by Wood, Vivian
That thought brings the tears back to my eyes.
“Well…. if you are keeping this baby, we need to get you started on prenatal vitamins… but if you aren’t, we can schedule a DNC here in our clinic.”
For the second time in as many minutes, I’m beyond startled. “Is that… are you talking about an abortion?”
“I’m just presenting all the options,” the doctor says, pushing her glasses up her nose. “I like my patients to be armed with the facts. For instance, there is also adoption—”
“It isn’t—” I cut in, my words echoing loudly in the little room. I catch myself, shaking my head. “No. I… I don’t need to know about my options. I just… just give me the prenatal vitamins, please.”
Dr. Burke smiles. “Very well then. I’m going to have Shanice come in here after I do my exam and see about getting you scheduled in with an OBGYN. You’re in luck, because we have some of the best doctors here, ready to take care of you. And I’ll still run your blood, just to make sure there is nothing that’s amiss. Okay?”
“Okay,” I agree softly, still gripping the box of tissues.
“Alright. Now how about you lie back on the exam table and let me check you over?”
Wincing as I lie down, I listen as Dr. Burke talks cheerfully about how she’s excited for the fall. But really, I’m a million miles away.
I’m thinking about how the hell I’m supposed to tell Aiden. And Grayson… he’s going to be so upset.
Don’t think about that right now, I tell myself. Just focus on what you can actually do right now.
Sighing silently, I let the doctor finish her exam and try not to think of what Aiden’s face will look like when I tell him that everything in his life is about to change.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Olivia
Grayson checks the time on his watch, sighing as he sits across from me at the table. We snagged a spot at a table that’s behind the mess hall; I can smell something good cooking, something… meaty.
Sausage, maybe? Either way, it is something that I normally am not interested in.
But the baby that’s growing inside me? It is very interested.
I blow out a breath, trying to grapple with the fact that there is an actual person growing inside me, even though I’m not anywhere near showing yet.
It’s ten in the morning here at Whiskey Bend, and the base camp is humming with activity. Grayson’s eyes are watching some point far behind me; Rachel is due to return from her hike with a group of women at any moment.
Which is why I need to stop screwing around and tell him that I’m pregnant. Then he can scream at me for a good while until he gets it out of his system. Then I can formulate how exactly I’m going to casually tell Aiden that I’m going to have his baby.
I suck in a deep breath, feeling a new wave of anxiety wash over me.
“Liv,” Grayson says, snapping his fingers to get my attention. “Hey, earth to Olivia. What’s going on with you? You look like you’re about to fidget into an early grave.”
I look at him, biting the fullness of my bottom lip. “I have to tell you something.”
His brows hunch. “So tell me.”
“Well, you’re not going to like it.”
Now he looks seriously skeptical. “Spit it out, Liv.”
God, I wish I could meet his eyes. But as soon as I start speaking, my gaze slips downward. “I’m pregnant, Gray.”
I peek up at his face. He looks like someone just nailed him right between the eyes with a two by four. He shakes his head and chuckles.
“I’m sorry. I must’ve heard you wrong. Because I think that you said you’re fucking knocked up, which we both know can't be right.” His smile turns tight. “I did hear you wrong, didn't I?”
I suck in a breath, shaking my head. Already my eyes are misty. “No.”
Grayson slams his hands down on the table and shoots straight up. “Olivia Sellwood! What the fuck? Who is the fucking father?”
Wincing, I shake my head. “I haven’t told him yet. I think he has the right to hear the news from me first.”
Though how I’m going to tell Aiden, I don’t know. The fact that I basically begged Aiden to take my virginity and that led to this situation… well, that hasn’t escaped me at all.
Grayson glares are me. “It’s that guy Carter, isn’t it? I knew that guy was trouble when I saw he was at the same hospital as…” He goes still, his eyes pinning me in place. “Please tell me it’s not Aiden.”
My face crumbles. I’ve never been much of a liar, especially with Grayson. He takes one look at me crying and his face just hardens.
