Read Friends and Lovers Online
Authors: Tara Mills
Friends and Lovers (26 page)
She sent Wes an urgent look. “Where?” she whispered.
He shrugged, enjoying this. “Newbolt’s?”
“How does Newbolt’s sound?” The doors slid open and they shuffled out. “Don’t worry about it, my treat.”
Too expensive
she mouthed silently.
Wes chuckled.
“Six o’clock then.” At Wes’s questioning look she shook her head, waving her hand to make him wait. “Okay. Sounds good. I’m looking forward to it. Love you too.”
She hung up with a sigh. “I know what you’re thinking,” she said going out the heavy door he held for her. “But honestly, six is late for dinner in their world. Just deal with it, okay? We’ll skip lunch to make sure we’re hungry.”
Wes grinned. “You know this is only the beginning, right?”
Lauren laughed and spun him around with her. “I know! Pretty cool, huh? They’re going to flip.”
All Wes wanted to do now was go home, be alone with Lauren, and not think of anything else for a few hours. But as soon as they pulled into the driveway, Wes got the call he’d been expecting.
“Chuck sends his congratulations,” he said, snapping his phone closed.
“And the rest?” Lauren asked carefully.
Wes shook his head. “Nothing,” he told her evasively.
“Don’t. Don’t ever do that.”
“Do what?”
“Hide the truth to protect me. Tell me.”
Wes sighed. “Coulter didn’t make it through surgery.”
Lauren squeezed his leg. “You can’t blame yourself. You did what you had to do. He was about to hurt Simon, that’s why I was fighting him so hard.” Her eyes entreated Wes to listen. “Coulter was not a nice man.”
Wes cupped her cheek and nodded. He agreed with her. Coulter struck his hostages, the woman he loved among them, before firing at him. His response was justified. He did his job. Still, Lauren didn’t have to know they’d pulled a bullet out of the wall with his name on it.
“Let’s go inside and I’ll kiss it and make it better,” she said in a husky, seductive voice.
His eyebrows arched with interest. “Are you offering what I think you’re offering?”
“For you?” She gave him a naughty wink. “In a heartbeat.”
Lauren got out of the car and Wes followed her inside, growing harder by the second.
Epilogue
Wes popped his head inside the office door and gave his wife an impatient look. “Lauren, we’re all waiting on you.”
The toddler on his hip squeezed his nose. “Honk, honk.”
“Ben,” Wes said, his firm tone softened by his smile. “What did Daddy say about grabbing his nose?” Wes pulled the kid’s hand away before Ben’s little fingers took a sudden detour up his nostrils.
Lauren glanced over her computer screen and smiled. “Ben learned that neat trick from Uncle Ken.”
“Well, I’ll have to thank Uncle Ken for that,” said Wes dryly. He dropped his chin and unleashed the full force of his magnetic powers on his wife. “Lauren.”
Wavering already, Lauren begged, “Just one more minute, please? I’m almost done.”
“One.”
Wes turned to head downstairs and Lauren called after him. “
Everyone’s
here?”
“Everyone.”
“Damn.”
She had to hustle. She’d been trying to hammer out some guidelines for Congresswoman Steele’s bill for the upcoming session and she needed to make sure she crossed all the T’s and dotted all the I’s or this bill wasn’t going to pass.
Lauren loved her job as the Women’s and Children’s Defense Outreach Coordinator for the Greater Lewiston area, but as liaison between the various shelters, the county, the state, and the court it could be very demanding at times—and highly stimulating. Her public profile had grown exponentially. She would never have expected to be attending so many illustrious functions even two years ago but glad-handing the movers and shakers had proven instrumental to the cause’s success. Maybe Sarah wasn’t the only one who’d possessed the necessary people skills in the family. Of course Lauren had to give credit where credit was due. Wes gave her a confidence she never felt before. Some men could build you up and some men could tear you down. The trick was identifying them in time.
