Unexpected

by Jenna Hartley

  “Please say something,” she finally said.

  “Do you know how often I dreamed of hearing those words from your lips?” I asked, feeling my chest rise and fall. “But I’m done being your dirty little secret. And I will not be in a relationship with someone who’s ashamed of me because of my age, my job, whatever. I deserve more.”

  “I agree,” she said. “I shouldn’t care so much about what other people think, but I do. It’s ingrained in me. But—” She took in a jagged breath. “It’s something I’m working on. Something I will continue to work on.

  “I promise never to take you—or our relationship—for granted again.” Her voice vibrated with sincerity, and I knew she meant every word.

  Still, doubt lurked in my mind. It was easy to promise something when we were alone, only to turn around and pretend something else in front of her friends. How many times had she told me she loved me in private, only to act like we weren’t a couple in public?

  “What about Cal?” As much as I didn’t want to admit it, he was still very much a part of Sophia’s life.

  “I’ll handle Cal,” she said.

  “And what about the other parents—Nate, Margaret? Or anyone else who judges our relationship?”

  She lifted a shoulder. “Their words only have the power I give them. I don’t want to be the type of woman who bases her life on other people’s opinions. That’s not the example I want to set for Sophia.”

  Those words were the ones I’d needed to hear. They meant more than any “I’m sorry” or “I love you.” Because I’d needed her to admit what I already knew—she was strong, and she didn’t need anyone to tell her how to live her life.

  “If you want to be a family, we have to tell Sophia,” I said, knowing how much she’d fought me on it in the past. But if she wanted to be together—to truly be a couple—I needed to know she was all in.

  “I promise.” She crossed her heart. “We will tell Sophia, and I want you to move back in—but not to the pool house,” she added with a watery smile. “Preston, I love you.”

  My heart was racing, and I was pretty sure I had a dopey smile on my face. I didn’t think I’d ever been happier than in that moment. She loved me, and she was willing to back up her words with actions. We were going to be together—for real, this time.

  “You’re going to make space for me in your closet? You really must love me,” I teased.

  “Is that a yes?” Her golden eyes glistened with unshed tears as she grinned up at me.

  “It’s a hell yes.” I crashed my lips to hers, pouring all my love, all my hopes, all my desire into the kiss. And she met me stroke for stroke, my body tingling with anticipation.

  My hands were in her hair, caressing her skin, brushing over her breasts. I needed to touch her, to possess her.

  She broke the kiss, panting as she rested her forehead against mine. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”

  “Can it wait?” I kissed my way down her neck to her collarbone, relishing the taste of her skin on my tongue. I smoothed my hands up her rib cage to her breasts, squeezing them once more. She moaned, and the sound went straight to my dick.

  “God, your breasts are amazing.”

  “Ugh.” She groaned. “I don’t want to stop, but…”

  That got my attention. I frowned, suddenly concerned that whatever she had to tell me was serious. I stopped kissing her, but I kept my hand on her thigh. I needed to touch her, couldn’t stop touching her.

  She twisted her hands together in her lap. “You know how you wanted to be a family?”

  “Yes.” I nodded. “I want it more than anything.”

  “Well…” She swallowed, and my chest tightened. “How would you feel about expanding our family?”

  “You mean Gabby?”

  “No. Gabby had to stay in Colombia to help her mom.” She was quiet a moment, her shoulders tight. “I meant…a baby.”

  I jerked my head back. “You want to have a baby?” I’d always gotten the impression she didn’t want more kids. I was trying not to get my hopes up.

  “I—” She swallowed, taking my hands in hers. “We’re having a baby. I’m pregnant.”

  My eyes went wide, and I blinked at her a few times. P-pregnant? She was pregnant? How was that even possible?

  “I know,” she said, making me realize I’d asked the last question aloud. “I had a hard time believing it too at first. I mean, I was on the pill. And you…”

  “Only have one testicle,” I finished for her. “Though it’s not uncommon for fertility to return.”

  And suddenly, it all made sense. The nausea, her pale skin, the fact that she was repulsed by the idea of her green smoothies.

