“I’m gonna help Mom get her in the car,” Mike says, so I kiss June one more time before passing her over to her grandfather.
“I will call and let you know what November and Susan say about our shopping trip,” Emma says, following Mike out the door.
“Just let me know,” I mutter, hoping that November is quick on her feet.
“Be back in a second,” Mike says.
I watch him carry June to the car and put her in the car seat before kissing his mom’s cheek and coming back up the stairs to me, where we both watch his mom drive away.
“Now will you tell me what’s wrong?” Mike asks as soon as the front door is closed.
I turn to look at him. I want to tell him that I’m pregnant, but the words are stuck in the back of my throat.
“Nothing,” I mumble and head for the kitchen, where I pull out the chicken breast I left to marinate in olive oil and a ranch dressing packet this morning.
“You don’t seem like nothing’s wrong,” he says, watching me.
“I’m fine,” I repeat as I start up the oven and place the chicken on a baking pan, before going into the pantry and getting a few potatoes to peel.
He comes over to where I’m standing at the sink and takes the potato peeler from my hand. Then he sets it on the counter next to the sink before turning me around to face him.
“What happened at the school?” he asks.
It takes a second for the question to register before I respond. “Nothing. Brandon has raised his GPA and the guidance counselor believes that he could get into pretty much any school he wants to,” I tell him.
“Okay, so if it’s not Brandon, then what happened at your appointment?”
“Nothing,” I say then sigh when his eyes narrow. “Okay, promise you won’t freak out.”
“Kat.”
“Just promise.”
“Tell me,” he says.
“I’m pregnant,” I say when I realize that he’s not going to give up or promise me that he won’t freak out.
His body stills and his face goes blank immediately. “What?” he whispers so quietly that I more read his lips then hear the words.
“I’m pregnant,” I repeat. I’m completely shocked that the words are coming out of my mouth.
I know a few women who waited until later in life to have children. I never thought that I would be having another child. I was sure that I wasn’t even able to. When I was with my husband, we never used anything to prevent pregnancy. It just never happened. Plus, breast cancer runs in my family and my doctor advised against the pill.
“How did that happen?” Mike mumbles.
I close my eyes and drop my head. “Unprotected sex and stupidity,” I answer, opening my eyes and looking at him.
His eyes roam over me then land on my stomach. “You’re sure?”
I don’t even say anything—I just walk to my bag, pull out the internal ultrasound pictures, and hand them to him.
“You’re pregnant,” he says, looking at the picture.
“I am.”
“How far along are you?”
“He thinks eleven weeks,” I say quietly, closely watching his face.
“Do you…” He stops to look at me and I see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows. “Do you want to keep it?”
Shit. Through all of this, I haven’t even thought about not keeping him or her. I nod then bite my lip to keep from crying.
“Jesus, I don’t even know what to say about this,” he says, looking back down at the pictures.
“I don’t know either.”
“Will you be okay?” he asks, looking at me again.
“The doctor assured me that the baby and me should be fine.”
“You’re sure?”
“There are risks at my age, but he says they are minimal considering how healthy I am.”
His body relaxes and his hands pull me closer as he shoves his face into my neck. “I’m scared to death but happy as hell,” he says against my neck.
“Me too,” I say, pushing my fingers through his hair.
“I think it’s going to take a few days for this to sink in.”
I smile as he kisses my neck before he pulls away and puts his hands on either side of my face.
“You’re pregnant,” he says, and I nod. “With my baby.”
I smile and whisper, “Yes.”
“Wow.” He pulls my face towards his.
When I’m close enough, his lips press against mine. His tongue runs over my bottom lip and my mouth instinctively opens up under his. My hands fist into the front of his shirt so I can keep standing as his taste and the feel of his hands tangling into my hair cause my legs to go weak.
“You guys have a whole house. Do you have to do that in the middle of the kitchen?” Brandon says, breaking the moment.
