She spits out the last of the foamy toothpaste and smiles at me. “You really are something else.”
“A shit boyfriend is what I am, sleeping like a baby in the next room while my woman gets sick every night.”
“Your woman?”
“Fuck yes, my woman.”
“Boyfriend, huh?” she muses, looking more and more amused by my caveman act.
“Doesn’t seem like enough, but I’m trying not to scare you off.” I chuckle as I pull her close and bury my face into the crook of her neck.
“I stink,” she mumbles, her neck arching of its own accord to allow my lips easier access.
“You don’t.”
“I’ve just been spewing my guts out. I stink.”
I chuckle, pulling away.
“I’m going to take a quick shower.”
I open the glass door and flick the water on for her. “Can I get you anything?”
She looks at me sheepishly but shakes her head.
I can read her like a fucking book. She wants something, but she doesn’t want to ask.
“Tell me,” I demand, twisting my lip ring with my tongue.
“I’m good.”
“Tell me now or I’m going to stand her and drive you crazy until you do.”
She debates it for a second. “I feel like fried chicken.”
“Home-made or that greasy takeout kind of stuff?” I reply, not missing a beat.
I couldn’t give a fuck what she wants – no matter how inconvenient or unreasonable. If my woman wants fried chicken at two in the morning, then she’ll get fried chicken at two in the morning.
“Home-made,” she replies shyly.
I lean in and kiss her lips, ignoring the fact that she thinks she smells bad, and then turn, leaving her to shower in peace.
“Where are you going?”
“To make the chicken,” I call over my shoulder with a grin.
“Unbelievable,” I hear her mutter.
11
Darcy
“I can’t believe I can’t come to the scan,” Steph grumbles. “I thought we were best friends.”
I twirl a strand of hair around my finger as I console her over the phone. “I know, but we’ll get pictures and I’ll call you right after and tell you everything.”
“I want to know more than everything.”
I roll my eyes. “More than everything. Sure, that seems like a reasonable request.”
“You know what I mean!” She’s pouting, I can tell. “Are you sure you don’t want to take me instead of your boyfriend? I can be there in five minutes.”
A laugh escapes my lips. I doubt that Steph has the ability to be anywhere within five minutes. I’m not even sure she’d be able to make it from her bedroom across to the bathroom within that time frame.
“Quit being a brat,” I scold her. “And I’m not sure if he’s my boyfriend. I don’t know what he is.”
“Well, he should be. Has he kissed you again yet? Have you had any more dates?”
“Yes. And we’re going out tonight,” I mumble, grateful for the change of subject, but wary of it all the same.
“Where is he taking you?”
“I’m not sure. It’s a surprise.”
“Handsome and romantic. Dayyyuummm girl! Wife him already.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re not using that expression in the right context. Or at least not with the right title.”
Ryan chooses that moment to walk back into the waiting room of the clinic, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s somehow overheard Steph on the phone. His expression looks amused, and quite frankly, a little smug.
“You should get some action before you’re out of action, if you know what I mean.”
I feel myself blush scarlet. I could seriously kill this woman sometimes.
“Gotta go, I’ll call you after,” I reply quickly, hanging up before she even has the chance to reply.
I toss my phone into my handbag as though it’s a live grenade, because if I’m being honest, with Steph on the other end of the line, it may as well be.
“You alright, princess?” Ryan asks, a sexy smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.
“Steph,” I say by way of explanation.
He nods knowingly.
We might not have been in each other’s lives for that long, but my two best friends have made themselves right at home, and Ryan has got to know both of them quite well. Freya comes over at least three times a week, and I’m starting to question if she’s even coming to see me anymore or if she just wants to take in the sight that is my gorgeous baby daddy.
“Are you sure you want to find out the gender?” he asks me for what I’m guessing is about the one millionth time.
I want to know – if it’s not too early to tell, and he was willing – as per usual – to give me whatever I wanted. I’m starting to wonder if he’d prefer not to know, but he refuses to say anything that confirms my suspicion.
“You mean, have things changed since you asked me fifteen minutes ago?” I question innocently.
He chuckles. “Fair call, I’ll shut up.”
He takes my hand gently in his, like it’s something that comes so naturally to him, he doesn’t even have to think twice about doing it.
He’s so sweet and sensitive, a harsh contrast to his rugged, sexy exterior. One look at him and you’d be willing to sell your soul to the devil, just for one taste, but Ryan Steele would never let me sell my soul. He’d never even let me get my hands dirty.
I feel safe with this man, I realise suddenly. It’s a strange feeling. Safe. I can’t remember the last time I truly felt that way.
“Darcy Shearer?” a nurse calls my name from the doorway, a warm smile on her face as I raise my hand.
Ryan snags my bag off the floor and insists on carrying it for me. He’s so ridiculous – sweet, but ridiculous. I’m hardly a whale at this point, I barely even have a bump protruding from my abdomen – I can certainly manage to carry my own handbag.
We follow her into the room where Ryan is quick to introduce himself as the baby’s father – he’s so proud it almost brings a tear to my eye.
