Dirty (Unexpected Lovers #3) - J.B. Heller Page 0,18

Em chuckles.

“Yeah. I just don’t like change. You know that. But I’ll be fine. I’m always fine,” I assure her.

She arches a brow and rubs her rounded belly. “Dude, we all know what fine means.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say, averting my gaze. I know she’s about to quote one of our favorite movies, but I keep my mouth shut.

“Freaked Out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional,” she recites.

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I know. But seriously, I’m fine.”

“Uh-huh.” She gives me a knowing look.

“It is what it is,” I say, shrugging. A change of subject is required. “We should probably go direct the guys, or you’re going to end up with bedroom boxes in your bathroom.” I loop our arms together at the elbow then tug her out of the apartment.

A few hours later, after helping unpack many, many boxes and getting disgustingly sweaty, I duck back up to my place and grab a quick shower. We’re going to have a girls’ night in Em’s new crib.

I throw on a pair of jeans, a tank, and my favorite boots then head back down to Em’s. “Yo,” I call as I enter the apartment.

“In the kitchen,” Em yells.

She’s unpacking a box of wine glasses, and Storm, Sebastian’s twin, is perched on a barstool at the counter. Her baby belly is so enormous that her shirt keeps creeping up it.

“Hey, sexy mamas,” I greet them both then step beside Storm and wrap an arm around her, giving her a side-hug. “How’s it going, fatty?”

“Fat,” she mutters. “I’m so over it. I hate this part of pregnancy. Everything hurts, and I just want it to be over,” she groans, dropping her head on my shoulder.

My gaze lifts to Em, an evil grin curving my mouth. “See what you have to look forward to, Emmy? Aren’t you just sooo excited?”

She flips me off then reaches into the box for another glass.

Over the last few months, Storm has become the fourth member of our trio. I guess that makes us a quartet now?

“Kins should be over soon. I reckon she’s got some big news,” I tell them then steal a grape from the bag in front of Storm.

“Cool, cool, cool,” Em mumbles, getting on her tiptoes to slide another wine glass on the shelf. “Any idea what it is?”

“Nope.”

I frown as Em backs away from the box and rubs her lower back.

“You should sit down,” Storm says. “Let Bash do the rest. There’s only, like, three more boxes to do in here anyway.”

I open my mouth to second that, but something wet splashes against my leg. I glance down to see what it is, and a horrified shriek bubbles up my throat as I jump to my feet. “That better be pee! I am not equipped to deal with childbirth,” I yelp.

Em rounds the counter, and her hands flutter around Storm’s belly as she asks her a bunch of questions.

Storm’s smiling, like huge. Fuck that, I wouldn’t be smiling if I were her.

“I’m going to hold my baby today,” she says just as Kins enters the room.

“You’re going to what?” Kins blurts.

“She just leaked amniotic fluid all over my favorite boots,” I whine, but they all ignore me. Em’s on the phone, Storm is still smiling like a mad thing, and Kins’ hands hover over her own stomach . . . My eyes narrow on her. I’m pretty sure I just figured out her big news.

Before I can say anything about it, Sebastian and Jake burst into the apartment, each man going to his respective woman. Em’s freaking out, and Storm is clearly having some sort of mental breakdown over the impending exit of her third child, because that smile on her face is way too big for what’s about to go down.

Kins clears her throat, and I turn to face her as she says, “I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you Atticus and I are getting married?”

My eyes drop to her left hand as she extends it toward Em. Holy shit. That rock is huge.

“Since when?” Em asks.

“Since yesterday,” Kins says, a soft smile curving her lips.

“Jesus H. Christ, everyone is getting married and having babies,” I grumble, snatching Kins’ hand away from Em so I can examine the ring more closely. “But damn, if someone gave me a rock like that, I might just consider jumping on the relationship train.”

Kins and Em gape at me, and I chuckle. “Kidding,” I say, rolling my