Authors: Randi Cardoza
Chapter 32
Kenzi’s hands attacked Shawn’s clothes and before he knew it he was standing there naked while she walked around him appraisingly.
“Yummy. Just to think you’re all mine, sends shivers dancing across my skin,” Kenzi whispered as she took Shawn’s hand in hers.
Shawn was going into sensory overload standing there. Kenzi was looking at him like a piece of meat and he loved it, actually he adored the predatory look in her eyes. She’d never instigated sex except for when she was pregnant with Layla and then he’d actually begun to think that was all she wanted him for.
Shawn had the look of a deer trapped in the headlights and Kenzi laughed as she took his finger and slid it into her mouth. Her swirling tongue made erotic promises of what was to come.
Kenzi’s hands slithered across his body, touching him sensually but never just the way he wanted.
“Kenzi!” he gasped as her hands touched and squeezed his erection.
In response, Kenzi licked his lips and trailed her tongue across his jaw to his chest. He shivered as her teeth scraped over his flat nipples and moved on teasingly nibble on his chest.
Her tongue worshipped him but never where he wanted, needed her to. Kenzi’s hands grasped his firm butt and squeezed as her nails gently scored his flesh.
“Kenzi, this isn’t fair?” Shawn gasped.
“All’s fair in love and war, Shawn. This is both and to the victor go the spoils,” Kenzi said teasingly as she nibbled his neck rubbed her fingers along his scalp.
“Just remember turnabout is fair play and when I get done with you later, you won’t be able to remember your name let alone breathe,” Shawn rumbled into her ear.
Kenzi’s laughter tinkled through the air as she pushed him back into a chair. Turning around, her hips began to shimmy and her knee-length skirt slithered to the ground to pool at her feet.
Her shirt sailed through the air to land at Shawn’s feet a few seconds later. He watched her mesmerized by the vision she created. They’d been together a long while and yet he’d never seen her like this.
She wore a periwinkle bra cut low enough that she was very nearly falling out of it. She had lace-topped thigh high stockings attached to a black garter belt and Shawn was shocked to see she didn’t have panties on.
“Please tell me you took them off already,” Shawn pleaded as his erection grew.
“What if I tell you that I didn’t wear them? Does it turn you on to think that any time you wanted you could have grabbed me and pulled me into your old room for a quickie?” Kenzi asked as she unhooked her bra.
“Kenzi, our parents,” Shawn moaned as she stepped closer to him.
“Shawn, we’ve had a baby. They know we do this on occasion,” Kenzi replied with a smirk. “Actually, a little more than just occasionally.”
Kenzi stepped closer to him and widened her stance to straddle his outstretched legs. Her knees fit just right into the chair next to his hips and she slowly lowered herself onto him.
Shawn groaned and perspiration dotted his forehead. He could feel every muscle in his body tense as Kenzi’s body encased his erection. Her movements were slow and drove him wild.
Kenzi’s hips slowly ground into Shawn’s groin and felt satisfaction at the groan that escaped his chest. His hands finally reached for her.
“It’s about time! I thought you were going to make me do all the work,” she teased before she kissed him.
Their tongues mated as his hands slip down to caress her breasts and finally to her hips where he speeds up her torturously slow, grinding thrusts.
Kenzi could feel her orgasm come upon her like a tidal wave. Muscles she didn’t know she owned undulated and she collapsed against Shawn’s chest. Within moments Shawn could feel his orgasm come and he thrust deeply into Kenzi.
“I think we both gave as good as we got, Shawn,” Kenzi teased as her fingers ran through his hair.
Shawn felt too weak to move, he’d have fallen asleep except for the fact that he and Kenzi were both naked in a chair rather than in bed.
The phone rang at that instant and Kenzi jumped up to get it. He wondered how she had the energy to move let alone jump.
“Shawn, I don't know how they got it through this fast but they have the DNA results. Nelson and Dylan want us to go to the office ASAP,” Kenzi said putting her hand over the receiver.
“Sure, give me two years or so to recover and then we’ll go,” Shawn replied in a daze.
Kenzi quickly hung up the phone and got dressed. Shawn was lagging behind but she kept urging him to get ready.
“You are going to wear underwear this time, aren’t you?” Shawn asked as they made their way from the house to the car.
“Shawn, get your mind out of the gutter. If you’re this distracted after sex, I’m going to drive,” Kenzi said huffily.
“Okay, chill. I’m just trying to lighten the mood. We’ll be there in a few minutes,” Shawn said as he pulled the car onto the street and headed towards FBI headquarters.
