Copyright 2014 © Rosesareforever
Crossing Paths
Chapter 17
'Baby Boom'
Much to Jade’s delight, Kate decided to throw another dinner party and invited Sedric and her to join the family. She was looking forward to seeing the woman again. It was always so much fun to talk to Kate and hang out with her. Jade would truly miss the woman when Sedric and she decided to end their relationship. In the little time they’d known each other, they’d formed a pretty solid bond.
“We have an announcement to make,” Kate stated as she got out of her seat and stood up, gaining the attention of the entire party. Michael smiled at his wife, came to stand next to her and intertwined their fingers. Jade watched with interest as the couple nervously glanced around the room. It was clear from the moment they entered the room that the couple had something important to tell. Jade hoped it was good news.
“We’re expecting a baby,” Michael blurted out, lovingly rubbing Kate’s still flat belly as he stared into his wife’s eyes with adoration. Everyone stayed silent for a second before loud applause broke free and whistles resounded throughout the room. Jade started smiling, happy tears pricking at the back of her eye as she watched Emma hug Kate and congratulate her.
“Another grandchild,” Alison excitedly grinned, pulling Michael into an embrace. Hugs were shared, congratulations bid and smiles reciprocated. It was one big happy moment. For some reason, it made Jade feel like an intruder. It was such an intimate moment between family members.
Sedric wrapped an arm around Jade’s shoulder and pulled her against his side. “I can’t believe my baby sister is pregnant,” he muttered, clearly shocked. “I can still remember when she was in diapers herself.”
Jade laughed as she leant into him. “She’s a grown woman, Sed.”
“Time seems to fly. I can’t believe this is really happening,” he mumbled, watching his sister closely. “Before I know it, life will have passed me by.”
The smile across Jade’s lips turned into a thoughtful frown. His comment made her realize they’d both put their lives on hold after their breakup. It wasn’t just her who went through a rough period when they separated. Sedric had had his own problems. She used to think he didn’t care, but the past weeks made her see how wrong she’d been.
“I’m sure that one day it’ll be your turn to inform your family you’re becoming a daddy,” Jade assured.
Sedric looked thoughtful for a moment before he shook his head. “Nah, buttercup, children are not in the cards for me,” he disagreed.
A frown appeared across Jade’s features. “Why the hell not? You used to tell me you’d love to become a dad.”
“I did,” Sedric agreed. “Before we broke up, I wanted nothing more than to become the father of your children. I still do. I just don’t see anyone else being my children’s mother.”
Mouth slightly agape, Jade stared at Sedric in utter shock. Words failed her. She hadn’t expected his honest answer. “It was our dream to start a family of our own. If I can’t have you, I don’t want children either,” he added, worsening Jade’s state of speechlessness. Where was all of that coming from? When did their sham turn so damn real? Friends didn’t discuss these kind of serious topics, only couples did.
Grinning, Sedric took a step closer and whispered in her ear, “Close your mouth, buttercup. You’re going to catch flies.”
Still dumbstruck, Jade playfully pushed against his chest and rolled her eyes. “Who are you and what did you do to Sedric Miller?” she rhetorically asked.
Sedric’s playful grin turned serious once again. “I’m just telling you the truth, Jade. You might not want to know these things, but that doesn’t mean they’re not true. Without you in the picture I just don’t want the same things as I used to.” It was time Sedric stopped beating around the bush. He wanted to be honest with Jade and lay all the cards on the table. She deserved to know how much she had always meant - and would always mean - to him.
They were walking on dangerous ground, crossing the thin line that still stood between them. Jade didn’t want to know how much he still loved her. She was already finding it harder and harder to keep resisting her feelings. Sed and she had a mutual agreement. They’d go their separate ways when she found her Mr. Perfect. Then why did it feel like her dream man was standing right in front of her? It wasn’t right. She shouldn’t be wishing Sedric could be the man she started a family with.