She instructs me about where to lie down and what to do, and then she leaves us to it with an assurance that the doctor won’t be far away.
“I’m nervous,” Ryan blurts out as I get settled onto the bed.
“Why?”
“I’m going to see my baby. My son or daughter. That’s massive.”
His eyes are wide, I can practically see the nervous energy thrumming through his body.
“You know there’s no pressure, if you’re having second thoughts...”
He’s next to me in less than a second, one of his hands woven into the hair at the back of my head, forcing my face to meet his as his other hand rests tenderly on my stomach.
It’s such a stark contrast – the two actions – one rough and commanding, the other sweet and gentle.
He presses his lips to mine, and I have to stop myself from pulling his lip ring into my mouth.
He pulls away long before I’m ready for him to stop, but stays close, refusing to release me from his hold.
“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you and this baby, Darce,” he confesses, his voice gravelly and raw.
I can feel my heart thudding violently against my rib cage. I can’t possibly deny the sincerity in his tone, but this feels like a dream. I never thought I could feel this way about Ryan – Jacob’s brother, but here I am, falling – fast.
“We don’t always get what we want,” I whisper, trying and failing to hide the intense vulnerability coursing through me.
He shakes his head.
“Fuck that. I’m tired of not getting what I want. It ends now.”
My breath gets caught in my throat. He’s so all-consuming I can barely breathe.
A knock at the door startles me, and I try to pull away as Dr. Davis enters the room, but Ryan barely budges an inch, just loosens his grip on my hair, so he’s cuppin
g my neck instead.
“Hello, Darcy, it’s nice to see you again.”
“You too. This is Ryan – the baby’s father. Ryan, this is Dr. Davis.”
Ryan scowls a little at my choice of words. After his intense declaration only a few minutes ago, it’s clear to me that he wants to be more than just the baby’s father, but that’s something that’s going to have to be dealt with at another time.
Dr. Davis stretches her hand out in his direction, and he finally releases me, giving me room to breathe, yet somehow leaving me craving his touch the second his skin leaves mine.
They shake hands. “Call me Courtney, please.”
“Glad to finally meet you, Courtney.”
I’d had to meet her on my own a few weeks back – Ryan was out of town on business, and he’s been moping around like he missed out on something vitally important ever since.
He’s sweet like that; he doesn’t want to miss a thing. Not one moment has passed since I told him I was pregnant, that I’ve felt like I was doing this alone. He’s on my side – my team. We were in this together in a way I’ve never experienced before. I can ask for anything, and I know, no matter how extravagant the request – he’ll make it happen. He’d move heaven and earth for this baby, and he or she hasn’t even entered the world yet.
Dr. Davis – because I can’t bring myself to be on a first-name basis with a woman who is getting so up close and personal with my downstairs region – starts preparing the necessary equipment.
She lifts my shirt and squirts freezing-cold gel onto the skin on my abdomen, before spreading it over the small bump with the wand of the ultrasound machine.
I feel Ryan take my hand again, but I can’t take my eyes off the screen that has just flickered to life in front of me. The picture is grey and grainy, but I see it clear as day – my tiny little baby.
“And there’s the heartbeat,” Dr. Davis says as a thudding, whooshing noise fills the room, solid and steady.
That’s my baby’s heartbeat. Our baby.
“That’s our baby,” Ryan chokes out, his thoughts mirroring mine.
I reluctantly drag my focus from the screen to his face. His eyes are welling with unshed tears. I know this is a moment that neither of us will forget for the rest of our lives.
He leans in and places a soft, sweet kiss to my forehead, and I melt. I can feel another piece of my resolve slip away. I’m falling and I’m not sure there is anything I can do to stop it.
“Everything is looking great here. Baby is measuring right on track for the dates. The heartbeat is strong. Congratulations, your pregnancy is progressing well.” Dr. Davis pulls my thoughts away from my romanticising, her bright smile reassuring me.
I hadn’t allowed myself to think of anything but positive news as far as the baby went, so it’s not until I hear the confirmation that everything is okay, that I realise how worried I’d been that something might not have been normal or healthy.
Ryan squeezes my hand as we both watch our little peanut wiggling around on the screen.
“I’ll print you out some images to take home.”
“We were wondering if we could find out the gender today?” Ryan asks.
“I’ll take a look.” Dr. Davis twists the wand around on my stomach again, a slight pinch to her brow as she turns her head to glance at the monitor. “Too early to tell I’m afraid, you should be able to find out when you come back at twenty weeks.”
“Ah, what a shame.” He grins at me, his expression a little smug, confirming my suspicions that he would prefer not to know.
I fight the urge to poke my tongue out at him. “I can wait another seven weeks.”
12
Ryan
She’s dreaming – about our trip to the beach if I had to guess. She’s murmuring about sand and her toes, and she keeps making soft moans, the same as she makes when I kiss her – something I’ve done a lot of the past few days.
“Water... too cold,” she mumbles.
I grin. She is definitely dreaming about the beach trip.
