Three Wishes (Dreams Come True #3) (19 page)

“If I’m not having the treatment, why are we still going to Toronto?” She looked back and forth between us.

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t very well admit we hoped to talk her into doing it anyway. So, when I opened my mouth and no words came out, Ben interceded.

“Well, squirt, we had already booked your party and the hotel. It was too late to cancel it. Guess we’re just gonna have to go have a good time anyway. Plus, if you change your mind, you’ll already be there.” He shrugged and made it seem like there was zero pressure on her.

“Oh.” She stared out the window for a few minutes as if very interested in the scenery rushing by. Finally, Ollie sighed and spoke again. “Mama, it’s not that I don’t love you. I do. It’s just that I’m so tired.”

My eyes widened. Somehow, I knew this was going to be an important conversation. I feared I’d mess it all up with my emotions raging out of control. “I understand being tired, Olls. I am too. Part of growing up is just accepting some things need to be done even if we don’t want to.”

She shook her head. “I’m not going to grow up.” She frowned for a bit. “Mommy, it hasn’t worked. All it does is hurt me. I’m tired of hurting. I’m tired of treatments that don’t make me better, and hospitals that smell bad.” Tears filled her eyes. “I’m sick of seeing nobody but doctors, and nurses with needles. I hate having to eat more medicine than food. And I never ever ever get to have a normal life.” Ollie sniffled and I passed her my already damp handkerchief while wishing we weren’t driving and I could haul her into my arms.

“Normal is relative, sweet girl. And once you get better, you’ll have the most normal healthy life ever. I promise.” My brow furrowed and I struggled to hold it together. My daughter was breaking my heart.

“Can you really make that promise, Mommy? Nothing has worked yet. I’m tired of trying.” She curled up as much as she could near the window. “I never go to playgrounds, or school. I couldn’t take ballet lessons. I’ve never learned how to swim.”

Ollie closed her eyes and continued to mutter to herself, pouring out everything she wanted, but hadn’t been able to do in her life. I wanted to correct her. I wanted to tell her about all the good. I mean, if she hadn’t become sick, we never would’ve met Ben. We wouldn’t have a new baby coming. We wouldn’t have all the good that is in our life now. But the minute I opened my mouth, Ben grabbed my hand. “Let her finish,” he urged. “We need to listen to her. It’s the only way we’ll ever change her mind.”

So I nodded and sat silently, listening while a hole grew where my heart had been.

Chapter Nineteen

Ben

After a wonderfully uneventful flight where the women fell asleep in our laps and the kids entertained themselves, we climbed into a limousine and drove to the Windsor Arms. Ollie’s excitement could barely be contained.

“I’m so glad we flew. I’ve never been on a plane before.” She squealed happily while huddled up with Becca.

“I know! We never did anything like this before Gabriel. We’re so lucky.” Becca blew a kiss at Gabriel who beamed and sent one back to her.

“I’m the lucky one,” Gabriel assured her. “You, Konnor, and your mama have made my life complete.”

“So why a new baby?” Konnor grumbled.

Hugging him close, Gabriel murmured, “Because we thought you would make an amazing big brother.”

Konnor brightened. “I love you, Gabiyell.”

“Love you, too, little man.” Then he grinned at us, sitting across from him.

Charlie laid her head on my shoulder. “There’s a man who loves his family. If it weren’t for the kids calling him by name, I’d think they were his.”

“That’s how it’s supposed to be,” I explained. “When a man loves a woman who already has children, he loves the kids too. They are an extension of their mama. It’s easy.” I could tell Charlie was considering what I’d said by the way she shifted and stared up at me. She opened her mouth to speak, but I murmured, “Later, when we’re alone, okay?” She nodded and her head dropped back onto my shoulder.

“We have a surprise for you, Ollie,” Isabella began. Then she glanced at Gabriel who nodded at her encouragingly. “How would you like to have a sleepover?”

Once more, Ollie began dancing around in the back seat. “I’ve never had a sleepover before!”

“Me neither!” Becca giggled. “I’m so glad you’re my best friend.”

“Me too.” Then the girls wrapped their arms around each other.

Charlie sat up and I could sense her concern. “Um…sleepover?”

Isabella nodded. “We’re staying in a three bedroom suite. We thought we’d put the kids in one room and the couples can each have a room.” She shrugged.

“There’s a communal living room and what not,” Gabriel added. “It’s decent sized…around fifteen hundred square feet.”

Smirking, Charlie mumbled, “When did decent sized become twice the size of my apartment?” She shook her head.

“You’ll get used to it.” Isabella laughed. “I felt the same way when we first started dating.”

