The Sweet Talker (Boston Hawks Hockey #1) - Gina Azzi Page 0,73

plan for the unexpected, okay?”

She wiggles in my arms until I loosen my hold. Tipping back her chin, her eyes find mine. “You’re serious?”

“I’m always serious when it comes to you. How the hell do you think we ended up in this mess?”

“You’re not going to try to get me to cancel the trip?”

“No. But I am going to take you to the doctor’s and help you pack your bag and get you an international SIM so you can call me every day from wherever you are.”

She smiles, some of the worry draining from her face. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

She nods.

“And we are going to talk about all the things. Like living arrangements and childcare. Of course I want your parents to be involved. But don’t for one second think that I’m not going to be actively present in my kid’s life. I want to get up overnight and change diapers, make bottles, whatever. I want this with you. And I wanted it with you before you ever told me you were pregnant. I was just too fucking scared of letting you down.”

Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open. “You’re really serious?”

“What did I just tell you?”

She licks her bottom lip, studying me. “But, but we can’t just move in together because we’re having a baby.”

“We’re not. We’re moving in together because we want to be together and our relationship is escalating to the next level. Or several levels.” I stop for a moment, trying to read the emotions swirling in her eyes. “At least, I want that. To be with you. Just you.”

“I want that too.” Her response is automatic and with no hesitation. It makes me grin.

Dropping my head, I brush a kiss over her lips. “Good. Then, we’re in agreement. We can live anywhere you want, babe.”

She glances around her space.

“I’ll even move in here if it makes you more comfortable.”

Her face snaps back to mine. “You will?”

I shrug. “I don’t care where I live as long as I’m falling asleep and waking up next to you. And I want to be with you, every night that I can, in case you need anything. Even me.”

Her eyes glimmer as she bites her bottom lip. “Noah Scotch, I never took you for a romantic.”

I chuckle, dropping my hands to her waist and squeezing lightly. “I have a lot to make up for, Little Indy.”

She tilts her neck back. “You can start right now.”

I snort but Indy isn’t laughing as she lifts onto her toes and pulls me in for a kiss. A hot, passionate, desperate kiss that causes me to growl and her to sigh.

My arms encircle her waist as she arches into me. Her fingers grasp at the back of my head. Her mouth fuses with mine and I lose myself in her kiss.

“Missed you, Noah.”

“Missed you more, baby.” I walk her backward until we’re in the doorway of her room. “Indy?”

She glances up at me, her lips red and swollen from my kiss.

“I love you.”

She smiles, her expression opening, her eyes dazzling. “I love you too, Noah. I have for a while.”

I drop my mouth to hers and kiss her for a long moment. She wiggles in my arms, tugging me through the doorframe.

“Wait.” I break our kiss, glancing at the bed. “You sure it’s”—I look down at her belly—“safe?”

She smiles and rolls her eyes. “Well, we already know what kind of parent you’re going to be.” She walks backward, pulling her sweater over her head as I unzip my jacket and let it fall to the floor.

“What kind is that?” I ask, losing my shirt next.

Indy drops back on her bed and gives me a coy smile. “The helicopter kind.”

I laugh and shake my head but in the next moment I stop. Because staring at Indiana Merrick clad in tight jeans and a black lace bra, a surge of protectiveness swells through me. She’s right. I’ll do anything for her, for our baby, for my family.

I stride to the bed and dip over her frame until she lies back. Dropping next to her, I turn her face to mine and press a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose, her cheeks, her sweet mouth. “I think you might be right.”

She laughs and tosses a leg over my hips, pulling me closer. “I’m always right, Noah Scotch.”

I nod, falling back into her arms and letting her kiss, her touch, her sunshine draw me in. “Always,” I agree.

29

Indy

It didn’t all magically snap into place because Noah Scotch staked