Her hand slides over her belly. It’s hard to tell she’s showing with the clothes that she wears. At home, once her clothes are laying in piles all around our bed, the way her body is changing is impossible to hide.
She gets nervous, worrying I’ll think she looks fat. Reilly’s crazy to think I’ll ever see her pregnant body as anything other than gorgeous. I touch her all the time. She teases me for it but one or both of my hands always seem to move to her growing belly. It’s way too soon to feel the baby move, but I’m not taking any chances.
“Hey guys,” Sydney says as she sits on the stools between Reilly and Heath.
“Why haven’t you ordered yet?” Kacey asks, looking at the clear counter in front of us.
“We were waiting for you two,” Reilly replies.
Kacey squints at her. “You never wait.”
Before she can go any further, Jake interrupts. “I’m thirsty, can I have a black cow?”
“Oh, that sounds good,” Kacey says, ordering one as well.
Sydney puts an elbow on the counter and leans forward. “Those do sound good, but we got a case of these fun old fashioned soda bottles in and I haven’t put them on the menu yet. Want to be my taste-testers and let me know if we should add them?”
“Are there any caffeine-free ones?” Reilly asks.
Sydney nods and looks back at Jake and Kacey.
It’s Kacey who answers first with a shrug and a “Sure.”
Sydney reaches for the prepped drinks, placing one in front of each of us. Our bottles are all clear. Jake, Heath, and I all have cola in ours, and Reilly has orange soda in hers. Instead of a soda, Kacey has a fancy bottle of beer placed in front of her.
Her mouth falls open as she looks from Sydney to Jake. “Did you do this?”
Kacey loves beer and goes to great lengths to find and try exclusive ones from breweries across the country and the globe. The bottle Sydney set in front of her of a brew Kacey has been searching for.
“Surprise,” Jake says.
She falls into him hugging him. “Thank you. Where’d you find it?”
He kisses her quickly before asking, “Aren’t you going to try it before you thank me?”
She blushes. “Oh right.”
Moving back onto her stool, she accepts the bottle opener Sydney offers her. As her hand circles the bottle, Reilly reaches for me. I slide off my stool and move to the space between our two seats. My arms circle her as we watch.
Then “Till I Kissed You” by the Everly Brothers starts playing.
Kacey’s hand goes to grip the bottle, the opener aloft in her other hand.
“What’s—“ She sets the opener down and spins the bottle around.
Jake eases off his stool and kneels behind her.
On the bottle, tied with a ribbon is a diamond engagement ring. With a gasp, she covers her mouth and turns to look at Jake. Seeing his stool empty, she spins around to see him kneeling behind her.
“What do you say, Killer? Will you marry me?”
She all but tumbles off her seat and into his arms. He catches her, and she buries her face into his neck as she cries.
Reilly reaches for the bottle and unties the ring before passing it to Jake.
Holding it between his thumb and index finger, he asks. “Is that a yes?”
Kacey lifts her head and she laughs, tears running down her face as she nods.
He slips the ring onto her finger before covering her mouth with his and laying a hot one on her.
“She said yes!” Sydney exclaims, as everyone releases the balloons from beneath the booths.
Jake stands first, taking Kacey up with him and holding her tightly to his chest. Her arms wrap around his neck not breaking their kiss.
Balloons—pink, mint, baby blue, silver, yellow, and lilac—all float up toward the ceiling. The white curling ribbons hang down giving Lola’s a dreamy soft look. Everyone moves from the booths, clapping, crying, laughing, cheering.
It’s here I realize my mistake. Here, with my arms around Reilly watching her brother and her best friend take a step closer to marriage.
I never asked Reilly to marry me. I only told her that we should get married. I didn’t do this; I didn’t think about her and the type of proposal she deserved.
I didn’t love her, and I wasn’t in a place to even offer love to her. That has changed though, not that I’ve said the words to her.
I do love her, everything about her, not just the fact that she’s carrying my baby. I love the mess she makes of every room in our house. Before her, I was too focused on order and rules.
Like a whirlwind, she’s run havoc over me, and I would not change her for anything. I love her piles, her stacks, and our never made bed.
I love her.
She slips off her stool, and I watch as Jake and Kacey fold her into a hug. Since there are many people waiting to hug and congratulate them, she doesn’t stay with them long, quickly returning to me.
Heath moves around the counter to help Sydney set out premade trays of food. I pull Reilly off to the side and hold her as I brush away her tears.
“They’re engaged,” she whispers, her hushed voice not hiding her happiness.
“They are,” I agree.
She spins in my arms and leans her back against my chest as she watches them. “Can you believe Erik’s parents flew out from Denmark?”
As I watch the couple exchange tear-filled hugs with Jake and Kacey, I reply, “I can.”
My arms wrap around her chest and she holds them to her.
She deserves this. She deserves a room full of everyone who loves her during her proposal.
“Now I can never try that brew,” Kacey cries with a hiccup, her voice carrying through the dinner.
Jake laughs and turns her until she’s facing him.
With his hands framing her face, he replies, “I got two.”