After checking into the suite and settling the kids in bed, Gabriel and Isabella disappeared into their room, leaving Charlie and me sitting on the couch. We’d never slept in the same bed before. Hell, we’d never had sex in a bed before, not that I thought we would tonight…but a man could hope, right? It had been nearly a month.

Suddenly, I was aware of eyes on me. I turned and realized Charlie had been staring at me for an indeterminate period of time. “Whatcha thinking?” I reached out and rubbed her thigh affectionately.

“Is it later now?” Her lips pursed as she waited for my response.

Frowning, I stared at her curiously. “Later for what?”

“Well…” She sat up straight on the couch. “You told me in the limo we’d have to wait to talk until later.”

Clearly, this discussion was incredibly important to her. “Sure. Speak your mind. I’d love to hear what you have to say.”

“I need you to love Ollie too.” Charlie blurted out.

“I already do, babe. Don’t you know that?” I reached out to hold her hand, but she yanked it away.

“No. I can’t think when you’re touching me. Everything falls right out of my mind. There’s no room for anything but feelings.” She sighed. “I don’t know what’s real anymore. I don’t know if I’m simply imagining this because I want it so badly.” Charlie slapped a hand over her mouth.

“Hey, I want this too. How do you not know how I feel about you?” I leaned forward ready to spew word vomit all over her, gushing sappiness, but she quickly changed the subject.

“Maybe we should go to bed.” She shrugged. “We have the birthday party tomorrow and hopefully…treatment for Ollie.”  The last words were practically whispered.  The way she blew out a breath, I knew she was trying to hold it together.

“Yeah, let’s.” I stood, held out my hands to help her off the couch. Though her ankle was practically good as new, her broken foot was still in a boot.

Taking my hands, Charlie forced a smile as she stood. “Thank you.”

“For helping you off the couch? It was nothing.” I chuckled.

She shook her head. “No, for everything. Thank you for being here, and being patient. Thank you for hanging in there despite Damien. And…well, the list is long.” Her cheeks grew crimson and she stumbled off as quickly as she could with me fast behind her. Soon she had entered the bedroom and her shoulders heaved.

I laid my hands on her shoulders. “Let me hold you.” I didn’t wait for a response, but instead moved past her and shut the door. Then I began to undress without making a big deal about it. This was completely natural, just two consenting adults who had already managed to make a baby together, finally sharing a bed. When I had stripped down to my boxers, I slid under the covers and rolled onto my side, anticipating her arrival.

Her lips twitched as if she wanted to smile. Without saying a word, she removed her jeans, shirt, and bra, finally climbing into bed wearing only her panties. “Hi,” Charlie murmured as she lay on her side and stared at me with a shy smile.

I knew it was too soon, but I couldn’t stop staring at her belly. Naturally, she noticed. “Nothing to see here. Move along,” Charlie joked.

With a chuckle, I asked, “Is this better?” My eyes focused in on her perfect breasts.

She giggled. “Yes, much better. Only, you look like you want to devour me.”

I shook my head. “It’s not a look. I want you in the worst way, but I’ll be content to simply have you close.” I held open my arms to her.

Suddenly, her face changed and she looked at me through her lowered lashes. “If you want me so badly, come and get me.”

Yeah. I don’t know what made me do this. I had this chance to be all smooth and confident, but instead I morphed into my fourteen year old geeky self. “Really?” The surprise was evident in my voice, which I swear very nearly cracked and I wiped at the corner of my mouth to make sure the drool was only imagined and not actual.

Charlie nodded and bit her lip to hide how widely she smiled. “Apparently you are unaware of one of the best parts of the first trimester.”

“What’s that?” I murmured in her neck as I buried my face in her sweet smelling skin.

“Me so horny,” she joked. “Well, not just me. Pretty much all women. But this is the only one that matters to your situation.”

“You’re the only one that matters to me in any situation,” I commented as I moved to nibble on her earlobe.

Immediately, Charlie responded with a whimper and it was on. My hands were everywhere. I gloried in being able to touch her, having her respond. This time, with her injuries on the mend, she was much more involved. Our foreplay lasted all of thirty-three seconds.

“I need you in me,” she moaned as I teased her clit with my tongue.

“Yes.” I intentionally mumbled the word so it would hum against her and was rewarded as her hips bucked.

With a low growl she grabbed my head by the ears and hauled me up her body. “I don’t think you understand.” Her eyes flashed. “I need you in me
now
.”

“Okay. Now works for me.” I fumbled to remove my boxers and then pulled hers off the rest of the way. It only took me a moment to position myself at her wet entrance. I hesitated a millisecond.

“It’s far too late to worry about protection,” she grumbled, “so I don’t know what you think there is to talk about.”

