Tall, Dark and Charming

by Erika Wilde

  “Shit,” he said as he jammed his hands through his hair. “I didn’t mean it that way, Daisy.” In the moment, his response had been entirely knee-jerk, because holy fuck, she was pregnant and he was reeling from that unexpected and life-changing revelation.

  “It’s okay. I get it,” she said softly. “It’s a lot to take in considering we used condoms, but clearly one of them must have broken. I’m about ten to twelve weeks pregnant. I’ll know more next week at my first ob-gyn appointment.”

  He stared at her, trying to find the words, the right words, to speak but he was still trying to find his way out of the shock paralyzing him.

  “Don’t worry. I don’t expect anything from you,” she rushed to assure him, her voice raspy. “I just wanted to let you know.”

  Wait, what? His brain finally screeched to a halt at her first comment, and he frowned at her. “What do you mean, you don’t expect anything from me?”

  She bit her bottom lip anxiously. “I just meant I don’t want you to feel responsible or obligated in any way, and I’m not going to demand anything from you, financially or otherwise. You didn’t ask for this—”

  “Neither did you, if I’m not mistaken,” he interrupted her, his initial surprise dissolving into the beginnings of irritation, that she’d assume he wouldn’t want any part of a baby they both were responsible for.

  “No, definitely not planned,” she murmured and looked away from him, as if she was still coming to terms with how this child would change her life—without him in the picture. “But you’ve made your views on relationships clear, and I want you to know that I respect that. I’ll figure it out and make whatever changes I need to, because I’m keeping the baby.”

  He exhaled a deep breath and told himself to remain calm, despite how she’d already written him off. He understood how devastating this unexpected pregnancy had to be for her, but it was equally overwhelming for him.

  She still wasn’t looking at him, and he framed her face in his hands and redirected her gaze back to his. A sheen of tears glimmered in her eyes, and he felt as though someone had just kicked him in the stomach, because he could see her fear and distress.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered in a soft, aching voice.

  She was apologizing as though it was her fault, and that gutted him. “Listen to me,” he said gently, using his thumb to swipe away a single tear that fell from the corner of one of her eyes, her body still tense. “Am I shocked about you being pregnant? Yes, just like you no doubt are. But you’ve also had some time to digest the news, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. So please don’t jump to any conclusions about me and what I will or won’t do. And don’t mistake my shock for any kind of denial or rejection, because no matter what, I’m going to take care of my kid, and it won’t be out of fucking obligation. It will be because I want to be a part of their life. I’m not going to be like my asshole father and turn my back on my child. Ever.”

  “Okay.” Her voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking the tentative look etching her expression. As though he was saying all the right things . . . but she was having a difficult time believing him.

  Fair enough, he thought, trying to be rational when her emotions were probably all over the place right now. Saying the words was one thing, but showing her would take time, and he was willing to put in the work to convince her. Because this baby was his, just as much as it was hers.

  After a long moment, she brushed away the remaining moisture from her cheek, looking exhausted again, emotionally and physically. “I think I’ve given you enough to think about tonight. I should go.”

  He shook his head, because he didn’t want her to be alone for the rest of the evening. And truthfully, he didn’t want to be alone, either, after finding out he was going to be a dad . . . something he’d never imagined would ever happen to him.

  “Stay with me tonight.”

  Chapter Eight

  Aiden’s request to stay the night startled Daisy, because she wasn’t certain how he meant the invitation.

  “As a friend,” he said, quick to amend his overture when she hesitated. “You look tired, and I think we both deserve the chance to get used to the idea of having a baby together while just hanging out tonight. No sense you going home when we both won’t be able to think about much but you being pregnant.”

  He had a point. Tonight would undoubtedly be a repeat of last night, where she’d stared up at the ceiling and wondered and worried and thought about all the changes in her life coming up, all of which were going to happen whether she was prepared for them or not.

  Yet spending the night with Aiden . . . that was just pure temptation all the way around. “I really shouldn’t.”

