Expect Me (Rivers Edge Book 3) (13 page)

“No lip kissing on the first date?”

“Nope. A gentle peck on the cheek is all I ever give on the first date. But then, you’re different,” he adds as he gets out of the truck and comes around to open my door.

“Different how?” I ask as I place my hand inside of his and slide out.

Travis pulls me flush against him. I can feel the heat of his body pressed tightly against mine. I can also feel something else - something I remember very vividly when I close my eyes - pressed against my lower stomach.

“You’re the first woman to make me want more. Not just a relationship, but a future. I’m not saying that to scare you or get in your pants, Joss. But, seriously, I want everything when I’m with you.” Travis places a gentle kiss on my lips before he continues, “Maybe not right now, but eventually. I promise you that I’m going to get everything. Everything. With. You.” he says with another of those intoxicating kisses on my lips in between each word as punctuation. “I crave you completely. You can expect me to make good of my promise someday. Someday in the future, it’ll be you and me. You and me and our baby. Everyday. Expect me to make it all happen, baby.”

I am completely lost in Travis’s words. They are intoxicating and inviting and promising. I realize that in this moment, I expect him to make very good on his promise. And what’s more, I actually want him to.

Our lips lock in a searing kiss that I feel all the way down to my pink painted toes. Travis urges my mouth open with the flick of his tongue. I open to him completely and not just the kiss. I realize at this moment, I am opening up my mind, my heart, and my soul to Travis. Only Travis.

The kiss turns primal as I wrap my arms around his neck and dive my fingers into his short hair. I’ve dreamed of touching his hair every night for months. My body is snug securely against Travis when the damnedest thing happens. The baby takes that moment to kick for the first time.

I pull my lips away from Travis as I stare shockingly at his aroused face. “What?” he asks, his features instantly filled with concern.

“I think the baby just kicked,” I tell him.

Travis pulls away from me and looks down at my stomach. I quickly grab a hold of his hand and place it against my bare stomach underneath my shirt. His hand feels hot and rough against my skin. I continue to hold onto his hand as I place my other hand flat against my abdomen. We both stand there looking at my stomach, waiting.

It only takes a few moments when I feel that flutter again in my stomach. I know Travis feels it to because his blue eyes meet mine with the most perfect, happy expression written all over them.

“He kicked. I felt him kick,” he says with a huge, soul-piercing smile.

I can’t help the smile I return at him as I lean forward and press a tender kiss on his sexy lips. “I can’t believe we felt the baby kick for the first time,” I tell him.

“This is the best damn feeling,” he says against my lips. As he pulls back, he looks down one last time. We both wait for the baby to kick again, but it doesn’t happen. “Cock-blocker,” Travis mumbles sternly down at my stomach.

I laugh hard as I link my fingers in Travis’s and head towards the apartment building. Inside the elevator, we both just smile and stare at each other as we make our way up to the fourth floor.

When we reach the apartment door, Travis slips his key inside the lock and turns towards me. He places his rough hands on both sides of my face and looks deeply into my eyes. “This was the best first date I’ve ever had,” he says. “In fact, I’m hoping it’s the last first date I’ll ever have,” he adds with a gentle kiss on my lips.

Then before the kiss can turn heavy again, he pulls back and opens the door for me to enter ahead of him.

“Thank you for an amazing night, Travis,” I tell him as I enter the apartment and turn to face him.

“You’re welcome. Thank you for saying yes,” he says as he watches me walk into the living room. “Come on, let’s take our baby to bed.” Travis reaches for my hand and guides me to the bedroom. That night, we fall deep asleep. Not on our own sides of the bed, but together linked in the middle. No, there was no sex tonight, but the tender, soft caresses were almost as good.

Almost.

*****

At twenty-five after eleven, Avery pulls up in front of the apartment building in Maddox’s crew cab pickup truck. A few minutes before eleven, I headed down to wait for my ride. Travis joked that she would be late, but I didn’t really believe him. As I waited in the hot lobby, sweating my proverbial balls off in the June heat, I kicked myself for not listening to him and waiting a little longer before coming down.

I slide in the backseat of the truck. Erin is in the backseat on the other side of Brooklyn’s car seat, who is sitting in the middle.

