Everything he was saying felt right. It was almost a relief for him to tell her what they should do and that that it would be okay. That wanting this was okay, because after today’s scare—the thought that she may be losing this tiny life inside of her—she knew she did want it.
Maybe this was one of those opportunities to take a new path. To sacrifice something she wanted because of her love for someone else. This baby. Maybe this was what she was meant to do. Become a mother. And Jake would be a good father, even if they weren’t together. He was such a good man.
“Okay,” she said. “I will.”
His eyes closed, and he leaned in to place a soft kiss on her nose. “Thank you.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were heading down the elevator, looking for where Charlotte had gone. As they left the office and made their way to the courtyard near the parking lot, they saw her. She was sitting beside Dean on a bench. As soon as she saw them she stood, anticipation on her face.
“Everything okay?” Charlotte asked.
“Yes, we saw its heart flapping.” Alex laughed and then looked around Charlotte at Dean, who’d stood up. His hands were shoved into his pockets, but as soon as she headed for him he took them out and let her walk into his arms.
Until now, she hadn’t realized how much she’d needed him through this. He’d always meant everything to her. The handsome teenage brother all her friends had been in love with and who had taught her how to ride a bike. The man who had held her after her parents had died and soothed her as she’d cried herself to sleep. And the same man who’d done the exact same thing when her fiancé had died a little over a year ago. How many times had he just let her cry on his shoulder? Could anyone really blame him for being overprotective after witnessing her go through so many heart-aching moments?
She’d never had any doubt that he would be supportive of her being pregnant. But she’d been concerned about the man who’d done the impregnating. His best friend—she knew that had to sting. Jake had described it perfectly when he said that Dean would feel betrayed, even though that was silly. She and Jake were both adults who could make their own decisions.
“Don’t be mad, Bean,” she said against his chest.
“Oh, Alex. I’m not mad at you.”
She angled her face to him. “Don’t be mad at anyone. Please.”
“I’m trying.” He stepped back and looked at her. “How are you?”
“A little better. I’ve been pretty sick.”
“Charlotte told me you’ve known for a few weeks.”
“I have. I wasn’t ready to talk about it though. I still wasn’t today, but this kind of rushed things along.” She glanced over at Charlotte. “Thanks for being here with me.”
“Anytime.” Charlotte gave her a weak smile. “I’m just glad everything is okay.”
Alex stepped back and stood next to Jake. He reached out and grabbed her hand, and Alex didn’t miss the way Dean’s eyes tracked their movements.
“We’re doing this,” she said to her brother. “We’re having a baby. Together.”
Jake gave her hand a squeeze.
“I’m going to continue to stay at Joel’s. He’s already offered.”
“What?” Dean asked. He looked at Jake. “Why can’t she stay with you?”
“Because,” she said, cutting Jake off, “I don’t want to. We’re not going to start shacking up just because we’re having a baby.”
“Even though I did offer,” Jake said tersely.
“What about the job in Virginia?” Charlotte asked.
“I’m going to inform them that I’m declining the offer,” Alex said.
Dean’s eyes widened in shock, but Alex could tell that the news made him happy. “Okay. Then what are you going to do for the next … seven months.”
“Well, have you hired a new front-desk person yet?” Had that just come out of her mouth? She felt Jake turn and look down at her.
“Alex,” he whispered. “Are you sure?”
“Well, have you?” she repeated.
Dean’s mouth quirked. “Nope. Not yet. If you want the job, it’s yours.”
Twenty-Five
Eight Weeks Later
Alex opened her desk drawer and pulled out her jars of peanut butter and Nutella. Taking her plastic spoon, she dipped first into the peanut butter, coming up with a dollop. Then into the Nutella, topping the peanut butter with it. Carefully, using one hand, she screwed the lids back on and dropped both jars back into the drawer before taking her first lick of the spoon.
“New favorite treat?” A voice came from the other side of the counter.
She jumped and looked up to see Jake grinning down at her.
“How do you manage to walk across these floors so quietly? It’s not nice to sneak up on a lady while she’s raiding her secret snack stash.”
He stood up straight and walked around the counter and behind her desk. It had taken her a while to get used to them seeing each other so frequently. She worked three, sometimes four, days a week at the Stag. And the two of them had tried to keep things professional, but sometimes it was difficult. Especially since pregnancy hormones made for some surprising and naughty urges.
It didn’t help that he was so damn handsome.
“Stand up,” he said, motioning with his finger.
“Do you not see how degrading that request is? You want to inspect me like livestock.”
“Yes I do,” he said with a grin. “Stand.”
She sighed dramatically but did as he said. The minute his eyes zeroed in on her melon-sized pooch, his hands instantly framed her waist.
“God, I can’t get enough of this.”
“You’re so weird,” she said, laughing when he hunched down and kissed her belly button.
He tilted his head up to look at her. “Come over tonight. Please?”
He’d been trying to get her to have sex with him for a month. And it wasn’t that she didn’t want to. She did. They hadn’t been intimate in that way since Nashville, which felt like ages ago. They’d kissed a lot, but she’d held back on anything more for some reason. The idea of letting herself go too much, playing this game to the point of no return, scared her.
