“Are you breaking up with me?” I blurted.
Fuck it, I had to know.
“What?” She had started to sit on my couch, but stood at my question. “No. Oh my God, no!”
“Can you just put me out of my misery then? The suspense is killing me,” I said, not sure if I should go to her.
“Come here.” She reached out her hand to me. I looked down at it, then back up to her face. “Come sit with me. I swear I’m not breaking up with you.”
I walked forward, slowly.
“You might break up with me, but I’m not breaking up with you.”
“What?” I shouted, stopping a few feet from her. “Why would I break up with you?” Did she cheat on me? That would be the only reason why I’d break up with her.
“Okay, maybe that was the wrong choice of words. Just let me talk. I’ve had four and half hours to think about what I was going to say.”
“You’re scaring the shit out of me, Baby.”
“Great,” she murmured, barely audible, but I still heard her. We both sat on the couch, our knees facing each other. All I wanted to do was wrap her in my arms and kiss her, but she hadn’t made any move to show me that I still could. “Remember our first night on the cruise?”
I nodded. I remembered everything about that night. Her smile. The way she’d laughed at my corny jokes. How she’d touched me for the first time. The first time our lips met. The way she’d tasted. The way she’d smelled. How I’d thought she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. How I’d fallen in love with her the moment I saw her.
“Actually, remember the next day when we started our game and said we’d never lie to one another?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve never lied to you.”
“That’s good.” I chuckled awkwardly.
“Okay, now go back to our first night together. Remember what happened?”
A huge smile spread across my face. “How could I forget?”
She smiled back. “Remember how the condom broke?”
“Yeah?”
“Okay, I’m just going to say it.”
Good because she’s really freaking me the fuck out.
“I’m pregnant,” she said, staring into my eyes with a sad smile.
Pregnant? She was pregnant?
“You’re…?”
She nodded.
“With my…?”
She nodded again.
“We’re going to be…?”
She nodded a third time.
I moved fast. One minute I was sitting next to Nicole, staring at her. The next I was on her like a cat in heat. She was going to have my baby. My baby. The love of my life was going to have my baby!
I’d had the itch to kiss her since the moment I saw her on my steps, but we’d never got that far, so I was kissing her all over now. I kissed her forehead, her eyes, her nose, her mouth, her ears, her neck and then back up to her lips. She was giggling below me, a sound I was scared I would never get the chance to hear again.
“So you’re not mad?” She laughed.
“How could I be mad?”
“I don’t know. Because I’m pregnant and we just started dating?”
“It’s because you’re the one I’m supposed to be with. Forever.”
“I like the sound of that.” She smirked.
“We can still…you know?” I asked, looking down at her breasts.
“Yeah.” She laughed.
“Good.” I leaned down and kissed her again, my hands working blindly as I started to tug at her scrub top to pull over her head.
Her hands reached for my T-shirt and we tugged, our mouths still pressed together. Lifting up, I pulled my shirt over my head and threw it on the floor. Nicole sat up so I could take her top off. I stared at her stomach for a few seconds then back up to her eyes.
“My baby’s in there?” It was a question, but I meant it more like a realization.
“Yeah.” She smiled.
“You have no idea how awesome I’m going to be as a dad! I’m not going to be like my parents. I’m going to be the exact opposite.” I kissed my way down her chest to her belly where my baby was. “I’ve had practice with Cheyenne, but this is my baby and I’m never leaving it.”
I didn’t care that we weren’t married or barely knew each other. For years I’d wanted to be a father, and in the end everything had happened for a reason. There was a reason we’d met on the cruise. There was a reason the condom broke. There was a reason she got pregnant.
She didn’t respond as I hooked my fingers in the elastic band of her scrub pants and started to tug them down. She lifted her butt and I shimmied them off with her panties, leaving her in only her bra. My dick was already straining against my jeans, searching for his prize. I scooted down the couch. One of her legs was resting on the back of the couch, the other on the floor. Her pussy was glistening, waiting for me to eat it.
“I’m glad you’re here.” I looked back up to her gorgeous face.
“Me too.”
I leaned down, my tongue running up her folds. She moaned at the contact and my dick jerked, wanting to break free. Soon Nicole would move in with me and I could do this whenever I wanted. I hated the distance between us.
Her arousal was my new favorite drink. If I could bottle it, I would. She was sweet like the nectar from a peach. The more my tongue licked, the more her juices got in my mouth, and I drank it like I hadn’t had water in days.
Nicole’s hands found my hair and her touch sent a shock through my body all the way to my toes. I wanted to savor this moment. I wanted it to last forever. But if I didn’t bury myself deep in her warmth, I’d bust a nut all over my couch.
Slipping two fingers inside her, she moaned again as I worked every inch of her pussy until her body jerked and she moaned her release. I kissed her while she came down from her high, my hands roaming her body.
“Now, my baby momma, on your knees and bend over the arm of the couch,” I said, kissing her nose.
“Yes, sir, baby daddy, sir!” She giggled.
I slapped her bare ass as she rose, then removed my jeans and boxers as she looked over her shoulder at me.
“So since you’re pregnant, I can go bareback now, right?”
