The hotel and the house were well planned. The proposal was a little more of a spur of the moment thing. I realised Friday night that I never want to be without her again. So the first thing I did Monday morning when she thought I was going to the hotel was head into town to a few jewellery shops. That was an experience. I must have looked so lost after all the questions that had been thrown at me in the first shop that the shop assistant took pity on me and explained everything I might ever need to know about rings and diamonds. She didn’t need to tell me all that though, because I knew the one the second I laid eyes on it. It was a simple 1.5 carat, brilliant cut diamond on a platinum band. Okay, so maybe I did listen to her diamond master class. She seemed pretty happy about my choice, although I’m pretty sure that had something to do with the hefty commission I’m sure she’ll get from the sale.

Waiting for Dec to arrive with Lilly was the most painful wait of my life. I was fairly confident she would love the hotel—after all, she designed almost every inch of the place—but waiting to see the look on her face when she walked into the bedroom was hell. The same can’t be said for letting her walk ahead into what is going to be our new home. I knew that ring was sat on the worktop and I was so nervous I could have thrown up. I never get nervous, ever. But there I was, feeling like a right pussy in case my girl turned me down. Let’s face it, she had every right to after what I’ve put her through.

We fall silent as I pull the car to a stop back outside the hotel again. Lilly has only said a handful of words of the drive back. I’m hoping she’s just overwhelmed by everything and not having second thoughts.

Before I get to say anything, she’s out of the car and heading towards the main doors. I jog up behind her and grab her hand. My thumb rubs over the new piece of jewellery wrapped about her finger and my stomach flips over. She’s going to be my wife.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m a little overwhelmed, Luc. This was all a bit of a shock but I’m good. I’m more than good, actually.” The smile she gives me when she looks up at me warms my entire body.

The second we step into the lift, she presses her front to me—as best she can with the bump—and places her lips to mine. When I feel her tongue run along my bottom lip, a bolt of electricity shoots down my spine. It’s been so long since I’ve kissed her properly, held her, loved her.

“I need you,” I mutter against her lips.

She doesn’t respond. Instead, she kisses me deeper as her hands run down my back and cup my arse. I completely lose myself to the kiss and to images of what I want to do to her that are running through my head. It’s not until I feel her pull back and grab my hand that I realise the lift doors are open. She pulls me out and down towards the room. She doesn’t stop in the living area like I expect her to; she just keeps going until we’re in the bedroom.

I stop by the door as I shut it behind me and watch her continue over to the bed. Lilly doesn’t waste any time. She slips her flip-flops off before pulling her dress up and over her head. It gets thrown of the floor before she turns back towards me.

My hands clench at my side as I take her in. She was always beautiful, but now, with my babies growing inside her…Fuck. She looks unbelievable. Her tits are fuller and her belly rounded.

“Are you sure about this?” I ask, trying to do the right thing. She said she wanted to take it slow and I’m more than happy to do that. I think.

“I’m sure, Luc. I need this, you, please.”

She hasn’t finished talking and I already have my suit jacket and tie off. I’m halfway through undoing the buttons when I step up in front of her and she bats my hands away to continue herself. Once it’s undone, she runs her hands up the length of my exposed skin before pushing the fabric from my shoulders. The feel of her hands against my skin has me containing a groan. I can’t even put into words how much I’ve missed her and her touch.

She immediately goes for the waistband of my trousers. Her slim hands fumble with the button and I take over for her.

“You’re in a hurry,” I comment as she sits back on the bed in her lace underwear.

“You’ve no idea what these two have done to me.”

“Oh yeah?” I ask with a smirk. I read all about raging hormones and their side effects.

“Yeah. I’ve needed you for weeks,” she says, and the little reminder is like a knife to my heart. Although I know she doesn’t mean it, it hurts.

“Well then, let’s see what we can do to help you out. Hands and knees,” I demand.

She immediately does as she’s told and I reach out to pull the fabric of her knickers down over her arse and off her ankles. I drop my trousers and boxers before adding them and my socks to our pile of clothing.

I look at Lilly lying there, squirming as she waits for me, and I can’t help but think of the difference from the first time we were together. She was a little unsure of herself then. Right now though, she is anything but. She knows exactly what she wants, what she needs.

I lower down and blow a gentle stream of air across her sensitive skin. I see her whole body shutter at the sensation.

“Are you ready for this, Lilly?” I ask. My nose is so close to her centre that the smell of her makes my mouth water for a taste.

