The Love of Lies

Pink

Ashton's POV

Cori enjoyed her meal, and a little of mine, which was a relief until she started to feel sick. I was worried about that, but I was so happy that she was enjoying the food that I just watched her eat and eat, thinking that her body was ‘making up’ for a light breakfast.

“Why did you keep eating?” I haven’t started driving because Cori isn’t confident that she’ll be able to keep her food down, so I’m just rubbing her back from the driver’s side.

Her legs are still out of the door as she leans forward, trying hard to keep herself composed. It’s only just past one, so if we go home now, she has enough time to rest before we need to get dressed, so I try to entice her with that information, hoping that giving her something to look forward to will distract her.

“Bring your legs inside. I’ll drive slow, and you can sleep it off when you get home.”

“I don’t want to mess up the car.”

“I can get it cleaned, okay? I just don’t like seeing you like this.”

“Want to trade places?” Cori looks back and gives me one of the saddest chuckles I’ve ever heard, making me groan in sympathy.

“I’m so sorry I did this to you.”

“It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have guessed the condom was going to break.” My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach, and I really feel like I need to tell the girl the truth, but because it may turn into a fight, I decide to wait until after Troy’s engagement dinner.

When we finally get home, Cori feels a lot better, but I’m not taking any chances, so I take her straight to the guest room, not wanting her to walk all the way to my bedroom right now.

“Are you leaving?” Cori asks, shocked when I help her slip into something comfortable before turning to the door.

“I’ll be right back.” I was only going to get all the creams we bought out of the car, but hearing Cori imply that she wants me to stay gave me the confidence to come back and climb straight into bed with her.

I’m fully erect, and because I stripped down to my boxers, I know that Cori can feel it, but I’m not trying to be an ass. What’s happening right now is my body's natural response to being near her, and after some time, it returns to its normal state.

“Do you want me to rub some of that cocoa butter on you?” Cori lifts her shirt just enough to expose her baby bump, giving me second thoughts about touching her right now.

I’m afraid that this might turn into something else, and since she’s not feeling well, I really don’t want to cross that line.

“I can do it myself if you're scared.” Cori is getting the wrong idea, so I quickly open the massage lotion and warm it by rubbing my hands together.

She still flinches when I touch her, likely because her belly was very warm compared to my hands, which makes her giggle. Cori’s laughter is really infectious, especially that giggle, but again, I’m not enough of a jerk to pounce on her right now.

Sadly, I kind of got lost in what I was doing, and before I realized it, I was touching her in places that had nothing to do with her stomach.

“How much time do we have?” I absolutely did not need any excuse to do what I want to do, but after looking at my watch, I’m convinced that we can finish with enough time to still rest, shower, and get ready on time.

“You know this is not what I had in mind when I started this, right?” I want Cori to know that despite the fact that I’m now on top of her, this was not my intention.

She doesn’t answer me, but when she opens her legs wider, I’m unable to wait for a response as I allow my second mind to take control.

Cori’s POV

I really like having s*x with Ashton, so when he was rubbing my belly, I did nothing to stop the situation from becoming s****l. When we were done, I was so tired that I just rolled over and let sleep take over, happy that Ashton had enough energy to fix the sheets for us.

The next time I open my eyes, it's to a flurry of kisses, making me smile as I touch the side of Ashton’s face, letting him know that I’m awake.

“Do you want me to try and get us out of going?”

“No, I’m fine.” I pull my body to the sitting position, stretching as I catch my breath at the edge of the bed. I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but I swear I’m having trouble breathing, which really shouldn’t be happening to me so early on in pregnancy. “I think I need more exercise.”

“Mom said the same thing. She’ll probably be making you walk on the treadmill with her; after we get the okay from your doctor of course.”

I get into the shower, still talking to Ashton about what’s expected and a bunch of other things that really have no meaning or purpose. I guess that he’s trying to get to know more about me, so we go back and forth, building onto the topic of dinner with random questions that help me get a better read on the man.

“So, we’re matching again?”

“From what I know. Mom picked the outfits out.”

“Is it black?”

“I haven't looked at them yet. She just texted me that our clothes are in my office. Why though? Is that your favorite color?” I like black because it’s easy to match, but it’s not my favorite color.

“No; I like purple.”

“Seriously?!"

"Is that weird?" I step out of the tub and into the bathrobe Ashton must have brought from his room because it's definitely for men.

"That's my favorite color too."

"Then, maybe we should make the nursery that color?"

"You want to decorate it together?" That worries me because I may have misread Ashton again.

