Except he didn’t want cautious anymore.
He was all in, arms flailing, and screaming it at the top of his lungs.
With the music wafting in through the speakers, he turned the dial on the radio, turning it up and hummed under his breath, surprised to find himself singing along to one of those catchy pop tunes that seemed to be everywhere.
A few minutes later, he pulled up outside her apartment building, still humming as he reached into the backseat, took out the gift and kicked the door shut with the back of his leg. He hit the button to close his car and climbed up the stairs, taking a route that was becoming all too familiar.
“I thought we talked about you not getting any more gifts,” Darby said, exasperated. She took a step to the side, and he sidestepped around her, setting the gift down on the kitchen counter.
“It’s for the baby,” Phoenix replied, proudly revealing the stroller he purchased.
“Phoenix.” Darby placed her hands on her hips. “You’re going overboard again. I already have too many things as it is, and you should keep track of everything you buy because some items are in twos.”
Phoenix grinned. “In case they break.”
Darby threw her hands up in the air, her lips threatening to curve into a grin. “Okay, let me put it to you another way. I really appreciate all the help, but I don’t have any more space.”
Phoenix’s smile fell as he glanced around her apartment. Well, she did have a point there. It was a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, with a kitchen that also doubled as a living room.
It was barely enough living space, and he’d been shocked when he first spotted this, bristling with outrage at the squalid conditions she had to live under. He remembered the look she gave him, as if he’d sprouted another head and started spouting nonsense in gibberish.
Phoenix wasn’t so out of touch with reality that he imagined everyone lived the way he did, with spacious and luxurious apartments, drivers at their beck and call, and second houses somewhere where there was a beach.
He knew quite well that most people weren’t that fortunate, but he also had no idea it could get that bad. Seeing Darby living like that brought the whole thing a little closer to home, shifting his perspective immeasurably.
Now, he had a better understanding of it and a deeper appreciation for those who struggled, suffering through backbreaking work just to put food on the table. In light of that, he also saw Darby in a newer, softer light, with simpler brush strokes coloring her edges.
It’s no wonder she was freaked out in the beginning, practically biting his head off at every turn.
“Okay,” Phoenix replied. “I’ll try not to buy you any more stuff. Now, let’s go eat because I’m starving.”
Darby rolled her eyes. “You’re always hungry, and this is coming from a pregnant lady.”
Phoenix chuckled. “I don’t care. Come on. How about we try that Chinese place you were telling me about the other day?”
“You were listening to that?” Darby asked, surprise coloring her tone.
Phoenix shrugged. “Yeah, of course I was. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Darby tilted her head to the side, the ghost of a smile lifting up the corners of her mouth before she turned around and reached for her sweater. She reached for her purse and was about to pick up the stroller when Phoenix swooped in and deposited it in the corner of the apartment, waving her protests away.
He held his arm out for her, and she tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “You better not try to steal food off my plate again.”
Phoenix sighed. “I already explained that it’s because you have better taste than I do.”
“Then you should let me order for you,” Darby suggested.
“What if I don’t like it though?”
Darby threw her head back and laughed. “There’s always that chance anyway. What difference does it make who orders?”
“We’ll see.”
Phoenix rushed forward and held the car door open for her, closing it behind her before he went around to his side and slid in.
“Didn’t we just have this conversation yesterday?” Darby asked, eyeing the gift-wrapped box pointedly. “Is it another pair of socks for the baby?”
Phoenix brushed past her and set the box on the counter, leaping with excitement. “No, it isn’t. Besides, I didn’t get the baby a gift. I got you the gift. Just open it.”
Darby inched closer and inspected the box, circling it like it was a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at the slightest touch. Finally, she gave her head a slight shake and yanked off the bow, carefully undoing the festive wrap before she folded it and set it aside.
“You got me a key?” Darby asked, confusion lacing her tone.
Phoenix cleared his throat. “Not just a key. It’s the key to your new apartment.”
“My new what?” Darby asked, eyes widening.
“Well, it’s not an apartment. It’s the penthouse in your apartment building. It turns out you do have one, though it took quite a bit of digging to find that out, and a lot of persuading too. We can go see if it after we eat, and I’ll be close by to help you move out this weekend.”
Darby opened then closed her mouth several times, a fish floundering on dry land, the gears in her brain working overtime, trying to process what he said. He wanted to reach out and smooth the worry line on her face, put her mind at ease.
“Phoenix,” Darby said, slowly. “You got me an apartment?”
“Yes,” Phoenix replied, serenely. “We’ve established that already.”
“You can’t,” Darby commented, puzzled. “I don’t want an apartment. I already have one.”
“You said yourself that you don’t have enough room, and the baby is going to need their own room when they’re old enough,” Phoenix pointed out, gesturing at the apartment around him, suitable for a single woman, but not a mother.
And definitely not Darby.
Not on his watch.
“Yes, but a penthouse?” Darby inquired. “That’s too much space. I meant more of a two-bedroom, one-bathroom kind of thing, in the future of course.”
