Broken Vows (Domestic Discipline Romance) (40 page)

"None of them worked on either safe."

"I hope when Mr. Greer finally shows up, he has extra drills," Josh said. "We now have two safes and a vault to drill out."

Mrs. Carter handed Little Kevin to her husband and went into the kitchen. "Can I help you with anything, dear?"

"No, I'm almost done," Jenny rasped.

"Jen," Josh said in a warning voice. "No talking, please!"

Jenny rolled her eyes, handed Gina a stack of plates to set the table, and went back to finishing dinner.

Mila could feel the tension between her sister and her husband. She hoped no one else noticed it. She was soon distracted from her concerns though as a few minutes later when she and Kevin left for his house. She had packed a little bag of sexy wear, but she was anxious and not sure why. There was no part of her Kevin had not seen or touched intimately. They had engaged in various sexual activities, which were almost or even better than intercourse. Her doctor's clearance for all sex was the last barrier between them.

Mila had never considered herself as sexy. Her earliest memories were of her parents comparing her to Jenny, who was the feminine and beautiful daughter. The military did not foster femininity either. There, she had to become one of the 'guys' to survive and take it up a notch to be accepted. She balanced on a fine line between having the respect of her male peers and appearing too easy and slutty. She had held off having sex until she was almost twenty. She discovered that, although she liked sex, it was not such a big deal. Then again, the men she dated were far more interested in what she could do for them, than what they could do for her.

She had been in a monogamous relationship with John for five months before he asked her to marry him. Their sex life had been great and he had taught her a lot. It was only after they married that he began demanding and acted macho all the time. He joked with his beer-guzzling friends about intimate moments he should have kept private between him and Mila. He wanted sex only his way, all the time. If he did not get what he wanted, he called her names and claimed no other man would ever want her. Mila was not a fool and knew his threats did not hold water. Nevertheless, his words and actions hurt her. His change of behavior towards their intimacies had been the first sign of his new, harsher personality.

"You are awfully quiet," Kevin said as he drove.

"Just thinking."

"Mom pulled me aside earlier," Kevin said with a grin. "I got
the talk
."

"What talk?"

"
The
talk," he responded with emphasis, "The big interrogation. Was I serious about you? Was I treating you right? Are you the one? When was I going to bring you to a family dinner?"

Mila swallowed, "What did you tell her?"

"I told her I was a grown man, and I would tell her everything when I was good and ready. I gently told her to butt out of our business. And no, I was not bringing you to a family dinner anytime soon."

His last comment hurt Mila. Did he not want her to meet his family?

"That's a little insulting to me," Mila informed him.

Kevin shook his head in denial. "No, no, it's my way of protecting you. I want to make my intentions clear to
you
before my family of female piranhas gets to you. All those women, who have known me since I was a little boy, are intimidating. They would eat you alive."

"I don't want to be a hidden part of your life," Mila muttered, turning away from him towards the truck window. "I don't want to be your private sex toy."

Kevin quickly pulled into a parking lot. "Where is this coming from, Mila? I have never treated you with anything but respect." He gave an exasperated sigh. "I wanted to do this with the right setting, looking out over my back deck on a moonlit night. I wanted wine and candlelight, and a blazing fire."

"I'm not that kind of girl," Mila said.

"Yes, you are," Kevin countered. "You are intelligent, feisty, and beautiful. Somewhere along the line, you became convinced you are not. I am here to tell you that you are. I have tried to give you time. I was afraid if I pushed too hard, you would back off and tell me to get lost."

He shook his head. "I try not to be a pushy man, but I generally know what I want and go after it. A wrench-wielding pregnant plumber instantly captivated me. I love you, Mila Grant. I love your forthrightness and honesty. I am sorry your first husband hurt you and did a number on you. I have been trying to show you I am different from him. I want whatever you have to give, but I won't force you into anything. I am a plain and simple man who loves you. I probably won't ever be rich, but I can provide for you and be a father to Little Kevin. Heck, I already feel as though I am his father."

Kevin gave a growl and thrust his hand through his hair. "I sure as hell didn't plan to tell you all this in a pick-up truck! Or ask you either, right now."

"As me what," Mila insisted.

Kevin shifted to face her directly. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know it hasn't been long, and if you need more time, I'll respect your decision. Please, don't shut me down or shut me out. We are good together. I think it would work for us. What do you think?"

"You want me to live with you?" Mila asked.

"Hell no," Kevin snapped. "I want to marry you. Wasn't I clear?"

"No," Mila snapped back. "You said live together, not marry."

Kevin unsnapped her seat belt and pulled her towards him. "If you would have waited for the moonlight and fire, I would have done a better job. I have a ring and everything."

"I don't need moonlight or even the ring. I need the words, the right ones," Mila whispered.

"You get more than words, honey. You get promises I will keep. The most important one is I love you. You get my love and my respect. You get my commitment to treat you as the love of my life forever. Mila Grant, I am asking you to be my wife. You know my past, because I have been honest with you about it. I have had other long term relationships and I have loved them and lived with them. You are the only woman I have ever asked to marry me. I hope you believe me when I say it is a lifetime commitment."

A million thoughts ran through Mila's mind at the speed of light. Then, Little Kevin made a hungry cry and her breasts responded.

"Will you give me an answer?" Kevin pleaded.

Mila nodded her head. "Yes. Yes, to everything. I didn't think it was possible to love someone as much as I love you." Little Kevin was now squalling. Mila reached into the backseat to release him from his car seat and attach him to her breast. "This is not exactly the way I expected a proposal to go, either. It's not very sexy, is it?"

Kevin kissed her gently as he peeped down at his namesake whom he considered the greatest of her many gifts to him. "Mila, this baby is every bit as much mine as yours. To see him suckling at your breast is sexy as hell. I envy him, but he only gets you for a little while. I get you forever.

