“If it were my land, this is where I would build. It’s flat, close to that barn and the view is beyond amazing.” Rick said with a grin.

The property came with a thirty-by-ninety barn that wasn’t too far from the location we were at.

I took a deep breath and let it out as I looked at Rick and said, “Let’s do it then.”

Rick held his hand out to me and as we shook, Amanda began talking about all the ideas she had. We walked back to the truck and by the time we got there it was decided by Rick that Amanda was going to be required to take five-minute breaks between her ideas.

Amanda got in my truck and I walked Rick over to his truck.

“It’s a gem, Brad. You did a great job and I’m not even going to ask how you got it at the price you did.”

I let out a small chuckle. “Good negotiator, I guess. So you’ll get back with us, what, after the new year?”

“I’m thinking if all works out with the numbers, we can start building within the next thirty days.”

I reached out to shake his hand again. “That’s what I want to hear. I’d like to have my girls in the house before the new baby.”

After another minute of talking, we said our good-byes, and I watched as Rick drove off. I turned back and saw Amanda leaning against the truck. I busted out laughing when I saw the blanket in her arms.

“Where in the hell did that come from?” I asked as I made my way over to her.

“Well, I knew we were coming out here and I thought it would be only fitting if we broke in the new place,” she said with a wink. Then she held out a box. “A belated Christmas present,” she said with an evil grin.

I smiled as I took the box from her hand. I quickly tore the wrapping off and opened it.

“Holy shit,” I said as I stared at a vibrator. I felt my legs slightly give out. I quickly looked up to see her biting down on her index finger. “Motherfucker. The next eight months are going to be pure heaven,” I said as I pulled her to me and kissed her. She let out a soft long moan as she moved her hand down and grabbed me.

“I want you, Brad,” she whispered.

I quickly turned and looked around. Soft, flat spot is what we need. There was a giant live oak that caught my eye. I practically pulled Amanda’s arm out of her socket trying to get her over to it.

She laid the blanket out and then pulled her long sleeve t-shirt off as I began unbuttoning her jeans.

“Son of a bitch, Manda. You make me crazy, you know that?” I said as I began kissing her neck. I reached my hand into her panties and began feeling on her. I slowly slipped two fingers in as she let out a moan.

“God…you’re so wet.”

“Brad…please…”

I stepped back and quickly started taking off my clothes as I watched her shimmy out of her panties and unclasp her bra. Before I knew it, she was lying down and she took the vibrator out of the box. Oh God…is she going to use it on herself?

I watched as she placed the vibrator at her entrance and began to slowly work it in and out.

Can’t. Breathe.

I dropped to my knees and put one of her nipples into my mouth as she began moving the vibrator in and out faster.

“Brad, take yourself in your hand,” she said. I snapped my head back at her. “I want to watch you.”

“Motherfucker,” I whispered as I lay down next to her and did as she asked. I couldn’t pull my eyes away from her working the vibrator in and out. It wasn’t going to take me long before I came, especially when I saw her playing with one of her nipples.

“Christ, Amanda.”

“Yes! Oh, Brad.”

“Faster, baby, go faster,” I said.

She began moving it in and out faster and I prayed to God she would come soon because I was about to.

“Shit!” she called out, and then started moaning in pleasure.

“Oh…ah…Amanda, I’m going to come, baby,” I said, and kept watching her work the vibrator.

“Brad…it looks so damn hot watching you…oh God…”

She must have been hit with another orgasm right when I began coming. I looked into her eyes as she called out my name over and over again. I leaned over and began kissing her.

She finally pulled away, trying to catch her breath. “Wow,” she whispered.

“Wow is right. Damn, Manda, that was the hottest damn thing I’ve ever seen…or done.”

She giggled and looked away. “Ari talked me into it!”

“I’m going to have to thank her when I see her New Year’s Eve!”

She looked down at my exhausted dick. “Let’s head back to the hotel. Give him time to recoup. I’ll be wanting you again I’m sure.”

I jumped up, threw on my clothes and helped Amanda up. I picked up the blanket and folded it while Amanda put the vibrator back into the box.

It was silent in the truck on the way to the hotel. “A penny for your thoughts.”

She shook her head and said, “I’m just thankful that we found each other. I knew the moment I saw you that I wanted to be yours forever.”

I quickly looked at her and then looked forward. I pulled into the hotel and parked the truck. I turned my body and faced her. She gave me the sweetest damn smile.

“You amaze me, do you know that?” I said, and I placed my hand on the side of her face.

“Yes. Yes, I do know this,” she said with a wink. She jumped out of the truck, grabbed the blanket and box out of the backseat that held the vibrator and said, “Come on. I’m ready to get my naughty on again.”

I shook my head and laughed as I watched her skipping into the lobby of the hotel.

“Shit, I love that girl.”

I walked up and kissed Meg on the top of her head and said, “Be a good girl for daddy.” When I looked up into Brad’s eyes, all I saw was fear.

“I don’t think this is a good idea. What if…”

I put my finger up to his lips and smiled. “Baby, I promise. Everything is going to be all right. I’ll be fine. Please don’t worry, okay?”

He nodded his head and closed his eyes. “It’s just… Amanda, if she ever hurts you again… I just can’t move past all the things she did.”

“Brad. I know you love your mother.”

“I love you, more than anything,” he whispered.

I felt the tears building in my eyes and my heart dropped in my stomach. “I love you more than anything, too. Just let me do this and see what happens. It’s like something clicked in her when she saw Maegan. I saw it in her eyes. Let me just give her a chance. I promise if she crosses the line once I’ll walk away.”

He sucked in a breath of air and slowly let it out. “Fine. But one wrong thing and I mean it, Amanda.”

I took my index finger and gestured across my heart. I grabbed my purse and gave Brad a quick kiss good-bye before he pulled me back to him and kissed me so deeply and passionately.

“That’s to keep you thinking about me,” he said against my lips.

“Hmm…I will for sure be thinking about you,” I said with a wink.

As I made my way out to my car, I said a quick prayer that this wasn’t a set-up by Brad’s mom. When she called me last night and asked if we could meet for dinner because she wanted to talk to me and give me the baby pictures, I was reluctant to do it, but something inside me screamed that I needed to do this for Brad. I just prayed for Brad’s sake she didn’t ruin this.

I walked into the South Congress Café and looked around. I saw Carol sitting at a table near a corner window. Ugh. No easy escape. When she looked up and saw me, the smile that spread across her face surprised me. I gave a weak smile in return and headed over her way.

She stood up and gave me a kiss on the cheek and said, “Amanda, sweetheart, thank you for meeting me for dinner.”

Sweetheart? I’ve never been called anything but Amanda.

I sat down and decided to just cut to the chase. “Carol, I’m doing this for Brad. I’m doing it because I love him more than life itself and I know not having his parents in his life is hurting him. The last thing I want to do is hurt him.”