“Yes.” Her voice is already a little husky, like I’ve had her screaming for me.

I blow out again just to see her reaction, but I can’t hold off any longer and I latch my mouth on to her clit. She says she needs this so I’m going to have her crying out in a matter of minutes.

“Lucas, oh my god. Luc,” she whimpers as I continue lick and suck at her clit. When I slide a finger insider her, she starts chanting, “Yes, yes, yes.”

“I fucking love how much you want this,” I admit when I pull back for a second.

“Keep going,” she pants and I can’t deny her. I put my mouth back and increase the tempo inside her until she screams out my name. Her muscles squeeze down on my fingers, making me wish I had my dick inside her. I grab on to myself as Lilly comes down from her high. I pump myself a few times before she looks back at me. Her eyes drop down to my cock and she smiles. She goes to turn but as good as her mouth will feel right now, what I need is her pussy.

“That can come later. I need to be inside you right now.” She doesn’t argue; she just turns back and sticks her arse higher up in the air, giving me a great view. “Fuck, Lilly. Your body is so fucking sexy right now.”

“Really?’ she asks, showing her first sign of insecurity about her pregnant body.

“Fuck me, yeah. Your curves are fucking perfect.” The second I finish talking, I line myself up against her. “This isn’t going to be gentle,” I warn. We both let out moans as I seat myself inside her.

I hold still for a moment, mainly because it’s been a while for her and I want to make sure she’s ready, but also so I can steady myself a bit. This has been a long time coming and I don’t want it over before it’s really started. I can only hold off so long though, and when I feel her wiggle her arse, the only thing I can do is start to move.

“I’m going to own this arse on day soon, Lilly,” I warn. She groans in response so I take that as an approval.

I reach around and palm Lilly’s lace covered tits, pinching her nipples when I find them peaked. The action makes make her groan again and push back farther on to me. I skim my hands down her sides before grabbing on to her hips to help her out.

“I need to feel you, Lilly,” I warn as my own orgasm approaches at a rapid rate, but I refuse to let go until she has.

“Uh huh,” she grunts

One of my hands slides around to find her clit and it’s only a minute or two more until I feel the first signs of her orgasm.

“Ohhhhhh,” she cries as her entire body starts to spasm with her release. She squeezes me so fucking tight that I fall over the edge with her only a few seconds later.

I fold myself over her back as we both pant out breaths.

“Luc?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“I’m stuck.”

“What?” I ask, standing back up and pulling out of her.

“I can’t move. Will you give me a little nudge so I fall onto my side?” I can’t help but smile at her. “You’d better not be laughing at me.”

“Never, baby, never.” I do as she asked and I watch as she falls down onto the mattress before stretching her legs out.

“Wow, that isn’t as easy as it used to be. It feels different, too,” she adds.

“Good different?”

“I don’t know. I mean it was good, but I don’t know it if was better. Just different.”

I sit down next to her and sweep back a piece of sweaty blonde hair from her forehead. “It was incredible,” I whisper before kissing her.

When I pull back, she looks up at me with sleepy but happy eyes.

“I love you, Lucas. I don’t think I said it earlier.”

“You didn’t. But I know.” She wouldn’t be here and wearing my ring if she didn’t. I’ve given her enough reason not to.

I cover Lilly up with the duvet and give her a kiss on the nose before leaving her to have a sleep.

I’m totally confused when I wake up. I have no idea where I am. It’s takes a good few seconds for everything that’s happened to filter into my brain. I quickly uncover my left hand to check that I’ve not dreamt the whole thing. But no, because there on my hand is a huge rock.

Good lord, I’m engaged!

I did not see that coming in a million years. Well, any of this, actually. I can’t believe Lucas has bought a hotel and a house here in Devon so I can be close to Dec. It’s completely crazy.

Speaking of Dec, I reach down to grab my handbag from where I dropped it on the floor when we got here earlier and pull my phone out. I find his name and hit call. He answers on the second ring.

“How’d it go?”

“You knew about all this and didn’t tell me?” I’m amazed Dec could keep his mouth shut; he isn’t very good with secrets. Plus, I don’t think he likes Lucas, although he’s never said it out loud, so I’m surprised he did any favours for him.

“Yeah. Did you not notice I hadn’t spoken to you that much this week?” he asks and I think back. Yeah, we had a long chat after Jake appeared Friday night, but other than a few texts, that had been about it. So, that was Dec keeping a secret then!