I glance at my watch; I can let her nap for about another five minutes and then I’m going to have to wake her for our date.
It’s a surprise, and a risky one at that.
I’m taking her somewhere that I’ve wanted to take her since the day we met, but I never got the chance. I’m terrified that she’ll figure it out, but I’m also just as worried that she never will. She’s told me the story – again – about her parents at least, but still. This has been something I’ve wanted to do for a lot longer than a month.
I don’t know what happens when she knows the full story – which I’ve vowed to myself she will, one day. She might resent me. She might think I’m crazy for keeping my mouth shut for so long.
She stirs again, her lips pouting softly, drawing my attention to them.
Those lips, they’ll be the absolute death of me. They’re so soft, warm and inviting... so sweet and irresistible.
I want her, God do I want her. I’ve never wanted anything so badly, but she’s not just some woman... she’s the woman – the one I want for the rest of my life, and that thought – the idea of having her forever is the only thing keeping my complete lack of patience in check. There’s no rush – we’ve got forever to go. Sex can wait.
With another glance at my watch, I decide waking her can’t wait any longer – we’ve got to go, or we’ll be late for our booking.
I sweep my hand over her face. “Wake up, Darce, we’ve got to go, princess.”
She groans as she comes to from her sleep.
I feel bad for planning something so late at night, given how tired she is all the time, but it would have been a bit tricky to do this in the daytime.
I get her shoes for her, help her put them on, then hold her hand out to the car and while we drive. It’s not until we pull into the car park that I think she might finally be actually awake. She’s adorable, sitting there all bleary-eyed and groggy from sleep.
“We’re here,” I tell her.
I park the car and round the front to meet her at her door.
She glances around, her brow slightly furrowed until she spots the sign against the side of the building.
“The observatory?” she asks excitedly, letting me lead her towards the front doors of the building.
“You want to see the stars? It’s a perfectly clear night.”
I can tell by the look on her face, she’s blown away. “The moon and all of the stars,” she whispers.
I nod my head, I know exactly what she’s referring to, but I don’t say anything.
She pauses and I can tell she’s battling with something inside her brain.
“I’ll be right beside you, princess,” I reassure her.
She looks up at me, right into my eyes and nods her head. “Thank you… I just… thank you.”
I know this can’t be easy for her. I knew it would make her think of her parents and remember their love, but that’s a good thing – things like this keep memories alive.
I usher her inside and we’re taken into the room with the huge telescope.
“It’s one hundred and fifteen years old,” I whisper in her ear as she looks around the domed-ceiling room in awe.
“Really?” she asks, eyes wide.
I nod. “And pointed at the moon – have a look.”
She steps slowly up onto the step stool and leans in, gingerly placing her eye on the telescope.
“Oh my gosh,” she breathes. “That’s incredible. It’s so clear and it looks so close.”
“It’s amazing, right?”
“Have a look,” she insists.
“You finish up first.”
Little does she know, but this is far from my first visit to this observatory. For about six months, I came nearly every week.
I know that view of the moon better than my own reflection sometimes.
“This is amazing, Ryan, thank you.”
My chest fills with pride at the authenticity
in her praise. I knew she’d love it here.
“Can you see the craters?”
“I can see everything. I can’t believe that’s the moon.”
I know what she means, I couldn’t believe it either, the first time I saw it. It’s as though it’s right there in front of you.
“My parents would have loved this.”
I reach for her hand and grip it tightly as she stands still, her eye still glued to the telescope.
I stand there with her for what feels like long hours and short seconds at the same time.
“You look now,” she finally says as she steps down, allowing me a turn to see.
She doesn’t let go of my hand, and even though I’ve seen this all before, it feels like the first time with her small, warm hand in mine.
“It makes me feel so small,” I say, really throwing caution to the wind. They’re the same words she said to me that first night, when we stood in the garden bar and looked up at the stars.
She doesn’t reply, but her grip tightens and then loosens again.
“Let’s go and see the stars,” I suggest.
I take her to the other large telescope and show her ‘The Big Dipper’, ‘The Little Dipper’, ‘Orion’, ‘Taurus’ and ‘Gemini’.
She looks at each so excitedly, I feel like a little kid.
I adjust the telescope again. “And there’s Mars.”
She looks again, gasping quietly as she sees the planet.
“Ryan?” a voice behind me says. I turn around and see Stu, an older guy who spends a lot of time here. “Long time no see,” he says when he confirms it’s me.
Guess my cover is about to be blown.
I introduce Stu to Darcy and make small talk for a couple of minutes while she goes back to studying the stars.
Stu could talk the back legs off a donkey on any given day, but he seems to get the memo tonight that I need time alone with my girl, so he disappears again after not too long.
I turn back to Darcy, knowing I’m about to get grilled.
She steps back, eyebrow raised in accusation. “Why do I get the feeling this isn’t your first time here?”
I chuckle nervously and rub at the back of my neck. “I might have been somewhat of a regular at one point,” I admit sheepishly.
The First Rule: A Standalone Second Chance Romance Page 9