  “Unless you can give me a valid reason why not, I really think you should.” And just for good measure, he flashed her a playful, charming dimple.

  She groaned, because he so did not play fair. “Lord help me if our baby inherits your dimple.”

  He laughed, the warm sound curling through Daisy, relaxing her for the first time since arriving. “Chances are, he or she will have one or both, since they run in the family.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” she said, remembering his brother’s distinct dimple at the presentation. “Dylan has one, too.”

  “I was hoping you didn’t notice,” he said on what sounded like an annoyed growl.

  She blinked at him in surprise. Was Aiden . . . jealous? No, that couldn’t be right. The past three months since their night together, he’d been nothing but a friend and a gentleman, even if she’d felt that occasional awareness between them that neither of them acted on. Then again, Dylan’s teasing attempts a few days ago had been the first time a man had openly flirted with her in front of Aiden.

  He reached up and gently brushed a strand of her hair that had fallen out of her loose braid away from her cheek, the tender, intimate caress bringing her attention back to him. “Stay? Please?” he implored softly. “I know it’s probably selfish of me, but now that the reality of the situation is sinking in, I’m suddenly feeling protective of the fact that you’re carrying my baby. Give me tonight to get used to the idea of having a child with you, because this baby, well, it changes everything for me, too, when having a kid was never part of my life plans.”

  Yes, it changed everything for the both of them . . . except for the two of them being together. No, that wasn’t the plan at all. Having his baby altered Aiden’s plans to never be a dad and now he had to adjust to that sudden idea. It changed the dynamics of their relationship to co-parents, and they’d eventually have to handle custody of their son or daughter. If Aiden was going to be a part of the baby’s life, her being his baby momma would be the new norm, despite them not being a couple. And if this was going to be his only child, why wouldn’t he want to experience the process and milestones like most married fathers would?

  Most single guys who’d discovered they were going to have a baby probably didn’t care to be a part of the gestation period, and she couldn’t bring herself to deny Aiden what she, herself, would want if the situation were reversed. She just had to be careful and protect her heart, because he wasn’t making her any guarantees or promises, and she didn’t expect him to.

  “Okay,” she said, and smiled. “I’ll stay.”

  Relief eased across his features. “Good.”

  He grabbed her hand and led her out of the kitchen and down an adjoining hall. She didn’t bother to ask where he was taking her or what he had planned, because she was honestly too tired to argue. They walked into a large master bedroom with dark wood furniture and a big king-sized bed covered in a masculine comforter. After releasing her hand, he drew down the covers and fluffed some of the pillows up against the headboard, then turned toward her.

  “I’m going to go and do the dinner dishes and put the leftovers away, and you’re going to make yourself comfortable in my bed and find something for us to watch on TV. I have cable or Netflix, whichever you prefer.” Despite his boss
y orders, he smiled as he handed her the remote. “Think you can handle that?”

  She nodded, the thought of curling up in his bed appealing to her more than it should. With those instructions, he left her alone and she slipped out of her sandals. Fully clothed, she climbed up on the big bed, her aching body rejoicing at the soft mattress that greeted her, instead of the stiff one on her Murphy bed that felt as though she was sleeping on a sheet of plywood.

  She settled against the pillows, inhaled the enticing scent of Aiden lingering on the sheets, and let herself fully relax. And for the first time since yesterday, her panic and anxiety subsided while she scrolled through a list of shows in search of something light and funny. After a few minutes, she decided on a channel showing reruns of The Office.

  A short while later, Aiden returned and slid onto the bed beside her. They watched an episode of the documentary-style series, both of them occasionally laughing at the dry humor of the show, though she could tell that Aiden seemed immersed in his own thoughts at times, too. When the first episode ended, Aiden rolled onto his side facing her and propped himself up with his arm.

  His dark eyes were warm and inquisitive. “So, I’ve been thinking and I have a few questions. You’re almost three months along . . . didn’t you have morning sickness or any of those obvious signs of pregnancy?”

