The Journey Home

I nodded and stood. “What did you do?” I asked as I sat down on the coffee table directly in front of Cale.

“I called security and had her removed from the premises. Then, I called your dad and told him what had happened. Then I called you to tell you I was on my way home.”

I gave him the same look I always gave him when he said something that just tickled me. “And to tell me you love me.”

He grinned and pulled me onto his lap. He placed his hand behind my neck and pulled my lips to his. We kissed gently as I laced my arms around his neck.

“Thank you for telling me what happened,” I said, looking into his emerald eyes. I couldn’t believe how much I loved him. How much I needed to just be near him.

“I’ll always be honest with you about everything, Maddie. Always.”

I sucked his lower lip into my mouth and gently bit it. Then I stood and began to get undressed. “Make love to me, Cale.”

Cale watched as I stripped out of my clothes and walked to our bedroom. He jumped up and tore his own clothes off as he followed me. I lay down on the bed and waited for him to move over me. I cupped his face in my hands and looked deeply into his eyes.

“I don’t want to wait, Cale.”

The smile that moved across his face told me he knew exactly what I was saying. I wanted to try for a baby. I wanted to feel a child growing in my womb. I wanted to feel Cale’s child growing in my stomach. I wanted a piece of him.

Cale took my hands in his and pushed them above my head as he gently kissed me. He teased my entrance, building up my anticipation for sweet relief. He released one of my hands and twisted and pulled one nipple as his lips moved to my neck and slowly over to my ear where he sucked my ear lobe, then lightly blew in my ear. I arched my back to him, whispering his name, as he pulled back and looked lovingly into my eyes.

He leaned down and kissed me gently as his hand explored my body, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its path.

I love this man with my whole heart.

He pushed inside me as I moaned. As he gently pumped in and out of me, we locked eyes. I could feel the love moving between us, and I was overcome with emotion. As a tear slowly made it’s way down my cheek, Cale wiped it away with his lips.

“You’re mine, Maddison.”

I closed my eyes and whispered, “Always.”

“BAH-BAH.”

I smiled at Lily and giggled as I held her bottle up for her to see. “You want your bottle, baby girl?”

It was May, and I couldn’t believe how big she’d gotten. She threw her hands up and down as she got more excited. “Mama! Bah-bah!”

I handed Monica Lily’s bottle and said, “Aunt Monica has your bottle, princess.”

Monica sat down as Lily crawled into her lap and settled in. “She’s brilliant. You realize your daughter is brilliant don’t you?”

I laughed as I sat and watched my two favorite girls. Monica was now five months pregnant, and her baby bump was adorable. A small ripple of jealousy raced through my body. I wasn’t pregnant yet, and I was beginning to wonder if the stress of planning our wedding in two and half months had anything to do with me not being able to conceive.

“How’ve you been feeling?” I asked Monica.

She smiled. “Finally better. The morning sickness has really died down. I feel a little nauseous at night but, other than that, I feel good. We have a sonogram tomorrow.”

I smiled and clapped as Lily did the same—Monica was holding Lily’s bottle. I laughed and shook my head. “Are you going to find out the sex of the baby?” I asked.

Monica made a funny face, and I could tell she was excited. “I don’t want to know,” she said, “But I kind of do. Jack totally doesn’t want to find out the sex. He says he wants to be surprised. Even if I decide that I want to find out, he still doesn’t want to.”

I laughed as I pulled my legs up and rested my chin on my knees. I was so happy for my best friend. Who could have known how much would change in a year? Last year her and Jack had just started dating. They’d both been free spirited when it came to dating and sex, but something must have happened that night when they first hooked up. They just fell right into place.

“I’d want to be surprised,” I said, looking at Lily. Lily waved, almost as if she knew the silly doubts that were intruding my thoughts. I waved back. Each morning when we walked into her room she would wave and say, “Mama” and “Dada.” Cale loved it. He loved Lily so much; I couldn’t wait to have another baby. I looked down and sighed.

“It’ll happen when it’s meant to happen, Maddie,” Monica said. “You guys just started trying. Give yourself a break, sweetheart. Just breathe.”

The sliding door to the porch opened and Jack and Cale came walking in. They both had their shirts off and I had to ignore the urge between my legs. I licked my lips as I surveyed Cale’s body with my eyes. He smiled and winked at me as he walked by, headed for the kitchen.

“Jack and I got the boat and the jet skis ready to go,” Cale said.

I rolled my eyes. I hated the jet skis, and I hated the boat. I’d told Cale I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of buying a boat, but all he and Jack ever talked about was fishing and waterskiing. They both loved to ski.

“This warm weather has me itching to get out there and ski,” Jack said. “What about you, Maddie?” he laughed.

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Monica. I loved living on the lake, but you wouldn’t catch me swimming in it. Nope. The moment I felt the little fish nibbling on my legs, I was done. I’d rather float in a pool where I could see what was around me.

“No thanks,” I said.

Monica chuckled as she held Lily, who was sitting up and attempting to stand. Lily bounced with excitement in Monica’s arms. She’d seen her daddy, and that was what she’d wanted.

Cale came into the living room and kissed me quickly before picking up Lily. “Come on, Princess,” he said. “Let’s go outside and enjoy the day now that you have a full tummy.”

I watched as the two loves of my life walked through the sliding glass door and down the deck stairs, making their way down to the dock.

I turned back to Monica and tilted my head. “Why are you staring at me?”

She shrugged. “I just enjoy seeing you happy.”

I smiled and scrunched my nose. “I wouldn’t trade any of this. Never.”

She stood up and placed her hand on her stomach. “That goes for me, too. Come on, let’s go see what the two over-grown boys are up to.”

MY PHONE VIBRATED in my pocket as I looked up from my Kindle. I was working in the library, but I’d tucked myself away in a corner to sneak in a bit of reading. I was reading one of my favorite series, the Remembrance trilogy, and Ryan was about to make me moan internally and wish for Cale’s touch. I pulled my phone out. It was a text from Monica.

Monica: Sonogram went great. I decided to not find out, but my husband broke down at the last minute and told them he wanted to know.

I giggled and shook my head. I could totally see Jack changing his mind when he saw the baby on the screen.

Me: LOL! Did you stay strong?

Monica: No!

Me: So?

Monica: So???

Me: Oh my gosh! Monica. Are you having a boy or a girl?

Monica: We’ll tell y’all at dinner tonight. JJ’s sound good?

Me: So wrong. So wrong on so many levels. Fine. JJ’s at six.

Monica: Perfect! See ya then!

I sent Cale a text letting him know that we were having dinner with Jack and Monica to find out the sex of the baby was.

Cale: Sounds good. Miss your touch. See you soon!

Me: Same here. More than you know. Love you, see ya soon.

I closed my eyes and thought back to last night when Cale and I had been alone. Mary had asked to keep Lily for the night, and Cale and I had jumped all over the chance to be by ourselves. I chewed on my lip as I thought about how hot it had been.

CA

LE HAD BEEN working with Jack most of the day getting the boat ready for summer when my father called and asked him to join a meeting. Cale had been on vacation, but he’d drop anything if my father asked—which was why my father hardly ever asked.

I’d been in the kitchen when saw him standing there, naked. The only thing he’d kept on was his tie. I couldn’t believe how incredibly turned on I’d been at that sight.

I’d sent him a text saying his mother had picked up Lily for the evening and Cale had texted back to say that the meeting was over and he was on his way home. Monica and Jack had left with Mary, and I’d been cooking dinner. My cooking had improved as I’d branched out to try more things. Tonight was homemade sauce and pasta.

It was warm out, so I’d changed into a light summer dress. I’d been so glad I was wearing my new light blue lace bra and panties. Cale would go nuts when he saw them. He grabbed my breasts as he moaned.

“You look beautiful in this dress.” He’d whispered, placing his lips on my neck.

“Um, thank you,” I’d whispered back, my libido quickly took over. I’d begun to lose all my senses—except for my desire for Cale.