Phoenix made a face. “Darby, I’m trying to do something nice for you. Why can’t you accept it and just say thank you?”
“Because it’s too much,” Darby protested. “And I can’t accept it, Phoenix. I’m not comfortable with the idea of you spending that much money.”
“Think about it,” Phoenix urged. “Wouldn’t it be better for you in the long run if you lived somewhere with more space? Not just for the baby but for you as well, and it’s a lot safer than this studio apartment.”
“But I-”
“It would help me sleep better at night knowing that you’re there,” Phoenix added, gently. “Please, Darby. Let me do this for you.”
Darby eyed him speculatively. “It really means that much to you?”
Phoenix nodded. “Yes.”
Darby exhaled deeply. “Okay.”
Phoenix felt infinitely better, knowing that not only was his baby going to be safe, but so was Darby, and it was more than enough for him.
For now.
Eight
Darby
It had been seven months.
By far, the seven longest months of her life. Time didn’t seem to exist anymore, stretches of time seemed endless and infinite. For the first time in her life, she understood why women complained that they felt like they’d been pregnant forever.
It certainly did feel that way.
Her entire life revolved around the baby, minute by minute decisions, and it had even trickled into her daily job, relegating her to paperwork duty in the back office since no one wanted to be served alcohol by a pregnant lady.
She couldn’t say she blamed them what with the way she salivated over the drinks, acting like she’d been wandering the desert for a thousand years, the back of her throat dry and itchy.
Damn, what she would give for a drink right now.
And none of that fri
lly stuff either.
No, she wanted a good stiff drink, maybe some scotch or something equally strong. In fact, she wanted it so badly she could almost taste it, smacking her lips together theatrically.
That wasn’t even the worst part.
To her, possibly the worst side effect was needing to use the bathroom every hour, the feeling that someone was squeezing her bladder was ridiculous, and she hated it, no matter how many times she told the baby to ease off.
Already, she could tell this kid was going to be stubborn and opinionated.
After all, both parents were. Between Darby and Phoenix, they could pretty much write the book on being hard-headed, butting heads and baring their teeth quite a bit in the first month.
However, over the last few months, they’d settled into a quiet kind of routine, and he seemed to fit in her life seamlessly, like he was meant to be there all along. Much to her surprise, she found that she liked having him around, making her laugh and poking fun at her when she was being grouchy.
Truthfully, he made the whole thing so much more bearable and that was saying something, given everything that happened between them. Still, in spite of the fact that he did help, tremendously, he couldn’t take away the ache, the waddle, and the general sense of misery at the fact that she still had two months to go.
Two long ass months that already felt like an eternity.
The initial sense of euphoria that came with realizing she was about to be a mother had long since faded, giving way to a general sense of frustration and impatience, eager to have the baby arrive, so she could get it over with.
She couldn’t even enjoy a bubble bath without feeling like her entire body was sore, aching in places she couldn’t reach. Still, she gritted her teeth and tried to make the most of it, relying heavily on Phoenix to keep her going.
It was strange, really.
How she’d gone from tolerating him for the baby’s sake to being the first person she called whenever she wanted to talk about the baby’s first kick, or to suggest a name. Over time, Phoenix had proven to be loyal and indispensable, making up for his earlier behavior tenfold.
From offering her random foot rubs to bringing her food from her favorite places at odd hours of the night. In short, there was nothing he denied her, but something else was brewing between them, an undercurrent of electricity she wasn’t quite sure what to make of.
At first, she assumed it was hormones.
After all, it had been months since she’d gotten any kind of action, not since her wild night with Phoenix, and in the beginning, she wasn’t in the mood, so it didn’t bother her. In fact, it worked out just fine since it felt weird just thinking about it.
Now, her hormones seemed to have other ideas, kicking into overdrive at the weirdest things. Much to her dismay, she was horny half the time now and unable to do anything about it.
Not only was there no one likely to sleep her with because of her bulging belly, but she also had her eyes set on one person in particular, and she knew it was unlikely to happen.
Not in this lifetime, at least.
Phoenix had become something of an enigma in her life, making himself available to her in a way that was both heartwarming and confusing. On the one hand, he was her baby daddy, and it made sense for her to feel some kind of attachment to him; anything else would be odd.
On the other hand, they came from two different worlds, two different planets more like it, and she didn’t want to risk ruining the good place they were in by reading too much into the situation.
In all likelihood, it was probably just her hormones acting up, the desire to be touched, to be seen as more than just a vessel, a gateway for the baby to pass through, was strong and overwhelming at times.
Yes, she desperately wanted to blame it on that and not on her budding feelings for Phoenix, coursing steadily through her veins and growing stronger with each passing day.
It wasn’t as if she could help it either though she really wanted to be able to, to figure out where the switch was and just flip it, making both their lives easier. But no matter how hard she tried, it didn’t seem to work.
And she knew it wasn’t just attraction.
Phoenix had proven to be thoughtful, considerate, and sweet; melting her heart with his gestures and the way he was around her in general. Darby wasn’t going to rock the boat with her admission, by seeking more than she should want.
