Unexpectedly Yours [Private Relations 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read online

  “Neither of us has any idea what we’re doing. It’s absolutely fine. We should probably discuss our thoughts on the whole issue though. We clearly don’t entirely agree.”

  “Could I have a hug first?” Elle asked anxiously.

  “Come here,” Jim said, pulling her into his arms.

  Elle snuggled into his chest and closed her eyes. Feeling a small wave of relief wash over her, she said, “Do you want to come inside or did you have somewhere else to be?”

  “Nowhere else. I doubt I’d be able to focus even if I tried.”

  Extricating herself from his arms, she moved to unlock the door.

  “So I told Sara,” she said. “I swore her to secrecy since I figured you’d probably want to talk to Deacon and Chris about it yourself.”

  “At least for now, my work schedule won’t have to change all that much. I’ll just need to accommodate your appointments and stuff, right?”

  “I think so,” Elle said. “You were right though. Neither of us have any idea what we’re doing.”

  “Are you planning on telling your family soon? Or did you want to hold off on that?”

  Elle unlocked the door and set her purse and the vitamins on the kitchen counter. Moving to the couch, she flopped down and said, “My mom will be over the moon about it. It’s my dad I’m bit worried about. I was going to phone them and get it out of the way, then maybe we could drive up this weekend.”

  “We can do that,” Jim said. After a short pause, he said, “Unless you really think your dad will shoot me. In which case, I’ll be happy to video chat.”

  Elle smirked and said, “I think he’ll have it together by then. I can almost guarantee he’ll be stoically silent except for the occasional comments on marriage.”

  “For what it’s worth,” Jim said. “I’m happy to go along with any decision you make with respect to getting married. Your dad’s threats at gunpoint notwithstanding, if you change your mind, let me know.”

  “Thank you for saying so,” Elle said as she reached for his hand. “I still feel like I did the other night, but if that changes, you’ll be the first to know.”

  “It seems much more real now,” Jim said quietly. “All of it does.”

  Nodding, Elle said, “I know.”

  Curling into his side on the couch, she sat there for a few minutes letting it all sink in. She smiled when she felt the brush of his lips against the crown of her head.

  “I’d like it if you’d let me help you with expenses, Elle. I’m not trying to insult you or suggest that you can’t afford it. I’m just saying that I can. Easily. Please let me do this,” he said.

  “I have no issue sharing the financial responsibility. We will share it, though.”

  “Understood,” Jim said. Clearing his throat, he said, “I am going to set up a small trust fund if you don’t mind.”

  Realizing how nervous he sounded, Elle wrapped her arm around him and drew him to her for a hug, saying, “That’s a great idea, Jim.”

  It was so easy to see him as this larger-than-life put-together person. He seemed to know what he was doing at all times. There was always a plan. It was a little unnerving to see him vulnerable.

  “Thanks,” he said. “Did you want to tell everyone right away?”

  “I swore Sara to secrecy. I figure that buys me two days max. I kind of felt I had to tell her. Otherwise it would be strange that I stopped lifting things.”

  “Yeah. I’ll talk to Chris and Deacon tomorrow about it. I’ll e-mail my mother about it later tonight.”

  “Wait,” Elle said. “You’re going to tell your mom by e-mail?”

  Nodding, Jim said, “I can’t remember the last time we spoke on the phone. Maybe when I called her for her birthday? We don’t have a very close relationship. We’re not at all like your family.”

  Frowning, Elle said, “I’m sorry. I have to say, I’m a little jealous that you can e-mail the news though.”

  “Handy side benefit of being the black sheep,” Jim said. “Just make the call, Elle. You’re going to be full of anxiety until you get it over with. I can give you some space to do that if you want.”

  “No,” Elle said clutching his hand. “No space. You’re right. Let me just do it.”

  Reaching forward, she picked her purse up off the table and pulled her phone out. Dialing, she placed the phone to her ear and waited. A few seconds later, her mother answered, “Hey, baby. How are you?”

  “Well,” she said. “I’ve got some news.”

