by Amy Brent
“I’ll let you tell her the rest. All I can say is that the next few months will be interesting.” Trey slowly spoke as if the words pained him. “We’d better keep playing hard. One of us is going to need it.”
They ended the confrontation with a handshake and Trey stalked off down the path towards his apartment as Colton watched. What the hell was he talking about? Colton turned to go to the building that he knew she was a TA in for Advanced English and walked past the room as he peered through the small pane of glass. She was there, working on some papers with her head resting in her hands and her hair in a high ponytail. Amy had been crying, and he fought the urge to barge into the room and demand to know what was going on.
Colton settled for sitting on a bench across from the class to wait. It was Thursday, so campus had been a little less crowded and there were fewer witnesses to the debacle on the grass. That was going to cause some talk, but Colton thought that they might be lucky, and people might not have overheard. It could be hockey. Thursday also meant that this class was longer than it would be had it been one of the other days.
Fifteen minutes felt like hours as he fidgeted in his seat and he soon noticed the door opening and students pouring out into the hall. The crowd thinned, and he waited for her as he stared at the red peeling paint of the heavy wood. He stood as it opened again and Amy walked out with her eyes on the ground as she looked like she was ready to start crying right then and there. “Amy,” Colton spoke as she lifted her head to stare at him. “What’s going on?”
“He found you,” She spoke more than questioned Colton and let out a resigned sigh. “Let’s go to yours. We need to talk alone.”
They walked side by side to the building that housed their dorms, and he stole glances at her along the way. She dressed in some bright leggings and a black tunic that brushed the tops of her thighs with some high boots. Her face was clean of makeup, but she looked beautiful as he stared at her.
Colton could feel the eyes on them as he opened the door and led her to his room at the end of the hallway. He hated rumors but at the moment he was dealing with something bigger than that. Colton closed out the world as he watched her go and sit on the bed as she looked up at him. “Do you hate me?”
“For what?” Colton asked as surprise crossed her face.
She turned her head slowly before she rested her head in her hands. “I…he didn’t tell you. I can’t believe it.” She took a deep breath and lifted her eyes again, filled with tears. “I’m pregnant, Colton. Just a few weeks but I have seen…it. I know it’s there, and I’m appalled at myself. I was never the girl that would have had two possible baby daddies. Never.”
“Two?” Colton asked as his heart started to break apart inside of him.
“I had a plan. I followed Trey here, and I was going to get my degree and live my life. It was so obvious that we might not make it, but I am a smart girl. I have a lot going for me until suddenly I don’t.” Amy spoke as if she was in a daze and he dropped to the floor in front of her. “I was with you both. You were so much more and so much better, but sometimes he’d just get to me and we…” Amy shook her head. “I think that there’s a better chance that it is yours since we did a few times without anything and even Trey wasn’t stupid enough to do that. But still…I don’t know.”
CHAPTER 6
“Amy…I want to be with you through this.” Colton found himself saying as he took her hands and stared into her confused face. “I love you. I denied it even as it was happening to me along the way. I know I did, but I do. I love you.”
“What if this baby isn’t yours?” She asked as tears slid down her cheeks.
“I don’t know. I guess we see, but I want to try with you. I don’t want you going through this alone and I sure as fuck don’t want anybody else. I haven’t for a long time now.”
“I am already a size sixteen. I am going to blow up like a whale.” The tears were falling harder as she sniffled and he slipped his arms over her legs. “I am going to be a bitch and emotional and hate myself for what I did to both of you. I am going to agonize over the next few months until I can see this baby and know…I want it to be yours so bad.” Amy’s voice shook with need, and he pressed his head into her chest and breathed her in.
“I do too. I just know that I want to be with you right here and right now. I can’t think past this moment.” Colton told her as they both moved close together and kissed each other hungrily. “How far along are you?” He kissed her again.
“About eight weeks,” Amy replied against his lips as he cupped her face in his hands.
“I hear that women are horny when they’re pregnant.”
“Fuck, yes.” Amy breathed as he scooted her back onto the bed and carefully pressed her against the pillows. “I have been getting myself off the last few weeks.”
“Jesus,” Colton muttered as he found her lips and slid his hands up her shirt. He knew that they didn’t have to be quiet now. Colton also knew that there would be a lot to clear up in the next few days, but right now he was where he wanted to be as he tasted her sweet kiss again and felt her smooth skin. “I love you.”
“I love you. I have never loved anybody the way that I do you,” Amy whispered as he claimed her lips in a hard kiss.
EPILOGUE
Amy and Colton couldn’t wait for the baby to arrive to know the truth. All three took the steps to set up a paternity test within a couple of months and Colton threw the papers in the air when he saw that it was his baby. He still felt bad for Trey and the fact that he and Amy had betrayed him. That would always bother him, but he and Trey had moved past it and worked together on the ice just fine.
They were both spotlighted by the scouts along with a couple of other guys. Trey went to Washington and Colton was pleased to find out that he would be staying here in town and playing with the team that he had dinner with so long ago. He smiled through the draft as he glanced around at all of the up and coming players, excited about his future and not just this aspect of it.