But damn, these pregnancy sex dreams were making it harder and harder to say no.
“Fine.”
He popped up from the floor, eyes wide. “You mean it? Please, mean it. I even have a surprise for you,” he said, leaning into her forehead.
“You do? What?” Now she was excited about more than just sex.
He smirked. “You have to come over to find out. I’ll pick you up at six.”
“Okay, fine. Now go away before someone sees us,” she said, shoving him out of her desk area.
* * *
Alex put some lip gloss on in the hall bathroom at Joel’s house.
“Somebody here,” he called from the living room.
“Be right out. It’s Jake.”
“You sure? It’s a white SUV.”
Alex frowned at the mirror and then looked at her phone. 5:58. It had to be him. Putting her lip gloss away, she turned off the light and headed for the front door. “It’s him, all right,” she said.
“He must have gotten a new car,” Joel said, staring at the TV.
“Not sure. Bye, Joel. I’ll probably, uh…”
“See you tomorrow,” he said, still staring at the screen.
She bit back a laugh and left. By the time she got into the driveway Jake was standing outside the shiny SUV grinning.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Well,” he put out a hand. “It’s my baby mama’s new ride.”
She stopped short, her eyes roaming back over the vehicle. “What do you mean?” And why had he called her his baby mama? Why had the sound of it made her so … sad?
“I got this car. For you.” His excitement had quickly turned to wariness.
“Jake.” She stepped forward and touched the front hood. It was so smooth, so new.
“Where’s the Wrangler?”
“I traded it in.”
Alex jerked her eyes back to him. “For this? What will you drive?”
“I got you this and me a smaller used car.” He shrugged. “No big deal.”
“You can’t be serious.” She walked around to the side, and he moved so she could see inside. “Oh my God. It’s gorgeous.”
“Sit down.”
She did, her hands instantly going to the steering wheel. “I haven’t had a car in years. I can’t believe this.” She’d sold the car she and Dean had gotten her in high school when she’d first been deployed. She’d never needed it when she’d been stationed stateside either, so it hadn’t made sense to have it sit and pay property taxes for nothing. When she’d gotten back she’d assumed she’d be living in the D.C. area and that she wouldn’t need a vehicle that badly. But now …
“I don’t know what to say,” she said, her fingers trailing over the console buttons.
“Say you love it.”
Alex turned her head to find him leaning against the doorframe, face rather close to hers. She lifted her hand and touched his jaw. “I love it,” she said quietly.
His lips quirked and then he leaned in and kissed her softly. “Drive us home,” he said, pulling back and closing the driver door.
Home.
He walked around the front and got in, so Alex started up the engine. She let out a little squeal of excitement. “How old is this car? It’s amazing!”
“Brand new. You’re the first owner.”
“Jake,” she said. “You should not have done this.”
“Alex, you’re going to have our baby. I can’t, in good conscience, leave you without transportation. And I certainly can’t let my baby ride around in a piece of shit. It’s not safe.”
“I’m going to help you make the payments.”
He shook his head. “Fine, then get us home. I’ll show you how you can make your first payment.”
She laughed as she backed out of the driveway. “I bet you will.”
* * *
Sex with Alex had been amazing every time. But sex with the woman carrying his baby … Good God, it was something else, Jake thought as he looked up at Alex riding him.
She had a hand on each breast, her eyelids fluttering.
“Squeeze them,” he groaned. Nearly coming right then as he watched her fingers pinch her nipples. “Shit, baby, yes. Just like that. Come here.”
She fell forward, her tits falling into his face. They were so much fuller and rounder than they had been before, her nipples a dark rose color, and every time he sucked on one she moaned as if it was the best thing that had ever happened to her.
At this angle he could feel her tummy between their bodies, and he swore the idea of it made him grow even harder inside of her. Was that normal? To be so insanely turned on by the idea of a woman carrying your baby? If not, he was fine to be labeled a freak, because he fucking loved it.
As she picked up speed, bouncing on top of him, he grabbed her ass, trying to slow her down. “Hold up, Alex. You’re gonna make me come.”
They hadn’t bothered with condoms tonight. He’d gone to the doctor recently, and she was already good and knocked up, so hell, why bother? And holy shit, the pleasure of being skin on skin inside of her was so raw and intense he could die a happy man right here.
She let out a guttural moan and he knew she was coming. Again. He began to piston up inside of her, meeting her grind as they both finally came together.
After a moment she sat up and swiped her hair off her face before leaning back down to kiss him. “Four times. It’s a record.”
He chuckled against her lips, loving how into it she’d been tonight. They’d had intercourse twice, but yeah, she’d come four times. He felt good about that, although, whatever this pregnancy horniness she’d mentioned was doing to her, he was into it. Who would have thought he’d have the best sex of his life with a pregnant woman? Then again, he knew it was more than that. It was sex with Alex. His pregnant woman.
* * *
The next morning Alex crawled out of Jake’s giant king-sized bed early. She was parched, something she’d been dealing with frequently the past few weeks. Thankfully he didn’t stir as she got up and walked quietly into the kitchen in a T-shirt and panties.