“Look, I know I’m overstepping my boundaries. I shouldn’t tell you any of this. It’s just hard to be this close to you, yet so far away. You know? I know to you this is just something temporary, but it feels damn real to me,” Sedric admitted, brushing a loosened strand out of her face and smiling sadly. “I’ve tried my hardest to resist you, tried to hate you, but nothing works. I seem to be attracted to you by this invisible pull between us.”
“We have an agreement, Sed,” Jade reminded him, her voice strained with tension.
“I know that and I will keep my promise to let you go when you find what you’re looking for. I won’t stand in the way of your happiness.”
Jade nodded, satisfied with his answer. He was still willing to do things her way. It both elated her and made a pang of hurt cross her chest. A small, twisted part of her wanted him to fight for what they had, fight for what they could have. The bigger, rational part fortunately still believed a future between them was impossible. He’d broken her heart. How could she ever trust him with it again?
***
“Harder,” Jade demanded hungrily, lifting her hips before crashing them down forcefully as she rode Sedric at a fast pace, her head thrown back in utter ecstasy. Her freshly manicured nails dug into the bronze skin of his broad chest, her lips slightly parted as she moaned his name over and over again like a mantra. One final deep thrust and a flick against her hypersensitive clît sent Jade spinning right over the edge. Fuck-k-k. Wave after wave of pure euphoria washed over her as she reached her ultimate peak, her inner muscles constricting, milking Sedric dry.
A layer of sweat covered her heated skin as she rode out her orgasm before finally collapsing on top of Sedric’s still shaking body with a deep sigh. She contently nestled herself against him as she tried to get her erratic breathing under control and recovered from the intense release Sedric just brought her.
“Damn, buttercup,” Sedric panted, his côck still pulsating inside of her tight channel before he slowly pulled out. Their mingled gasps and heaved sighs echoed through the room as they both regained control of their unsteady breathing. “That was amazing.”
His praise made her heart swell. “Better,” Jade mumbled, hiding her face in the crook of his neck as Sedric wrapped an arm around her rigid frame and pulled her tightly against his side. His fingers drew small circles across her skin as he slowly recovered from their steamy lovemaking, both their hearts racing in their chests.
The moment they’d stepped over the threshold of Jade’s apartment after dinner with his family and closed the door, Sedric had attacked her with passionate, hungry kisses. It didn’t take long before clothes were flying across the room and loud moans could be heard. He’d taken his precious time with her and three mind-numbing orgasms later, he finally had that sated look across his face that told her he’d allow her to close her eyes for a moment and recover.
“Every time it only seems to get better and better,” Sedric muttered as he pressed a tender kiss against her temple, his fingers squeezing the soft flesh just above her hip.
“I haven’t even shown you any of my new tricks yet,” Jade winked playfully, sliding her hand down his toned stomach until she reached her destination and gripped his softened côck. His manhood immediately responded to her bold touch and stirred in the palm of her hand. A smug look crossed Jade’s features.
“Fuck,” Sedric cursed as she gently started to stroke him, rubbing her thumb over the head of his côck to spread the leaking drops of precum. “You’re killing me, woman.”
Jade grinned as she looked into his feral eyes, pushed one leg between his thighs and softly started to nibble at his throat while her hand kept working him steadily. Sedric’s labored breathing resounded through the air as he lifted his hips instinctively every time her fingers slid down his sleek length. A strangled gasp left his plump lips as she unexpected fondled his balls.
The grin across Jade’s features spread. She was immensely enjoying herself, relishing in the knowledge that she was in complete control of the powerful man writhing under her touch. Her inner muscles clenched in delight. Giving hand jobs or blowing a man was all about control. For one fleeting moment she could pull all of Sedric’s strings and make him lose his mind. It was empowering and truly fascinating.
“Buttercup,” Sedric groaned loudly as she bit the sensitive skin of his throat, undoubtedly leaving a mark. It was a good thing she’d memorized all his delicate spots once upon a time. The knowledge made it easier to make him go berserk. Every touch, every lick, every bite was deliberately made to bring Sedric closer and closer to the oblivion he desperately craved.