“I didn’t think you liked Lucas. Why’d you help him?”

“I don’t not like him, Lilly. He seems okay. I just don’t like the way he treated you when he left. He does seem to want to make up for it though. I mean, how much money do you think he dropped on all that?”

“I know, it’s crazy. And the ring,” I say, once again looking down at my hand.

“What ring?”

“The engagement ring,” I hear Dec’s sharp intake of breath. “Didn’t you know about that bit?”

“No. He asked you to marry him?” Dec asks, and I’m not sure if he’s just shocked or angry from his voice. A little of both, I think. “You said yes, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did, Dec. I love him and we’re having twins together.”

“Are you sure—”

“I know what I’m doing, Dec,” I say, cutting him off.

“Are you sure? What happens if he gets freaked out and disappears again?”

“He won’t,” I say, with complete confidence in Lucas. He’s opened up to me now, and I’m confident he’ll be able to talk to me before running.

“Hmmm… I’m sorry, Lills, but I’ve got to go. It’s crazy busy down here today. Enjoy the rest of your day celebrating,” he says before hanging up, but I’m still not sure he’s entirely happy about this.

“Hey, baby. Who was that?”

“Dec. You didn’t tell him about this?” I ask, sticking my hand out towards him.

“No. I didn’t think he should know first. Shit, I was meant to ask your dad, wasn’t I?” Lucas asks suddenly.

“It’s tradition, but I’m sure my dad will get over it. You may just have to buy him an expensive bottle of whiskey!”

“That I can do. So, when do you want to become Mrs. Dalton?”

“Ugh, when I can fit into my dream dress,” I say, running a hand over my belly.

“Oh,” is Lucas’ response, along with a sad looking face.

“What?”

“I was hoping for sooner than that. I was us all to be a family.”

“We will be. We are, Luc.”

“But you’ll still be Lilly Morrison.”

“Luc, as much as I want to marry you—and I do, I promise—I also want to have time to plan it properly exactly as I, I mean we, want it. I don’t want it to be a shotgun wedding just because I’m pregnant. I want to be able to go dress shopping and try on every dress in the store, not just the ones that will fit me.”

“What if I organised it?” he asks hopefully.

“What, the wedding?”

“Yeah. I could do it, take the stress away from you.”

“But my dress,” I pout.

“Okay, let’s compromise. I hear that’s what relationships are all about anyway. We have a small wedding now and then a proper big celebration when the babies are here. They could be bridesmaid and pageboy.”

I stare into his excited and happy blue eyes, and although I really want to hold out for my perfect day, I know this is really important to him. Having a proper family. “Okay, fine. But it’s going to be small and you’re planning it. I have enough on my plate as it is,” I say once again, rubbing my belly. “I’d like to just turn up and have it happen.” I know that sounds harsh, but he knows what I mean, I hope. “Then I’ll plan the proper wedding for a couple of years’ time. How’s that?”

“Perfect, thank you,” he says, before pushing me down on the mattress and kissing the life out of me.

The rest of the weekend is mostly spent in the hotel suite bedroom. And trust me when I say I’m not complaining. After weeks of being a horny mess, I more than got what I needed. It’s just a shame I have to have nap after almost every orgasm these days!

* * *

“I think we should get married here in Cheltenham before we move down south. What do you think?”

“You know what I think, Luc. I think you sort it out. As long as I know when we’re leaving so I’ve said goodbye to everyone, I’m good.”

We’ve been back almost three weeks. The weather is swelteringly hot and I’m massive. How I still have fifteen weeks to go is beyond me; I swear I’m going to explode. Although, every time I see the midwife or consultant they tell me I’m not going to make full term. They think I’ll be lucky to get to thirty-six weeks. And as much as I’m enjoying being pregnant, I think I’ll be more than ready for it to be over by then.

“Okay. What are you doing today?” he asks as my phone pings again with another incoming message.

I don’t pick it up just in case he decides to be nosey and look at it. “Oh, I’m…uh…just meeting the girls for coffee after their shift. Then I’m not sure.” Lucas looks at me and raises an eyebrow. I’m a useless liar so he can obviously tell something’s up.

“Right.”

I get myself ready once Lucas has left for the hotel. He’s already pretty much handed the reins over to Catherine so he could stay home and work, but he says he feels more productive working away from home. Even if it means he is working in the penthouse.

