Chapter 24

Ansley

"Excellent job, Doctor Crawford." The older doctor who was attending my afternoon surgery at Seattle's finest hospital gave me a curt nod.

"Thank you, Doctor." I scrubbed out and walked down the hall, ready to get my things and enjoy the long weekend. My schedule was so much better in Seattle than it ever had been in Boston. Not being the head of Neurology meant that a huge burden came off my shoulders. Someone else could manage the other doctors and deal with the loads of admin bullshit.

And not having to deal with Nolan? Fucking bliss.

I typed up a quick report and gathered my things, tired and ready to get in a hot bath and bed. It was the first day of a new year. My year, and yet I couldn't help but live in the past. I missed being close to my sister, and a short drive from Aiden.

Even more than that, I missed the idea of running into Parks. I'd considered going to St. Marks in New York pretty strongly before jetting off to the west coast. Putting us in the same department in the same hospital meant that I would see him all the time.

I wanted that so bad it hurt.

A sad smile haunting the side of my mouth. He had probably moved on and had ten women rotating in and out of his bed by then.

I walked out into the chilly January afternoon and pulled my coat tightly around me. My breath caught in my chest as I stopped a few feet from my car.

The most handsome man I'd ever seen stood beside my door; his body relaxed as he eyed me. Jacob Parker.

"Parks," I whispered and glanced around as if he were a naughty secret I wanted to keep to myself.

He laughed and walked toward me. "Hi, beautiful." He glanced around and turned his attention back to me. "You had to run all the way to Seattle? I'm a little flattered. Most women just change their numbers. One even dyed her hair to throw me off."

I laughed, unable to help myself. My fingers itched to reach for him. Had it really been two months? What the fuck was I thinking?

Oh shit. The baby.

"I moved for lots of reasons, you cocky bastard."

"Was I one of them?" He reached out and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Nope." I gripped his hand and held onto it as he dropped it by his side.

"You're a horrible liar."

"That's true." I stepped closer, not sure what I was doing, but I was going with it. The first bit of desire and warmth filled every inch of my body, and I couldn't let it go. Not yet. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to get some fresh fish for dinner." He shrugged and smiled. "I figured I'd see what you were up to seeing that you just up and disappeared."

"You went back to New York and didn't bother to look back once."

"Oh, I looked back, Ans. Every day. I've lived in the past for over two months."

I reached out and touched the side of his face, the soft hair of his beard tickling my fingers. So many emotions moved between us that it became increasingly hard to breathe.

"I'm sorry about your dad. Aiden told me." I took the last step between us. "And about the incident at Boston General. I shouldn't have gotten in your way."

"I should have listened to you." He ran his hand down the side of my hair, sliding his fingers in and tightening them. "I hate how bad I want you."

"I hate it too." I smiled and lifted up, pressing my lips to his. It was wrong and so far off the beaten path, but it felt so fucking right.

He growled and wrapped his strong arms around me, leaning into the kiss and consuming me in a way I'd always wanted a man to. I opened my mouth and teased his tongue with mine, inviting him in as my body grew wet and achy.

The kiss was enough to leave my knees weak, and I was beyond grateful for the tight hold he had on me. I pulled back and realized that I was headed for another fight with him though. I hadn't told him about the baby. He was going to be furious.

"What?" He brushed his nose against mine. "I don't like that look on your face. You're holding something back."

"I'm pregnant." I gripped his shirt tightly, afraid he would jerk back and explode like Nolan always did.

"I know." He kissed me again. "I'm coming over and cooking you dinner. We can talk about all of it."

"You know?" Surprise raced through me. "And you're not mad?"

"I'm a little hurt, but I understand your reasons. I told you that I'd help you make a baby if that's what you wanted." He smiled. "Obviously it worked well."

"I'm sorry. I should have called." I slid my hands down his strong chest as memories of us making love flooded my mind. "I want to talk with you about it."

"Good." He chuckled. "You don't have much of a choice at this point."

"True." I pulled out my keys. "Follow me to my place?"

"I'll be right behind you, Ans." He stood there for another minute, his mesmerizing green eyes studying me. I felt beautiful, bare, exposed. It was exhilarating. Had he really come up to Seattle to see me? Did he care more than I'd given him credit for?

"Okay," I responded and got into my car. He closed the door and walked across the lot. I reached up and pulled the rear view mirror down to watch him. His ass looked so fucking good in his jeans. I wanted to touch every inch of him, to use my body to make amends. The passion between us had the power to heal whatever we'd done to each other in our fear.

"No more," I whispered roughly as tears welled in my eyes. I pulled out of the parking lot as they began to fall. It felt like I was getting a second chance. Another try at something beautiful.

