Authors: Casey Clipper
Courtney looked up at him with wide eyes.
"I haven't thought of a girl's name," she choked out. "Darren had names picked out for the first pregnancy. I'm not sure about using those."
He stroked her cheek and smiled indulgently. "You have time."
"I'll give you until tomorrow," Sean said firmly, his military tone seeping through. "When I file the paperwork I want a name."
She snorted. "Okay, Sir."
A knock on the door interrupted the laughter. Ryan answered the door to find Mary in the hallway.
"Mr. Murphy, there are quite a few family members here to see your daughter and wife,” Mary said disapprovingly.
He'd forgotten about their family members, who'd arrived hours ago, gathered downstairs.
"Allow Courtney to finish feeding the baby then everyone can come up to visit,” Derrick ordered.
"Yes, sir. Is there anything I can get you?" Mary asked.
His wife piped in. "Get him a glass of whiskey, Mary, and make sure to bring one up for Sean and Ryan as well."
"Yes, ma'am," Mary said. She smiled at Courtney then scurried off to her duties.
Derrick furrowed his brow.
"You deserve it. All three of you do," she said.
"I do need a stiff drink," Ryan agreed and wiped his brow in an exaggerated motion. "Such hard work."
Courtney picked up a towel and threw it at him. Overwhelming joy radiated throughout the room due to their newborn baby girl.
Trent
Trent stood at The Point for forty-five minutes and anxiously waited. Always the same. Mr. X was never punctual with his scheduled appointments. What the man's job was and what his real name was, Trent remained clueless. Mr. X wasn't exactly the type to confide in him.
All of their meetings were held at different locations, causing Trent to travel and come up with excuses why he'd gone off grid for a period of hours. His boss would always question him.
Today it had taken Trent forty-five minutes to drive into the city, fifteen minutes to walk to the fountain, forty-five minutes of waiting, and would be another hour before he returned. If he didn't hit traffic. Close to three hours missing. Someone would question him.
He scanned his surroundings again. The sun beat down without a cloud in the sky on the perfect fall day. A rippling soft cadence from the fountain, that centerpiece of the intersection of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers which created the Ohio River, created a perfect backdrop. Joggers and bike riders passed on the walkway, taking advantage of the mid seventies temperature. No one gave him a second glance. He blended into the scene of those out to enjoy the day.
"Well?" the familiar voice asked from behind.
Startled, Trent spun to find Mr. X perusing the area, definitely paranoid they were being watched. At first, Trent had been concerned the man might be a cop but he didn't give off the cop feel. Maybe PI? Who knew? Who cared? As long as Trent danced that fine line and didn't give him information to damage Derrick Murphy and got paid, they would be fine. Mr. X never asked for damaging intel. Just private questions. And never anything about Darren or Derrick, it was always centered around Mrs. Murphy.
"She had a baby girl yesterday," Trent said.
"A girl?" the man sounded shocked.
"Yes, it was a surprise to everyone," Trent answered.
"They were expecting a boy?"
He shrugged. "I think she thought she was going to have a boy."
A long pause. "How's the baby?"
"Good. Healthy. Beautiful," he answered.
"And the mother?"
"The same."
Trent watched the man's features light up. "I'm sure she's a gorgeous mother."
Something was off. No one made such observations about Courtney Murphy, or at least voiced them out loud. That was an unspoken rule. She was hands/eyes off. Out of respect, the boss's wife wasn't looked at as an object of desire. No matter how attractive she was. And Courtney was gorgeous. But some boundaries you did
not
cross.
"What is the baby girl's name?" the man asked.
Trent shook his head. "She hasn't named her yet."
"Understandable if she thought she was having a boy."
Awkward silence filled the air between them. Trent watched the man ponder his answers. When Mr. X seemed satisfied with their meeting, he pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket and passed it over.
"I'll be in contact shortly," the man said in his usual businesslike tone, then turned and walked away.
Trent opened the envelope to count his usual payment of five thousand dollars. He promptly left the city to head back to the busy Murphy home.
It was always the same, mindless, useless questions from Mr. X. What was his deal?
Derrick
"Caitlin Danielle Murphy," Courtney said when Derrick stepped into their bedroom.
Once again, his baby girl was latched onto her mother's breast. Apparently his daughter owned a bottomless pit.
"Caitlin,” Derrick tested the name.
"It's Irish," she explained.
"Danielle?" he asked knowingly.
"An extension of Darren's name."
Daniel had been Darren's middle name.
"I think it's perfect," Derrick said.
