by A. P. Jensen
“Did you buy new clothes or something?” Peter asked.
“Yeah,” she said in a strangled voice. She bought baby clothes.
She snatched up the last of the bags and looped the long handles over her shoulders.
“Let me help.”
“No!” She held up a hand and backed towards the staircase when he came forward. “It’s over, Peter.”
His jaw locked. “It took me two weeks to calm down. Part of it was the fact that you left the party and let Leslie get to you. The second part is, I don’t want Ben around you. After what he did to you-”
“He explained it to me.”
“And you forgive him?”
She nodded. Peter didn’t look happy about that, but he shook himself and held up his hands.
“Okay.”
She took a step backwards. “Okay what?”
“I can handle that you forgive Ben. I keep trying to stay away from you, but I can’t. I wish I could.”
He admitted to wanting her and not being able to stay away, but he wasn’t happy about it. He eyed her as if he wanted to strangle her. She narrowed her eyes at him and walked halfway up the stairs with her bags before she eyed him over the rail.
“I don’t want to be around someone who doesn’t want to want me.”
He threw up his hands. “You think I like running after you like a fool?”
“You didn’t run after me,” she scoffed. “You took your damn sweet time. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.”
She ran up the rest of the stairs because the bags were becoming heavy. She deposited them in the nursery and turned towards the door and felt her breath leave her body. Peter stood in the doorway and he frowned at the freshly painted walls. He walked forward and fingered a life-sized painting she’d done of her parents on the wall.
“What’s this?”
Throat constricting, she managed, “My parents.”
He shot her an aggravated look. “I know that. What are you doing with this room?”
His eyes slid beyond her to the mountain of bags. She braced herself in front of them and his eyes narrowed.
“What’s in the bags?”
She began to panic. “Did you know Anna’s pregnant?” she blurted.
His eyes widened. “She is? No, I didn’t know. I have to congratulate Tommy.”
She clapped her hands together. “Yes, let’s go do that downstairs.”
She knew she was overdoing it, but she couldn’t help it. When he started forward, she held her hands out.
“This doesn’t concern you, Peter,” she snapped.
“I’ll determine that for myself.”
He reached around her and snagged one of the bags and looked inside. He frowned and pulled out tiny booties, a knitted cap and a headband. He moved Emma to the side and peeked into the other bags and looked from Emma’s pale face to the baby items.
“Why are you keeping all of Anna’s stuff here?”
Emma coughed. “Good question.”
“She’s having a girl?”
She twisted her hands. “Someone’s bound to.”
He reached into one of the bags and pulled out a onesie that said Princess across the front. Seeing the tiny outfit in Peter’s huge hand stabbed her heart. Tears welled and she turned away to compose herself. She walked over to the window and saw Peter’s BMW behind her car. There was an ominous silence behind her and then Peter gripped her arm and whirled her around to face him. He’d gone pale and the hand holding the onesie shook as he held it up.
“Are you pregnant?” he asked hoarsely.
His eyes dared her to lie to him. She swallowed hard and nodded. Peter staggered back as if she shot him. He looked around the nursery at the shopping bags and braced himself against the wall with his back to her. He didn’t say a thing and that hurt more than she thought it would. She grit her teeth and waited. And waited. Minutes squeaked by and Peter didn’t say a thing.
“I don’t know if it’s a girl. I have a hunch,” she muttered inanely.
Still no response. She crossed her arms protectively over her daughter.
“I don’t want your money. I don’t need it. You don’t have to be involved with the baby if you don’t want to be. We never talked about kids so…”
“How far along are you?” he rasped.
“Almost three months.”
“Our breakup sex?”
“Yeah.”
“When did you find out?”
At least he was talking. He wasn’t yelling, but his voice sounded stifled.
“The day I got back to Bellingham after Victoria. Anna came to my house. She thought she might be pregnant and she made me take a test to make sure hers was accurate. We both turned out positive.”
He finally turned. “I can’t believe this.”
She stiffened and didn’t answer. His eyes landed on her stomach and he examined her as if he’d never seen her before.
“You’ve seen a doctor? You’re healthy?”
She blinked. “Yes.”
He seemed to have trouble comprehending the latest turn in events. She couldn’t decipher the look on his face, but it wasn’t rage or denial, so she relaxed a fraction.
“When were you going to tell me?”
She fidgeted. “I was going to tell you the day after the party.”
His eyes hardened. “And after?”
