Once More Chance (Chance #2; Rosemary Beach #8) (15 page)

Then, one day, while I was putting together the baby’s crib in the master bedroom, I heard Harlow shout from the bathroom, “Grant! Hurry!” A million horrible thoughts ran
through my mind, so I was expecting the worst when I found a smiling Harlow soaking in a bubble bath. I took a deep breath and told myself to calm the fuck down. I couldn’t believe something
bad was about to happen every time she called for me.

“She’s moving,” Harlow whispered, as if talking might cause her to stop. “Come feel.”

I had been waiting for this. Harlow had felt her daily, but so far, I hadn’t been there at the right time. I knelt down beside the tub, and she took my hand and placed it on her
stomach.

“Here, press down just a bit so she’ll push back,” she said softly.

I did as I was told, and sure enough, a gentle little kick was my response. The grin that broke across my face was so damn big it hurt my cheeks. I had a little fighter in there. She was strong
like her momma.

“Isn’t that amazing?” Harlow asked as I held my hand against her stomach and felt Lila Kate moving around. I had obviously annoyed her, so now she was pretty active.

“She’s spunky,” I said, and Harlow threw back her head and laughed. Lila Kate kicked again and pushed against me. It was like she wanted to join us. Maybe she heard Harlow
laughing and wanted out so she could be a part of this moment.

“Talk to her,” Harlow said.

I had seen Harlow talking to her stomach a lot lately. But I wasn’t sure I could do that. I had seen the ultrasound, and I could feel her. She was real to me, but talking to her seemed
difficult. I was putting myself out there to love yet another person I could lose.

“I don’t know what to say,” I told her, hoping that she would drop it.

“Just tell her hello and that you love her. It doesn’t have to be profound. She recognizes your voice now. I’m sure of it. She’ll know you’re talking to
her.”

Harlow had a lot of faith in this tiny little baby inside her. I agreed that she reacted to Harlow’s laughter, but I wasn’t sure she actually recognized my voice. It was probably no
more than a muffled sound to her right now.

“Please, say something,” Harlow pleaded, and I knew I wasn’t going to get out of this. She wanted me to talk to our daughter, and I couldn’t tell her no.

I cleared my throat and bent closer to Harlow’s stomach. “How you doing in there?” I asked, then glanced up to see a very amused Harlow. “I imagine you’re ready to
get out and stretch. Gotta be cramped in that little space you got.” Harlow was still watching me expectantly.

She wanted me to tell our baby I loved her. Saying that aloud would make it real. It would make the fact that I was once again vulnerable to another person real. How could I keep her safe, too?
What if I had to do it alone? Closing my eyes, I pushed that thought away. I wouldn’t think about it. I refused to.

“I love you, Lila Kate. I can’t wait to hold you and watch you sleep in your mother’s arms. If you’re lucky, you’ll look just like her.” There, I’d said
it. Exactly what I was thinking. Exactly how I felt. I had laid myself bare.

“I hope she looks like you,” Harlow said, cupping my face in her hands. “You’re the pretty one.”

I lowered my mouth to hers and whispered just before I captured her sweet lips, “No one will ever be more beautiful than you.”

Harlow lifted her sudsy, wet arm and wrapped it around my neck and deepened the kiss while I soaked in the silky warmth of her touch. She could make everything better with a kiss. Fear and worry
vanished when she was close to me.

“Get in with me,” she said, and started tugging on my shirt. I didn’t argue. I removed my shirt, then got rid of my jeans and boxers, before climbing in behind her. She turned
around to straddle me, her ever-larger breasts covered in bubbles. This was quite possibly the best bath product ever invented. At least, for the male species. I filled my hands with her tits just
as she sank down onto my hard length. When she had me completely buried inside her, she arched her back, causing those fantastic play toys to jiggle and sway.

“You’re in control, sweet girl. Take it how you want it,” I told her while enjoying the beautiful view.

She leaned back and put her hands on my legs. I couldn’t have asked for a better position. Then she took it a step further and began to bounce slowly up and down on me. I wanted my hands
full of her boobs, but then they’d stop that hypnotic movement, so I grabbed her waist instead and helped her ride me.

“I could watch these titties all damn day,” I said as she moaned and slammed down on me harder.

Unable to withstand it any longer, I reached out and squeezed them, feeling the pebbled hardness of her nipples against my palms. She cried out my name, and it made me even crazier.

“Ride it, sweet girl. Show me what makes you feel good. That hot little pussy is my fucking nirvana. You know you’ve got me so wrapped up in you I can’t see anything or anyone
else. Just you. Just you.”

“Oh, God, I’m gonna come. Keep talking naughty,” she panted as she reached up and covered my hands with hers.

“Soaking-wet pussy is swollen and horny all the damn time. I want to slip my fingers in those tiny panties and play with it every time I look at you. Taste you and smell you. You smell so
incredibly sweet.” My dirty talk sent her over the edge.

She grabbed my shoulders and began calling out to God and me all at the same time. “That’s it, come on my cock,” I encouraged her as she trembled and shuddered. “My sweet
pussy.”

“Oh, God! Stop! I can’t take it. I’m so close again,” she moaned, leaning into me. Then she clamped down on me, and I lost my restraint.

Grabbing her hair, I yelled out her name and followed her into ecstasy.

W
e were attending a fund-raiser ball at the club tonight to raise money for the local fire department. Rosemary Beach wasn’t a big town, and
the nearest big city was a forty-five-minute drive away, so the volunteer fire department was very cherished and necessary.