Her face splits into a wide grin and she says, “We’re saving that bottle forever.”
“Deal,” he mutters before kissing her again.
We stand back and out of the way as people begin to serve themselves from the trays. I’m taking my queues from Reilly and am waiting for her.
She seems happy to stand back and watch. “She’s loved him forever.”
“Who Kacey?” I ask.
Reilly nods, her eyes still on them. “When we were little, I thought it was gross.”
I laugh and she keeps going, “But when we got older, I knew there was no one else I’d want for him.”
“That’s because you’re so sweet,” I murmur in her ear.
She shivers against me, and part of me starts counting down the minutes till I can take her home and have my way with her again. As much as I want to keep her by my side, she’s pulled away to mingle and celebrate the two people closest to her.
I’m not standing alone for long.
Sydney comes to join me, bringing me a plate. “I’m making you eat.”
“You are?” I ask, accepting it.
“Just feel lucky it isn’t a smoothie,” she jokes.
Her jaw was broken during the mudslide and wired shut after it. As she recovered, I wasn’t the only one to push her to drink smoothie after smoothie.
“The mixed berry ones Gigi made were good,” I argue before popping a slider into my mouth.
She shrugs. “Give me a year, and I’ll try one again.”
I notice Heath’s eyes on us. “How’re things going with Heath?”
Her face softens as her eyes find him across the crowd. “We’re going to build a house.”
“Yeah?” I ask.
She nods. “We bought the land where it’s being built this week.”
“Congratulations. Where are you building?”
“It’s close to where Heath’s apartment is. Over behind the middle school.”
“You’ll have a good view,” I murmur.
There’s the start to a series of canyons there. When my lease is up on the house I’m renting, I’
d like to buy in that neighborhood or the one Reilly’s grandparent’s house was in.
“Heath runs those trails,” she murmurs, unable to hide the pride in her voice.
“Why’d you decide to build?”
Heath moves over to us and Sydney fits herself to his side, laying her hand on his chest. “Heath designed it.”
I blink, my gaze moving to his. “No shit?”
He nods and looks down at Sydney. I wasn’t his biggest fan when I first met him. He pulled some stupid shit with Sydney, and I didn’t think he deserved her forgiveness.
He proved me wrong. The man I see standing next to her would move heaven and earth to make her happy.
“That’s cool, man,” I say.
He looks back at me. “When are you going to pull Reilly’s head out of her ass?”
My jaw hardens. “What’d you say?”
His head turns and my eyes follow his to where Reilly stands. “Put a ring on her finger.”
Sydney speaks before I do. “He doesn’t want to pressure her. You know how stubborn she is.”
“You should know,” he replies.
Her eyes narrow, but she only glares at him.
Deciding to save them both from a fight, I say, “I’m working on it.”
“Ask her about the boxers,” Heath says.
Sydney gasps, “She’s going to kill you.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
Heath kisses Sydney’s temple and replies, “Trust me. Ask her about the boxers. I’ll risk her kicking my ass.”
After that strange order, he leaves and takes Sydney with him. It’s not long before Reilly comes back to me and, instead of getting a plate of her own, eats the rest of what’s on mine.
All I can do is stand there, grinning like an idiot as I watch her do it. I have plans for when we get home. First, I’m going to tell her I love her, hoping like fuck that she’ll say it back, and second, I’m going to ask her about some boxers.
“Want me to get you more?” I ask, once the plate is empty.
She smiles innocently up at me. Setting the plate down on the booth behind us, I kiss her. My action takes her by surprise and her gasp is my invitation to slide my tongue into her mouth. I can’t resist her unguarded exquisiteness.
She blinks up at me when I break our kiss, and I ask, “Or are you hungry for something else?”
Wetting her lips, her eyes move to the door.
“Will we get shit if we don’t say goodbye?” she asks.
I lead her to the door, not giving one first fuck about anyone other than her.
“Who told you?”
He smirks, pulling my naked body closer to his. “Does it matter?”
I try and fail to pull away. Drat the man for being so big.
“It does,” I argue.
He shakes his head. “What do boxers have to do with you and me?”
I plant my face into his chest and inhale his gloriously musky scent. God, why is this so embarrassing?
“I stole your boxers in high school,” I mumble as quietly as humanly possible, not bothering to lift my head.
“What?” He laughs, clearly not understanding a word I said.
I try to pull away again, and this time he lets me. Flopping onto my back, I pull the sheets over my head.
“It’s embarrassing,”
He leans over me, those stupidly sexy dimples on full display. “Want me to torture it out of you?”
“Oh yeah,” I hedge, not sure where he’s going with this. “What’ll you do?”
His fingers move to my sides and my eyes widen.
“Don’t,” I warn.
His fingers creep closer, well within tickling range.
“Tell me,” he coaxes.
I shake my head and his fingertips ghost across my bare flesh. “Ahh. No.”
He sits up to get a better angle and gets serious about his tickle torturing.
“Stop,” I cry out between laughs. “Fine, I’ll tell you.”
He pulls back and I suck in a breath before covering my face with my hands. The sheet that had covered me slipped away as I struggled against his tickles.
