Nothing Like the First Time (23 page)

Chapter Eighteen

We decided not to tell anyone about the baby just yet. We wanted to share in our own joy for a few days without other people clucking like mother hens. I didn’t even tell Jodie. I’d been into work, I’d even had breakfast with her, but I had to hold my tongue. Keeping the secret from my family wasn’t so hard because we weren’t all that close. But not telling my best friend was killing me.

Grey was wonderful with me. He wouldn’t let me do anything more than light housework—he did most of it for me. He cooked, he cleaned, and he did the grocery shopping. He let me bus tables at work because I won the little fight we had over it. I still did my work for the paper because that wasn’t heavy work at all. 

About a week later, Jodie dropped by unannounced.

“I’m on
to you!” she said as I opened the door.

“Are you? On
to what exactly?” I asked as I walked into the kitchen to put some coffee on.

“You’re pregnant!”

Trust Jodie to be blunt. Observant, too.

“I am not!”

Lying to her wouldn’t work but I had to try.

“You are
, too. Do not lie to me, lady. I’ve seen you dashing off to the toilet at a moment’s notice. I’ve seen you with your hand on your stomach, a thing that a pregnant woman does subconsciously.”

I made coffee and sat at the kitchen island.
Jodie sat opposite me and stared me down until I broke.

“Okay, I am
, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. We haven’t said anything to our families yet.”

“Oh my god!” she squealed as she g
ot up and ran around to hug me. She embraced me lightly and kissed me on the cheek. “I knew it. I’m so happy for you!”

“Thank you. We’re
so excited. I’m only about nine weeks gone and we’re not telling anyone until after the twelve week scan. I have a scan picture to show you, though.”

I showed her the picture I treasured so much. She squealed excitedly and couldn’t stop jumping up and down.
I was so glad to have been able to tell her—now I had someone to talk to about baby stuff and someone to take baby shopping.

“I swear I won’t tell a soul,”
Jodie said as she made a zipping her lips motion.

“We’re going to tell everyone soon. I was desperate to tell you but Grey and I agreed we wouldn’t say anything to anyone—technically, you guessed
, so when he asks, I just have to tell him that.”

We spent the next hour or so talking about the baby and the wedding. The printers had the invitations sorted and
had shipped them to me, all I had to do was mail them out. Everything was coming together so nicely and our twelve week scan was two weeks before the wedding.

Grey came home later that afternoon. He’d had a job to do taking photos for the local paper that morning.

“Jodie came round earlier.”

“Did she? Did you girls have fun?” Grey asked as he fetched himself a bottle of water from the fridge.

“She knows.”

I wasn’t sure how Grey would react to that statement, but he’d have to deal with it, what’s done can’t be undone.

“I thought we agreed not to tell anyone?” His voice wasn’t accusing.

“We did, but she guessed. She turned up and told me she knew. I asked what she knew, she said that I was pregnant. I denied it but
Jodie knows I can’t lie to her so I showed her the scan picture.”

“Okay. It’s not like people won’t know soon enough
, anyway.”

“We talked about the baby and the wedding. She promised she won’t even tell Matt.”

“Has she moved in with him yet?” he asked, changing the subject.

“She sure has!
”

“That’s good, they make a great couple,” Grey said as he chugged water from his bottle.

“They sure do. Maybe it’ll be them down the aisle next.”

Grey walked over to me and pulled me up from my seat. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him for a kiss. He kissed me softly, slowly licking my bottom lip to make me open up to allow his tongue to seek out mine. I opened my mouth and let him deepen the kiss.

Our tongues twisted together, Grey’s hands roamed up and down my spine as he kissed me fiercely. It was almost as though he’d been away for too long and was now seeking recompense.

I started to pull the hem of his t-shirt over his head. He held his arms up to help me get it off. I threw it on the floor and Grey grabbed hold of me, turning me around so my back was to the kitchen island. He started to undo some buttons on my blouse but didn’t get all the way down before pulling it off over my head. He stood between my legs, nudging them apart. He undid the front clasp of my bra and
bent to gently suck each nipple into his mouth in turn. He looked up at me and the grin on his face was devilish.

I started to undo his jeans and pushed them down as far as his knees. Then I pulled his boxers down and he sprang free, gloriously hard and shiny with a little pre-cum.

Grey pulled my panties down and pushed my skirt up. He sat me on the kitchen island and pulled my panties right off—then he pulled me forward and edged himself inside me. No foreplay needed. He was hard and I was wet from the sensual kiss and the way he had sucked on my nipples—he really knew what turned me on.

