Inflame

Chapter 18

Lucy

THE SUN’S shining through my window the next morning when I wake up. Looking down, I smile when I see Kale’s chest underneath my cheek and our legs entwined beneath the sheets. I admire his chiseled features as my eyes rake down his body until they reach the top of the covers. Memories from the night before come rushing in, and I can feel a heated blush creep on my cheeks. I’m glad Kale’s still asleep only so he can’t witness to my slight embarrassment.

It wasn’t the first time—and after last night, it won’t be the last—that Kale and I enjoyed oral in that position, but this was the most intense experience I’ve had with it. I was completely lost in a combination of pleasuring him and the amazing way his mouth worked me over. When I felt his finger slide up to my ass, I was in a sudden state of shock and apprehension washed over me. I froze, unsure of what to expect. The feeling was foreign, if not taboo, but Kale didn’t seem to notice my reaction. Instead, a finger joined his tongue and he continued to lick, suck, and stroke me until I could do nothing but return the favor again, with equal intensity. I started to relax with his ass play and began to enjoy it even.

I’ve never let anyone do that before to me, and I think it’s because I’ve never trusted anyone enough to go there. I knew Kale wouldn’t do anything I didn’t want, and if I’d wanted him to stop, he would have. At the same time, I decided that if it was something he enjoyed, I could take it, and once I started enjoying it, I let go. In that moment, it was like something sparked inside of us, and our mouths both went wild with desire, almost as if we were competing to see who could bring whom to release first, yet Kale kept his finger moving slowly, and I decided to do the same with my hand.

I was so close to coming when I felt him stiffen beneath me, right before he erupted and a hot stream of thick semen entered my mouth. It wasn’t long before I was joining him, and even though I felt slightly embarrassed, I made sure to let him know that I enjoyed every single second of it. Naturally this led to an anal discussion, and while I might be open for that in the future, it’s not going to happen any time soon. Like I said, I trust Kale to take care of me in all ways, and I know he’d never cause me pain on purpose, but at the same time, that’s a step I’m not sure I’m ready for.

My stomach growls, and I chuckle to myself as I replay the last thought in my head. I roll so I’m flat on my back and place a hand over my belly. Okay, so maybe he’ll inadvertently cause me a little bit of pain, but I know that kind will be more than worth it in the end.

“Morning, baby,” a sleepy voice mumbles beside me.

I turn on my side and prop myself up on my elbow before I lean in and give him his greeting in the form of a kiss. Before I can say anything else, I hear a knock on my door, followed my Marisa’s voice. Looking over at Kale, I lift the sheet and see that he is still completely naked and his morning wood is in full effect. After quickly dropping the sheet and then pulling it up to his chin, I respond to her, telling her to come in. All the while, Kale’s chuckling beside me, but he doesn’t move.

Marisa peeks her head in and grins when she sees us in bed. “Morning, soon-to-be parents!” she teases, and I smile as I remember how just the night before she was bouncing off the walls with excitement at being an aunt. “Mom and Dad have to get going to the restaurant soon, but Mom wants to have breakfast as a family first before you head out. I’ve been tasked with getting you out of bed and into the kitchen in ten minutes.”

Ten minutes? No way is that long enough to get ready to go meet Kale’s mom and sisters. I jump up quickly, not realizing that I’m bringing the sheets with me until I’m tangled up in them and falling over backwards and then off the bed, landing with a hard thump on my ass beside the bed.

Before I can feel any sort of embarrassment, I’m being swooped into Kale’s arms and then settled into his lap. He’s sitting on the floor next to my bed, his hands roaming all over my body. I hear a small gasp and look up to see Mom in the doorway, Marisa trying to peek in around her. I try to shift in Kale’s arms, but he holds me still, like he doesn’t even notice anymore that we’re not alone, we’re both uncovered, and he’s currently naked with nothing covering him but my now sore ass.

His hand comes up to caress my face where he moves the bangs out of the way. “Baby, are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere? Do we need to get you checked out?” he asks, sounding almost panicked, and I’m taken aback.

“Kale, I’m fine. I promise. My ego and my ass might be a little bruised, but that’s it. I swear, I’ve become such a klutz since I met you,” I tease, trying to reassure him.

“I don’t know, Lucy. You fell pretty hard. You might be hurt or have aggravated something, or hell, I don’t know. I just would feel better if I knew you were absolutely fine,” he insists, his eyes pleading. He runs a hand through his hair, and I wonder what’s going through his mind. I know he has a protective streak, but this is something else, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.