“Hey!” Erin says with a friendly smile. Avery and Holly each offer greetings of their own and before I know it, we’re on our way to St. Charles. I feel bad being so close to Matty and not seeing him. I haven’t seen him since Travis and I showed up at his place to get my stuff, even though we talk on the phone or text daily. It’s still not the same.

“Jo Jo,” Brooklyn exclaims with a big, toothy grin. “I’m four,” she adds.

“Hi, Brooklyn. You’re four now? You’re becoming such a big girl,” I tell her with smiling eyes. I’ve never really known too many kids, but this one seems cuter than most.

“I tried getting her to say Josselyn, but she shortened it to Jo Jo. Sorry,” Avery says with a smile over her shoulder.

“It’s fine. Jo Jo is just fine,” I tell the adorable four year old sitting next to me.

After a delicious lunch where I pigged out on a huge quarter pound cheeseburger, steak fries, and a cup of coleslaw, we make our way to the mall for some shopping. The maternity store is actually next to the children’s store that Avery wants to go to. We split up and all promise to meet in the center by the two stores in thirty minutes.

Inside the maternity store, I’m almost overwhelmed with clothes in all different styles and sizes. I find a rack with shirts hanging on it and start plucking through for my size. I find several summer tops, shorts with weird elastic around the waist, and even some black slacks to wear to the diner. It’s also my lucky day as I realize they’re having a big sale and everything is buy one, get one half price. Nice!

Across the store, I see a large rack with colorful maxi dresses. The cool, cotton material looks thin enough to allow the breeze through without showing the world everything that I have underneath. I pull four different dresses off the rack in a variety of colors and patterns. Each one has a different neckline style including a halter top, spaghetti strap, thicker one inch strap that chris crosses in the back, and a strapless.

As I’m taking my purchases towards the counter, I see the sign that reads “Intimates”. I head over and realize that I’m probably eventually going to need maternity underwear and bras too. My bras are already stretched out since my girls are ginormous, so I grab a couple of maternity bras in my size too. The first thing I notice is that they have these weird little snaps on the front of them.  I actually consider the access Travis could have to my girls with these handy little snaps, but then I quickly realize that the snaps are probably there for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding. Do I want to breastfeed? Yet another something I’m going to have to figure out.

The total was just over two hundred dollars - OUCH! - but fortunately, I haven’t had to spend too much of the money I’ve made this past month so my account can cover it. With my arms loaded down with bags of maternity clothes, I head out of the shop in search of the other ladies.

Avery, Brooklyn, and Holly are waiting in the center of the aisle. After I join them, Erin meets up with us a few minutes later.

“I need to head over there,” Avery says and points to the lingerie store.

“Oh, me too,” Erin says as her eyes light up with mischief.

“I’ll take Brooklyn for a walk while you ladies shop,” Holly says while shaking her head.

“Come on, Josselyn,” Avery says as she heads towards the lingerie store with sexy intimates hanging in the windows.

Do I go with Erin and Avery or should I go for a walk with Holly and Brooklyn? It’s not like I have any reason to purchase something from this store. But then an image of Travis breathing heavily with his eyes heavily lidded and full of desire from our kisses last night enters my mind. I would love for him to slowly strip off my clothes and discover something from this store hidden underneath.

I walk into the store and watch as Avery and Erin each head for a different section of the store. Erin goes towards these simple, yet very sexy bra and panty sets. She holds up an ivory and gold number that looks beautiful and would complement her skin tone and hair color. Avery heads to a section a little more daring. She finds a black and hot pink corset with matching thong panties. Plus, that thing has black garter belts. I can imagine on her long, lean legs, Maddox will be left panting...and probably a little drooling, too.

As I browse around the store, I actually stumble upon a maternity section. Seriously? The underwear is a little more full coverage, but none the less sexy as some of the other pieces in the store. I pick up a pair of bright blue lace and satin underwear and examine the material. It’s silky smooth and has just enough lace on the front to leave very little to the imagination.

“That color is hot. It would look great on you,” Avery says from behind me. I whip around, startled at being caught ogling the sexy panties. “Seriously. You should get those.”