Woods had decided to host the ball, though the truth was, many residents had plenty of money to give to the fire department outright—and many did. That’s how it had gotten its start.
But they liked to attend big galas so they could dress up and spend the evening with important people like Rush’s dad. Dean Finlay, the drummer for Slacker Demon and my father’s best
friend, was on the board of directors for the Kerrington Country Club. He wasn’t your typical board member, but then, neither were Grant and Rush, and they were also board members. When Woods
had inherited the club from his father after he died, he fired all of the other board members and chose his own. He and his father had never seen eye-to-eye on anything.

Senator Barnes would also be in attendance. I wasn’t sure of everyone who had made the invitation list, but I had heard his name from Woods recently. I hadn’t been spending much time
at the club now that Nan was back in town. I was enjoying our house and preparing for Lila Kate. Dealing with the social dynamics of the Kerrington Club was something I wanted to keep my distance
from right now. I spent time with Blaire at her house or mine; same with Della.

But tonight Grant had to fulfill his duties as a board member and needed to be there. Finding a dress that fit me was another story. My stomach was really showing now. I was thirty-one weeks
along, and both Lila Kate and I were doing well. She was moving more and more lately; she’d started pushing her little foot so hard I could see my stomach stick out in that spot. Grant was
highly entertained when this happened. Made it worth the discomfort to hear his laughter while he watched her beat me up. Honestly, I wouldn’t trade one of those moments. Ever.

With Blaire’s help, I had found a knee-length black crepe empire-waist gown with a crystal-encrusted halter neckline. I wore it with a pair of silver Louboutins. How was it that I had
never felt beautiful before, but now that my stomach was the size of a basketball, I suddenly felt better about myself?

“Wow.” Grant’s voice interrupted my thoughts, and I glanced up in the mirror to see him walking up behind me. His eyes gleamed with appreciation. I let my eyes travel down his
body, wrapped perfectly in a tuxedo. I had seen him in one before, and I knew how devastatingly handsome he could be, but this time, he was mine. And when the night was over, I would get to undress
him. All mine.

“If I wasn’t a board member,” he said, before his lips touched my bare shoulder, “I would keep you here, and you could wear that sexy little dress, and we could play
striptease. You strip, and I watch.” His wicked grin made me laugh.

“Sounds like I would be doing all the work,” I retorted.

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Trust me, baby, once you got naked, I’d make it totally worth it.”

I shrugged. “OK, fine. You talked me into it. Let’s stay here and play.”

Grant pulled me back against his chest and gazed at me in the mirror. We stood there together, the three of us. My obvious stomach—and Lila Kate’s presence—couldn’t be
missed. I wanted a picture of us, and I wanted it now. Just like this. I could put it with the next letter I wrote to her.

“Where’s your phone?” I asked him, looking around for mine.

He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. “Here,” he replied.

“I want a picture of us. The three of us. Like we are right now,” I told him.

“OK,” he said, pulling me close to him, my back to his chest. “I think I can hold it up and point it down so it’ll catch your adorable bump.”

“It’s not a bump. It’s a beach ball. Just be honest,” I said.

He winked. “You never tell a woman that her stomach looks like a beach ball. The results can be dangerous. Now, look up at the phone. This may take a few tries.” He tried three times
before he was able to get us both smiling and my stomach in clear view. I loved it.

“Text it to me. I want it, too,” I told him.

He nodded and quickly sent me the photo. I would look at it later when I found my phone.

“You know we can get someone to take better pictures of us tonight if you want,” he said.

I loved our selfie with Lila Kate, but that wasn’t a bad idea. I would ask Blaire to take some pictures of us tonight. Then I’d have several to put with the letters.

The Fireman’s Ball was a success. There were hundreds of people there, and each had paid a lot for a ticket. I foresaw new fire trucks in the near future for Rosemary
Beach.

Grant kept me close to his side while he greeted people and made introductions. There were so many people I hadn’t met yet. Watching Grant like this made me even more proud of him. He
could go from sexy playboy to businessman in the blink of an eye—although the only playing he was doing these days was with me.

“I’m going to find Dean. Rush is looking for him. There’re some influential people here tonight who Woods wants to become members of the club, and he thinks Dean might seal the
deal. Will you be OK by yourself for a few minutes? I don’t see Blaire anywhere, but I see Della over there near the corner talking to Bethy and Jimmy.”

I preferred to visit with Della, Bethy, and Jimmy instead of people I didn’t know. Several strangers seemed to recognize me, and they all zeroed in on my stomach with wide eyes. I was sure
this would somehow make it into the gossip magazines. I expected someone to Tweet a photo of me and share with the world that I was knocked up. I had managed to keep a low profile, but with this
crowd, I wasn’t sure if that was possible.

“So you’re still pregnant. Like, you’re actually gonna go through with this.” Nan’s voice brought me to a stop, and I wasn’t sure if I should acknowledge her
or keep walking. I wanted to keep the peace with her. I had no reason to be mad at her, and I knew she would forever hate me, but retaliating would only make me stoop to her level. So I faced
her.

“Yes, I’m going through with it,” I answered simply. She didn’t deserve any explanation.

She frowned, then let out an exasperated sigh. “What, dear old Dad didn’t force you to get an abortion so he could save his favorite child?” The bitterness in her voice made me
sad. She was mean, but she hadn’t exactly been given the best life. Our father had shown me love as a child; he hadn’t done the same for Nan.