As Grey pushed himself deeper inside me, I moaned in sheer delight. He held me tight as he slowly pushed himself inside me before pulling out again, teasing me the way only he knew how. I braced my arms against the granite worktop and
clenched my muscles around him, knowing this drove him wild. He gently bit one nipple as he played expertly with the other. I wanted to come there and then but Grey’s stare penetrated me.

“Don’t come. Do you hear me
, Carly? Hold onto it and do not come,” Grey commanded.

I held tight to the warmth pooling inside me. I could hold out for a little longer, but I knew when Grey was like this it was because he wanted an explosion from both of us at once. He continued to push in and pull out of me in a gentle, building rhythm. We were both panting and moaning as I clenched tighter and he pushed harder into me.

Grey made eye contact with me and held my stare as he held onto my hips and brought us closer and closer to a climax.

“Get ready
, baby!” he whispered before increasing the speed of his motions. His hands roamed up to my taut nipples and one hand played with each. He leaned forward and bit each one in turn—not a gentle nip, either—he knew I liked a little pain with my pleasure and so did he.

“Ready?” he asked in a husky voice.

I couldn’t find my words so I just nodded.

He leaned in to claim my mouth in a
kiss that was hot, breathy and anything but gentle.

The kiss was nearly my undoing but I knew Grey needed me to hold out a few seconds longer.

He pulled back and stared into my eyes—the look there told me he was going to explode any second. He pushed deeper inside me in one final thrust that took us both sailing over the edge. I moaned in ecstasy and sprawled on the granite behind me. Grey kissed up and down my naked body as I let the aftershocks ripple through me.

All too soon Grey pulled out of me and did his jeans back up.

I sat up on the island and watched as Grey walked to the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water. He handed one to me as he stood there and drained his own.

I looked at my beautiful, half clothed god of a fiancé and it hit me that we w
ere going to be married in a few weeks and in a few months we would be parents. Tears spilled from my eyes and when Grey saw, he came to comfort me.

“They’re not sad tears,” I sniffled.

“Then what are they for?” he asked as he wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs.

“Just because I love you and our baby so much.”

He looked at me, still haphazardly dressed, and he put his hand to my stomach.

“Hi there
, little one. I’m your father and I love you so very much. You and your mother are the sun, the moon, the stars and everything in my universe.”

I cried harder as he spoke, but he wiped my tears away and kissed me softly.

“I love you, Carly Summers. I always have and I always will.”

Chapter Nineteen

The next few
weeks passed in a blur of last minute checks that everything was in place. My wedding was in two days and I was trying to make sure everything would fall into place on the day. I could only do so much and the rest was up to fate.

I was nervous but excited.
Jodie had told me I could only spend one more night with Grey then I was staying at her place the night before the wedding because it was “traditional”—Naomi was staying with us and Tim and Matt were staying with Grey.

For our last night together, I cooked Grey’s favorite meal, tagliatelle and lamb meatballs in a tomato and basil sauce.

We had a quiet evening, we watched a DVD, and then took a luxurious bubble bath together. We made love that night and it was magical. Sex with Grey was always out of this world but that night was beyond description.

The next day I packed my last minute things and
put my bag in the back of my car.

Grey walked me to the car and kissed me goodbye. As of the previous week, my house was on the market and the majority of my stuff had been moved into the cottage. There were things left at my house so I could remain there before the wedding, but
starting with the wedding night, we would both live together at the cottage.

I was excited about our new life
. We had had our twelve week scan and had still not told anyone about it. We decided that it was something we would surprise people with on the day of the wedding. It was one time we would have all of our nearest and dearest friends and family with us—we could tell them all at once.

Jodie
had set up a slideshow for the reception. It was pictures of me and Grey as teenagers, things we’d done together when we were young. The last picture was going to be our scan picture and that would be when we told everyone.

To say I was nervous was an understatement. I had butterflies doing somersaults in my stomach and my heart felt like it was racing in my ribcage, trying to get out.

Jodie poured herself a glass of wine and me a glass of orange juice as we sat and talked about the wedding. I had someone coming round to do my hair, nails, and makeup in the morning and my dress was hung on Jodie’s spare bedroom door in a dress bag. Everything was ready and I had done all I could. The rest was up to fate now.