Nelson and Dylan greeted them when they arrived and ushered them into the lab.
“So, what’s happening?” Kenzi asked tossing her purse at a desk.
“We have the results and they are conclusive,” Nelson said glancing over at Dylan.
Kenzi looked at Shawn and for the first time was nervous that the girl might not be Layla. A sigh of relief escaped when Nelson smiled widely.
“We found her. It’s your daughter, Layla. The results were as close as they could possibly be for a child to be biologically related to you,” Nelson said.
“Thank God!” Kenzi said with a smile as she hugged Shawn and then Nelson.
“When can we take her home?” Shawn asked.
“We’re talking to Layla now. Do you want to see her?” Dylan asked.
Kenzi and Shawn both nodded their heads and followed him to a nearby office. Tears pooled in Kenzi’s eyes when she saw how closely the girl resembled the one in the photograph.
“Lynne, this is--,” Dylan started to say but Lynne interrupted him.
“You’re the people she kept telling me were my mommy and daddy,” she said.
“We are your mommy and daddy. I’m Kenzi Douglass and this is your father Shawn Douglass. How do you know who we are?” Kenzi asked as she crouched down in front of Lynne.
“She told me. My real name is Layla Douglass, my parents are Kenzi and Shawn, and she took me when I was a baby. Why didn’t you find me before?” Layla asked.
“We tried, sweetheart, we tried so hard. We had police all over the country looking for you. Kenzi and I were FBI until a few weeks ago and we did everything we could to find you,” Shawn said kneeling beside Kenzi.
“Layla, can you tell me who took you?” Kenzi asked as she brushed chocolate brown hair out of Layla’s blue eyes.
“She made me call her Cindy. The guy that lived with us for a while always called her Cynthia. Are they going to arrest me now?” Layla asked looking up at Shawn with tears in her eyes.
“No, honey, they aren’t going to arrest you. Would you like to come home with Kenzi and me? It’s the judge’s decision but we’ve missed you a lot,” Shawn asked gently as he squeezed her hand in reassurance.
They could tell Layla didn’t quite trust them but she was willing to try.
“Layla, we’re not going to hurt you. Even though you don’t know us, we love you and always have,” Kenzi said holding out her hand.
Layla looked at Kenzi in distrust but clung to Shawn’s hand when he offered it. Kenzi could feel her heart sink a little but as long as she had her little girl, there was nothing she couldn’t fix.
Chapter 33
"Shawn, this is so frustrating! Layla doesn’t like me,” said Kenzi as they got ready to go to bed. “It’s been a month and I feel as distant from her as I did when she was gone.”
“Kenzi, you know how this type of thing works. Cynthia abused her badly and she doesn’t trust women. She has to get used to you loving her and being supportive of her,” Shawn replied as he took Kenzi in his arms.
“I know, Shawn, but this new baby is going to take up some of my time, too, and I don’t want her to feel neglected by me because of the baby.”
“Kenzi, all I can say is things will work out. She’s a scared little girl. Once she sees you’re not going to hurt her she’ll start to trust you,” Shawn promised as he nudged her into bed and climbed in beside her.
“I know that logically, but it still hurts. My baby doesn’t trust me, Shawn,” Kenzi said close to tears for about the hundredth time that day.
“Give her time, Kenzi, that’s all she needs,” Shawn promised.
Layla listened outside the door. It was weird, she’d upset Kenzi, she hadn’t been able to call her mom yet, and Kenzi hadn’t hit her or yelled at her. She got upset and cried instead.
Cindy hadn’t wanted Layla to trust her, only to trust that if Layla did anything good or bad she’d be beaten. Kenzi was upset because Layla didn’t trust her.
She liked her new house it was what normal kids like Mia had. She got a bath every night, got to eat three whole meals a day, and was gently scolded rather than beaten.
Shawn, daddy, was the best. He bought her nice stuff and ice cream. He talked to her all the time and played with her. He’d even bought her a puppy to play with Sunshine and she got to name her whatever she wanted. She'd decided on Rainbow.
Layla never remembered feeling so welcome anywhere. Kenzi and daddy tucked her into bed every night and did fun stuff with her. She had a big family, with lots of kids her age that hugged her every time they saw her, especially grandma Delia and grandpa John.
Layla snuck back to her room and quietly closed the door. She was almost to the bed when she tiptoed back and opened it just a crack.
