Hearts Will Beat Read online

  She dropped her smile. “Not jealousy. Just disappointment.”

  “There hasn’t been anyone else but you. So, you want to be my girlfriend?”

  “It’s a little soon, don’t you think?”

  “Not for us,” I said. “You know what this is and what I can offer you.” Maybe if things went smoothly, we could get married within a year and start a family. Maybe if I really gave this a shot I would get over Lexie. I wouldn’t love Carrie, but at least she was someone I could trust. She wouldn’t stab me in the back. This was practically a business relationship.

  She tilted her head to the side as she considered it. “Hmm…should I be Conrad Preston’s girlfriend? One of the most good-looking and rich men in the world? Let me think about that…”

  I chuckled. “You better think quick. This offer might expire.”

  She pushed up against me, the curve of her tits right in my face. “Yes, I accept. I would love to be your girlfriend, Mr. Preston.”

  “No one calls me that outside of work.”

  “I like it…it’s sexy.”

  “Then you can call me that.”

  She placed another kiss on my shoulder. “Thousands of hearts just broke.”

  I smiled but it was forced. Because Lexie’s heart wasn’t one of them.

  ***

  There was a knock on the door.

  Sassy immediately started barking, and Apollo’s ears perked up.

  “Shh, Sassy,” Carrie commanded. “Sorry about that. She gets spooked easily.”

  “It’s okay.” I looked through the peephole and saw my parents on the other side. Why were they here? On a Sunday?

  “Who is it?” Carrie asked.

  “My parents…”

  “Oh.” She immediately jumped up because she was just wearing one of my t-shirts. “Shit, let me go change.” She immediately ran down the hall and slammed my bedroom door.

  I opened the door even though I was shirtless. “Hey, Mom and Dad. What’s up?”

  Dad held up a case of beer. “Watching the game?”

  “Of course. What else would I be doing?”

  “Well, can we join you?” Mom asked.

  “Yeah, sure.” I allowed them inside and shut the door behind them.

  Dad immediately eyed Sassy. “You got another dog…?”

  “No, that’s Carrie’s,” I answered.

  “Is she here?” Mom tried to hide her excitement.

  “Yeah, she’s just in the bathroom,” I said. “We were watching the game and being lazy.”

  Dad grinned like an idiot. “That’s nice. Really nice.”

  I tried not to roll my eyes.

  “I’m excited to see her,” Dad said. “She seemed like a nice girl.”

  “She’s sweet,” I said. “I like her.” I moved to the couch and pushed our breakfast dishes away.

  “So…how’s it going with her?” Mom took the seat beside me.

  Dad hung onto every word.

  “Good…” I wish they weren’t so involved in my personal life sometimes.

  “Is it getting serious?” Dad asked.

  “We’re exclusive,” I answered.

  Dad understood the significance. “That’s awesome. Really wonderful.”

  “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” Mom said.

  They were such drama queens sometimes. “Well, be cool about it. Don’t scare her off.”

  “We won’t, Son,” Dad said.

  Carrie finally came out wearing what she wore the night before. It was pretty obvious she slept over because it didn’t make any sense for her to be wearing a black dress with heels on a Sunday morning. “Hey,” she said with a smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”

  Dad jumped up and hugged her. “Always lovely to see you.” He didn’t make a comment about her attire or even gave a look that hinted that he noticed anything. “Do you mind if we watch the game with you?”

  “The more, the merrier.” She greeted my mom with a hug. “Hey, it’s nice to see you. I like your bracelet.”

  “Oh, thank you,” Mom said. “An anniversary present from Mike.”

  “He has good taste,” she said. “I know where Conrad gets it from.”

  Damn, she was good when it came to meeting parents.

  Mom blushed. “Yes, I raised a fine, young man.”

  “We both did,” Dad added.

  Carrie sat beside me and crossed her legs.

  Mom didn’t care much for sports so she played with her phone. It was obvious she only came over here to check on me discreetly. Dad had his arm around her, and he took up most of the couch just the way I did.

  “Should you put on a shirt?” Carrie asked quietly.

  “Oh yeah. I forgot.” I entered my bedroom and pulled something on before I returned to the living room.

  Dad was talking to Carrie. “You interviewed Andrew Luck?”

  “Yeah,” she answered. “He’s pretty nice.” She pulled out her phone than showed him a picture. She was standing next to him in a restaurant.

  “That’s so cool,” Dad said. “It makes me hate my job.”

  “Me too,” I said.

  “Do you guys want season tickets to the Giants?”

  Dad and I both stared at her in surprise.

  “You can do that?” Dad asked. “Those seats are sold years in advance.”

  “Well, ESPN knows how to get around that,” she said. “We have a few boxes we give out. I can arrange something.”

  “That would be so sick,” I blurted.

  “I go to a lot of games so I need to be there anyway,” Carrie said.

  Dad was over-the-moon for Carrie. It was obvious by the look in his eyes.

  “Carrie, when did you get your dog?” Mom asked.

  “About two years ago,” Carrie answered. “Sassy goes with me everywhere.”

  “She seems to get along with Apollo,” she noted.

