Double The Love (BWWM Pregnancy Romance Novel) (18 page)

Maya smiled and waved goodbye
to her before following her mother out the door.

The signing lasted two more
hours, and the line seemed never ending. Jasmine tried to pay attention to each
person, but she couldn’t take her mind off what had just occurred. It gave her
a healthy dose of perspective as to just how good she really had it.

“Who should I make this out
to?” Jasmine questioned when another person approached her in line, not looking
up from the album that was set down in front of her.

“Liam is fine.”

Jasmine's eyes shot upwards,
and she failed to contain a gasp as she leapt out of her seat and rushed into
his waiting arms. Beside her, Andrea smirked and exchanged a knowing look with
him before waving up the next person in line.

“Easy tiger,” Liam teased. “I'm
a bit jet-lagged.”

“What are you doing here?”
Jasmine questioned, fazing out the crowd of people that surrounded them.

“Well lets see,” Liam said in a
causal manner. “You
finally
admitted that you’re in love with me, and you’re pregnant
with my kid. You didn't really expect me to stay away…did you?”

Jasmine didn’t say anything.
She pulled at his jacket and pressed a desperate kiss against his mouth
instead, allowing her body to meld into his. “I thought you were preparing to
leave me,” she said when she came up for air, shaking her head at the absurdity
of it all.

Liam laughed. “Not a chance,”
he assured her, keeping his eyes steadied on hers. “I’m here to say. You might
as well get used to it.”

Jasmine grinned and blinked
back tears, and it didn’t take long for his mouth to find hers again. It wasn’t
until someone in the back of the crowd hooted that they became aware of the fact
that they had an audience.

Jasmine was still floating on
cloud nine when they returned to her hotel later that evening.
 
“I can't believe you did that,” she
said as she slid her key through the reader and led him inside. “Flying halfway
around the world just to see me. It's so…spontaneous...and sexy. Did I mention
sexy?”

Liam didn’t respond. He dumped
everything on the floor and pulled Jasmine down on the bed instead, proceeding
to kiss her until they were both rendered breathless. “Say it again,” he
whispered, beginning to rid her of her clothing.

Jasmine obliged. “I love you.”

Liam smiled before kissing her
again. It was definitely a good thing that she had the rest of the afternoon
free. He had a feeling she wouldn’t be surfacing from her hotel room anytime
soon.

When the need for air overcame
her, Jasmine pulled back and studied Liam’s face for a few seconds before
speaking. “Do you know what I want?” she whispered, grazing her fingertips down
the back of his neck in a way that never ceased to give him goose bumps.

 
“Just tell me what it is and it’s yours.”

“I want to be your wife.”

Liam stopped kissing her neck
and pulled back to look her in the eye. When he realized she wasn’t kidding, he
disentangled himself from her and made his way over to his luggage, taking a
moment to rummage though it before rejoining her on the bed.

Jasmine frowned as he took her
hand in his and placed something in her palm. She unfolded her fingers to see
what it was, and her breath caught in her throat when a gorgeous six-carat
engagement ring revealed itself to her.

“I love you, Jazz,” Liam spoke
up, lifting her chin so that she was looking him in the eye. “Will you marry
me?”

An elated smile broke across
Jasmine’s face as soon as the words left his mouth. “Yes,” she squealed,
allowing him to slip the ring on her finger before pulling him into a tight
hug.

“So what do you think,” Liam
said as he pulled back, waving a hand towards the window. “Did you find what
you were looking for?”

Jasmine knew exactly what he
was referring to. “Yes,” she said, caressing his face. “I found you.”

Epilogue

The second time was nothing
like the first.

This time the ring on Jasmine’s
finger was real, and Liam was no longer just ‘the baby’s father’. He was her
husband, and it was Jasmine Manning who got called in to see Dr. Everett.
Jasmine Davis
was now nothing more than an old relic of a name that no longer belonged to
her.

There were a few notable
similarities to the first time though. Jasmine was just as nervous as she’d
been during her first ultrasound with Maya, but this time, she didn't have to
do it alone.