I had invited Saskia and Melyssa after all. They had RSVP’d yes
, so I sat them at a table with my parents just down from the top table. I hadn’t seen my father in years and he wasn’t giving me away. I had asked Jim to give me away instead. Yes, he was my boss, but he had also been like a father to me since I started working for him. My father had been upset by this but he knew I wouldn’t change my mind and had admitted when I spoke to him on the phone that he hadn’t been a proper father to me and he wanted that to change.

My mother was as sickly sweet as she ever was. Her new husband Dean was a grade ‘A’ prick. They were both staying at a local hotel the night before the wedding so that she could come and see me at
Jodie and Matt’s house. I wasn’t looking forward to her arrival and wished now more than ever that I could have a drink or five to numb myself to her pathetic ways. I had distanced myself on purpose over the years and was glad when she had moved away. I hadn’t attended her wedding to Dean. As pathetic as she had become of late, she used to be a wonderful woman when she was married to my father and Dean didn’t deserve someone who could be as good as I knew she could be.

All too soon the doorbell rang
, and when Jodie answered it, I heard her voice.

“Oh
, Jodie darling, how are you?”

“I’m good
, thank you, Mrs. Lewis. How are you?”

I heard the
door shut and their footsteps travel further into the house. 

I wasn’t looking forward to seeing my mother. It had been years. But she insisted on being here, saying it was traditional for the mother of the bride
to be present while the bride got ready. One thing I could say about her marriage to Dean was she had a tendency to see things through rose-tinted spectacles. She thought she was still the great mother I’d been so close to growing up. Truth was, I didn’t get so much as a phone call from her over the years and whenever I had called her, Dean would limit the time we spent on the phone so eventually calls dried up completely.

I certainly hadn’t wanted to invite Dean to the wedding
, but I couldn’t tell my blissfully unaware mother that I hated the sight of him.

“Darling,” she said as she walked through my bedroom door.

“Mother,” I nodded curtly in her direction while sipping my non-alcoholic champagne.

We’d known my mother would suggest bringing a bottle of champagne
, so we told her that Grey’s mother had already provided some—we just didn’t tell her it was non-alcoholic stuff bought by Jodie at the local supermarket and decanted into an old bottle Jodie had procured via Matt.

Jodie
offered her a glass of the champagne and she accepted gratefully as she came and sat next to me. No sooner had she sat down than her phone rang. The caller display said Dean.

“Sorry
, darling, I must take this.”

She walked out of the room to take her call.

“She’s only been here two minutes and he’s checking up on her. The Elise Summers I knew would never have let a man wear her down the way he has,” I said to Jodie as the door closed behind my mother.

“I’m keeping out of it
, as should you. This is your wedding day and you should be happy.”

“I’m not going to row with her. Even Dean can’t ruin this for me today. He might be a snake in the grass
, but I have far too many other things to concern myself with.”

I took a swig of my champagne,
wanting to take away the vile taste his name had left on my lips.

“Sorry about that
, darling.” My mother came breezing back into the room.

“That’s okay
, mom.”

“Dean wants us to arrive at the wedding together and wondered how we would do that if I was here.”

“Well, you can arrive together, it’s not like you’re needed here.” I bit my tongue, knowing I’d been too disrespectful.

“Of course I’m needed here
, darling, it’s not every day my eldest daughter gets married.”

She obviously decided to brush anything I said under the carpet.

“No, but Dean doesn’t know this town and he won’t want to turn up alone.”

“I know
, darling. He’s picking me up here just before the ceremony.

“Oh, good.”

I knew that meant I’d have to put up with her longer, but she was my mother, after all. I should make the most of seeing her. I might not get to see her again until her funeral and by then it would be too late to talk to her.

It sounds a harsh thing to say maybe, but with the tight leash Dean keeps on her, it’s probably going to end up being true.

“So, what’s Greyston like these days? I always thought you two would end up being married.”

“His name is Grey and he’s much the same as ever, just older and wiser.”

I decided not to bring up the years we’d had apart. I knew she knew but she obviously chose to ignore the fact.

“I bet he’s still as handsome as he ever was. What does he do for a living now?”

“He’s a freelance photographer.”

“Oh.”

The surprise and disdain were clear in her voice. She didn’t think Grey’s career was good enough. Good job she’s not marrying him.

“He’s been all over the world, traveling and taking photos of all sorts of things. He’s been to Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China. He’s even seen the Christ the Redeemer s
tatue. He’s been really lucky.” I tried to cover up the awkward silence with babbling.

