Jake is nibbling my neck and his hands are all over my breasts as we walk back to the Carrero family home. He’s walking behind me, making it impossible to get on at a decent pace while he’s groping the life out of me. I can’t stop giggling with every suck and nibble, and when his mouth finds my ear lobe, I sink back against him halting us in the street again. The pleasure overtaking me at being back in a world where Jake can’t keep his hands off me.
We spent an alarmingly long time making up for wasted hormones by christening every room and almost every cupboard in our new home and now I’m tingling from every pore with the biggest radiant grin on my face. Jake has well and truly found his long-lost libido and by the last two rooms he was over his previous concerns about hurting babies or feeling guilty. The sex in those two rooms was hard and hot and taken from behind. I’m sure my skin is marked fro
“When do we leave?” I roll onto my stomach to watch him. He yanks on sweatpants and throws a T-shirt over his head, covering up that gorgeous expanse of tattooed lusciousness. He’s obviously changed his mind about having the shower right now.“After you eat baby. I’ll have the housekeeper pack up food for the trip, still can’t have you flying so it’s a long drive back. Jefferson is coming with the Lexus so I can sit with you in the back.” He picks up a gray bathrobe and throws it beside me with a raised and suggestive eyebrow.Hmmmm sexy back seat time. I like this idea.“You’re very bossy this morning Mr. Carrero. I like seeing some of the old you kicking in.” I giggle as he comes crawling quickly across the bed to haul me onto my back, kissing me passionately. Caging me in with those glorious muscles assault
“Study what?” Jake regards me with interest, a small quirk of a smile on the corner of his mouth and Sylvana is watching me with an equally warm expression. Encouraging is the word that comes to mind when I look at them both.Is this what family does when you have some hair brained idea you want to try?“I was thinking I could, maybe, possibly try becoming a counselor of sorts…You know to work with kids who ummm …” I lose the courage again and focus on my fingers as they make their way to my hair, nervous fidgeting habit coming back to haunt me; saying it aloud sounds dumb.What do I know about helping other kids?“… came from abused backgrounds and broken families?” Jake finishes my sentence, taking my hand away from my hair, calming me, like he always does. I glance up at him and nod, shyly, as he focuses on me with an encouraging smile.“I think that would be pretty
I walk up to him and slide my hand into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet effortlessly, and flip it open. He narrows his eyes watching as I slide out his sexy black credit card without attempting to stop me and wave it in front of him.“If I’m not allowed to pack or take anything to wear then I’ll just buy what I need and that’ll resolve that little issue.” I tease with a naughty smug smile. Jake takes hold of my wrist with one hand and yanks the card out of my hand with the other, throwing that behind him on top of the scattered case too. His expression completely serious and I can’t help but burst into giggles. He still has my wrist in his hand and it’s obvious he’s not about to let go.“You’re impossible.” I poke him in the chest accusingly but can’t stop the giggling.“That’s why you love me and that’s why I’ll cancel my fucking trip and stay right here if y
Daniel contemplates this for a moment as I watch in absolute silence. Jake’s ability to read people and situations has always impressed me. His ability to sometimes understand the female mind must be a rare gift for a guy? I’m sure not many men have his level of understanding.“Why did I have to fall for the one who drives me so fucking crazy?” Daniel sighs, returning to picking at his thumb nail absently, staring at his hand with a complete utter lost boy look on his handsome face.Jake gazes at me intensely from the kitchen.“It’s not love if she can’t get under your skin and make you a whole lot of crazy.” He smiles, winking at me, and I can’t help but smile back especially when he opens the fridge and starts fixing me a tropical alcohol-free cocktail that I’ve been craving like mad lately.Now that’s the man I love right there.“Leila has always got under my skin b
I flicker down at my slightly extended stomach and sigh, its presence ignites a familiar tingling ache in my heart, running a hand over it soothingly. Shopping will be a good distraction.We’ve heard nothing from Marissa directly, but the lawyers have informed Jake she is fighting the DNA, tooth, and nail. I’m not surprised, since she seems to be hell bent on making this a battle every step of the way. All her recent outburst has done is convince me she really believes this baby is Jake’s, so it must be. She wouldn’t fight for it this hard and this much if it wasn’t.I turn my thoughts back to our plans, and Hunter, in a bid to push the Demon Bitch back off the cliffs of my mind where she belongs. We’re going to hit the club that we went to on Arrick’s birthday, if I can talk Sarah and Leila into it, and then Daniel will get his chance to talk Leila o