“I didn’t make up my mind.”
He looked around the room. “You decided to go on a baby shopping spree and pick a color for the baby’s room, but you didn’t decide when to tell the father?”
She tilted her chin. “Do you blame me?”
He stalked forward until they were nose to nose. “Yes!”
She shoved against his chest. “How could I know you wouldn’t think I did this on purpose or since you think I’m a slut-”
Peter clapped a hand over her mouth and hauled her close so all she could see were his eyes.
“You don’t play those types of games. I know that. I know the baby’s mine.”
She couldn’t stop the tears that filled her eyes. His hand slid from her mouth to cup the back of her neck. He felt her tremble.
“You’re not doing this alone.”
The relief that shot through her system was so potent, she swayed. Peter picked her up in his arms and walked down the stairs to the living room and set her on the couch. He got a beer from the fridge and brought her a glass of water. She sipped and watched him pace in front of her.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she whispered.
“Can’t really blame you, can I? I accused you of sleeping around and you heard firsthand that I wouldn’t marry you.”
She sighed. “I don’t want marriage. I never did.”
“What do you want?”
She brushed away a stray tear. “I just want to be happy.”
“You’re excited about the baby?”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell Ben?”
Surprised by the question, she frowned. “Yes.”
She wasn’t prepared for Peter’s uproarious laughter.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded.
“I tortured myself thinking of you two together when all along, you were probably crying on his shoulder, telling him you’re pregnant and that I’m a bastard.”
“I don’t see how that’s funny.”
Peter set his beer down and knelt in front of her. She wasn’t prepared when he settled his hands on her tummy. She tried to move away, but there was nowhere to go.
“Are you showing?” he asked and lifted her shirt.
“Hey!”
“A little,” he said thoughtfully.
Emma was transfixed at the sight of his hands splayed over her slight baby bump. Her hands shook as she tried to push him away.
“Emma, I’m going to be here every step of the way.”
She met his steady gaze. “You’re not angry.”
“No.”
“Why?”
He rubbed her baby bump. “Having a child was part of my next goal.”
She went rigid. “What?”
“You panicked when I asked to move in with you. I was going to prove to you that I could keep my promise and be here every weekend and ease you into marrying me, maybe having a child. We’re ahead of schedule.”
She didn’t respond.
“I know you don’t believe me. That’s okay. The whole Ben thing threw me off, but I can’t stay away from you.” He grinned at her. “Damn, I’m happy.”
She never anticipated he would have this reaction. It made her throat close up and those damn hormones played havoc with her tears. While she tried to control herself, Peter framed her face with his hands and kissed her. She tried to pull away, but Peter held her still and slanted his mouth over hers. His kiss was gentle and full of comfort. He brushed kisses over her cheeks, neck and finally down to her stomach.
“I love you, Emma.”
“Don’t, Peter,” she choked.
“Relax for me,” he urged and slid his hand beneath her skirt.
She shot up from the couch and faced him, trembling. “No! You can’t just come back here and say you love me because I’m pregnant. Sex won’t fix what’s wrong between us.”
“What will fix it?”
“Time.”
He groaned and dropped his head on the couch cushions. “Okay.”
She crossed her arms over aching breasts. “Okay what?”
“I’ll give you time.”
They eyed one another hungrily and she had to look away before her self-control disappeared and she attacked him.
“I don’t need to hear that you love me,” she said.
“Yes, you do. I’ve never heard it before in my life. I need to hear it from you just as much as you need to hear it from me.”
“I don’t want you doing this just because I’m pregnant!” she snapped.
“You’re going to be hearing me say I love you whether you want to or not. I’ve loved you for a while now. It took me a while to figure it out. Derek drilled it into me these past two weeks. He’s gonna faint when I tell him we’re expecting.”
He looked so excited; Emma couldn’t help the way her heart flipped.
“We’ll take it one day at a time,” Emma said.
Peter smiled. “You’re the boss.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Emma stood on the balcony of Peter’s penthouse and watched Seattle get covered in snow. Her heart felt as if it was spilling over. Her coat bulged over her growing stomach and she spun in a spontaneous circle. Everything was perfect. She walked inside and couldn’t stop the delighted smile that curved her mouth. The untouchable penthouse she visited months ago was gone. The modern furniture and glass sculptures were gone. In its place were comfortable couches and chairs, baby proofed outlets and drawers and roses everywhere. She walked down the hall and bounced a little as she walked into the beautiful nursery next to the master bedroom. The nursery was decorated for a princess. Peter didn’t care that the sex of the baby hadn’t been confirmed. He couldn’t have made it clearer that he was all in.
