Self Destruct (22 page)

She searched m
y face, looking for assurance. “I love you with all of me.  Every breath I take, and every moment I’m alive I only love you more.  You are a part of me.  I love you unconditionally, and I always will,” I promised. 

“Come on.
I want to shove some cake in your face,” I said, and pulled her to the dining room.  “Only if you promise to lick it off,” she propositioned.  “You are a wicked and wonderful woman Rebecca Ryan.  I'm glad you're mine.”

Rebecca

Aiden planned the perfect wedding.  Well mostly perfect, but I’m sure he didn’t plan for his mother to launch a bitch attack.  He wanted me to have my fairy tale.  I already had my white knight, so everything else was just icing. 

After dinner we returned to the main room where all of the chairs had been removed.  Aiden plugged his iPod into the stereo.  Jeremy’s family had a killer sound system with wireless speakers hidden around the cabin. 

"Marry Me" by Train started playing, and Aiden swept me into his arms.  “I chose this song because we were meant to be right here from the moment I mustered the courage to talk to you."  “It's perfect, everything you planned today has been perfect,” I told him.  "My mother?" he asked.  "You didn't plan for her to come," I reminded him.

"I have some more plans I haven't shared with you yet," he murmured into my ear.  "Do you?" I asked, pressing myself against him.  He winked at me
.  Insane with desire, I pulled his mouth to mine.  No one complained when we left the reception after our dance.

Our honeymoon was wonderful.  We checked into a resort in the mountains.  Aiden got us a suite, with a fireplace and a large Jacuzzi tub.  We stayed in, made love, talked, and relaxed.  It was wonderful.  There were no sights I wanted to see other than my husband’s beautiful body. 

We were back at home before Christmas.  Our first Christmas together, and our last Christmas as just the two of us.  “Next year we will have all sorts of toys wrapped under this tree,” Aiden said dreamily.  I giggled. 

He was so into this parenthood thing.  I was excited, but he was ecstatic.  “Aiden our baby will be like six months old at the most,” I said, still laughing.  “So no bike then, huh?” he joked. 

At least I hoped he was joking.  “You are going to spoil this kid rotten,” I grumbled.  “No, you’ll keep all of us grounded,” he soothed, and kissed me on the head.

New Years was uneventful.  Jeremy and Cameron went out to dinner and a comedy show in Seattle.  Kate went dancing with Jared.  Toni came over to our house after I convinced her she would not be interrupting anything.  We made up a silly game where we tried to make a list the best and worst of everything from the year.  We popped a bottle of sparkling cider, even though I insisted they could have champagne.  And, I fell asleep with my head on Aiden’s lap while we
waited for the ball to drop. 

I heard the countdown in the background, and I felt the warm press of Aiden’s lips against my cheek.  I smiled, and decided to have a bit of fun with him.  “Ah, Antonia,” I whispered.  “Aiden will catch us.”  Aiden groaned. 

“You are an evil bitch,” Toni said laughing.  “Mmmm, not what you said last night,” I purred.  “Please tell me I can pretend for a moment you aren’t joking,” Aiden moaned.  “Anything for you babe,” I answered.  “In that case…” Aiden began.  “Almost anything,” Toni and I said in unison, interrupting his fantasy.   “A guy can dream,” he sighed. 

Winter quarter started a couple of days later, but my dizzy spells had me attending most of my classes via computer until they stopped.  I was going a bit stir crazy, but I would walk through fire for this baby.  A little boredom was nothing. 

February rolled around, and I was entering my second trimester.  Finally, the dizzy spells, nausea and vomiting had mostly disappeared.  Some smells still turned my stomach, but Dr. Williams said that was normal.  I was finally allowed to go to my classes.  I had changed to a fairly light schedule after I learned I was pregnant, and my course load was manageable. 

I walked into the Student Union Building, or SUB as we called it, and said hi to my friends.  It was great how we had all blended into one big group.  Toni and Jeremy were throwing food at each other.  Cameron and Kate were doing some weird twin silent talking thing.  They were super close, especially since their parents died, and didn’t seem to need words to understand each other.  I looked around and found Aiden holding a tray over laden with food, and trying to end a conversation with an overly eager girl.