Avery turns and grabs a baby doll style negligee from the rack above the panties. It’s the same color of blue with ivory trim, sexy lace cups, a satin bodest, and thin little satin spaghetti straps. It’s beautiful. The satin feels amazingly soft and is puckered underneath the breast area just enough to allow for room for a growing belly.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper to no one in particular.

“I’m going to be blissfully ignorant and pretend that you’re not buying this for sex with my brother. And since you’re already knocked up, I realize you’ve had sex at least once already. That’s it. Once. However, just for shits and giggles, we’re going to pretend this whole conversation never happened, okay?” Avery says with a smile.

“Okay,” I tell her with a smile. I check the price tag of the two pieces in my hand and realize the total will be close to forty dollars. I mentally do some subtraction in my head as I determine whether or not I can purchase the two intimate pieces. Once the math comes out in the black, I remember that Travis and I aren’t having sex, and I consider putting both pieces back. However, a little voice in the back of my mind keeps screaming at me…YET! Travis and I aren’t having sex YET! I grab the two pieces and head up to the counter.

20 weeks - 5 months

Today is the day. Today we should find out if we’re having a boy or a girl. A son or a daughter. I haven’t been able to concentrate all damn day. My mind keeps wandering to the appointment later today.

Josselyn was up early again this morning, peeing before my alarm actually went off. She’s been doing that a lot more lately. That girl has to pee five minutes after she leaves the bathroom.

I’ve been spending every waking minute at the new house working into the late hours, heading home with just enough time to shower and fall into bed before I do it all over again the next day. The house is starting to shape up, though. The walls are almost all up and the logs were delivered earlier in the week. It won’t be long and I’ll be putting them on to finally give it the log cabin look.

I’m running just a few minutes late for the appointment, but not quite as late as I was last month. I sent Joss a text to let her know that I would just meet her there again. We’ve only had one more date since that first one. I’ve been working so hard and Josselyn picked up a few evening shifts at the diner for a young girl who’s dad has been ill. We both fall into bed at the end of the day, exhausted and drained.

I step inside the office waiting room and see Josselyn sitting in a chair along the back wall. Her long, brown hair is pulled up in a high ponytail on the top of her head, and she’s wearing one of those long, sexy dresses that I love. It drapes over her baby bump perfectly which makes my cock thicken with desire every time I see her. It’s sort of a weird, male pride thing. ‘That’s my baby in there’ I want to say and pound on my chest.

I drop in the seat next to her and give a gentle kiss on her cheek. Her face lights up when she sees me which doesn’t help at all with the tightness in my pants. “Hi,” I say with a small smile on my face.

“Hey,” she replies and rests her hands on her belly. I reach forward and place my hands around hers on her stomach. These days, I touch her every chance I get. It’s not the old sexual way I usually want to touch her - though, I’d kill to touch her sexually these days too - but it’s more of a protective, fatherly way as I acknowledge my baby tucked securely in her belly.

“This weekend’s that big softball tournament. I completely forgot until about twenty minutes ago when Clint called and reminded me. Our first game is at two tomorrow afternoon,” I tell her. “At least the tournament is here this time.”

“Okay,” she responds as we both link fingers over her abdomen. “I was thinking of inviting Matty over tomorrow. I haven’t seen him much lately and I miss him.” A look of longing takes over her beautiful features.

“Definitely. You guys can come to the games and hang out. We can do dinner after the last game if you want.”

“Sounds good,” she replies as the familiar nurse comes out and calls her name.

We head down the short hallway and run through the process of weight, blood pressure, and urine sample. This time, we’re lead to a different room at the end of the hallway. This room is a little bigger and has a big machine over in the corner.

“Go ahead and hop up on the table, Josselyn. The doctor will be with you shortly,” the nurse says before she exit’s the room.

“Are you excited?” Josselyn asks.

“Very. How about you?”

“Yes. I can’t wait to see the baby,” she says with a big smile. I love that smile. I crave it. That smile gets me through my day more often than not. I imagine her smile when I’m working or when I’m still going late at night on the house instead of snuggling at home with her. All the hard work and the late nights will be worth it when the house is done.

A knock sounds at the door as Dr. Freeman walks in with another younger lady. “Hi, Josselyn. Travis. This is Alyssa, and she’ll administer your ultrasound today.” Dr. Freeman runs through the usual list of questions with Josselyn. When she’s all finished with her part of the appointment, she heads out leaving us in the capable hands of Alyssa.

