Billionaire’s Unexpected Baby

Sheryl had always been a beautiful girl with big dreams. She was a tall petite woman with an hourglass figure. She stood at a not-so-impressive 5’2” though she always wore heels to make up for it. She had long, black hair that always seemed to curl perfectly and emerald eyes that could look into your soul. Stunning was the single best word to describe her.

Those eyes and hips had gotten her a long way. She wasn’t the type of girl who would actively use her...assets to get what she wanted, but it seemed to happen anyway. Sheryl got some help along the way, but she had worked hard for everything she had.

She’d always wanted to be a journalist. She wanted to go to war torn countries and report the truth to people back home. She wanted to change the way journalism was reported. However, you can’t always get what you want and Sheryl was no exception to that rule.

After graduating, she took a job at the local newspaper to boost her resume. Sheryl assumed that with her degree and talent she’d get big news stories about drug busts or dirty cops. The reality of the situation was much different. She was immediately assigned to the local gossip column and when her boss told her this she could feel her blood boil under her skin.

“You’re a beautiful girl. You’ll have no problem getting men to spill their secrets,” her boss had said as he flipped through the paper for that day.

Sheryl wanted to protest his statement. She wanted to bring up her qualifications and point out that his entire argument for putting her on this column in the first place was sexist and probably illegal but she’d kept her mouth shut and nodded. She was lucky to have a job, honestly. The market wasn’t good and she needed to pay the rent.

When you’re young the world looks a lot different and you don’t see the reality of rent, student loans, and other bills. Sheryl had always seen herself being rich and traveling the world. The reality was that she was stuck in Nashville, working on a gossip column and trying to keep herself above water and that was what the world really was. She didn’t think things could get much worse.

Boy, was she wrong! Her entire career revolved around trying to get dirt on the rich and famous. The way she did this was by attending parties she would never have gone to including banquets and birthday bashes. She went to all of them and she did her best to look more important than she really was. They couldn’t know she was a reporter or their guards went up. In order to get the unfiltered dirt, she had to pretend to be a distant relative.

It always worked. She hated her job, but she was damn good at it. Women found her pretty enough to bring her into their inner circles and men were distracted by those eyes. They all but sold their friends and family members out to her so needless to say business was good.

There were times when she got carried away but up until now it had never gotten her in trouble. Sheryl had attended a very high-profile birthday party for one of the richest men in the city. He’d inherited most of the old music businesses and owned a very successful record label. All of the people in Nashville who were worth anything either seemed to be old money or a music business mogul.

When she heard the name Samuel Morgan she knew who he was immediately. She’d seen him from afar on many occasions though he often disappeared with a pretty woman before she got a chance to talk to him. He was an elusive man and a notorious womanizer.

Sheryl knew she was going to get close to him on his birthday, but she didn’t imagine how close. The night had started off normal. She wandered the room, chatting to various people and trying to come across as someone they could trust. Seeming trustworthy was the key in this operation though it wasn’t hard to seem trustworthy to people who were falling down drunk.

She started on the outskirts of the room but slowly moved towards the center where she knew she would find Sam. When she was finally close enough to get a good look at him, she was a little caught off guard. He was a handsome man in his early forties with a well-trimmed beard, a charming smile and eyes that were gray as steel. When his eyes turned on her they cut through her like a knife. She was suddenly far more understanding towards the women who left with him.

Charming was not the word she would use to describe him because it didn’t do him justice. His voice alone was enough to make her melt. He was educated, witty and respectful. Despite his tendency to lure women in, he wasn’t a jerk, which Sheryl had almost expected.

When he spoke to her, he constantly asked about her completely turning the tables on her. She was always the one who asked the questions. His sandy blonde hair was cut into a professional looking undercut and brushed back of out his tan face revealing those steely eyes and long lashes. He was intoxicating!

Before she knew it, she’d had one too many drinks and was in his lap in the back of a cab. They shared a very long, very passionate night together. It was a shame she hardly remembered any of it. The immense passion was really the only thing she could recall which was probably the most important part anyway.

She had to ask herself if it was worth it because now she found herself in the bathroom stall at work, holding three positive pregnancy tests in her hands. The issue of being pregnant wasn’t even the only problem. Sheryl had absolutely no idea how she was going to get close enough to her billionaire baby daddy to tell him.

