Take Back My Heart (Come Back To Me) Read online

  Lauren’s parents both sat across from him in silence for a moment. A tear slid down her mother’s face while her father appeared to be scowling at Connor.

  “Son, I always did like you. I’m not pleased you got my daughter pregnant out of wedlock— again—but I admire you for making it right. You have my blessing.” Her father shook Connor’s hand, his scowl slowly turning into a warm smile.

  Connor grinned as relief washed over him. “Thank you sir, but there’s more. First, I want you to know that I’m not doing this out of obligation or honor. I love her very much. I always have. I want to be clear on that. I want to take care of her and love her for the rest of our lives.” Lauren’s father nodded, and Connor continued, “But I also wanted to ask you about Eliot. Lauren and I have talked about it, and she and Eliot have talked about it a lot. Bottom line is, even though I haven’t known him that long, I love that little boy as if he were my own. And well, I’d like to make him my own. So, with your blessing, I’d like to ask him for permission to adopt him.”

  A sob escaped from Lauren’s mother. Jumping up, she embraced Connor. “Sweetie, I think you are the best thing that has ever happened to my babies. I hope you understand how much Eliot needs family. Kyle’s parents have abandoned Lauren and Eliot, it’s as if they don’t even exist anymore.”

  Lauren’s daddy nodded in agreement. “It takes a hell of a man to do all you’ve done for them. If they’re happy, then we won’t stand in your way. But Connor, if you ever leave her like you did the last time, you’ll answer to me. We might have been hard on her back then, but...” His voice trailed off.

  Connor knew they’d been hard on her. Lauren told him how they had kicked her out of the house, forcing her to live on her own. He remembered how alone she was when she lost their baby, but he was grateful that, over the years, Lauren and her parents had worked through their differences and made amends.

  “Understood.” Connor grinned. “We should get out there before she comes looking for me,” he suggested. Leaving his office, the trio walked toward the back of the house. Lauren had just rounded the corner, nearly plowing into Connor. “Careful, babe,” he chuckled as he caught her.

  “I was coming to find you.” She leaned into his arms for a moment.

  Connor gave her a hug then stepped back so she could see who stood behind him. “I was letting some of our guests in.” His smile grew.

  “M-mom? Dad? How’d…? Oh!” She squealed, wrapping her arms around them, crying happy tears. “I’m sorry. It’s these hormones,” she tried to explain. “I’m so happy to see you both!”

  Amy interrupted from the other room. “Everyone’s here, you two. Come on, I wanna know if I’m having a niece or nephew!”

  Lauren laughed. “She has no patience. Come on in. I’m sure Eliot will be excited to see you.”

  As soon as she stepped into the family room, Amy grabbed her and Connor, dragging them outside where everyone else had gathered. A box full of balloons sat sealed on the back porch, waiting for them to open it. Eliot ran over to Lauren and Connor, ready to rip the box open. Connor reached for his hand first and cleared his throat.

  “Before we do this, I need to take care of something first. Two things, actually,” he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the first box. He lifted Eliot onto the chair next to him and handed him the box. “Little man, over the past few weeks—months, really—I’ve gotten the chance to bond with you and fall in love with you myself. I know you’ve asked if we can all be a family one day. Family isn’t always blood. It’s about the people in your life that want you in theirs. The people that would do anything to see you smile, and will love you no matter what. I want to be one of those people for you.” He opened the box for Eliot, revealing a pocket watch engraved with the words ‘Not the flesh of my flesh, or the bone of my bones, but the heart of my heart, and the soul of my soul.’ “Eliot, if you’ll have me, I’d love nothing more than to adopt you, with your mommy’s blessing, and spend the rest of my days being a father figure to you, doing all I can to protect and love you.” Connor sniffled and wiped his eyes to keep the tears at bay. When he glanced at Lauren, tears were rolling down her face.

  “You want to be my Dad! That means the new baby will have the same mommy and daddy!” He squealed excitedly.

