Page 21 of Claimed By my Best Friend

She rolls her eyes at me. “Are you really going to play twenty questions when we both know what I am talking about?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” I say truthfully. With her, you can never really know for sure. She could be wanting to talk about that one kid in our class who eats chalk or tell me what kinky things she’s been trying with her husband lately. Quite frankly, it’s always extremes with her.

“Okay, fine, I guess I’ll spell it out for you,” she says, leaning into whisper. “You are pregnant, aren’t you?”

My eyes widen in surprise, and I look around the bathroom in panic to make sure that all the stalls are empty before turning to her. “H–how did you know?”

“Darling, I am a mother of two and a grandma of one. I know these things,” she tells me with a smirk. “I mean, it’s either that, or you have suddenly developed a taste for sour gummy worms dipped in lime juice.”

Well, that’s not the only thing that has changed recently. My extreme cravings extend further than just food. My husband and I have a healthy sex life, but it’s been different lately. Every time I see the man, I damn near climb him like a tree. It’s been quite intense lately. I find myself attracted to everything about the man, craving his scent with a force strong enough for it to be odd.

“I haven’t told anyone yet, not even Darrell. I’ve been waiting for the right moment,” I say, picking at my nails. Just thinking of Darrell alone is enough to have my stomach fluttering and nipples tightening behind my bra. “He’s been busy these past couple of weeks, trying to catch up with work since getting back from our honeymoon, and I didn’t want to distract him.”

“How long have you known?”

“A week or so,” I say, running my hand over my still-flat stomach. To think that a tiny human with mine and myhusband’s DNA is in there sends my pulse drumming fast. I’ve always wanted kids, and the second I saw Darrell, I knew I wantedhiskids. And now our first baby is on the way. Oh, if I thought Darrell was protective before, there is no telling the beast I am going to unleash with this news.

“You should tell him. He must be wondering why you’ve been riding him faster than a horse in full gallop.”

My jaw drops to the floor, and I look around to check again that we are alone. “Eleanor! You can’t say that!”

“Why not? From the way I saw you jump on him yesterday when he came to pick you up, I can tell you’ve been wearing the poor man down. At least let him know why his stallion is working double the shifts.”

“You…” I shake my head, tossing the paper towel into the trash. “You are impossible.”

I shake my head and exit the bathroom with her in toe. She waves at me when I slip into our classroom, then she continues down the hall to collect our class from the music room. I close the door behind me and lean against it. It’s true what they say about older ladies not having much of a filter.

Even so, I mull over her words during class and recess. I watch the kids run around and picture my own doing the same. A baby girl or boy with a mix of mine and Darrell’s features running around with other kids and laughing at the top of their lungs. The thought fills my heart with warmth, and I find my hand going back to my stomach.

Eleanor is right, I need to tell Darrell.

The rest of the day flies by fast, and soon, I am driving down the road to my husband’s studio. My hands are shaky and sweaty on the steering wheel, and I am reminded of that day fivemonths ago when I left work and came straight to his place with the intent of confessing my feelings.

Today is different. Things have been different ever since I put my foot down and told my father that Darrell and I are a package deal. It took him a few days, but my father finally came around when he realized how serious I was. We had a beautiful wedding at Uncle Dane’s ranch, and was everything I’d dreamed it would be. Saying our vows and Darrell telling me all the things he’d already told me in private, but this time, in front of an audience.

Everything was perfect. Weareperfect together.

I’m practically trembling with excitement when I walk into his studio. I smile at the blue-haired girl seated behind the reception desk. “Hi, Milly, are you leaving already?” I ask, nodding at the bag on the desk.

She pops her gum and nods. “Yep, I have a date with this hot guy I met at Annie’s, and I can’t wait to see where he’s taking me.”

“Oh great. What is he like?”

We make small talk as she finishes packing her things. I wait until she’s done packing up before nodding toward the door that leads to my husband’s workstation. “Is he with a client?”

“Nah, you should go ahead.”

I smile and wish her a great time with her date before leaving to find my husband. I catch him bent over his sketchbook, so I stand there for a moment, admiring every inch of the man I vowed to spend the rest of my life with. He’s wearing a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to expose his tattoos and dark jeans that hug his muscular build perfectly. Thepulsing between my legs is back with an overwhelming intensity, slicking my sex and staining my panties.

“Like what you see?”

A lot.

I like it so much that I want to kiss him. So, I do.

With three quick steps, I am perched on my husband’s lap, kissing him like someone who’s been starved for affection, but that can’t be right. We made love just this morning. Why does it feel like it was ages ago?

“God, I missed you,” I whimper, raking my hands up and down his broad shoulders. He seems stunned, but only for a second before he drops the sketchbook and his massive hands drop to my ass, and then he’s lifting me. In a matter of seconds, I am flattened against the wall, and I wrap my legs around him as he kisses me back with just as much need, if not more. His hands flex on my ass as he lines up his erection against my panties-covered sex.

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