She gets the machine out and starts to prepare for the ultrasound. I stand up and head to Josselyn’s head so I can see everything that’s happening with her. Josselyn reaches her hand up over her head and links her soft fingers in my rougher ones. There’s a slight tremor to them, but I know it’s from excitement and not from nerves.

A couple of minutes later, Alyssa begins the ultrasound. The blurry image of our baby is evident on the screen. “I’m going to take a few measurements first and then we’ll look for the gender if you guys want to know.”

“We want to know,” Josselyn says, excitement barely contained with her words. Her excitement fuels my excitement.

I watch in amazement as the woman takes several images and measurements of my baby. I have no clue what I’m actually looking at, but in my uneducated opinion, everything looks good.

“Okay, guys, here we go,” Alyssa says. She moves the wand over Josselyn’s protruding abdomen. “Here is your baby’s head. You can see two eyes, a nose, and a mouth right here,” she says as she points to the screen. “Ah, your baby has its mouth open like she’s talking to you,” Alyssa adds with a smile.

“She?” I ask instantly filled with excitement.

“No, I don’t know that yet. I’m working my way down now,” Alyssa adds.

Alyssa moves the wand over the baby’s abdomen and arms. “Here are the hands,” she says as she clicks a few photos. “Look, your baby’s legs are curled up tight. That might make gender determination more difficult.”

A few moments later, Alyssa is running the wand over the part of the baby we are the most interested in at the moment. She’s clicking a few buttons on the screen and eventually freezes the image on the screen. I can tell it’s the baby, but what part? I have no damn clue. The whole thing is a big blurry mess to me.

“See that?” she asks as she points to a part on the frozen screen. “Say hello to your son.”

I literally stop breathing when she says that word. Son. I have a son. I feel Josselyn’s hand tighten within mine at that moment. When my vision starts to blur, I realize that I’m not breathing. When I exhale quickly, my eyes crash into the beautiful, teary hazel eyes of Josselyn.

“Son. We have a son,” I say out loud as if trying that word on for size.

I can’t help the huge smile that spreads across my face. I reach forward and gently wipe the tears that are gathering in Josselyn’s eyes and gently spilling out. I can’t stop myself from leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on her sweet lips before her face breaks out in the most breathtaking smile.

After all of the measurements are taken, Alyssa prints off a handful of ultrasound photos and sends us on our way. Josselyn and I share excited, lingering glances and knowing smiles the entire trip through the doctor’s office and out to her car.

When we reach her car, I open the driver’s door. “I was planning on working tonight since I have the softball tournament this weekend. Why don’t you come out with me and hang out?”

“Okay,” she replies. “I’ll grab food and we’ll eat there,” Josselyn adds as she slides into the hot car. She immediately starts it up and rolls down the windows. I completely forgot that her air wasn’t working. I make a mental note to check that out as soon as possible.

“So, when can I expect you?” I ask, excited at the prospect of spending some time with Josselyn tonight.

“How about around six? That gives me time to go home and change and make some food.”

“Sounds good. See you shortly,” I say as I step away from the car and watch her drive away.

As she steers the car down the highway, I glance down at the ultrasound photos still in my hand. I can’t believe I’m going to have a little boy. A little guy that I can teach to throw a baseball and share my love for building things. Heck, maybe someday pass along the Stevens family business to him.

My son.

*****

Saturday brings hot, muggy humidity to our little Missouri town. I’m a twenty-eight year old male who works outside in this crap year round and I’m miserable, so when I look up in the stands and see Josselyn sitting in the hundred degree heat on hard, metal bleachers, I feel horrible for her. But the thing that I’ve noticed is that she hasn’t complained once. We’re in the middle of our second game of the day and all I can think about is making sure Josselyn has enough water and food in her and keeps reapplying the sunscreen. I’ve even encouraged her to head back to the apartment a few times throughout the afternoon, but she wouldn’t hear it. She’s staying to watch me play.

Matty drove to town today to spend the day with her. They met for lunch and were here at the ball field just before the two o’clock game. Now, here it is after five and we’re in the bottom of the sixth inning with bases loaded and I’m up to bat.

