by E. C. Hier
“What were you thinking? Olivia is a wonderful person, and you were lucky she chose you; don’t you know how eager I was to have her start dating after all that time and then you dump her with a text,” Louise’s face was screwed up into a mask of anger pretty much like the Viking’s.
“I didn’t,” he tried to defend himself but she wasn’t finished.
“Who sends a text to dump a woman after getting her pregnant,” she hissed.
“I didn’t know,” he tried again.
“And then you disappear leaving her with the expense and the pain and the baby,” she went on. “And now she’s having to look for a new home.”
Kieran was really confused now, but he was done trying to explain himself. He dashed past the woman who was about to start ranting again and slid out the door almost knocking the perfect male specimen with the straight white teeth into the nearest table. He didn’t stop.
Once he’d run far enough that he thought Louise wouldn’t follow he grabbed the phone out of his pocket. With shaking hands he found her number and hit dial. She took forever to answer but when she did, he nearly fell down with relief. She didn’t sound thrilled to see him but she agreed to go for lunch and that was good enough.
As he waited in the small deli cafe he had plenty of time to think. He was worried she would shut him out more than anything and if she wouldn’t forgive him for being an arse, there was nothing he could do.
The one thing he knew was that he was done traveling with the construction crew. If Olivia was having his child, then he wanted to be no more than fifteen miles away at all times. He wanted to be the one she called in the middle of the night when she got cravings or when the time came and her water broke. He wanted to be at the birth, to watch his child enter the world; a small piece of her and him that made a mini person. It was awesome in every way.
When she walked in he felt her presence before he saw her. She was radiant and beautiful, not that she had ever been anything less but with the sun on her back, she glowed like an angel. He stood up, his mouth dropping open as his words took a hike. Her figure was still slim aside from the neat round bump that stuck out of her stretchy jeans and jumper. The rest of her had changed too, but he knew he shouldn’t stare and although her heavy breasts were trying to draw his attention from her face, he didn’t let them.
“You look amazing,” he said letting a sigh escape.
“I’ll have the green smoothie and a ham, salad, coleslaw and cheese sandwich,” she said and the coolness in her voice made him shiver.
“Don’t move,” he said. “I’ll be back.”
He could feel her eyes on him while he waited to be served, but he knew if he turned around she would be looking elsewhere. He hoped she was looking at his backside because she’d always liked that part of him. Kieran felt like he’d known her forever yet here she was a virtual stranger with a body he didn’t know anymore. He would give anything to change that.
He paid for their order and came to sit across from her with a large cup of tea and a smoothie that looked like something you unblock drains with. He handed it to her, and she sucked the straw thirstily making him wince as his manhood did a little happy dance without his permission. He picked up the cup and blew across the contents to cool it.
“That smells so good,” she said.
“What, my tea?”
“I’ve been craving tea but I tend to stick to decaf,” she said.
He handed her his cup, and she looked at it for a moment before snatching it and taking a big gulp. She sighed and relaxed in her chair. The woman that he had once known was more of a mystery to him now than he could have realized. She had laughed at his obsession with tea and here she was breathing in the smell like it was a lover.
“I’ll get another cup,” he said and went to the checkout coming back with a large cup. “So, how does this work?” he asked mentally kicking himself for not planning a speech.
“Us? I’m inviting you to be a part of your baby’s life, but it’s okay if you don’t want anything to do with him or her because I can manage just fine alone,” she said and he could see that she’d planned her speech and practiced it.
“I’d love to be part of our baby’s life,” he said grinning. “I’d love to be part of your life. I’ve missed you so much and I know I’m a complete bastard and you can hit me anytime or throw things. Please, can we start again?”
“You can come to the antenatal appointments,” she said.
“That’s awesome. I don’t have work, I’m going to look for something in this city because I’m not leaving you again,” he said willing his mouth to calm down.
“You must know there can’t be anything between us now,” she said keeping her eyes on her cup.
His heart dipped and for a brief moment, he thought he was going to throw up but then the sandwiches arrived and she looked away. He took a sip of his tea and tried to focus. Kieran knew she wouldn’t forgive him, not right away, but he was surprised by how much it hurt. He busied himself by taking huge bites of his sandwich but he couldn’t taste a thing.
“I know that I was stupid, and I didn’t try hard enough to keep you in my life. I know that letting you go hurt like a bitch but I thought it was better for you and I know that I’m a coward for not phoning you but I’ve been miserable since,” he said.
“And I’ve been pregnant,” she hissed, and he jumped back.
“Can you tell me what I need to do to make us friends?” he said grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently.
“Fine, you can be the perfect dad and help me fix up my new house,” she said and his eyebrows shot up.
Chapter 15 - Olivia
When Olivia opened her mouth, she didn’t know what was going to come out. It had been happening a lot since the pregnancy hormones kicked in but she honestly didn’t know who was more surprised, him or her. It made sense when she thought about it but it would mean that he was going to be in her company an awful lot.