  “No, but from what I’ve read on the internet, not all women have morning sickness and I guess I just got lucky,” she said with a shrug. “The few times I can remember having an upset stomach or feeling light-headed, I chalked it up to being tired or not eating. And I did have occasional heartburn, which apparently is a thing during pregnancy. Good news, though, as I was leaving the doctor’s office yesterday, the nurse said that the fatigue should taper off, and that the first trimester is usually the toughest.”

  “That’s good to hear. You had me really worried at work with how exhausted you constantly looked.” He thought quietly for a few more seconds before asking another question. “Didn’t you notice a skipped period? I mean, it’s been almost three months and you should have had a period a few weeks after we were together in San Francisco, right?”

  She absently rubbed a hand over her stomach, and now that she knew there was a baby growing inside, she also knew that the bloating she thought she was experiencing was actually the beginnings of a baby bump. His gaze dropped to her belly, watching as her palm now rested there, the expression on his face undeniably curious.

  “Actually, I did have what I thought was a light period,” she told him. “But my doctor explained that it was vaginal bleeding, which can happen in some pregnancies,” she said, surprisingly comfortable talking about this with Aiden. Probably because he didn’t make any of it feel awkward, but rather perfectly normal. And for her, it was nice to be able to share it all with him.

  He lifted his gaze back up to her face, an adorable smile tugging the corner of his mouth. “I know that this probably makes me a total dork, but now that I know you’re carrying my baby, I’m totally fascinated by all the changes in your body.”

  Her breath caught at his sweet, possessive words—his baby—and she tried not to be too envious of the life growing inside of her, that he or she already seemed to have Aiden’s unconditional affection. “That doesn’t make you a dork at all. I’m glad that you’re interested.” She hadn’t expected that to be the case. And certainly not so quickly.

  “Are you having any other symptoms?” he asked enthusiastically. “Any sort of weird cravings?”

  She laughed at that as she heard another episode of The Office start in the background. “I didn’t realize that it was a pregnancy craving until now, but I feel like I’m always thinking about and wanting peanut butter cups, to the point that I’ve stopped at the market more than a few times on the way home from work to buy them to eat,” she admitted impishly, then thought about the other things she’d become aware of and now knew were a reaction to her pregnancy. “My breasts are really tender. I figured they hurt because I was going to start my period, but clearly that isn’t the case. And when I put on my bra today, I realized that my breasts were overflowing the cups way more than they ever had. Oh, and there’s a slight baby bump that’s making my skirt and pants feel tighter than normal.”

  “Can I see?” he asked, his gaze completely serious.

  She didn’t answer right away as uncertainties warred with deeper, hotter desires she hadn’t felt since that night with Aiden.

  “I don’t want you naked,” he said as if to reassure her, then grinned shamelessly, his gaze taking on a more suggestive gleam. “Okay, that’s a fucking lie, because quite honestly, I’ve spent nearly every night for the past three months thinking about how beautiful you looked stripped completely bare and how I’d give just about anything to see you that way again.”

  His confession made her shiver, and her breasts tightened and ached even more against the lace cups of her bra. It didn’t help that she’d entertained the same kind of fantasies about him.

  He leaned closer, watching as he skimmed a finger down the collar of her shirt until he reached the first button secured just above her cleavage, then raised his brown gaze back to hers. “I’m curious to see the changes in your body,” he murmured huskily. “Can I just open your shirt and look?”

  His voice was so hypnotizing, his eyes seductive, making her realize that this new exploration of her body might not be as clinical as she’d initially thought it would be. And what did it say about her that she no longer cared? It wasn’t as though they were strangers, and he’d already seen every bare inch of her body.

  “Do I need to break out the dimple, Ms. Parker?” he teased.

  Oh, God, she was already so close to dissolving into a hot mess, and that wicked bit of attitude would guarantee it. “No to the dimple, and yes, you can open my shirt and look,” she said on a rush of breath.

