Precious Consequences (18 page)

She shakes her head. “No, it’s fine, I just haven’t spoken to anyone about it in a really long time.”

Her fingers start tracing invisible patterns on my skin and I lay silent, just watching her.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I was already with my grandmother. I left a lot of bad decisions behind when I left home, and I didn’t want having an abortion to be another one. So, my grandmother and I agreed it would be best to see the pregnancy through and then give the baby up for adoption before my parents had the chance to find out.” I watch the way her lips move, hypnotized by the sound of her voice. “But when I heard her heartbeat for the first time, I - I...” Hayley stutters and I start to rub soothing circles on her bare thighs. She swallows and manages to gather some composure before continuing. “I knew there was no way I could give her away. I realized then that after a string of bad choices, and irresponsible decisions, keeping her would be the one thing, the one decision I got right. She was my second chance. I remember thinking that I wasn’t ready to be a mom, but then I held her for the first time and it all changed. The way she looked at me, it was like she knew who I was and I couldn’t bare the thought of another woman getting to share her life with my baby. She was mine and I was hers…”

Hayley tells me the story about the day Ari was born and how she almost died. She tells me how scared she was of losing Ari and how she didn’t know if her life could continue without her. I devour every word, the way she says it, how she feels when the words come out of her mouth, the way her eyes glaze over and shine with a mother’s pride. Looking at her, only one word comes to mind. So I sit up, bringing us chest-to-chest and nose-to-nose.

“Remarkable,” I say quietly. “And brave. My brave girl.”

I place a feather light kiss on her lips and feel her shudder in my arms. She pulls away, her green eyes wide and open. “Now can I ask you something?”

I nod. There’s nothing I don’t want her to know.

“What made you change your mind? About us?”

I smile, thinking about the conversation I had with my sister a little less than a week ago. “My sister.”

Hayley frowns and I kiss the spot between her brows. She looks too damn cute when she scrunches her face like that. “Your sister?” she says incredulously.

“Hmmm hmmmm.” I kiss a trail down her neck. I love the way her skin smells, and tastes. I feel like I’m marking her.
Mine.

Her fingers slide though my hair and she pulls, hard. “Cameron…”

“Okay, okay,” I sigh. “I spoke to my sister the morning before I came to your house, and she asked me if you having Ari changed how I feel about you,” I pause.  “And the answer was, and always will be ‘no’. Nothing will change how I feel about you, Hayley.”

Hayley’s mouth hovers over mine. “Not even my morning breath,” she teases.

I chuckle. “Nope, not even your morning breath can scare me away.”

Hayley seals her lips over mine and our hands wander and explore each other's bodies. I hold her hips and pull her as close to me as possible, until we feel like one person. I’m about to slip my hands into the back of her lace panties when the sound of her stomach rumbling stops us. We break apart and stare at each other. Her stomach grumbles again a few seconds later and she breaks into a fit of giggles.

“Someone must be hungry.” I kiss her nose.

“You tired me out last night,” she smiles shyly. “Now I need you to feed me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“But, I need to go to the bathroom first.” Hayley jumps off the bed and runs into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. When she comes out, I surprise her by grabbing her legs and throwing her over my shoulder. I slap her butt.

“Ow,” she yelps. Her hands travel down my back and into my boxer briefs. She squeezes, kneading my butt while I walk. She doesn’t play fair and if I wasn’t halfway down our staircase, I would’ve taken her on the hardwood floor in the hallway. That’s how crazy she makes me.

I plant her firmly on the kitchen counter and stand between her legs.

“What would my girl like for breakfast,” I ask. I start nibbling on her neck and she shivers. Shit, I didn’t realize how cold it was in the kitchen.

“Hold that thought,” I tell her. I race back upstairs and grab two hoodies. I grin like an idiot when it swallows Hayley and comes down to her knees. It’s official, I love seeing her in my clothes.

“Now where were we?”

Hayley smiles and leans her face closer to mine. “I think,” she kisses me on the side of my mouth. “We were,” she kisses the other side. “Here,” her lips brush mine and I’m tempted to take it so much further, but I doubt my mother will be happy with us having sex on her kitchen counters.

“I asked you what you wanted for breakfast?” The look in her eyes is screaming that she wants
me
and I have to use every molecule in my body to resist giving her what she wants. We don’t have enough time for me to do to her what I want to, to savor her body and every curve on it.

“Uh….” Her eyebrows scrunch as she thinks it over. Clearly, this is too difficult a question for this time of the morning.

“Waffles?” I suggest.

“Sounds delicious.”

I turn around and Hayley swats my butt. I give her a playful glare before resuming my waffle-making duties. At some point, while I’m mixing the ingredients and warming up our waffle maker, Hayley’s hands slide around my waist and her head rests between my shoulders. We stand there quietly and enjoy the moment. I silently hope there will be more moments like this in our near future, and more moments where I get to please her, give her what she needs. Part of me worries that we’ve rushed it, but I remind myself how crazy I went during those weeks that we were supposed to be friends. Did we move a little fast with the sex? I don’t know how to answer that when being with her that way felt so incredibly right. Being with her, whether it’s intimately, or just standing together in my kitchen with her against me, brings me a profound sense of peace. I haven’t had that feeling in two years and something inside me clings to it with Hayley around, like I need it to breathe.

** ** ** ** **

I pull into our driveway and cut the ignition, stealing a glance at Hayley. She tugs her jacket nervously and put my hand on both of hers to stop them from fidgeting. “Will you stop fidgeting?” I admonish. “My mom and Candice will both love you, and Ari.”

It’s Thanksgiving today and Hayley and Ari will be joining us, along with Hannah and Noah, much to my mother’s delight. She’s been up since four a.m. getting everything ready and for the first time in a long, long time, our house feels like it’s…alive. Hayley smiles nervously at me and I know she’s freaking out about meeting my mother and sister. But she has nothing to worry about.

“What if they don’t like me?” she asks quietly. “Or what if they don’t like Ari?”

“They will. My mom is already looking forward to it.”

“How do you know?”

“Because she knows everything about you, and Ari. She wanted to meet you sooner but I told her to wait until
you
were ready. I promise, Hayls, she’s going to love you both.” And it’s the God honest truth. My mother was so excited when I told her about Hayley, and she didn’t even bat an eyelash when I told her about Ari. I think she was secretly happy I wasn’t messing around anymore. Not to mention that she hated Rachel. I know for a fact she won’t hate Hayley, or think any less of her for being a mother at such a young age.

I lean in close, holding her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “It’s going to be fine.”

I give her a chaste kiss before hopping out of my truck. When Hayley rounds the front, with Ari walking next to her, I thread my fingers though hers and lead them up the stairs and into our house.

“Mom, we’re here!” I yell, pulling Hayley behind me.

“Coming, sweetheart!” My mother calls back. The kitchen door swings open and my mother walks in, a broad smile making its way onto her face when she sees me standing in the foyer with Hayley and Ari.

“Hi mom.” I give her a hug and hold on a little too long, even though I saw her earlier this morning. She kisses me on the cheek and turns towards Hayley.

“Well, who’s this gorgeous young lady?”  My mother's smile only broadens at the sight of Hayley and for once it’s sincere. My mother has always been honest about the few girls I have brought home, but Hayley is the first girl to actually be
introduced
as my
girlfriend.

I reach for Hayley’s hand and she steps forward. Her hand is clammy and a little shaky so I give it a squeeze to hopefully calm her nerves. “Mom,” I say turning to face my mother. “This is my girlfriend, Hayley. Hayley, this is my mom, Gemma.”

Hayley sticks her hand out and smiles politely. “Mrs. Argent, its such a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for welcoming us into your home for Thanksgiving.”

My mother surprises Hayley and gives her a warm, affectionate hug instead. “Please, call me Gemma. I am so happy to finally meet you, darling girl, and we’re more than pleased to have you here.”

My mother whispers something into Hayley’s ear and she giggles, her cheeks turning rosy. She nods, smiling warmly at my mother and then looks down at a very shy Ari who’s hiding behind her legs.

“And you must be Princess Ari,” my mother coos, bending down to Ari’s level. Ari eyes my mother reluctantly and then takes two steps, falling into my mothers open arms. My mother's face beams with excitement and immediately, I see Hayley relax.