“So, can I stay at yours for a while because I’m straight off the train and I really need to find a job,” Kieran said.
Olivia opened her mouth to tell him where to go but shut it after a moment. At least if he was in her apartment he could help her pack and some small part of her that she wouldn’t acknowledge wanted him there so she could keep him close. There was no denying the attraction she still felt for him and no matter how angry she was, she couldn’t stop the tingles he gave her when he gazed at her with those jade green eyes.
“Okay,” she replied.
“Thank you,” he said.
“What did you do to your head?” she asked.
“After our phone call, I ran to the lounge in a panic and fell over. Hit my head on the coffee table and nearly knocked myself out. Callum fixed it up,” he said grinning.
For some reason that pleased her, and she didn’t even try to hide the little smile that crept over her face. He seemed to find it equally amusing, and they grinned at each other for the briefest moment before she shut it back down and scowled at him.
Olivia didn’t want to forgive him, she wanted to make his life a misery, but she wanted him to hold her and kiss her at the same time. She was confused and had no idea whether it was the baby-brain or her desire to see him naked once more that was making her act like a fool.
“I have an antenatal appointment this afternoon if you want to come?” she asked.
“I’d love to,” he replied grinning.
****
The journey to the clinic was long even though the walk was short. Kieran waffled continuously, and she got to hear about his family back in Ireland, his sister’s new business venture, and several stories involving alcohol and his work mates.
She could see he was nervous and felt the need to overcome it with constant chatter but she wanted to keep her distance and her anger and it was hard to do when he kept making her laugh. He even tried to take her hand when they crossed the road which would have been sweet a few months back but now she felt a cro
ss between irritation and the desire to use his hand to make her feel like a woman again.
From the moment of conception, she had felt hornier than ever. It was a symptom of pregnancy according to the books but having lost her boyfriend at pretty much the same time, it had been more than an inconvenience.
Her body was on constant alert and now Kieran, the man who she’d found quite the expert in the bedroom, was back and her body wanted to get naked and rub itself all over him. Her mind didn’t. Her fairly sensible brain said ‘don’t even think about it’. She had done nothing but think about it so it was obvious that her brain wasn’t in charge anymore.
“I’m nervous,” Kieran said when they reached the clinic.
“I would never have guessed,” she said her voice dripping with so much sarcasm he looked momentarily wounded.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t around for the start of the pregnancy,” he said reaching for her hand.
She let him hold her hand. His touch was gentle, and he smoothed his thumb over the back of her hand. His touch was just as calming as it was thrilling and she didn’t know whether to snatch it back or step closer to him. A woman coughed behind them and they moved to the side to avoid blocking the entrance.
“I really am sorry,” he said. “I wasn’t brave enough to tackle my problems but I am now.”
“Come on,” she said and dragged him into the hot interior of the clinic’s waiting room.
Kieran was nervous and chatted loudly which made the wait go quickly. She’d missed his chatter and the silence that she had found so comfortable before she’d met him had become intolerable over the past few weeks. He filled the silence with his easy voice and she found it soothing even when she didn’t understand him or had forgotten to listen to the words.
When they went in, she sat on the examination bed and Kieran held her hand. When she looked up at him, he’d lost any color the walk had given him. She hoped he wasn’t a fainter because she wanted him to be a part of it all. When the doctor switched on the ultrasound and found the wriggling baby inside, tears sprang to her eyes and Kieran’s grip tightened on her hand.
“It’s a baby,” he said glassy-eyed. “It’s got arms and legs and everything.”
“What were you expecting?” The doctor asked with a smile.
Olivia glanced over at Kieran to find tears filling his eyes and she knew then that he’d make a wonderful dad. She pulled his hand to her cheek and pressed it there and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. It felt magical and right. Her future had more hope in it than it had before and she was looking forward to it.
“Can you just check for twins?” Kieran asked. “There are a lot of twins in my family.”
“What?” Olivia’s heart skipped a beat.
“I’m very sure there’s just one baby here,” the doctor said, but he moved the scanner around her bump to double check.
“That’s good,” he said wiping a tear away. “I think I can handle one baby but if there are two, I might have to call in reinforcements.”
“Reinforcements?”
“My sister,” he said grinning. “She’s going to be a fantastic aunt.”
When the tests were over Olivia felt exhausted. Having Kieran with her had been great. He was perfectly supportive, and he took her mind off the pain of blood tests and boring long waits but she was physically and emotionally drained and he was still pulling his suitcase alongside him.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go home.”
“I need to find a job. I’m going to make this work,” he said as she let him into the apartment.
“I know,” she said flopping down on the sofa.
“Can I ask you one thing?”
“What?”
“Please don’t get a Vikings poster in the apartment. I don’t think my ego can take it,” he said and winked before switching the kettle on. “You want tea?”
“Yes, please,” she said, smiling as she settled back onto her favorite cushion.