Now there was another party to attend, but this one was limited to close friends and family. Today was Ben’s first birthday party, two weeks late, though he didn’t notice, and everyone was waiting for her downstairs. The smell from the grill out back was already wafting up through the open windows and making Lauren’s mouth water and her stomach growl.
Lauren organized the stack of papers in front of her then looked up at the old, familiar wallpaper. Sherry had picked out these soft blue cornflowers when she was twelve. Who knew her childhood bedroom would come to serve as Lauren’s home office and Wes’s boyhood bedroom would be taken over by Ben’s growing accumulation of paraphernalia?
It was funny how things worked out. Lauren was six months pregnant when her in-laws suggested a house swap. They were quite taken with Wes’s little bungalow from the start and the size suited them better than the big house. They decided, rightly, that Wes and Lauren’s growing family needed the space more than they did. The young couple insisted on continuing the house payments on the bungalow. It was the only way they would agree to the trade, and their terms were gladly accepted.
Setting her work aside with a smile, Lauren stood up. Her enormous pregnant belly brushed the edge of the desk and she smoothed her hand over the tight mass.
“Anytime you’re ready, Mommy is.”
Unfortunately the kid wasn’t budging, at least not yet, though Lauren’s pelvis was stretched to the point of creaking and she was so swollen in readiness she could only sit on soft cushions now. Poor Ben wasn’t going to have the limelight for much longer.
Lumbering down the staircase, she turned at the bottom to secure the baby gate. Passing under the archway and into the living room, she smiled when she saw both grandmas laughing together with Chuck’s wife Vickie. Robin was perched on Mrs. Dunlop’s knees, but he was already itching to chase after his little cousin, because Ben was toddling around with one of Robin’s toys clutched in his sticky hand. Robin wasn’t comfortable sharing quite yet.
Jackie walked out of the dining room with a glass of punch in her hand. She shook her head and grinned when she saw Lauren. They came together for an awkward hug.
“Lord, aren’t you ready to pop yet?” Jackie asked, stepping back and surveying the enormous belly on Lauren.
“More than ready.”
“Well, I hope Wes lets you get your figure back this time before he knocks you up again.”
Lauren snorted. “No chance of that. We’re done after this one. Doesn’t matter what we have.”
“So you say,” Jackie said skeptically.
“Honest. Wes has an appointment in two weeks. Just a quick
snip snip
and we’re back in business.”
“Still, two kids in diapers? Yikes.”
“At least we’re getting it out of the way all at once.”
“Better you than me.”
“Luckily I don’t mind it at all. So where is everyone else?” Lauren asked, looking around.
“The guys are outside, and Sherry’s in the kitchen stirring the crock pots.”
“I suppose I should go help her.”
“I’ll come with you. By the way, is there anything to put in this punch? I know it’s Ben’s birthday and all, but a woman my age can’t be expected to survive on
punch
.”
Lauren burst out laughing. She’d missed Jackie. “Tell you what, I’ll show you the cabinet and let you spike it yourself.”
“Now you’re talking,” said Jackie as they headed for the kitchen.
“How’s it going at Gloria Fields?” Lauren asked, pushing through the swinging butler’s door.
“It’s going good. I miss not seeing you every day, but I love having your office. I rearranged it so I can look out the window from the desk without having to turn my chair.”
“I never would have gotten any work done with it that way. I would have been staring outside daydreaming all the time.”
“Lucky for me I’ve got more discipline.”
Lauren let the falsehood go. “And how’s Jeri?”
“She’s great—a phenomenal assistant. Almost as good as me, but then those are some seriously big shoes to fill.”
Lauren laughed. “Well, you can’t have everything.”
“You got that right.” Jackie nodded sagely.
They found a svelte and sexy Sherry leaning against the counter with a glass of white wine in one hand and dragging a broccoli floret through the veggie dip with the other.
She looked up with relief. “Oh good, you’re here. I’m starving.”
“Me too,” said Lauren. “I could eat a horse.”
“Looks like you already did,” Sherry teased. Jackie enjoyed that one.