"Now, go ahead and fill him up, while I tell you what we are doing when we arrive home. I don't think I am going to get my moonlight since it has begun snowing, but you will get a fireplace with falling snow as the backdrop. I am going to propose to you, again. I want a romantic setting, not a truck smelling of sawdust."

Mila raised her face to kiss him long and hard. "I'll take it and I'll take you. I don't mind the smell of sawdust, it's part of you. I love you, Kevin Carter, it is real love this time. I have a surprise for you too… later."

* * *

Curled together on their couch after the kids were in bed, Josh ran his fingers through his wife's hair. He pulled the tie out of her French braid and fingered through her hair gently untangling it and letting it fall around her. He loved her hair, the dark beauty of it. He knew it was old-fashioned to wear it so long, but she kept it long for him because he loved it. This was only one of the many ways she showed him her love.

"Are you okay?" Josh asked. "You seemed a little testy today."

Jenny looked at him.

"I know you are frustrated because you can't speak, but it's only temporary. You have been through this before.

She nodded.

"Do you want to see someone? Make an appointment with a counselor or something?" Josh asked. "You went through an awful ordeal in the hidden room. I know you might have to wait until you get your voice back, but…."

"Not that," Jenny whispered.

"Don't talk, honey. You will only strain your vocal cords more. I hate scolding you, but you have to follow the doctor's instructions."

Jenny grabbed her pad and wrote on it. "Go upstairs, wait for me. I'll be there in a minute."

Josh looked puzzled, but he shrugged and headed for their bedroom.

Jenny retrieved the bag she had hidden when she and Mila came back from shopping and went into the downstairs bathroom. One of her new purchases was a pink baby-doll slip with garters and black stockings. She had decided to forgo the panties. The slip hiked up in the back to expose her entire bottom. It was sexy and enticing, and Josh was a butt man. He was an all over man, yes, but she always thought of him as a butt man.

At the last second, she went to the dryer and pulled out a short terrycloth robe to cover herself. She went into the kitchen where she poured them two glasses of fizzy pink soda she had bought for the kids. She added a few grapes and some of their favorite cookies to a tray, and then proceeded to their bedroom.

She slid the tray onto a bedside table and crooked a finger at him. When he went to her, she handed him a glass.

"This is for a toast," Jenny whispered.

"Jen…."

"Don't scold," ordered Jenny, putting her fingers over his mouth. "Let me say one thing."

Josh's eyes were full of concern.

Jenny raised her glass clinking it against his. "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant," Josh repeated as various emotions played over his face, elation and then worry. "Are you happy about it?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"Yes, I do. Emmie's pregnancy derailed your art career, which you are only now recovering. With Adam, you were sick every morning for three months. He is already in the terrible twos, and he's not even two yet."

"Josh, I want this baby." When she smiled, all of his worries vanished.

"Another baby," Josh exclaimed, pulling her to him. "Oh, Jen, this is amazing, but how? We weren't trying."

Jenny chuckled. "We have been doing all the right things and doing it a lot."

Josh smiled. "I guess we have. I guess we also have not been as careful lately. A baby? When? How far along are you?"

"Five weeks, maybe six, it can't be any long— than th—," what little voice she had was giving out.

"Okay, no more talking," Josh said as he kissed her again. "I'm thrilled. Are you thrilled?"

She nodded, put down her glass, and pulled off her robe.

When Josh saw Jenny's outfit, his heart, and every other part of his body, took a major leap. "Oh baby, you don't need words. I can take it from here. Wow! Mega wow!"

* * *

Jenny looked in the mirror and smiled at her image. Her body was as pink as the babydoll slip she still wore. Josh had left the lingerie on her, which was a first. Their energetic evening also had no need for words. The few sounds of pleasure she had made earned her swats across her bottom at peak moments when she desired them. This morning had not been too shabby, either. Then, they had heard a door open in the hallway, and they knew Adam had escaped.

Josh had slipped out of her arms and chased after the toddler.

She had written herself another note to remember to purchase safety gates and doorknob covers. A two-year-old escaping inside the house was one thing, Adam getting outside on his own would be a different issue altogether.

"I put him in his playpen. He's safe for the moment. What happens when he figures out how to climb out of it? No, don't answer," Josh said, slipping in behind her. "Can you put a kid on a leash line in the house? Maybe we should think about getting you help."

Jenny swung around in surprise, her eyes flashing.

"Not to replace you as Mommy," Josh assured her, recognizing her look. He knew Jenny's overreaction was due to her mother's relinquishment of childcare to household help. "It would only be to help you, give you a second pair of eyes. Emmie was quiet and obedient. Adam is going to be a terror on wheels. It would also give you more time for your art. If I gauge the situation correctly, Mila won't be around for much longer. She will be moving to Kevin's place permanently. Just think about it, please. You would set the parameters, Jen."

She nodded in thought as his hands came around her waist.

"Can we tell anyone, yet?

She shook her head and whispered, "Not before twelve weeks."

The smack she received across her bare bottom was a firm warning and made her jump.

"I won't tell," Josh promised. "And you are not talking anymore, either! When you are back in full form, we need another weekend at the Strater Hotel." He kissed the back of her neck and grinned at her expression in the mirror. "Just saying!"

Jenny could not keep a smile from her face, as she dressed later. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have help with the kids. As long as it was clearly understood she was their mother, who would never relinquish her role in her kids' lives.

"I'll go make sure Adam is still jailed," said Josh, leaving her to finish.

* * *

Once breakfast was over, Josh and Jenny went to the main house and had to take the kids with them. Josh wanted to check for any developments with Peak Designs, while Jenny wanted to finish more artwork.