“Yeah,” she said, biting her lip.
“Dammit, Nic,” I said, lining up my body with hers. “You and that fucking lip bite.”
“Just fuck me already.”
I cracked a sly smile at her. “With pleasure.”
She watched me over her shoulder as I eased into her, little by little, the warmth of her heat engulfing my dick. “Fuck,” I groaned. “You have no idea how good this feels with nothing between us.”
She moaned her response, pressing back into me with her ass until I was buried to the hilt. On my knees on the couch, I gripped her hips and began to thrust. She slid back as I thrust forward, our bodies moving together. My hands tighten on her hips, hers on the arm of the couch and we rocked.
“Oh God,” she moaned. “I’m so close.”
Reaching back, her hand slipped between her legs, her head resting on the arm of the couch, and my thrusts quickened at the sight. Sweat began to coat my skin as I continued to pound into her from behind. Everything about the sight in front of me was bringing me closer to the edge. Nicole’s ass in the air, her eyes closed as she pleasured herself, and the little moans coming from her mouth.
Her pussy clenched my dick and it was enough to make my body jerk. Cum squirted deep inside her, my ass clenching and my hips rocking as her warm pussy took all of my seed. She moaned at her release, panting until we were both exhausted.
“I didn’t hurt the baby did I?”
“No.” She laughed. “It doesn’t work that way.”
After we’d cleaned up, we went to bed. I didn’t want to think about the fact that she’d be leaving me again to return to Boston the next day. Now that we found out that she was pregnant, I didn’t want her to keep making the drive. I knew that wasn’t r
ealistic, but I was counting down the days until I didn’t have to watch her leave.
I called in sick to work the next day. I honestly didn’t care if they knew I really wasn’t sick. I didn’t tell them that I drove to New York after work; I just told them I needed a personal day. And I did.
Avery cooked me breakfast and now that we knew I was tired from being pregnant and hating cheese because I was pregnant, we didn’t need to worry that something was seriously wrong with me. I was just carrying his baby.
I’d always thought that I would be married and settled down before I had a baby—and maybe I would be by the time she gets here. Of course, I didn’t know if I was having a girl, but it just sounded better than it.
After breakfast, Avery gave me a key to our townhouse and once again we had to say good-bye. I couldn’t wait until I didn’t have to make the drive anymore. I hated everything about it, especially watching New York disappear in my rearview mirror.
I wanted to tell Brooke about my pregnancy, but I couldn’t. She had too much going on in her life and plus, I still needed to confirm it with a doctor, find out how far along I was and if I did get pregnant our first night together. So instead, I acted like it was any other Wednesday—except it wasn’t.
Brooke was having surgery in three days. She’d gone to the doctor for a second opinion and after talking to all her doctors and Dr. Sam, she scheduled her surgery. When she told me what day she was having surgery, I knew I had to get her sister to Boston. Brooke didn’t tell Bailee about her tumor, but I had to. If something was to happen and Bailee wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.
I called Bailee the day Brooke told me she scheduled her surgery.
“Hey, Nic,” Bailee answered on the third ring. “Or should I call you Mrs. Scott?”
I laughed. “Not yet.”
“How are you?” she asked.
We made small talk before I jumped in and got to the reason for my call out of the way. “Bai, remember in Cabo how Brooke was complaining about her shoulder?”
“Yeah?”
“Well…” I paused, looking out my kitchen window at nothing in particular. “She went to my doctor the day after we got back from the cruise.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s fine,” I heard Bailee sigh with relief. “Well, kinda. I mean…shit.”
“You mean shit?” She laughed.
“No.” I laughed back. “She has a tumor, Bai.” I stopped laughing.
“Oh…”
“Before you get all worried, we don’t know if it’s cancerous and she’s scheduled for surgery next Friday.”
“Oh my God! Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Brookie didn’t want you to worry. You know how she is.”
“I do, but I’m her sister. I should know.”
“I know.” I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. “That’s why I’m calling you. I want to book you a flight to come here when she has her surgery.”
“Okay. I’ll tell my teachers tomorrow. Book me a redeye on Thursday and I’ll go straight to the hospital from the airport when I get in.”
It was the day of Brooke’s surgery. Avery and I picked up Brooke and Easton as the sun started to rise and we drove to the hospital just like we had the day of Brooke’s biopsy. But this wasn’t just another test. This was the day. The day that might change our lives forever.
After Brooke checked in and the nurse brought her back to get her prepped for surgery, I felt like I was going to throw up. I still had heartburn off and on, and once I’d found out I was pregnant, I stopped drinking coffee. I was craving the caffeine. No alcohol and no caffeine for nine months, I might kill someone before I had my baby.
“What are we going to do if she has cancer?” Easton asked. Brooke had been in surgery for only a half hour.
My eyes darted to his. “Stop freaking out. If you freak out, then I’m going to freak out and then I won’t be able to sit down and it will be your fault as I pace for hours,” I said, rambling without catching my breath. I was freaking out.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to lose her.”
“We won’t, man. Let’s go get some coffee or something,” Avery said and stood up.