  He chuckled, because he knew how that sexy little indent in his cheek affected her. “Thank you for your permission,” he said as he began opening her shirt, one slow, agonizing button at a time. “I promise to behave . . . as long as you want me to.”

  The front of her tunic gradually parted the lower he went, until the last button came undone and the sides of her top fell away, giving him his first glimpse of her fuller, tighter breasts that were nearly spilling from the sheer lace cups. A low, rumbling, appreciative groan escaped his lips, and he reached back up and gently cradled one of those mounds in his palm.

  She moaned softly when his fingers squeezed the plump flesh and his thumb rubbed across the rigid nipple pressing against the thin lace, wishing the material of her bra was gone. Despite how sensitive her breasts were, it had been too long and his touch felt so good, and she couldn’t stop the slow, heated rush of desire as it spiraled straight down between her legs.

  “Jesus, Daisy, you had perfect tits before, but now . . . they’re fucking gorgeous,” he said, his voice a sexy rasp of sound as he released her breast and splayed his big hand across her rib cage.

  Her breathing increased and she tried not to moan and brazenly arch into his caress as he slowly slid his palm lower, until he reached the high waistband of her leggings.

  His dark whiskey gaze lifted back to hers. “Push your pants a little lower on your hips so I can see your belly,” he murmured huskily.

  It wasn’t a harsh demand, but a gentle, seductive order that had her hooking her thumbs into the elastic and easing the material, along with her panties, down to just where her pubic bone began so he had full access to her midsection. Without thinking, she grabbed his hand and guided it to that slightly swollen part of her belly that she now knew was a protective barrier for their baby.

  “Can you feel that?” she asked, trying not to think about just how intimately he was touching her, but after three months without any physical contact with this man, her body’s reaction was like pure, liquid lust flooding through her.

  His long fingers cradled her abdomen, probing and exploring that unyielding area. “Yeah,
it feels . . . firm,” he said, and pressed his ear to her belly, his face pointing away from hers.

  His breath was warm and damp on her skin as he seemed to listen to her stomach as if he might hear a heartbeat—and she was completely aware of how close his mouth was to her suddenly pulsing, aching sex. Then there was the silky feel of his hair on her belly and the light scrape of his beard that added to the chaotic sensations suddenly running rampant through her. She swallowed hard, unable to tamper the sensual cravings that were increasing in intensity, and she instinctively clenched her thighs restlessly together.

  He turned his head and kissed her stomach, a sweet, light press of his lips that was undoubtedly meant for the baby inside, but her mind imagined that same mouth a little lower, where she felt so swollen and achy—as if one gliding stroke would finally release that almost unbearable coil of lust winding tighter and tighter inside her. She moaned as he nuzzled her soft belly, and as if sensing her body’s rising need, he edged his fingers beneath the lowered waistband of her leggings in what felt like a deliberate tease along her mound.

  “Aiden . . . ” Her voice was a breathy confusion of excitement and doubts.

  He lifted his head and glanced up at her, meeting her gaze. His eyes were searing and hungry, with just enough caution to offer her an out if she wanted it. “Do you want me to stop?”

  Because she knew the exquisite pleasure Aiden was capable of giving her with those talented fingers, and since her body was so on edge, refusing what he was offering didn’t seem like an option at all. “Please, don’t stop.”

  Holding her gaze, he slid his hand into her leggings and panties, a wicked grin appearing on his lips as his fingers glided through her slick, wet heat and leisurely stroked along her pussy. She gripped the sheets beneath her as a shudder racked her body and her hips jerked up against his hand in a silent bid for a deeper penetration—which he denied her.

  “You are so fucking wet already,” he said, breaking out the dirty talk that she loved so much while rubbing lightly over her clit with his thumb, the tips of his fingers barely pushing into her core. “Pull the straps of your bra down your arms so I can see your tits and suck on your nipples while I finger fuck you, nice and slow and deep.”