I’m lying in the bath resting my aching bones after dragging Sarah around the city with Jefferson in tow. I did it, I abused Jake’s credit card shamelessly and bought a mountain of stuff for my growing tadpole and its swelling vessel, in the form of cute maternity clothes. I was a woman on a mission, pushed and encouraged by Sarah and her undying enthusiasm, gushing over the cutest baby items ever. I don’t have an ounce of guilt over it either.Okay so maybe this baby thing is finally real. I’m starting to feel … Dare I say it … Excited. It’s the bootee aisle in the baby shop that did it.I skim my hands over my stomach, that little inner tingle expanding some more, only this time I stop and analyze what this weird feeling is, the one that comes anytime I allow my thoughts to land on this little being suspended inside of me. The tingling, slight achy sensa
“I’m sure I’ll manage like every other pregnant woman on the planet, baby.” I smile indulgently at his slightly cautious look before he goes back to snooping through my purchases. As soon as he knew I’d bought items for the baby he’d been all over the bags searching for new tiny and cute treasures. He really is odd for a guy. I try not to think of that bitch when I say pregnant women or while watching the mountain of baby things on the floor.Inner peace … Breathe. She will not ruin this.“You’re not just another pregnant woman though. You’re my pregnant woman and I must admit baby, now I’m thinking about this whole birth thing … I’m getting pretty fuck … goddamn scared.” Jake glances up suddenly, stopping mid swear to correct himself, completely ashen faced and white. I gulp in surprise praying to God he didn’t get his first flashes of doubt about being a
“I changed your doctor,” he says it in such a deadpan way that I literally choke on disbelief. I guess that’s why I haven’t received any follow up appointments yet. Although to be fair I already knew this was coming because of his call straight after our appointment.“Why?” I pretend to sound stern. I’m really not though.He narrows his eyes at me and sighs, rolling off me onto his back, staring at the ceiling, looking guilty as hell, arms bent at the elbow, crossed over at his forehead.“Because I’m still a jealous dickhead. I got you a woman instead.” He throws an arm over his face and looks a bit remorseful, in a sexy ‘bossy little shit’ kind of way.I know I should be angry at him. I know I should be throwing all sorts of stroppy tantrums but right now I just want to kiss him, so I start to giggle. Giggling turns into laughter at the realization that I’m stuck with
The Carrero Influence ~ The Dance ~ Jake shifted in his seat for the millionth time and tried once more to get his brain to focus on the laptop on the highly polished walnut surface. He just couldn’t keep himself on track lately. The sound of a female clearing her throat startled him to look up and the impatient stance of Margo waving a piece of paper with a raised eyebrow suggested she had been talking to him while he was zoned out. “Sorry. What?” He frowned and sighed heavily, pushing himself back into his molded leather chair and rolled up his shirt sleeves in agitation. “For God’s sake, Jacob. I’ve been here for three minutes talking at you. You need to just bloody well call her.” Margo’s stern tone did nothing to help his current mood, and he just shifted forward again to try to ignore that intent, chastising glare. He went to his laptop, ducking his head in an attempt to dodge her blue eyes and typed something aimlessly. “Don’t k
The Carrero Influence~ The Elevator Scene ~Jake walked out of the boardroom meeting without any clue as to what he had just sat and endured for the last hour. Margo had been glaring his way and nudging him with her foot under the table every few minutes and making him all the more aware of how ‘out of it’ he was. He had been this way ever since his father’s email had come in, informing him that Emma was back in his building; Back within reach and he had no idea how to handle it. He didn’t know if he should be happy or panicked that he could just see her around his building again, he wasn’t sure how the hell to feel about it but couldn’t deny the slight feeling of hope in his chest that he could bump into her.If he was being honest, he hadn’t had his head in the game for weeks, not since he had sent her away and today was just another prime example of how ‘not well’ he was doing without her in his life.