Sheryl stood in the stall staring numbly at the pregnancy tests. Had they not used protection? Even if they hadn’t used a condom she was on birth control! Had she missed a dose? What went wrong? Her mind was spinning as she tried to figure out how this could have happened. She ran her free hand through her hair, the panic squeezing her chest until she couldn’t breath.

She wrapped the tests in toilet paper and threw them in the trash, opening the bathroom door so hard that it slammed against the tile wall and cracked it. She didn’t even care, honestly. She was far more concerned about other things at the moment.

As she moved through the office various people tried to stop her to ask her about deadlines but the dead pan look in her face told them that today was not that day and they backed off immediately. Sheryl went straight to her boss’ office and threw the door open, her eyes wild and desperate. “I’m going home early.” This wasn’t a question, it was a statement.

The old man with bushy eyebrows and an unamused look on his wrinkled face cocked a brow “Are you, now?” he asked.

She set her jaw as the anger started creeping through her body. Her boss was a misogynistic jerk that she normally avoided at all costs. He constantly belittled her and never took her seriously. On a good day, she barely kept her anger under control and today was the farthest thing from a good day that she'd ever had.

He saw the look in her eyes and just smirked, going back to his paper. "You having boyfriend trouble, doll? Can't handle your workload today?"

Sheryl didn't know what she was thinking (she probably wasn't) when she reached out and slapped the man across the face. It was the straw that broke the camels back. She was tired of standing around taking this kind of unacceptable abuse.

Her boss seemed just as shocked as her. Sheryl wasn't interested in whatever comment he was going to make. She turned on her heels, stomping out of the office. She heard his door slam as he followed her but didn't turn around "You think you had a shitty job here? Let's see how you handle unemployment!"

Sheryl spun around and ripped off her name badge and hurled it at the old man, not dignifying his threat with a response. She'd been playing his game for years now and she was done.

There were tears in her bright green eyes as she stumbled down the stairs, she wiped at them angrily and got in her car. She sped out of the parking lot throwing her middle finger up towards the tall building behind her. She knew it didn't do any good, but it made her feel better.

The drive home seemed longer than usual and as she sat in silence she started to think. Shit. She'd just quit her job. She was now unemployed, single and pregnant. This created a problem. A big one! The Tennessean was the biggest paper in the city and burning that bridge had probably ruined her chance at a career in this city. She pulled into her driveway as the panic and dread started sinking into her belly.

She put her forehead against her steering wheel for a moment, not wanting to get out of the car quite yet. After a few long moments, she finally swung her door open and headed for her front door. Her hands shaking as she did her best to get the keys in the lock. She cried hard and she finally managed to get the door open.

Her apartment was quiet and lonely and there was little comfort to be found. Sheryl had spent her entire life focused on her career and school so she never had time for a boyfriend or even a pet. Now, she didn’t even have her job. She crumpled on the couch and wrapped her arms around her pillow, fear filling every nook and cranny of her body as she started to contemplate her options.

Sheryl stared down at her phone for a moment and then picked it up, sniffling and wiping her eyes. She opened her web browser and searched for whatever information she could find on Sam. There wasn’t a whole lot about him on the public record. He seemed to be a pretty charitable guy, having given a lot of money to local music programs and schools. That was nice, but it wasn’t the information she needed.

Eventually, she found the name and number of his office and called. She wasn’t surprised when a secretary answered, “Good afternoon, this is Music Row Records and Enterprises. How can I help you?”

“Hi! My name is Sarah Atwood and I’m going to be coming in to check some sound equipment tomorrow. I just needed to meet with Mr. Morgan to discuss replacement options for anything that might not be fixable.” She was lying out of her ass, of course, but it was something she’d gotten very good at over the years thanks to her profession.

The woman on the other line bought it. “Of course, Ms. Atwood. I’ll pencil you in for a 9:30 appointment. Will that be alright?”

Yes! She bought it! “9:30 works great for me.” It wasn’t like she was going to have anywhere to be in the morning.

“Very good. Please be prompt. He is a very busy man and doesn’t wait around. Have a good day.”

There was a click on the other line and the woman was gone. Sheryl took a deep breath and set her own phone down, running a shaky hand through her hair. This was nerve wracking. It had been months since she’d last seen Sam, but she knew she had to at least try and tell him. It was the right thing to do and it was her only option right now.

