Unexpectedly Yours [Private Relations 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 14

  “Like this?” she asked.

  At his nod, she slid a hand slowly up her thigh.

  She watched as Jim slid his pants down, having made some further progress in undressing while she’d been teasing herself. He looked at her expectantly and said, “Touch it for me. Show me how you make yourself come when I’m not around.”

  She slid two fingers between her folds and the other moved back to her breast. Playing roughly with one nipple, she swirled her fingers around her clit with a moan. When she looked up, she saw Jim had started to stroke himself as he watched her.

  Elle moved her hand lower, pressing two fingers, then a third inside her aching pussy. Rocking her hips into her hand, she asked, “Is this what you imagined?”

  “Every single time I’ve done this for the last three or four months, Elle,” he said, biting back a moan.

  She felt tension bloom in her lower belly as she continued to fuck herself with her fingers. Gasping, she said, “I need you inside me. Come here.”

  Jim moved to the bed, apparently on edge too. He said, “Here. Climb on top. I want to play with your breasts.”

  When he lay down, Elle straddled him and slid down over his cock with a moan. Jim reached up and cupped her breasts, asking, “Are these bigger?”

  Rolling her hips, Elle laughed slightly and said, “Yeah, I think they are. You like them?”

  “Fuck,” he said as he gripped her hips. “You know I do. Lean forward.”

  Leaning forward, she watched one tight nipple disappear between his lips. She continued to rock against him as he swirled his tongue against her. When the sensation became almost unbearable, she finally leaned back and said, “Too much, too much.”

  Jim had a look of concern on his face until he felt the pace of her hips pick up. She began to work her hips rapidly against his. His hands moved from her hips back to grip twin handfuls of her ass. Thus far he had been letting her control the pace, but he must have sensed she was on the edge. He began lifting his hips and grinding his pelvis against hers with every stroke.

  Jim groaned as she rolled her hips against his and said, “I can feel you fluttering around my cock.”

  Seconds later, Elle felt release barrel through her system. Crying out his name, she bucked her hips wildly against his. As her release died down, she worked her hips against his more steadily now, knowing that he was close to the edge.

  Scraping her nails down his chest, she said, “Fuck. Come inside me, Jim. I need you to come inside me.”

  “Oh, fuck,” he said, shouting her name hoarsely as he held on to her and fucked her from below. “Harder.”

  She continued to drag her nails down his chest, pressing harder. Immediately he ground out, “Yeah, like that.” Seconds later he exploded inside her on a curse.

  Elle collapsed against his chest, panting and limp. She gave a sigh of appreciation as she felt his hand stroke along her back.

  “Ugh. Now I’m all sweaty,” Elle said. “Do we have time for a shower?”

  Jim turned his head to look at the alarm clock. Nodding, he said, “A quick one.”

  After a quick rinse, they headed downstairs to take the lasagna out of the oven. Jim put together a quick salad while Elle got them drinks and set the table.

  Smiling, she said, “You got me caffeine-free soda. Thank you.”

  “You kept making a sad face when you were drinking your bottled water the other night at the game. I thought it would be a good idea,” Jim said.

  Walking over, she slid her arms around his waist and said, “Thank you for thinking of me.”

  “You’re always on my mind,” Jim said, leaning into her.

  Elle stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss against his cheek, then released him to put a slab of lasagna on both of their plates. He added some salad to each plate and took them both to the table. Elle grabbed some salad dressing from the refrigerator and followed him to the table.

  Over dinner they discussed the last week. Sara had officially put her on desk duty, so she had been going out of her mind. She’d been essentially banned from the kitchen. Elle was so used to working late, long hours, she’d practically begged Sara for some busy work. Sara hadn’t budged though.

  “She’s just worried about you and the baby. She’ll probably let up after a while. Eventually, you’ll probably be really glad you don’t have to be on your feet the whole day.”

  Elle said, “You do make an interesting point. It doesn’t really matter now, but later on I may be begging for desk duty if my feet swell.”

  “That doesn’t happen for a few months, right?”

  Elle realized she must have been giving him a strange look because he clarified, “I’ve been reading up on it. I got a book the other night.”

  “Me too,” she said, smiling.

  After they had finished eating and cleaned up the kitchen, they moved out to the living room. Curling up together on the couch, they talked for a little while longer, comparing notes on the books that they’d been reading. Finally, seeing Jim was completely exhausted, she suggested that they go to bed.

  He had given her a sleepy, yet lascivious grin as they’d walked up the stairs. As soon as they made it to the bedroom though, he’d peeled out of his clothes and slid under the covers. When she joined him after turning out the light, he’d pulled her close and said, “I could really get used to this.”

  Snuggling back against him, she’d agreed, “This is really nice.”

  “Maybe,” Jim said,” You should move in with me. It makes good sense, considering our situation.”

  Elle lay next to him, silent, uncertain how to respond.

  He continued on. “We don’t need to make any decisions about it right now. Just think about it, please.”

  “’Kay,” Elle said.

  After one last press of his lips against her shoulder, she heard his deep, even breathing. He had dropped that bomb and then immediately fallen asleep.

