air.” Mikki folded her arms and glared at me but there wasn’t much fire behind it—instead, there was a resignation that I found strangely hopeful.
“I was hoping you’d say that. Have a seat.” I turned back to the stove, nerves fluttering in my belly as I flipped more pancakes and the scent of butter wafted on the air. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Every day I feel like I’m hungrier and less food comes back up, which I’m looking at as a positive.” Her tone was upbeat, but I couldn’t get over the circles under her eyes. “I must look awful if you’re that worried,” she said, trying for a joke.
“You always look gorgeous, Mikki. But I am worried you’re not getting enough rest.”
She sighed and it wasn’t annoyance this time, it was something else. “I am, too, but I’m resting as much as I can. Being tired all the time is part of this whole pregnancy game, my friend.”
“I still don’t like it,” I growled, making her laugh.
“I don’t know why you’re so worried about being a terrible father, you’re the flutteriest mother hen I’ve ever come across, I swear!” Hand to her chest, doing the perfect imitation of a delicate southern belle, Mikki laughed like she’d just told the funniest joke in the world. She erupted into bigger fits of laughter at my scowl.
“It’s called caring.”
She laughed again but it was softer this time. “I know and I appreciate it, more than you know. But I can’t get any more sleep than my body will allow. Okay?” I nodded and she flashed a smile bright enough to power the entire town of Tulip. “Good. Now, tell me what this breakfast is all about.”
I should have known I wouldn’t be able to just show up here and execute my plan in my own time. “Suspicious much?”
She shrugged and tucked one leg under her body, resting her chin on the other knee in an impossible feat of flexibility perched on one of the kitchen chairs. “Not suspicious. Let’s call it curious.”
“I love watching and listening to you eat.”
Her cheeks blushed prettily and the other foot slid to the floor, granting me another glimpse of her beautiful breasts.
“While I know that much is true, it doesn’t explain this unexpected visit early on a Saturday morning.”
“Fine, you got me. I have an ulterior motive for being here.”
She swallowed, visibly, bracing herself for the worst. Whatever that was. “I’m all ears.” To Mikki’s credit, she was doing her best to remain calm. Cool.
“I heard what you said, what you’ve been saying about making a decision, and I think you know I’m all in.” My gaze was fixed on her, taking in every detail from the way her hazel eyes turned a burnt gold color as her face flashed a series of emotions from shock to disbelief to hope and back to disbelief. “Maybe you think I haven’t done enough to prove it to you.” Hell, maybe I hadn’t. “What do I know about cherishing a woman?”
She laughed and shook her head. “It’s not about how much you’ve done, Nate.”
“Then what is it about?” Because I had no fucking clue, and this insecurity was driving me out of my damn mind.
She sighed. “It’s about change, Nate. You’re a good man, I see that now. You have issues that make commitment difficult and I even get that, but before you found out about the baby you were Mr. No Thanks. Mr. No Commitment. Mr. One Night Stand.”
“Got it,” I cut her off angrily and the damn woman laughed. She laughed!
“Right.” She grinned again, suppressing another laugh. “So it’s hard to believe that this isn’t just because of the baby. I don’t want to let my guard down and fall for you completely only for you to realize six months or six years down the line that it’s too much for you.”
I heard what she said and I understood her worries, but my brain was focused on something else. Something other than her fears and her glorious breasts. Her words. Fall for you completely. That meant she’d already fallen. That was something I could work with. “That won’t happen.”
Arms folded, she stared at me in disbelief, looking more beautiful than she ever had with no makeup, no fancy hairdo, and no sexy little dress hugging her curvy little body. Just all natural, unvarnished Mikki. Just how I liked her. “You don’t know that.”
I nodded and brought the food to the table, starting with the gigantic stack of