SEX Unlimited Volume 3(25)

He laughs and reaches out, swiping a crumb from the corner of my mouth with his finger. “You can have all the cupcakes you want. Nothing can change how beautiful you are. No matter how much weight you gain, you’re going to be perfectly gorgeous to me.”

He leans in and gives me a chaste kiss. “I don’t know how I ever got so lucky to find you,” I tell him.

“You aren’t lucky. We are lucky.”

I wrap my arms around him. He leans to the side, setting the cupcakes on the bedside table. “I love you,” I whisper. “I think I loved you before I even knew you. There’s no way this wasn’t destined to happen for us. It’s too good to have not been fate.”

He hugs me back. “I don’t know if it was fate or luck or chance. All I know for sure is…it’s real. I’ve never felt such a strong depth of happiness in love as I do right now, in this moment, with you. You feel like home to me. I haven’t had a home in so long. You’re my forever home, Candace.”

His voice cracks and he goes silent. His body jerks ever so subtly and I think he’s crying. I pull back. “Brisban?”

He shakes his head and I see the tears. “Why are you crying? God, you can’t cry. I am already an emotional and hormonal mess. You’re going to make me lose it.”

His beautiful caramel eyes blink slowly and big tears fall down his stern face. His stubble is dark and longer than usual. He’s tragically handsome.

“I’m sorry. I miss her. I miss Willow. I’m so fucked up inside about her, yet so happy about us. I want our baby. I want you…but I want her back.” He drops his head and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I have to let her go. If I don’t, I’ll never be able to be a good father to this baby. Our baby deserves all of me.”

My heart cracks. “Brisban, please look at me.” I reach out and cradle his beautiful, tear streaked face in my hands and look him straight in the eyes. “You never have to let Willow go.” I place a hand on his heart. “She’s here. She’ll always be here.” His eyes soften and I try so hard to hold back my own tears. I grasp each of his hands and rest them on my stomach. “Our baby will love you with all of his or her heart and you will be an incredible dad.”

No matter how hard I try I can’t hold back. Tears break free from my eyes and we cry together.

Sad tears.

Happy tears.

Hopeful tears.





Several months later…





TIME HAS FLOWN BY AND so much has changed and happened. James finally accepted that we weren’t ever getting back together. I heard from Janette that he moved away; it’s for the best. I will always have a place for him in my heart, no matter how things ended. I feel conflicted over that at times but I think it’s only human to have that feeling for someone I loved for so long.

Brisban did propose. I was reluctant to marry him when I looked like a blimp but he insisted. I know he tried not to rush things but, with us, rules haven’t ever really applied. We had a small ceremony and Dawn actually sent us a wedding gift. It was a beautiful, leather bound baby book for the baby. I was stunned. Brisban didn’t seem surprised—he says she has a good heart. She’s dating and when Willow was finally laid to rest, she handled it all very well with Brisban, even though he chose not to attend. I disagreed with him not going but I supported his choice. I can’t even begin to imagine having to face something like that. He sold his condo and moved in with me. Yesterday when I went into labor—I’ve never seen a man so fraught with worry and excitement in my life. Janette has been here with him at the hospital the entire time. Our families are coming in tomorrow. I’m glad we have today just us.

Janette smiles down at the bundle of perfection in my arms. “He’s beautiful, Candace.”

“I just keep looking at him, Janette. I look at him and can’t believe it’s real. He’s really here and really healthy.”

She pats me on the shoulder. “Yes, he is and you deserve every ounce of the happiness you have. I’ve never known anyone who deserves a happily ever after more than you and Brisban.”

Looking down at William Bryce Calloway, my son, I notice every feature he was gifted with from his dad. He’s the most perfect little human on the earth. “He looks like him, doesn’t he?”

“Yep, you better get ready to lock him away when he gets older. Bitches are going to be knocking your door down for this boy.”

“Janette!” I scold her.

“What? You know it’s true,” she laughs.

“I can’t believe you are cussing in front of a new born baby.”