Page 74 of Cherish

“You had plenty to say to Doyle yesterday before I walked in.” The dish drops from my hand at his audacity, landing with a loud clang in the sink. This time, I manage to shrug out of his touch and walk away.

“You don’t get to be jealous of Doyle, Jason.” I leave him standing in the kitchen and walk back to the bedroom. Before I can even close the door, he’s inside the room. Furious, I turn to him, pointing my finger at his chest. “I’m not having Doyle’s baby!” I scream.

“You think this is what I want?” he yells back, stunning me with his fury. What right does he have to be furious? “You think that after finally finding you, falling in love with you, and being lucky enough to have you love me back that I would want this? Fuck no! All of this happened before us.”

“I know! Trust me, if it happened after we met, I would have been out of your life so damn fast! I know it was before me! But I’m still angry at you! There! I said it.” I’m manic now as I pace the bedroom. “I’m so angry that the man I love was selfish enough to sleep with that woman and irresponsible enough to get her pregnant. Now, we’re stuck dealing with her and whatever bullshit she’s going to throw at us for the rest of our lives.”

Even though I’m screaming at him, I see him sigh as if he’s relieved by my words. “You’re not leaving me over this?”

“No, I’m not leaving you over this! If I wanted to leave, I would have. I love the man I met all those months ago. He’s not only brilliant but sweet, giving, and funny. I love that guy, and no way am I going to give him up. And you know what? Natalie wants that guy too. I can see it in her eyes. But she made the wrong choice. And that’s too bad for her, because I have you now.” He grabs me mid-pace and holds me against him. I can feel the relief in his body. I sense the calmness of his breath. “I don’t want her to come between us.”

“I give you my word I will never let that happen.”

“But I don’t want you to keep things from me. If I’m going to be a part of this, I want to know everything. I’ll be raising your child, I can’t be cut out of any part of it.”

“I’m so relieved to hear you say that. I’ve imagined the worst since yesterday, angel. You have no idea. I will never keep anything from you. She texted this morning. They have a flight back home tonight and want to meet before she leaves. I hope you don’t mind, but I called your boss and told her you wouldn’t be coming in today.”

He must feel me tense in his arms at the mention of seeing them again, but he continues.

“Before we meet them, we’re stopping off to talk to Tina. She will do as much as she can, but since Natalie’s a New Jersey resident, Tina is going to conference in one of her attorney friends from there. We will handle this, angel. We’ll go through the courts and do it right. We won’t take any bullshit from anyone.” He kisses the top of my head, holding me close. I lean into him, feeling his beating heart against mine.

“Okay. I didn’t mean to worry anyone yesterday. I felt like I was suffocating and needed some time to myself. And I’d never use Doyle or anyone else to make you jealous. I don’t play those games.”

“I’m sorry it came to that point, Alex, but just like I’m not going to keep any information from you, you can’t keep your feelings from me either. Even if you’re angry at me, I need you to let me know, not go drinking at a bar alone.”

“Fair enough. I’m sorry I worried you.”

He leans down and rests his forehead on mine, squeezing my waist in the process. I tilt my head up and he meets me halfway, kissing me tenderly, pouring his love and emotions into that kiss. I slide my hand underneath his shirt and stroke his soft skin. He moans in my mouth and deepens the kiss, but all too soon, he pulls away.

“I want you.” He sighs. “But we don’t have time for anything more than a quickie right now. I want to take my time and love you like you deserve to be loved.”

He rests his forehead on mine again. Despite the throbbing ache between my thighs and hardened nipples, I nod in agreement.

With his arm wrapped around my waist, we walk back to the bedroom. He leans on the dresser, his eyes devouring my breasts as I dress.

“So, how badly do I need to kick Doyle’s ass?” he asks.

“He’s not worth it. He did me a favor. There are lots of reasons for people not to like me other than my race. If he’s the type of guy who lets his family decide who he’s with, I dodged a bullet. I am who I am. Love me or not, but I won’t hold my breath and wait for anyone to come around and approve of me. I don’t want to spend any more time talking about Doyle.” I reach up and stroke his face. “It’s you and me, Jason.” And then I stun him when I yell, “I’m going to be Alexandra Francine Dupree!” With only my bra on, I jump in his arms and wrap my legs around him. He laughs and spins me around the spacious closet.

“Damn right you are. I’m going to marry you so hard, angel. I’m going to husband the hell out of you every day.”

CHAPTER 48

JASON

“I’m so ready to slap a bitch.” I chuckle at Alex’s words as we walk hand in hand to my car. The meeting with Tina dealt with the legalities of the situation. The forms Natalie, myself, and her husband will need to fill out so I can be listed on the birth certificate as the father, shared custody, and child support. If they cooperate, it can be a smooth process.

In the state of New Jersey, the husband is automatically recognized as the legal father unless he signs a form saying he’s not. If they decide to put up a fight, things are going to become a lot more complicated. Natalie is always a wildcard. I have no idea what she’s going to do, and the husband factor does not help.

The midday traffic is heavy as we maneuver our way to their downtown hotel. As the rain increases, so does my uncertainty. As if she can sense the shift in my mood, Alex places her hand on my lap, her diamond ring sparkling in the car, calming me instantly. I lift her hand and kiss it before putting it back on my lap.

By the time we arrive at the hotel and park, we’re already five minutes late. The hostess leads us to a secluded table in the back, and no one says a word as I help Alex out of her jacket and pull out her chair. When I finally sit down, I find Natalie watching us. She’s rounder today, her normally thin face plump. Her hair is tied up in a haphazard ponytail, her face void of makeup. Her eyes widen as she looks from me to Alex and back again.

“What is she doing here? This has nothing to do with her.” Her voice is low but filled with venom. I tense, ready to put her in her place, but Alex gently places her hand on top of mine. Natalie’s eyes widen at the site of the diamond ring on Alex’s finger. Tears well in her eyes, but she holds herself together. She takes a deep breath and averts her gaze.

Daniel puts a protective arm around her, but when he finally notices the ring and understands the reason for the change of her mood, his shoulders sag. Just like Natalie, he pulls himself together fast. He squares his shoulders and pulls her closer as he flags down the waitress.

Alex and I only ask for water, but Daniel orders tea for Natalie and a full meal.

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