  “Because Apollo is well-trained,” I said.

  “So is Sassy,” Carrie challenged.

  “Not like Apollo.” There was no argument there. Apollo used to work in law enforcement. He was badass.

  Dad chuckled. “Whose kid is cuter? Never a good game to play.”

  We watched football for the rest of the afternoon. Carrie fit into my family perfectly, like she’d always been there. My parents loved Lexie like their own, but they seemed to have forgotten her the second she broke my heart.

  At the end of the night my parents finally left. They hugged Carrie warmly and said how excited they were to see her. It was only the second time they’d met her, but they acted like it’d been much longer than that.

  After they were gone, it was just she and I.

  “Well, I guess I should head home…” She grabbed her heels and started to pull them on.

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why are you leaving?” I asked. “You can stay here with me.”

  “You want me to?” she asked hesitantly.

  “Believe me, if I didn’t want you here I would tell you. I said that already.”

  She finally smiled. “Then I would love to stay.”

  “I have to work in the morning but you’re welcome to lounge around here. I know you mentioned you work from your laptop.”

  “I do,” she said. “And this place is much swankier than mine.”

  “The grass is always greener on the other side,” I said. “It’s way too big for one person. There are too many echoes.”

  “Then why did you buy it?”

  “I wasn’t thinking clearly,” I said honestly. “I just wanted a place to party. But now that I don’t have any parties anymore it’s pretty hollow.”

  “When you have a family it’ll be the perfect size.”

  “Yeah…” I just hoped I would have a family someday—with Carrie.

  Chapter Two

  Skye

  The front door opened and closed, announcing Cayson’s arrival after he got off work. “Baby, it’s me.”<
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  I loved hearing that when he walked through the door. I loved making dinner for two instead of just one. The house was full of our love again, and the heat from our fire spread into the distant corners. I left the kitchen and approached the entryway, waddling the whole way. “Hey.”

  Just like he used to, he cupped my face and kissed me slowly, like he was trying to restrain himself from being too violent. He wanted to squeeze me in his embrace and never let go.

  I loved it when he devoured me like that, tasting me like I was only his to taste. I was self-conscious about my belly and the weight I gained. My confidence was gone, and I didn’t feel sexy in the least. But I craved Cayson, my perfect husband. His body was nothing but hard muscle. His arms were thick and strong, and his thighs were powerful from all the physical activity he did. His body was absolutely perfect.

  “What smell so good?” he asked into my mouth.

  “Tacos.”

  “Yum,” he whispered. “Can you leave the food unattended for a few minutes?”

  I knew exactly what he was asking. “Yes.”

  “Good.” He pulled me into the bedroom with him and pulled my clothes off. He didn’t waste any time, like he’d been thinking about doing this all day. His hands immediately went to my large stomach and he felt it gently in his hands. He kissed my neck then grabbed both of my tits in his bare hands. He squeezed them harshly, like he expected them to squeak like a toy.

  I pulled his clothes off until he was naked in front of me. He was nothing but man, with a big package like that. Seeing his perfection made me more self-conscious but I tried not to think about it.

  “I’ve been waiting for this all day…” He pulled my dress off and guided me to the bed.

  “Yeah?”

  “Yes.” He moved on top of me then moved my knees against my rib cage. He looked down at me with arousal coursing in his gaze. Then he inserted himself inside me, finding my moisture immediately. A deep groan came from all the way down in his chest. He thrust into me hard while he kept my legs back, and all the sounds he made told me he was struggling to control himself.

  I forgot about my insecurity when it seemed like he enjoyed me so much. My hands moved to his hips, and I pulled myself down his shaft every time he thrust into me. Together, we made each other feel good.

  Cayson pulled out of me then leaned down and kissed my stomach everywhere. His lips always sought the area, and he felt the defined surface with his hand. “My baby…”

  My hands moved into his hair, and I desperately missed him down below.

  He moved to my chest and sucked each nipple before he moved back to the balls of his feet and inserted himself again. Like last time, he moaned deeply as he stretched my lips wide apart with every thrust he made. “This feels so fucking good…” He moved into me harder and faster, sweat forming on his forehead and chest.

  Seeing his excitement made my body automatically react. He was the sexiest man I’d ever seen, and he loved me like crazy. I gripped his hips as I tensed and felt the orgasm roll through me. It was blinding and hot, and I felt my back arch automatically.

  Cayson watched me the entire time, and when I was finished he released. His warmth filled me, and I could feel the mass fill me up. Knowing it was Cayson, my husband, made me want to start up again.

  He leaned over me and pressed a kiss to my lips. “I missed you at work today.”

  “I missed you too.”

  He kissed me again before he pulled out of me. Then he got into the shower. The water started to run and soon steam was coming out of the bathroom. Dinner still needed to be finished but now I was too tired to do anything. I just wanted to lay there and enjoy this moment forever.

  ***

  Cayson came downstairs in running shorts and a t-shirt, what he usually wore around the house. His calves were toned and lean, and his shoulders were wide like he constantly wore football pads. Over six-feet tall, he entered every room like he was a Greek god. “I’m starving.”

  “I made you a plate.” I was sitting at the dining table waiting for him to join me.