“What happened?” Mom asks, interrupting us.

Kale’s head snaps up as if he’s just now realized she’s in the room with us. I grin as he slightly adjusts me, pulling the sheet up over my body, and I assume he’s finally aware that he’s in a room with me, my mom, and my teenage sister and neither of us has clothes on.

“I told Lucy she had ten minutes to get ready and she jumped up and got tangled in the sheets. Then she fell off the bed and onto the floor. That’s when I came to get you,” Marisa informs her, volunteering the information, and I sigh with relief, knowing she probably didn’t get an eyeful of Kale’s baby maker.

Mom’s face floods with worry, and I wish I could go to her, reassure her that I’m fine. However, that would mean leaving Kale’s lap and exposing him, and I’m not about to expose us as well. It was so cute the way he tried to follow Mom’s rules, and I don’t want her to know I made him break them. Or that he caved.

“I’m fine, Mom. I promise,” I tell her, my words echoing the ones I just said to Kale. “Like Riss said, I just got tripped up and I fell. I might be a little sore later on, but nothing hurts right now other than my pride. Now if you’ll shut the door, we can get ready and we’ll be out for breakfast in a few minutes, okay?”

For the first time, Mom gets a good look at Kale, and I groan inwardly, pretty sure she can put two and two together. Instead of earning a glare, she gives me a knowing smile and simply closes the door behind her, making sure that Marisa can’t see a thing.

I lean back against his chest. “This was an awful idea,” I groan. “She knows. She so knows we fooled around last night!”

He just shakes his head at me. He holds me tight while he uses all his strength to stand up, even with me still in his arms. “I’d say I told you so, but that’d be like admitting that I didn’t enjoy it. And baby, I enjoyed every damn second.”

I hold on as he deposits me on the bed with extreme care. Leaning down, he places both hands on the bed and comes in close, turning serious-faced again.

“Tell me the truth, Lucy. Does anything hurt?” His eyes are so soft, so earnest, and the intensity behind them unnerves me.

Studying his eyes, I can see something there, but I’m not sure what. I bring a hand up to caress his cheek, hoping my touch will reassure him. “I promise you. I’m fine. The baby’s fine. We’re all fine, Kale. But thank you so much for being worried. You’re going to be the best daddy.”

His eyes soften, and he moves to sit on the edge of the bed beside me. His elbows are on his knees as he runs his hands through his hair then over his face as if he’s trying to wipe away some emotion or thought. What it is, I have no idea, and it’s a side of him I’ve never seen before. My hand moves to his back then slides around his waist as I cuddle into him, hoping to help him relax, to know that I’m here, I’m fine.

He lets out a loud sigh and wraps an arm around me, pulling me in as close as possible. “I need to make sure that you and our little sprout are safe, protected, and healthy. From now until forever,” he promises, so quiet it’s almost a whisper.

My heart flutters at his words, at the implication of the word forever, and for once, hearing it from a man’s lips doesn’t have me running for the hills. I scoot closer to him and then move so I’m straddling his lap. Placing both hands on his cheeks, I force him to look at me.

“Kale Montgomery, I couldn’t feel safer with anyone, and there is no other man I could ever trust more to love, protect, and cherish my unborn child.” I take his hand and place it underneath the sheet, where it rests on my belly. “I know we haven’t had an in-depth serious conversation about where things are going to go, and we will after the holidays and the craziness of this weekend. But just know I’m glad it’s you here with me now. You once told me that we’re in this together, and it’s my turn to reassure you of the same thing. You and I are in this together, one hundred percent, and I should’ve told you that so much sooner. As partners, lovers, parents—whatever you want to label it, I couldn’t do this without you, and I wouldn’t want to. I want this. I want you. I want our baby. You, me, and Sprout? It’s the three of us now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Kale’s fingers caress my stomach and his eyes watch his hand move, almost as if he’s trying as hard as he can to develop some sort of x-ray vision so he can get a glimpse of Sprout. His eyes come up to meet mine, and my heart swells when I see them glistening.

“I know just two weeks ago I said I wasn’t in love you, but God dammit, Lucy, I’m really starting to fall. Hard. Hard as hell,” he whispers, his eyes shooting back and forth between mine.

My heart starts racing at his words, and I remember the night I so lamely told him that I wasn’t in love with him and he reciprocated the words. All of a sudden, I know I feel the same way, and reminiscent of that night, I return them.