Bleary-eyed, Kenzi woke to see a huddled white form lying beside the bed. Glancing at the clock she realized Layla must have snuck in some time after midnight. Layla was always afraid to get in bed with her and Shawn if she had a nightmare or was scared so she would lie down next to the bed and try to sneak out before they woke up.
Gently Kenzi got up and lifted Layla into the bed next to Shawn and crawled in next to her. The bed was big enough to hold the three of them comfortably and Kenzi tried to relax enough to fall asleep again but all she could do was lie there and stare at Layla’s cherubic face.
Shawn turned to his left facing Kenzi and came awake with a face full of dark hair. Kenzi was across from him but Layla lay between them. Both wrapped an arm around her and clasped hands.
Layla woke up as soon as the sunlight hit her face ready to tiptoe back to her room and go back to sleep but something wouldn’t let her get up. She started to struggle and scream afraid that she might not get away this time.
“Layla…Layla…it’s okay. It’s us, your mom and dad,” Kenzi said softly into her ear as she grabbed one of Layla’s flailing fists.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she focused on Kenzi’s face and her softly spoken words. Kenzi’s hands cupped her cheeks as she kissed her tears away.
“You can stay here with us if you want. If you’re scared you can get in bed with us any time, all you have to do is ask, sweetie,” Kenzi said hugging her close.
“Your mom’s right, Layla. We love you and we understand if you’re scared. All you have to do is knock on our door and ask if you can sleep in our bed,” Shawn said brushing her hair back. “Okay?”
Layla nodded and sat up scooting as far back into the headboard as she could. It was too familiar, eerily familiar and yet she was scared to death of it changing.
“It’s Saturday, how about I make the pancakes and you and your mom can stay up here for breakfast in bed?” Shawn asked nudging Layla carefully out of the shell she’d scurried into.
“Would you like that, sweetie? Daddy will make a big batch of chocolate chip pancakes and bring ‘em up to us. I don’t know about you but I’m really hungry,” Kenzi said as she sat moved next to Layla and wrapped an arm around her.
“I guess. Do we get juice, too?” Layla asked looking up at Shawn.
“For you, anything, my dear. What kind of syrup do you want?” Shawn asked.
“How about chocolate syrup? But remember it’s only for very special occasions, okay?” Kenzi said with a smile.
“What kind of syrup do you get?” Layla asked looking at Kenzi.
“I like raspberry,” Kenzi replied licking her lips. “And your daddy likes blueberry syrup and whipped cream.”
“Can I have whipped cream, too?”
“Like I said before, anything for you,” Shawn said with a smile and left to make breakfast.
Layla looked at Kenzi for a moment and said, “Daddy loves you a lot doesn’t he?”
Kenzi smiled and said, “Daddy loves us both a lot, more than he can ever tell us. I love you a lot, more than you’ll ever know, sweet girl.”
“If I call you mom will you promise not to hit me or yell at me?” Layla asked doubtfully but she prayed that Kenzi would agree.
“I’ll agree on the hitting but I can’t guarantee the yelling. Sometime you might do something that makes me angry enough to yell at you but I promise it will never ever ever be the way it was when you were with her,” Kenzi promised. “Will you call me mom if I promise that?”
“I guess if I try hard not to do anything bad you won’t have to yell at me then,” Layla said with a shrug.
“Sweetheart, listen to me, yelling doesn’t always mean anger. People make mistakes and so do children. I don’t expect you to be perfect and I don’t want you to be anyone but who you are. It will take an awful lot to make me yell at you, Layla, I promise.”
“It’s hard to forget you’re not her,” Layla said as she trailed a small finger over Kenzi’s cheek.
“Honey, I know how difficult it is to forget things. Daddy and I both had nightmares about the day you were kidnapped and neither of us could find you. It still hurts to remember how long you were gone from us and how it hurt our marriage and our families. Can you understand?” Kenzi asked as she pulled Layla to her side.
“I dunno but I’ll try.”
Shawn smiled from outside the door and carried in a tray with two plates and two glasses of orange juice on it.
“Here we go…a double order of chocolate chip pancakes and juice. How are things in here?” Shawn asked.
“I just love days like this. Why don’t we go on a picnic for lunch? What do you say, Layla?” Kenzi asked as she cut up their pancakes.
“Can we carve a pumpkin, too, mom?”
“Well, I guess we can go pumpkin picking and then your daddy can help you carve a pumpkin. I’m not sticking my hands in that icky mess,” Kenzi said as she wrinkled her nose but had laughter in her voice.
