All Our Tomorrows (The Heirs Book 1)
Chapter 34

Piper was ambushed twice in one week.

First by a Saturday brunch with Alex and Nick, which was supposed to be a girls’ day.

Alex and Nick dragged her from brunch to a surprise, which happened to be in a Mommy To Be store. Chase and his mother were already there with racks of clothing set up.

Arguing was mute. Not with four against one.

When it was apparent that Piper wasn’t picking anything over-the-top expensive, the attendant removed the price tags before handing the articles to Piper to try on.

When it was all said and done, Piper had more clothing to wear for the next three and a half months than she did to wear when this was all over.

It was silly and expensive and made her feel like Cinderella . . . without the evil stepsisters.

The second ambush happened after Piper revealed her pregnancy to everyone in the office. It happened at her home after returning from work on a Tuesday.

A man with a camera hanging from his neck stood in front of her car before she could pull into her driveway. He took several pictures of her and started shouting questions.

“Just a couple of questions, Miss Maddox.”

She rolled down the window. “No comment. Now get out of the way.”

“Is it true you’re pregnant with Stone’s baby?”

“No comment.” She inched her car forward, but the guy didn’t move.

“What do you say about the rumor that the baby is the late Aaron Stone’s child?”

Her car lurched forward, and she slammed on the brakes. “What the hell?”

“Is that a yes?” he shouted.

“Where did you hear that?”

“So it’s true?” the man asked.

“No, it’s not true. Go away.”

The man shot her a smile. “Makes for a great story, though.”

“Fuck off. Get out of my driveway.” Weren’t there laws about paparazzi and personal property?

The man took another picture, and Piper laid on the horn.

“Are you and Chase Stone planning a wedding?” the man squeezed out when she stopped honking.

She really wanted to run the man over. Or at least make the man think she would.

Only her neighbor seemed to have a better idea.

Piper slammed her car in park and ripped off her seat belt when she saw Kit running up the driveway.

Mr. Armstrong had good intentions, but this wouldn’t end well for her dog if this asshole was bitten on public property.

Seeing the dog, the jerk dropped the camera and jumped back.

Piper shouted a command to stop Kit mid-lunge.

The cameraman tripped on his own feet, and Kit stood over him barking.

Kit didn’t bite him . . . thank God. Piper let the man panic before she called Kit off him completely.

Kit moved in front of her as the man scrambled to his feet.

The air around them stilled, except for the fast beating of her heart and the panting of Kit in all the excitement. He let out one more bark. “Chase is more protective than my dog. I suggest you don’t come here again.”

“It’s a public street.”

“My dog has the right to protect me against a threat. I replace you threatening.” She kicked the man’s camera toward him.

He bent down to retrieve it.

Kit stood up and growled.

Piper made a motion with her hand, and Kit sat back down.

By now, a few neighbors had come out of their houses to watch, and Mr. Armstrong was walking up the drive. “I called the police.”

The man put the camera back around his neck and ran a hand over his head. “Might want to learn the laws, Miss Maddox. You’re having a billionaire’s baby. That’s always a good news story.”

The man backed away, eyes on Kit, before getting into his car and driving off.

Once he was gone, she felt her pulse return to normal.

“Are you okay?” Mr. Armstrong asked.

She leaned against her car and released the breath she was holding. “Thank you.”

Kit wagged his tail and nudged her knee.

It took the police fifteen minutes to get there.

By then, she had stopped shaking.

Without any real crime having been committed, they informed her about what she already knew.

The man could take pictures of her in public spaces. No, he wasn’t allowed to block her car or her driveway, but prosecuting that was a waste of time. And yes, if Kit had actually attacked the man on a public street without an assault in progress, the dog would get the worst of it.

However . . .

And this was something Piper didn’t know. “There is a reason why celebrities live behind gates. Those gates are often inset just enough on their property that anyone blocking it is on private property and subject to a different set of rules.”

Piper thanked the officers for their time and advice. They would write a report but leave it alone unless the man returned and threatened her again.

She liked that they used her words and didn’t completely disregard her situation. It helped that she was pregnant. The officers kept looking at her belly and asking if she was okay.

And that was refreshing.

By the time the officers were ready to leave, Chase was barreling down the driveway.

“I called him, too,” Mr. Armstrong told her as they were saying goodbye to the police.

Damn near slamming into the police cruisers, Chase jumped out of his truck the second it was in park and ran over to her.

Kit stood up, saw it was him, and sat back down.

She was in a bear hug, his hand on her face, his eyes swimming in worry.

“I’m fine.”

“What happened?”

The police stood there watching. Their radios filling the silent air.

“I need to go to the bathroom. She’s jumping on my bladder.”

Chase kissed her twice and let her walk away.

“What happened?” Chase asked again to the men standing around outside.

Piper took her time, knowing that someone would explain what had happened while she washed the stress from her hands. She took the opportunity to kick off her shoes and change into a comfortable pair of maternity pants and a simple T-shirt. She instantly felt better.

And hungry.

Kit was glued to her side as she walked around her house. Kit was given a hefty treat and a whole lotta love.

Noise outside told her the cars were shuffling around the driveway. Another look and the police were gone, and Chase stood talking to Mr. Armstrong.

Piper grabbed a bag of potato chips and finally relaxed into her sofa.

The second she sat down, the baby started to move. “Too much excitement, huh?” she said to her baby.