Licking her lips lasciviously, Jade slowly lowered her mouth to his collarbone before unhurriedly trailing a path down his chest. Lower and lower she went, ignoring the way Sedric’s hips buckled impatiently. “Jade,” he hissed, his hands fisting the sheets underneath him as he shut his eyes firmly.
“Patience, Sed, the longer you let this built the harder you will come,” she whispered against his skin, satisfaction coursing through her veins as a frustrated growl erupted from deep within Sedric’s chest. She had him by the balls – literally.
“You’re a wicked, wicked woman,” he grunted. “You’ll pay for this later. Mark. My. Words.” His promise made Jade’s püssy clench and pool with wetness.
“I can’t wait,” she moaned, making Sedric’s hips jerk violently. A laugh erupted from her chest as she felt his côck throb and harden even further, if that was possible.
“You’re playing with fire,” Sedric warned as she leisurely let her tongue slide against the skin just underneath his belly button, purposely ignoring the pulsing flesh.
“Who says I don’t want to be burned?” Jade taunted, firmly squeezing his côck before finally enveloping the mushroom head between her pouty lips and sucking vigorously.
“Fuck!”
His curse made Jade smile in pride. She was the one making him lose his ever fucking mind and it felt amazing to have that much power over him. Relaxing her throat, she glided his length down as far as she could, surprised she was only an inch away from taking him to the root. Damn. She surely perfected the art of deep throating over the years. Last time she did this with Sedric she’d only been able to swallow a good four inches.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Jade!” His loud cries weren’t entirely coherent as Sedric balled his fists and tried his best to keep his hips still. Jade knew he wanted nothing more than to fuck her mouth. The thought made her mouth water. She never believed she could be this turned on by getting a guy off.
Pumping her fist up and down his steel flesh, Jade slowly pulled back and released his manhood with a popping sound. Watching Sedric’s face intently, taking in every emotion that crossed his features, Jade slowly licked him from base to tip and swirled her tongue around the throbbing crown.
More curse words left Sedric’s filthy mouth as he inched closer and closer to nirvana, his entire body high-strung and ready for the release it yearned for. Jade hummed as she sucked him to the back of her throat and cradled his balls in her hand. It was all it took. Seconds later the first spurts of come shot down her throat as she sucked every last drop until there was nothing left to devour.
With a satisfied moan, she released his member from her mouth and stared at Sedric as she slowly sat up on her knees. His charcoal eyes were firmly closed, his fingers still tangled in the crumbled sheets underneath him as he panted. He looked drained, a thin line of sweat covering his forehead.
“Babe, I think you just killed me,” he mumbled when his breathing finally returned to normal, his eyes still closed.
“What a way to die,” Jade grinned, lying down next to him and watching the ceiling.
“I couldn’t agree more.”
They both were silent for a moment, their minds working overtime as they brooded and tried to rationalize the strong feelings coursing through them. Jade was the first one to speak, verbalizing a question that had been on the tip of her tongue for many years.
“Why did you do it? Why did you take that girl to our bed and fuck her?” The truth might hurt, but it was time to confront Sedric with the question that had lingered on her mind. They’d briefly talked about it, but at the time she hadn’t been ready to hear the whole story.
A deep sigh left Sedric’s lips as he slowly turned on his side, bent his arm and propped his head on his hand. He stared into Jade’s eyes for a moment, studying her, trying to figure out her state of mind before he finally started explaining. “Honestly, I don’t have an excuse. I was young and stupid. That girl you found me with had been trying to seduce me for weeks. I’d reminded her time and time again I was in a relationship, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. In the end her persistence persuaded me. It wasn’t until I saw you standing in that door I realized what a capital mistake I had made.”
“I could apologize a million times, but it still wouldn’t be enough. I know how loyal you were, even back then. You’d have never done something like that to me. It only made me feel like a bigger fool. I screwed up my entire future and for what? Those five minutes of pleasure? She wasn’t even that good.”