It feels amazing to be able to go out now without worrying about someone watching me, that he could be around the corner. Knowing I’m totally free from him is an amazing feeling. I don’t want to feel happy and relieved that he’s gone. That’s not the kind of person I am. But it is great.

Lucas was noticeably much more relaxed when we got back from Devon. I just put it down to the fact he wasn’t keeping secrets from me anymore. But a couple of days later I went over to my flat to check the post and I found a blank envelope with all my other letters. I took them all up to the flat so I could grab some more bits before sitting on the sofa to go through it all. I opened the envelope, not having a clue what I was going to find. A small and thin square of paper slid out on to my lap. When I turned it over and read the headline, I had no idea what to think. A weird mix of happiness, relief and sadness washed through me. I had some great memories from the beginning of our relationship.

Body found Sunday morning has been named as Jake Ashworth.

I read through the short article about how his body was found in a derelict warehouse that was well known for its drug dealing and unsavoury goings on. A post-mortem showed a very high level of heroin in his system.

I let the article drop to my lap as I think about my time with Jake. Unfortunately, all the happy memories I have of us have been muted by the horrific ones towards the end.

Once I’ve pulled myself together a little, I look back at the envelope and check inside to see if there’s any clue as to who it’s come from. There isn’t anything, but I’m fairly sure this isn’t a coincidence or an accident. I’m not stupid enough to ask questions about it though. It’s best left alone.

I take the envelope and article to the bathroom. I pull out my box of matches in the cabinet usually used for candle lighting and I light the corner. I let the charred remains drip into the toilet. I feel a weird sense of closure from the whole thing as I push the flush and watch it all disappear. I have a new life now. New priorities. Jake is well and truly in the past.

I grab a bottle of water and throw it in my bag before rushing out to my car. I don’t know what it is about being pregnant, but it’s like suddenly I can’t get anywhere on time. I don’t think I realised how long everything would take, being the size of a small rhino!

I’m only ten minutes late as I walk through the entrance of the coffee shop. I only partly lied to Lucas this morning. I am going for coffee, just not with the girls. I’m meeting Marcus.

I sent him a selfie of me a few days ago so he would recognise me—not that it’s really necessary. I’m not sure many blonde women will turn up in the few minutes he’ll have been waiting for me with a belly this size. I look around the room after I let the door close behind me and I find him immediately. My breath catches at how much he looks like Lucas. His hair is the same colour, although shaved close to his head. His eyes, from a distance, look a little darker, and he’s a slimmer build than his older counterpart.

He begins to look more and more unsure of himself the closer I get to him.

“Marcus?”

I watch him swallow nervously before he cautiously sticks his hand out towards me. “Lilly?”

“It’s so good to meet you at last. What can I get you to drink?”

“You sit down. I’ll go.”

I give Marcus my order and watch as he heads over to the bar. Their similarities are mind-blowing. You could easily mistake them as twins.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet me,” I say when he sits back down. I know it wasn’t easy for him. He told me many time over message about how he doesn’t want to bring up the past and I understand why that might be the case from the little bit I do know about his and Lucas’ childhood.

“You’re welcome. Tell me about him. Lucas. What’s he like now? What does he do?”

I’d only given basic snippets about Lucas when we were messaging and although I’m a little more open with the details now, I’m still aware that Lucas might not want him to know too much.

“I always knew he would do well for himself,” Marcus says with a look of pure awe on his face when I talk about the hotels. “I idolised him growing up. Even after he left, because it wasn’t until then I realised how much he did for me,” he says with a sadness suddenly washing over him.

I sit quietly as Marcus gets lost in his memories for a few seconds. It’s clear that the pain is still very raw, even now he’s twenty-six.

When he comes back to me he starts to tell me about his life now. It doesn’t escape my notice that he ignores anything before his twenties. I can only imagine what life must have been like for him once Lucas got out. I was expecting him to be angry with him, but it doesn’t seem that way. Not to me, anyway. It may be different when—if—they meet. Marcus is a mechanic. He tells me how he’s always loved cars and how it’s his dream job. He has a small garage with a studio flat above not that far from here.

I’m shocked when I learn how close to each other Lucas and Marcus have been and didn’t even realise it. I know Lucas ran to London for a while but I’m surprised they are both now so close to where they grew up. If I was in their place, I’m not sure I’d want to be living locally to where all that went on. But then, what do I know about it all, really?

Marcus is busy chatting about his life when suddenly he stops mid-sentence. His mouth drops open as he stares intently over my shoulder.