“A year and a half ago? Two weeks ago? I don’t really care about the timeline anymore, because with us, it’s never been about that. I’m falling, too, Kale. Hard as hell,” I admit, echoing his words.

A huge grin spreads over his face, and before I know it, I’m rolled onto my back and he’s hovering over me. “Promise?” he asks, his eyes boring into mine.

I match his grin and hold up my hands in the same sign I’ve seen him do so many times. “I promise. Scout’s honor.”

Shaking his head, he leans down for a kiss and then pushes off me. “All right, babe. As much as I’d love to continue this conversation, I’m already afraid I’m in the dog house with your mom. Let’s get decent and have some breakfast. Then we can get ready to head to my mom’s. Sound good?”

“That sounds perfect.”

AFTER EATING a perfect Southern breakfast and gorging myself with Mom’s famous biscuits and gravy, we finally got ready to leave for Gulf Shores. Of course, Mom and Marisa both asked me about a dozen times each if I was okay, to which I assured them I was. They didn’t quit harping until Kale stepped in and reassured them by letting them know that he’d watch me like a hawk to make sure I was taking it easy. Even though it was super sweet, I had to roll my eyes at him, but he just gave me a knowing smile back.

As we were saying our goodbyes, Mom gave me a hug and whispered in my ear, “That boy’s a keeper, Lucy Beth,” and all I could do was nod, knowing she was right.

All the apprehension I felt about telling Mom about the baby vanished when she said those words, but now the closer we get to Gulf Shores and to the other women in his life, the more the tension seeps back in and increases tenfold. I think deep down I always knew that Mom would accept it after her initial shock, and even though Kale’s mom has had plenty of time to prepare herself, I’m still terrified of what she’s going to think of me. Kale tells me not to worry, but it’s been a long time since I did the whole meet-the-parents thing. Aidan constantly bugged me about it, yet it just never felt like the right time—another reason why we didn’t work out. The thing, though, is that with Kale, I want to meet his family. No matter how nervous I feel, I want to be a part of every aspect of his life, especially now that we have something that will connect us for the rest of our lives. Plus, I know how important it will be for all of us if we get along with each other’s families, so for Kale, I’ll put my nerves aside and go into this headstrong. At least that’s what I tell myself.

“What happened to Chatty Cathy?” Kale asks, and I smile sheepishly at him.

“Sorry, babe. I’m just kind of mentally freaking out over meeting my boyfriend’s mother for the first time. How should I greet her? ‘Hi, Grandma’?”

I watch as he throws his head back in laughter, his shoulders shaking. “If you do that, she’ll probably love you forever.” He takes hold of my hand and brings it to his lips, smiling over at me from the driver’s seat. “Seriously, Luce. Relax. She’s been dying for grandchildren, and plus, she’s going to love you no matter what. There’s no way she couldn’t love you. It’ll be fine, I promise.”

I let his words wash over me and try to calm my nerves, at least a little bit. “If you say so.” I’m just glad I’ll have him there by my side the entire time.

He squeezes my hand reassuringly. “I do. Now my sisters are another story.” He whistles, and I can feel the color draining from my face. In all my worry over his mother, I didn’t even take into consideration what his sisters must think of me.

“Oh God, I didn’t even think of them. They’re going to think I’m a slut,” I groan, suddenly wishing I were still back at home dealing with Mom’s wrath instead of having to face three women who’ve had Kale as the number one man in their lives for as long as they can remember.

“Don’t even go there, Lucy. You’re not a slut and they won’t think you’re one. Trust me. My sisters are no innocents, and I’m sure they’ll be more than excited to find out they’re going to be aunts.”

Eyeing him suspiciously, I lean closer to him. “What do you mean? They don’t know already?”

“Nope. Only Mom knows. I didn’t want to start really sharing until you were ready, but it wasn’t something I could hold in. I called Mom the morning I left your apartment, and after I got her to stop squealing in my ear, she agreed not to tell them. I figured we’d tell them in person, like we did with your family. Trust me. They’re going to be thrilled. Stop freaking out.”

My heart fills with pure elation from knowing that he couldn’t contain his excitement about the baby even after I’d kicked him out of my apartment. I don’t know how or why, but Kale’s taken this whole pregnancy thing better than I expected. After watching him with Lily, I knew he’d be a natural. That being said, we’d never talked about our hopes and dreams for the future, so I had no idea if he even had any desire to be a father, to have a family. In the end, he was more ready that I was, and it puts me at ease when I think about my child’s future. He’s going to have the best daddy in the world, and I tell myself that over and over again, trying to push the thoughts of his sisters out of my mind.