  Forty minutes later, utterly exhausted, Elle hung up the phone and dryly said, “Mom’s already knitting baby booties and Dad wants your head on a spike. This weekend should be awesome.”

  “Can’t wait,” Jim said brightly. “I’ve always wanted to die that way.”

  Elle looked up to see his lips twitching slightly. Rolling her eyes, she said, “I’m starved.”

  Jim inspected her face now and carefully said, “You realize you’re going to have to eat like a normal person now. You really can’t skip meals anymore.”

  Knowing she was incredibly guilty of this she said, “Yeah. I know. Lots of stuff is going to change.” Elle paused a moment as something occurred to her, then grinned and added, “No more condoms.”

  Jim grinned and said, “Dinner first. We’ll get to that, though.”

  Elle said, “My refrigerator is bare. Wanna head to the grocery store with me really quick? I don’t want to do fast food. I was thinking I’d eat some stuff with vitamins in it.”

  Laughing, Jim stood up, stretched, and then said, “Probably a good idea.”

  Forty five minutes later, they were standing in Elle’s kitchen as Jim stuffed chicken breast with a mixture of spinach and feta cheese. As he slid them in the oven, she said, “I’m pregnant, Jim. Not disabled. I can still cook.”

  “You’re so stubborn, woman. Just let me make you dinner. It’s been a long day, and cooking relaxes me.”

  Grumbling, Elle sat in one of the stools at the counter and said, “Fine.”

  Jim set the chicken down, washed his hands and walked over to her. Brushing his lips against hers, he said, “You’re adorable when you pout, Elle.”

  Elle watched as he walked back over to the cutting board and started chopping vegetables for the salad. She was kind of impressed with his knife skills. It had taken her months to be able to do that. There was something so sexy about a man that was competent in the kitchen.

  She watched him put the last of the salad in the bowl and put it in the refrigerator. Judging that they had at least forty-five minutes until the chicken was done, Elle decided that would be nearly enough time for what she had in mind. She stood up and feigned a stretch and a yawn.

  “Do you think I have time for a quick nap?”

  Jim looked up at her, like he was doing the math in his mind, and then said, “Yeah. Probably about forty-five minutes. A quick one, anyway.”

  “Come lay with me?”

  Nodding, Jim followed her to the bedroom. “Don’t let me fall asleep. The chicken will burn.”

  “Just lay a couple minutes with me.”

  They stretched out next to each other on the bed with Elle curling up against Jim’s side. She reached up, pressing soft kisses against the side of his neck. When she dragged her teeth against his flesh, she heard a light groan along with, “This doesn’t feel like napping.”

  Tangling her leg with his and pressing her breasts against him slightly, she asked, “Did I say nap?”

  “I thought you did,” Jim said on a groan as she stroked him intimately through the front of his dress slacks. “But clearly I was wrong.”

  He rolled over to face her, his mouth crushing down on hers. As their tongues tangled together, she felt his hands begin to roam over her. She moaned against his lips as she felt him cup her breast and stroke his fingertips over her. She’d already noticed that her nipples were more sensitive now. Each time his fingers grazed her through her top and bra, she felt another sharp pang of arousal in he
r core.

  Moving her hands to the front of his shirt, she worked the buttons free. He moved his hands to her shirt next, slowly unbuttoning it. They continued this way until they were both fully undressed.

  Bodies pressed up against one another now, completely nude, Jim slowly stroked his hands over her. Pressing her hips against his, she said, “I love the feel of your hands on me, but I really need you inside me right now.”

  “You sure you’re ready for me?” he asked, as his hand dipped between her thighs. “Oh, fuck. You are ready. You’re so wet.”

  Elle rolled her hips against him, enjoying the firm rubbing of his hand against her slippery flesh. Panting, she said, “I’ve been thinking about you inside me with nothing between us for over an hour.”

  Jim moved his hand and settled himself between her thighs. He huskily said, “Here. Let’s try this instead then.”

  Elle pressed her hips up again as she felt the head of his cock rub against her wet pussy. Her breath hitched as he continued to rub the tip over her clit. The contact felt amazing, but she desperately needed him to fill her up.

