by Amanda Aksel
“Yeah. We do.” Her mouth turns up into a smile, and I recognize that look in her eyes. She’s in love with my dad. I don’t know how I’ve missed it this whole time. Dad is going to be so happy when he figures it out too. Isn’t that the best? To fall for someone who falls for you back?
I’ve been feeling myself fall for Mick these last few days. Ever since we slept together that night in the car. And I think he feels the same way about me. Why else would he ask my dad’s permission to take me out on a date? But here’s the thing: I’ve had these kinds of feelings before and I’ve been wrong. I just really don’t know how to trust myself.
It’s three fifty-five when Suzanne and I get back to the manor. But the good news is that I’m dressed and ready to go. We walk up the steps to the house and the sound of tires against gravel drives behind us. I turn around. Mick has just pulled up and there’s a limousine behind him. Mick gets out of the car dressed in a pair of jeans, a dark button-down, and a blazer. He smiles and I proceed down the stairs.
“Is that for us?” I ask.
“It is,” he says gesturing to it.
The driver opens the passenger doors for us. Mick takes my quivering hand and pulls me into the car with him. He smells like fresh soap and aftershave. Mmm.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” I ask as the limo heads down the long driveway.
“Not yet.”
“Well, I hope I’m not underdressed.”
“You’re dressed perfectly. You look really beautiful,” he says, gazing intently into my eyes. He leans forward and leaves me with a soft, sweet kiss. My heart races and I’m sure he can hear it over the hum of the engine. I smile, and he takes my slightly damp hand.
The car turns the corner to an airport and we begin to slow down. “You’re taking me to an airport? Aw, is that because we first met at an airport?”
He laughs. “No, I hadn’t thought of that actually. I’m taking you there.” He points out the window as we approach a private jet on the tarmac.
“Oh, my God. Are you Pretty Woman’ing me right now?” I ask.
He squishes his brow. “What is that?”
“Never mind. Are we flying to our date?”
“Yes, I am taking you to Il Piacere in Florence.”
I blink my eyes in disbelief. “That’s why we needed to leave so early.”
“Yes, so we better get going if we’re going to make our reservation.” The driver opens the door, and I slide out of the car after Mick. He keeps hold of my hand as we walk up the plane’s steps. Inside, it’s everything I would expect from a luxury jet—leather seating, glossy wood paneling, and a separate bedroom with a queen-sized bed in the back. Mick and I take our seats across from each other, grinning like children who’ve just run away. I look out the window and watch clouds go from white to orange, pink, then purple.
Mick and I spend the two-hour flight just talking. Talking about everything imaginable. The more I learn about him, the more I want to learn. He’s quickly turning into my favorite subject. It’s almost seven when we turn the corner to De Federighi Street. I’ve never been here when the streets weren’t crowded with summer tourists, just the locals bundled in their coats.
“I can’t believe we’re here,” I say.
Mick smiles. “Well, it’s real.”
I look at him, thinking that somehow the fantasy about being whisked away to my favorite restaurant in another country is my reality. That he’s my reality. I just wish I could trust what I’m feeling.
We step out of the car and walk inside, my arm looped around his. The hostess greets us with a smile and says something in Italian.
Mick replies with what sounds like Reservation for Mick Bonnaire. She escorts us to our table.
“You speak Italian too?” I ask.
“Not really. Just enough to get by.” And that’s what I learn as the evening goes on. He does most of the talking with our waiter but I can tell his Italian could use some improvement. It doesn’t really matter, though, because the food is absolutely perfect.
“This is even better than I remember,” I say, swallowing my last delicious bite.
“I was just thinking the same thing. I guess we picked a good night to come.”
“Yes, the timing was perfect.”
Mick lowers his fork. “Speaking of perfect timing. I know that you and I have sort of gone about this whole thing backwards, with the baby and all. Have you given any more thought as to what you want to do?” He looks nervous, but in a different way this time.