  There really hadn’t been an opening to express her feelings and now she was glad. She was still uncertain what kind of reception they’d get. If the suggestion that she move in was any indication of his feelings, then he was treating their association like a business deal that included frequent sex.

  The last thing she wanted to do was mess things up between them, though. Even if he didn’t love her, she loved him. Hopefully, one day, he’d get there.

  Things were going pretty well despite the whole getting pregnant on the first date thing. It seemed like this relationship had been destined to be complicated from the start. On a sigh, Elle settled in. She had a feeling she wouldn’t be sleeping anytime soon.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jim and Elle waited nervously at the airport by the baggage claim area. He noticed that she didn’t look quite as pale as she had on their way to Bakersfield, but it was damn close. Reaching down, he took her hand in his and said, “They should be here any minute.”

  Elle gave him a nod and a brave smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I know. Everything is going to be okay. I promise,” she said, squeezing his hand.

  She looked like she was about to throw up, but here she was trying to reassure him. God, he loved this woman. He really wanted to tell her, but was really afraid of her reaction. Last night he’d mentioned moving in and she vaguely responded that she would think about it. She hadn’t mentioned it today.

  He looked at her and saw his future. It wasn’t about the baby at all. She was strong, caring, loving, and beautiful. He’d be an idiot for not wanting to lock that down for the rest of his life. He had no idea how to tell her that without freaking her out.

  As the next flood of people entered the baggage pickup area, he immediately spotted his father’s head. Sighing, he said, “They’re here.”

  “It’s going to be fine,” she said, giving his hand another squeeze.

  Leaning down, he pressed his lips to the top of her head and said, “Here they come.”

  His parents must have spotted them because they now made a
beeline directly toward them. They both stood up and met them halfway.

  “Mom, Dad. How was your trip?”

  “Not too bad, son. Good to see you,” his father said, reaching out to shake his hand.

  “You, too. Mom. Good to see you,” Jim said, reaching down to give her an awkward hug. He was surprised when she hugged him back.

  When he pulled back, he gestured to Elle and said, “This is Elle. Elle, this is my father, Timothy Conroy and my mother, Patrice Conroy.”

  Jim watched as she reached out to her father and said, “Sir. Nice to meet you. I hope you had a good flight.”

  “Please. Call me Tim,” his father said, surprising him slightly.

  Elle smiled, then turned to face his mother. “Ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Patrice, honey,” she said, as she pulled Elle into a hug.

  Who in the hell are these people and what have they done with my parents, Jim asked himself. He’d expected impeccable politeness and zero warmth. This was just confusing.

  An hour later, they pulled into Jim’s driveway. The car ride had been filled with chatter. Elle had asked his mother about her charity work. That had easily filled up forty minutes of drive time. There was nothing his mother liked more than to talk about herself.

  Sighing inwardly, he realized that he probably wasn’t being fair. She’d been on her best behavior so far. She’d been nicer to them both than she’d been to him in a long time. Maybe he wasn’t giving her enough credit.

  Once his parents had settled in, they moved out to sit under the pergola on his back deck. They each had a glass of lemonade. They chatted about mindless things for a while, until his father finally broached the subject of the baby.

  Looking at them both, he said, “So I understand congratulations are in order.”

  They had both responded with somewhat sheepish nods.

  His father grinned and said, “When should I expect to become a grandfather?”

  “They’re saying it could be a Christmas baby,” Jim said, unable to suppress the grin on his face.

  He saw the look on his father’s face soften slightly as he asked, “Wouldn’t that be something?” as he looked over at his wife.

  As the afternoon went on, they continued to discuss the baby. Both of his parents seemed to be taking everything in stride. They seemed to be asking questions more out of curiosity and interest, than any desire to judge. This was definitely a new experience for Jim.

  Looking over at Elle, he saw that she was relaxed now. She chatted easily with his mother. His mother actually seemed to be enjoying herself. Smiling, he made a mental note to call her the Patrice Whisperer at first opportunity.

  He hadn’t gone into things with Elle because he wasn’t particularly proud of his lacking relationship with his parents. Based on today’s events, you wouldn’t be able to tell there was much of a rift between them. Hopefully this was a sign of better things to come in the future.

  Turning his attention back to his father, they continued to discuss work. He listened while he talked about his practice. He’d apparently opened another office in the next town over. He worked harder than anyone he’d ever met. Between the other offices and his other obligations, he wasn’t sure when his dad slept.

  When he voiced that opinion, his father had just laughed and said, “I’ve been known to nap during lunch.”

  They ended up having some of Elle’s lasagna for dinner. It was even better on the second day. They’d all sat around the table in the kitchen. It was a refreshing change, but he was still slightly worried that this was for show.

  Around eight that night, Elle got ready to head home. He walked her to her car and asked, “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  Jim’s father had asked to go to one of the theme parks in town tomorrow. Elle had begged off, which he acknowledged was probably for the best, considering she couldn’t ride any of the rides. That would be something he’d love to do with her in the future though.