A sigh combined with a loud curse echoed through the room. “I still can’t comprehend why I did it, what on earth made me act that foolishly. I just know I’d never put anyone through that again. I swore that day that I’d never betray someone like that again. I won’t. I learned my lesson when I stared into your eyes and saw the complete loss and hurt. I knew in that moment I broke your heart. It still haunts me.”
Jade studied Sedric for a moment, honesty and conviction shining from his charcoal orbs. “I wish I could trust you, I really do.”
“Me too, but I won’t ask for your trust. I don’t deserve it after what I did.”
“It makes the pain a little more bearable that you still feel guilty, but it doesn’t change the fact that you crippled me inside. Maybe one day I can forgive and forget, but I’m still not there just yet.”
“Believe me, it’s still blows my mind that you still want to talk to me, let alone sleep with me. I never thought it’d be possible,” Sedric admitted, his gaze warm and awed.
“I didn’t think it would be either. Guess I surprised us both.”
“You certainly did,” he agreed as he let his fingers caress her cheek before he pressed a tender kiss against her lips. Jade closed her eyes, leaned into his touch and slowly let herself fall into a peaceful slumber.
***
Dark clouds hovered over the New York sky as Sedric left the towering building where he worked and headed to the small bar at the end of the street where he’d promised to meet up with his older brother. He was running ten minutes late due to an urgent phone call from one of his top clients, a call he couldn’t possibly ignore.
As loud thunder echoed through the cool air, Sedric quickened his pace, his fingers wrapped tightly around the handgrip of his briefcase. He didn’t feel like bringing his hand tailored suit to the dry-cleaner because he got caught in a rain shower. Damned October weather.
Pushing the door of the bar open, he heaved a relieved sigh he’d made it in time before the rain started to fall from the sky and scanned the room. He spotted his brother in the back of the bar, sipping from his glass of gin tonic as he relaxed in the booth.
“There you are,” Lucas smiled as he finally noticed Sedric walking towards him. A glass of scotch was already waiting for him, neat just how he liked it. His brother knew him well.
“Sorry I’m late,” he apologized as he sat down in front of Lucas and undid the button that held his vest closed. Running his fingers through his messy hair, he sighed contently after he took a gulp from his drink, the amber liquid leaving a soft burn down his throat.
“Don’t worry about it,” Lucas shrugged, taking another sip from his drink.
“How’s Emma doing? Everything still okay with the baby?” The entire family was worried after the complications his new sister-in-law endured due to the stress after the wedding, Sedric included. He wanted his niece or nephew to be okay.
“They’re both doing well. The ob-gyn told us it’s looking good and he doesn’t think Emma will go into labor any time soon. They were worried the baby would be born prematurely after the complications Emma endured, but it’s looking okay now.”
Sedric nodded, his tense shoulders dropping in relief. He never expected he’d like being an uncle, but after Lily was born, the small girl melted his heart. How could he not love her? She was the cutest little baby he’d ever seen. Now a toddler with pigtails, she looked even more adorable if possible. Sedric couldn’t imagine not having her around. He supposed he’d feel the same way about the new baby.
“How are things with Jade? Since I still haven’t gotten a phone call from a crying Kate, I suspect the two of you are still together?” Lucas didn’t look happy. He’d been clear from day one that he thought it was a bad idea to involve Jade. His brother had been right, but Sedric wasn’t about to admit it out loud.
“We are,” Sedric nodded. “We’ve decided to be friends and no longer feel resentful.”
Lucas frowned, looking doubtful. “You’ve forgiven her?”
Silence followed as Sedric sighed. “I don’t know. I want to. She’s still the same woman she was years ago, just more mature. I never stopped loving her and she constantly reminds me of what I used to have.”
Shock covered his brother’s face as Lucas glanced at Sedric, absolutely dumbstruck and at a loss for words. “You still love her?” the man repeated, his eyes wide as saucers. It was then Sedric realized his mistake. He’d yet to tell his brother about the feelings he’d developed – or the ones that had returned – for Jade. After telling her the truth, it seemed like he had no trouble at all admitting his true feelings.
