His Off Limits Best Friend - Vivian Wood Page 0,73

her.

“You and I, I know it was just a business arrangement. And I don’t blame you any more than I do myself for this. But telling you is the right thing to do—”

He went rigid. “What are you trying to say?” he asked. Though he knew, deep down. He just needed to hear her say the words.

The color drained out of her face. “I’m pregnant.”

He was stunned. Just two words to change your life forever. “You’re… I’m…”

“If you’re going to ask if it’s yours, yes,” she said.

He nearly laughed. “I know that,” he said. “I don’t doubt it—”

“I just, I thought you should know. And I’m going to have it, so don’t try to talk me out of it. Or buy me off or whatever. And if you want to be involved in some way, that’s totally your call, but if not that’s okay, too—”

He kissed her into silence. God, she tasted good. It felt like home, natural and easy. He got hints of those multi-layered fruity gum pieces she loved, and her own sweet scent.

When they broke apart, he pressed his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I wish I could say more, but that’s the heart of it. I’m sorry for all the things I’ve done wrong, for all the assumptions I made. You didn’t deserve any of it.”

She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

“Do you, do you think you can forgive me?”

“Forgive you, yes,” she said. “But I… I don’t know if I want you back.”

His breath hitched. Connor’s head hung heavy. “I know I was wrong,” he said. “About so many things, countless things. And this isn’t an excuse, but—your past gets you. You know? My father, growing up in his shadow. There were times, with you, where I saw parts of him come out in me and I hated it.”

“You’re not like your father,” she said.

“And then there was Sandra. My ex. She—God, I guess she fucked me up worse than I thought. It didn’t help that I tried to make you just slide neatly into her place. And my dad, he bought her and then tried to pull the same stunt with you—”

“None of that matters,” she said simply. He realized she was right.

“I know,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“Connor,” she said as she put her hands on his shoulders. “I… look, if you ever so much as think about treating me like that again, even a whiff of it, I’m gone. Do you understand?”

A smile stretched across his face. She would take him back. He’d get one last chance. “I get it,” he said.

“This isn’t a game anymore,” she said. “Game’s over.”

He held her chin in his hands and looked into her eyes. “I know,” he said. “You know, I’ve… I’ve never even thought about being a father.”

She bit her lip and looked down. He traced a hand along her stomach. It felt just as smooth and taut as ever, but he swore he could feel the baby just centimeters from his fingers. A miracle had happened.

“Well, I never thought about being a mother,” she said. “Not anytime soon, anyway.”

“Plans are for suckers,” he said, and she laughed.

“I, you know, I think I know when it happened,” she said.

“Really? How could you possibly narrow it down?” he teased her.

“Call it a mother’s instinct,” she said. “But I know. Just like I knew I was pregnant without having to see the test. Monaco.”

“Really?” he asked. “I mean, that makes sense. We didn’t really do anything else during that time—”

She punched him lightly on the arm. Connor pulled her into his arms and carried her inside. She giggled and batted at his back. “Put me down!” she said. “You’re carrying precious cargo.”

“You’ve always been precious cargo,” he told her as he set her gently on his bed. “It’s just that it’s been doubled now.”

“So you’re not mad?” she asked. He was shocked, but saw the honesty in her eyes. How could she possibly think he’d be mad?

“Of course not!” he said. “I’m surprised, but happy. Isn’t that funny? I’m happy.”

She took his hand. “That’s not funny at all,” she said. “I’m glad. I’m happy, too.”

He kissed her and they stretched out on his bed. When he kissed her from her ripe lips to down past her throat, he lingered at her stomach and held his head against her warm skin. “What do you hear?” she asked quietly.

“Your heartbeat,” he told her. “It’s fast.”

She giggled. “Can you blame me?”

As he pressed his ear softly