I simply nod, letting him know that I’ll try. Leaning my head against the back of the seat, I close my eyes, already feeling exhausted and drained from dealing with one family. As I slowly drift off, the last thought on my mind is that I’m going to need a full day of sleep just to recover from all this anxious excitement.

Just like the scene at my mom’s, Kale’s shaking me to wake me up. “We’re here, sleepyhead,” he informs me.

Stretching out and then wiping my eyes, I look at him apologetically. “Sorry, Kale. Trips in the car have always made me sleepy, and then with this little one draining all my energy, I’m finding it hard to keep my eyes open at the most random times.”

He leans over the seat and gives me a sweet kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry about it. Get as much rest as you need to keep you and Sprout healthy, okay? That’s all that matters.”

Tears start to well in my eyes at the use of our baby’s nickname—one I’m becoming quite attached to. I try to blink them back, but it doesn’t work, and a few trickle down my cheeks. Kale’s hand cups my face as his thumb swipes them away.

“Hey, what’s all that about? I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

I wave him off and start to chuckle. Placing my hand on my stomach almost reverently, I turn to look at him. “Damn hormones. My emotions are all over the place these days. It’s just… I love Sprout. Not just the name, but him. I never thought this was possible, and even though he won’t be here for a long time, I already love him so much, Kale. That probably sounds weird. It’s just that once you gave him a nickname, the reality of it all set in, and I… I’m having a baby. I should be scared, and part of me is. At the same time, I’m thrilled.” I don’t know where all this is coming from, but the admission rolls off my tongue so easily, and I realize it’s true. I’ve always heard mothers talk about the love they feel for their unborn children, but I didn’t think I would really feel anything until he was finally in my arms. In this moment, I’ve realized that definitely isn’t the case. The love I feel for him is immeasurable, and no amount of explaining could ever match up to just how deep this baby has already ingrained himself in my heart. Just like his daddy.

His hand covers mine and he entwines our fingers. “We’re having a baby. It’s okay to be scared. Hell, part of me is, too. I have a feeling that’s natural for first-time parents,” he says, and I instantly feel better about my conflicting emotions. He drops his forehead to mine and looks directly into my eyes. “It’s been a long time since I’ve opened myself up to love. A long fuc–freaking time. But Sprout gave me no choice. He’s part me. Even better, he’s part you. There’s no way in hell I could ever not love him. It’s probably cheesy, but you know how they talk about love at first sight? I guess it’s like that, yet instead of sight, all it took was knowing he existed for me to be knocked on my ass. You will never know how much I love him, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for giving me the greatest gift a man could get. I only hope I get to show you my appreciation for the rest of our lives.”

A choking sob escapes me as his words wash over me. I understand the implication of them, and it’s not the first time he’s mentioned forever when it comes to us. Part of me is terrified that he’s all caught up in the baby excitement. That one day he’ll realize it isn’t necessarily me that he wants, but Sprout. On the other hand, deep down, I know that’s not Kale. He wouldn’t say something he didn’t mean, so I push my nagging doubts away and throw my arms around him.

“You’re the sweetest man I’ve ever met, Kale Montgomery,” I whisper as I hold him tight. He returns my embrace, and we sit there for a minute just wrapped up in each other. Finally the tears stop flowing and I pull myself back, giving him a teasing smile. “As good as it sounds to have you thanking me from now until forever, it should probably be the other way around. After all, I’m pretty sure it was you who gave it to me.”

He just shakes his head, an amused smile spreading over his face. “I guess you do have a point there. But it takes two, you know, so I guess we’re even. Now let’s get going before Mom sends out a search party.”

The sudden realization that we’re sitting in his mom’s driveway comes to mind, and I’m quick to pull down the mirror on the sunshade to assess the damage of my hormonal episode. Fortunately I’d gone light on the makeup today, and other than red-rimmed eyes, I’m no worse for wear. I smooth out my hair and then get out of the car, blinking when I see the house in front of me.

With all of Kale’s stories about his mom’s quirkiness, the last thing I expected was for her to be living in a quaint beach home, but that’s where we are. The only indication of her personality is the vibrant aqua-blue color of the home that sits between two pastel-yellow houses. It sticks out, but not in a bad way. Even from the outside, it looks warm and inviting, and I can’t wait to explore the inside.

He rounds the car and takes hold of my hand as he leads me to the front porch. Not bothering to knock, he opens the door and we’re immediately accosted by two small dogs who bark to alert the rest of the house of our arrival.