I set my utensil down too. Now is the time to tell him. “Yes, and I want to keep the baby.” He looks like he’s taking in a big breath. “I want you to be in the baby’s life as much as you can, but if this isn’t something you want, then I can do it on my own. I have the support.”
He reaches over and pulls my hand into his. “Beau,” he looks into my eyes, “I want you to keep the baby too.”
“You do?” I ask, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.
“Yes. Truthfully, I’ve always wanted you to have it. I just didn’t want to pressure your decision because, you know, it’s your body and everything.”
Tears fall from my eyes. I can’t believe it. This whole time he’s wanted me to have the baby. Have our baby. And the fact that he gave me the space to make a decision that was best for me is so incredible. And that’s the moment it hits me. Like a ton of bricks. I love him. I’m in love with Mick Bonnaire, the father of my baby. And the thought of being in love with someone both thrills me and scares the shit out of me. So I cry harder, lowering my face into my hands.
“Are you okay?” Mick asks.
“Yeah,” I manage to say muffled through my hands. And I am okay. I’m so happy. So why am I crying so freaking much? It doesn’t stop. “I’m sorry. I have no idea what’s happening to me right now.” And I really don’t.
“It’s okay,” he says, reaching over to rub my shoulder. “Your body is flooded with hormones.”
Sure, blame the hormones. “That’s true.”
When we’ve had our dessert and the meal is over, Mick and I wrap our arms tightly around each other and leave the restaurant. I sink into him, breathing in a mix of his scent and the cool Florentine air. We walk down the mostly empty street for about a block before arriving at our car. And for the few minutes as we walk down the street, Mick holds me tightly in the cold, and I know that somehow everything is going to be all right.
Back on the plane, we sit in our seats for takeoff. I lean back in my seat, letting the food digest, and feeling warm and high from the date. “This has been the best date ever,” I say. And that’s a lot coming from me because I’ve been on some very romantic dates.
“It’s not over yet,” he says.
“It’s not?”
He shakes his head. “We’ve still got the two-hour plane ride back to London.”
“So, what should we do?” I ask, both of us aware of what’s next.
He unbuckles his seatbelt and I do the same. We stand, our bodies practically touching in the aisle. “Come on,” he whispers, his nose tickling mine. He takes my hand and pulls me to the bedroom in the back, closing the door against the rest of the world. He kisses me softly, his hands cupping my cheeks. They slide down my neck, and he tucks them inside my leather jacket, pulling it off my shoulders. My fingers toy with the buttons on his shirt.
“I need to tell you something,” he says, pulling away.
“What?”
He looks into my eyes again. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
My stomach flutters along with my heart at his words. And as much as I want to melt into them, I’ve heard them before. Especially after a romantic date where wine was involved. But I want him to know I feel the same. At least, I believe I do.
“Me too,” I say.
He smiles and touches his forehead to mine. “But I also don’t trust myself.”
Now, that’s something I haven’t heard before.
“I don’t trust myself either,” I offer.
“Then what do you want to do?”
“Let’s forget about it for now. Make love to me, Mick.” Such an old-Beau move, but I don’t care. He kisses me hard, and I hold onto him. After everything, how could we not just crash into each other and wait to see if there’s any damage. I unbutton his shirt and slide it off his shoulders while he tugs my dress down my body. The plane shifts, bumping us closer to each other and giving us that exciting sensation of falling.
25
B EAU PUSHES MY PANTS DOWN just enough for my joystick to spring out. Reaching between us, she grabs it like she’s going to steer us to our final destination. The sensation of her fingers stroking me up and down and around drives me fucking wild. I lay her back on the bed and carefully slide her blue satin thong down her luscious thighs and off the tips of her feet.
Starting at her ankles, I pepper kisses up her silky skin, then lick the insides of her thighs. I gently flick my tongue against her warm, swollen clit and she rolls her hips in pleasure. She moans, her pussy glistening wet and open. I kiss her petal-like folds again before making my ascent, taking special care around her stomach, of course. My mouth plunges onto the peaks of her breasts and she tangles her hands in my hair, wrapping her legs around me. I make the climb up to her neck until I reach her gorgeous mouth.
