks and focus on our future together—just Scott, our child, and me.

  “I’m not sure. Do you think we can get flights out?”

  Scott let out a laugh. “Baby, if you haven’t noticed, my best friend has a helicopter, and he can take us home anytime you say the word.”

  The idea of going home excited me so much. I was so ready to leave and get back. I missed work. I missed my father, brothers, and the girls. I missed waking up every morning, looking at the love of my life.

  I turned and looked into his eyes. “I want to go home.”

  The smile that spread across Scott’s face caused me to smile in return. Then, I thought of why I wanted to get off this island so quickly. r />
  I’m running away again—running from the truth.

  I took a deep breath and looked away from Scott. “Um…before we leave, I have something I need to tell you,” I said as my voice cracked.

  Scott took a step back and looked at me. “About what? Is everything okay with the baby?” His eyes were filled with fright.

  “Yes. I mean I’m sure everything is okay with the baby. Um…this has to do with Trey.”

  The second I said his name, Scott’s eyes turned to anger…and then sadness.

  Oh god. The sadness in his eyes about killed me.

  He knows. He must know that something happened.

  He took another step back. “Okay…what about Trey?”

  I took in a breath and bit down on my lower lip. “Something happened.”

  “No…oh god. Jessie, you didn’t…you didn’t sleep with him, did you? You told me you didn’t sleep with him,” Scott said as his legs began to wobble.

  “No! No, of course, I didn’t sleep with him. I would never lie to you, Scott, ever.”

  He threw his hands in his hair and then ran them down his face. I just stood there with tears rolling down my face now.

  “Well then, what the hell happened, Jessie? Because the shit that’s running through my head right now is driving me fucking mad!” he yelled.

  I jumped and started crying harder. “Um…we…um—”

  He shook his head. “What? You kissed? Did you kiss him?”

  I slowly nodded my head.

  His eyes began to turn gray. “How many times?”

  My mouth dropped open. “Does it matter?”

  He nodded. “To me, it does.”

  I started biting and chewing on my lower lip. “A few times.”

  “Friendly kisses or more?”

  “At first, it was friendly, but a couple were, um…”

  His eyes filled with tears. “Is that it? Is that all you did with him? You just kissed him?”

  I shook my head, and then I watched his face drop as a tear escaped down his cheek. He slowly backed up and sat down on the bed.

  “What did you do together if you didn’t fuck, Jessie?” he shouted.