Since he found out about the baby, Emma never spent a day off alone. Peter conferred with Anna about her work schedule and pampered her to death. Peter commuted back and forth to Seattle and though he received phone calls and sometimes had to work on his laptop, he set everything to the side when she talked. The holidays came around and Peter was with her when they went to Anna’s to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. Peter went to her doctor’s appointments and began reading baby books. He filled her freezer with nutritious meals for her to heat up throughout the week so she didn’t have to cook.
Emma tried to keep him at bay, but he wouldn’t let her. He never rescheduled and when he was with her, she had his complete focus. A day never went by where he didn’t say those three words. He wasn’t deterred by her silence. His excitement about the baby was genuine and slowly, she began to believe in him again. He tried to convince her to visit him in the city, but she refused until now.
Emma sat on the couch to wait for him. When she heard the key in the front door, her heart skipped a beat. The door flew open and Peter stepped in. His eyes scanned the room before they fell on her. A wide smile lit his face. He came over to her, leaned down and covered her mouth with his. She clutched fistfuls of his suit and dragged him against her.
“Do you know how it makes me feel to come home and see you here?” he murmured huskily.
“No.”
“I imagined coming here and seeing you like this. It feels better than I thought.” He rubbed his thumb over her lip. “I love you.”
She tugged and he knelt in front of her. She wasn’t surprised when he spread her thighs so he pressed up against her. She cupped his face with her hands and he stilled.
“I love you,” she whispered for the first time in months.
She saw the sheen of tears in his eyes before he dropped his head onto her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her.
“Thank God. Put me out of my misery.”
“What do you mean?”
He drew away and pulled a small box out of his pocket. He opened it up and the princess cut diamond ring dazzled her.
“I bought this after we came back from Victoria. I was going to show you I could be dependable when I moved in, but we had that fight and I went off the deep end. I don’t want anyone else. You’re it for me. You’re having my baby.”
His eyes narrowed when she didn’t speak.
“You’re damn well going to marry me,” he growled. “You’re not moving until you give me the right answer.”
“I’m scared,” she confessed.
“Everything will be fine once you say yes.”
A gurgle of laughter burst from her. “You’re relentless.”
“And yours. Just so you know, I adore you.” He kissed her again and it was part temper, part exasperation. “Put me out of my misery. Say yes.”
“Yes.”
“You won’t regret it,” he vowed.
His hand shook as he slid the ring onto her finger. He stared down at the ring for a few seconds before he kissed her again.
“What do you think of my new place?” he asked.
She framed his face with her hands. “It’s perfect.”
“Now all we need is my princess,” he said, patting her stomach. “Derek insists he should be godfather. He’ll teach her how to spot a prick from a mile away. I think it’s a good idea.”
Emma laughed. “I have something for you.”
“What is it?”
When Emma just grinned at him, he scowled. “You have too much damn secrets. Give over.”
She reached for the plate on the end table. He eyed the cupcake with white frosting dubiously.
“This is your surprise?”
“Eat a piece.”
Slightly suspicious, he obeyed and took a bite.
“It’s good.” He raised the cupcake. “Why’s the inside pink?”
“Because you’re having a girl.”
Peter choked. “What?”
“I had it confirmed today.”
Peter leapt up and punched his air in the fist as if he won the Super bowl. Emma laughed and shrieked as he picked her up in his arms and headed to the bedroom. He set her carefully on the bed and kissed her.
“Thank you,” he said reverently. “Do you have any more secrets?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Thank God.”
About the Author
A. P. Jensen was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. She spent several years on the mainland before moving home in November 2012 to pursue her writing career.
A. P. Jensen loves to read, write, travel, watch movies, listen to old-timer’s talk about the good old days and daydream. She has two dogs, Ali’i and Maile who are world travelers and tolerate the long hours she spends in front of the computer.
For upcoming releases, join her mailing list!
Connect with A. P. Jensen on Facebook
Titles by A. P. Jensen
Contemporary Romance
Emma’s Secret
Can’t Let Go
Hell on Heels Christmas
The Songwriter
Paranormal Romance
Unmemorable
Lost in Wolf Dreams
YA Fantasy
Birthright Series:
Birthright
Wintra (2014)
