A Couple of Forevers (This Time Forever Book 2) (11 page)

Elliott’s demeanor and tone of voice changed as he glanced
over at Renee.  He knew that she didn’t intentionally forget to mention
Jonathan, but he still couldn’t help being irritated.  A seasoned attorney,
Elliott was well-versed in reading people, even when they thought they were
being subtle.  There was something about Jonathan’s attitude, the way he looked
at Renee, his challenging glare, and the fact that he specifically told Renee
that he would see her again soon, that let Elliott know that Jonathan was no
good. 

“Dammit,” Jonathan thought to himself as he exited the
restaurant after his business lunch.  Not only was the woman he hadn’t been
able to get off his mind really married and not fake married, she was also
pregnant with twins.   When he got home later that evening, his thoughts turned
to Renee and how sexy and beautiful she looked in Vegas and earlier today at
the restaurant.  He thought about the things that he could do to her and the
things she could do to him.  All of those things that could have led to him
being the reason for her presently luscious and ripe body.  He also knew that
Elliott had picked up on his attraction to Renee.  Her marital status did not
matter to him.  He wanted her for himself, plain and simple.  He slipped into
bed, grasped his throbbing shaft and stroked it.  “Ahhh, Renee,” he groaned, as
ecstasy overtook him and sent him over the edge. 

Chapter
10

Renee’s due date was quickly approaching.  She had decided
early on in her pregnancy that this time she would take things at a leisurely
pace.  She knew that Genie would manage The Skin and Hair Boutique salons just
fine until she was ready to get back into the swing of things.  In the meantime
she devoted herself to making sure that she was eating a healthy diet,
maintaining a modified exercise routine, and getting plenty of rest.  Elliott
would have it no other way. 

Elliott left his office early in order to be on time for
Matt’s and Kayla’s birthday party.  He and Renee, along with Elliott’s parents,
Kim and Robert, and Matt’s and Kayla’s friends were going to be present at
Pizzeria Mozza.  “You sure you feel like going out this evening?”  Elliott
wrapped his arms around Renee’s stomach. 

She placed her arms around his neck and stood on tip-toes to
give him a kiss.  “Absolutely.  I’ve had pizza on the brain since I got up this
morning.”  Just as she was saying this, they both felt the babies moving in her
stomach.

Elliott chuckled and said, “Feels like a couple of other
little people agree with you.” 

“Yeah,” she said, “they’ve been having quite a little game
of twist and turn in there for these last few weeks.  When we get home from the
restaurant, I was thinking maybe we could take a little stroll around the
neighborhood.  Might make them relax and we can get some real sleep tonight.”

Elliott agreed.  “We could stay long enough to have a couple
of slices of pizza and then leave.  I’m sure everyone will understand that you
need to rest.  After our walk, we can shower and then go to bed early.”

“Mmmmm, that sounds like a plan to me.  It’s a good thing that
the shower is big enough for all of us.  I feel like I’m the size of this
house.”   Her follow-up appointments with Dr. Middleton had been excellent. 
Her vital signs were good and she had not gained too much weight.  Try though
she may, she still couldn’t help being concerned with how her body would fare
after this pregnancy.  When she was pregnant with Matt and Kayla, she was so
young.  Getting her body back to what it had been before had not been an
issue.  However, this time around, she was at the other end of things.  All
said, she was much more thankful for things this time around.  She was married
to the love of her life, had more money than she could spend in ten lifetimes, Kayla
and Matt were doing well with their own lives, and she was expecting healthy
twins.  She didn’t realize that she was smiling.

“Since the idea of pizza, an evening walking, and showering
together lights you up like that, I’ve made a mental note to make sure we do
those things at every given chance.  Did you even hear anything I said after
that?” he asked teasingly.

“It’s all your fault, you know?  You’re the reason I’m so
happy.  Everything is just the way I hoped it would be, except better, you
know?”

Elliott pulled her close, inhaled her jasmine-scented locs
and said, “Yeah, I am kinda fantastic.”  He chuckled and added, “But only
because I have a reason.  Having you and our kids here with me has definitely
made me a better man.  You make everything beautiful Renee, just like you.”

Renee slipped out of the robe she put on when they had
arrived home.  Elliott removed his slacks and shirt.  She stepped into the
shower and Elliott followed behind her.  She turned to face him and he began
stroking her breasts, lightly palming her sensitized nipples.  She placed her
arms around his neck and he leaned down to press his lips to hers.   She
slipped her arms around him, her fingernails lightly scraping up and down on
his muscled back.  Elliott’s erection grew harder and he pressed Renee against
the wall of the shower so that she could feel the effect that she was having on
him.  “Are you sure we have time for this?” he asked as she stroked his length.