I hadn't realized how much I wanted a second chance until I had one. I drove home, laughing and crying like the hot mess I was. Some part of me wanted to clear up my face and put on a show for him, but it seemed like the time for facades was over. He wasn't angry at me over the baby, and he was here, right here, for me.

After parking the car, I turned it off and glanced over at him to find him parked beside me and watching me from his car.

I smiled and laughed before getting out. He did too.

"What are you doing to me?" I asked and closed my door.

"Hoping to make you fall in love with me?" He walked to the front of the car and extended his hand to me. "I haven't been the same since meeting you. I think you put a spell on me."

I laughed and took his hand, feeling like I was truly coming home for the first time ever. "And if I did?"

"I like it. Do it again." He kissed the top of my head and walked us to the house. "How far along are you?"

"Ten weeks." I moved up to open the door and groaned as his strong hands slid over my hips and cupped my stomach over my jacket. He leaned down and kissed the back of my neck.

"And without a doubt - it's mine?"

Chill bumps broke out all over my skin and desire raged in me like a fire. "Yes. It's yours. I've not been with anyone else." So much for my plan to lie again. I couldn't force myself too. Everything was shifting inside of me.

"Good." He licked up the side of my neck. "I want you, Ans."

"I need you." I walked in and turned to face him as he worked on my jacket. We kissed roughly and tore at each other's clothes until I had my hands pressed to the tight skin of his chest. "Why did we fuck this up between us?"

"Cause we're idiots." He ran his hands over my hips and slipped his hands into my panties, pulling them down, and he knelt in front of me. I stood bare but felt adored, beautiful.

"I don't want to push you away anymore." I slid my fingers into his hair as my voice broke.

He glanced up and brushed his lips over the swell of my stomach. "Good. I'm not going to let you go no matter what tricks you pull, witch."

I laughed and let out a soft yelp as he wrapped his arms around my thighs and picked me up. "Parks. Put me down."

"It's Jacob." He set me on the couch and pushed with his shoulder against my thigh, forcing me to lay back fully. "Only for you though."

"I love it." I reached for him, but he nestled himself between my legs and licked his lips.

"Good. You know how many times I've eaten this pussy in my dreams?" He brushed the back of his fingers over my mound and ran the rough pad of his thumb through my lips, dipping it into my body.

"No," I whimpered and arched my back. "I've wanted you every day since I had you last."

"It's been too long, Ans. No more." He moved down and forced my legs wider before licking his way through my folds, parting me open and working my body as only he could. "Come for me. Come a few times. I want to drink you, baby."

I cried out at his naughty request as my first orgasm burst through me. I gripped the couch and let go of every worry I had, every doubt. For the night I would just be his, and he would be mine. Something told me that maybe this time it would go so much farther than a night, but I wasn't willing to move out of the moment.

I wanted the fullness of the experience with him.

"Jacob," I cried out and rolled my hips, riding high on the top of the orgasm as I shook beneath the strength of his hands.

"That's it, beautiful. Let it go for me." He watched me as he flicked his tongue over my clit. The naughty smile on the side of his mouth had me edging toward madness. How in the world a man as sexy as him would want someone like me was a mystery?

"Stay with me tonight?" I slid my hand into his hair again and pulled. "Please?"

"I'm not going anywhere, Ans." He kissed my stomach softly as he moved up my body and pressed his chest to mine. "The baby is okay with me laying on you like this?"

I chuckled. "You're a doctor. You know it's too small to feel anything just yet."

"I'm a neurologist. The third best in the world." He ran his strong hands up my sides and cupped my breasts, squeezing softly. "You're so beautiful, baby. You've been the center of every fantasy I've had since the moment we met."

"Same." I pulled him down for a long kiss as he pressed the thick head of his cock into my heat. We shared a moan as he forced himself in inch by inch.

"Goddamn, woman." He lifted up and pulled out before gripping himself and rubbing his head over my clit roughly. "You're tight. You haven't been masturbating."

Embarrassment burned my chest. "That's none of your business."

"Yeah." He glanced up as he dipped his cock back into me. "It's every bit of my business. I wanna see you fuck yourself soon."

"Jacob." I swatted at him as he chuckled darkly.

"What? I'm serious." He pressed in deeper and smiled. "You like that? Such a big dick, Ans. You take it like a whore would."

I moaned as my eyes fluttered closed. I was the most proper person in the world, and we all knew it. Being a whore sounded like an insult to some, but to be his whore? I wanted it. Wanted it badly.

"You know a lot of whores?" I pulled him against me and wrapped my legs around his narrow hips as he fucked me with long, deep thrusts.

"No. I don't know any women anymore." He licked up the side of my mouth before kissing me with a passion that scored my insides. If he wanted my heart, it was his for the taking.

I was defenseless against him, and we both knew it.

I’d been begging God for a second chance in my life.

This was it. This was my moment.