“Your mom always used to wrestle me for who got to carve the pumpkin when we were kids. Of course, we both had our own but we didn’t care. What are you going to be for Halloween? It’s only a couple weeks away, you know,” Shawn asked as he tickled Layla.
Layla giggled and sat up. “I wanna be…Supergirl! Do we get to go treating on Halloween? I never got to afore.”
“You bet. Mia, Tommy, and Isaac are going to go with us, too. And after you get done Aunt Danielle, Uncle Brady, Aunt Mimi, and Uncle Phil will be at the restaurant for the Halloween party,” Shawn replied as he wiped whipped cream from her chin.
“Is mom gonna get fat like Aunt Danielle and Mimi since she’s having a baby too?”
“You little stinker,” Kenzi said tickling her mercilessly. “No one who is going to have a baby gets fat, Layla. Besides, you can look at pictures of me when I was pregnant with you and then tell me if you think I was fat.”
“Was she fat daddy?” Layla asked looking at Shawn.
“Nope, she was absolutely beautiful just like she is now. Come on, you get dressed while mom finishes her breakfast and then we’ll head over to grandma and grandpa Douglass’s house so you can play with Mia and talk about Halloween,” Shawn said picking her up out of the bed and carrying her to her room.
Layla picked out her favorite outfit. It was a pink and purple sweater with jeans. Mom had shown her how to match stuff up in her closet.
Kenzi came in a few minutes later after having returned the empty tray to the kitchen. Layla was staring at her closet holding her favorite sweater and a cheery orange t-shirt with a yellow sun on it.
“If you wear the sun shirt you can wear that orange jacket over it,” Kenzi suggested from the doorway.
“The one that’s all different colors?” Layla asked as she tossed the sweater and her nightshirt on a chair.
“Yeah, you won’t need the jacket if you wear the sweater. Do you want me to fix your hair?”
“Can you just braid it? Me and Mia are building our tree house with Grandpa Gabe and daddy today,” Mia asked pulling her jeans on and then the shirt over her head.
“Sure can. Here sit down and I’ll have it done in no time,” Kenzi said as she sat down on the bed.
“Hey, you two we’re going to be late! Let’s get going,” Shawn called from downstairs.
“Almost done,” Kenzi said as she twisted the last strand into place. “Your daddy has no patience. Glad I thought to get dressed before I went downstairs.”
They walked downstairs hand in hand and out the door. Layla was practically jumping up and down with excitement while Kenzi smiled at her enthusiasm.
They arrived at Gabe and Megan’s to see a line of cars in the drive. Brady and Danielle, Mimi and Ryder, not to mention John and Delia, Grandpa Shamus. and Grandma Caroline, Aunt Samantha and Uncle Brandon, and Aunt Jennifer, cousin Abby, and Great-Grandma Alice.
“Wow! Why didn’t you say this was a family reunion?” Shawn teased as they greeted everyone in the yard.
“Well, you know this family, Shawn. Everyone has to show up to help,” Megan replied.
Layla ran off with Mia while Kenzi joined Danielle and Mimi who were seated under a large umbrella sipping apple cider.
Soon all the men and boys disappeared to build Layla and Mia’s tree house and the two girls were nowhere to be found.
Megan ushered all the women inside as best she could with her growing girth where it was decorated for a double baby shower. Kenzi smirked because her two best friends hadn’t figured it out.
While the men did the grunt work the women relaxed in the house as Danielle and Mimi opened gift after gift. Soon the men were trudging in and out to get water and food.
Kenzi, Danielle and Mimi went to the kitchen to clean up and stood staring out the kitchen window as Mia and Layla snuck up on Tommy and Isaac with a garden hose. The water sprayed full blast on them as the girls screamed with delight.
Shawn turned in time to get a face full of water just like Brady. With a devilish glint in his eye, he grabbed the hose from her and gave chase.
“Water fight!” Brady screamed following Shawn as he chased after Mia and Layla.
Ryder soon joined in and everyone was soaking wet. Thankfully, it was still relatively warm for October.
“I cannot believe Mia did that,” Megan said with a smile.
“It’s her niece’s bad influence. That girl has a mind for strategy and it will definitely keep us on our toes trying to keep up with her. I just hope this next one takes it easy on us,” Kenzi said with a laugh as she patted the slight bulge of her belly.
Then Kenzi wrapped an arm around Danielle and Mimi with a smile and said, “Would you look at our families? I hope we have an eternity of days like this.”
“We will. I'm just glad we all got our second chances.”