Towards the end of Jasmine’s
pregnancy, when she and Liam were sure that things were progressing well, they
decided to bring Maya to an appointment with them. She would be three when her
baby brother or sister finally arrived, and she seemed more than ready to take
on the role of a big sister.

It was a beautiful fall day
when the baby finally arrived. As much as Jasmine liked the idea of giving
birth the old fashioned way, she decided on another C-section at Liam’s
insistence. The last thing he wanted was to see her suffer they way she had
that first time.

When Dr. Everett announced that
it was a boy, Jasmine and Liam gazed at each other for a few moments before
turning to look at their son. He was a beautiful blend of both his parents, but
it was his eyes that stood out to Jasmine the most.

Those were all Liam.

Contest

Hello readers!

I hoped you enjoyed
reading my second bwwm romance novel. If you read the entire book and would
like a chance at winning a $25 Wal-Mart gift card from my publication company,
Amazing Grace Publications, please send me the answer to the following question:

What was the name of the song Jasmine wrote about
the night she and Liam conceived Maya?

Send your answer to:
[email protected]
.
I
will be doing the drawing on September 1st based on the pool of responses I
receive. The winner will be notified by email. Last months winner was Keisha M.
Congratulations Keisha!

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Double The Love
,
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Best wishes!

Cleo

Contact Me

If you would like to
reach out to me for any reason, you may do so by emailing me at
[email protected]
 

About the Author

Cleo Jones was born
in Detroit but she currently lives in Toronto with her Canadian-born husband
and two wonderful biracial children. Writing has always been Cleo’s passion in
life, and she loves books that profile strong black women. To stay up to date
with Cleo’s publication schedule, be sure to subscribe to her
mailing
list
.
You can also follow her author
page on Amazon
here
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Bonus Story

Please enjoy this
free preview of Cleo’s first BWWM pregnancy romance novel, Making Him a Father.
If you like what you read,
you
can purchase the book on Amazon here.
It is also available for free via
Kindle Unlimited.

Chapter one

I
thought I was satisfied with my life. Satisfied with my brick stone apartment,
my practical sedan, and the few people I kept close. I told myself that I
didn't need the distraction of a man or a pile of parenting magazines to
sustain me. My life didn’t revolve around some eternal search for Mr. Right. I
was a successful, independent woman.

Hear me
roar.

Of
course, none of that was enough to keep my mother off my case. No matter how
many milestones I hit in other aspects of my life, my lack of a romantic one
was the only thing that concerned her.

The
tirade greeted me every time I talked to her.

"When are you going to settle
down and give me some grandchildren? It's not healthy to be this caught up in
your career."

My
“settling down” was one thing, but it was my mother’s newfound fascination with
me giving her grandchildren that irritated me more than anything. It wasn't
like she was in dyer need of any more of them. My younger sister, Gwen, had
already bestowed her with three perfectly healthy ones.

Thinking
of Gwen reminded me that her wedding was in a few days, and that I still didn't
have a date for the event. Personally, I didn’t care, but it wasn't going over
too well with my mother. I couldn't have a single conversation with her these
days without being reminded of the fact that my baby sister would be tying the
knot before me.

“Are
you sure about this?” Evette questioned, pausing with her pen poised on a piece
of paper. She looked up at me skeptically. “I mean, look at you, you're a total
catch. You
so
don't need to pay a man to go out with you. Besides, this just isn’t like you.
You’re no rebel, Nina.”

“Evette,”
I said with a sigh. “We’ve already been over this.”

“Alright,
alright. Here's the number. Just ask for Birdie and mention my name. She'll
make sure you're taken care of.”

I
smiled and bent down to brush a fleeting kiss against Evette's cheek. “I owe
you one.”

Evette
waved her hand in the air and shrugged before turning her attention back to her
work. “Oh we're good. I just want every last detail when this inevitably blows
up in your face.”

I
snickered and returned to my office to make the call. A few hours later, I’d
just put the finishing touches on an ad campaign when my secretary poked her
head in my door.