  Connor couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, buddy. That’s exactly what it means. We’ll be a family, the four of us.”

  “Then, yes. I want you to adopt me.” Eliot cheered and jumped into Connor’s arms for a hug.

  Lauren rushed to their side and hugged them both.

  Lifting his head, Eliot asked loudly, “Isn’t this the part where you give my mommy her ring and ask her to marry you?”

  His words stunned Connor momentarily. Regaining his composure, he sat Eliot down before reaching in his other pocket and pulled out a smaller box. He opened it, took the ring out, and knelt on one knee in front of Lauren. “This kid just stole my thunder, so I guess I’ll keep it short and sweet. Lauren, will you marry me and allow us to become the family of my dreams?”

  Lauren covered her mouth and nodded her head ‘yes’ as more tears poured down her face. “Yes. Connor, yes!”

  He placed the ring on her finger and then stood up to kiss her. “I love you, Princess.” He held onto her for a few more minutes, and then turned to face their guests again, his face beaming with a large smile. “And now, what you all really came here for. Eliot, you can do the honors.”

  Eliot jumped up and tore open the box. Once the lid was loose, he stood back and everyone watched as a single blue balloon floated out.

  “A brother!” Eliot cheered.

  Lauren gasped, but Connor couldn’t fight back the smile as he pulled her close. “A boy, our boy,” he whispered.

  Connor woke up the next morning to the sound of water running and sunlight pouring through the curtains. He took a minute to appreciate the fact that Lauren was still there. They'd made love over and over throughout the night, and now she was in his shower. When he sat up, he noticed that the door to the master bathroom was slightly ajar. He could see her reflection in the bathroom mirror, and it was possibly the hottest damn thing he’d ever seen. His cock took notice, standing at attention.

  She was lathering up when he slid in the shower behind her, stealing the washcloth from her and taking over to wash her from head to toe.

  "Good morning," she purred.

  "Morning, Princess. I hope you don't mind the company,” he said, as he pressed his hips against her, grinding his cock against her ass.

  "Not at all." She leaned back into him. "I've never actually had company in the shower before."

  Connor spun her around to face him. "You're kidding, right?" He couldn’t hide the shock on his face. The shower was certainly one of his favorite places to have sex.

  She hung her head, slightly embarrassed. "Not kidding."

  “Oh, Lauren,” he sighed, as he gently ran one hand down the front of her body, finding his target between her legs.

  She squealed when he hit his mark. “Connor,” she moaned, grinding against his hand.

  “What do you want Lauren?” Connor growled.

  “I want you. I…I need you.” Her voice projected her need, her pussy already soaked.

  When she wrapped her hands around his cock, he let out a groan of his own. “Goddamn, Princess.” Leaning his forehead against hers, he placed a kiss on her lips and thrusted into her hand. “Do you feel how hard you make me?”

  “Yes!” She yelped as he slipped a finger inside her.

  Her whimpers and moans drove him insane as his fingers moved in and out of her heat. Pushing her back against the shower wall, he withdrew his hand, grabbed both of hers, and placed them above her head. “I need to be inside of you.” With one hand still holding hers in place, he moved his left hand to her right leg. “Wrap your legs around me, Lauren.”

  Doing as he directed, she felt him slide into her. “Connor!” she gasped at the welcomed intrusion. “Mo
re.”

  “I can’t take my time,” he warned, stroking her clit with his thumb as he pushed inside her again and again. Quickening his pace, he had her quivering under his touch.

  His name escaped her lips as she came around him, squeezing him like a vice. Her throbbing pussy was more than enough to make him blow his load. “Fuck. Lauren!” he roared as he exploded inside her. “I love you so much,” he whispered in her ear as held her close.

  Slowly he helped her feet to the floor of the shower and started to wash her body again. She’d gone silent on him, but he chalked it up to post orgasmic bliss. Once all the soap was rinsed from her body and the water began to run cold, they both stepped out of the shower. Lauren wrapped a towel around herself and made her way into his bedroom, while he used the bathroom and brushed his teeth, joining her in the bedroom a few minutes later.