Lauren’s hand went to her hip. “Hey, I didn’t give you guff when you were waddling.”
“Missed your opportunity then, didn’t you?” Sherry said with a twinkle in her eye.
Jackie laughed and stuck her glass of punch in Sherry’s face. “Put a little something in here for me, would you?”
“Right this way.” Sherry turned to the cabinet on the end and opened it wide. “Voilà.”
“Bless you,” said Jackie, perusing the broad selection of liquor.
Lauren snorted. “Well, while you ladies pickle your livers, I’m going to track down my husband.”
They gave her a disinterested wave, and Lauren departed through the French doors, stepping onto the stone patio.
Wes and Ken were nursing beers at the glass-topped table, and Chuck was kicked back with a low ball glass in his hand. They were laughing about something when Lauren lumbered over.
Wes looked at Lauren as if she were lunch; the heat, the hunger in his eyes almost indecent. It sent her heart soaring and her blood boiling. How could Wes still find her sexy in this condition? Yet he did. He was as attentive, as turned on, as utterly captivated as he’d been when she still had her girlish figure. She loved him all the more for it.
Wes held out his arm and beckoned Lauren to his side.
“Hey, guys.” She smiled at the other two as she leaned into her husband, his arm hooked possessively around her hip.
Ken pointed to an empty chair. “Lauren, take a load off. Looks like you could use it.”
“In a minute. I thought I’d go see what the grandpas are up to.”
All four of them turned to look down the lawn.
Wes grinned. “They’re having fun with the helium.”
“No way. Seriously?” Lauren looked across the lawn again and saw the two old respectable gents standing around the metal tank of helium, laughing and shoving each other weakly. Deflated balloons hung limp in their hands and speckled the grass at their feet. Chuck’s young daughter was beaming up at them, a bouquet of balloons floating over her head.
“At least they managed to fill a few before they turned completely silly,” said Lauren.
“In their defense,” said Chuck, his eyes lighting on his nine year old, “Becca’s the instigator. She keeps asking them to do the voices. They’ve got the
Who’s on First
routine down pat and she loves it.”
“Oh geez,” Lauren groaned. “This I’ve gotta see.”
“Hang on.” Wes popped to his feet. “I’ll go with you.”
As they walked down the lawn together Wes cast a look at Lauren’s swollen belly. “How’s your back?”
“It aches—nothing new.”
“You’re only three days late.”
“Three days too many.”
He smiled roguishly. “Then let’s have a baby.”
“You have a plan I don’t know about?”
“Sweetheart,” he said, his voice low and husky with promise, “I’m going to make love to you like I haven’t been allowed in weeks, and we’ll see if your screaming orgasm doesn’t just set off some seismic contractions.”
She grabbed his arm and closed her eyes, feeling weak with hope. “I’ll be your slave if you can pull it off.”
He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’m going to give it my best shot, and I’m not coming up for air until you’re gushing all over me one way or another.”
At this state of advanced pregnancy, Lauren was always warm but when Wes used his low, velvety voice of seduction to make intimate suggestions she burned like a solar flare.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” she said, knowing he always kept his promises.
“Then I’d better go find the birthday boy. We need to wear him out so he sleeps through all the noise you’re going to make tonight.”
Wes gave Lauren a soft, lingering kiss then headed back inside to find their son.
Incredible. She never dreamed she could love Wes this much, and that was saying something considering she’d loved him most of her life. But it was true.
She turned and her smile stretched into a wide grin. The two old coots were taking fresh hits.
“Lauren! Come on, come on,” called her dad enthusiastically, and Mr. Dunlop seconded the invitation with a spirited little jingle.
“My God.” Lauren laughed. “I’m waddling into Munchkin Land.”
About Tara Mills
I’m a pampered wife, proud mom, and the daily monitor of one naughty dog with attitude.
I write stories I like to read—contemporary romances with identifiable characters and themes. Life is hard, love makes it bearable.
Tara’s Website:
www.taramillsromance.com
Reader eMail:
www.taramillsromance.com/contact.html
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