Sheryl spent the rest of the evening pampering herself. Her day had been hell and she needed to relax a little. The last thing she wanted to do was go into Sam’s office acting like a crazy disgruntled pregnant lady. She was normally a very calm and collected person and that’s how she wanted to come off to Sam. She wanted to show him that she was stable.

It occurred to her that he was probably going to want to know what she wanted from him. What did she want from him? The easy answer was money and support but what would the child need? Knowing his status and the kind of uproar this might cause she figured he would try and push her under the covers, pay her to keep her mouth shut. That seemed pretty favorable, honestly.

Sam was handsome and rich but as far as she could tell his positive qualities ended there. He was almost twenty years older than her and seemed to have a new woman on his arm every time she saw him. She wasn’t really looking for those things in a long-term relationship.

Sheryl sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she considered her options and what she was going to say. If it weren’t for the bubble bath she was sitting in she’d probably have a migraine. After a long bath and a long time thinking, she decided she was just going to start with money. She’d tell him her situation and be honest, for once in her life, and see where things went.

For now, though, she was going to get a good night’s sleep.

The next morning she was met with what had become the norm for her. She was bent over her toilet, retching into it, holding her belly and trying to stay upright. It was harder than it sounded. The violent morning sickness had been her first hint that she might be pregnant.

There were three more pregnancy tests in the box and when she finally managed to stand up straight she reached for them, deciding she better make sure. Better safe than sorry, right? All three came back positive and she couldn’t help but groan. Dammit.

She threw the sticks in the trash and went back to her bedroom to get dressed. She wanted to look professional, but she also wanted to look enticing. She settled on a pretty teal dress that was skin tight and pushed her ample breasts together, making them hard to ignore. She was a curvy girl and took advantage of it. The dress hugged her waist and hips giving her a near perfect figure.

Her smooth legs were visible and a pair of black pumps made them look even better than normal. The last thing was her makeup. She painted her lips a deep red and added a little mascara for effect. Sheryl leaned back to take herself in. She looked good. Damn good actually.

When she was confident that she was presentable she grabbed her car keys and headed downtown. She wanted to leave herself plenty of time to get to the office and downtown traffic could be a mess in the mornings. Sheryl stopped for coffee to kill some time and drove straight to the address she’d found online.

The building stood out from the rest of the tall offices in the area. It looked like an old converted factory and had beautiful graffiti all over it. It wasn’t the graffiti you normally saw on the sides of buildings. It was tasteful and artsy and had clearly been paid for. Sheryl adored it.

She got a little distracted by the intricate designs as she made her way to the front door. A man in a nice suit opened the door for her and welcomed her. The inside was just as industrial as the outside. It didn’t have the cold, clinical feel of most office buildings. The walls were lined with photographs of musicians and local art pieces. It was a beautiful office and surprisingly welcoming.

Just inside the door was a woman in a pinup looking dress, big 60’s inspired hair, and cat eye glasses. Her lips were cherry red and her smile was bright.“Hello! How can I help you?” she asked, leaning forward looking at Sheryl up and down.

Sheryl felt a little overdressed and out of place but managed to hold herself together. “Hi. My name is Sara Atwood. I had an appointment with Mr. Morgan at 9:30. I know I’m a little early, but I didn’t want to risk missing him,” she explained.

“Not a problem. I much prefer early to late,” she hummed as she ran her finger down a list of names making a mark beside one. “Let me just give him a quick call to make sure he’s ready for you,” she explained with a smile, waving towards one of the chairs in the lobby.

Sheryl took a seat and glanced around, seeing if she recognized any of the pictures or paintings. She knew quite a few people in the photos but wasn’t as up on her local art as she’d like to be. A few minutes passed and the secretary spoke again. “You’re welcome to go see him. His office is on the eighth floor, last door to the left,” she explained with a cheery smile.

Now that his office was only an elevator ride away, she considered turning around and leaving as the anxiety madder her stomach turn. She forced herself to her feet and went to the elevator, getting on and hitting the button for the eighth floor. It was also the top floor.

When the elevator stopped she stepped off and turned to the left, making her way to the large, cherry wood double doors. Her heels clicked on the hardwood floors and she took a breath as she approached the door waiting for a moment before knocking.

