This Time Around (27 page)

“Do you want a little brother?” I ask CJ.

“Yes. It would be so cool,” CJ says excitedly. I move my eyes to Knox and smile at him. He looks so unsure of my answer. Liam sits quietly next to me, taking it all in.

“Do you want to call me ‘Mum’, Knox?” He nods his head.

“Yes. I never had a ‘Mum’. Shelly isn’t my ‘Mum’. You are. I love you,” he whispers the last part. I pull him to me and lift him up into my lap and hug him tight to me. He smells like baby powder.

“Oh, Knox Bradley, I love you too. I would be honoured if you called me ‘Mum’.” I kiss the top of his head and then turn to face Liam. He has lifted Connie onto his lap and they are both smiling at us, I can see that Liam is trying his very best not to cry in front of the kids.

Bless his cotton socks.

“Ooooo, yay! We are the Miller-Bradley family.” We all laugh

“Do you two want something to eat?” I ask the kids.

“Hot dog.”

“Burger.” They both reply at the same time.

“Okay, let’s go and fill your tummies up then. Liam, do you want anything?” He smiles his handsome signature Bradley smile. He looks at Connie, then me, and then Knox. He looks happy, content. The love shines from him. Whoa, I read way too many romance novels. Damn the amazing author writing all of these amazing sexy, romance books.

“I have everything I need right in front of me.” He winks at me.

“Sappy, Dad, sappy,” Connie says and flicks his nose, before jumping off and running away.

“What she said,” Knox says, and follows her. I hold my hand out for Liam, which he takes. I pull him up so he is standing in front of me. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me that little bit closer. I slide my hands up his back under his shirt, loving the feel of his soft tight skin under my fingertips. I slide my fingers up his spine, knowing that his tattoo is there. It has such meaning to him; him finding his journey in life and Knox being a part of that journey.

“I love you, you know,” he says, looking down at me.

“I know. It just so happens that I love you too. Now let’s go and feed our kids before they cry neglect,”

“I like that,” Liam says, as we walk towards the food table

“Like what?”

“That you said ‘our kids’. It sounds right.”

“Because is it is right. It is perfect. Now, feed me Seymour,” I say, using the voice from the film.

“Milady,” he says, and he bows making me giggle.

“Why, thank you kind, Sir.” I kiss his cheek when he straightens. He takes a hold of my hand and we walk over to the table that houses all of the food. My mum always cooks way too much, I think that’s where I get it from. Rachel and Jay are standing by the table having a heated conversation.

“Why?” Jay asks her.

“I am just not ready. Why can’t you see that? God.” She looks pissed, but I can also see hesitation in her eyes. Rachel has never had a boyfriend, she likes to have fun. And from what I have heard, Jay is the same way. Maybe I heard wrong.

“Well you were more than ready last night, and the night before that,” he hisses. I knew that they had slept together, hence the new rule of phoning her before I go over to her house. I do not want to see a naked Jay Castle again. Oh, now that was a lie, Jay is freaking hot. All tight muscles and a very, very tight arse.

“Really? You really are a prick, Jay. I want you to leave,” Rachel says, stamping her foot. Oh my God, did she really just stamp her foot? She always makes fun of women who do that.

“You never invited me, Kitten, so you can’t ask me to leave. Just suck it up, oh my bad you already did,” he winks at her. This time I can’t stop the laughter that escapes my throat. Rachel turns her head and glares at me. I stop laughing but a hiccup slips out.

“Make him leave.
Now
”

“No.”

“But I am your best friend. Make him leave, he is being an arsehole to me,” she spits out.

“Oh speaking of a..”

“Shut it, dude,” Liam adds. Jay winks at me and I giggle again.

“You are very close to losing your BFF card, missy.” Rachel folds her arms across her chest and shoots invisible daggers at me.

“Grow up, Kitten.” Jay sounds fed up. And to be honest, I don’t blame him. Rachel has been off the past two weeks and I know that Jay is the one throwing her off balance.