Amy was home in their condo with her mother as she grew close to her due date with their daughter. She claimed to be fat and ugly, but he had never found her so beautiful in his life than when she was heavy with his baby. He was also protective and spoiled her every chance that he got, and Amy told him that is why she fell more in love with him by the day.
They hadn’t discussed marriage too seriously yet, but Colton knew the day was coming where he would propose. Hell, he might do it in the hospital room.
When he went to meet his new coach and collect his shirt, Colton held it against him and grinned as cheers filled the room. He could feel her in the room with him as he watched the cameras flash and shook hands with the men around him.
The future was going to be amazing.
THE END
My Mr. Dark - A Billionaire Hitman Secret Baby Romance
1
Nicole walked into the club at almost 10:00 PM, her dark eyes scanning the crowd. She'd just gotten done a grueling twelve-hour shift at the hospital, and she was looking to unwind. Most nights she didn't have the energy to go out after such a long day, but tonight had been different. Several gunshot victims had been rushed into the emergency room in critical condition. Two of them hadn't made it, and the third was still in intensive care. After a scene like that, the thought of being home alone in her tiny, quiet apartment was more than Nicole could bear. If she was alone with nothing but her thoughts, she wouldn't be able to get the sights from the emergency room out of her mind.
She needed to drown the horrifying images out with some hard drinks, some loud music, and if she was lucky, maybe have some dance with a fine looking man.
She walked up to the bar, running her fingers through her long mass of dark curls. She hadn't taken much time to make herself up that night since she didn't have the time or the energy for a big makeover after such a long and crazy day. She was wearing jeans that hugged her ample hips and did a nice job showing off her well-rounded ass. She had a low-cut, loose fitti
ng top that showed off plenty of her caramel skin. And she had brought a confident attitude that she showed off by flashing a dazzling smile at a few of the young gentlemen she passed. Hopefully, one of them would be enraptured enough to offer to buy her a drink.
Nicole stood by the bar for a bit, leaning against the wall and casting seductive glances at any cute guy who walked by. A couple of them stopped and offered to buy her a drink, but she could tell within the first few sentences that came out of their mouths that they weren't worth her time. The first guy actually said, “Heyyyy there, good looking,” while eyeing her up and down, and she'd simply rolled her eyes at him for being so cheesy. She didn't care for guys who were so obvious when they were hitting on her. It generally meant they didn't actually respect her, and they were only looking to get laid.
The second guy was a bit more smooth, at first, saying that he'd love to get to know her better. But then, when she showed the slightest interest, he'd asked if she wanted to go someplace quiet, which was usually code for “someplace we can fool around.” She wasn't that easy, and she'd told him so. Though she'd at least gotten a free drink out of him before she told him to get lost.
She was about to give up on finding anyone worth her time when a rather fine looking man dressed to the nines walked into the club. His black pants and blazer had to be professionally tailored; by the way, they fit so nicely onto his fit, muscular body. And he wore a white silk shirt with the top few buttons undone, giving her a glimpse of his manly chest. He had dirty blonde hair and a light tan; making her wonder if he spent a lot of time outdoors. He looked like the athletic type.
She was still eyeing him, and liking what she saw, when he glanced her way. She caught his eyes, and a small smile spread across his lips. She held his gaze long enough to show her interest, then looked away coyly, waiting to see if he'd return her interest. A moment later he started crossing the room towards her.
“Hello there,” he said, flashing her a dazzling smile.
“Hello yourself,” she said. She held her breath for a moment, hoping this guy wouldn't turn out to be a creeper like the others she'd spoken to that night.
“I'm Horatio,” he said extending his hand. “And may I say, it's a pleasure to make the acquaintance of such a lovely lady as yourself.”
Nicole felt her face heating up. She took Horatio's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Nicole. And I think the pleasure is mine.”
Being called a lovely lady, she thought, was way better than, Hey there, good looking.
“What are you drinking?” Horatio asked, nodding towards the bar.
Nicole took a sip through her straw, finishing off the drink so he could order her another. “Mojito.”
“A lady after my own heart,” he said. He nodded to the bartender. “Two Mojitos, please.”
While the bartender was mixing their drinks, Horatio asked, “So, Nicole, what brings your lovely self out to the club tonight? And please tell me you came here to dance.
“Oh? And why is it so important to you?” She smiled sweetly at him.
“Because if you don't agree to dance with me,” Horatio said, placing a hand over his heart, “I think I might just leave here a broken man.”
She laughed, shaking her head. It was a bit of a corny line, but from the smirk on his face, she was sure he meant it all in good fun. “I never dance with a man I haven't first shared a drink with,” she said.
“Well then,” he said with a smile, “you'll have to sit with me and have a drink.” He accepted the two drinks the bartender handed him, then led Nicole over to a table in the back, where it was a bit quieter. The music on the dance floor was loud enough that they wouldn't be able to talk out there, and Nicole definitely wanted a chance to get to know this man better.