The door opened rather quickly and she immediately recognized Sam. Unfortunately for her, he seemed to remember her as well. “Sheryl?”

When he said her name she wasn’t comforted. If anything, she was considering running for it. She swallowed hard and looked up at him. It took everything in her not to bail right then and there. He didn’t say anything for a while. She was sure he was waiting for her to speak but it never came. “Sheryl?” He asked again, cocking a brow. “My assistant said I was going to be meeting with someone from sound check.”

“I lied.” She was surprised at how easy that came out.

He sighed and opened the door to her surprise. She had expected him to slam the door in her face. She walked into his office wringing her hands a little. She settled in a seat on the other side of his desk and he sat across from her. “What can I do for you?” he asked as he opened a schedule book.

“I...well. I have a bit of a problem. Actually... We have a bit of a problem,” she corrected.

When Sheryl said ‘we’ Sam put his pen down and leaned back in his chair a bit. “I see. And what is our problem?” he asked simply.

“You remember me, so I’m sure you remember what we did a few months back.” She murmured, blushing deeply.

“Of course,” he said, raising a brow.

“Well, I’m... pregnant,” she murmured. She let each word slide out one by one the fear echoing in her voice.

His reaction was surprisingly calm. “You’re pregnant?” he asked. “Are you sure?”

She nodded, “I’ve taken multiple tests and they’ve all come back positive.”

“And I suppose you want money?” he asked. His voice dry and lacking any warmth.

“Well...I just lost my job and I can’t really afford to raise a baby on my own.”

He tapped his fingers on his desk.“ I see. Well...If that's the case then we’re going to need to come to some sort of agreement,” he said with his eyes fixed on her face.

His look was making Sheryl a little nervous. “Agreement?” she asked quietly.

Another nod and he leaned forward. “You have to understand my predicament here,” he said. “I’m a single 43-year-old man who is constantly in the spotlight. Showing up in public with a different woman every night is not really good for my image. My PR people have been advising me to settle down for years, but I’ve been putting it off.”

She didn’t like where this was going. “Okay...,” she said sounding hesitant.

“If you can’t tell yet, I’m not interested in settling down. Not right now. But it would be beneficial to have a wife and kid to trot around at events,” he mused as he stroked his beard.

All of his charms flew out the window in an instant. “Are you asking me to be a trophy wife?”

“No. I’m telling you that if you expect to see any kind of money you will be my trophy wife,” he corrected smiling at her as if they were having a casual conversation.

She looked appalled, but he continued on. “It’s a very beneficial situation for you,” he pointed out. “You’d move in with me and all of your expenses would be paid for. Personal expenses and anything related to that baby. It would all be handled,” he said simply. “Your commitment to me would be entirely social and you’d be welcome to carry on with whatever relationships you wanted as long as you kept them quiet. You’re a beautiful woman and well respected. I think this could be good for both of us.”

Sheryl was silent for a long time. The offer sounded good on the surface. It really did, but something about it felt wrong. She didn’t want to be a trophy wife. She wanted to have a loving husband and a happy family. How was she supposed to have those things if her marriage was a sham?

Sam finally spoke again, “I understand that it’s not an easy decision. I don’t expect you to make it right this second.”

He shuffled through his desk for a moment and pulled out a white business card scribbling something on the back. It was a phone number. He slid it across the desk and leaned back putting his fingers together. “That is my cell phone number. It’s my only direct line. When you make your decision give me a call. I’ll be waiting,” he said. He stood up and started walking to the door.

Sheryl’s head was swimming. There was so much to think about. When she stood her knees felt weak but she walked out the door anyway forcing herself to hold her head high as she passed him. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break.

She made it out of the office and to her car before the tears came again. She’d always hated crying. She considered it a sign of weakness but at least she had a good reason for crying. Sheryl pulled out the business card and stared at the shiny finish, flipping it over in her hands again and again. Finally, she shoved it in her purse and turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot.

Her mind was a mess. On one hand, it was a good offer but it came with a lot of personal sacrifices. It wasn’t the kind of life she wanted to live, but at least she and the baby would be more than cared for. She knew she couldn’t go to her family with the problem. Having a baby outside of a marriage was a big deal in her family and she wasn’t ready to deal with that drama.

A deep sadness filled her as she made her way home. She was going to have to make a decision and either way she was going to be giving up a lot.