Mike pulls his mouth from mine then smiles, looking over at Brandon. “Thought for sure that we would be on our own in a year. Looks like we have along ways to go until we have an empty house,” Mike says quietly.
“What?” Brandon asks, walking fully into the kitchen. I notice that he’s dressed in a nice sweeter and a pair of dark jeans that actually fit him.
“How do you feel about me marrying your mom?” Mike asks, and my stomach drops.
“What?” I whisper.
“I’m cool with it,” Brandon says with a shrug.
“Do me a favor and run out to my car. There’s a box in the glove box. Can you bring it to me?” Mike asks.
Brandon looks at me then Mike and heads towards the front door. I stand there, stunned, as Mike turns to face me.
“Give me one second, babe.”
I don’t say anything. I don’t breathe or even blink as he heads towards the direction where Brandon just left. It feels like an eternity for them to come back. When they come back around the corner, Mike is holding a small box in his hand and Brandon is behind him with a large smile on his face.
“How do you feel about marrying me?” Mike asks, pulling my hand towards him and slipping the perfectly simple diamond ring on my finger.
“I had no idea,” I stutter, looking at the ring on my finger. His laugh causes my head to come up and my eyes to meet his.
“I think that’s the point, Kitten,” he says softly as his hands come up to hold my face.
“You want to get married?” I ask him.
“Yes. I planned on asking you this weekend, but this seems like the perfect time to me,” he says. Then he looks over at Brandon before looking back at me. “So what do you say? Will you and Brandon both take my last name?”
“What?”
“You and Brandon are mine and I would like it if we we’re all Rouger’s.”
“I say yes,” Brandon says, coming over to put his arm around my shoulder.
“Oh my God,” I whisper, feeling a tear slide down my cheek.
“What do you say?” he asks again.
I tilt my head back to look at Brandon, who looks at me and nods, kissing the side of my head. “Yes,” I say through my tears when my eyes meet Mike’s again.
As soon as the word leaves my mouth, Mike’s hands wrap into the back of my hair and his mouth crashes down onto mine.
“Can you guys control yourselves at least until I don’t have to see it?” I hear Brandon say. I can tell by his tone that he’s smiling.
I kiss Mike once more before whispering, “I love you,” against his lips and then leaning back.
“Were you serious about us both having your last name?” Brandon asks after a minute.
“Yes,” Mike replies, pulling me around to tuck me under his arm. “I would be honored if you had my last name.”
Brandon swallows then looks at me. There are so many emotions in his eyes, and as his mom, I know that the look on his face is relief from being wanted and accepted. Without another word, Brandon wraps one arm around me then one around Mike. As I stand between my two guys, I burst into tears.
“Jeez, Mom. Relax.” Brandon chuckle
s, and I feel Mike’s laugher against my side.
“I’m fine. Just… Just happy.” I cry, squeezing Brandon once more before stepping back.
“I know you have to go help your friend, but can you come home for dinner?” I ask and feel Mike’s fingers squeeze into my side. I know that we just found out the news, but I really want my son to know what’s going on.
“What’s wrong?” Brandon asks.
“Nothing. Just come home for dinner,” I sigh. Apparently, the men in my life don’t know how to let up.
“Is this about Dad coming to visit?” he asks, his eyes drawn together.
“What?” Mike asks.
I double-blink. I haven’t heard anything from my ex in over a month. He sent me an e-mail after I confronted him about canceling his designated time with Brandon that was scheduled for Thanksgiving. When I found out that he’d told Brandon that he couldn’t come out for four days because his girlfriend’s parents were in town and there was just no room, I flipped out. I was tired of him letting his son down and not caring about disappointing his child.
“What do you mean your dad is coming here?” I ask, confused.
Brandon shrugs. “I don’t know. He sent me a text telling me he would be here next week after I told him that I wouldn’t be coming out for any of my scheduled visitation times.”
“Great,” I whisper.
“I’m guessing that’s not the reason you wanted me to be home.”