  "You know, I think that was the best shower I've ever had." Lauren smiled as she made her way to the closet.

  "Mmhmm," Connor answered as he searched for some clothes. “I think I like your pregnancy hormones. And I like your parents even more for taking Eliot for the night. I was really afraid you were going to make me sleep alone again.” He didn’t miss the way her body stiffened. He could practically see a switch flipping, changing her attitude.

  “Please don’t do this, Connor. We’ve been through this a dozen times. I don’t think it’s a good example for Eliot to see us sleeping together, or for you to sleep over.”

  “Yeah. Okay, Lauren. I hear you, but we’re engaged now. He wants us to be a family, and you’re pregnant, for fuck’s sake! So I don’t see anything wrong with it, at this point. I’ve respected your wishes up until now, and I’ve tried to be patient. You really can’t blame me for wanting to have my family together. I mean, seriously. What are you going to do when the baby comes? Are we still going to sneak around like two teenagers?”

  “First of all, we didn’t sneak around when we were teenagers. You got me pregnant and ran. Second, he is my son, Connor. MINE! I get to call the shots!”

  He froze. The harshness of her words stabbed at his heart. “I should have known it would come back to this, Lauren. It had to at some point. It felt like too much was left unresolved. How long are you going to make me pay for my past? I thought we were moving forward, but doesn’t seem like it. I asked you to marry me, to be with me forever. I want to take Eliot on as my own, and the first chance you get, you’re going to throw it in my face that he’s not mine? Like I don’t already know that? But thanks for the reminder.”

  “I think I should go,” Lauren sulked, quickly tossing on a pair of Connor’s sweatpants and moving toward the door.

  “You’re really going to do this, Lauren? You’re going to walk out right now?”

  “I need go home to Eliot,” she whispered and walked away.

  Connor listened as the door closed downstairs, and fell onto his bed, allowing the tears to roll down his face. How did everything he believed to be right now seem so wrong? He thought they overcame their past, he believed she had forgiven him, but now he felt like she still blamed him for everything that had happened between them.

  He knew she had been fighting her own demons. He wanted to help her through it, but if he tried to get her to open up about her feelings, she pushed him away. He was trapped in a constant state of ‘damned if you do and damned if you don’t.’ There was no winning this war.

  In less than 24 hours, they had gone to happily engaged to her storming out on him.

  Lauren’s parents were sitting at her kitchen table eating breakfast with Eliot when she walked in her house a short while later. Eliot smiled and ran over to hug her before asking where Connor was. The minute his name came up, Lauren choked back a sob.

  “Eliot, why don’t you and Gramps clean up the breakfast dishes? Okay, dear?” Lauren’s mom suggested. Seeing her grandson’s nod, she escorted her daughter into the living room. “What’s wrong?” she asked, after they both sat down on the couch.

  “Oh, Mommy. It’s such mess.” Lauren wiped her eyes. “He wants us to be one big, happy family, and I’m not ready for that. I don’t want to choose between his house and mine. I know he wants us to move there because that’s where he grew up and he wants to raise his family there, but this place, it’s mine and this is my family. It’s the only thing I have that belongs to me. It’s where Eliot and I started over from scratch, where we made a life for ourselves. It’s always sort of been our safe haven. If I give this up, what happens when things get bad? Where do I go?”

  Connor never actually said the words to her, but she knew he wanted to stay at his grandparents’ house, the house that was now his. Why else would he put so much work into it? She knew he was ready for them to move in together, he had said that much.

  “Oh Lauren, sweetheart, you can’t go into this thinking the worst. What did you think would happen when he asked you to marry him? He wants to become part of your family, and to make you and Eliot part of his. It’s obvious that he loves you.”

  “My track record isn’t that great, you know? Heck, he and I couldn’t even survive the first time, and now look at me. We’re right back where we started.”

