Sinful Ever After (Sinful Serenade Book 5) (13 page)

Her voice is barely a whisper. "I'm scared."

I slide my hand over her neck and shoulder. "You're carrying the weight of the world again."

She shakes her head.

"Yeah." I rub her shoulder. "Let me take some of it."

Her inhale is sharp. She looks up at me, her eyes heavy with the weight of something I can't figure out. Then her eyes are fixed off someplace in the darkness.

She shakes her head. Another tear rolls down her cheek. This time, I wipe it away with my thumb.

"I'm late," she whispers.

"Late for what?"

"No, Drew." Her voice breaks. "I'm
late
." She takes an unsteady breath and digs her hands into my skin.

Late.

Fuck, she can't mean—

"You're pregnant?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "I don't know. It's probably nothing. The travel or the stress of school. I switched to a new pill a few months ago. Different hormones. It's supposed to be fewer side effects, but I don't remember when my last period was. I don't have a clue."

"Do you want it to be nothing?"

"Wouldn't that be best?"

I bite my lip. I'm trying not to push as hard as I usually do. But fuck, it's tough keeping my mouth shut here. Kara pregnant—that's fucking amazing.

Us, having a family. It's not something I think about. Not right now. But fuck timing. I want that with her. I want everything with her.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"I... want a baby. One day."

"Me too." We've only discussed it briefly. We're young. We're not even married yet. It never seems like an immediate priority. But I know we both want a family. "You'll be a great mom."

"Yeah, but... what if I can't take care of a baby and myself?" She blinks back another tear. "It's not that I don't want it, Drew. I do. I want to have a family with you. I want to have a little girl, and I want to buy her every damn princess dress in the Disney store. Or every superhero costume. Whatever she wants. I want to take her to the park, and to read my favorite books to her until she figures out what she likes, to tell her about boys, or girls, if she decides she prefers girls. I want to teach her to drive, to help her get ready for Prom, to see her graduate... I want all of that. But I can't do it by myself. And I can't ask you to quit."

"I know. We'll figure it out. Don't worry."

She laugh-cries.

Okay. That's a stupid suggestion. "You want me to run out and buy a test? So you know?"

"It's the middle of the night."

Fair point.

"In the morning," she says. "Or... I don't know. I'd rather wait until after the wedding to deal with this."

"You'll feel better knowing."

"Maybe."

I take a deep breath. "It's your body. I wouldn't tell you what to do with it."

"I don't want to have an abortion," she says. "If that's what you're getting at. But I do appreciate that you... that you wouldn't try to decide for me. This is bad timing, but—"

"Fuck timing. We'll make it work."

"How?"

"I'll do whatever it takes."

She's shaking, so I pull her closer. She digs her hands into my skin like I'm her only lifeline.

Fuck, no wonder she's frustrated. This is heavy. It's good, but it's fucking heavy.

"You're not doing anything to me," I whisper. "This is good news."

"Really?"

"This is great, sweetheart. I want to have a family too."

She looks up at me. "It's probably a false alarm."

I rub her shoulders until the tension in them eases. She sighs, relaxing into my body.

"It's probably nothing," she whispers.

But I can tell she doesn't believe that.

––––––––

K
ara

The ring of the alarm clock is cruel. Is it really time to wake up? My body has other ideas.

My mind is not at all inspired by the thought of anything that is not the bed. Especially with Drew's body in such close proximity.

The clock tells me it's ten. We're supposed to meet Meg and Miles in an hour. She needs help with her dress.

I'm not going to usurp her wedding, even if this is eating at me. It can wait a few days.

Drew grabs the offending cellphone and turns off the alarm. He rolls over so he's looking at me. His eyes meet mine. He's half-asleep.

He's cute tired.

"You can stay in bed, baby." I run my fingers through his hair. "I don't think she needs your help with a dress."

He shakes his head. "I'll go with you." He slides his arm around my waist and pulls me back into bed.

Then he pulls my body against his, my back against his chest.

He presses his lips to my neck. "My hands missed you."