  He sat down and spotted the beer I had placed there. Instead of drinking it, he tossed it in the garbage before returning to his seat.

  “You can drink around me, Cayson.”

  “We’re pregnant together.” He immediately dug into his food like he hadn’t eaten all day.

  I let the argument go even though I really wish he would indulge himself. “How was work?”

  “It was okay. Pretty busy.”

  In the back of my mind, I was always wondering if he saw Laura. I really wanted to kick her ass. Trinity would help me. She deserved to get smacked around after her behavior. She almost broke up our family. Cayson was mine and she was stupid if she thought she could take him away from me.

  Cayson read my mind even though he wasn’t looking at me. “I didn’t see her today.”

  Did I make it that obvious?

  “I’ll let you know when I do.”

  I didn’t ask because I didn’t want him to think I didn’t trust him. I just hated the fact she got to look at him and get paid for it. “I’m sorry…I guess I’m a little jealous.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you think she’ll work there forever?”

  “I don’t know…it is a good job. I know she wanted something more official so it’s perfect for her. But she did say her dream was to work at the UN. Maybe if a position comes along she’ll go for that instead.”

  “Not when she gets to see you every day…” I didn’t mean to say that. It just slipped out. “Sorry…”

  “Skye, do you want me to quit? Because I can.” He stopped eating for a moment and stared at me.

  “No, of course not.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” I wasn’t letting Cayson give up his dream over something so stupid.

  “It’s understandable,” he said. “I wouldn’t want you working with someone that was obsessed with you.”

  “That’s different,” I said. “You’re a man. It would be impossible for her to take advantage of you.”

  He gave me a look of approval before he kept eating.

  “I guess it bothers me that she’s so adamant about getting you. She’s willing to break up a family just to make that happen. Doesn’t that disgust you?”

  “Deeply.”

  “Do you think she’s done this to other guys?”

  He shrugged. “I really don’t know. She said I was the only one she felt this way about but who knows how true that is.”

  I knew Cayson was a catch but why did she have to go for my husband?

  “I wish there was something I could do to make it up to you,” he said. “I know this isn’t easy even though you trust me.”

  “No, I…” An idea came to mind. It probably wouldn’t work and now wasn’t the best time but I had to try. “Actually, there is something you can do.”

  “What, baby?” he asked. He took a drink of his water. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

  “Well…” This was going to blow up in my face or have a peaceful ending, one extreme or the other. “My dad is pretty upset over everything that happened with you two. He’s miserable…”

  Cayson’s face immediately dropped. He looked concerned just a moment ago, but now he looked pissed.

  “He’s my father, Cayson. Please give him a chance. I know he’s rough around the edges sometimes but—”

  “No.”

  Why did I expect anything else?

  “No,” he repeated. “You may as well give up while you’re ahead. I would never ask you to stop seeing him or spend time with him, and I would never deny him his grandchild. But you can’t make me be buddy-buddy with him.”

  “I’m not making you do anything.”

  “That’s not what you said a second ago.”

  “I just meant he’s really sorry about what happened. Cayson, you know my father. He really cares—”

  “Yes, I do know him,” he sn
apped. “And he’s a piece of shit.”

  I cringed as I listened to Cayson insult my father, a man I respected.

  “He’s an asshole. When I needed him most he dropped me. He obviously has no respect for me to turn his back on me like that.”

  This was worse than I thought. “We all make mistakes, Cayson.”

  “I don’t.” His nostrils were flaring. “I begged him to believe me. I shouldn’t have even had to do that. When I said I was innocent he should have believed me. Instead, he threatened me and said he hated me. I don’t owe that motherfucker anything.”

  Cayson never cursed like that, so it was even harsher. “Cayson, you forgave me.”

  “It’s completely different.”

  “How?”

  “Because you’re my wife,” he said. “I didn’t have a choice but to forgive you. The alternative was to spend my life without you, and that’s something I couldn’t handle.”

  “And you really think you can live without my father?”

  “I’ve been doing pretty well so far.” He turned his eyes to his food and kept eating.

  “I just—”

  “This conversation is over,” he said. “Unless you want me to stop eating my dinner and walk away.”

  I shut my mouth and let the conversation die.

  Cayson kept eating like nothing happened.

  I had to face the terrible truth. Cayson was never going to forgive my father. He pardoned me because we were in love, but my father didn’t have that same luxury. Cayson wasn’t stubborn or hotheaded, but he was anal about this. I knew Cayson long enough to understand his decision was set in stone.

  He wouldn’t change his mind.

  ***

  “I need to talk to you.” I paced in the living room with the phone to my ear.

  “Well, we’re talking,” Slade said. “So, what’s up?”

  “Can you come over?”

  “Right now?” he asked incredulously. “Skye, it’s one in the afternoon. I know you sit around and eat bon-bons all day but other people have to work.”

  “I need to talk to you when Cayson isn’t around.”

  “Then drive your ass over here.”

  “I’m too pregnant. And Cayson would be angry if he ever found out.”

  “Sounds like a drug overlord.”

  I wasn’t in the mood for jokes. “Slade, please?”