  “I am looking at you. Do you want to know what I see? I see a mature, smart, and brave woman. I don’t see the same person you were back then. The two of you were kids the last time. Things are very different this time around. The fact that he’s standing outside on your front porch right now and pacing, should speak volumes too.” Her mom chuckled.

  Lauren peered out her front window. Sure enough, Connor walked back and forth. While she debated what to do, her mommy took the decision from her. Moving toward the door, her mother invited Connor inside.

  He took one look at Lauren’s tear stained face, and rushed to her side. Seeing her upset made his heart ache. He never wanted her to be sad because of him. “I’m sorry I got upset, Princess. I think we need to talk.”

  “Mommy, we’ll be out front for a few minutes,” Lauren said as she took his hand and led him back out the door.

  “Is Eliot ok?” asked Connor.

  “He’s fine. He asked about you as soon as I walked in the door.”

  He nodded. “Lauren, I’m sorry I walked away from you all those years ago. I know I screwed up, but damn it, I’m trying to do it right this time. We talked about this before. I need you to let me in, to talk to me and tell me how you feel. You keep so much of yourself bottled up that when you let your guard down, you end up tearing me in two.” His emotions bubbled over as he tried to fight back the anger and hurt in his voice.

  His patience with Lauren was running out. He was tired of waiting. No, that wasn’t true. He’d wait forever, but his heart couldn’t keep up with the back and forth.

  Sighing, she repeated everything she had discussed with her mother. “I’m afraid, Connor.”

  Connor said nothing at first as he let her words sink in. “That’s what a lot of this is?” he snapped. “You don’t think we can survive this? You don’t want to give up this house, so you’ll always have a place to run to?”

  Hearing Connor repeat her own words, stung. For the first time, Lauren was beginning to see how ridiculous she was being. Dropping her head, she frowned at her own behavior.

  “Lauren, you walk around my house like it’s ours. And I love every minute of it. But here, I’m like a visitor. An outsider. You’ve got a key to my place, you come and go as you please, and you never knock. I don’t want you to either, but we aren’t on a level playing field here. This place is ‘yours.’ Only ‘yours.’”

  “Connor, the truth is, I don’t think I was really ready for this. I know I wasn’t ready to have another baby. I hadn’t even considered getting married again. I haven’t dated anyone in years, and dating was the furthest thing from my mind. I was happy in my own little world until you came back and tossed it upside down.” With her confession, Lauren felt a weight lift off her chest. She knew she should have told Connor everything sooner, but she was caugh
t up in trying to juggle everything—from Kyle’s death, right up to Connor and a new baby on the way. It wasn’t until Connor came back that she wanted someone to love her, for Connor to love her like she thought he did when they were teens. “I was caught up in the fairytale. I haven’t been fair to either of us. I think Kyle’s death made me feel lonely and confused. I wanted comfort. I wanted your comfort. But, I’m not sure I was really ready to give anything in return.”

  Connor’s shoulders slumped. He felt defeated and used. “I don’t know what else to say, Lauren. I won’t force you to marry me, but I’m not walking away from that little boy in there.” He pointed toward the house. “Or the boy you’re carrying. If you weren’t ready, you shouldn’t have said yes, but that’s my issue now. Not yours.”

  Memories attacked her, making it hard to fight back the tears.

  Eliot had just turned a year old, the weather was gorgeous considering it was the middle of January, so she’d decided to escape Kyle’s bad mood and take her son to the park. She was pushing Eliot on the swing when she caught sight of someone across the street. She felt like she was being watched. When she glanced up, she knew it was him. Connor was here, but he wasn’t alone. Attached to his arm, stood a gorgeous blonde woman. She was smiling back at him as they left the diner across the street. When Lauren’s eyes met his, he quickly looked away and ushered the mystery woman into his car.

  The familiar ache in her chest swelled up again. How long had it been since she’d last seen him? Should it even matter? She was married now, and had a baby of her own. She was happy. Or was she? Why did Connor still have the power to make her heart ache?