My jaw dropped open. Then I somehow managed to blurt out, “You can be really scary.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I know. It’s my super power.” She sighed. “Why must I do everything?”

Her hands grabbed my ass and she raised her hips while yanking mine toward her. The result was a glorious journey inside her. I savored every moment of it, letting the sensations wash over me. The fit was incredible, like she was built for me alone. Slowly I moved in and out, but she simply sighed again and nudged me.

“Roll over,” Charlie ordered.

I love a woman who knows what she wants. Obviously, Charlie was that girl. Soon I was on my back with her straddling me. This wasn’t going to go well. How was I supposed to have any stamina at all when she was riding me like a damn bronco and her torso with those glorious bobbing breasts were in my sight?

I shouldn’t have worried. A second later she was panting and slowed her rhythm. At first I was going to roll her over again, but she whimpered and I knew what she needed. “Just ride it out, babe. Take all the time you need.”

Charlie relaxed and began to find her rhythm again. Something about the way she moved while pulsing around me had me exploding sooner than I anticipated. The urge to press deeper into her was great, but completely unnecessary. I stared at her still flat stomach. My baby was already in there.

Rolling off me, Charlie flopped onto the mattress and then backed up against me, still naked. I moved to spoon her, relishing the feel of her naked skin against mine.

“Gawd, that was amazing.” She sighed happily while I kissed the back of her neck, then her shoulder, and finally wrapped my arms around her.  “Say something.” She stiffened in my arms.

I hesitated then blurted out the one thing on my mind. “So does this mean you’ll marry me?”

She completely rolled out of my arms, then turned to glare at me. “No.”

Frustrated, I sat up in bed. “What’s it gonna take?”

“Well, a proper proposal to begin with.” She sat up and huffed at me. “How am I supposed to take you seriously like this?”

“I’d never joke about marriage.” I stared at her sadly a moment before she rolled away from me. Throwing back the covers, I decided to go get a drink and cool down. I grabbed a robe from the closet, wrapped and secured it around me, then exited the room.

I had taken all of two steps into the living room when I realized I wasn’t alone. Gabriel was sitting on the couch, leaned over, with papers spread out on the coffee table. When he saw me, he lifted a finger to indicate he was on the phone. I nodded and went straight to the kitchenette for a soda. By the time I returned, he had ended his call.

“What brings you out here?” He smiled, but somehow I felt like he was laughing at me.

After plopping down on the sofa, I frowned. “What did it take to get Isabella to marry you?”

His brow furrowed. “You were there when I popped the question to Bella. Hell, you even made us a movie. Were you not paying attention?” Gabriel studied me a moment as I shrugged in response. “Do you even have a ring? Sebastian had his parents’ rings. Too bad you don’t have that going for you.”

“Oh, I do. I have my mom’s ring. I carry it with me at all times. It’s in my camera bag.”

“What? Just in case you meet someone and want to propose?” He chuckled.

“Force of habit. At first, I liked looking at it. It reminded me of my mom.” I rubbed the back of my neck as I prepared to reveal the rest of it. “Then I found my father holding it in my room one day. It’s pretty valuable and I thought he might be trying to steal it, so I keep it with me at all times.” I waited for a reaction, but I should’ve known better with Gabriel. He ignored the part about my low life father, and focused on what mattered. 

“You never talk about your mother.” He leaned into the corner of the couch to face me.

I rubbed my hands together. “Yeah, I know. I think I need to save that story for Charlie first.”

“Good man. I can respect that.” He reached out and clapped me on the shoulder. “Now how are you going to propose?”

I threw my arms in the air. “Hell if I know. I’ve asked twice already.”

“Were you holding the ring at the time?” He frowned.

“Nope.” I sighed.

“Then it’s not a real proposal.” He tugged on his goatee. “So make it special and real for her.”

I rubbed my eyes, exhausted even thinking about it. “I don’t know. I’m not romantic like you.”

Gabriel groaned. “It’s not about being romantic, really. I simply found the woman who is absolutely perfect for me. It inspires me to do things I wouldn’t normally, like spend obscene amounts of money on her and the kids.” He chuckled.

I bit my lip. “See. And I don’t have obscene amounts of money. I don’t even have a place for us to live. No wonder she doesn’t want to marry me.”

“Oh, don’t let that stop you. Look at Sebastian and Marisa.” He punched me in the shoulder, his way of prodding me to action. “And I’m sure she wants to marry you. Just think about it.”

***

Charlie

I fell asleep in a pout and expected to wake up in a funk, but Ben made that absolutely impossible. When I rolled toward the inside of the bed, his warm body was there, waiting to adjust to mine. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes.