Bridgette smiled to herself as she thought about Harper, things had certainly heated up recently between her and Grant. It was cute to watch them flirt and try to keep things on the down low. She had tried to pressure Harper for info but she had been very coy about details and would simply smile and turn a bright shade of red. She was just so happy to see her friend having a good time and hoped only the best for her and Grant.
“Sweetheart?” Luke pushed Bridgette’s hair away from her face and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Baby you awake?” She groaned and rolled over, blinking as she tried to register what was happening. Luke was scooping his arms under her body as he lifted her off the couch. She moaned as she flopped her head against his shoulder.
He placed her back in bad and pulled the the covers around her, “I woke up and you weren’t in bed. Try to get some sleep baby.” He crawled into bed behind her and pulled her tightly into his chest. She didn’t realize she had fallen asleep on the couch and she had no idea what time it was. It was still dark out so she let her heavy eyelids fall closed again and relaxed into Luke’s warm embrace.
By the time Bridgette opened her eyes again morning had rolled around and the sun was peaking in through the shades. She groaned and rolled over reaching for Luke who had already gotten up. She rubbed her hands over her face and sat up slowly, the smell of breakfast was wafting into the room and she could hear Luke banging around in the kitchen. She smiled to herself briefly as a wave of nausea rolled over her. “Oh god!” She said to herself as she scrambled out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. She barely made it in time before expelling the contents of her stomach into the toilette.
She was splashing cold water on her face and leaning over the sink when Luke entered the bedroom with a tray of blueberry pancakes, coffee and fresh orange juice. The smell hit her again and she could feel her stomach about to do a flipflop. She quickly slammed the bathroom door as she doubled back over the toilette.
When she finally emerged from the bathroom Luke was sitting on the end of the bed with a helpless look on his face. He had returned the tray of food to the kitchen, realizing she was battling morning sickness. Bridgette felt terrible, she knew it wasn’t her fault but he had gone to so much trouble and it was all for nothing. “I’m so sorry,” she said as she sat down on the edge of the bed next to him. He reached out and brushed her sweaty hair off of her forehead.
“Don’t apologize baby.” He kissed her temple as he pulled her in for a warm embrace. “Is there anything I can do? Or get you?” He planted another kiss on the top of her head as his arms squeezed her tighter.
She giggled a little as she pulled his arms from around her, “Well don’t squeeze me to death unless you want round four of vomit all over you.” He threw his hands up and leaned away from her in jest. “No I’m ok, just need some water and maybe some crackers and I’ll be good. I know women deal with this all the time so I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t handle. I am however going to jump in the shower for a few minutes. What did you want to do today?”
Bridgette stood and began removing her pajamas as she spoke. Luke couldn’t help but get distracted by her now exposed breasts. The cool air had woken up her nipples and they looked as though they were begging to be kissed. She leaned down and slipped her shorts and panties over hips and down her slender legs. Luke groaned as he stood up from the bed, unable to hold back any longer.
Bridgette held out a hand to him just as he reached for her, “Easy big guy, that look is exactly how I ended up in this condition.” He smirked as he grabbed her extended hand and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. He didn’t hold back, massaging her tongue with his own as he pressed his body against hers. His cock throbbed against her bare belly as his hands reached down to cup her firm breasts. Bridgette grabbed both of his hands and broke the kiss, “As enticing as this is, I need to shower babe, I just puked my guts up.” Luke groaned and stepped back allowing her to slip out of his grasp and head into the shower. “You still didn’t tell me what you wanted to do today.” She said over the sound of the shower, “And don’t say me because that’s not an option.” She knew better than to leave that on the table or she would end up on her back all day…and knees and side and any other creative way that man could get at her.
“Fine!” He said, pretending to sound hurt. “I was thinking maybe we could go look at some nursery stuff. I was going to suggest we go to that French bistro you love but now I’m not sure with how you reacted to breakfast.” Bridgette was still hung up on hearing him say ‘nursery stuff.’ She was barely six weeks along and he already wanted to start using their free time to look at baby things? She finished up her shower and toweled off, she was just wrapping the towel around her when Luke stepped in the doorway. “I was also thinking that we could go look at rings.”
Bridgette finished brushing out her hair and reached for her face cream, “Rings? What kind of rings?” She dipped her fingers into the pot and rubbed a healthy dollop of moisturizer onto her face.
“Uh, like a ring. Engagement rings, THE ring ya know.”
Bridgette froze, slowly dropping her hands from her face as she looked at Luke in the mirror. “Engagement rings? Why?” She placed her hands on the counter as she felt the blood rush from her head leaving her dizzy.
“Because we are having a baby and I want to marry you and it’s the right thing to do.” Luke looked genuinely confused. He thought she would be ecstatic at the suggestion.
“The right thing to do?!” Bridgette pulled her towel tighter as she pushed past him to get to the closet.
“I don’t understand Bridge I thought you’d be happy. Why are you so upset?”
She hurriedly threw on a pair of shorts and tank top, she couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with him. “Because I don’t want to be an obligation Luke! I want to get married to someone who wants to marry me for me, not because I’m carrying their obligation in my uterus or because it’s the right thing to do.” She said with dramatic air quotes.
“Bridgette you know that isn’t the case! You know I don’t see you or the baby as an obligation. I told you months ago I wanted a family with you. Don’t be selfish!”
“Selfish? I’m being selfish? How Luke? Because I want a proposal that doesn’t involve an unplanned pregnancy? It’s not exactly every little girls dream to be told that marrying her because she’s knocked up is the right thing to do. So yeah, call me selfish but I never dreamed that my first serious talk about marriage and a future with someone would go this way.” Tears had filled her eyes at this point and she was fighting to keep them from running down her cheeks.
She slipped on some sandals and grabbed her purse. She didn’t even care that her hair was wet, she just needed to get out of his place. “Where are you going Bridgette?” Luke followed her through the condo as she made her way to the door.
“Look there’s a lot going on right now and I just need some space Luke. I need time to myself to think and figure some stuff out.” Before he could say a word she turned and walked out of the door.
Chapter 2
To say things were tense was a bit of an understatement. Since the fight they had on Saturday, Bridgette and Luke had barely spoken and interactions they did have were brief. Luke had agreed to give Bridgette some space but it was killing him, he was worried about her but mostly he missed her. When he did try to engage her about things she had told him that she was tired of their conversations always being about the baby. She missed them, she missed that shared connection they had that didn’t involved planning a birth or nursery designs.
* * *
Luke wanted to confide in Grant but it was hard and he didn’t want to take away from Grant’s new found happiness with Harper. Hell, even trying to pry him away from her for a beer was a whole ordeal. He liked giving him a hard time about it but truthfully he was so happy for his friend. It was a Tuesday night and Luke was sitting in his living room staring at the city skyline. He wanted to open up to Bridgette and tell her how
scared he was, that he wasn’t sure how to be there for her or support her. He was terrified of being a bad father and husband; that he wouldn’t know how to be what she needed.
* * *
As much as he wanted to tell her those things he knew he couldn’t put that on her right now. She needed to find strength in herself and he knew that. He just wished he could help her. He let out a long sigh and reached for his phone debating on if he should call her. He stared at the screen, hovering over the green button. “Agh!” He slammed his phone down and decided to go for a run instead, pounding the pavement had always helped him clear his head and he needed it now more than ever.
❖
* * *
The days were all blending together for Bridgette. It had only been four days since she had seen Luke but it felt like an eternity. She didn’t want to admit that the lack of sleep, lack of appetite and general grumpiness were all direct factors to her decision of needing space. She was struggling through her days, work seemed mundane, food had lost its taste and she was taking out her frustration and sadness at Harper’s bootcamp classes.
* * *
“Hey you don’t look so great Bridge are you sure it’s ok you’re taking this class in your condition?” Harper reached out and rubbed her friend’s arm.
* * *
Bridgette swatted her away and rolled her eyes, “Yes I’m fine.” She was annoyed at her friends concern, mostly because she knew it was well placed but also because she just wanted to not have her “condition” referenced for once when someone was talking about her well being.
* * *
“Okay sorry, just listen to your body ok? please? Tonight’s class is intense so just don’t push it too much.” Bridgette nodded and forced a smile as she took a drink from her water bottle and headed into the studio.
* * *
Harper wasn’t kidding, the class was extremely high intensity tonight. Lots of jumping and kicking and the dreaded burpees. She didn’t push as hard as she normally would, she had to admit that she wasn’t exactly eating like she should be and she could feel her energy waining but she powered through to the end.
* * *
The girls met back up in the locker room after class, “Hey you want to grab something to eat?” Bridgette threw her stuff in gym bag and flung it over her shoulder.
* * *
“Not tonight but thanks. I’m exhausted and I have a huge board meeting tomorrow that I should prep for. Maybe next time though?” Bridgette tried to put up a good front but she could tell Harper was catching on. She hadn’t confided in her friend the struggles she was going through with Luke, it felt too vulnerable to share.
* * *
“Okay well if you need anything or just want to chill out let me know ok? I haven’t heard from you much and I miss you.” Harper put her arm around Bridgette’s shoulders as they walked out of the gym.
* * *
Bridgette stood on the sidewalk debating if she should call an Uber or walk the seven blocks home. She felt more exhausted than normal and her balance seemed to be struggling. Deciding against the Uber, she made her way back toward her apartment, letting her mind wander to what Luke might be doing. It was starting to hit her that she was the one pushing him away, she couldn’t believe how selfish she had been. She decided that when she got home she was going to call him, she needed to hear his voice.
* * *
She walked a little faster as she approached her building, bounding up the three flights of stairs to her apartment. She had just about reached the final landing when she felt her head start to spin. The sound of her footsteps became muffled as black began to close in on her. She could feel her heart racing as she frantically reached for the railing but it was too late. She felt herself fall backward, losing consciousness before her limp body crashed down the stairs.
* * *
Bridgette blinked several times, trying to register the foreign sounds and bright lights that surrounded her. Her vision was still fuzzy and her hearing was slowly returning. “Ma’am?” A voice she didn’t recognize called out to her. “Bridgette Summers?”
* * *
She slowly pulled herself up as the room came in to focus. “Where am I?” Suddenly the throbbing pain in her head hit her like a bus, she groaned as she reached back and felt her a large bump that hard formed on the back of her skull.
* * *
“You’re at Northwestern hospital Bridgette, do you remember what happened?” The nurse was leaning over her shining a light in her eyes as she spoke. Bridgette whined and tried swatting her hand away. The words hospital took a moment to register, she immediately grabbed her stomach as fear gripped her.
* * *
“Hospital? I’m pregnant! Is my baby ok?” Bridgette couldn’t hold back the tears as she looked down at her stomach.
* * *
“How far along are you? We’ll make sure we do an ultrasound right away to check on the baby’s health. Bridgette I need you to listen to me. You fell down a flight of stairs in your apartment building and your neighbor called it in. Do you remember any of that?”
* * *
Bridgette nodded slowly as she wiped away the snot and tears. It was slowly starting to register with her what had happened. She remembered running up the stairs to call Luke and how everything had went black. She told the nurse what she could remember and asked if they had called Luke.
* * *
“Is Luke the baby’s father? I can reach out to him if you give me the number. For now though, I need you to relax. The doctor will be in shortly and we’ll get an ultrasound tech in here asap to get a read on your baby ok? Try to drink some fluids and I’ll be back in about an hour or so to check on you again.” She gave Bridgette at terse smile as she grabbed her stethoscope and left the room.
* * *
Bridgette laid back slowly, her hands naturally cradling her stomach. She felt ashamed, Luke was right she was being so selfish about this whole situation. Tears flowed from her eyes as she spoke to her unborn baby, “I’m so sorry, mommy wants and loves you so much. Just please be ok, please.” She whispered the words over and over again, wishing and praying for her unborn child to be ok.
* * *
Luke stepped into the room but stopped when he heard Bridgette talking to their baby. His heart shattered as he saw her hopeless and broken. A tear fell down his cheek as he watched her profess her unconditional love for this helpless little baby. He couldn’t take it any longer and he walked over to her bedside. She burst into sobs as he pulled her into his arms and they wept together.
* * *
“I’m so sorry.” Bridgette said over and over again through her sobs.
* * *
“Don’t apologize sweetheart, I didn’t handle things well and this is not your fault.”
* * *
Bridgette was just telling Luke that they weren’t sure about the baby when the doctor came in with the ultrasound machine and tech. “Bridgette Summers?” He introduced himself and explained that he was going to have a look at the baby and then do some more comprehensive tests on Bridgette to make sure there was no internal bleeding.
* * *
The technician squirted a large globe of the cold gel on her stomach. She could feel herself holding her breath as she squeezed Luke’s hand as tight as she could. He placed the wand on her lower abdomen and began to move it around to find the heartbeat. The seconds felt like hours and then, the rapid sound of a heartbeat filled the room. Bridgette exhaled as she and Luke burst into tears again.
* * *
“Well mom and dad it looks like everything is ok with baby, the heartbeat sounds strong and looking at the measurements everything seems to be right on track. I would like to suggest that over the next few days you watch out for any spotting or bleeding, make sure you’re eating properly and taking in a lot of fluids and resting ok?”
* * *
Bridgette and Luke both nodded eagerly at the doctors instructions. He then grabbed his flashligh
t and told Bridgette he wanted to do a few nerve response tests. “Everything looks ok but you did sustain a concussion in your fall. Your neck feels ok, and I didn’t find any broken bones or fractures but I want to keep you overnight for observation. We’ll make sure you are getting enough fluids and check in to make sure there’s no hemorrhaging or clots ok?” He turned toward Luke, “You’re more than welcome to stay as well, I’ll have the nurse bring in some bedding for you.”
* * *
They both thanked the doctor as he left the room. Luke pulled the chair closer to Bridgette’s bed as he grabbed her hands in his own and leaned forward. “Listen there’s something I want to tell you. I…I’m scared too. You’re not alone in this Bridge. I’m terrified that I won’t know how to support you or the baby emotionally, that I won’t be enough. That I’ll fail as a father and partner to you. I want to be everything you need but I know there are times I’ll feel lost and helpless. I hate that feeling Bridge but I can’t lose you because of it.”
Sweet Temptation_A Billionaire Virgin Romance Page 10