“Poppy! Scout! Sit,” he commands, and both of them immediately stop their prancing around and sit stock-still. He leans down and takes a moment to pet both of them between the ears, and they relish in the attention from him.

When he stands back up, he takes my hand again, and I follow as we walk down a long hallway before entering the kitchen. It’s empty, and Kale’s eyebrows furrow before he lets out a low, “Christ.” He looks at his watch then gives me a sheepish grin.

“Ready?” he asks, and the pit in my stomach begins to grow as rapidly as my heart’s now beating.

Letting out a deep breath, I nod. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I tell him, bringing a hand to my stomach as if I’m trying to get some sort of comfort from Sprout. Strangely, it is a comforting reflex, and I silently whisper thanks to the little bean growing inside me even though he can’t hear me yet.

Kale walks toward the back of the kitchen, where a sliding glass door leads outside to a deck, and he pulls me along with him. Once outside, I feel the chill in the air as goose bumps spread over my skin. The smell of the salt water is welcoming. It’s one I’ve loved ever since growing up in Gulf Breeze. Suddenly I notice Kale waving down the beach, and I follow his gaze. Three lithe women wave back, breaking away from the pose I recognize as vrksasana, or the tree pose in layman’s terms. Charlie and I have been doing yoga since college, and I smile, knowing I have an in with the Montgomery women.

We stand on the deck, watching them as they pack up their stuff and jog up the beach. Before we can brace ourselves, three sets of arms are wrapped around us and we form some sort of really big group hug. I’m caught off guard, having not expected this kind of warm reception, but I wrap my free arm around whoever I can and let myself give in to the moment. It feels good, it feels loving, and I feel at ease. All apprehension fades away as I enjoy the familial embrace.

All too soon, Kale steps back, pulling me with him. I take a moment to study his sisters, remembering he once told me that they’re twins. They’re both tall and lean with auburn-colored hair that shines in the sunlight. When I see his mom, I realize that the girls are nearly carbon copies of her. She’s at least five foot ten with a body to die for, especially for someone her age. Her hair is full of wild red curls, and if I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t believe she’s old enough to have a son who’s nearly thirty.

“Okay, okay. Let’s not crush Lucy or scare her off— at least not until after dinner.”

The women step back, giving quick apologies, and I wave them off, letting them know that I’m fine. Kale’s smiling down at me, and he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me in close. He looks up at his mom and sisters with a huge grin on his face.

“This beautiful woman next to me is my girlfriend, Lucy.”

His sisters move forward, ready to make introductions. “I’m Kalli,” one of them tells me as the other one chimes in, “And I’m Kaylie. We’re identical twins, but you can tell us apart by our eyebrows. Kalli plucks hers way too thin.”

Kalli elbows her sister, causing her to yelp. “At least mine don’t look like caterpillars!”

Her twin starts to argue when their mom steps forward, getting in between them. She doesn’t even have to say a word, and they silence the moment she gives them the look. I’m used to it from my own mom, and I grin, making a mental note to get that look down pat.

“Sorry, Lucy. For twenty-six-year-old adults, these two still fight like they’re twelve. I’m Ginger Montgomery and I’m so happy to meet you. Kale’s told me so much about you,” she says.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Ms. Montgomery,” I tell her, and she scoffs.

“Please, call me Ginger. Ms. Montgomery makes me sound way too old.”

Nodding, I’m caught off guard when she steps closer and pulls me into a hug. At first, I stand there like a dummy, but I slowly relax and return it.

“I meant what I said. I’m so happy you’re here. From just one look, I can tell my baby is happier than I’ve seen him in a long time. Thank you for that, Lucy,” she whispers in my ear before pulling away.

I have to fake a cough to mask the choking cry that’s threatening to escape, and I blink back my tears, not wanting to be an emotional mess the first time I meet his family.

Ginger claps her hands together and motions for everyone to move inside. “Kale, why don’t you and Lucy get settled while your sisters and I get cleaned up from our yoga session? I’m sure you could both use a quick nap after that drive,” she suggests, giving me a knowing wink, and even though I slept in the car for a bit, a nap right now sounds perfect. After meeting them, I’m feeling rejuvenated, but at the same time, I’m still emotionally drained from the car and his mom’s words. A little break away from reality sounds pretty much perfect right now.

Kale agrees, and before I know it, I’m settled in on the guest bed, curled up against his body, drifting off to sleep.