No, this was safe and steady.
She sighed as she folded another piece of clothing and set it in the center pile, the one dedicated to shorts. In time, she hoped it would get easier. For now, the important thing was the baby.
All she needed to do was focus on that.
Not her feelings.
She brought up a piece of clothing and examined it under the light, snorting under her breath as she tried to figure out the exact color, a pale green that looked a little like someone got sick.
Admittedly, her suggestion to wait in order to find out the gender of the baby seemed inspired at the time, and Phoenix was reluctant at first but then he began to see the benefits, agreeing with her decision wholeheartedly and supporting it all the way.
At the end of the day, it sure made for an interesting baby shower, with their inability to choose the exact color for the balloons or the confetti, settling on regular pastel colors that could work both ways.
It was harder when it came to gifts given that gender-neutral clothes weren’t exactly easy to come by. She’d received a few calls in the days leading up to the shower, mostly from her colleagues begging for any kind of hint, so they wouldn’t get it wrong.
She’d ended up snickering about it over breakfast with Phoenix who looked far more amused than he should’ve been. Then again, he was getting his way given that the baby shower was his day, through and through.
He’d even hired an event planner to take over, insisting that all she needed to do was put her feet up and relax, allowing him to take care of everything. His sister in law had been called upon to assist, and she’d taken up the mantle with passion and gusto.
Darby liked her, a lot, more than she cared to admit actually.
And it was nice to have a female friend who understood what Denton men were like, down to the T, since she was married to one of them. All in all, she’d given her a lot of helpful tips when it came to dealing with Phoenix, from his temper to his tendency to go overboard.
Granted, it hadn’t stopped Phoenix from throwing a shower, in spite of her insistence that she didn’t need one, what with him showing up with an abundance of gifts, a revolving door of them on an almost constant basis.
Somehow, he’d gotten her to agree, and she couldn’t for the life of her figure out how, but she had to give him credit. He was incredibly persuasive when he wanted to be, charming and persistent, and there was only so much she could do to put him off.
Darby took a step back and gazed at the clothes, the piles upon piles, most of which came from Phoenix himself. Baby fever had hit him harder than it had hit her, as she touched her belly, running her finger gently over the swelling bump that had obscured her feet completely.
“Daddy already likes to spoil you,” Darby commented. “What are we going to do about that, huh?”
“Nothing, I hope.”
Darby spun around, heart hammering inside her chest. “Phoenix! I told you that you should knock.”
“I did,” Phoenix insisted. “But you didn’t hear me, so I used the spare key.”
“That’s supposed to be for emergencies,” Darby pointed out, ruefully.
“I wanted to check on you. Does that qualify, your highness?” Phoenix teased.
Darby rolled her eyes and made a sweeping hand gesture. “As you can see, our baby has enough baby clothes for a lifetime and then some.”
Phoenix chuckled. “I think you should probably be in charge of my debit and credit cards from now on. Just to be safe.”
Darby snorted. “Somehow, I doubt that would help.”
&nb
sp; Phoenix uncrossed his ankles and pushed himself off the wall. “Are you about done here?”
Darby glanced around critically, her eyes sweeping over the room. “I guess so. Mostly done at least. I can finish the rest later since my feet are killing me.”
She brushed past Phoenix, inhaling the scent of his spicy cologne, the swarm of butterflies in her stomach flapping their wings mercilessly. She pressed her lips into a thin line and headed for the couch, plopping onto it with an audible think.
“I’ll make you some chamomile tea,” Phoenix offered, heading in the direction of the kitchen. He moved around it easily, knowing where she kept everything and humming under his breath as he did.
Darby tried to keep herself from watching him, her eyes filled with longing, heart yearning for him, but she couldn’t. He was magnetic, demanding her attention no matter how hard she tried to pull away.
“No sugar?” Phoenix called out.
“No, forget what I said about sugar last week. I want two spoons of sugar,” Darby decided, amused at how religiously he tended to stick to her comments. Phoenix laughed in response and emerged a minute later, steaming mug of tea in hand. He set it down next to her and sat opposite her, picking up her feet and pressing into them.
Darby threw her head back and moaned, sinking against the pillows. “God, that feels amazing. Thanks.”
“Sure,” Phoenix replied, distractedly.
“Are you okay?” Darby asked, concerned. “You seem a little preoccupied.”
Phoenix paused. “There’s something I need to tell you, but you have to wait till I’m finished before you interrupt.”
Darby pushed herself up on her elbows. “Sure.”
Phoenix took a deep breath, his hands still kneading her feet. “The truth is the past few months haven’t been what I expected at all, and I’m glad they weren’t because it made me realize what’s important in life. You are, and the baby.”
Darby smiled, but he held his hand up, not done yet.
“You are important to me, Darby,” Phoenix repeated, eyes boring into hers. “Not just because you’re the mother of my child but because you’re you, and I don’t want to pretend anymore. I love you, Darby, and I hope that, in time, you can love me back.”
Baby: A Billionaire Boys novel Page 5