The boys each got a cup of coffee, me, a water. My mouth was watering as I smelled the vanilla goodness coming out of Avery’s cup and I wanted to just have one sip. One. Little. Sip.
“I think we should tell him,” Avery said. I looked up from staring at the caramel colored heaven, my eyes widening because I knew what he wanted to tell Easton.
“Tell me what?” Easton asked.
“It’s too soon,” I whispered.
“He’s my best friend,” Avery replied.
“Um…I’m sitting right here,” Easton said, from across the booth style table.
“Fine, go ahead,” I said, motioning with my hand like we were going to present some award.
“Nicole’s pregnant.”
“Oh, shit!” Easton gasped.
That was pretty much my reaction when I found out.
“Yeah, but it’s too soon. There’s still the chance I could miscarry,” I said.
“Oh shit,” Easton said again.
Avery was smiling at me. I could tell that he wanted to tell the world that he was going to be a father. From the moment I saw him with Cheyenne and the way he talked about her, I knew he would be a good dad. I wanted to tell the world, but I’d heard that the rule of thumb is not to tell people until you’re thirteen weeks. We knew I wasn’t that far along.
“How far along? Can’t be too far, right?” Easton asked.
“I’m not sure. I missed my period and took a home test on Monday.” I didn’t think Easton needed to know that I was worried about his girlfriend so much that I didn’t realize that I had, in fact, missed my period.
“Does Brooke know?” Easton asked.
“No, we—well, I haven’t told anyone. I didn’t want to tell her because of her surgery. I wanted to wait until after and when I knew for sure.”
“Dude, you’re going to finally be a dad,” Easton said, leaning over the table and punching Avery’s arm. This made me smile.
“Hope so.” Avery kissed the side of my head and had the biggest smile plastered across his face.
“Anyway, let’s wait and tell Brooke after she gets out of the hospital, okay?” I asked, looking between Avery and Easton.
“Yeah, of course,” Easton agreed.
We were sitting in the booth, not really eating, when my phone buzzed in my hand. I looked down and saw that I had a text from Bailee. I texted her where we were.
“Aw shit, we’re in trouble,” I said.
“What do you mean ‘we’re in trouble’? What’s wrong?” Easton asked.
“You’ll see in—”
“How could none of you tell me that my sister has a fucking tumor?” Bailee asked, storming into the cafeteria.
“Bai, calm down. You’re lucky I told you at all. Your sister didn’t want to worry you,” I said, standing.
“I don’t give a shit what she wanted. That’s my sister, and none of you decided to tell me that she had a tumor and we don’t know if it’s cancer?”
“It wasn’t our call. We were just doing what your sister said, and I only called you because I knew you would want to be here. So please, just calm down and let’s wait until she gets out of surgery. Okay?” I said, placing my hands on both of Bailee’s shoulders.
“All right, well how much longer?”
“At least another hour. We should go to the waiting room again,” Easton said.
“Easton, it’s good to see you again,” Bailee said. “My sister told me you two were together now. Good riddance to that fucker Jared.”
We all laughed.
“Yeah, good riddance is right.” Easton smiled.
We went back to the waiting room and did just that. We waited. I hated waiting. Everyone was getting updates on their loved ones, but we were left waiting. I couldn’t ta
ke it anymore. I walked up to the nurse’s station, ready to walk back into the operating room myself.
“I’m sorry, I still don’t know anything. Once we hear something about Ms. Bradley, we’ll notify you,” the nurse said.
I didn’t reply. Instead, I turned around and walked back to where we were sitting. I wanted to go to the operating room, but thought better of it. No sense in me getting kicked out of the hospital.
“She still knows nothing,” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest and sat back down next to Avery.
“I’m getting tired of this,” Bailee said and walked over to the nurse’s station.
I watched her as she talked with her hands, catching a few words here in there. “I don’t care…yes, I’m next of kin…we’ve been here for hours…I flew in from California…yes, why don’t you?… I’ll be right there where I have been for the last few hours,” she said, pointing to our group.
“What did you say?” I asked when Bailee came back a minute later.
“I told them that I flew in from California and they need to go find something out instead of just looking at their fucking computer.”
A few moments later, the nurse returned and called Bailee over.
“They said she is out of surgery, sleeping and in recovery. Only one of us can go back for a few minutes,” Bailee said, looking at Easton.
“Go ahead, you came from California and haven’t seen her,” he said, giving Bailee a tight smile.
“Thank you,” she said and leaned down to hug him.
“How long is she here for?” Easton asked when Bailee was out of earshot.
“She leaves Sunday early afternoon… I think the flight I booked is leaving at one in the afternoon.”
“No wonder you knew she was coming. You know Brooke is going to kick your ass, right?” Avery asked.
“I don’t care. I thought Bailee should know in case something happened.”
“I’ll protect you, Nic. I think you did the right thing,” Easton said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Thank you,” I replied, sticking my tongue out at Avery. He leaned over and kissed me.
Bailee returned a few minutes later and we all stared at her, waiting for her to speak. “She’s sleeping, but the attending nurse said that everything went as planned.”
The Halo Series Boxed Set Page 40