The salt on the chips tasted so good she almost moaned as she popped another one into her mouth.

Chase’s heavy footfalls preceded him walking through her door.

“Sorry, I needed to get off my feet.”

He dropped into a squat and nuzzled Kit’s face first. “Can I buy you a pony? A girlfriend . . . what? What do you want, boy?”

Kit licked Chase’s face.

Piper ate another piece of heaven.

Chase pushed the bag of chips off her lap and replaced them with his head. His arms circled her hips. “I aged five years on the drive over here.”

“Mr. Armstrong shouldn’t have called you.”

He kissed her belly and went back to resting his head in her lap. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”

Piper ate another chip, talked around it. “I would have called once the police left.”

“Driving into my girlfriend’s driveway and seeing police cars here isn’t something I ever want to experience again.”

“It wasn’t . . . It’s over.”

Chase finally lifted his head from her lap and paused. “How are you . . . really?”

She set her hand down that was holding a chip. “It was upsetting. I tried the ‘no comment’ thing, the guy wouldn’t listen, then he said . . .” Piper thought about how best to say what he said.

“What?”

“He asked if it was your baby. I said no comment. Then he asked if it was your . . . father’s baby.” Just thinking about it again made her shake.

“What the fuck?”

She tossed the chip back in the bag. “Is that what people are saying? How can anyone think that? I literally wanted to run the man over with my car.”

Chase moved from the floor to the couch and gathered her in his arms.

Piper felt the tears before she realized she was crying. “Where did that come from? Who is spreading this? What kind of monster do they think I am?”

“Shh. I got you.”

Piper leaned back long enough for her to stare into Chase’s eyes. “I swear on my parents’ lives this is not—”

“Shh.” Chase pressed a finger to her lips. “Don’t even say it. Never think it again.”

She nodded several times, pressed her head to his chest. “God, I hate these tears.”

“You cry. I’ll catch you.”

Piper felt his words down in her soul, and the tears kept rolling. “Chase?” She sniffled and gathered the courage to say what came next.

“What, honey?”

Fearful of seeing rejection in his eyes, she stayed with her cheek pressed against his chest, his hand stroking her hair. “I’m falling in love with you.”

Piper held her breath.

His hand stopped moving.

She heard him release a breath. His hand resumed the petting of her hair. “I can beat that,” he finally spoke.

“Oh?”

He pressed a hand to her face and forced her to look at him. “I’m already in.”

She bit her lip, the tears weren’t going to stop. “What?”

“I love you, Piper.”

She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and pressed her lips to his. She pulled away, searched his eyes, saw the love he spoke of, and moved in again. This is what love tasted like. It was warm and safe and surrounded her completely. “I love you, too.”

Chase stopped her with his lips. Their kiss went from warm to passion in a heartbeat. There were teeth and tongues and promises of care and tomorrows.

Piper leaned back on the sofa as Chase yanked the blinds over the couch closed.

She fumbled with his pants and yanked the bag of chips from under her and tossed it to the floor.

They laughed together for only a moment before Chase was pinning her down on the sofa, her comfortable pants on the floor. He spread her legs with a knee and entered her slowly. “I love you, Piper. I’m going to love you as long as you let me.”

It was as if his words and actions were seeping into her brain and taking over her body. He hadn’t even moved yet, and she felt her orgasm tipping over the edge. She swallowed back her pleasure. “Never stop saying that.”

“I love you.” He pulled his hips away, pushed in again. “I love you.”

Oh, God.

She pulled his lips down to hers and whispered the words right back until their bodies couldn’t physically talk and move at the same time.

Chase had no idea how liberating three little words could be.

He made love to Piper with a whole new appreciation for the words and the act. And when they were sated enough to speak, he asked her to pack a bag. “The woman I love had the police in her front yard today. I’m never going to sleep if you’re not with me.”

She didn’t argue. “What are we going to do with Kit when we’re at work?”

“We’ll bring him with us until we figure it out.” Besides, there were days he couldn’t be at Stone Enterprises, and if Kit was always with her, Chase would feel better about her safety.

And Chase knew, at the very center of his core, the moment she walked into his home, she wasn’t leaving. He would replace the right time and lock this in.

Liberating.

Knowing he’d found the one for him freed him in ways he never imagined.

An hour later they were at his house, Kit comfortable in the living room while Chase helped Piper unpack her bag.

“I have to be honest,” she said when she was hanging her things inside his closet. “This feels a little caveman-ish.”

“What does?”

She giggled. “You tell me you love me and then drag me to your cave.”

He pumped his chest out. “I’d throw you over my shoulder, but someone would get crushed.”

Piper pressed a palm to her belly. “I think she’s used to you crushing me by now.”

“I didn’t hurt her, did I?”

Piper laughed. “No.”

“Good. It would be hard not to touch you, but if I have to—”

“Bite your tongue. Pregnancy sex is the best. My orgasms are right there.” Piper poked a finger in the air with a satisfied smile.

“Right where?” he asked as he walked up from behind and wrapped his arms around her.

“There.” She poked the air again.

“You sure it’s not here?” He pressed his fingers to the warmth between her legs.

She melted.

A puddle of goo in his hands. “Yup . . . there.”

Piper dropped the clothes in her hands and rested the back of her head on his chest.

He found her spot, and did indeed confirm, her orgasm was right there.