“That son of a bitch,” he says. “Motherfucking Aiden, Olivia? He’s the biggest player I know. He’s slept with everyone! And you… you should know better…” His fists clench. “Even so, he shouldn’t have ever touched you. He’s a dead man, Liv.”
I can see Grayson growing redder as he gets angrier. “Grayson,” I plead with him. “Will you look at me?” He does, his eyes slitted. He grits his teeth but says nothing. “I’m keeping it, Gray. But I will need a lot of help—”
“Fuck,” he interrupts, turning away and walking around for a second. “For fuck’s sake, Liv. What are you going to do with a kid? Huh?”
He’s only repeating the same worries that are already thundering around inside my head, but for some reason I collapse onto the table, sobbing. He’s totally right, but…
“The other options aren’t even worth considering,” I blubber. “Adoption… and abortion… those are options for people in much harder positions than the one I’m in.”
“Ah, fuck,” Grayson breathes. “Don’t cry, Olivia.”
He comes around and awkwardly pats my shoulder, which makes me sob harder.
Which makes it the most perfect moment for Aiden to come around the side of the mess hall. “Hey, Grayson—”
He stops still when he sees me sobbing. “What’s going on? Are you okay, Olive?”
Just the way he says my name makes me realize how miserable I am.
Grayson faces him, stabbing a finger in the direction of Aiden’s face. “You are a fucking dead man, Moreland.”
Aiden’s hands go up, his gaze sliding from Grayson back to me. “I think you want to let me explain—”
Grayson cracks his knuckles and runs at Aiden. There is a dull smack as they collide. Grayson is already swinging at Aiden, landing a solid punch to Aiden’s nose. Bone crunches and blood squirts everywhere. Aiden shakes his head, wiping his nose on his sleeve and then squaring up again.
“I knew it would come to blows,” he says, rolling his eyes. “I was going to talk to you—”
“Fuck you, you fucking traitor!” Grayson snarls. Taking another swing at Aiden. “The only rule I set out, you had to go and break.”
Aiden ducks, grappling with him again. “I’m sorry, man. Really I am.”
I suck in a breath. Aiden is sorry that he slept with me? Fresh tears roll down my face as I stand up from the table anxiously.
“Your apologies don’t mean shit,” Grayson fires back. He throws an elbow, catching Aiden in the face. Aiden grunts but doesn’t retaliate. He just wipes away the blood still streaming from his nose and squares up again.
Grayson grabs him and wrestles him to the ground, his expression intent on causing pain. For a minute, nothing is said; there are only groans and grunts as the two land blows to each other’s torsos. After receiving one particularly nasty punch to the gut, Grayson sucks in a breath.
“I’m never going to forgive you,” he swears. He knees Aiden, who is only able to block part of the blow. Aiden draws inward, gasping.
“Fuck, man!” he swears. Sweat gleams on his brow. He fends off Grayson’s blows with words. “Sleeping with Olivia was unintentional, but it went deep. We have a relationship.”
“Fuck you,” Grayson says, breathing hard and wiping away a little sweat from his cheek. “Don’t you fucking dare. I know how you treat women.”
&nb
sp; Aiden manages to grab Grayson’s hands and pin him in place. His eyes scan Grayson’s face for a second.
“I love her. Do you hear me? I fucking love her, man.”
My heart stops.
Did he just say—
Surely not.
Grayson goes still for a heartbeat, then shakes off Aiden’s grip. “Let me go,” he says, disgusted. Then he climbs to his feet and turns toward me. Sucking in ragged breaths, he accuses me. “You are awfully quiet. Isn’t there something that you want to tell this piece of human garbage?”
I start crying again. “Grayson, don't.”
Aiden gets to his feet, looking between Grayson and me warily. “What?”
For a moment, Grayson actually looks gleeful. “She’s pregnant, you fucking idiot. Not only have you fucked my little sister, but she’s fucking knocked up. Isn’t that just great?”
Aiden freezes, his gaze pinning me. “Is he serious?”
I bite my bottom lip, trying not to sob, and nod my head slowly. He wipes the blood from his nose again, coming toward me slowly.