“Miss
Evans, there's a man here to see you. He says he's from the agency?” Lila over
enunciated that last part and gave me a confused look.

“Send
him in,” I said without giving her an explanation.

The
door shut and I looked up when I heard it open again.

“Miss
Evans, I presume?”

I
licked my lips and did a slow scan of the man's athletic body as he lingered in
my doorway. This Birdie woman wasn't lying. She'd definitely sent me her best.
“Mr. Gold,” I stated, finding my voice somewhere in the midst of my amazement.

He
nodded and helped himself to a seat on the edge of my desk. “Call me Parker,”
he noted, looking down at my cleavage with an arrogant smirk and licking his
lips.

I could
tell by the look on his face that he thought of me as some repressed corporate
type. He wasn't all that off base in that respect, but I definitely wasn't
about to let him know it.

“So
what can I do for you?” Parker eyes were the iciest shade of blue I'd ever
seen, and they remained steadied on my own as I tried to find the words to
respond.

“I...I
need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for the weekend. I have a wedding to go
to, and if I don’t bring a date, my mother will never let me live it down.”

“Boyfriend?”
Parker smirked. “C'mon, you must know some high-strung venture capitalist who
wouldn't mind stepping up to the plate.”

“No,” I
snapped, narrowing my eyes at him. As good as he looked, his people skills
could certainly use some serious refinement. “I work a lot, and I don't have
very much free time to meet anyone. Besides, I need a professional. I'm going
to assume that you are one despite your very
unprofessional
behavior.”

Parker
chuckled and held up his hands. “Of course,” he said. “So this boyfriend
gig…what does it entail exactly?"

“All
you have to do is act like we're together.” I leaned back in my chair and gave
him a slow once over. “We leave tomorrow morning, and we’ll be gone until
Monday. You'll get your payment upon completion.”

“So
will I be fucking you?” Parker asked in the most nonchalant of fashions. It was
like he was asking me what my favorite color was or something.

I
studied his face for any sign that he was kidding and tilted my head off to the
side before shaking it. “No,” I said. “That won’t be necessary.

“Bummer.”
Parker looked momentarily disappointed, but it didn’t take long for the smirk
to resurface on his face. “What about kissing? Holding hands? All that good
stuff...”

I
folded my hands on top of my desk and shrugged. “Yes,” I decided after awhile
of thinking it over. A flirtatious grin pulled at the corners of my mouth. “I
suppose that would make it seem more believable, but only in front of my
family.”

“Of
course.”

“Great,”
I said, snapping back into professional mode. “Meet me at my place tomorrow at
seven a.m.” I jotted down my address on a piece of paper and handed it to him.
“And don't be late. We’ll need to get on the road early to beat traffic.”

When
Parker wouldn’t budge, I waved a hand to dismiss him and shifted my attention
back to the paperwork on my desk. It was a soft chuckle that brought my gaze
back up to his.

“Stand
up,” Parker instructed.

“Excuse
me?” I shot Parker a look that said I didn't do well with being commanded, but
he refused to relent.

“Humor
me,” Parker insisted. “I mean, before I can accept the job, I need to make sure
this is even possible.”

“Meaning
what
exactly?”

Parker
laughed and stood up, coming around to my side of the desk. “See that?” he
said, motioning to the tense expression on my face. “You have to stop doing
that with your brows. You look like you hate me. Now come here.”

I
sighed and stood up, reluctantly shifting forward.

“Now
close your eyes.”

I
reluctantly did as I was told, tensing when I felt Parker’s soft mouth make
contact with my own. I resisted him at first, but it wasn't long before I was
parting my lips to accept him. When the moment finally passed, he pulled back
and looked down at me with a satisfied smile.

“Is
that all?” I questioned with bated breath.

Parker
nodded and sauntered for the door without looking back at me. “See you
tomorrow, Miss Evans.”

Chapter two

He was
late. An
hour
late
to be exact. I paced back and fourth in my foyer, periodically glancing out the
window for any sign of him. At this point I was convinced that he'd come to his
senses and backed out. Was three grand really worth what I was asking of him?
It seemed like a reasonable rate in my head, but now I wasn't so sure.