  Finally, possibly sensing her desperation, he slid inside her. The feel of his cock inside her with nothing between them was indescribable. They both cried out when he was fully seated inside her.

  She moaned. “So fucking good.”

  Jim swiveled his hips slightly and pressed into her again. “God damn. I can’t even explain the difference.”

  She felt his mouth at her neck, sucking and nipping at her pulse point. The combination of his tongue and teeth against her neck only amplified her pleasure. She arched her back with a cry as he moved her legs to sit on his shoulders.

  When he continued to thrust into her at a rapid pace, she tightened around him as release rolled through her system. She gripped the bedspread on either side of their bodies and came loudly.

  Leaning back, Jim moved to his knees now, letting her legs slide down to either side of his hips. She immediately wrapped them around his waist, rolling her hips to meet his.

  With each stroke of his thick cock inside her, she felt herself continue to clench around him. The slide of his bare flesh against hers was driving her wild. She saw that he watched her intently now. She followed the movement of his hand as he reached down between them and rubbed his thumb firmly against her aching clit.

  Elle immediately bit down on her lip and arched her back, though her gaze didn’t stray from his.

  He gritted out, “Don’t bite your lip, baby.”

  Releasing her lower lip, Elle immediately moaned as she felt pleasure begin to bloom in her lower abdomen again. When Jim stopped rubbing and gave her clit a sharp pinch, she came apart underneath him with a scream.

  “Oh fuck. That feels so good,” he said, his voice strained.

  Elle’s orgasm stretched on now, the pleasure almost unbearable. Gasping, she said, “Come inside me.”

  As if he was just waiting for permission, he immediately exploded inside of her on a groan with one last thrust of his hips. Leaning forward, he kissed her thoroughly and then said, “Fuck.”

  “That was the hardest I’ve ever come in my life,” she said, her voice somewhat thready as he pulled out of her and lay next to her.

  “Your pussy is pure fucking magic, Elle.”

  Snorting, Elle said, “Magic?”

  “Magical,” he confirmed, his lips twitching. Leaning back he closed his eyes for a minute and then sat up with a curse.

  Elle said, “Oh shit. The chicken! Let me go check on it.”

  Getting up, she quickly put her robe on and scurried into the kitchen. Opening the oven, she saw that the bread crumbs were overly brown but not burnt.

  “I think,” she called out, “that the chicken is edible still.”

  Turning, Elle gave her hands a quick wash, then dried them.

  Grabbing oven mitts, she pulled the sheet tray out and set it on top of her stove. Turning around she bumped face-first into Jim’s chest. She leaned her head back to look at him after he reached out to steady her.

  “Chicken looks done,” he said. “Apparently that ‘nap’ took longer than expected.”

  Elle laughed at his use of air quotes around the word “nap” and grinned sheepishly.

  She said, “Sorry, babe. I was really…uh, tired.”

  Smiling, he leaned his head down and kissed her lingeringly, then said, “Me too. All the time lately.”

  Elle said. “Thank you for making dinner. It was very sweet of you.”

  “Reserve judgment until after you’ve eaten it,” Jim joked as he served them each a piece of chicken and some salad.

  When they sat down, Elle immediately took a bite of the chicken. She popped it in her mouth and said, “This is really good. You’re hired.”

  Chuckling, Jim said, “Always good to know I’ve got a backup plan if this PR stuff goes belly up.”

  Over the next few minutes, they continued their lighthearted banter. When there was a break in conversation, Elle said, “Thank you for this. Seriously. I can’t remember the last time anyone made an attempt to take care of me that wasn’t my mom or dad.”

  Jim looked at her with obvious tenderness in his eyes and said, “I’d really like to, if you’ll let me.”

  He must have seen the mystified look on her face because he said, “You’re one of the most competent people that I know. Last weekend when you were talking about your lawnmower being broken, I probably could have helped but you were already in there fixing it.”

  Elle said, “I’ve always had to do that stuff for myself. I’ve never had anyone I could rely on.”