***

Her meeting with Sam had been over a month ago and her situation had not gotten any better. She made a deal with herself that she wasn’t going to take him up on his offer unless it was her last resort. Sheryl had tried to find another job. She’d been pounding the pavement but the only job she’d even gotten a call back on was a retail job that never would have even begun to pay the bills.

Speaking of bills, they had started to pile up. Her counter was scattered with debt notices and warnings that her power would be shut off. She’d never been in this kind of a situation before and she didn’t know how to handle it. She shoved the debt notices into drawers and cried herself to sleep.

There was nothing to keep her mind busy during the day. Her savings were drying up and even her unemployment had been denied. Things were looking grim. It didn’t help that as the days passed she was starting to show more and more. It was a constant reminder that soon she would not just be worrying about herself. The panic that this thought instilled was what made her finally pick up the phone and call Sam.

Sheryl was surprised that he didn’t seem smug at all. He was very matter of fact, asking her if she needed help moving her things to his home. She told him yes and a few hours after they hung up movers were at her house. Sam had texted her an address and told her to pack the essentials and head over. The movers would handle everything else.

It made her nervous to leave strangers along with all of her things but there was also a huge relief that came along with just letting things go and letting someone else handle everything for a little while. It was the mental break that she so desperately needed.

As the movers worked on getting her furniture out, she was packing up a few suitcases of important things like her laptop and clothes. She didn’t have a terribly impressive wardrobe and it managed to fit into a few larger suitcases. She packed them up into the car and put the address into her GPS.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of finally giving in. Sheryl wasn’t sure if her butterflies were because she was scared or excited. She was trying to focus on the fact that she wasn’t going to have to worry about drowning under a mountain of bills anymore. Along with that relief came a bit of sadness, though. She’d always prided herself on being a strong independent woman and it felt like that had been stripped away.

Sheryl let out a slow sigh and looked up at the house she’d stopped at. She wasn’t very surprised, but she was still impressed. A huge iron gate separated the house from the outside world and just beyond it was a huge, lush lawn with flowering bushes and fruit trees. The house was even more stunning. It was an old plantation house with a huge wraparound porch and two bay windows on either side. It was two stories and had pillars on the porch that helped support the large balcony on the second floor.

It was truly beautiful and took her breath away. She looked over at the little speaker and number pad. There was a red button so she pressed it. Sam’s voice greeted her, “Hello! Sheryl?”

Sheryl jumped a little at the response and then laughed at her own silliness,“Yeah. It’s me.”

There was a clicking sound and the gates began to slowly open. She pulled herself back in the car and drove up the long circle driveway, parking at the apex and turning her car off. She opened the door and got out only to be met by Sam who was already walking out of the house. He met her at the car and wrapped his arms around her. Sheryl was a little shocked that he was being so affectionate but returned the hug anyway, smiling.

“Did you find the place pretty easily?” he asked looking around for her bags.

She smiled a little and nodded turning to pop her trunk. “Yeah. No problems,” she said as he walked around and picked up the two biggest suitcases out of the trunk.

She grabbed the last two and followed him into the house. It was just as elegant on the inside as the outside and had the feel of a pre-civil war home. He was definitely a southern boy who loved southern everything. “Wow! Your house looks really...historic,” she said looking around at all the real wood furnishings and old photos.

“Thanks a lot,” he said with a smile. “I really love antiques and there’s a lot of them in this area. The house is actually pretty old. I’ve updated it some, but a lot of this is the original house.”

That was a bit impressive. She continued to follow him stealing glances at everything around her. She hadn’t expected him to be so kind and warm. That kindness reminded her a lot of the night they shared together that created this baby.

Sheryl put a hand on her belly idly and sighed happily as he opened the door to a large bedroom that was done in shades of purple and white. It was very soothing. She stepped into the room and set her bags down. Sam was just behind her and set the other two on the bed. “So, this is your room. You’re welcome to do whatever you want with it,” he said with a nod. “I thought we could go look for a bassinet this week and maybe start on the nursery.”

She smiled tiredly at him and nodded. “Yeah...That sounds nice.”

The day had been a little overwhelming for her and she was ready to get some rest. Sam nodded taking the hint. He started to leave the room but turned and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m glad you decided to stay with me.”

