Book One: Chapter 23


    “Look daddy! Clean hands!” Aria proudly dered as she and Caden returned from the bathroom.


    “Very good!” heughed picking her up and carrying her to the table which had been set much the


    same as the night before minus the candles. Even the bouquet remained as the centerpiece. “So


    what’s for dinner?”


    “Lasagna,” Macey said bringing out the dish. “Come on everyone sit.”


    The kids climbed into their seats as their mother served out their portions alongside steamed


    vegetables. Caden looked at his meal and then to his mother expectantly. Macey chuckled bringing out


    a te with a wedge of parmesan. She held the shredder over hissagna and grated the cheese onto


    it. He smiled happily.


    “Me too mommy!” Aria dered.


    As Macey performed the same task for her Julius recalled the scene from the restaurant when Caden


    requested parmesan only to give his mother a disappointed scowl at the shaker. Was this the cheese


    he really wanted?


    “Do you want some too daddy?” Aria asked.


    “Well…” Julius nced at Macey wondering if she would repeat the task for him as lovingly as she did


    for their children. His answer came as she set the te, cheese and shredder within his reach before


    sitting down to her own meal. Apparently he would have to do it himself. The kids snickered at his


    expense though he didn’t really mind.


    They fell intofortable silence as they ate. Macey’s cooking was as amazing as he remembered.


    She often made dinner during the two years they were together but he couldn’t recall ever sincerely


    praising her efforts.


    “Did I ever tell you…you are an amazing cook?” Julius suddenly asked looking at her. Macey looked up


    but didn’t answer perhaps trying to recall. “Because you are an excellent cook.”


    Julius grasped her hand kissing it. Macey blushed though he wasn’t certain if it was from the


    going quite well considering they were already into Phase Five, thest stage of their n.


    This part was the trickiest as it relied on their father to make the boldest move yet. They felt he was


    ready but they weren’t so sure about their mother. Not only did their father have to make the move but


    their mother needed to ept it.


    “Macey…there is something I’ve wanted to ask you,” Julius said. Aria and Caden perked up to listen. “It


    seems dad purchased an art gallery and the grand opening is tomorrow night.”


    Macey nodded already aware but not wanting to admit what she knew.


    “…So would you like to go together?” Julius asked and held his breath waiting for her answer.


    Macey bit her lip. His gaze was sincere, almost pleading. Should she tell him the truth now? What


    would he think? Would he think less of her or more? In the end she simply didn’t have the courage.


    “…Sure. Yes,” she finally said. “We can go together. All of us.”


    “Yeah!” Aria excitedly cheered. Initially she had been disappointed by her father’s question but held it


    in. Going as a family meant they would be together the whole night. There was plenty of time to


    Julius let out the breath he was holding and kissed her hand, “Thank you. So tomorrow we’ll go


    shopping for party clothes, all right?”


    “Can we?” Aria pped excitedly.


    “Aria, we already have party clothes,” Macey shook her head. She had strived to teach the children to


    be frugal and not waste the gifts they were given. They certainly weren’t poor but that was no reason to


    be careless.


    “But you already wore those dresses mommy. We should get something new!”


    “Aria.”


    “If we get something new then we can match daddy too!” Aria dered.


    “Now that is an idea,” Julius smiled.


    “What are you going to wear, daddy?” Caden asked.


    “Well, a suit. It’s supposed to be ck tie.”


    “Don’t worry, Caden,” Macey assured him knowing how much he hated restrictive formal wear. “There


    isn’t really a dress code.”


    “But I want to match daddy,” Caden said. “Aria always gets to match you. I want to match too.”


    Macey bit her lip. Caden had always despised formal attire iming it was ufortable. Yet he


    encouraged his mother and sister to wear pretty gowns. He neverined but maybe the truth was


    he really did want someone he could match the same way his sister did. She felt Julius’s grip tighten


    drawing her attention. He watched her with the same sincere, pleading look. Julius wanted them to go


    as a family.


    Finally she conceded, “All right. Okay. We’ll go shopping tomorrow.”


    Julius smiled kissing her hand again while Aria pped. His father warned him Macey didn’t need him


    and perhaps that was true but he still hoped for, longed for, her to want him and to want everything he


    could provide. For now he would revel in the fact he would attend the event with his family by his side.


    And then the world would know how much this woman truly meant to him.


