Plan B (Best Laid Plans #2) - Jana Aston Page 0,57

ahead of you. Kids change everything. You're in the midst of a sex-crazed honeymoon period fueled by pregnancy hormones. Things should be easy."

"Things can't change that much," I observe. Now it's my turn to side-eye Luke. "You and Sophie keep having them every twelve to eighteen months, for fuck’s sake. Are you trying for a boy or something?"

"Nah. If we wanted a boy I'd provide a sample to my lab, have them run a flow cytometry to separate out all the Y chromosomes and then have Sophie stop by my office for an intracervical insemination. Easy."

"You can hear yourself, right?"

"Would you rather I'd said I could jerk off into a cup and then turkey-baster my wife if we wanted a boy?"

"Fair point."

"A boy would be cool, if it happens. Or we can have half a dozen girls. I don't care."

"Jesus Christ. You want six? You guys just had a third one like two months ago."

"I'm greedy." He shrugs. "I'll take as many as I can get before Sophie tells me to fuck off and get a vasectomy."

We jog in silence. A solid half-mile or so while we're each lost in our own thoughts, enjoying the run.

"Let me ask you something. Professionally," I add, then wish I could take it back. Fuck, he's gonna rib me so hard.

"Sure."

"The pregnancy sex drive. Is that a real thing? Because Daisy—" I cut myself off. "Fuck, never mind."

"Oh, it's real," Luke replies like this is a normal conversation. Maybe it is for him, but I can't imagine anyone actually brings this up during a doctor’s appointment and leaves with their wife still speaking to them. "Increased blood flow. Increased production of progesterone and estrogen. Totally normal. Just try to keep up."

No kidding. I'm pretty sure Daisy woke me up last night for sex. She claimed she was worried that Tubbs was choking up a hairball but Tubbs was on the chaise longue sound asleep, so I'm pretty sure she made that up. I wonder if she'd even like me as much as she does if she wasn't so sexually needy because of the baby? And yeah, I immediately make a mental note never to say that out loud lest she try to unman me. Deservedly.

"Keep in mind it's different each pregnancy and she may or may not have the same interests with the next one," Luke adds. "Just follow her lead."

The next one? Fuck. I don't know what's going to happen between us after this one. This is all so fucking new. Unexpected. And I damn near railroaded her into a quickie wedding. This might all blow up in my face long before we can create a sibling for the one currently incubating.

"She makes me feel like a caveman. This pregnancy. That fucking bump. Like I'm proud of myself for planting my seed or some shit. And I feel possessive as hell about her. It's fucked up, right? I should look into therapy. Can you give me a referral?"

"Totally normal," Luke assures me without missing a beat.

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely."

I think on that for another half-mile. It's not like I'm sexually attracted to random pregnant women. Just Daisy. She's fucking glowing. And she smells incredible and damn if watching her body change because of our baby growing inside of her doesn't make me hard as hell. She's beautiful and I'll never forgive myself if I fuck this up.

"Sometimes I'm not sure that she trusts me," I admit. It bugs me, even if it's more than fair.

"Why should she?"

"Thanks. Appreciate that."

"Kyle, she's what? Twenty-six? Which means she's experienced a solid decade's worth of men disappointing her before she met you. Then you knocked her up, stalked her, dragged her to Philly and married her."

"It wasn't quite like that," I interrupt.

"You get my point. If she'd already met Prince Charming she wouldn't have been available when you came along. She has plenty of experience with disappointment and she doesn't owe you her trust, you gotta earn it."

"I know. Love wasn't in the prenup, you know? I worry she's only with me because of the baby."

"She is only with you because of the baby."

"Thanks."

"Better reason than being with you for your money."

"The hits just keep coming with you this morning." We've finished our normal course along the river and are now jogging at a slower pace down Spruce, heading back towards Rittenhouse.

"You're doing things a little out of order, but you're crazy about her. And I've seen you together, she doesn't seem to be averse to the idea of you."