That was all he said before leaving and it left Sheryl confused and wanting.

***

The movers were quicker than Sheryl anticipated and by the end of the week she was completely moved in. Sam had even paid extra for them to stick around and help unpack and get rid of unneeded furniture. She honestly didn’t think the house needed another couch. She was thankful that Sam let her have some type of control over what was happening in the house. It was helping her feel less helpless.

It took the boys a few days to finish everything up but when they left it felt like home. Sheryl tried to keep her things in the front of the house and in her room so she’d see them often. She wanted to be reminded that she had things she’d worked hard for.

The only piece that was tucked away was her favorite chaise lounge that she’d put in Sam’s enormous library. She wouldn’t have considered it tucked away, though. Now that she didn’t have to spend all of her time running around trying to find a job, she spent a lot of time reading. It was a nice change of pace.

When she first decided to take Sam up on his offer she thought things would be awkward and difficult to handle. She imagined that they would skirt around each other and avoid eye contact. That wasn’t how it worked at all. They had dinner together every night and laughed with each other. It was surprisingly warm and Sheryl was thankful for it.

The weekend had finally come and Sheryl was excited. They were going to go out to lunch and start shopping for nursery furniture. The room had been painted earlier that week after Sheryl came to live with Sam. They’d agreed on a yellow room with cream accents. Neither of them wanted to know the gender of the baby until it was born.

Sheryl had just finished getting dressed when Sam knocked on her door. “Are you dressed, can I come in?” he asked polite as usual.

She smiled just a little and nodded. “Yeah. Come on in, Sam,” she called.

Sheryl had put on her favorite flowy sundress that was just tight enough to show off her small baby bump. She’d put on just enough make-up to enhance her beautiful eyes and high set cheek bones. Her lips were painted a light pink and she was glowing.

Sam stepped into the room and faltered a little when he saw her, his eyes going wide. She was absolutely stunning. She noticed him stumble a little and cocked a perfectly arched brow. “Are you alright?”

“Ah. Yeah...I’m fine...Just...a loose floorboard,” he said as he stomped on the completely even floor.

She couldn’t help but laugh at his little lie. “Are you ready?”

He offered his arm to her and nodded. “Of course I am.”

Sam led her out of the house and to his cruising car. A 1969 Chevy Nova. It was a beautiful car that Sheryl wouldn’t have minded laying across naked. The thought made her giggle as they took off down the road. Lunch came first. They stopped at a Nashville staple known as the Loveless Cafe. It was an early lunch so neither of them felt bad about getting the biscuits and gravy.

After their brunch, they went off to a little town called Franklin. It was one of the biggest (and most expensive) antiquing areas in Tennessee. Sam stated that he wanted to try and find either a handmade bassinet or an antique one. Sheryl was on board though she didn’t really know where to look.

They started walking through various antique malls. Sheryl was absolutely enamored by them and Sam noticed. Anytime she looked sideways at something he would have it packed up and delivered to the house. It was sweet and she wasn’t going to argue. She felt pampered and adored. It was a feeling she hadn’t been aware that she was missing.

It was getting late and they were about to give up on the crib when Sheryl pointed out a children’s store in the heart of downtown. Sam had never been inside it before but thought it was worth a look. The store was an adorable boutique painted in various shades of blue and pink. It was mostly clothes and toys but in the back there was a beautiful nursery set. It came with a crib, bassinet, changing table and rocking chair.

It was all painted a rustic white with some of the wood showing through and had incredible details carved into it. The woodworkers initials were etched into every piece and there was a lullaby carved into the bassinet. It was absolutely stunning and it stole her breath away.

Sam seemed just as impressed and walked up behind her. “Is this the one?” he asked softly putting a hand on her shoulder.

She felt tears in her eyes as she put her hand over her belly, nodding quickly. “It’s perfect!” she gasped, running over to the crib to touch the intricate woodwork.

Sam followed her and smiled. “Then it’s yours,” he whispered softly, his hand brushing over her belly for the first time since she’d told him she was pregnant.

The possessive, protecting hands of her baby’s father sent a shockwave through her. Her eyes widened and she swallowed hard. Sam moved away to talk to the shop owner before she could call him back but that touch changed this whole situation.

***

The furniture was scheduled to be delivered to the house the next day. The woman had actually argued with Sam, explaining how expensive the set was. She didn’t lay off until he put the amount she’d asked for on the table in cash. That shut her up real fast.