“I do.” He couldn’t lie or pretend his brother heard him wrong. Lucas would see straight through his façade. The man was no fool.
Something between a gasp and groan left Lucas’ throat as he shook his head. “You keep surprising me, brother. Every time I think I’ve got you figured out, you do something that completely stuns me.”
“Hell, it doesn’t even matter how I feel,” Sedric mumbled. “Jade is dead set on finding the perfect husband to start her dream family with.” He couldn’t help but feel a pinch of jealousy. Okay, it was more than a pinch. He hated the thought of Jade with another man.
Lucas closed his eyes and shook his head for the umpteenth time. When he reopened them, they were shining with disappointment and pain. “Sed, what on earth are you doing? If you still love her, let her go. This is bound to hurt you. It’s clear she never cared about you the way you loved her.”
Sedric resisted the strong urge to stand up, reach over the table and strangle his brother. Instead of letting his anger rule, he pushed his fury aside and calmly stared at his sibling. “You’re wrong. Jade loved me more than life itself. It’s why I hurt her so bad when I cheated on her. She’d have never done what she did if I didn’t provoke those strong feelings of pain inside of her.”
“A woman who loves you doesn’t seek the kind of revenge she did. Only a spiteful woman would do such a vile thing.”
Again, Sedric refused to listen and furiously started to shake his head. “Say whatever you want to say, but it won’t change my mind.”
Sighing deeply, Lucas leaned back in his seat and closed his dark blue eyes. He’d given up. It was a clear sign of surrender. “I’m not willing to fight over this, but don’t take me admitting defeat as agreeing with your logic. I still believe that a woman who seeks revenge that spiteful can’t truly love the man she avenged.”
Sedric didn’t reply, instead he nodded and took a long drink of his scotch. Arguing would bring them nowhere. It was quite obvious they wouldn’t agree on the subject no matter what.
“You want another one?” he asked, pointing at Lucas’ empty glass.
“Please,” his brother replied. Minutes later, they were both laughing and talking sports. It would amaze most women how easily men could let go of their frustration and change topics. They didn’t hold grudges or backstabbed each other.
***
“Look at that,” Lisa purred, catching her sisters’ action as she shamelessly ogled the behind of the man that passed them at the bar. “I’d gladly devour a piece if he was on the menu.”
Jade threw her head back and burst into laughter, eyes twinkling with amusement as she stared at her youngest sibling. Lisa reminded her so much of Jade when she was younger. Alexis on the other hand rolled her eyes and glared at the both of them. “You two are so immature.”
“You’re just stuck up,” Lisa retorted, winking at Jade. “Seriously, you didn’t even look at him. He was definitely worth being stared at.”
“I’m a married woman. I don’t gawk at other men.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow. “What cave do you come from, cave dweller? Hundreds of years ago, it might’ve been a crime to eye a different man when you were married, but not anymore. Just because you're on a diet, doesn't mean that you can't look at the dessert menu.”
Ignoring Alexis’ groan of protest, Jade butted in. “You’re married, not dead. Live a little, sis.”
“No wonder neither of you are in a committed relationship,” Alexis grunted.
“Does that mean you think we’re sluts?” Lisa grinned, taunting her oldest sister.
“It means you’re both afraid of giving your heart to a man. You fear giving someone the power to break you.”
Before the conversation could turn too serious for Jade’s liking, she bumped Lisa in the side and nodded in the direction of the door. “Look,” she whisper hissed.
“Damn,” Lisa hummed, her eyes focused on the man that just walked into the room and headed to a group of men seated in the back of the bar.
“Oh, give it a rest!” Alexis exclaimed, sending them both a deadly glare.
“Calm down, Miss ‘No Fun’. Who got your panties in a twist?” Jade teased.
“I didn’t ask you both out tonight to stare at men all night and discus their looks.”
“That’s a real shame. I had a few useful things to say about that one,” Jade winked, finally glancing away from the man that caught her attention. She might be very much in love with Sedric, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy watching other fine creatures.
