Knocking Boots - Willow Winters Page 0,74

and I care for you….” His words are genuine and sincere.

“Wait. Wait.” I stop him and try to remember every thought I had last night. How he doesn’t have to be with me because I’m pregnant. How he can be in the baby’s life or not.

“I want to tell you something first… I…” I have to suck in a deep breath and stare at the ceiling to tell him. “I’m pregnant,” I say. Even though I thought I cried all the tears earlier, my eyes well up.

Charlie blinks a few times. “What?”

“I swear I didn’t think I could…” I can’t breathe as Charlie stands, his brow knit and he comes around the sofa, closer to my bed. My heart pounds.

“When did you find out?” he questions and in the million ways I imagined telling him that was never a question he asked. “Yesterday. I promise I didn’t know that it would happen when I said no condom… I swear,” I practically stutter as Charlie gets closer, his gaze intense and the air around him seeming to bend everything else, blurring it.

“I just came from the doctor and it’s obviously early and…” I don’t know what to say when he looks at me like that. With that sharp piercing gaze.

“Do you love me?” he questions me, now only inches away. The heat from his body wraps around me. My fingers dig into the comforter to ground me as I crane my neck to look up at him. He towers over me and my heart beats loudly in my ears.

“Of course I do.” Tears prick my eyes. I almost add, it’s okay if you don’t love me back. I’m so close, so desperate to be okay with whatever he wants because he makes me so happy and he’s the only piece in the puzzle of life that’s missing for me. I’ll take him anyway I can get. Please don’t leave me. I want to beg him. I’m shamelessly in love with him and he’s all I want.

“Good. Lay down sweetheart,” Charlie whispers, cupping my chin and kissing me just once, soft and sweet. A fluttering in my chest tells me it’s okay. With both of my hands wrapped around his, I lift my lips, stealing another kiss.

Before I can do as he wishes, he lowers his lips to my ear and confesses, “I want to make love to you.”

There are so many questions, so many decisions to make, but right now, that’s all I want. I want him to make love to me. I want nothing more than for him to love me.

Charlie

It’s not the sunlight that wakes me. It’s not my alarm clock, or the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. It’s the instant knowledge that she’s in my arms.

Maybe I was dreaming of her, I don’t know. But in one second, I knew it was real, she was here and I had to wake up. I had to be awake to take her in and make sure I still had her.

I lost her once, and I’ll never lose her again.

Never.

She shifts slightly, her soft body going a bit stiff. I can feel the warmth from her, but there’s space between us.

Too much space.

Especially knowing… she loves me. My heart clenches as I wrap my arm around her and pull her closer to me. Nestling her ass right where it belongs, up against me. I lean forward, planting a kiss on her slender neck and waiting for her to turn to face me.

The sheets rustle as she shifts slightly and then rolls fully in my arms so we’re face to face. Those beautiful lips of hers turn up slightly, but it’s a sad smile.

“Charlie,” she starts, her eyes falling to the pillow as she pushes her messy hair out of her face.

“Whatever you want to hear, I’ll say it.” My voice is flat and hard, leaving no room for negotiation. Her eyes dart up to mine with a flash of something, something that’s gone before I can recognize it.

“What?” Her eyes search mine as she takes in a slow breath.

I try to steady my own breathing, wanting nothing more than to take her right here and now, but her eyes are holding me in place. They see through me, willing me to give her more.

“I want you,” I breathe my answer. I’ve never wanted someone or something so damn much. Nothing more than I want her right here, right now.

“For what?” there’s a vulnerability in her eyes as she