He pushes my hands away and surprises me by kissing me. “Nothing you can say will stop me from loving you.”
What?
What did he just say?
“What did you just say?” I breathe.
He sits back against his headboard and pulls me into his lap, the sheets falling away as I straddle him. “I said I love you.”
My hands rest on his chest. “Are you only saying that because of the baby?”
He shakes his head, gathering me close. “The baby gave us a reason to be together. It was all your doing making me fall for you.”
I press my lips together and blink back tears. He loves me. Trip Lowell loves me.
“I had a massive crush on you when I was in tenth grade. I crashed a party at your house to throw myself at you, but you were with another girl so I stole all your boxer shorts instead. You just told me you loved me.”
I press forward, leaning down to kiss him. It isn’t a simple lip touch. No, I give him everything I have.
“I.” My tongue slips into his mouth.
“Love.” I taste him.
“You.” Reaching back, I wrap my hand around his cock, pleased to feel him hard.
Too.” I fill myself with him.
He pulls back and thrusts back up into me. “Say it again.”
“I love you,” I repeat.
He turns us until I’m on my back and as he pushes back into me. “I love you, Reilly.”
It’s not until after we both climax that he stops.
Then, as I lie panting against him, he asks, “Why’d you steal all of them?”
I lift my head, a smile stretching over my lips. “I liked the idea that you’d have to go commando until you bought more.”
He bursts out laughing, hugging me to him.
“You don’t think it’s weird that I stole your boxers?” I ask once he stops laughing.
His hands move over my bare skin. “Reilly, you’re in our bed, and I say our because this is our place. You’re also having our baby, and tonight we both said I love you to each other. I only wish you had thrown yourself at me in high school.”
“You do?” I whisper.
He nods. “Since there’s no going back, I’m good with us ending up together now.”
“You’re not scared about the baby, that he or she will change things?”
He lifts his head to kiss me. “One day at a time, Reilly. I don’t have a ton of experience with babies. I’m nervous, but not scared because I know we’ll figure it out together.”
I run my hand over his soft wavy hair. “I love you.”
He grins up at me. “You said that already.”
“So, who told you about the boxers?” I ask.
His eyes go assessing. “Are you still pissed I found out?”
I shake my head. “At this point, I want to thank whoever it was.”
“It was Heath,” he replies.
I stiffen. “How the hell did he know?”
His hand roams down my back to cup my ass. “You said you wouldn’t get pissed.”
Frowning, I stare down at him, my face softening when he squeezes my ass. “I’m not pissed, but I am going to figure out how he found out.”
“Fair enough,” he mutters. “You going to get cleaned up, or are we sleeping in a wet spot tonight?”
My nose wrinkles at the thought, and I slide off him to go get cleaned up. Once I’m back, he tucks me against his big warm body and promptly passes out.
It takes longer for me to fall sleep, about ten seconds.
“When are you due?” The woman I’m interviewing asks as soon as the camera turns off.
Now that I’m showing, I’m getting used to this line of questioning. The ‘when are you due’ is always the first, normally followed by a glance to my ring finger before I’m asked if Trip and I are going to get marr
ied.
“Mid June,” I reply.
“It’ll be here before you know it,” she advises, like I wasn’t aware of how time passes.
I’m sure she’s only being nice, but something in her tone suggests I better get moving. To what I’m not sure, being ready for motherhood or marrying Trip.
“I know,” I reply.
“Reilly, I could use a hand with these cords,” Gavin says from the van.
Bless him.
“Oh darn, I have to run. It was so nice meeting you. Take care,” I say, and then turn on my heel and leave her without giving her a chance to reply.
“Thanks for the save,” I whisper as soon as I reach him.
Gavin is touchy about his equipment so the fact that he asked for my help with it is pretty funny. Besides, he has everything almost packed up anyway.
Once we’re in the van and on our way back into town, he asks, “Should I take you to the station or home?”
“Home please,” I reply. “Trip is picking me up from there, and after our appointment, he’ll bring me back to work.”
“Have you decided if you’re going to find out the sex or not?”
I inhale. “I want to, but Trip wants to wait.”
“And you haven’t been able to convince him?” He laughs.
I close my eyes, rolling them beneath my lids and decide to change the subject. “How’s Claire?”
I glance over in time to see him blush.
“Um, good.”
I push his arm and order, “Come on. Spill.”
“She came back to my place,” he mumbles before reaching to turn on the radio.
“No, no, no. You can’t tell me she came over and then stop talking,” I reply, knocking his hand away from the controls.
He groans, “Fine. She spent the night.”
My jaw drops. “You waited until now to tell me this?”
He smirks. “It didn’t go as well as I hoped it would.”
My brows come together. “Oh no. What happened?”
“I cannot believe I’m about to tell you this.” He pauses and drums his fingers on the steering wheel nervously. “I went faster than I would have hoped.”
I have no words; all I can do is cringe.
He glances over at me before shaking his head. “I knew I shouldn’t have told you.”
Why Not? (Love Riddles Book 3) Page 14