“It’s not.” I shake my head.
“Just come home after your study date, bud, and we’ll talk then,” Mike says.
Brandon nods and pulls me in for another hug. “Love you, Mom,” he says quietly.
I take a shuddering breath before telling him that I love him too and watching him leave. When I turn to face Mike, his eyes are so soft that my breath pauses.
“You have no idea how much you have done for not only me but for Brandon,” I tell him, closing my eyes before opening them slowly. I know that Brandon and I would have been okay eventually, but I doubt that our relationship would have healed like it has without him.
“I haven’t done anything, Kitten.”
“You have. You have helped bring my son back to me. You have given him something he hasn’t received from his dad since he was little and you have given that to him when he needs it most. So, yes, you have done a lot.”
“It’s not a hardship to love him. He’s a good kid. And you’re an amazing mom, and your ex… Well, he’s a piece of shit.” He smiles, walking towards me. “I figure we have a couple of hours before he comes home. What do you say we go upstairs and celebrate our engagement?” he says.
I look down at my hand and the ring that is sitting on my finger before bringing my eyes back up to meet his. “I think I like that idea,” I tell him and start to laugh when he quickly pulls his shirt off over his head. I pause, checking out his body before pulling my shirt up over my head and turning towards the stairs. I hear his footsteps behind me and my pulse begins to speed up as wetness floods between my legs.
“Careful,” he says against my ear as his hand slides around my waist.
Even though I know what’s coming, I still have butterflies in my stomach. My pulse skids as his hand cups my pussy and his fingers press into the seam of my jeans.
“Oh,” I hiss as my head falls back onto his shoulder.
He grunts something, but I can’t make it out as his fingers move to the button of my jeans and his other hand slides up to cup my breast over my bra. When he has my jeans unzipped and his fingers slide between my folds, I moan and lift my hands over my head to grip into his hair.
“So slick,” he says against my neck, and his fingers slide up and around my clit.
“I need you inside me,” I hiss, feeling my pussy contract.
He removes his hand and places his fingers in his mouth before pulling my chin towards him and taking my mouth in a deep kiss. The taste of myself on his mouth has me grabbing, pulling at the buckle of his belt. When I almost have it undone, his hand covers mine.
“Bed,” he demands, and my eyes go to his.
My knees almost buckle at the hunger I see in his eyes. I nod, and without another word, I rush up the stairs into the bedroom, listening as his footsteps follow me up the stairs. I turn around and face the door. As soon as I reach the bed, my hands go to behind my back and my fingers work quickly to unhook my bra. Once it’s unclasped, I lean forward and let it drop off my shoulders and onto the floor. When my eyes meet his and he smirks, he is pushing his pants down over his hips. I lick my lips as I watch his cock bounce against his stomach. Then I strip of my jeans and panties, quickly kicking them to the side as I watch him stroke himself.
“Climb up on the bed and lay back, spreading your legs, Kitten,” he demands.
I listen, getting up onto the bed and lying back. I sit up on my elbows, watching as he walks towards me, his eyes locked between my legs. I start to scoot back, expecting him to climb up on the bed, but his hand around my ankle stops me. He pulls me back towards the edge of the bed before lowering his face and sucking the skin of my inner thigh deep into his mouth, causing me to whimper and my back to rise off the bed.
“Hmmm,” he breathes, licking up to the crease of my leg right on the edge of my pussy.
I wiggle my hips and grab his hair with one hand. I feel his smile against my skin and whimper as he pulls one pussy lip into his mouth, Then I feel the edge of his tongue slide near my entrance as his fingers dig into my thighs. He spreads my legs farther apart before his lips cover my clit and he pulls it into his mouth. I feel my orgasm building as his fingers fill me, moving slowly as he releases my clit and moves up my body. One arm holds me under my back as he lifts me onto the center of the bed. I pull his face down to mine, kissing him, tasting myself on his mouth. I lift my hips and wrap one leg around his hip as his fingers slide out and he enters me.