  Jim picked up her hand and quietly said, “Now you do.”

  Feeling suspiciously misty-eyed again, Elle squeezed his hand and said, “Next time you can totally fix my lawnmower. I was covered in grease.”

  Smirking, Jim said, “Oh, no. I wouldn’t have fixed it myself. I just would have called a guy.”

  Elle snickered.

  Jim could read her moods pretty well. He seemed to realize when she needed to lighten the mood. He seemed to know a lot about what she needed, actually. He was kind of perfect.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jim stared at the road in front of him, trying not to think about what was likely to lie ahead for him. Around nine this morning, he and Elle had started driving to Bakersfield to visit her parents.

  Elle had assured him that her father had calmed down, but he was still a little bit worried. He hadn’t been very high on Earl’s list after the last meeting. He couldn’t imagine knocking up his little girl would score him any points.

  He looked over at Elle, who was incredibly pale. Setting his hand on her knee, he asked, “Sweetheart. Are you okay? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

  “Just really nervous. I don’t want them to be disappointed in me. I feel like my dad is going to give me that look he did when I was a kid and did something wrong.”

  “Honey, don’t think that way. It’s going to be fine. He loves you. He may be a little pissed off, but he’ll get over it.”

  She said, “I just hate that look. I know it’s coming. He’s less angry but this morning my mom said he was still really pissed.”

  Jim reminded her, “Most of that will end up directed at me, I think. So long as he’s been disarmed, that’s fine.”

  Elle said, “Mom swears she hid the guns.”

  “Comforting,” Jim said sarcastically.

  “Isn’t it?” Elle agreed.

  Reaching across the console, he squeezed her hand and said, “It’s going to be okay. We’ve got this.”

  Elle nodded and said, “I know I have to deal with him at some point. I just hate conflict of any kind.”

  Jim looked over at her and saw she had a bit more color. Nodding his head, he said, “It’s not really conflict, honey. We’re having a baby. That’s just a fact. I don’t think it will be as bad as you expect.”

  “Maybe you’re right. I don’t know. In any case, thank you for le
tting me whine. I just keep thinking about worst-case scenarios and I need to stop that. We’ll get through it.” she said, sounding almost like she believed it.

  Reaching across the center console, he put his hand on her thigh. Squeezing, he said, “We will.”

  He’d talked a good game a second ago, but he really felt like he might throw up. They’d stopped for breakfast. Pancakes had been a terrible idea. They sat like a lump in his stomach. Elle’s level of concern about today only made his own escalate. He was really starting to be concerned that this would turn ugly.

  Twenty miles later, they pulled into Elle’s parents’ driveway. They lived in a residential area. The lawn was well manicured. The house was small, but neat. There were birdbaths, bird feeders and squirrel feeders everywhere.

  He took it all in and said, “Holy mother of god, Elle. This could be your front yard six months from now.”

  “Nope. I’ll just keep on cramming that shit into my backyard. My front yard has all the decoration I can stand.”

  Smirking, Jim got out of the truck and walked around to her side. Elle opened the door as he crossed around the front and slid out. Reaching down and taking her hand he asked, “You ready, sweetheart?”

  The front door burst open and Irene came rushing out. She immediately pulled Elle into her arms and said, “Oh, my baby is having a baby!”

  Jim stood there awkwardly while Irene got a little weepy then pulled him into a rib-crushing hug. Jim winced and said, “Good to see you,” as he patted her back awkwardly.

  “Congratulations, honey. It’s good to see you again.”

  She looked at them both apologetically and said, “Fair warning, Earl is pissed. At least he’s unarmed.”

  He reached down and took Elle’s hand again and said, “Thanks for the warning.”

  As Irene led them into the house, he saw Earl sitting stone-faced in a recliner staring at the television. He turned his head briefly to look at them as they walked in the door. The moment he made eye contact with Elle, Jim felt her tense. He saw the look that Elle had been dreading slide down over his features.

  Jim gave her hand a squeeze and moved to the sofa. Shit. This wasn’t going to go well at all.