Hell yes.

My back arches reflexively. I rub my ass against his crotch until I can feel him hardening.

"You carry the world around on your shoulders," he whispers. "Not gonna let you do that."

"Okay." This does feel like the world.

It's a good thing. A great thing. But it's terrifying.

"It's sweet you want to be there for your friend." He pushes my pajama bottoms to my knees. His voice gets low as he drags his fingers up my thighs. "You can take care of her if you let me take care of you."

"Drew," I breathe. "We're meeting them in an hour."

"I know. Close your eyes." He traces my scars with his thumb. "My hands have been fucking aching for you."

I press my ass against his crotch.

With his other hand, he pulls off my tank top.

I'm naked in his arms—I always sleep sans bra and panties.

His body is hard and warm. I need this release. I need this break. Everything is getting complicated, overwhelming.

I don't do overwhelming. I only do crumbling under the weight of everything overwhelming.

He rubs the spot where my neck meets my shoulders, one hand on each side of my neck.

Damn, the man really does have magic fingers. I sigh with pleasure. Bit by bit, every ounce of tension in my body releases.

"Drew," I groan. "Touch me."

His lips brush my ear. Then he's sucking on my earlobe. It sends a spark of desire straight to my core.

He drags his fingers up my other thigh, once again taking his time to trace each scar. The way he touches me makes me feel whole, accepted.

Like I'm normal.

Like I'm hot as hell.

His fingers brush my sex.

I let out a low groan. Again, I rub my ass against his hard cock.

His touch gets harder. Harder. Then he's rubbing me exactly where I need it.

Pleasure wells up inside me. The man has amazing hands. I bite my lip. I grind against him.

For a few minutes, the only sound in the room is our breaths and our groans. Everything fades away until my world is bliss. The only thing I can feel is the pleasure building in my core.

My sex clenches.

Almost.

He presses his lips against my neck. Then he's sucking on my skin. His breath is hot and heavy.

He's so fucking hard.

A few more brushes of his hand, and I'm at the edge. Then I'm there. All the tension inside me unfurls as I come.

Pleasure spreads out to my fingers and toes. He plants kisses along my shoulders and up my neck.

His lips hover over my ear. "Now, you can get ready."

I shake my head. "Hold me first."

He slides his arm around my waist and pulls me closer.

Right now, the world is perfect.

Pretty soon, it's going to be overwhelming as all hell.

But right now, it's perfect.

––––––––

D
rew

After Kara and Meg go off to pick up dresses, Miles puts me in charge of making sure Tom and Pete show up in appropriate attire.

It shouldn't be a difficult task, but Tom likes to torture me. He spends twenty minutes trying to take charge of Meg and Miles's wedding before he admits he's already packed his plain black suit. He and Willow will be here by tomorrow.

Thankfully, Pete is easier to manage. I text him to bring a black suit. He texts back a sure.

I pick up a test at the hotel's gift shop. Figures they have pregnancy tests in the gift shop of a Las Vegas casino.

I text Kara.

Drew: How's the gown search?

Kara: Fruitful. I think she's found one. How was everything with Miles?

Drew: He's worried about me.

Kara: You were looking at me like you were going to hit anyone who got within fifteen feet.

Drew: That different than normal?

Kara: Normally, it's five feet.

No sense in playing coy here. Not like I can pull off coy.

Drew: I picked up a test.

Kara: Oh.

Drew: What the fuck does "oh" mean?

Kara: I want to spend the night with you without thinking about the future. If it's killing you, I'll take the test. I don't want to. I want a break. But I will. Tell me it's not killing you.

Drew: Not yet.

Kara: Good. I need a break.

I need to lighten her mood.

Drew: That means I can't allow you to ride the roller coaster on the Stratosphere.

Kara: Somehow, I'll live.

Drew: Or the one at the New York, New York.

Kara: What about skydiving?

Drew: Out of the question.

Kara: Gambling?

Drew: With all that secondhand smoke? No way.

Kara: But I'm feeling lucky. Want to put it all on red.