If I’m ever going to take a chance on a woman, it should be her. I want it to be her. Keeping our eyes locked on each other, we kiss and I slide right inside her, feeling an explosion of Il Piacere, the pleasure, radiating up my shaft. She whispers a moan, rolling her head back. My hips thrust into her at the same time we hit turbulence. Oh yeah, this is going to be a bumpy ride.
“Now, this is first class travel.” Beau’s voice plays with my ear while she tugs on my earlobe with her teeth.
“Mmhmm,” I groan.
Our hips grind together as the plane dips and rocks against the wind. Making love to Beau is nothing less than exhilarating. And at the same time, there’s something natural and effortless about it. She intuitively knows what I like, and by her heavy panting, moaning, and love bites on my shoulder, I know what she likes too. Every last moment we’re in the air, we spend wrapped up in each other.
In the back of the limo on the way home, she lays in my arms and I kiss the top of her forehead. “So, how did you like the date?” I ask.
She lets out a little laugh. “Well, you flew me to my favorite restaurant in Italy, then made me come three times on the flight home . . . how do you think I liked it?”
I lift her chin and look into her Mediterranean-blue eyes. “I’m really happy that we’re keeping the baby.”
Her eyes light up and she lifts her lips to meet mine. “Me too.”
“What do you say I sneak into your room after your dad goes to bed?” I wiggle my brows.
She rests her hand on my chest. “I say sneak away.”
By the time we reach the manor it’s almost eleven. The house is quiet, so Beau and I walk into her room and lock the door behind us.
26
I BLINK MY EYES OPEN TO A DARK ROOM. My stomach twists and I hiss in pain. The last time I had cramps this bad was when I was a teenager. Somehow this feels worse. Mick’s sleeping soundly next to me, so I quietly climb out of bed and walk into the bathroom.
When I flick on the light, my pale-skinned reflection practically blinds me in the mirror. The ache strikes again. I clutch my stomach. “Ow, what the hell?”
I sit on the toilet and drop my panties. They’re stained with blood, along with my pajama bottoms. This can’t be my period. Pregnant women don’t have periods. I wipe myself clean, at least I think it’s clean, but my body continually spills blood. I suck in a deep breath as the pain persists. This can’t be good. I wind up a huge wad of toilet paper and stuff it between my legs, just barely washing my hands before bursting through the door.
“Mick,” I whisper, nudging him awake. He squints in the faint light.
“Are you okay?”
I shake my head, holding back tears. “My stomach really hurts, and I’m bleeding a lot. I’m worried that something’s happening to the baby.”
Mick throws off the covers in haste and jumps to his feet. “Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“Okay,” I say and grab a towel from the bathroom.
Mick and I are at the car in record time. “It’s going to be okay, Beau. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He squeezes my hand in his, and I let a tear trickle down my cheek. “Just breathe. We’ll be there soon.”
He’s so calm and confident. Meanwhile, I can hardly think straight. Was this our fault? Did having crazy, amazing sex with Mick on a plane do this? I wouldn’t be surprised. It seems like I’m always being punished for sex these days. If I had been alone when this happened, I would have sat on the bathroom floor, crying to Kate on the phone. Kate who lives thousands of miles away. I’d waste too much time getting to the doctor. I’m no good in a crisis. What kind of mother will I make?
Just as we’re a few minutes away, Mick makes a phone call. “Yes, this is Dr. Bonnaire. I’ve got a pregnant woman who’s experiencing bleeding and cramping. Please send Dr. Ellis down to the ER. We’ll be there in five minutes.”
With a screech of his tires, Mick pulls up to the emergency entrance and quickly gets me out of the car. Dr. Ellis waits just inside the doors. I’m immediately propped up on a gurney and taken to a space in the ER. The doctor closes the curtain and slaps on a pair of blue gloves.
“What happened?” she asks.