  I cupped her cheeks, kissing her lips, her cheeks, her jawline. “That has got to be the best news ever.” She laughed, and I sensed her relief. “I love you, and I’m so fucking excited.”

  I clapped a hand over my mouth. “Shit. The baby probably heard that, didn’t she?”

  She laughed some more and patted my cheek. “You’re adorable. I’m only about eight weeks pregnant, and we won’t know if it’s a he or a she until we have the twenty-week sonogram. And that’s only if we choose to find out the gender.”

  I wrapped my arms around her, thrilled to be holding both the woman I loved and our child. “Oh, it’s definitely a she.”

  “You’re convinced, huh? Are you going to be disappointed if it’s a boy?”

  “Of course not.” I kissed the top of her head. “I will love the baby, no matter what. But Sophia will probably be disappointed if it’s a boy.”

  “Oh god.” She held a hand to her chest. “I didn’t even think about that—how am I going to tell her?”

  I took her hand, holding it mine. “How we will do everything from now on—together.”

  “Together,” she said, as if she were testing the word. “I like that.”

  So did I.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  “God…” Preston rubbed his hand over his face. His facial hair had grown out, leaving a nice layer of scruff. It looked good on him, sexy. “I can’t tell you how happy I am. How excited I am.”

  It was such a relief to tell him about the baby, such a relief that he was happy. Not just happy—over the moon. And the fact that he still wanted us to be a family was… It was everything. I only hoped Sophia would take the news as well. Of Preston coming back, I had no doubt. But the fact that she was going to be an older sister—I wasn’t so sure. It was a lot of big changes happening at once, and I never wanted her to question how much I loved her.

  “How are you feeling?” Preston asked.

  “Better now,” I said, and I meant it. Some of my earlier nausea had subsided, and I really did feel better. “I haven’t done as many showings lately—passing them off to my agents instead. And I wasn’t going to do this one, but my assistant said the client insisted on having me.”

  I’d looked at the financials my assistant had sent over. Hunter could definitely afford the house; I just didn’t know now if he was actually in the market for one. Or if this was all part of an elaborate ruse to bring Preston and me together.

  “And now I think we know why.” Preston chuckled. “I can’t believe he set this up.”

  “You really had no idea?”

  He shook his head, but I already knew the answer. I’d seen the surprise written on his face when I came out of the bathroom.

  “Though I do think he’s genuinely interested in the house,” Preston said. “But I’ll text him to verify.” He typed on his phone.

  A minute later, he chuckled, turning the screen to face me.

  Preston: Did you set me up?

  Hunter: Set you up?

  Preston: Sending me to look at a house, knowing Alexis was the agent?

  Hunter: That would be pretty ingenious.

  Preston: Are you even interested in the house?

  Hunter: Yes. I’m not a complete asshole. Tell her I want to put in an offer, assuming you th
ink everything looks good.

  Hunter: And you can thank me later for giving you both the nudge you needed. Be sure to name your firstborn after me as a token of appreciation.

  I stared at Preston. “You didn’t tell him, did you?”

  “No.” His eyes went wide. “Of course not. He was just teasing.”

  “Okay.” My heart was racing. I was still getting used to the idea of being pregnant. I wasn’t ready to tell anyone. Besides, it was early in the pregnancy, and I was older now. I didn’t want to share the news for a while. “I’m not that far along, so we should probably wait to start telling people.”

  “Of course.” Preston set his phone on the coffee table. “Whatever you want, beautiful.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Though I can’t tell you how excited my mom is going to be.”

  My face and ears felt incredibly hot, and I knew it wasn’t from the excess of hormones surging through my veins. “Your mom?”

  I was trying not to care what other people thought about our relationship, but his mom was different. What if she thought I’d taken advantage of her son? What if—

  “Yeah. I can’t wait for her to meet you. But,” he said, perhaps sensing my freak-out. “There will be time for that. No rush.”

  “No rush?” I sputtered. “Preston, we’re kind of on a schedule.” I pointed at my still-flat stomach as if to underscore my point.

