The Rock Star's Baby Bargain - Lili Valente Page 0,67
he’s about to say even more. “I know this is probably going to sound crazy. I’ve been holding back, trying to wait long enough to have a shot at you taking me seriously, but…” He searches my gaze while I hold my breath, praying this is going where I think it’s going. “But I’m so in love with you, Cee. I don’t just want a baby with you. I want a life, a family, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
I blink back tears and shake my head. “No, you won’t. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen. I love you too much to ask you to turn your back on your music and your fans and—”
“I won’t have to do that,” he cuts in with a smile. “I can find a way to reach them from Hidden Kill Bay. I don’t have to tour all the time.”
“But that’s how musicians make money now,” I counter, forcing myself to be realistic, no matter how much I want to drag him to the bed and show him how thrilled I am to be his dream all night long. “I know streaming services and pirating have cut into artists’ ability to make a living. And record sales aren’t anything close to what they used to be and no one—”
“All of that is true,” he says, still grinning like there isn’t a cloud on our horizon as he links his hands together at the small of my back, making my nipples tighten as they brush against his chest. “But I have money. A lot of money. Profit isn’t my top priority right now. If it were, I wouldn’t have left a successful band that does very well for itself. I just want to make music I believe in. Music that’s uniquely mine and nobody else’s.”
“And to share it with other people,” I challenge. “That’s a part of it, you know it is. It’s like the tree in the forest. If an album drops and no one listens, did the album drop at all?”
His expression sobers. “The album dropped. The music is still there, and no one can take that away. But, yes, sharing the music is part of the process, and I will have to do some touring if I want people to keep listening. But you and the baby can come with me. We’ll get two buses. One for me, you, and the kids. One for the band and the full-time roadies.”
“The kids,” I echo, throat so tight I can barely get the words out. “That sounds…” I swallow hard. “You have no idea how wonderful that sounds, but what if it isn’t that easy? What if being on the road with young children is stressful and exhausting? What if I’m unhappy and you’re unhappy, and our only choice is to live separate lives while you’re on tour?”
“Then I’ll stop touring,” he says, meeting my doubtful gaze with a certain one. “But I think that’s a decision that can wait until we get to that bridge, don’t you? There’s no need to borrow trouble from tomorrow, not when today is so good.” He beams down at me. “I love you, and you love me. How amazing is that?”
I bite my bottom lip, but Zack shakes his head. “No. This isn’t the time to stress.” Lifting a hand, he gently tugs my lip from between my teeth, the feel of his guitar string-calloused fingers on my mouth making my pulse beat faster. “Now is the time to celebrate,” he adds in a deeper voice. “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted you more than I do right now. I want to be inside you so badly, Cee.”
He shifts his hips forward, pressing his erection against my hip. Instantly, my blood rushes faster and tingles race across my skin, but I refuse to let my body call the shots right now. It’s too dangerous.
“We should use a condom,” I say as he backs me toward the bed. “We’re not finished with this conversation. We shouldn’t risk getting pregnant again until we are.”
He steps away from me so fast that I feel the loss of his heat like someone dumped a bucket of ice water over my head.
“Fine, then we’ll finish the conversation first.” His gaze rakes up and down my body, making my nipples bead even tighter beneath my tee shirt. “Then I’m going to undress you with my teeth, kiss every irresistible inch of you, and take