“God,” I moan, feeling myself clamp down on him. I scrape my nails down his back as his hand cups my breast and his fingers tug on my nipple.
“Your pussy is so fucking hot,” he growls against my mouth, and I moan into his, placing the heels of my feet into the back of his thighs so I can lift my hips to meet each of his thrusts with one of my own.
My hand travels up his back into his hair before sliding down his neck and over his shoulder and chest. Then I flip it to run over my stomach so my fingers can roll over my clit. He leans back and looks down, watching as I touch myself. His eyes get even darker as he slows his thrusts and sits up on his knees, his thumbs holding my pussy lips apart as he watches himself sink into me.
“I’m so close,” I moan, rolling my fingers over my clit faster as his thrusts speed up. At this angle and with the way he’s hitting my G-spot, my orgasm is building rapidly. When his hand pushes mine away and his finger rolls over my clit, my head digs into the pillow behind me.
“Pull those nipples, baby,” he grunts, and I lift my hands to my breasts and pull my nipples as he pounds into me.
My orgasm is sudden and my body vibrates. White light fills my vision and I feel like I float away. I slowly come back to myself and feel him grow larger as his hips jerk and he groans, planting himself deep inside me. His body comes forward, covering mine while keeping his weight off my lower abdomen. I let out a long breath and run my hands up his back into his hair, listening closely as his breathing evens out.
“Every time I think about my kid inside you, I want to beat my chest,” he says, making me laugh as he presses his face deeper into my neck. “Promise you won’t leave me,” he whispers after a couple of minutes.
I swallow against the lump in my throat and pull his face away from my neck so I can look into his eyes. “You’re stuck with us. We’re not going anywhere,” I tell him and watch relief flash in his eyes before he lowers his mouth back to mine.
*
“So are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Brandon asks as we sit down for dinner.
I look at Mike, and he squeezes
my thigh under the table. “You’re going to be a brother,” I tell him, deciding that I may as well just get it over with.
“What do you mean I’m going to be a brother?” he asks, confused.
I take another breath, thinking that this is much harder than it was when I told Mike. “I mean I’m pregnant.”
“But you’re old,” he blurts, looking at Mike and then me.
“Hey, I’m not that old,” I scold him.
Mike starts to laugh.
“Mom, you’re not young. I’m eighteen. It’s just weird that you’re having a kid after so many years,” he says.
“The doctor assures me that everything will be okay.”
“It’s still weird,” he mumbles, taking a bite of the meatloaf I made for dinner. “I’m happy that my room is in the basement. I don’t want a screaming kid to wake me up in the middle of the night,” he says, not even looking up from his plate.
I look over at Mike, who shrugs and takes a bite of his dinner. I look at my two men then down at my stomach and let out a breath. Things are going to change drastically when the baby gets here. But I am happy that my two men are taking this whole thing so well.
Now we have to see what everyone else thinks about it.
Chapter 8
MIKE
“Can you believe that he had the nerve to show up and make a spectacle like we were together? Like we’re a couple?” Kat rambles as I pull up to the front of the house. “How could he be so stupid? I mean really, what the hell is wrong with him?”
I don’t say anything. I can’t after the last hour. My blood pressure still hasn’t gone back to normal. I’m at a loss for words as to what just happened.
I’ve never thought that her ex was a smart man, but when he showed up at Brandon’s school, pulled Kat to him, and kissed her, I lost my shit. I’d known that he was coming to town, but what I hadn’t known was his reasoning. Apparently, he broke up with his girlfriend and thought that he was coming back to claim his wife. The fuck now has two black eyes to prove that he isn’t getting anywhere near my woman—ever.
“I hate him. I hated him before, but now, I really, really hate him. I hope…” She pauses to take a breath. “I hope he gets run over by a bus. Too bad we don’t have buses in town,” she mutters under her breath as I shut off the car and hop out.