In a few minutes, she could smell the comforting scent of tea wafting around the apartment and the sound of Kieran unpacking his things in the spare room. It was good to have another person in the place; it gave her a feeling of security. She switched on the television, opting for an episode of Vikings and drank her tea. She could get used to not fetching her own drinks and snacks.
“I’m just going to pop to the shops for a few things, I’ll cook as a thank you for everything,” he said. “Is there anything I should know about your food requests?”
“I don’t eat shellfish, pâté, or soft cheeses. I can’t drink coffee and I’ve got a real liking for hummus,” she said and couldn’t resist smiling at him.
“Okay, I can work with that,” he replied winking at her before he left.
She settled to watch a violent and bloodthirsty episode but basically just enjoyed the muscled skin on show which then led her thoughts to Kieran’s lean muscular body. She couldn’t seem to keep her eyes open and before long she was snoring lightly in the comfort of her apartment with the knowledge that dinner would appear with no effort from her.
Chapter 16 - Kieran
Kieran couldn’t believe how lucky he was. Olivia was carrying his child, and she was allowing him to be close to her. It wasn’t as close as he’d like to be because she was rocking her new body like a goddess and it was all he could do to keep his hands off her. The sight of her curled up on the sofa made him want to nuzzle in beside her and pry her attention away from the underdressed Vikings but he would settle instead for making the only food he did well and that was spaghetti bolognese.
On the way to the shop, he passed a prime piece of land that was about to be redeveloped and he walked back a few paces to get a look at the site. A small office cabin had been set up, and it looked like there were a couple of people milling around in there. He took a deep breath and crossed the muddy path to the cabin.
“You can’t be on site without a hard hat,” the man hollered and threw a hat at him which he caught and put on his head.
“I’m looking for a job,” Kieran blurted out.
Kieran sat when the man pointed to the chair and he began talking. He told him his reasons for needing to stay in the city, about his previous work experience, and the college qualifications he’d barely used. The man listened quietly and Kieran began to worry if he’d said too much or if the man was just merely amused by his bold nature.
“Why did you take the temporary contracts when you’re over-qualified?”
“I went where the work was and did what brought the money in,” he said.
“You will have to sort your visas out,” the man said standing up. “But I need someone like you. Email me your CV and come see me first thing Monday morning.”
The large man behind the desk reached over to shake his hand and Kieran felt the brute strength contained within. He was probably worthy of being one of Olivia’s poster boys. He gripped the man’s hand and left, handing the hard hat back to someone in the outer office. He might have just landed himself a job, and that was worth celebrating.
He had a spring in his step when he reached the shop and the first thing he saw was a bunch of flowers that would brighten Olivia’s apartment up and let her know he was serious. He grabbed them and the food he’d need for dinner and then raced home. He couldn’t wait to tell her the news.
When he got there, he took out the key she’d given him and held the flowers behind his back but when he walked into the lounge, she was curled up, fast asleep.
He placed the flowers in a vase and started dinner. He really could only cook one meal but it was a good one and most people enjoyed spaghetti. She woke just as he was dishing the food up and he was itching to tell her about the job but she saw the flowers first. She bent down and sank her nose into a pale pink rose.
“Oh, that’s gorgeous,” she said. “Dinner smells good too.”
“I hope it tastes just as good,” he said placing her plate on the table.
He went on to tell her a
bout the potential job and she looked pleased. He hoped that meant she was happy because he would be staying close to her and not because she was being polite. They had rushed their relationship and when he’d left her several months ago, he thought he’d known her well but now she seemed different, and he realized that he didn’t know her enough but he wanted the chance to get to know her properly.
“This is good,” she said scraping her plate. “And I get so hungry now I’m going to be as big as a house soon.”
“I think you’ve never looked more beautiful,” he said and hoped that she wasn’t offended by his sentiment.
“I’m fat,” she said.
“You’re curvy and my baby is in there,” he said reaching over to touch her stomach.
“My hips have widened, my waist has grown, my bust is twice the size, and even my thighs are bigger,” she moaned.
“I know,” he said leaning back in his seat. “I can barely keep my eyes off you let alone my hands, it’s torture.”
Her eyes widened, and she stood up. He didn’t know if he’d offended her or just upset her because her face was unreadable. He stood up ready for damage control but she launched herself at him; her lips found his in a fierce kiss, and he slowly relaxed, pulling her against him. Her curves felt every bit as good as they looked and he hoped she wouldn’t change her mind because he was in desperate need of getting naked with her.
Just as the kiss heated up and his hands were full of her voluptuous body she stepped back out of his embrace. He was breathless and so was she but the look on her face told him it wasn’t happening, not today. Kieran didn’t want to push her any further than she wanted to go. Just when he’d figured out how to say that his phone buzzed in his pocket.
“What’s up?” He answered seeing his sister’s name flash up on the screen.
“I’m in a taxi heading to the airport. I’m done with it, I’ll see you in a few hours so text me your address,” Chloe said.
“Shit, no Chloe,” he said panic filled his head. “I’m not with my crew, I quit.”