“Don’t know and don’t care.  I do know that I want you
inside of me.  Now.”  Elliott was more than ready and willing to oblige.

Elliott turned Renee so that she was facing the wall of the
shower.  She placed both hands on the stone surface for support.  Elliott
gripped her hips from behind and as he did so, she placed her leg on the
built-in shower seat so that she could raise her buttocks, giving Elliott more
access to what he wanted.  He reached around her with one hand to caress her
breasts and play with her nipples, while using the fingers of his other hand to
probe her core and tease her aching clit.  She shuddered as he guided himself
inside her.  Renee pressed her hips back as Elliott’s length and thickness
worked its way into her wet, hot, tightness.  He heard her breath hitch as he
slowly slid his shaft in and out of her.  They were both moaning and sighing in
ecstasy.  The water from the shower mingled erotically with the perspiration
and fluids from their heated encounter.   Renee felt the warmth of her orgasm
spreading throughout her body.  “Elliott,” she moaned softly as her inner
muscles gripped tightly around his pulsing, throbbing erection.   Elliott
arched his back and pressed his hips into her soft, round bottom.  “Ah, ah, ah,
Renee, baby, right there . . . right there, feels so fucking good.”   Renee
continued to grip him tightly, until they were both spent.

After their lovefest, Renee and Elliott rinsed each other
off, dried their bodies and got dressed.   Elliott said, “You know, there are
many things I am really enjoying about you being pregnant.”

“Oh, yeah,” Renee chuckled.  She knew exactly where this
conversation was going.  “You mean you haven’t grown tired of me being tired
more times than not, and you haven’t become too turned off by my vastly
different appearance?”  She was only teasing him.  She knew Elliott well enough
to know that he was not shallow and that he understood that carrying two babies
had to be exhausting.  “So, tell me, Mr. James, what has given you such a
beautiful glow?”

Elliott helped her to a standing position from the chair she
was sitting in and said, “As I said earlier, having you and our kids here with
me are definitely the top reasons for my ‘glow,’ but I must admit, I am not
even mad at the fact that you are willing to get down and dirty whenever the
need arises.  He arched his brow and said, “And it arises a lot.” 

Renee laughed and said, “You noticed that, huh?”  She gave
Elliott a look that suggested that she wouldn’t mind having a repeat of their
earlier shower session.  “You make getting down and dirty so very, very nice.”

“Renee . . .,” he said in a warning voice.

She gave him a quick peck on the lips and said, “Hold onto
that thought.” 

They got into the car and headed off to the restaurant. 

~~~~

When they arrived at the restaurant, Elliott spotted
Jonathan.  He was seated in a corner of the restaurant with an attractive woman
who was flirting shamelessly with him.  Jonathan’s eyes fell immediately on
Renee.  The woman looked over to where Elliott and Renee were standing.  She
looked questioningly at Jonathan, who recovered quickly, giving her his most
charming smile and appearing to give her his undivided attention.   

Everyone except Mik was there.  “Yeah, hopefully he will be
here in a bit.  He’s been really busy lately with all of his patients.  He was
in the process of admitting a child with severe asthma.  Maybe Dr. Sokolov will
take over for him so that he can at least be here for a little while anyway,”  Kayla
said.  Dr. Sokolov’s recent partnership with Mik was welcome.  Having a second
doctor meant that Mik could manage to see a lot of patients in his office and at
the hospital, which would in turn allow him to have more free time to have a
personal life. 

After singing “Happy Birthday” to Kayla and Matt, everyone
sat around the table talking and generally having a good time.  Matt and Sonya
had been MIA for a bit and a lot of questions were directed to them about their
jobs and new condo.    

Lena and Kim were talking to Renee about her upcoming
C-section.  “So you’re scheduled for delivery in three weeks?” Lena inquired. 
“I just want to make sure that I have it correct on my device so that Ben and I
will be there on time.”  

“Yes,” Renee replied.  “It is scheduled for early in the
morning.  I have to be at the medical center early, but I don’t want you all to
feel like you have to be there as early as I do.  Well, I mean except for you,
Elliott, you do have to be there early with me,” she teased.   After briefly
joking about who would settle the bill, Elliott gave in and allowed Ben to pay. 

As everyone was making their way to the exit, Elliott
stopped short.  Renee’s mother, Maggie, was walking toward them.  She had been
sitting in the restaurant at a close enough range to observe them, but far
enough away that they were not able to see her. 

Renee’s happy mood shifted to one of extreme tenseness. 
Elliott and Lena were immediately at her side, eyeing Maggie, ensuring that she
didn’t do or say anything to upset Renee.  Renee’s eyes darkened and her face
took on the expression that a person gets when going into shutdown mode. 

Maggie took one step toward Renee.  Only one step.  The look
on Elliott’s face told her to stay back.  Maggie simply said, “Hello, Renee.”

