Undeniable (Indulgence) - Aleatha Romig Page 0,14

that I never thought about you two at the same college."

"So you knew she was there?"

"Of course I did. I mean, I'm paying the bill. I didn't help her move in only because her mom wanted to. We agree to coexist."

"How do you think she'll feel about being a big sister?"

"She already is," Matt says. "Her mom has other kids. Becky is great with them."

"It was so good to see her. I’ve missed her, but I'm afraid she's going to hate me."

"Never. Once best friends, always best friends."

I scrunch my nose. "And you don't think it's a little weird that I'm having my best friend's father's baby?"

Holy cow! The reality hits me. I’m having my best friend’s dad’s baby!

Matt laughs. "You're having my baby. The rest is just bonus."

I shake my head. "She lives three doors down from me."

Matt scans the pool deck and beyond. "Unless you're saying she lives in that house over there, then you're wrong."

"At the dorm."

"Sophia Hawkins, soon to be Hamilton, my baby is not living on dorm food or resting on some bed that eight years’ worth of freshmen have slept and screwed on."

"But..."

"But what? Now you have a car. You can drive to classes."

I shake my head. "I can't cook."

Matt's smile grows. "That's okay. I have a cook."

I look around. "You do? I've never seen her."

"She doesn't live here. And she also knows about you. She's giving us our privacy."

"But…what about my clothes?"

"We'll move your stuff here as soon as possible."

"I can't go to class tomorrow in the same sundress."

Matt reaches for my hand and pulls me into the house. "Come with me."

As we go up the stairs, I ask, "Is this my lesson on your ability to stay erect?"

He peers over his broad shoulder with a grin. "No, but it could be."

Entering his room, he bypasses the bed and leads me toward his closet. I've been in there before. Like everything else in this house, it's big. This time, my steps stop at the entry. One side is filled with women's clothes. Dresses, slacks, jeans, and tops. There's a rack filled with all different styles of shoes.

I reach for a shoe. It's my size.

I pull a dress from the hanger. It's my size.

"How?"

"I'm a man of many talents."

"Matt?"

"Okay. It wasn't me. I hired a personal shopper." His green eyes shine. "She can buy your maternity clothes too, or you can. The particulars are up to you."

I look down at my stomach. With only few of the buttons on his shirt closed, I can see my tanned skin and my hip bones. "Pregnant."

I sink to the soft carpet.

Matt follows after me, landing on his knees.

Matt

Oh no. Is she sick? Sophie's cheeks are pale and so are her lips. "Sophie, are you all right? What's the matter?"

"Matt, I'm pregnant."

My cheeks rise. "Yes, we've established that. Do you want to get a test to be sure?"

"I'm going to get fat. Will you still like me when I'm fat?"

"No."

Her blue eyes widen and immediately fill with tears.

I pull her close. "Stop. I won't like you...well, I will. I will love you. I do, forever and always." I stroke her long hair. "I think I always have. From the first time I saw you, I knew you were sunshine. You still are, Sophie. That’s what you bring to my life.

"I live in the Sunshine State and somehow the sun forgot to shine on me. Until you. In the short time we've been together, my whole world has changed. As soon as I open my eyes in the morning, I think of you. I can't wait to finish my latest business deal so I can be with you.

"You've given me a purpose to breathe." I touch her stomach, splaying my fingers over her warm skin. "And the night you gave me the honor of your most prized possession we made a baby. It's a miracle and so are you. There is nothing I won't do for you because you have done everything for me."

My speech is real and from the heart. It was supposed to make her happy, but instead, more tears fall from her closed eyes and down her cheeks.

I push her to arm's length and stare. "Open your eyes." She immediately obeys. The lifting of her lids is like opening a floodgate, allowing more tears to fall. "Is this wrong? Do you not want me?"

She lifts the tails of my shirt that she's wearing, exposing her sensual body, and wipes her eyes. "I can't believe you've made