I’ve had a pretty decent day behind the plate with four hits and a couple of RBI’s. The first two pitches are just outside of the batter’s box and the next one just clips the corner. The fourth pitch is perfect, dropping down at the moment before the ball crosses home plate. I swing with everything I have and hear that satisfying crack of the bat. The ball sails over the head of the right fielder and drops just over the fence. Homerun.

I round third base heading home and see Josselyn standing up in the bleachers cheering her beautiful little heart out for me. She’s wearing one of those adorably sexy long dresses again and my baby can be clearly seen jetting out from her belly. I fucking love that look on her. Matty is next to her, snapping pictures as I round the bases, as well as most of my family, all standing and cheering for me.

After the game, I head over to Joss who instantly throws a big congratulatory hug around my middle. Her belly presses against me which does inappropriate things below my belt considering I’m standing in a group consisting of my four year old niece, my parents, siblings, and friends.

“Nice hit,” Josselyn says as she keeps her arm wrapped firmly around my waist, my arm firmly around her shoulder.

“Thank you. Did you drink enough water? I don’t want you overdoing it in this unforgiving heat.”

“I’m fine, Trav. Just super hot, sticky, and gross. I can’t wait to run home and shower,” she says as we start to walk towards my truck.

The mental image I just got of Josselyn in the shower is enough to make a grown man cry. Well, at least me anyway because there is no way in hell any other man is going to see Josselyn naked. Ever.

Once I help Josselyn up into the passenger seat of my pick-up and Matty is tucked in the backseat, I blast the air conditioning to try to alleviate the stifling heat in the cab of the truck. Josselyn and Matty talk animatedly on the ride back to our apartment about the game and a few photo shoots Matty has had lately.

“I’m serious, Joss. I want to take some pics soon. You have the cutest baby bump ever and I want to capture it for you,” Matty says, causing my ears to perk up.

“The last thing I want is pictures documenting how huge I’m getting, Matty. I appreciate the offer, really, but I think I’ll pass,” Josselyn replies.

“Travis, will you talk to her. She needs these done, right?”

I look over at Josselyn who is giving me the if-you-agree-with-him-I’m-killing-you look. “It’s up to Josselyn, Matty. But, I do think they might be a good idea,” I add and give her a sheepish look.

“Sure, take his side,” she mumbles as she stares out the window. “I’ll think about it,” she finally replies after a minute to pacify her best friend.

“That’s all I’m asking for, doll,” Matty says with a satisfying, smug smile.

After stopping by the apartment for three quick showers, followed by dinner at Laverne’s Steakhouse, Josselyn, Matty, and I head up to Jack’s Pub for the evening. I haven’t been here in months. Not since Josselyn stepped into my life all those months ago. Jake, Erin, Maddox, and Avery already have the large table in the back secured for our group. I place my hand on Josselyn’s lower back and steer her through the crowd and towards the bar. Gabe is working tonight and greets me like an old friend.

“Budweiser draft for me,” I say as I look at Josselyn with a raised eyebrow.

“Just water,” she replies as she turns her attention to the back of the bar.

“Matty, what are you having?” I ask over my shoulder.

“Something fruity. Ohhh, how about a Margarita,” he says with sparkling green eyes.

“An ice water and a margarita, Gabe.”

“Coming up,” he says as he goes to pour my beer and mix Matty’s fruity drink.

I turn my attention back to Josselyn who is wearing a hot pink and black long dress thingy. This one is strapless and is super tight over her chest, pushing them up like some delicious buffet waiting for me to feast upon. My mouth waters every time I glance down at her cleavage. Her sexy pink toes are peaking out from under the dress and she’s wearing her favorite pair of black flip flops. She’s commented several times lately about her feet swelling up, but I don’t notice it. They still look as sexy as ever.

Once we have our drinks in hand, we head back to the table where the others have gathered. Nate is here now and mentions that Will is on his way. I glance around and take in the other patrons at the pub. I used to enjoy how I’d receive appreciative glances from the ladies throughout the night. Hell, all of my brothers receive the same looks. Now, I just want to wrap my arms around Josselyn so that everyone knows I’m taken.