~~~~

After taking a second to gather herself, Renee glanced
around to make sure that the rest of the group was with her and said, “Looks
like we chose the perfect time to leave.”  Everything that Maggie had said to her
when she became pregnant with Matt and Kayla came back to her in that moment. 
Everything she said about Elliott not loving her came back to her.  Everything
she said about Renee being stupid enough to allow him to get her pregnant
proved she couldn’t possibly be a responsible parent.  And then shortly after
she had Matt and Kayla, Maggie was still berating Renee, telling her that her
she had made the biggest mistake ever and that her life was over.   

Aware that Elliott was very, very protective of Renee,
Maggie continued cautiously.  “Renee, I just wanted to talk with you.  I was
sitting over there when I saw you come in and . . . “

Renee felt the beginnings of a throbbing headache.  She
steeled herself and looked Maggie directly in the eye.  “Really, Maggie?  You
want to talk to me?  I saw you sitting, no hiding over there with Joan watching
us.  I don’t have anything to say to you, and you have nothing to say that I
want to hear.  I told you that 22-years ago, remember?”

Maggie’s spine stiffened and she said, “That’s not fair,
Renee.  After all this time you should . . . “

Elliott knew that Renee was about to lose it and so was he. 
His tone of voice was low, but it was clear and effective as he gave an amused
little chuckle and said, “Fair??  Maggie, you must be kidding us right now with
this.  You don’t want to have a discussion about fairness, not with us anyway. 
Not now, not ever.  So, here’s how this is going to happen.  You can turn and
walk away quietly, or you can keep harassing us and I can make things difficult
for you.  Easy choices, right?  Easier than the ones you gave Renee.  And well,
damn, isn’t it ironic that
I’m
giving
you
the chance to do what’s
right here?   You sure as hell didn’t give me a chance.  I’m way ahead of you
Maggie.”  He stood there waiting, looking her squarely in her eyes.

“Is everything OK here, Mr. James?  Is there something we
can assist you with?”  The restaurant manager had known Elliott for years and
like many other businesses in LA, was more than willing to accommodate his
requests. 

Elliott gave Maggie a warning look and when he saw that she
was not going to take the conversation any further, he said, “No, everything
here is fine here.  Thank you.” 

Maggie was smart enough to know better than to challenge
Elliott.  She knew that even though outwardly he appeared cool, calm, and
collected, his contempt for her knew no bounds.  Not wanting to draw any more
attention to herself than she already had, she walked back to her table, where
her friend Joan was waiting. 

~~~~

After returning home from the restaurant, Maggie sat on her
sofa replaying the events of the evening in her head.  She knew that Renee
hated her for what she had done.   She sat there remembering the day that she
had discovered that Renee was pregnant.  When she took the phone call from the
doctor’s office that was intended for Renee, Maggie was infuriated.  How dare
Renee do this to her?  How dare she go around with that boy who only was using
her for her body and allow him to knock her up?  How would she explain this to
her friends?  Everyone was going to think that she didn’t know how to control
her own daughter.  She had demanded that Renee terminate the pregnancy.  When
she refused, Maggie became belligerent.  She went as far as to  try to force
her to go live in Georgia with Maggie’s sister.   Again, Renee adamantly
refused. 

Maggie and Dennis argued ad nauseam about the situation. 
Maggie accused Dennis of not being a good father.  She said he was negligent to
the fact that Elliott had been using Renee for sex.  She told him that if he
had been paying attention, he should have made sure that Elliott never got
close enough to Renee to touch her, let alone get into her pants.   Dennis had
enough of Maggie’s raging tirade at Renee and at him.  He told her that she
never had been a real mother to their daughter.  He told her that if she had
been the type of mother who listened and was involved in her daughter’s life, she
would have talked to Renee about her feelings for Elliott.   Dennis told Maggie
that she had purposefully chosen to turn a blind eye to Renee’s obvious
emotional and physical attraction to Elliott.  He had tried to talk to Renee
about it, but she was so uncomfortable in discussing what was going on.  She
did tell him that she loved Elliott and that everything was under control.  She
planned on going to college to pursue a degree in business and that Elliott was
going to law school.