    * * *


    “In a warm and sultry forest far, far away, there once lived a mother fruit bat and her new baby…”


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Aria and Caden cuddled up on either side of him as he read Steluna by Janell Cannon. Macey


    watched from the doorway. It had been years since the kids requested a bedtime story from her. She


    wondered if it was because they were bored or if this new found interest was them wanting to create


    memories with their father.


    Macey felt a pain of guilt. Aria and Caden had never mentioned the desire for a father or questioned


    why he wasn’t around. At first she thought it was because they weren’t interested in one but now she


    knew it was short-sighted for her to think that. How could they not wonder about their father when they


    saw other kids with theirs? There was only one reason they wouldn’t ask about their father…and that


    was so they didn’t upset her.


    Tucking the twins in bed Macey pulled the door closed her thoughts still churning. Julius hugged her


    from behind pulling her close as he kissed the nape of her neck. Macey slowly rxed as he held her


    body against his rocking slightly side to side. He caressed herzily kissing down her neck.


    “Julius…”


    “Tell me what you want, Macey,” Julius whispered against her ear. “Do you want me to stop?”


    “…No.”


    “Good.” He picked her up bridal style and carried her to the bedroom.


    Macey gasped suddenly finding herself lifted in his arms. She didn’t protest as he carried her to the


    bedroom where he finally set her on her feet. He held her close his mouth finding hers as his hands


    roamed her curves.


    His lips pulled away long enough to pull her shirt over her head. He immediately pulled her back into


    his embrace bowing his head to kiss her neck. His hands fiddled with and finally unhooked her bra.


    Macey tugged his shirt off letting her hands run down his chest.


    Julius hummed reveling in the feel of her hands. It had been so long since he allowed a woman to


    touch him. Every woman’s touch made his skin crawl. Only hers made him quiver with need. Trailing


    kisses down her body he pulled down her pants. She stepped out of them shivering, her face already


    flushed.


    Smiling Julius guided her to the bedying her down and kissing her deeply. He nibbled her ear and


    kissed her neck whispering, “Tell me you want this Macey. Do you want this?”


    “Y-yes.”


    “As you wish.”


    He pulled away shedding thest of his clothes before slowly working up her body. Macey moaned as


    his hands caressed her thighs gripping her hips. She gasped as his tongue ran up her entrance and


    teased her clit.


    “Julius!”


    “Shhh…”


    She moaned as his tongue continued to work her moist folds darting in and out of her. His hands held


    her hips steady as she squirmed with the sensations he was causing. Her orgasm came unexpectedly


    as his teeth grazed her clit again. Julius hummed satisfaction slowly working his way higher to suck on


    her breast.


    Macey groaned trying to catch her breath from her first climax. He left no room for recovery as his


    fingers entered her next. His thumb rubbed and teased her clit as one then two fingers stroked inside.


    Her moans filled the room as her hips moved against him forcing him deeper. He moved to her other


    breast, nipping her tender peak.


    There were too many sensations happening at the same time. Her brain couldn’t process them all at


    once as she reached another climax. The motion of his fingers slowed drawing out her pleasure before


    continuing faster. His fingers curled teasing her. Macey squirmed unable to control herself as her body


    clenched and she reached another peak much too quickly.


    Shey panting as he finally allowed her a moment of rest. Julius kissed up her chest to her neck.


    Macey moaned as he slowly pressed inside her. Her body weed him anticipating the pleasure he


    would give her.


    “Tell me what you want, Macey,” he whispered huskily.


    “I—I…I want you.”


    “As you wish.”


    Julius kissed her deeply his tongue teasing hers swallowing her moans as he pulled out before


    thrusting in. She rocked with him as he set the rhythm. Her back arched and her hips rolled against his


    drawing him in. She wasn’t ready for her next orgasm as her body clenched around him. Julius


    groaned holding back letting her pleasure ride before pressing into her again. His thrusts came harder


    and faster. Macey moaned trying to catch her breath. Her mind was muddled as he continued harder,


    faster, her pleasure building.


    Julius groaned as she clenched his length. There was no holding himself back this time as he filled her


    with his essence. Theyy slowly catching their breath as they came down together. Moaning he eased


    out of her kissing her lovingly as her bodypletely rxed. Macey sighed hardly aware he left the


    bed. He returned with a warm wash cloth gently cleaning her before rejoining her under the covers.


    Spooning her he held her against him and fell into a satisfied sleep.