“You’re pregnant?” he asks.
Though I nod again, I can’t help but break down sobbing as he reaches me.
He’s going to tell me that he doesn’t want it.
Our baby.
He’s going to reject it. Reject me.
But Aiden doesn’t do any of that. Instead he reaches down and draws me close, pressing me into his body. Then he raises my chin with two fingers, quietly shushing me. I can barely look at him, I am so miserable.
He surprises me by leaning down to kiss my lips, then he steps back. I close my eyes.
This is it.
This is the moment that I will remember forever, the moment when he casts me aside.
“Olivia,” he says, his voice rough.
Fluttering my eyes open, I find him kneeling before me, holding a huge pink diamond ring. For a second I don't understand what is happening. My brow creases.
“Will you marry me, Olivia?” he asks.
I’m so startled that I let out a watery laugh. “What? No!”
It’s his turned to look shocked. “What?”
“No!” I say emphatically. “I love you, Aiden. And I think I want the pregnancy. But… marriage??” Shaking my head, I dash away my tears. “I’m sorry, but no. I thought that you were about to reject me. I definitely don't think we are ready for all that yet.”
He stares back at me, openmouthed.
“Olivia, are you fucking crazy?” Grayson asks, exasperated. “He’s willing to marry you, for god’s sake. You got yourself into this position… now you can only say yes.”
I look back at Aiden, who is scowling. “Would it make a difference if I just said… not now?”
Aiden shoots me a look as he climbs to his feet. “What do you mean?”
Stepping closer, I take his hand and look up into his eyes. “I mean… let’s see if this is real. Let’s do what normal people do. Let’s… I don't know. Date. And leave the rest for… you know, the future.”
“Are you serious?” His eyes bore into me, trying to read my face.
I take a deep breath. “As serious as I can be.”
He puts the ring away in his pocket, then grabs me by the hips. He pulls me close again, kissing me fiercely. Grayson growls a little, but I ignore him, pressing up onto my tiptoes and twining my arms around his neck.
Against my lips, Aiden murmurs to me. “I fucking love you, Olivia.”
I can't help the smile that breaks across my face. “I love you too.”
He waits a beat. “I do want to marry you.”
I just kiss him again. There isn’t any need to rush into things. We rushed into bed together, and look at us now. Three months later, I’m pregnant.
Grayson clears his throat. “Do you guys mind? You’re turning my fucking stomach here.”
Blushing, I drop down to the flats of my feet. Aiden doesn’t let me go, though. He just looks at Grayson and shrugs.
“Deal with it.”
Rachel appears from out of nowhere, still sweaty from her exertions. She looks around at the three of us, her expression one of puzzlement. “What’d I miss?”
Grayson reaches out a hand to her and she takes it. “A lot. Aiden can't keep it in his pants and my sister can't accept a good thing when she sees it.”
Aiden clears his throat. “There’s also a lot you haven’t been in the loop on, Grayson.”
“Like what?” Grayson asks. “We already covered how you knocked up my sister, what more can there be?”
Aiden blows out a breath. “So much. I found out that my dad was not my biological dad. And while my biological dad has passed, I have a fucking brother, man.”
Grayson couldn’t look more surprised if he tried. “Here? Your brother is here?”
Aiden bobs his head. “Yeah, man. Looking at him is like looking in the mirror.”
“Huh.” That’s all Grayson has to say, which I am guessing means he’s as blown away as I was.
My stomach growls. Aiden looks down at my stomach, pursing his lips. “We should feed you, huh? I hear that’s more important for pregnant ladies.”
Rachel’s eyebrows fly up and she looks to Grayson for confirmation. He just nods, looking tired.
I sigh. “Whatever they’re cooking right now, it smells so freaking good…”
He leans down and drops one more kiss on my lips, then turns me loose. “Lead the way.”
Grayson points at Aiden. “We’re not done, just so you know. Just because you are on good terms with Olivia does not mean that things are square between you and me.”
Aiden just nods. “I figured.”