  “I know.” His tone was calm, soothing. “But let’s just focus on enjoying this moment. I want to celebrate the fact that I’m going to be a father.” His eyes were watery. “I didn’t know if I’d ever get the chance to be a dad, and to have not one, but two kids…” He held a shaky hand to his mouth. “I can’t tell you how excited and proud I am.”

  I’d always known Preston would be a good father, and I found myself getting more excited about our little one. I swiped at the corners of my eyes, overcome with emotion.

  “Dang pregnancy hormones,” I joked.

  “Well, if you need midnight ice cream runs or sex on demand…” He grinned. “I’m your guy.”

  “Good to know. Now, come on.” I stood, needing to move before I did something crazy like have sex with him on the couch of a house I was supposed to be showing; that was more Lauren’s style. “Let’s tour the house, so you can report back to Hunter.”

  He stood, taking my hand in his. “Lead on.”

  “Typically…” I glanced at him over my shoulder as I led him up the stairs. “I don’t hold hands with a client.”

  He chuckled. “Now that we’re together, you better never hold hands with a client. Though I do like the idea of being the boss in this situation.” He leaned in, his breath tickling my ear. “That you’re trying to please me,” he rasped.

  His words, his touch, awoke a desire within me, a yearning for him I’d been trying to ignore.

  “I always strive to ensure that my client is satisfied.” I grinned, pausing at the top of the stairs. “Here’s a bedroom that would be great as an office.”

  The room had been staged as an office, and I leaned against the desk, admiring the view. Preston stalked over to me, placing his hands on the surface and trapping me in his arms.

  “This desk is very…solid.” He pressed his hips against mine, letting me feel just how solid he was. He leaned down, nuzzling my ear. “You’re so sexy.”

  “Preston.” I angled my head back, granting him access.

  I’d missed him. God, how I’d missed him. The way he touched me, lighting up my body. The way he kissed, making me feel as if he’d captured my soul. The way he made love to me, making me feel as if we really were one person. Despite how much I was tempted to, we couldn’t… Not here.

  I straightened. “Moving on. We have a lot more to see.”

  “Yes, we do.” He gave me a wicked grin.

  “Come on.” I dragged him down the hall, quickly showing him the other bedrooms and bath.

  I could feel his eyes on me the entire time, and he didn’t stop touching me once. When we made it to the master bedroom, I told him about the blackout shades that could be lowered at the push of a button, the safe hidden in a discreet wall panel, and the TV that could be disguised to look like a work of art. He seemed impressed, but I knew we were both distracted. And every time he grazed my arms with his fingers or brushed past me, I thought I might combust.

  “Let’s head back to the kitchen,” I said, once I’d finished showing him the master bath.

  I tried to pretend he was just another client, even though I knew he wasn’t. And while I hoped I might be able to sell Hunter a home, I honestly couldn’t care less. Having a second chance with Preston was worth more to me than any commission.

  “Kitchen is all stainless-steel appliances, gas range—” I glanced over at him, and he was watching me with a dazed expression. “Are you even paying attention?”

  “Mm-hmm. I’m thinking about all the ways I can fuck you on the Carrara marble.”

  “Preston.” I slapped his bicep, feigning outrage. “And it’s not Carrara, it’s Calacatta.”

  “Calacatta, Carrara, still serves the same purpose.” His eyes were hooded when they met mine.

  “So, what do you think?” I smiled brightly, holding my arms wide.

  He grabbed me by the waist, lifting me up on the Calacatta countertops as if I weighed nothing. “I think the house is beautiful, though you’re even more so. But we have a little problem because I’m still not satisfied.”

  “That’s unfortunate,” I said, playing along, unable to resist anymore. I tangled my fingers in his hair. “What can I do to remedy the situation?”

  “I have a few ideas.” He pressed his lips along the swell of my cleavage, cupping my breasts from below. “Seriously, did your boobs get bigger? Because they look amazing.”

  “Yes.” I laughed, knowing that my bras and dresses were already getting a little tight in the bust. “They are a little bigger. Side effect of pregnancy.”