“I don’t know. I was sleeping and woke up in a lot of pain, bleeding everywhere. Am I having a miscarriage?” I never thought I would dread that word more than I do in this moment. By now, tears are streaming down my face. Why am I so afraid to lose this baby? My pregnancy is unplanned, inconvenient, but so, so incredible.
“Let’s get a look. Take off your pants, please.” She helps pull a sheet over my lap while I pull my jeans down and retrieve the bloodstained towel. Oh no, I think I’m gonna faint.
Dr. Ellis grabs it from me and tosses it into a bin. “Stay with me, Beau.” She motions me toward the edge of the bed, and I spread my knees, letting my head rest back. I don’t feel so good. Her hand reaches inside of me. She wipes the blood away with a fresh towel and waits for a moment. “It looks like the bleeding is slowing down, everything feels normal. But I want to do an ultrasound.”
I look up at Mick who’s standing by my side, and he takes my hand. “It’s gonna be all right.”
I lift my shirt, and the doctor plops cold gel on my stomach and slides the probe over my slick belly. The three of us study the screen for a few moments. I have no idea what I’m looking at, but I’m hoping that just seeing it will help. The whooshing sound fills the space. It’s my baby’s beating heart.
“Do you hear that?” Dr. Ellis asks.
“Yes,” I say.
“The baby’s heartbeat is strong. It looks like everything is okay.”
My tears halt and I look at the tiny bean on the monitor. Mick lowers down near me, his eyes fixated on the screen. His eyelids close softly, his head tilted toward the sound. I watch him listen to our baby’s heartbeat. And now I know that I not only want to keep this baby, but I want to keep Mick too.
Mick opens his eyes and looks into mine. “That’s a good heartbeat.”
The doctor wipes the gel off of my stomach and explains the breakthrough bleeding. She says not to worry, but that I can come back if it happens again. I let out a long sigh of relief, and Mick places his hand on my belly. The moment Dr. Ellis leaves the room, Mick leans in and kisses my lips. There’s something loving and secure about it. It’s not just about passion. Maybe getting pregnant with his baby isn’t the worst thing that could’ve happened to me. Maybe it’s the best.
“Thank you for being here,” I say.
“Of course, it’s my baby too. I’m just relieved you’re both okay. I don’t know what I would do if I . . .”
My heart practically stops in anticipation of what he’ll say next. “You both just came into my life. I don’t want to lose you.”
Maybe, just maybe, he wants to keep me too.
***
Dad’s in the driveway when we pull up. He opens the car door and helps me out like I’m ninety-two years old.
“I was so worried about you when I heard. How are you feeling?” Dad asks.
“I’m still a little shaken, but I’m okay. Just really tired,” I say.
“Well, let’s get you inside.” Dad places his hand on my back and leads me up the stairs and into the house. I look back at Mick who seems to be lagging behind to give us some space. Dad walks me up to my bedroom and I climb under the sheets, my eyelids weighing a ton.
“What happened?” he asks.
“I just had heavy breakthrough bleeding. The baby is fine. I’m going to go back tomorrow, and if everything checks out okay, then I’ll be able to fly back with you on Friday.”
“You must’ve been so scared. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you.”
“It’s okay. Mick took good care of me,” I say.
“Well, he’s got good bedside manner. Speaking of, how was your date?”
I can’t help but smile at the memory, feeling a flutter in my stomach. “It was amazing. He took me to Il Piacere in Florence. It’s my favorite restaurant.”
Dad raises his brow. “Wow, that’s some date.”
“It was. He’s pretty incredible. What do you think of him?” I clutch the blanket near my cheek as I snuggle into my side.
He lets out a small laugh. “What’s not to like? But it’s time to go home and focus on yourself and your child.”
As much as I don’t want to hear that, especially after last night, it’s true. Mick and I will definitely have more time to get to know each other as our baby grows up. Maybe whatever is happening between the two of us doesn’t need to be rushed. That’s always where I run into trouble. I jump the gun. If the love I have for another person is so great and it’s reciprocated, then it should also last a while until the conditions are right, right?
