Precious Consequences

“So what now?” Hayley asks.

My answer comes as naturally to me as breathing, because I know there’s no way I can be without Hayley, or Ari. This is one packaged deal I will never return.

“Now,” I say, pressing a firm kiss to her lips. “We try again.”

* * *

Hayley turns onto her side and rests her head on my shoulder. I hear her soft, quiet breathing, listening to the cadence of her breaths. Her eyes move beneath her eyelids and I can tell she’s dreaming. It’s 4am but I haven’t slept yet. I’ve spent most of the day with Hayley, and Ari at my parents' house, watching movies, talking, and laughing. Something about the three of us together just feels so natural, and so right that it frightens me. I’m young, and I have my whole life ahead of me to start a family, but looking down at Hayley now, and knowing that Ari is tacked away safely down the hall, I realize that she is it. They are it. I find myself wanting to be the kind of man they deserve, someone to depend on, and someone to protect them, someone to provide for them. I just haven’t been able to put that into words yet.

Hayley’s eyes flutter open, and seek mine out like magnets drawn to each other. She smiles at me lazily, and stifles a yawn.

“Hey you,” she says, her voice hoarse and laden with sleep. “Why are you awake?”

I kiss her nose and tighten my arm around her. “I couldn’t sleep. You were snoring too loud.”

“I did not!” Her hand comes up to slap my bare chest but I grab it, and place a kiss in the center of her palm. Her breath hitches, and I grin, rolling us over so that her body is covered by mine.

“No, buttercup, you didn’t, but you do make these sexy little breathing noises, like you’re moaning in your sleep,” I breathe into her neck, brushing my lips over her pulse. “And it does crazy things to my imagination.”

Her exhalation is harsh, coming out in a swoosh of air. “Oh, yeah?”

“Hmmm hmmm,” I hum, feeling her heartbeat race faster the lower I drag my lips on her hot skin. Her legs part, wrapping around my hips, and my cock stirs as I press into her.

“Cam,” she whispers. “I want you.”

I smile and meet her heated stare. “You have me.”

My head drops and my hands slide down her waist and under my shirt that she’s wearing. I feel her skin break out in goosebumps, her body quivering under my touch. “Tell me what you want,” I murmur.

Instead of telling me, Hayley sits up, forcing me to move, too, and silently pulls of my shirt. Her hand comes around my neck and she pulls me into her, until our chests are touching. Her nipples pebble with the contact and the feel of them against my skin makes blood rush south. Her mouth captures mine and suddenly it feels like she’s taking control, and I let her.

Her lips part and our tongues brush against each other as I explore her mouth. My hands graze the soft skin under her perfect tits and her response is to dig her nails into my back.

I break our kiss, both of us panting. “Can you be quiet?”

She bites her lip, looking up at me from beneath her lashes, and nods. I kiss her quickly and reach for my bedside table, pulling out a condom. I sit back, and she watches me with curiosity. Her eyes are hungry and full of lust, but I also see the love pooling in their depths. I remove my boxer briefs, toss them aside, and roll the condom on. I settle between Hayley’s legs again, resting my forearms on either side of her head. Our lips brush and I suck in a breath when her hand wraps around my hard length and guides me to her entrance.

“Be gentle,” she says quietly. Her request has me swallowing hard.

Our mouths join as I sink into her tight, heated body and our joint moans fuse. Her hips rock into mine, with mine, and our bodies’ fall into a slow, sensual rhythm, becoming slick with sweat. Threading our fingers together, I stretch her arms above her head and she whimpers. Our kiss breaks, but her eye stay on mine, and we don’t look away. Her little whimpers drive me wild and encourage me to push harder, deeper. I bring my knees up, changing our position so that the backs of her thighs rest on the front of mine.

“Oh, wow,” she cries out. “So deep.”

“So close,” I groan. “Fuck, buttercup, you’re close, too. I can feel it.”

“Faster, Cam, please.”

My hips move faster, and Hayley’s muscles clench around me. “Cam,” she breathes between pants. “I’m going…”

“Let go, baby, just feel me.”

She tightens around me and her body shakes violently as she comes. Her head falls to the side and she bites the pillow to silence her scream. Shit, that’s hot. I thrust into her once, twice, and on the third time my orgasm rips through me, starting low and working its way up my spine. My hips slow, triggering more residual quivers from both of us, and when I stop, Hayley’s eyes land on my again. Her face is damp, and I notice the tears sliding down her temples. Brushing the hair from her face, I ask, “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Her hands come up and she smooth’s the frown between my brows. Shaking her head, she replies, “No, it was… I just…”

I silence her with a kiss. “I know. I love you, too.”

Epilogue

~ Four Years Later ~

~ July ~

~ Cameron ~

I lean against the frame of our kitchen door and watch Hayley and Ari dance around the kitchen. Ari’s long brown locks, matching Hayley’s in both color and length, fly around her face as she spins in wild circles. Hayley laughs as her red summer dress flares up and shows off her bare thighs. She’s as gorgeous as the day I met her, and even after four years together, my need for her grows stronger with each passing day. So much has happened, and yet, I feel like Hayley and I are still the same. We drive each other insane more often than not, and we fight like an old married couple, but our love for each other, for our family, is unending.

Ari stops abruptly, having spotted me from the corner of her eye. “Daddy!” she yells, darting around the kitchen table and launching herself into my waiting arms. “Hey princess. You ready for your party?”

“Yes!” she claps her hands excitedly and beams down at me. “Can I go put my dress on now?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart, you’ll have to ask your mom.”

Just then, Hayley comes to my side and wraps her arms around my waist. She stretches onto her toes, and gives me a gentle, lingering kiss.

“Good morning, husband,” she whispers, her smile blinding in its brilliance.

“Good morning, wife.”

“Eeeeew.” Ari scrunches her nose. “That’s gross.”

I chuckle. “I hope you always feel that way about kissing,” I tell Ari. “Boys are gross.”

Hayley arches a brow at me and smiles at Ari. “Sweetheart, go get ready, Nana and aunty Candice will be here soon.”

Ari jumps from my arms and runs up the stairs, bouncing with energy. When we’re alone, my arms snake around Hayley’s waist and hold her as close as possible. We’ve been married for a year, and shortly after our wedding, I adopted Ari, making her my daughter. It was the second happiest day of my life, the first being the day Hayley and I said our vows and became Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Argent. That’s not the only ‘big event’ we’ve experienced together. When I graduated from college, I decided it was time to make my dreams come true, instead of doing what I thought my father would’ve wanted out of guilt. My mother told me he’d want me to be happy, regardless of what I wanted to do. My father’s company was sold, and with my portion of the profits I started my own restaurant. I also helped Hayley start her own photography studio, which is what she wanted after she graduated last year. Her father has also become a permanent fixture in our lives, making up for all the years he wasn’t there for her while she was growing up. He adores Ari and loves his role as grandpa more than Hayley thought was possible. But like most of the people in our family, he is smitten