“He’s a great guy, Mrs
. Lewis. Carly is very lucky to be marrying him. All the women round here are jealous of her and wish it was them. The men? Well, they want to be Grey because he’s the total package.”

“The total package
, dear?”

“He’s handsome, charming,
caring. He’d do anything for Carly, just anything. He’s got a good job and he loves Carly very much.”

“That’s goo
d to know, dear. I remember his mother and father were always very well to do. A rich family background. But the boy I knew was nothing if not humble and genuine.”

Well
, slap me in the face with a wet kipper, coming from my mother that had almost been a compliment.

“His father died, just so you know,” I said. I didn’t want her asking questions at the wedding.

“I’m sorry to hear that, darling. Greyston must have been devastated. Katrina, too. They were a close knit family.”

“They were and yes, everyone was devastated. But Katrina and Lizzie are still around. Remember how much you liked Lizzie,
Mother?”

“Oh yes, what a wonderful lady she was. I’ll look forward to seeing her at the wedding.”

The doorbell rang again and Jodie went to answer it.

“Tasha, please, come on in.”

I heard footsteps outside my door and then heard Tasha’s voice.

“Oh
, is this the dress? I can’t wait for the grand unveiling.”

“It’s stunning, Tasha.”

The girls came into the room and Tasha barrelled straight over to me and wrapped me in a hug.

We’d gone to school together and I always used her salon to get my hair and nails done.

“Mother, you remember Tasha?” I asked, looking round.

“Tasha Small? Is that really you? Oh my goodness
, you’re all grown up.”

“It’s me
, Mrs. Lewis. I haven’t seen you in years. How are you?”

Tasha knew my mother had ditched me and Saskia when she went off with Dean, but she went
out of her way to be nice. It was my wedding day, after all.

Tasha started unpacking all her stuff. She was here to g
ive me a mani-pedi, a facial, style my hair and do my makeup. She was also doing Jodie’s nails and hair. Jodie never let anyone do her makeup, lord help anyone who tried.

I was at my vanity with my robe wrapped around me. Underneath the robe, I had on the wedding lingerie I had chosen.

Tasha began with my mani-pedi.

We all sat around talking and reminiscing about school. I had my iPod on in the background, playing
everything from Bruno Mars to Celine Dion, Depeche Mode to The Plain White Tees. I had it on shuffle to stop me having to get up to change albums. When the track “Pour Some Sugar on Me” by Def Leppard came on, both Jodie and I burst into fits of giggles. My mother and Tasha gave us funny looks, which made us laugh harder at our private joke.

My phone vibrated on the vanity.

Love you Carls. Can’t wait to make you Mrs Sterling. G xx

I smiled to myself and tapped out a reply.

Love you too Grey. I can’t wait to be Mrs Sterling. C xx

We had decided to write our own vows for the ceremony and I had
memorized everything I wanted to say, hoping that nerves wouldn’t ruin the moment it came to voice them.

The morning went by quickly in a rush of nail varnish, curling
irons, hairspray and girl talk.

Dean rang
Mom to tell her he was outside. She gave me a quick hug goodbye and left. She hadn’t even seen my dress on the hanger, much less my body. Still, I had to push down my anger and rise above it.

“Time to get dressed
, Carly!” Jodie ordered as she poured another glass of champagne for herself.

I stood and unzipped the dress bag on the door. I pulled my dress ou
t and shimmied out of my robe. The girls each helped me step into the dress. I waited until Jodie had done the dress up before looking at myself in the full-length mirror.

The deep purple of the dress was accentuated with the
lavender fascinator that Tasha had put in my hair. It matched the bridesmaids’ dresses and looked perfect as I checked out my hair. It fell in long brown curls that framed my face. My makeup was perfect. The eye shadow was shades of purple blended together and my lipstick was a shade called ‘Barely There.’

Jodie
stood there in her dress looking absolutely beautiful, the lavender really made her blue eyes stand out. Naomi had arrived at some point in the morning and Tasha had sorted the girls’ hair and nails. They looked amazing and I couldn’t believe I was getting married in just under an hour.

The car service pulled up twenty short minutes later to take us to Farnham Castle.

The drive was surreal. I sat thinking to myself that the next time I saw everything, it would all be the same but I would be different. I would be Mrs. Sterling. I would be somebody’s wife and not just anybody, but the man I had loved since we first met. I would be Mrs. Greyston Sterling.