Sheryl was vaguely aware of what was happening. She was in the rocker, trying to process the emotions she was suddenly feeling. Her hands hadn't left her belly, trying desperately to keep the warmth of that touch within reach. What was happening? The touch had come with a stark reminder of what this was. It was a business arrangement meant to benefit them both. It wasn’t love and it wasn’t affection. This was placation.

That thought didn’t leave her for the rest of the. Sheryl was all but silent on the drive home. Sam tried to get her to tell him what was going on, but she simply smiled at him and told him she was tired. It wasn’t entirely a lie, but it was more a lie than it was a truth.

When they got home, she disappeared to her room without much of an explanation and left Sam confused and nervous. He felt that today was a good day. It seemed like they’d been bonding and making strides in their communication. She seemed less nervous and afraid. Well, until the last part of the day anyway. He wanted to know what had happened to change her mood.

She wasn’t going to tell him mostly because it seemed childish. She shouldn’t have been acting like this. She should have been happy that he was touching her at all. He’d made it clear in their first meeting that he was approaching this as business. That had been why she’d been so afraid and so hesitant. If he had seemed willing to make this work then she would have been more than eager to try and make something out of this.

Sheryl fell onto her bed and curled around her pillow. She didn’t come down for dinner that night. She stayed in her room and had it brought up to her. Sam tried to talk to her again, but she shut him down quickly explaining that she felt sick. His worry didn’t console her.

Night came and with it, her anxiety and sadness only got worse. It got to the point that she couldn’t take it. She needed to tell him how she felt. She decided to do this well after midnight for some reason. Sheryl crawled out of her bed and wandered down the hall, her light steps making the wood floor beneath her feet creaking as she walked down the hall to Sam’s room.

She pushed the door open slowly and peeked inside. Sam was asleep in the bed, one hand thrown over his eyes. He was shirtless and his muscular chest was exposed with the blankets tossed haphazardly over him. He was snoring softly and it made her smile for some reason.

Sheryl crept into the room and over to the bed. She slid in over the sheets and curled up next to him, sniffling a little. His snoring stopped and he groaned a little, turning to look at her squinting his eyes in the dark. He didn’t have glasses on and it struck her that she couldn’t remember ever seeing him without his thick rimmed glasses. She could see his gray eyes even better now.

“Sheryl?” he asked though his arm automatically curled around her.

She sniffled and the tears started again for the hundredth time that day. Damn these hormones. “I’m scared, Sam!” she wailed, burying her face in his chest.

He seemed a little shocked but pulled her close and rubbed her back. “You don’t have to be scared, Sheryl. We’re going to get the best doctors in the state,” he said gently.

“I’m not scared of that! I’m scared...I don’t want this to be a business arrangement! I don’t want to be a trophy wife! I want to be loved and I want our baby to be loved!” she choked out.

Sam looked down at her and stroked her cheek gently. “Oh, Sheryl...”

She looked up at him and he was smiling in the darkness. “I wouldn’t have suggested this if I didn’t think I couldn’t love you. I didn’t want you to feel backed into a corner. I wanted this to be your decision,” he whispered gently.

Sheryl sniffled and stared at him, “I...You...”

She didn’t get a chance to finish what she wanted to say. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. The tears had stopped, but her cheeks were still wet and she could taste her tears in that kiss. The shock wore off and soon she was pressing herself against him, gripping his shoulders and kissing him desperately.

Even as the passion rose she felt the tender care in his kisses. He caressed her, brushed her hair out of her face. For the first time in her life, she felt treasured. She felt like someone thought she was the one. It wasn’t about a wild fling or love affair. There was a promise to make this real. There was a promise in those kisses and touches that told her she was going to be loved.

When his finger’s grazed her nectar soaked petals moans escaped her and her body felt like it was on fire. Every nerve screamed for Sam and his name fell from her lips over and over again like a prayer. The heat of their bodies filled the room and the smell of their lovemaking was intoxicating.

He somehow knew exactly where and how to touch her. Her legs curled around his waist and her fingers in his hair as their bodies moved together. He fit her like a glove and it was the most passionate, intimate experience she’d ever experienced. Every movement and every slight shift made her cry out in pleasure and made her head spin.