Rachel frowns. “Seriously. What is happening right now?”
Grayson sighs heavily. “I’ll explain while we eat.”
The four of us head around the mess hall, smiling uncertainly at our partners.
Chapter Forty
Olivia
Later, when we are alone, Aiden is all over me. He pushes me into the little cabin I’ve been staying in. He barely has the door shut when he’s on top of me, his hands and mouth touching me everywhere.
And I want it. I ache for him, for him alone.
As Aiden lays me back on the bed, I shiver. He breaks off the kiss only to move his mouth lower, to my jaw and my neck. Scorching a path to my pulse point, he buries himself there. I feel the sting of his teeth for a second before he kisses the sensation away.
I had no idea that his mouth could be so hot. His lips against the pale column of my neck cause my breasts to tighten and lift. I realize that he is already pressing himself between my legs, falling there naturally when he moved us both on the bed. I am suddenly aware of the place between my thighs where I ache, the feeling more and more insistent the longer I’m with Aiden.
“I’m on fire for you,” I whisper. “My pussy is all yours, Aiden.”
He growls at that, burrowing his face in my collarbone.
His hand trails down to cup my breast through my shirt, pinching my nipple through my bra. Everything he does feels amazing, like a fire burning through a drought-parched land. He pinches my nipple again, sending shivers of electricity down my spine. I gasp at how connected my breasts seem to be to the slit between my legs, the slit that is growing damp now.
I have some ideas for what would feel good right now, most of them centered on the bulge in Aiden’s jeans. Pressing my hips up against his, I make a sound of pure need.
Aiden pulls back, desire flaring high in his eyes as he meets my gaze. When he speaks, his voice is rough as gravel.
“Do you want me?” he asks.
It’s as simple as that with Aiden.
I bite my lip and nod, my eagerness overcoming my shyness. He kisses me again, his hands drawing my tee shirt dress up and over my head. Just like that I am bare before him, wearing nothing but my bra and tights.
Aiden looks at me hungrily, his eyes dipping down to my breasts. He shoves off his shoes. I follow him, sitt
ing up and untying my shoes, my heart beating in my throat. Then he strips off his shirt, leaving me half-drooling at his hard muscles. His abs. His pecs. His biceps…
Everywhere I look is ridged with muscle.
He returns to me, unbuttoning his jeans. He leaves them zipped, cradling my face as he kisses me. My heart is a hummingbird, fluttering in my chest. A moan emerges from my mouth as he takes me back onto the bed, trailing his hot kisses down my neck and across my chest.
When he kisses his way down to my breast, pulling one strap of my bra down and baring my nipple, the breath seizes in my chest. Then he fastens his wicked mouth on my nipple. I cry out at the almost electric sensation. It makes the ache between my legs spread a little wider.
He releases my breast, his face utterly dark as he reaches behind me to unclasp my bra. I take a little bit of initiative and draw my bra off, tossing it aside. Then I’m bared before him, my hard nipples jutting proudly between us.
I hear his harsh intake of breath. It makes me flush.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” he whispers, reaching out to cup one of my breasts. “You know that, don’t you?”
I turn even more scarlet. Reaching out a hand of my own, I touch his neck and trail my fingers down his arm. “You are too.”
That makes him laugh, his eyes crinkling. His humor is infectious and I find myself smiling softly.
“What?” I say.
“I can never read you. I never know what you’re about to say, that’s all.” His eyes wander down my body.
He runs his hands down my sides, finding the fullness of my hips between his two hands. He kisses me again, firmly and passionately, making me gasp with want. I hardly realize that he’s stripping off my tights until they are gone, until I am left with a skimpy pair of white lace panties as my last layer.
Aiden looks me directly in the eye as he starts to touch the tiny triangle of damp fabric. I let my eyelids flutter closed as his clever fingers begin rubbing near my aching clit. God, even this much friction is incredible.
He kisses me, his lips and tongue every bit as clever as his fingers. I’m shamelessly excited by him, by what lies ahead. I know nothing except how those fingers and that tongue make me feel.
