Chapter 28

28

JODI

T he relief that flooded my body when I realized that not only was my brother not going to send me back home or tell my folks about it, but that he was on my side was incredible. I felt like I had the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders and tossed away. I kept having to hold myself back from falling into a crying puddle at the release of all that tension, most of which I hadn’t even let myself feel.

But it was gone now. I had spent so long on my own, ducking from town to town, working as much as I could wherever I could and saving up the money to keep moving. I had lived essentially on the streets. I had done what I needed to survive and maintain my dignity, but it wasn’t easy. There were cold nights and long, hard days. There was the constant terror of being found, of being chased.

There was the heartbreak and crushing loss when I thought my brother was against me.

It was gone now. I could barely believe it, but it was gone. I didn’t even care how my parents felt anymore, though I was sure I would care at least a little when I came down from that high. Yet, at that moment, with Derek beside me, my brother having my back, the entire King clan inviting me into their family and welcoming me warmly, genuinely, and a baby in my belly… I didn’t care.

I hated that I thought my brother had really turned against me though. It weighed on me that I didn’t give him a chance to explain himself, to question why he said what he said. If I had just listened, if I had just waited…

I knew that wasn’t reasonable. I was terrified, and with good reason. My parents were not known for taking disappointment lightly. They were known for being ruthless business people. My brother and I had spent our entire life trying to be what they wanted us to be: the perfect children. I knew deep down they loved us, as much as they seemed capable of love. They were just singular focused and singular minded. Somehow, I attributed that to my brother, just because he was successful in their business. It wasn’t fair to him. But I had to be fair to myself too. I didn’t make decisions with a rational mind all the time. I was on the run. I had to protect myself.

And it led me here. To King Vineyards. To Derek. I had to be able to see the good in that. Now, I was finding myself not only having a man who I loved, but a baby too, and my brother at my side.

I tried to focus on that. I tried to make that my only thought. That it worked out. How it worked out so much for the better than I ever could have imagined.

But as soon as I was through the door and back in the kitchen, it all came out.

I collapsed into Derek’s arms almost before the door shut behind me. He held me tight, kissing the top of my head as the tears streamed. I was supposed to be going back there to grab some drinks for me and him, a couple of sodas since I obviously wasn’t going to drink alcohol. Derek was making his way back to work the dinner shift, insisting on us taking the time off to hang out. Yet, he wasn’t rushed, wasn’t upset with me, and instead pulled me to the side where he could take me into the office and sit me down.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, shutting the door behind us. “It’s alright. I know. It’s a lot.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I hope this isn’t how pregnancy is for me, because I’m already a crier.”

It got a short laugh from Derek, and I smiled through the tears. I knew it was reacting to so many things all at once that there was no one singular emotion, but I was trying to hold on to that relief more than anything else.

“You will be fine,” he said. “Go on, go enjoy the rest of the evening with Jack.”

“He said he has to go back to his hotel,” I said. “Right after you left to come back here, he said he was going to head out in about a half hour.”

“Oh,” Derek said. “Well, then you can go on home.”

“No,” I said. “I want to work. It will help.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” I said. “Thank you. I just needed a moment. I’ll be okay.”

He smiled warily and waited with me while I cleaned up. Then, I made it back out, hugged Jack, who said he was going to be back the next day and for a few days yet, and then went right into work. I settled into the rhythm well, and when the shift was over, I was feeling much better. Better enough that when I saw Cam walking through the kitchen from his office over to the one that Alex was primarily using these days, I caught him by the elbow.

“Hey,” I said. “You can go ahead and put me on payroll now.”

He grinned widely. “I heard. Good thing I have the paperwork right here. And your back pay.”

“You didn’t need…” I began.

He held up a hand to stop me.

“You have a baby coming. Don’t turn down money you earned,” he said.

“Right,” I said. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem,” Cam said, grinning. “I am very happy for you both, by the way.”

It was my turn to grin. As he left, I turned around and looked for Ally. Usually, she was still in the kitchen, but it seemed she had already cut for the night. Derek was in the kitchen cleaning up, and I ran outside, catching Ally before she left for the night. We hugged and chatted for a moment before I asked her for her advice on finding a good doctor. She pulled up her doctor’s information on her phone and sent it to me, and when I walked back into the restaurant, I had a plan to call them in the morning.

Ally had been so happy for me and so excited that it added to the good mood that had been building since I got back on the floor, and when we got home that night, I all but tackled Derek. It was our home now, not his with me as a guest. We were a couple, officially, and I could strip him down without any guilt at all. As I ran and jumped into his arms, I knew he would catch me, like he always would.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, our lips sinking into one another as he carried me to the bedroom. Laughter bubbled up between us, relief and excitement mixing together as we both realized this would be the first time there would be no questions afterward. No worries. We were together, and there was no reason for guilt or concern.

The door stood open, as usual, and Derek carried me to the bed, sitting me down gently before removing his lips from mine. He pulled on his shirt, yanking it up over his head while I kissed his stomach and chest, my own hands yanking on his belt and flailing at his zipper. With his shirt off, he helped me unbutton his pants, and they fell to the floor, leaving him in his boxer briefs, his thick cock stretching the fabric.

I pulled down on them and wrapped my head around his throbbing staff, stroking it as I looked up into his face. I relished the expression of his pleasure as I slid my tongue underneath the head and collected the salty fluid that built up there. Then I took him deeply into my mouth, letting his head brush the sides of my cheeks as it worked its way back. He groaned and put his hands behind my head, guiding me in my motion.

Derek began rocking his hips as I played with his balls with one hand and kept a grip on his staff with the other as he plunged into my mouth over and over. When he was at his hardest, his cock slick from my mouth, I pulled away and let go. Yanking my own shirt over my head, I heard him grumble in appreciation. I unhooked my bra, letting it fall away, and scooted back on the bed, giving him room to climb on.

Hovering over me, Derek kissed me deeply and then moved his lips down my body. He paid special attention to my collarbone and breasts before finally making his way to my pants, which he slowly removed from my body. When I was naked in front of him, he kissed up my thighs, stopping at the crook between my thigh and my core and letting his tongue sweep the rest of the way.

I cried out as he reached my clit and began to swirl slowly, expertly. He licked it gently as he plunged two fingers deep inside me. I moaned and wiggled underneath him as he brushed the pads of his fingers across the upper walls of my pussy. I filled my hand with his hair and leaned back, arching up as I closed my eyes tightly shut and focused on the sensation.

The climax was coming, and I leaned into it. The wave was crashing all around me in an intense, thunderous clap of sensation, and my thighs squeezed around his head as I began to buck up. His powerful hands held me in place as his tongue pressed hard into my clit, and his fingers moved in and out of me fast and hard.

When I finally reached the end of a powerful orgasm, I lay back and spread myself wide for him as he positioned himself between my thighs. I was still sensitive to the touch and shaking when the head of his cock rested at my opening. My pussy was throbbing and soaked as he penetrated me, sliding slowly into me and letting me adjust to his thickness.

We made love slowly, achingly slowly, our lips constantly entangled in one another. As he filled me with his body, I felt more complete than I ever had. We rolled and laughed and cried out in ecstasy as he increased his speed, and I found myself tipping into another intense orgasm. He came with me, and we kissed hard while his body emptied into mine, slowly falling into each other’s arms in the bed, naked and satisfied.