Just then, the front door opens again and my sister, Candice, walks in, followed by her Husband, Brett, Hannah and Noah. I go to hug my sister and greet my brother-in-law with a fist bump, and after saying hello to Hannah and Noah, too, I turn to introduce Candice and Hayley. But my girl has beaten me to it.

“You must be Candice,” Hayley greets. “I’ve heard so much about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Candice looks between the two of us, not saying anything, and Hayley stiffens slightly. Shit. I knew my sister would pull something funny like this. And just when Hayley started feeling comfortable. “Cameron, you little liar, this girl isn’t average looking. She looks like a damn supermodel.”

Hayley’s eyes widen, as do mine, and with that the ice is broken. We share a laugh and Hayley hugs Candice around her belly, hitting it off immediately. My whole body sags with relief, not because I was worried that my mother and Candice wouldn’t like Hayley, but because having her here with my family is a big deal for me.

After all the greetings and introductions are made, my mother and Candice head back into the kitchen, while Hannah and Hayley decide to make their way into the living room.

“So, Cam, how was your date last night?” Noah asks, wriggling his eyebrows. If he thinks I’m dishing about sex with Hayley then he’d better be prepared to be disappointed. I’ve always shared everything with him, but this time it feels wrong to give him details, although judging by the animated conversation going on between Hannah and Hayley, and the way Hayley’s cheeks redden, that’s exactly what they’re talking about. Still, I don’t think it’s any of Noah’s business.

“It was,” I pause, trying to find the right words. “The best date I’ve ever had.”

Noah’s eyebrows knit together and he looks at me incredulously. “Is that it?”

“That’s all you’re getting,” I chuckle.

He grumbles something and heads towards the mini fridge in the bar. He comes back with three beers and hands one to me and one to Brett, who comes to stand next to us.

“Where’s Jordan?” I ask, taking a swig of my beer. I’m a little disappointed that my nephew isn’t here. I miss the little guy.

Brett also takes a swig of his beer, and replies, “He’s with my parents for the week. Candice and I have been on high alert all week, with her being five days past her due date, and we thought it would be a little less stressful if my parents looked after him for a while.”

“We should’ve just done Thanksgiving at your house this year,” I remark, watching my sister waddle her way towards Hannah and Hayley. “There’s no way Candice should be walking right now.”

Brett rolls his eyes. “Please, have you met your sister? She’s as stubborn as you are.”

“Hey! Be careful, otherwise I’m telling my sister how you bumped her car the other day.”

Brett pales and I laugh. I slap him on the back. “That’s what I thought.”

“Not funny,” he mumbles, running his hand through his sandy blonde hair. Brett and Candice went to high school together and they’re a walking cliché. He was Varsity football team captain and Candice was captain of her cheerleading squad in their senior year, but they’ve been together since they were sophomores. He’s the same height as I am, standing at over six feet tall, but he’s built like a football player, whereas I am a little less bulky. I see the way he looks at Candice, even in her pregnant state, and it’s obvious that he adores her. Sure, they drive each other up the wall constantly, but I’ve never seen two people more right for each other.

Seeing the way he looks at my sister, even after all these years, makes me sick, but I feel a pinch of jealousy, too. Not that I don’t think they don’t deserve their happiness, or their growing family, but after meeting Hayley, I find myself wanting that, too. “So, you guys ready for baby number two?”

He sighs, a small smile tugging at his mouth. “Yeah, man. I can’t wait, and neither can Candice. As much as I love seeing her pregnant, I think we’re more than ready for the baby to get here.”

“You guys picked out a name yet?”

Brett shakes his head. “No, Candice seems to think we’ll know once we meet her.”

“I hear having a daughter is way worse than having a son,” Noah remarks. “Especially when they hit puberty and shit.”

“You’re in for one hell of a time if she’s anything like her mother,” I laugh.

“If who’s like their mother?”

Our heads whip around and my laughter gets stuck in my throat. Candice is standing behind us, hands on her hips, with her belly sticking out.

“Nothing, baby,” Brett replies quickly. He is so whipped when it comes to my sister that I’m sure he relinquished both his Man Card and his balls a long time ago. Yeah, being married to my sister can have that effect on a man.