“Rach. Just ignore him for today. He is being a dick.” I turn to Jay. “No offence, but you are.”

“None taken, I guess. I am going to grab a beer. Do you want one?” he asks Liam.

“I will come with you. See you in a little bit, babe.” He kisses me and walks away with his friend. I turn back to Rachel who is watching the boys walk away. I smile at her; she has it so freaking bad.

“What?” she asks, when she sees me staring at her.

“You like him,” I state.

“Hell no. Okay, I do. But he is a playboy. I saw him the other week at a club, and I saw him kissing two different girls throughout the night. I am fucking torn Pen. He is an arsehole, but God he shags like a jackrabbit. He is sooooo good in bed. The things that bloke does with his tongue.” She closes her eyes and licks her lips. I look around to make sure no-one is seeing her mini-orgasm. Damn he must be good.

“Are you done?” She opens her eyes and looks behind me. I turn and follow her gaze and see Jay smiling at her. “Take a chance, Rach. He might surprise you.”

“I doubt it.” I look over to the group and see Liam, along with Jay, Dex, Adrian and Addy. I smile at the group, but my smile fades when the laughter stops. Oh bollocks.

“Are you freaking kidding me? I am standing right here. God. I really don’t why I bother with you anymore, Dexter Castle.”

“Neither do I
Addison Cole
,” Dex replies, grinding out her full name, like she did his.

“Do you know what?”

“Don’t Addy,” Jay chimes in. She looks at Jay, tears in her eyes. Jay steps forward to comfort her, but she steps back. The garden is so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

“I can’t Jay. I’m done. I will be out of the studio by the end of the week.” She looks at Dex, with a pleading look in her eyes. She is pleading with him to stop her, to beg her not to leave. But his words hurt even me.

“Well that is your choice. Good luck, Addison,” Dex mutters. It all happens so fast no-one had a chance to react. Jay dives for Dex, and punches him right in the jaw. Dex falls to the floor and the ladies scream, including me. The kids scream but my mother and Darla rush them into the kitchen. The brothers roll around on the floor. Liam, Adrian and Matt pull them apart, both of them are breathing heavy. Jay has a cut above his eyebrow and Dex has a split lip.

“Are you fucking crazy? My kids were in the garden,” Liam fumes. Both brothers drop their heads. Rachel rushes to Jay’s side, offering him a clean napkin, to my surprise he takes it from her and kisses her cheek. I walk over to Addy who is standing there shaking, taking in the scene in front of her. Tears stream down her face and my heart breaks for her. Dex steps towards us, but Addy shakes her head. And I see Dex’s face crumble right in front of everyone. He doesn’t look at anyone else, these two are locked in silent conversation.

“I am sorry, Penny. Mr and Mrs. Miller, I’m sorry for ruining today.” He doesn’t wait for a reply he just walks out of the garden. I pull Addy to me, but she pulls away from me.

“I am going to go, I have a lot to do.” She turns and runs from the garden.

“Go after her, Jay,” Rachel says.

“Thank you.” Jay kisses her forehead and runs after Addy.

I turn and make my way over to my man. My sexy man. His smile widens when he sees me approach. He holds his arm out and I slide right under it and mould myself to his hard body. Connie and Knox come running out of the house and wrap themselves around our legs.

Home.

This is where I belong.

This is where we all belong.

“Yes. Right there,” I pant out, as Liam slams into me again. He has been making me scream for the past six hours. He stops for food and drinks but then he gets back to it. “YES!!!”

I scream as my climax hits again. My body turns to jelly under my man, but he is relentless. He chases his own orgasm. After a few more thrusts he comes inside of me. He falls onto my chest, but he holds his full weight off me. I wrap my arms around him, feeling the layer of sweat that covers his body. I trail my fingers up and down his spine and I feel his dick pulse inside of me.

“Babe, I think my cock needs a break,” he says into my neck, his warm breath tickles my skin.