“Do you always come here trying to charm the ladies off their feet?” Nicole asked.
“No,” Horatio said. “I'm in town on business, and I always like to check out the local scene when I travel. There's no better way to get to know a place than to visit the bars and clubs.”
“And why's that?” Nicole asked.
“Because this is where people come to relax,” Horatio said. “To unwind. To really be themselves. The face people put on at work, at school, of hell, even when they're out shopping at the mall, that's not the real you.”
“Oh? You're not your real self when you're shopping?”
“Of course not.” He smirked, stirring his drink with the straw. “Shopping is a social experience. People bring their friends, they ask what other people think, they want to know if the clothes they buy are the right ones. The ones that will make them stand out while fitting in. People want to be beautiful, but they don't want to seem strange or out of touch. So you always need another person's opinion.”
“I guess I never thought of it that way,” Nicole said. She leaned forward, pursing her lips. She was fascinated by the way this man thought, and the confident way he said everything.
“A place like this, on the other hand,” Horatio said, gesturing with his drink to the crowd, “people relax. Oh, they start off dressing up, trying to look nice, to play the part. But once you've had a few drinks and you let the music guide you, you start letting your real self show. See that guy over there?”
He pointed to a man walking over to the dance floor. He looked pretty average, wearing black slacks and a silk shirt. Kind of cute, but he didn't stand out. “What about him?”
“He left his jacket at the table,” Horatio said, pointing.
Nicole looked, and saw the man's fancy blazer slung over the back of a chair.
“It says something about him,” Horatio said. “He probably put a lot of thought into which jacket went best with that outfit, just like I did before coming here.” He smoothed his lapels, sitting a bit straighter. “But when it comes time to relax and let loose, he leaves the jacket behind. Just like the ladies who take off their fancy high heels, shoes that look gorgeous but are impossible to dance in. They set aside the glamour and the expectations, and just have a good time.”
Nicole looked across the dance floor at all of the people letting loose and following the beat of the music. She'd never thought about it like that before, but she realized it was true. Maybe the dance floor was where you really saw people being their own true selves. It made a certain degree of sense, especially when she thought about how exposed you could feel when you were dancing. Most people she knew didn't think they were good dancers, and would never dance on a stage in front of other people. But when you were a part of the crowd and having fun, you didn't worry about who was looking at you. It didn't matter what other people thought, or if they would judge the way that you danced. All that mattered was that you were having a good time.
Horatio finished his drink, then held his hand out to her. “So, what do you say?” he asked. “Care to show me your real self?”
Nicole blushed, lowering her eyes for a moment and taking a sip of her drink. With the way Horatio spoke about dancing, it suddenly seemed like a far more intimate experience than she had ever considered it before. Showing her real self to him.
She set down her drink and looked up into his eyes. “I'd love to.”
She took his hand and he let her out to the dance floor. At first, she was so nervous that she held back, only following Horatio's lead. But then, she told herself that dancing was supposed to be about letting go. About not caring what anyone thought. And she was sure Horatio wouldn't be the type to judge her for whether she was a good dancer or not. And if somehow he did, that would just show that he wasn't the man for her.
She let go and just went with the music, pushing aside her inhibitions. She danced close to Horatio, their bodies touching. He put his hands on her waist, his hips gyrating in time with the beat. He held her eyes with his, his attention focused solely on her. It made her feel like she was the only woman on the dance floor.
They danced until they were both sweaty and breathless, and then went back to the table, smiling and laughing.
Nicole was having a great time, and she didn't want the night to end. And she was sure that Horatio must have felt the same way. He kept looking into her eyes, and when he reached up and brushed his fingers gently against her cheek, she was sure that he wanted something more.
Then his cell phone chimed, spoiling the moment. “Damn,” he muttered, letting out a long sigh. He pulled out the phone and checked the screen, his cheerful expression dropping into a disappointed glower.
“I'm truly sorry,” he said, tucking the phone away. “It's something urgent. It really can't wait.”
“Oh. All right. I understand.” She couldn't hide the disappointment from her eyes, but she also knew she couldn't blame him if a true emergency had come up. She was a nurse, and she was all too familiar with urgent phone calls that couldn't be ignored.
He took her hand and held it in both of his. “I want to see you again,” he said. “Please.”
She felt a flutter in her chest. How could she say no? “I'd like that,” she said.
“Will you give me your number?”
She told him her number and he programmed it into his phone. “Thank you, Nicole. I'll call you this weekend. I'd really love it if we can get together.”
“Me too,” she said.
He turned to leave, then stopped and turned back, looking into her eyes. He stepped forward, reaching up to cup her cheek with his palm. He pressed his lips against hers in a sweet, tender kiss. She put her hands on his arms, holding herself against him. And just like out on the dance floor, she didn't hold herself back. She let him feel her desire without being afraid.
He pulled away and touched his fingers to her chin, smiling at her. Then he turned and left, moving through the crowd and out the door.
Nicole sat there and let out a long sigh. She didn't know for sure if she would actually see him again, but even if she didn't, this had been an amazing night.
2