"We don't have to. I just thought you may have wanted to add your input as well."

“Why do you do that?” I have no idea what Ashton is talking about, but I know that he’s going to tell me. “You shut me down anytime I hesitate to immediately agree with you.”

“I just prefer to give people a way out; I don’t like being lied to.” I hope the man can sense that I also feel the same way regarding whatever sort of relationship we’re trying to build, but then again, he may not be trying to build anything. “If I don’t want to do something, I’ll tell you, okay?”

The conversation ends when Ashton leaves to get himself ready. He was supposed to come back with my clothes, however, his mother brought them to me instead. She said that she wanted to check in on me and to make sure that I wasn’t ‘too tired’ the way her son suggested, but I feel fine.

“I think he was just trying to be nice.”

“Speaking of being nice…” Mrs. Lewis hints to me that some unexpected guests may arrive at the restaurant in which the private room is located, but I have no intention of fighting with Ashton, in fact, I plan to ask him about ‘us’ when the night comes to a close.

“Don’t worry. I will keep my hands to myself.”

“Thank you sweety,” Mrs. Lewis goes to kiss my cheek before checking me out, but she doesn’t look happy with what I’m wearing.

The woman picked out a babydoll dress, and the way it fits hides my pregnancy completely, something I’m not sure she wanted to do.

“Ashton is not going to be happy about this.”

“Do I look bad?”

“The extreme opposite.” I like the idea of Ashton thinking I look pretty, so Mrs. Lewis’s words make me smile. “What are we doing with your hair?”

“I think I want to keep it down.” I remember Ashton commenting on my curls, so my decision is completely with him in mind.

Mrs. Lewis helps me lather my locks in some sort of moisturizer that she bought for me when I first moved in, then we use a diffuser to dry my curls without making them frizzy. I typically let my hair air dry, but time is against us, so we’re trying to rush it.

When all is said and done, my mane is bigger than normal, but it doesn’t look bad, in fact, I really like it.

“Let’s go see if everyone else is ready.” I follow Mrs. Lewis to the sitting room where Ashton is talking to his father about, what I can only assume are, work related issues since they are using words like ‘clients,’ and ‘accounts.’

By the time the men notice us, Ashton does a double take before looking at his mother with deeply creased brows.

“Is there any reason you keep dressing her like that?” Ashton comes closer to me, whispering that I look beautiful before he kisses the side of my head. “Too beautiful,” he continues, taking my hand and pulling me toward where his parents are.

“Don’t tug her like a puppy, Ashton. If you’re insecure, don’t leave her side tonight.”

“I don’t plan on it.” Again, Ashton kisses the side of my face, moving my hair behind my ear as he takes in its appearance. “Pink is really your color.”

I didn't understand what Ashton meant until I remembered that I wore a pink dress on the night of Troy’s party, but it took me too long to string those thoughts together, so he and I are already on our way to the venue.

“You’re quiet.” Ashton is driving, but that doesn’t stop him from reaching over to take my hand. “Are you sure that dress isn’t too short?”

The dress is short, but I have the appropriate undergarments on, so even if life tries to embarrass me tonight, Mrs. Lewis has already made sure that matching shorts is all anyone will see.

“I was just thinking about how serendipitous our meeting was.” Ashton squeezes my hand with a smile that infects my face as well. “Your mother told me that there may be guests I don’t want to see.”

“She was being nice. There absolutely WILL be people you don’t want to see around ever.”

“Should I be worried?”

“Not really, but there is one person who may try to get under your skin; I told you about what she’s been saying already.”

I automatically know that Ashton is talking about his ex-girlfriend, but I really hope the woman is a no show.

"You do not have to be worried about her. I promise you that Vanessa and I broke up way before you and I met, so you have nothing to feel guilty about.” I believe Ashton, but I’m still a little worried. “Trust me on this.”

There’s no reason to fight with the man on this, so I yield, reminding myself that tonight is supposed to be a celebration of a happy occasion.

“Is this the place?” Ashton has pulled into a parking lot near a large restaurant that I worked at for a brief period when I first moved to this state.

The patrons were rude, the staff was undervalued, and the management wasn’t flexible in scheduling at all, which is why I had to quit.

“Do you know it?” I tell Ashton my experience, and he starts chuckling in a way that tells me that my words aren’t what’s funny to him. “Julia’s parents own this place.”

“Really?”

“Yup, and as I’m sure you’ve guessed, she’s nothing like her folks, but don’t worry, she’ll keep us safe.”

“Good,” I reply.