  He smoothed his hand over my breasts, coming down to rest on my stomach.

  “Fuck.” He bit his lip, leaning back a little to admire me. “I can’t wait to see your belly swollen with my child.”

  A bolt of desire shot straight to my core, and I could picture it. I could envision our future together, and I didn’t want to wait any longer to be with him. I never wanted him to doubt my love; I wanted him to know. I wanted to show him.

  I cupped his cheeks, feeling the love, the power, vibrating between us. “I love you.”

  His blue eyes sparkled with unspoken promises, with hope. And I knew I was responsible for it. Our baby was responsible for it.

  “I love you.” His voice was rough, fractured. “So fucking much.”

  He crashed his lips to mine, and the kiss was a celebration. It was all our hopes and dreams, our happiness wrapped up in one. It was a confirmation and a revelation; it was everything. And his hands were everywhere—in my hair, cupping my cheeks, caressing my breasts, gripping my hips.

  “Wait,” he panted. I frowned, wondering what was wrong. “This won’t hurt the baby, will it?”

  I furrowed my brow. “Sex?” He nodded, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “No. It won’t hurt the baby. You can be as gentle or as rough as you want.”

  “Thank fuck.” He gripped my hips, pulling me to him so there was no space between us.

  I tugged on the hem of his shirt, and he pulled it over his head in one fluid movement. His body was…unreal. And it was all mine.

  “Though I have to warn you,” I said as he pulled down my dress and bra to reveal my breasts. It felt so good to be free from those confines. “My nipples are extra sensitive.”

  “Good to know.” He glanced up at me, one eyebrow quirked as he absently traced a circle around my nipple, never quite touching it despite coming close. Already driving me wild. “Anything else you want to tell me?”

  “I love you.”

  He chuckled, his blue eyes dancing with mirth. “Was that a question?”

  “No
. There was never a question about it—I love you.” It felt so freeing to say it without hesitation, without reservation. And I sensed there’d been a shift between us, and not just because of the baby.

  “I love you.” He pressed his lips to mine. “I love you, and I love Sophia, and—” he kissed my stomach over the material of my dress “—I love you, little one.”

  I melted into a puddle of goo. He was going to have to pick me up off the floor because the love he had for me, Sophia, and our new baby was overwhelming.

  I unzipped his pants, and his erection sprang out, bobbing against his stomach. His eyes were dark, the pupil nearly swallowing the iris as he ran his thumb over my lower lip. I sucked it into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the tip as I pulled it deeper inside.

  “I want you,” he rasped, his eyes intent on my mouth.

  “So take me,” I said, leaning back on the heels of my hands. “I’m yours.”

  “Always?” He pushed my underwear aside, teasing my clit with the tip of his erection. I leaned my head back, already anticipating the connection, the release.

  “Alexis.”

  “Hmm?” God, that feels so good.

  “Say it,” he growled.

  I lifted my head to look in his eyes. “Always,” I said in a solemn tone.

  He took his time, sinking into me inch by delicious inch. I’d never felt so full, so content, as I did in that moment. We might not be in our house, or lying in our bed, but it certainly felt like coming home.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “No.” Sophia shook her head at the latest design Lauren had shown us. “Not blue. I’m not having blue in my baby sister’s room.”

  “We don’t even know if it’s a boy or a girl,” Alexis sighed.

  “And blue is a soft, peaceful color that can transition nicely whether the baby is a boy or a girl,” Lauren said. “Besides, this is really closer to mint in color.”

  Sophia placed her hands on her hips. “Stop talking about having a boy. I’m getting a baby sister, and her name is Seraphina. No…Anastasia.”

  I smirked, watching it all play out. I loved how excited Sophia was about her baby…whatever. She’d taken the news in stride, and she loved brainstorming baby names—well, so long as they were girl’s names. She refused to entertain the idea that the baby could be a he, not a she. But I was cool with it. I secretly hoped it was a girl, too. Though, honestly, I didn’t care what the baby was, so long as it was healthy.