by J. P. Comeau
“Please tell me you punched him in his throat.”
I scoffed. “Oh, I did more than that. I slapped him across his face, then hooked up with his best friend that night. And you should’ve seen his face when I came out of his friend’s bedroom. I wish I would’ve had a camera!”
He barked with laughter. “Roxy, you are one ballsy woman. And I like it.”
I reached for my water as his face lit up with joy. I still couldn't believe that things had gone over so well with him and this pregnancy announcement. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was actually happy things had worked out like this. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every moment I spent with him. Including our lunch hours at work.
Which we took together now, despite what people in the office thought.
“Uh, Roxy?”
I set my water down. “Yeah? What’s up?”
He nodded to my shirt. “Your button came undone again.”
I looked down, scoffing. “Are you fucking kidding me? Come on.”
He chuckled. “It’s kind of a nice look on you.”
I shoved my tits together to button it back. “There we go. All fixed.”
But, the second I let my tits relax, the button burst open again.
“Oops,” Clint said.
I groaned. “Damn it, I hate this. I absolutely hate it. I’ve read literally everywhere that women don’t have to buy new clothes for pregnancy until their second trimester, at least! But, all of my clothes are already growing tight. Every time I get up, my boobs are bigger. I couldn’t button my favorite pair of jeans the other day. Even my ankles are already swelling. I can’t slip into some of my heels anymore! And let me tell you something, I look terrible in flats. I can’t pull them off like Kelly can. I used to fit my little body into the latest fashions. I used to be a walking billboard for shops around here, you know? And now, I can’t even keep my blouses buttoned up. What in the world am I going to do?”
Clint’s voice pierced through my rant. “You could let me take you shopping like I’ve been telling you for days now.”
I looked at him sheepishly. “I’m so sorry. I’m rambling for no reason right now.”
He held out his hand. “Come here, princess.”
I melted inside every time he called me that, and I quickly slipped my hand against his.
“I’m really sorry. I just can’t get over how quickly my body is changing. It’s just--.”
He squeezed my hand. “Rest for a second and listen to me. Okay?”
I drew in a deep breath. “Okay. I’m sorry. What is it you were asking?”
He grinned. “For starters, you’re gorgeous. Curves look great on you, and I struggle at work sometimes to keep from staring at you.”
I blinked. “You do?”
He nodded. “I really do, Roxy. Your new curves are…”
He shook his head and licked his lips, making me blush in the booth we scored for lunch at my favorite deli place.
“You really like them?” I asked.
He growled. “More than you know.”
I smiled. “Well, if you like them, then I’ll stop complaining about them.”
“Hey, you listen to me right now. You’ve got plenty to complain about. Your body is changing at a rate you haven’t ever seen before. You're tired. Your favorite foods are making you nauseous. You complain however much you want. Just know that I’m here to listen and that I secretly love how your body is changing.”
My heart stopped in my chest. “How do you always do that?’
“Do what?”
“Make me feel so good after feeling so bad.”
He shrugged. “It’s a gift.”
I clicked my tongue. “Pompous windbag.”
He smiled. “Sexy vixen.”
I giggled, lowering my voice. “Daddy.”
His eyes darkened. “Be careful with that word, princess. Or I might just have to take you into the bathroom.”
“Is that a promise?”
He stood, pulling me up from the seat. “Come with me. I want to take you somewhere.”
“Hey, hey, hey. Now, wait just a second, mister.”
He paused. “What?”
“What makes you think I’m done eating?”
“The fact that you haven’t touched your food in well over fifteen minutes and have been waiting for me to finish my food. The ketchup made you sick again, didn’t it?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t know whether it’s nice or terrible that you can read me like that.”
“Maybe I just find you worth studying. Ever think of that?”
After tossing some money onto the table, he offered me his arm. And I gladly took it. These past couple of weeks with Clint felt more like a dream than a nightmare, and I wondered if he felt the same way. My feelings for him were growing stronger. Every time he showed up at my place with food and a kiss, I melted a bit more toward him inside. Granted, taking things slowly seemed stupid at this point. But, I still tried to keep an air of decorum around him.
He made it hard, though.
And some days, it was damn near impossible.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
He led me out to his car. “You’ll see.”
“So, we aren’t heading back to work?”
“Nope.”
I eased myself into his car. “Don’t we kind of need to go back and earn our paycheck?”
He chuckled. “I’m the boss. And as your boss, I say you can go back when I go back. There. Happy?”
I giggled. “If you insist, Bossman.”
He closed my door and jogged around to his side of the car, slipping quickly beside me behind the wheel. His hand gravitated to mine, and he held it as we took off, weaving our way into a part of town I didn’t recognize. There were plenty of places in Vegas I hadn’t visited, mostly because I was a creature of routine. Once I found a place I liked, I kept going until I exhausted it. That’s just how I’d always been. I always went to the same club on Fridays, a different club on Saturdays, and I had my three favorite places I interchanged evenly for lunch during the workweek.
I wasn’t as spontaneous as I came off sometimes to other people.