The Carrero Effect~ The Holiday: Part 2 ~Jake was searching under the water, too dark to see anything and scrambling with his hands at anything that felt like it could be Daniel. Panic gripping his stomach as he frantically surfaced for air and dove again. He had hit the water without a thought the second he knew Danny was in here. No cares that he was maybe too drunk for this and just endlessly searching despite his muscles aching and being so heavy he could barely move anymore. It felt like it had been hours instead of minutes and he still hadn’t found him. He wouldn’t give up on him, he wouldn’t lose his best friend this way.Surfacing for air quicker this time he took a moment to drag more into his burning lungs and wipe the water from his eyes. He could hear yelling from the deck, crying from Leila and other voices but he was fully zoned-in on the surface of the water looking for any signs of him.“He’s here, Mr. Carre
The Carrero Effect~ The Holiday: Part 1 ~Jake strolled into his apartment and threw his bag down on the couch. It had been a long trip and an even longer week, but he suddenly felt restless at being back. Normally, getting home brought him all kinds of joy, but this time it felt slightly empty, and he actually wished they’d stayed at that damn dance just so he could still be with her right now. Pacing to the window and looking out across the New York skyline he ran his hand through his hair and cracked his neck in a bid to release some of the tension building up his spine. Flexing his arms over his head and straining the jacket holding him tight. He needed to get out of this monkey suit they called a tux and get comfy, maybe he just needed to feel less business-like and properly relax. Maybe he needed a drink.He needed to stop fixating on Emma; it wasn’t healthy, and the constant stream of thoughts he had about her was getting harder to control. S
The Carrero Effect~ The First Meeting ~Jacob Carrero stood in his room in front of the large mirror over the vanity and warmed hair wax between his fingers, smirking at the familiar black and gold branded product on the wooden surface. His father was still lording over the decision to start a male grooming line with Jake’s face all over the advertising campaign; not that he cared. He was used to being publicly owned, always on show, and every woman’s idea of a fantasy male.Which guy wouldn’t? Women falling at your feet every day. Hell yeah.He rubbed it through his hair expertly and spiked it up toward the center and forward in its trademark style. He was never really one for much fussing over his hair, this kept it sorted and then he never had to care for the rest of the day or mess with it unless he ran his hands through and mussed it up. If he had his way, he would shave it all off, but he had done that in his teens and he
I catch sight of some of my favorite women on the right-hand side of the aisle. Margo is wiping a tear from her eye and nudging Wilma in her side as both woman wave to me. They’re blowing their noses and crying as Donna throws tissues their way. My crazy trio of motherly hens. Donna’s mascara is pouring down her normally flawless face and I spot Rosalie wave from behind a very handsome man, grinning wildly and looping arms with him, a look of radiant happiness on her pretty face. I beam back at them with a tiny wave before moving on in time to the music, slow steps, with Giovanni leading the way.I catch sight of the Huntsbergers, my new extended family sitting close by and smile warmly at them. The row of adopted children and Huntsberger father looking so proud of his family. Ben and his baby son are near the end of the row. He’s is cuddling him proudly and looking every bit the doting dad. He is now the soul parent o
“My son was in pain and hiding from what he wanted most,” he says so factually, looking down at me, “I put you back in his path, so he would stop being a coward.” Giovanni grins and all words leave my brain in an open-mouthed silent gawp; realization dawning on me so suddenly that I am literally rendered speechless.He sent me back to Carrero House? Making me believe that he was going to fire me if I didn’t … an ultimatum that led us to where we are now.Giovanni is admitting to maneuvering me back into Jake’s building, so we would end up back in each other’s arms, crafty jerk that he is. He giggles like a schoolboy at my obviously shocked expression and pats my hand tenderly over his inner elbow. That self-confident effortless look on a man who always sees all and knows everything.“No need to thank me, Emma.” He
I smooth my hands down my ivory wedding dress. It’s classy elegance and understated top is lined with a simple sleeveless fitted bodice and tiny pearl detailing. It has a full wispy floating skirt, and layers and layers of chiffon puffing out to a full-length cloud of loveliness. It’s a fairy-tale princess dress and matches beautifully with the elegant engagement ring twinkling on my hand, sparkling in all its shining glory.I admire my flawless natural make-up in the mirror, touching up my nude lipstick. My tawny hair is wild and curled in its loose romantic style, tiny tendrils hang around my face and I appraise my reflection with pride.I look beautiful! I feel beautiful and serene. There is no fear whatsoever.I look like a woman hopelessly in love, about to marry the man of her dreams.I am that woman.I slide on my satin ivory stilettos that almost mirror the shoes I used to adore so much. It feels weird to be ba
I am getting so frustrated at myself, my inner anger rears up. I’m surrounded by the song that gave me two of the happiest moments of my life, when he gave me his all, and yet here I am lying here, my sub-conscious holding me back from what I deserve. It’s like the beginning of our relationship all over again. I’m back to the defiant, closed-off Emma who never let him in, always holding back when he needed me most.No! I am not doing this to you, Jake. Not anymore, I won’t!The song is a reminder that he doesn’t always need to be my strength, but a prompt to show me that sometimes I need to be his too. I need to build my own force to find my way back. I need to hold him up and face whatever reality comes when my body wakes up. Maybe that’s why my mind doesn’t want me to wake up. It’s afraid that what Ray did to me will make me hide in the shadows again, that I won’t be able to love Jake and le