“Oh, so now you want a break. But when I wanted one I was told no. Charming, Mr Bradley,” I say into his shoulder. I lick his sweaty skin and he jerks his head up and looks down at me.

“I love you, Penny Miller.” He kisses me.

“I love you too, Liam Bradley.” I lean up and give him a quick kiss. He looks at me like he wants to say something, but he holds back. I frown at him. “What?”

“Nothing, baby.” Yeah that wasn’t very convincing.

“Liam, something is wrong, tell me.” He drops his head to my shoulder and takes a deep breath. He climbs off the bed and out of the room without another word. I sit up and pull the sheet tight to my chest. Fuck, has he done something bad? Has he cheated on me? Liam walks back into the bedroom, still stark naked and no care in the world. Thank the Lord the kids are back in school. They went back last month.

It is my day off and Liam is taking the day off to be with me, hence the sexathon we have going on. He climbs onto the bed and sits in front of me. He sits so that one knee is bent and touching mine. He takes my hands in his large ones.

“Baby, you know you are my life. So are the kids. But I want more. I need more. I want Connie to have my last name, I want to adopt her. But she isn’t the only one I want to carry my name.” He looks nervous, he pulls a little black box out from behind his back. Where the frick did that come from? He walked in here naked. I didn’t see him holding the box. Damn he is good.

“Marry me,” he states. Not exactly a question, but it will do.

“Yes.” He opens the box and I gasp. Nestled inside the box is a stunning opal engagement ring. The opal sits in the middle of a circle of small diamonds. I have never seen an opal as an engagement ring before. It is beautiful.

“Oh My God, it is so pretty,” I screech and jump on him. He falls onto his back laughing. I kiss sloppy kisses all over his face while he just laughs at me.

“I take it you are happy then. I did good?"

“Good? You did AMAZING.” I slide down his body a little feeling his erection prod my wet core. I slide his dick between my wet folds and he groans. I reach between us and guide him inside of me. I am wet already, hell I have been wet for the last God knows how long, when I am around this man, he just does things to my body. I rock gently back and forth, keeping my eyes locked on my fiancée. His hands grip my hips and he rocks me faster. I place my hands on his pecs and lift myself up, then down. Liam groans.

“That’s it, Bambi, ride me, baby. Fuck, you feel so good.” I smile down at him and move faster, bringing us both close to our orgasms. I rest my hands on his chest, and my eyes catch my ring on my finger. The thought of being Mrs. Bradley, sets a whole new wave of desire through me.

“More,” I pant out.

One of his hands leaves my hips and he pushes his thumb onto my clit, and that is the more I needed. My climax rushes through my body, sparking every nerve ending. Liam slams up into me hard, roaring as he follows me to our climax and we both ride the high together. My body buzzing with desire. I collapse onto Liam’s chest, our panting filling the room. He wraps his arms around me in a lazy movement, his body spent from the hard climax.

“Fuck me, I came so hard, I swear I saw stars.” While he is in a happy sexed up fog, filled with happy endorphins I decide it's time to tell him about the news I got recently.

“Liam?”

“Yeah, babe.” His voice is slurred and I chuckle.

“What would you say if I told you that someone else needs to carry your name?”

He rolls us so he is now leaning over me. His flushed sweaty face, smiling down at me, like he knows my secret but he wants me to say the words.

“What are you saying?”

“I think baby number three needs to have your name as well.”

“You're pregnant?” I nod and smile at him. “You're pregnant?” I nod again, and the tears start.

“Yeah. I only found out yesterday. So we need to make an appointment to see how far along I am.”

“Holy fucking shit. We are going to have a baby?”

“Yeah, I think we have already established that,” I laugh.

“I love you so fucking much, Bambi. I love Knox and Connie and I will love this baby just as much.” He kisses me like his life depends on it. This is what was missing in my life. He is what was missing in my life.

This time around, we will make it.

This time around it will be different.

This time around it will be filled with love.