But, when we pulled into the parking lot, my jaw hit the floor.
“Clint, I said--.”
“Look at me, Roxy.”
I peered over at him. “Do we really have to do this now?”
He took my hand. “I’ve already called ahead and scheduled a two-hour reservation. This is the top maternity boutique in town, and when we walk through those doors, you’re going to have a team of stylists helping you pick out some outfits that will grow with you for the coming months.”
I blinked. “Did you say ‘stylists’?”
He nodded. “I certainly did. These women here are going to make you look and feel as fabulous as you’ve always felt, and they’re going to make sure we leave with clothes that will fit you just the way you want no matter what shape your body takes. And you have my permission to get whatever you want, no matter the price.”
“No matter the price?”
“Yep. Whatever it takes to make you feel as beautiful as you already are to me.”
I sighed. “Promise this isn’t going to suck balls?”
He kissed the back of my hand. “Since when have I ever not been a man of my word?”
I smiled softly. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
He grinned. “Maybe a bit.”
I rolled my eyes. “Come on. Let’s get in there, Windy.”
He chuckled. “All right, Sassy.”
We strolled into the boutique, hand in hand, and three women swarmed us the second we stepped inside. I looked up at Clint, and he smiled down at me before introducing me to the three women that had come to help us. I clung to him a bit more than usual. I felt out of place in an area of town I wasn’t familiar with and surrounded by strangers to boot. But, he held me tight and did all the talking as my eyes danced around the racks and racks of beautiful c
lothes made specifically for pregnant women.
“Wow. I didn’t know maternity clothes could be so beautiful,” I murmured.
Gloria, an older woman, giggled with delight. “Oh, yes. Maternity clothes have come a long way from when I had my three kids. But don’t you worry. By the time you leave here, you’ll be stacked with clothes that’ll make any runway model jealous.”
Jazzy, a pregnant woman herself, smiled brightly. “I get all of my clothes here. I refuse to go anywhere else. The fabric is so soft, and the stitching is of great quality. Want me to show you my favorite evening dress? I have it in all the colors we have stocked.”
I nodded. “I’d like to see them, yes.”
As I took Jazzy’s hand, Clint relinquished mine. And I didn’t even look over my shoulder to see where he’d gone off to. I never thought I’d walk into a store and feel so comfortable, but I did. These women helped settle my nerves as they walked with me through the racks of clothes, asking me all sorts of questions.
“What kinds of cuts do you like?”
“Are you a leggings or a jeans person?”
“Do you go out at night a lot? Dresses, or pantsuits?”
“What about business attire? What do you do for work?”
By the time I got into the dressing rooms, I had over fifteen outfits to try on. And every single one of them made me feel like a million bucks. From the work blouses in every color of the rainbow to the evening gowns that somehow slimmed me down, I was in awe of the quality of these clothes. And their shoe collection was outstanding! Heels and sandals in every shape and size, complete with materials on the sides of the shoe that expanded to accommodate swollen feet.
There wasn’t an outfit I wanted to put back on the rack.
I could already hear Clint saying, ‘I told you so.’
“How are we doing back here, ladies?” he asked.
I turned around with a smile on my face as I slid my hands down the red dress I had on.
“So, what do you think?”
When Clint came around the corner, I expected him to smile, or tell me I was beautiful. Something to flatter me and make me feel good about things. What I didn’t expect, though, was for him to be holding a massive milkshake and a teddy bear.
What I didn’t expect was for the teddy bear to fall from his hand.
What I didn’t expect was his eyes to roam my body as if he were a lion stalking out his prey.
“My God, Roxy.”
I blushed. “Too much?”
He shook his head. “Not at all, princess. You look--.”
I smiled. “So, you like it?”
“I’m speechless. You look fan-fucking-tastic.”
The boutique girls clapped their hands with delight as Clint walked up to me. He stepped up onto the podium and handed me the milkshake, watching as I took a long pull from the straw. His eyes wandered my body. His hands settled against my hips. I moaned at the taste of banana and mocha as my eyes fluttered closed, chugging the creamy goodness he’d brought just for me.
“I want this dress in every color you have, ladies,” Clint said.
I released the straw. “Except for orange.”
His eyes found mine. “Why not orange?”
“It looks terrible on me. Washes me out.”
He smirked. “Every color except orange, then.”
I held up the milkshake. “What’s this for?”
He thumbed over his shoulder. “Got a teddy bear for you, too.”
“Pssst,” Jazzy hissed.
When I looked over at her, she held the bear up for me and squeezed the hand, letting the bear talk.
In Clint’s voice.
“Just remember, Roxy: you’re my princess, and you’re gorgeous.”
My eyes watered with tears. “Oh, Clint.”
He cupped my cheeks. “You’re radiant, Roxy. And I don’t want you forgetting that even for a second.”
I giggled. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you're spoiling me.”
“Well, get used to it. Because our child is going to be just as spoiled.”
My voice lowered to a whisper. “I like the sound of that.”
I liked the sound of anything that reminded me that Clint wasn’t leaving.