There was a fire deep in her belly that spread through her loins, making her pleasure blossom. It filled every inch of her body until her cheeks were flushed and her entire body was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Gasps and pleading words escaped her lips as she rocked with him, cradling his head to her chest so he could suckle at her breasts.

Stars exploded behind her eyes and she swore she saw galaxies being born. She floated through the heavens and came fluttering down slowly, feeling him throbbing inside of her releasing himself with a long, low moan.

Sam collapsed on top of her, panting and moaning softly. Her eyes were wide and she just held him close as if she were afraid he might float away. She started to laugh and he did too. They didn’t need to ask why because they already knew. It was a laugh that spoke of relief and eagerness to start their lives together.

***

Little Liam had been home for about three days now and he was a perfect angel. The rest of her pregnancy had been a piece of cake. After her and Sam had decided that they wanted to be a couple things were perfect. They didn’t even stumble. It was like they were meant to be and that's what Sheryl wanted to believe. It was too perfect to not be fate.

Their baby was perfect. He had a mess of black hair on his head that was thicker than any she’d ever seen before. His eyes were the same stormy gray as his father's and his skin was the color of alabaster stone. He was beautiful and happy. She’d never met a baby as happy as Liam. He only cried when he was hungry and was far more likely to laugh and giggle.

Sam was the best father anyone could ask for. When Liam cried at night he’d roll over and pull the little thing out of his bassinet and place him on Sheryl’s chest so he could eat. She hardly even woke up half the time. She just woke up in the morning with a beautiful baby sleeping peacefully on her chest.

Sheryl was rocking in the beautiful hand-made rocking chair, Liam in her arms as she watched him sleep. He was such a beautiful baby. He slept peacefully as Sam walked in, knocking softly out of habit. It amused her that he always seemed to knock on the door.

She smiled up at him. “Hey,” she whispered not wanting to wake Liam.

Sam wandered in and looked down at the baby, smiling fondly. He sure does sleep a lot, doesn’t he?” he asked with a soft chuckle.

Sheryl nodded and stood, setting Liam down in the crib swaddling him tightly like they showed her at the hospital. She took Sam’s hand and led him out of the nursery glancing down at their matching wedding rings. They’d been married in a very quiet ceremony at the courthouse a few months before Liam was born. They were going to have a wedding, but they wanted to wait until Liam was a little older so that he could be part of the ceremony. It seemed fitting. The little angel had been what brought them together.

Once they were out of the room Sheryl wrapped her arms around Sam and leaned up to kiss him gently. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He blinked, wrapping his arms around her waist out of instinct. “Why are you thanking me?” he asked with a little smile.

“You gave me the greatest gift of my life. I never even would have imagined how fulfilled I would have been being a mom. I thought I was a career woman,” she said with a laugh.

He pinched her cheek playfully. “You can have a career and be a mom,” he pointed out.

She nodded and kissed him once more. “I know but...I think I just want to be a mom for now.”

It was true. The idea of leaving Liam in someone else’s care was horrifying to her. She wanted to be there for every little moment. Maybe she would consider going back to work when Liam started school. But right now, she couldn’t imagine anywhere else she would rather be.

Her life had turned out better than she could have imagined. She wasn’t happy at her job and she wasn’t even really happy with her life. Sheryl always felt that something was missing though she couldn’t put her finger on it. Now she knew exactly what it was. This.

She had been so determined to become something that she didn’t even want. She’d lost sight of family and the feeling of being close to someone. Now that she had both of those things she couldn’t imagine her life without them. Sam had been her light in the darkness and she hadn’t even realized it.

Sheryl watched him fondly and stole another kiss gripping his hand and starting to tug him towards the bedroom. “Come on. He’ll be asleep for a while and you don’t have any meetings to be at,” she said with a grin.

He laughed but followed her down the hall. It was true and rare. It seemed that business had picked up since Liam had been born. It was a blessing and a curse. However, he wasn’t going to think about business right now not when his beautiful wife was pulling him towards their bed and undoing her dress at the same time.

They fell into the bed together and paused when they caught each other's eyes. Both of them still had a hard time believing how perfect this all was. It seemed impossible that two people could be so utterly perfect for one another but...here they were.

They had found happiness in each other's arms and they knew that their life was going to be perfect as long as they had each other.

THE END