Every time he took a step to the side she copied his movement.  She touched his arm, and he stepped back away from her touch.  My fist clenched involuntarily.  I sauntered over to rescue my adorable, sweet, flustered husband.  I loved that word. 

“Hi,” I greeted him, rubbing his bicep possessively.  “Hey,” he responded, as the corner of his mouth quirked up in relief.  The tart trying to get his attention cleared her throat.
  Seriously?

I turned to the nuisance and cocked my eyebrow.  I was daring her to risk my hormonal wrath.
“Excuse me, but we were having a conversation,” she said sounding put out.  I tilted my head to the side studying her. 

“And you are?” I asked dismissively.  “Aiden and I are partners in a class.  It is a very
beneficial
arrangement,” the tart insinuated.  “I see,” I said in a tight voice.

Aiden’s jaw clenched.  “And I told you the prof said we
could
have partners, not that it was required.  I prefer to work alone.  As for your other offer,” he started to say.  “Oh, come on don’t dismiss it so quickly.  Come to the party this weekend.  Let me give you a preview,” she cooed.

“I’m. Not. Interested. I told you when you offered in class, I’m married,” he said, biting off each word.  “I’ve heard some lame let downs before, but you married?  You’re a star baseball player.  I’ve heard you used to hook up with any girl that threw herself at you.  Guys like
you
don’t settle down.  Especially not in college,” she scoffed.

“Well, I’m sure he’s convinced now.  Right babe?  I mean she pretty much
just called you a slut and you have a responsibility to do her.  I mean that gets you hot right?” I taunted bitchily. 

He shook his head at me, but he couldn’t hide his smile.  “Red, I’m only a slut
for you.”  I winked at him.  “I know, and I expect you to put out later too."  “Oh, if I must.  Why did I marry you again?  I feel so used,” he sighed dramatically.

“Yeah right, I’m supposed to believe you married her?  I mean if you were married it wouldn’t be to some chubby red head,” she ridiculed.  Aiden rubbed my belly.  “Come on let’s go sit down.  I don’t like you standing for too long.  Plus the food I got for us is getting cold. She isn’t worth it.  Let’s just go before I hit a girl.”

Chubby?  She was the most unpleasant girl I’d ever met.  My belly had rounded a bit, but I didn’t think I looked chubby.  “Yeah go feed the fat girl!” she shouted. 

I didn’t think people
actually acted this rude in real life, but this girl seemed mentally unstable.  “My
wife
is pregnant, not fat.  I’m going to talk to the professor about switching sections.  If you ever speak to me again I will file a complaint with the university for harassment,” Aiden warned.  She huffed and stomped away.

“Who was that?” I asked dazed.  Did that really just happen?  “That was…uh…Trish?  No, Patty?  Oh, who the hell knows?  I promise you I have never hooked up with her.  And what she said, I did not hook up with
every girl that threw herself at me.  The ones I did take up on what they were offering I never had sex with them.  Not oral or otherwise.”

“Honey, shhh, I’m not asking or ju
dging.  Believe me I understand.  And I know what it is like to feel embarrassed and disgusted by bad decisions,” I comforted.  “Is she going to be a problem?” I nodded to where she was sitting, still staring at us.

“No, I’m definitely going to talk to the professor.  I’ve seen her around the parties Jeremy and I used to go to.  She used to come on to Jeremy all the time, until he finally told her he was gay. 
She didn’t believe him either.  I only remember her because she was unusually persistent,” he explained. 

“You are totally hot, but have you always inspired such an extreme response from women?” I asked.  He shrugged. 
I'll take that as a yes.

I took in his six-foot plus body, with l
ean, hard and rippling muscles.  I allowed my eyes to rake over his square jaw, his plump lips that were smiling at me, and his thick dark blonde hair.  I settled on his deep blue eyes, which were sparkling under my examination.  Yeah, my husband was a hottie. I guess I could understand women going nutso over him.

“There is this one red head that can’t seem to get enough of me,” he whispered conspiratorially.  “Oh yeah?” I said, playing along.  “Mmm, yeah.  She keeps me up all
night.  Insatiable,” he pretended to be distressed.  “You love it,” I responded.  “Every, wonderful, orgasmic moment of it,” he whispered in a low voice.

