Innocence Defied (New York) (23 page)

“Sheesh. I know where you live, big brother,” Zoe said, exasperated. “Guys, I know all this stuff.” She held out her hands and motioned like she was calming a crowd. “You all need to relax. She’s going to be fine.” She would have laughed if they all hadn’t looked so worried.

“Yes, relax.” Riley’s voice floated up from the mound of blankets. “I will be fine. The baby will be fine. Everything will be fine. If I manage not to die of boredom, then everything will be just fine.”

Everyone laughed, and Zoe hurried over to the bed and hugged Riley as best as she could manage with a reclining pregnant woman.

“Hey there, invalid,” Zoe teased. “Or is wilting flower more like it?”

“Reigning terror is closer to the truth.” Brice mumbled it, but the terror heard and chucked a pillow at his head.

“You try getting stuck in bed and see how gentle and sweet your disposition is. You’d be a lot more grouchy than I have been, I bet.”

Brice smiled and kissed her cheek. “Oh beautiful, I was bedridden for six weeks when I broke my leg back in high school. I was way worse to deal with.”

This was met with a chorus of agreement that seemed to appease her.

Zoe smiled and started to sit in the chair closest to Riley. Gage grabbed her and hauled her back.

“Oh, no, you don’t. You’re coming with me.” He began to drag her away.

“But, but, Gage.” Zoe dug in her heels and tried to tug her arm free. She got nowhere. “I barely got to say hi, and—”

“Darlin’,” Gage interrupted as he kept going. “You are going to be sitting with her for hours tomorrow when everyone goes to work. You should save all your chatting for then. Right now, the house is lousy with people to keep her company. Brice even drafted his partner, Kent, into the action. Him and Angie are gonna be here any minute.” He shouted back to the others as he snagged his coat and opened the front door. “We’re headed to the penthouse. I’ll have her back in the morning.”

“Auugh!” The cry stopped them both in their tracks.

“Was that you, Ry?” Gage called. He was already changing his direction and dragging Zoe back that way, when they heard her cry out again.

“Oh no.” Riley moaned. “Either my water just broke, or I just wet the bed.”
 

Pandemonium broke loose. Cade and Trevor whipped the covers back, while Terryn rushed from the room, shouting about getting coats, and Brice had his phone to his ear already calling the hospital.

“Here comes another one!”

Riley was sweaty and flushed, yet Zoe was amazed that she was somehow still beautiful. The room was full of family and friends waiting with her through these first stages of labor. Cade and Trevor were on either side of her bed, holding her hands and murmuring to her to help her through the pain.

“That was a strong one.” Cade kissed her forehead and brushed the hair back from her face once the contraction had passed.

“Yeah,” Trevor agreed, and brought her hand to his mouth to brush his lips across her knuckles. “They’re getting closer together too. It won’t be long now, little one. You’re doing great.”

And she was. She panted and groaned during the contractions and made jokes and small talk in between. For four hours, they’d been doing this, and the doctor told them it could be any time now.

A nurse bustled in and said, “Make way, people, I’m just going to see where we’re at here.” She adjusted the covers at Riley’s feet and asked, “How are you feeling, hun?”

“I’m good.” Riley smiled bravely at her and said, “They’re getting closer and harder, though.”

The nurse did her thing and readjusted the covers. “I think it’s time I get the doc in here. Anybody who is not planning to be here for delivery should head out to the waiting room now.”

“That’s our cue.” Brice leaned in and gave her a quick kiss and the exodus began. Kisses and hugs and promises of, “We’ll be right here,” were passed around, and Zoe found herself out in the hall.

Zoe was just about to head into the waiting room when Gage grabbed her arm and yanked her into a linen closet.

“I’m not even going to pretend I don’t know what you have in mind,” she said, amusement rich in her voice. “I’ve missed you too. But, no. No way.”

She turned and reached for the knob.

“Open that door if you dare.” Gage flattened her front to the door, his body big and hard behind her. His rough, calloused hands molded over her breasts, squeezing and kneading and causing her insides to tremble. “I haven’t felt you for weeks. We are doin’ this here and now, darlin’, it’s up to you how many people get to watch.” Then his mouth scorched a path of fire across her neck, and one of his hands cupped between her legs.

Her resolve crumbled as pleasure rushed through her organs like high octane fuel. She moaned and undulated against him in answer.

“Fuck.” It was more growl than word and Gage said it as he tugged open her jeans and wrenched them to the tops of her thighs. He dropped behind her and Zoe muffled her cry in her arm when he spread the cheeks of her ass and fused his mouth to her core. He bent her forward by yanking her hips back so he could get better access and Zoe bit down on her arm to keep from screaming. His mouth was heaven. It had been so long that within seconds she felt the onslaught of an orgasm coming her way.

Gage pulled back with a growl. “No. Not without me this first time.” He surged to his feet behind her and she felt him fumbling with his belt. “This time we go together.”

“Yes, Sir.” She nodded, crazy to have him inside her. The smell of sex mingled with the smell of bleach and fabric softener, and Zoe thought she wouldn’t ever be able to do laundry again without getting aroused. Then Gage fisted one hand in her hair, wrapped his other arm around her hips, and drove into her.

“Yes. Fuuuuck, yesss.” Gage groaned as he tugged her back into his thrusts. Zoe braced both hands on the door for balance. Her back was arched, with Gage’s tight grip on her hair and her ass so high her feet barely touched the floor. The jeans that were still tangled around her thighs kept her legs close together, which made him feel huge inside her.