  Elle nodded, and said, “Absolutely. Call me when you’re making your way back in to town. I can cook something if you like?”

  “I probably won’t ever say no to that, but don’t feel like you have to, honey. I can throw something together when we get back.”

  “Uh, you’re probably going to be exhausted. Do they like chili?”

  “Yeah,” he said, “I think so.”

  “Green chili with chicken it is.”

  “You’re the best, Elle,” Jim said, putting his arms around her.

  Grinning up at him, she said, “Damn right. Now kiss me. I’ve been wanting your lips on mine all afternoon.”

  “So demanding,” he teased as he lowered his lips to hers. He nibbled at her lips gently for a moment, then regretfully raised his head.

  “I should get back inside,” he said. “I bet my parents are both out for the count. It’s almost midnight, their time. Call me when you get home?”

  “Talk to you then,” Elle said, releasing him.

  Reluctantly he stepped back and watched her get into her car. If she lived here, he thought, he would have been able to drag her upstairs like he wanted to. Hopefully she’d come around.

  He watched her drive away, then moved back inside. He found his father taking a litany of medications in the kitchen. Somewhat alarmed, he asked, “What are all those for?”

  “Let’s see. Blood pressure, cholesterol, multivitamins, and headache medicine. I’ve had a small one brewing all day,” his father said as he swallowed a pill.

  “Seeing all that at once made me a little nervous. You’re okay, right?”

  “Fine, son. Your old man just needs to maintain all of this,” he joked as he gestured to his slight paunch.

  Jim couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his father this relaxed. It was kind of nice.

  His father finished taking his pills and said, “I like Elle. She seems like a sweet girl. You planning on marrying her?”

  “She’s a little skittish, I think, about marrying just for the sake of the baby. We’ll take our time, but I’d like us to get there eventually. I’m pretty sure she’s it for me, though,” Jim admitted.

  “I can tell by the way that you look at each other. I hope you’re able to work things out. She seems like a nice person. There really aren’t too many of those in the world. I imagine that would be even more true out here.”

  “Yeah,” Jim agreed with a smile. “She’s a rare thing.”

  Clearing his throat, he said, “I know I’ve been hard on you about your life choices. I’m still a little disappointed you didn’t do something in the medical field. It’s not for everyone, though. You’ve done incredibly well for yourself. I’m proud of you, son.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Jim said. “That means a lot to hear you say that.”

  Finishing the last of his water, his father said, “I’m going to head to bed now. It’s been a long day.”

  “Night, Dad.”

  Jim took the glass from his father and put it in the dishwasher, then watched as he headed upstairs. Well, he thought, that had been unexpected. Nice, though. Pouring himself a glass of water, he headed upstairs to read a little bit while he waited for Elle’s call.

  Setting the water and his phone on the nightstand, he stretched out on his bed. He reached into his nightstand and pulled out the book about pregnancy he’d been reading. The other night he’d had to put it down because it was going into some really graphic descriptions of the actual birth process. He figured if she had to go through it, he should at least have to read about it.

  He’d only flinched a couple of times, but he’d gotten through the rest of the chapter by the time Elle called.

  “Hey, beautiful. You made it home okay?” he said, answering his phone.

  “Yep. Traffic was really light. Your parents both seem really nice, Jim.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “They were on their best behavior for sure. My dad even told me he was proud of me after you left. It was like an alternate universe, bab
e.”

  “I’m glad, then. You’ve accomplished a lot. They should be proud of you,” Elle said.

  “Thank you, honey,” he said on a sigh. “I really wish you’d stayed.”

  “Me too.”

  “Ya know, if you lived here…” he gently reminded her.

  There was silence on the line and then she said, “I’m thinking it over.”

  They talked for a few more minutes before he heard her yawn.

  “Aww. Are you tired?”

  “Yeah,” she said. “I tossed and turned last night.”

  “Sorry. I know I passed right out. Is everything okay?”

  “I was just restless last night. I’m going to sleep so well tonight,” she said.

  “Let me let you go then. We can talk when you’re here tomorrow.”

  “You convinced me. I’m gonna hop in the shower then probably pass out.”

  “Mmm,” he said, considering her in the shower for a minute. “Be sure to think of me while you’re all wet and sudsy.”

  Laughing now, Elle said, “I absolutely will.”

  “Night, honey.”

  “Night,” Elle said.

  * * * *

  Jim pulled into the driveway around five the next afternoon and he was exhausted. His parents had wanted to walk every square inch of the park. His feet hurt and he was thrilled to be home.

  Seeing Elle’s car already in the drive buoyed his spirits even more. He’d been thinking about her all day. He missed her anytime he wasn’t with her, it seemed. He’d never had this level of attachment to anyone. He really hoped she’d decide to move in. The idea of coming home to her every night was incredibly appealing.

  Turning off the engine, they all piled out of the vehicle and made their way into the house. He unlocked the door and immediately smelled the chili cooking. Making his way into the kitchen, he said, “Elle. That smells amazing!”

  His parents followed him into the kitchen, both sniffing the air appreciatively.

  “Hey,” Elle said, grinning. “Did you guys have fun?”