18
Clint
“So, how are things at the business?” Dad asked.
I sipped my whiskey. “They’re going well. Just signed another contract with the realty company to provide security for a bunch of properties Brenden just snatched up. So, I’m in the process of hiring a full-time security team devoted to taking on those contracts.”
“Sounds like you’ve got more work than you can tackle.”
I shrugged. “I’ll get it sorted by the end of the week. The contract doesn’t start for another two weeks, so it’ll give me time to hire and train before throwing them into a job. And if I have an entire team dedicated to working with just the realty company, then that gives Brenden and Zane more opportunities to throw work our way. Which benefits everyone in the long run.”
He grinned. “I’m proud of you, son.”
I lifted my drink. “Here, here.”
I threw the rest of my drink back as my eyes wandered over to the fireplace. It was finally getting chilly in Vegas as the winter months settled around us. But, it didn’t put a damper on tourism or on our business. I felt someone pluck the glass from my hand as I gazed into the flames, wondering what it might be like to curl up with Roxy and bask in its warm glow with my hands splayed out over her growing stomach.
“I know you don’t like to talk about personal things. But, I’d like to ask you a personal question,” Dad said.
I looked over at him. “Go ahead. What’s up?”
“You seem a lot happier lately. A bit more chipper.”
I blinked. “Is that a problem?”
He snickered. “On the contrary. It’s nice to see. I haven’t seen you smile this much since you came home after your contract was up. But, I can’t help but think that smile isn’t because of work.”
“And you want to know what her name is.”
He winked. “I’m a man myself, Clint. I know what a good woman can do to a man’s soul. You've met someone, haven’t you.”
I’ve done a little more than ‘meet.’ “Roxy.”
He paused. “What about her?”
I smirked. “I’ve been seeing Roxy lately.”
“Kelly’s sister?”
“Yep.”
“The one that’s always out partying?”
“That’s the one.”
“The sassy one that never knows when to shut her mouth?”
My eyes hardened on him. “Are you saying you don’t like her?”
He chuckled. “On the contrary. I think she’s the only girl I’ve ever come across that might have a chance in hell of keeping up with you.”
I felt the glass slide back into my hand. “So, you approve?”
“Approve? What are you, twelve?”
I shrugged. “I mean, if I’m seeing someone, I’d like my parents to at least enjoy having her around.”
“Well, I love Kelly. And while Roxy is definitely wild, she’s not reckless. She’s living her life the way she sees fit, and I admire that in people. She seems good for you.”
Tell him about the pregnancy. “Thanks, Dad.”
“You should bring her over for dinner sometime. You know, so we can get to know her more.”
Just say it. You know they’ll be happy. “I’m sure she’d love that.”
“Is it serious between you two?”
Damn it, Clint. Say something! “I’d say it’s getting there.”
Dad smiled. “Then, here’s to a long and healthy life for you both.”
I raised my glass before Dad, and I threw the whiskey back, and not once did I open my mouth about the baby. I don’t know, it just didn’t seem right without speaking to Roxy about it first. And besides, I thought that kind of announcement should be done when she was with me, wit
h Mom here.
Just in case things did go sideways.
I set my glass down. “I hate to ruin the moment, but I need to get back to work.”
Dad stood. “Of course, of course. Thanks for agreeing to take your lunch hour with your old man.”
I grinned. “Old? When the hell did you get old?”
He barked with laughter. “When we had Zane. That’s when we got old.”
I chuckled. “Well, don’t tell him that. He’ll never let you hear the end of it.”
He walked over to me. “Come here, son.”
He held his arms out for me, and I wanted to back away. I didn’t like hugs. I didn’t like displays of affection like that. But, the allure of a hug from my father was one I’d never be able to resist. He wrapped his arms around me, and I felt like I was eight years old again. Sitting in his lap and crying against his chest because Brenden broke one of my toys. I squeezed my eyes shut. I patted his back and blinked back tears as I felt him kiss my temple.
“I’m so very proud of you, son. And I want you to know that you’ll never be forgotten.”
I drew in a deep breath and swallowed down the knot in my throat. I cupped the back of my father’s head before he brought his forehead to mine, connecting us the way we used to do when I was but a little boy. I heaved a heavy sigh before he released me, trying to ready my mind to get back to work.
But, I found myself diverting to Zane’s office.
I couldn't get the conversation with Dad out of my head, and I needed someone to talk to. Someone who understood what was going on. And because the girls had big-ass mouths that couldn't keep anything to themselves, my brothers had to find out second-hand that Roxy and I were pregnant. I was still irate with the girls, but I also couldn’t blame them. My brothers were their significant others, and I couldn't expect them to keep something like this to themselves.
What I wanted to prevent was Mom and Dad finding things out the way my brothers did.
“Hey! Clint!”
I slipped into Zane’s office. “We need to talk.”
He whistled. “Oh, boy.”
I closed the door behind me. “You got some time?”
He held his hand out. “I’ll always make the time. Come. Sit.”
I took a seat in front of his desk. “I don’t know what to do about Mom and Dad.”