She was still surprised by how nice and homey Jake’s duplex was. It was painted a light gray and all of the furnishings were neutral and simple, but comfortable and attractive. According to him, one of his sisters-in-law worked at a furniture store and had helped him. Whatever the reason, Alex had liked it immediately.
She was so thirsty she grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and just filled it from the tap. As she drank, she wandered into the living room snooping around at his books, photos of his family and friends, and what he had laying on his coffee table. Surprisingly, nothing but a remote. He was amazingly tidy.
Even the kitchen had been pristine. The sun was coming up so she peeked out the front curtains, smiling when she caught sight of her new car. She still couldn’t believe he’d done that for her. No one had ever done anything so huge.
The sight of the shiny white SUV made her wonder. What kind of car had he gotten himself in place of the Jeep Wrangler, which she’d known he’d loved a lot if the amount of custom work on it was any indication?
She stepped back into the kitchen and opened a door she assumed went to the garage. It was dark inside, so she searched for a light switch. The minute she located it and flicked it on, she sucked in a breath.
Inside the one car garage set a black two-door … something. She couldn’t even place what brand it was. It was clearly several years old. Not junky, but so far removed from the chick magnet, bachelor ride that the Wrangler was, she almost couldn’t breathe.
Footsteps sounded behind her and she stepped out from the garage door and shut it.
“What are you doing? You feeling okay?” Jake stood there in baggy pajama pants, eyes squinted, hair mussed.
She instantly set her water glass down and walked into his arms. “Yes, I’m okay. I’m just sad.”
“Why?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her.
“Your car.”
His gravelly chuckle had her looking up at him.
“You don’t dig it?”
“Why did you get rid of the Wrangler?”
“So I could get the other one?”
“But why? You could have just gotten me the car in the garage. I don’t need something so nice.”
He narrowed his eyes, obviously confused. “Alex, I already explained this. You are pregnant with our child. When it’s born you will be driving the two of you around. I need you to be safe. That’s all that matters.”
“But you loved the Wrangler.”
He looked at her as if she was speaking another language. “You’re more important than that, Alex. I’d never been so excited to buy a car in my life than when I drove that car off the lot for you.”
Her lips parted. “You’re unbelievable, Jake Cooper.”
He smirked. “You’re damn right. Don’t forget it.”
There was no way she could, because it scared her to death.
Twenty-Six
Day 534 Twenty weeks pregnant
Apparently, the baby is the length of a large banana. It’s so weird to imagine. I’ve actually felt great lately, but I keep hoping I’m going to feel him moving. Every night I lay in bed waiting, but so far, nothing. Today I’m meeting Jake’s family, and I’m so nervous. He told them about me being pregnant a month ago, but we’ve put off the intros because of me. I don’t know why I keep stalling. What if they don’t like me? What if I like them too much?
I think I’m going to wear the opal necklace Regina gave me. I don’t know why. Today I choose to feel excited.
Alex took a deep breath as Jake pulled into the driveway of a modest middle-class two-story home. The lawn was deep green and meticulously manicured, the landscaping a
round the home mature but also cared for with the same detailed hand. “You grew up here, right?”
“I did,” he said before getting out of the car. They’d taken her SUV, but he’d driven. She clumsily slid out of her side, her gut seeming to come out of nowhere over the last couple of days. She’d officially had to switch to maternity pants only about two weeks ago, and it was odd to feel like she was starting to get front heavy.
“Do I look okay?” she asked. She’d worn dark jeans, a striped cotton top, and brown boots. She hadn’t really known how to dress, still trying to figure out dressing in maternity clothes.
“You look gorgeous, Alex. Just like you did the last time you asked.” He winked at her before they walked up the driveway. She’d noticed there were several other cars parked in the street, which only added to her nerves.
“Did you get the box?” she asked. He held up a wrapped box in his left hand.
When they got up to the front door he knocked and then immediately opened it and stepped inside. “We’re here,” he called out into the entryway.
Voices came from the back of the house, presumably the kitchen, and then a woman came down the hall grinning. “Hello,” she said in a singsong voice.
“Hi, Mom,” Jake said. He wrapped an arm around her, giving her a quick hug before turning back to Alex. “Mom, this is Alexis Parker.”
“Hello, Mrs. Cooper,” Alex said. She’d considered putting her hand out, but immediately the woman wrapped her in a giant hug.
“Alex, I can’t even tell you how excited I am to meet you. And please call me Sharon. Or Gamma, that’s what the other grandkids call me. Not that you’re a grandkid, but, well … you’ll be having one.” She let out a little squeal of excitement, still holding onto Alex’s hand. “You’re going to have to excuse us for being a little excited, but we had resigned ourselves to the idea that there would never be any baby Jakes in our lives.” She grinned.
Alex smiled and looked at Jake, who raised an eyebrow. “Told you,” he said. “I’ll try not to be insulted by that, Mom. Again.”
Maybe for You--A Whiskey and Weddings Novel Page 23