The pace he set was frantic, the sounds they made were animalistic, and Zoe lost it. No chance to ask for permission, no warning tingle that it was coming, just between one thrust and the next she flew apart in a blinding climax that tore a scream past her guard to echo around the closet.

“Oh! Shiiiit!” Gage swore, his arms turned to steel around her and she felt him swell and pump inside as his release followed hers. Throbbing pulses of delight flooded her as they rocked back and forth in the throes.

With a grunt, Gage toppled forward and caught himself with one arm against the door between where hers were still braced. She smiled like a drunk as she felt his panting breath on the side of her face.

“Hmmm.” She breathed. “Thank you, Sir. I needed that.” Then she turned her face and kissed him.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you didn’t wait for permission to come. But we’ll deal with that later.” He was still inside her, so she knew he felt the way that threat made her body clench and he chuckled.

“Stay still. Don’t move.” He slid out and it was hard not to move. That slow, wet glide re-awoke nerves that wanted him to start all over again.

His hands molded over her ass, and he made noises like a man faced with a mouthwatering meal in front of him. “Darlin’, you have got the best damn ass I have ever seen.” Then, with a heartfelt sigh of reluctance, he tugged up her clothes and helped her stand.

For a long moment they just stood among sheets and towels with their arms wrapped around each other, savoring the lingering tingles and quivers.

“Thank you,” Zoe whispered into his chest.

“No need to thank me, darlin’.” Gage’s chuckle was full of warmth and masculine pride. “Just doin’ my job, ma’am,” he teased.

“No.” Zoe felt close to tears suddenly. “Thank you for school. And for waiting for me.”

“Hey now.” Gage’s voice gentled and he lifted her face up with a finger under her chin. “What’s the tears for?”

“It’s just that, I never let myself want anything but you before. School, becoming a vet, anything. I was afraid to hope for anything, because I didn’t know what you would want. I thought I’d be able to make myself what you wanted after we were together, because there is nothing—absolutely nothing—I wanted more than you.” She saw all the love she’d ever dreamed of shining in his eyes that moment and wondered how someone could feel as happy and good as she did right then and not float away.

“But, now? Now that I know you love me and that you love me no matter what? I love school. I love science, and I can’t wait to be a doctor. I can’t wait to have that animal clinic you promised me, and I love you so much for giving me this, Gage. For giving me everything.” She froze for a moment as a thought occurred to her. “You were serious about the clinic, right? You are going to build me one when I finish school?”

Gage chuckled again and kissed her, soft and sweet. “Yes I am, darlin’. In fact, it can be your wedding present.” Then he pulled a small black box from his coat pocket and handed it to her.

“Oh my God, Gage?” Zoe felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. “What? When?”

“Zoe, darlin’.” Gage lowered to one knee, and Zoe’s eyes flooded with tears. “I been trying to plan this out for two months. Trying to think up some way to do this big and important. Something splashy that you could tell our grandkids about one day. I grabbed the ring on our way out today, because I thought maybe after the baby was here and you had all your family around, that might be the time. But hearing you just now, I knew nothing could be better than this moment right here, right now. I love you, Zoe, and nothing in this world would make me happier than spending the rest of my life showing you. Marry me?”

“Yes!” Zoe flung herself at him and the two toppled to the floor. It was another hour before they managed to make it out of the closet.

Epilogue

Two and a half years later

“Awwww.”

Little Kylee Marie Marshall toddled her way down the white velvet runner as the crowd sighed. She haphazardly sprinkled white and yellow flower petals along the way. Her curly brown locks had more flowers in them, and silk ones were stitched all over her pretty white dress. She was concentrating very hard on her important job—so hard her brow was furrowed and her little tongue was sticking out of the corner of her mouth. She paid no mind to the
oohs
and
ahhs
around her as she marched her way to where her mommy and daddies waited at the front, with uncles Brice and Gage and her auntie Terryn. She’d been told that she was the most important person in this wedding and it was up to her to make it all magic.

Gage ruffled Kylee’s curls once she made it to her spot between a very pregnant Terryn and her equally pregnant mother’s side—something everybody did to that kid’s hair. He wondered if little Cole Allen Wellington was going to have the same curls as his big sister.

Then the traditional wedding march started, and he forgot about every other person in the world but the one walking toward him dressed like an angel in white.

Her raven dark hair was piled in loose fat ringlets on her head, with a sparkling diamond tiara nestled at the base. It winked and threw off the sunlight so much, she looked like she was wearing a halo.

He knew nothing of fashion or designers, but the dress she was wrapped in was the stuff of dreams. It fit close to her chest and waist, leaving her delicate shoulders bared to the kiss of the sun. The flowing skirt had layers and shimmered around her legs as she glided toward him, and nothing he’d seen in all the world could compare. She was perfect. Beautifully perfect in every way.

She’d graduated last week and they had a two-month honeymoon planned before she had to start her post-grad school, where she would earn her doctorate. He could hardly wait. They hadn’t had two months to themselves since they’d first become involved.

As she reached him and he shook her father’s hand before taking her arm, a thought occurred to him. She’d started them on this path insisting that she become his slave, and she had instead been the one who enslaved him.

He turned and faced the preacher with a smile on his face, and thought he would have it no other way.

About the Author

Lainey lives in beautiful Washington State with her beloved daughter and a house full of pets. Writing is her passion and a dream that she never dared to believe could come to pass.

With the success of her first novel,
A Table for Three
, Lainey’s dream became a reality. Every day she wakes up, she feels humbled and grateful for the people who helped make this possible and the readers who’ve been so amazingly supportive.

You can email Lainey at
[email protected]
.

Visit her website for upcoming works as well as blog posts and other tidbits at
www.laineyreese.com
.

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