Cruel and Beautiful (Cruel & Beautiful #1)

I see Cate’s tears and reluctantly, I let her hand go to produce a tissue from my pocket. This is something I did the first day we met and it seems as important. She smiles at me in a way that tells me she remembers as well, and dabs her eyes with it. Then she takes my hand again and it’s her turn.

“Drew Mercer, I didn’t think I could love again or even want to. When you came in my life, you came with your patience and understanding. You offered friendship and encouragement in my time of need. Our love wasn’t hurried. It came over time in a way that scared me at first, but made me feel secure in the end. Drew McKnight did leave big shoes to fill and not because he wore a size fourteen.” That gets a few laughs and even a chuckle from me. “But I know Drew would approve of you knowing you could handle the job. I promise from this day forward I will give you all my love and you will not walk alone. Your love is my anchor, your trust, my strength. I give you shelter for your heart and may my arms be your home. I willingly give you all that I am and all that I will become. My love for you has no beginning or no end. For this is my promise and my solemn vow.”

I want to kiss her now. I want to take her in my arms and tell her that her words are my own. But I wait as the minister has us say a few more things before he finally lets me kiss my bride. Her lips are my lifeline and I have to break it off, otherwise I’ll have a serious tent in my pants. When she pulls backs, she leans up again. Her lips slide against my cheek and up to my ear.

“There is one more thing I need to tell you, husband.”

I wait as everyone gets on their feet ready for us to walk down the aisle joined hand in hand.

“We’re having a baby.”

And I thought there was no greater joy in marrying the woman I love until I hear those words.

After pictures and the cutting of the cake, I can’t wait any longer.

“Where are we going?” Cate asks as I take her hand in mine and drag her along with me.

“The limo.” Her eyes grow in size and it only makes me harder. “Fuck Cate, you can’t look at me like that. I won’t last.”

The door is unlocked and the driver is nowhere in sight. I take her down NFL style, full on tackle. My hands gather more and more of her dress with no end in sight.

“How much fabric does this dress have?”

She laughs. “Wait, let me help you.”

She’s teasing me and she doesn’t know the state I’m in. Seeing her and not being able to touch her for the last month has made me lose all finesse. I kiss her hard and her teasing dies away. She fists her hand in my hair, tugging me closer and I know she’s as desperate as I am for me to be buried balls deep inside her.

There’s no need for a condom, as if I’d worn any since that first time without one—which explains the baby thing. After I dip two fingers inside her and find her wet and ready, I dive in.

I groan out my relief because she’s heaven. I languish being inside her skin to skin. When her nails dig in my ass, that’s her sign, telling me to move. I oblige and rock myself forward hard and at a steady pace.

“Harder,” she begs.

I lift her ass off the seat and angle her differently. I know just how to set her off and give her her first orgasm in seconds. Her pussy milks my dick, almost setting me off. But I’m not ready yet. It feels so damn good to be inside her again, I want it to last. So as a diversion, I think of work for a second and that halts everything. Leaning down, I capture her lips in a searing kiss. She tastes like the sweetest cake and I feel myself building again.

It isn’t long before I’m saying, “Fuck Cate, I’m going to come.”

My words rocket her second orgasm. Her back arches off the seat and I ride her all the way back down. My climax jars me so hard, I collapse on top of her when I’m done.

“I hope you believe me now that my balls really were a nice shade of blue.”



About eight months later, I stare into the eyes of the woman I love so completely, I’m mesmerized every time I look at her. I try not to smile at the frantic look on her face. She’s totally out of sorts as they wheel her into labor and delivery.

“Andy, don’t let go of my hand.” Her plea for my support does something to my chest and I feel almost like beating on it.

“Never,” I say gently as she squeezes the ever loving life out of it.

“It’s not fair, you’re all calm. You don’t have to push a turkey out of Louise. I mean how do they know she’s ready? She doesn’t have a basting button on the side of her head.”

“We doctors don’t know. We usually leave that up to the baby. That’s why our daughter has made her opinion known on the subject.”

Cate glares “You know it’s a girl, don’t you?” She whips out an accusatory finger pointed in my direction. “You said she. You promised it would be a surprise and you wouldn’t sneak and find out.”

They set the gurney in the room and prepare to shift her over to the specialized bed they use for the delivery. She doesn’t let go of my hand. I have to stretch in order not to pull her off it as I make my way around and next to her.

A.M. Hargrove & Terri E. Laine's books