“Damn, it looks like he’s already taken. That’s too bad,” Lisa sighed. Jade turned her head just in time to see a woman smile brightly at the hot piece of ass before throwing her hands around his neck and kissing him. Honestly, it would’ve surprised her more if he didn’t have a woman at his beck and call.
Looking away, Jade returned her focus to her elder sibling, the one that was currently shooting daggers at her with her an angry scowl. “You’ve got my full attention now,” she proclaimed, smiling innocently and batting her eyelashes.
Alexis scoffed in reply. “I often wonder if I’m one of those switched at birth babies. It’s simply impossible we’re truly related.”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” Jade snorted.
“I’m trying to tell my sisters something important and they’re constantly distracted by handsome men walking into the room. Excuse me for getting annoyed,” Alexis hissed, her blue orbs shining with disappointment and…hurt?
“What’s wrong?” Jade immediately questioned, taken aback by her sister’s pained look. She hadn’t intended to truly hurt her sister. They were just playing around and teasing her.
Alexis sighed. “I’m just emotional, okay? I’m pregnant.”
The woman’s statement blew Jade’s socks off. She stared at her sister in shock, her eyes flickering from Alexis’ eyes to her still flat belly. “Pregnant?” Jade repeated, dumbfounded.
A small smile spread across Alexis’ face until it stretched from ear to ear and turned into a full-blown gleam of excitement. “Pregnant, yes,” she nodded. “Marcus and I found out a few weeks ago, but decided it’d be best to wait and tell the family when we’d passed the first trimester.”
Silence fell upon the table as Jade and Lisa switched glances before they both started to laugh and leaned over the table to hug their sister. “Congratulations,” they said in unison.
Alexis accepted the hugs, beaming with happiness. “It was so hard to keep it a secret. I wanted nothing more than to shout it from the rooftops.”
“I’m shocked,” Jade admitted. “I thought Marcus and you wanted to wait?”
“We decided it was time to start a family. We can’t keep postponing it just because of work. Before we know it, we’ll both be too old to conceive a healthy baby.”
Utterly stunned, Jade stared her sister up and down. “What have you done with my workaholic sister?” she joked.
Alexis laughed so hard tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m happily married, Jade. Marcus changed me, made me realize I was letting life pass me by. I want to carry his babies and turn our way too big house into a cozy home. Marcus and I both crave that kind of stability and warmth.”
“You even shocked me,” Lisa butted in. “How’s the baby doing? Do you already know it’s sex?”
“Marcus and I want it to be a surprise. He knows I won’t be able to keep my mouth shut otherwise. He was surprised as hell I’ve waited this long before telling you. The baby is doing great. We heard the heartbeat last week and watched him or her on screen. It was such a magical moment. You can’t even imagine.”
“All the women surrounding me seem to be falling pregnant these days,” Jade said, shaking her head. It was making her feel old.
“What do you mean?” Alexis asked with a frown.
“Emma is six months pregnant. Kate, Sed’s sister, just told the family she was pregnant. Now you…”
“Have you been hanging out with Sedric’s family members again? How long are you going to keep this charade up?” Alexis looked honestly disappointed.
Jade sighed deeply, annoyed. “I’m not discussing this, not right after you’ve told me you’re pregnant. We were sharing a nice moment. I won’t screw it up by having this conversation.”
“I thought for sure you’d smartened up and finally let go of that piece of… shit. He’s not worthy of you.”
“I repeat, I won’t be having this conversation.” Jade didn’t feel like arguing about something they’d never agree on. Her sister would never understand why she still loved Sedric even after everything he’d put her through.
“You’re making a mistake, sis. We both know it.” Alexis always had been a stubborn woman.
“Mistake or no mistake, it’s my life, my choice.”
“Just, please, be careful.” Alexis meant well, but that didn’t mean Jade would listen to her advice. Everyone kept telling her to stay away from Sedric. She hadn’t headed the first warning and she wasn’t about to start now.
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