“Was that Crazy Carrie?” Jeremy asked worried.  Aiden scrubbed a hand through his hair.  “Uh, is that her name?  If you mean that bat-shit crazy chick that used to follow you through keggers, then yeah.”  Jeremy shook his head, stress pulling his face tight. 

“Dude, I’m not saying crazy as code for annoying.  I mean like criminal.  I had a hard time shaking her loose.  The guy she followed after me had to get a restraining order after she took a bat to his truck, because she saw him with his girlfriend.  When she was served with the restraining order, she started stalking his girlfriend.  It was a guy in my Econ class last year.  Rumor was he transferred after that.”

I never really thought of Aiden as a baseball player, but obviously others did
.  And evidently there were groupies.  I hadn't even thought about what it would be like once the season started.  "Does that happen a lot?  Girls hitting on you?" I asked.  Aiden shrugged, and Jeremy looked away.  I narrowed my eyes at them. 

"It happens sometimes.  Less now.  Most girls see the ring and walk away.  If they don't I turn them down," Aiden said casually. 

Jeremy nodded.  "You've been at home cooking that bun, so you don't see the girls following Aiden around.  Funny thing is, he doesn't see them either unless they push it.  This is the first time I've seen one take it this far.  Of course we are talking about Crazy Carrie." 

“Aiden, when does baseball practices start?”
“Uhm, they are starting next week,” Aiden replied evasively.  He rubbed his hand through his hair and scrubbed at his neck.  “How often are you going to be gone?” I asked. 

“Well…uh…I’m not…that is,
I’m not sure I’m going to play,” he fumbled.  “Huh?” I responded lamely.  “I might quit the team,” he answered looking down at the table, and picking at the laminate top.

“Aiden,” I began
, but he interrupted.  “Stop, ok?  I don’t want you to feel guilty about this decision.  I know you haven’t asked me to stop playing.  With everything that has happened I just don’t know if I will feel comfortable being gone for a week at a time traveling with the team.  Plus, I don’t want to miss a second of your pregnancy.  I don’t want to miss any firsts.  The first kick, doctors appointments, I want to be there for all of it.”

“Ok,” I said and smiled sweetly at him.  “That’s it?  No fight?” he asked in disbelief.  “No silly.  I want you here.  I don’t want you to miss anything either
, but make sure you're certain before you give the coach your answer.  I don’t want our marriage to be you making all the sacrifices.”  “Trust me, I’m getting so much more than I am giving up.  I don’t consider spending time with you a sacrifice,” he vowed.

“How are you going to pay for school?” I asked.  “I’ve got it covered,” he replied vaguely.  I gave him a skeptical look.  He looked around to make sure no one outside of the four of us could overhear.  “
We never got around to discussing all of the terms of my trust fund.  Every time I tried to bring it up you said you didn't want money to ruin our honeymoon," he reminded me.

"Yeah, I guess I did.  The money doesn't matter to me.  I don't know how I keep forgetting you have it," I said.  "We.  We have it.  What's mine is yours," he reminded me.  I blushed, and he rubbed the color in my cheeks.  "Tell me what you found out."

"My mom had done some snooping and found out there was a clause connected to marriage and Vanessa.  We started dating several months before my grandparents died.  I didn't know it at the time, but they were unimpressed with Vanessa, and thought she was bad for me.

After they passed I learned I was named the sole beneficiary.  Their lawyer said they thought my mother would try and have my father killed to get her hands on that much money.  I'd like to think they were wrong, regardless of how she has acted this last year.  They believed she would never do anything to physically hurt me, and I ended up with all the money. 

My mother was wrong about the terms though.  If I
married
Vanessa I would have only gotten enough to pay for college. If I
didn’t
marry her I got the full ten million.”

I choked on my water.  Did he just say ten million?
“Is that in dollars or pesos?” I asked in disbelief.  He laughed. “Dollars.  I don’t want the high society life though.  You’ll be happy living the way we’ve been living, right?”  “You and me,” I said, and nodded in agreement.  “And me,” Jeremy added.  “And Jeremy makes three,” I sang.  Aiden chuckled. “Ok, maybe we’ll need a bigger house.”