Drew: I can find a way to keep you entertained all night without leaving the hotel room.

Kara: Deal :)

***

I meet Kara in the lobby. She's wearing a face full of makeup, and her hair is pulled into an elegant updo. It leaves her neck completely bare.

"Wedding makeup takes forever." She wraps her arms around me and mumbles into my chest. "This is all going to come off on your shirt."

"Might have to take my shirt off."

"Oh no." Her voice is light as she teases. "That would be awful. What if it got on your pants?"

"Not gonna object to you putting your head in my lap, Kendrick."

"Right here?"

"We'll get arrested." I press my palm into her lower back and lead her to the elevator. There's already a carriage here. We step inside. "I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes."

She looks at me like I'm crazy.

"You trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then close your eyes. I'll lead you."

She pushes her lips to one side. Her eyes pass over me slowly. She looks at me like she's going to consume me.

My cock stirs. I fucking love that look. I've had a lot of attention in my life—too much the last few years. Kara undressing me with her eyes blows everything else out of the water.

I need to get her out of that tight wrap dress.

The thing falls off her curves like it was made for them.

Her lips fall apart. She sighs lightly as she nods. "Okay." She presses her eyelids together. "We'll also get arrested for having sex in the elevator, won't we?"

"Yeah." I chuckle. Doesn't mean we have to keep our hands to ourselves. I lean in to kiss her. My hand finds the neckline of her dress. I trace the fabric until she's groaning into my mouth.

Her back arches. Her crotch grinds against mine. Blood rushes to my cock. It gets hard to think.

Can't start this in the elevator.

But I'm not about to stop.

My hands need her skin. I slide my hand into her bra, cupping her breast. Within seconds, I'm rock hard.

She's divine.

I slide my tongue into her mouth, kissing her like I'll never get another chance to kiss her again. There's been too much heaviness. I need to feel close to her tonight.

I need to know she's mine.

My other hand finds the hem of her dress. Then it's on the soft skin of her thigh. I run my fingers over her skin. They brush over her cutting scars.

The elevator dings. Our floor. I press my palm against her panties—she's already wet—then pull it back to my side.

This needs to happen in our hotel room.

This needs to happen all fucking night.

I pull away and take a long breath. "Keep them closed."

She's panting. "Drew."

Fuck. I need inside her now. Need that dress on the floor, her lush tits in my hand, her soft ass grinding against me.

I step behind her so I can lead her.

She sighs as her ass brushes against my cock. "When did you become such a tease?"

I bring one hand to her hips and hold her body against mine.

"Drew," she groans. "I will jump you in the hallway."

And I'll let her. It's almost worth getting kicked out of the hotel. Fuck knows, I don't mind. Major perk of being a rock star—nobody bats an eye if you trash a hotel room or get caught having public sex.

But Kara is gonna be a teacher. And last I checked, schools frown on that kind of thing.

I break touch to lead her down the hallway. Her eyelids stay pressed together. She takes slow, careful steps like she expects to trip.

"I've got you." I pull her closer. A few more steps, and we're at our corner suite.

I slide the key card into the electronic lock and turn the handle.

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Kara tugs at my t-shirt.

"Not yet." I push the door open and lead her inside.

Usually, I find it hard to care about hotel rooms. Seen one, seen them all. But this suite is amazing. The curtains are drawn enough to let in the neon lights of the city. The main room has a white leather sectional, a coffee table, and a dining area. The bedroom is off to the side. As much as I enjoy fucking Kara on a couch, I need her on her back, her legs pinned to the bed.

Now.

"You can open your eyes," I say.

She gasps. Her eyes go wide as she takes in the room. "Drew, this is..." She squeezes my hand. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

She spends a minute exploring the room. The last bit of tension falls off her face. She shrugs her coat off her shoulders and tosses it over the couch.

I almost want to watch her run around with glee all night.

Almost... but not quite.

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her soft body into mine. "There's a bathtub for two with jets."

She sighs with pleasure. "After."