He crawled in next to wife and stroked his daughter's bald head. Derrick had no clue he could love something so incredibly deep in his life. The love was far different from the one he felt for Court, who was his everything, his reason to breathe. But Caitlin, baby Caitlin, was a part of him. His daughter was his heart, whereas Courtney was his soul.
He leaned down and kissed Caitlin's tiny, soft head, taking in that newborn scent. When he straightened, he swiftly kissed Court, but when he went to pull back, she reached up and caressed his cheek and prolonged their contact. She took him by surprise. He allowed her to lead, not wanting to push her beyond what she was comfortable with. Fighting his inner Neanderthal that wanted to plunge deep into her mouth and claim her, it took every ounce of willpower he possessed. All he would accomplish was causing his wife to retreat, and they'd made great strides recently for him to make that horrendous error. Her hesitancy evident, as if testing the waters, her butterfly pecks drove him crazy. He could get lost in her heavenly taste.
Courtney
Courtney's need for connection to Derrick drew her to kiss him. The family picture he painted by sitting beside her, gazing tenderly at his daughter, overtook her emotions. But she took a guarded approach, unsure how she might feel.
She pulled away and opened her eyes to find Derrick intently studying her. Flushed, embarrassed by her actions, she slinked back. Derrick rebuked, shaking his head.
"Don't," he said, running a finger across the porcelain skin of her cheek and down her neckline. He kissed her again then pulled away. "You can kiss me anytime you wish, my Courtney," Derrick said gruffly. "I'll never turn you away."
While he continued to run his finger over her bee-stung lips, his hypnotic touch seduced her. She couldn't respond. "They feel like velvet," his voice soft, deep, husky. He kissed her again. "And taste like sugar," he said more to himself than to her.
A solid knock on the bedroom door pulled them from their deep intimacy. She jerked back, then glanced down at Caitlin, who continued to feed as if she'd been starving her daughter. Derrick sighed, picked up a small, light blanket and placed it over her left shoulder to hide her breast.
"Come in," he called out.
The door flew open and Ryan and Sean waltzed into the bedroom with flowers, gifts, and gift baskets in hand. She laughed aloud, startling the baby, who didn't dislodge despite the fright.
Sean approached Court, handed her a dozen pale, pink roses, and kissed her on the cheek. He lifted the receiving blanket to check on his newborn cousin. Only Sean and Ryan would get away with that invasion.
"Is she doing well at breastfeeding?" Ryan asked. He stepped up next to his brother to look in on his baby cousin.
"Yes, all she wants to do is eat," Courtney complained. "I don't know how long I can continue this."
Both men chuckled. Coincidentally Caitlin had decided she was done eating when both men entered the room. Courtney repositioned her daughter, but Ryan snatched her away to take the task of burping her. Courtney straightened her button down shirt, sat back and allowed her cousins to give her a break from mommy duty.
"I've decided on Caitlin Danielle Murphy," Courtney said.
Both men beamed.
"I like it." Ryan nodded approvingly.
"So do I," Sean agreed. "I'll fill out the birth certificate information and send it in."
Derrick cleared his throat. "I can't thank you enough for delivering Caitlin here in our home, so we didn't have to worry about their safety," he said. "I'd like to pay you in some way..."
Both cousins went to protest but Derrick held up his hand. Courtney snorted, having received that same look and hand numerous times from him throughout the years.
"But I understand you'll refuse any form of payment. Instead, I made donations in both of your names to the hospital. Ryan, I made a donation to the NICU and Sean to the cardiology department," Derrick said.
"You shouldn't have done that, Derrick. There's no need," Sean said, his tone hard.
The air changed from jubilant to tense and rigid. All three men with heightened testosterone levels tried to command the environment.
"Derrick, do you mind if I talk to Sean and Ryan alone?" Courtney asked. The potential conflict needed to end before it got started.
Derrick hesitated, his eyes bouncing between her cousins.
"Please," she pleaded. She gave him her biggest puppy dog look she could manage. Probably wasn't right to manipulate her husband, but whatever worked.
A short, tight nod and a quick kiss on the lips, Derrick left her alone with her cousins.
"Guys‒"
"I don't want to owe your husband a favor," Sean growled.
"Stop it now," Courtney demanded, gnashing her teeth. "You won't owe my husband a favor. He's grateful, damn it. He feels he owes you but has no idea how to repay the favor. If anything, he's indebted to both of you. God, if you went to him and asked for anything he couldn't and wouldn't deny you," she spat. "Stop throwing my husband's thank-you back in his face."
Both men stood flabbergasted. They'd never witnessed the hard, demanding side of her. She watched them risk a glance at each other, doing that unspoken communication thing they often did, which had always infuriated her.
"Oh, stop that," she snapped.