My
paranoia lifted when I saw Parker cross the street and hastily approach my
front steps. Thank god. I’d already spoken to my mother. The last thing I
needed was her drilling me on why my date was a no-show.

“You're
late,” I remarked as I fished my keys out of my purse and locked the front
door.

Parker
shrugged and leaned up against a utility pole with his hands in his pockets.
“So where are we going, exactly?” he asked instead, dodging the comment as
though he did it all the time.

“Hillcrest.
It's in New York.” The words left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth, but I
managed to swallow it down with little effort. Home wasn’t
always
where the heart was. Not in my
case anyway.

“Sounds
ritzy.”

“If by
ritzy you mean hellish, then yeah.”

“So
give me the rundown,” Parker said as he climbed into my car and buckled himself
in.

“On?”

“What
do you do?”

“I'm an
ad executive. I manage campaigns for different beverage companies.”

“So you
must make a pretty good living, then, huh?”

I
glanced at Parker and pursed my lips. “I'm not answering that,” I said as I
gripped hold of the steering wheel a little harder. I could feel his eyes on me
as I drove. He was easily one of the most intrusive individuals I'd ever met,
but I'd learned from experience that people were that way for a reason.

“What?”
I questioned with a sigh. “Do I have something on my face or something?”

“No,
you’re perfect,” Parker said. My cheeks flushed at the remark, and I briefly
met eyes with him to gauge what he was angling at. After a momentary lapse of
silence, he continued with his questioning. “So what’s your sister’s name?”

“Gwen,
and the guy she’s marrying is Donald.”

“Are
you older or younger?”

What was this, a game of twenty
questions?

“Older,”
I said without looking away from the road. “Look, Parker, I think that's enough
about the history of me. Trust me, no one in my family is going to care enough
to quiz you on this.”

“Ouch,”
Parker said with a smirk. “Sensitive much?”

 
“No,” I snapped. My next words leapt
from my tongue before I could stop them, and I instantly regretted them. “Maybe
I just don’t feel like relaying my life story to a male prostitute. Sue me.”

Parker
didn’t seem fazed. He simply laughed and gave me a nudge in the side. “A ‘male
prostitute’ who you so desperately
hired, might I remind you,” he retorted. “Oh,
and not that its any of your business, but I happen to be in my last year of
law school.”

“Law
school?” I raised my eyebrows and balked at him. “I don’t get it. Then why are
you—”

“Because
I get my jollies spending weekends away with stunning albeit
extremely
uptight and sexually repressed women. Come on. Why do you think? It pays well
and the work is minimal.”

I
sighed and shook my head. “Just forget I said anything,” I said, turning on the
radio as a distraction from talking and accelerating onto the freeway.

I could
already tell it was going to be a very long weekend.

We
arrived in Hillcrest an hour later. I put the car into park and got out,
pausing to glare at Parker over the hood. He was still looking at me like he
was trying to decipher my entire life story from my expression.

“Ready?”
he questioned.

“Hardly.”

Parker
rubbed his jaw and walked around to where I was standing. “You know what always
helps me when I’m nervous?”

“Honestly,
I’m afraid to ask…”


Parker
smirked and patted me on the back. “Breathing,” he said. “You should try it.”

I
started to come up with a rebuttal, but I stopped when I heard footsteps. When
I turned around to find the source, I came face to face with my sister.


”Nina?
Is that you?”

“Gwen?”
I tried my best to appear surprised even though she looked exactly the same as
she had the last time I saw her a few months prior. The only thing that had
changed was her hair, which was now a dark brown color as opposed to the
jarring shade of red it was at Christmas. She claimed she was trying to be
festive, but at the end of the day it was just plain tacky. This look suited her
much better.

Gwen
ran down the front steps of our mother’s house and pulled me into a tight hug.
“You’re looking great as usual,” she remarked, giving me a slow once over. I
tensed when she reached out to pinch my ass. “A little skinny, but that’s to be
expected from you corporate types.”