Knocked Up by the New Zealand Doctor: A Surprise Pregnancy Romance (Doctors of Denver Book 6)

by K. C. Crowne

  I wanted to look damn good for our night together. Standing in front of the three-panel full-length mirror in my bedroom, I looked over my outfit of a crisp off-white shirt, the top buttons open. Down below were pressed gray slacks, a pair of oxblood loafers on my feet. Maybe I was dressing too sharply for a causal takeout dinner, but I didn’t care. If she was going to cut me out of her life for good, then I’d at least look good when it happened.

  I spent the drive over thinking about Grace, playing in my head the memories we’d shared over the years, how we’d grown up with one another, been there in each other’s lives since we were kids. There was a bond between us that was irreplaceable. Romance or no, I wasn’t about to let it go without a fight.

  I picked up some eggplant and chicken parm on the way, along with a bottle of the same Chateau Du Toit wine we’d both brought to Ryan and Carly’s that night weeks ago. From there, I pulled up to her place and climbed out, the bag of food and bottle in my hand.

  Her new place was impressive. Her condo was one among many others in a row of modern buildings, the area clean and well-kept and safe-looking. It made me feel good to know she was living in a place like this rather than crammed into a tiny apartment.

  With one last, steeling breath, I stepped to her front door and raised my hand to knock.

  “Hey, Hayden!” Grace’s voice came from a nearby speaker.

  I stepped back and looked around for the source.

  “Grace?”

  “Yep! We’ve got one of those fancy front door cameras you can see from your phone.”

  “Someone’s living large.”

  She laughed. “Something like that. Anyway, I’m still getting ready. Come on in and have some wine. I’ll be out in a second.”

  “Sure.”

  The lock clicked open, and I pulled the door.

  Her condo was vast and open, a stainless-steel filled kitchen tucked away to the side. The tall windows in back looked out onto the pool and city beyond, and Grace had clearly been busy the last week making sure the décor was warm and homey. It was a stark contrast to the décor of my place, which was, well, stark.

  It got me thinking about what it would be like to share a home with her, how she would decorate it and make it feel right for two people in love.

  My eyes flashed as the word occurred to me. I had to be measured, to not get excited. After all, this dinner could’ve very well been about waiting for the guillotine blade to drop.

  I set the food down on the counter and found a pair of wine glasses along with a bottle opener.

  Right at the moment I finished pouring, Grace stepped out.

  She looked stunning in a light, summer dress, the pattern white with red florals. Her hair was down to her shoulders, a soft smile on her face. She looked like something out of a dream, like she was too ephemeral to even touch.

  “Hey.”

  I was nervous. For the first time in my life, a woman had made me nervous. The worst part was that I had no idea how this conversation was going to go.

  “Hey. I brought parm. Two different kinds.”

  She smiled again. “Thanks.”

  “You want some wine? Got the Du Toit.”

  A conflicted expression formed on her face.

  “I…let’s talk first.”

  There it was. Whatever was going to happen, it was so bad that she didn’t even want to get settled in and comfortable with a glass of wine.

  That wasn’t about to stop me, however. I needed something to deal with the nerves. Glass in hand, I stepped over to the couch and sat down next to her. Being so close to Grace but not touching her was painful, the feeling compounded with the knowledge that things might be over between us for good.

  A tense expression had taken hold of her features. Something was wrong. There was no doubt that she had something on her mind that she needed to get out, that she was having a hard time putting into words.

  I decided to go first.

  “It’s good to see you, Grace. And I’m really glad to see that you’re doing so well for yourself.” My hands were sweaty – it was hard to keep a grip on the wine glass. “And if there’s something you need to get out, I want you to know that it’s fine, I’m ready to hear and you don’t need to worry about—”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  I hadn’t been sure of what she was going to say, but it most certainly hadn’t been that.

  Chapter 29

  GRACE

  In spite of the gravity of what I’d just said, I had to admit Hayden looked funny as hell.

  He’d been nervous since he’d entered the house, his movements tense like he was some guy I’d never met that I was about to go on a blind date with. I’d never seen Hayden like that before. It was such a charming contrast to the cool, confident Hayden who was always there with a quip.

  In that moment, however, the news of my pregnancy out in the open, he looked like a fish out of water. And I meant that literally. His mouth was open in an “O” of surprise, his lips seeming like they were trying to form words that he had no idea how to speak.

  Because I’d spent the last day mentally preparing for him not wanting to be a father, I could approach the situation with a bit of humor. Things were going to get bad pretty darn soon when it finally sunk in what I’d told him. In the meantime, I could appreciate the comedy of it all.

  “You’re…you’re what?”

  I placed my hands on my belly. “Right now, there’s a kid growing inside of me. And you’re a doctor, so I won’t explain how it got there.”

  I smiled slightly and he blinked hard a few times, as if trying to figure out where to even begin.

  “And…you went to a doctor and confirmed it?”

  “Took a couple at home tests, then saw an OB/GYN to confirm. We’re about six weeks along now.”

  He nodded slowly, blinking with the same languor. Hayden was thunderstruck. The moment right there was as good a time as any to tell him what was on my mind.

  “And the reason I brought you over here to tell you was, well, you had a right to know. But besides that, I wanted to say that I’m not expecting anything from you. This was an accident, totally unplanned. And we’re two adults with our own lives and I’ve got my career and you’ve got yours, and it wouldn’t be fair of me to ask that you drop everything and help me raise this kid.”

  I went on.

  “I told Ryan. It just sort of…came out. He was totally supportive, and I’ve got no doubt my parents will be the same way. So, I’ve got all the help I need. You don’t have to be a dad if you don’t want to, and that’s what I wanted to make sure you knew. No hard feelings, right?”

  Hayden’s expression turned from one of surprise, to one of befuddlement. He broke his eyes from mine just long enough to reach over and take his wine glass, bring it to his lips and pull down a long, slow sip. Then he carefully set down the glass before folding his hands on his lap and turning to me.

  “Are you crazy?”

  Now it was my turn to be surprised. “What?”

  “That’s the only explanation I can think of. I mean, if you think you’re going to have my kid and that I’d even think of not being there in his life every step of the way, you must be totally, out of your mind, pants-on-head, insane. There’s nothing else to it.”

  “You’re serious?”

  Before he spoke, Hayden clasped his hands over mine. His touch was amazing, it felt perfect.

  “Of course, I’m serious. Grace, I know everything that’s been going on between us has been…strange, to say the least. With you, for the first time in my life I feel like I’m being pulled in random directions, like I can’t control anything that’s happening to me. And it’s scary as hell, but I like it. No, I love it. Since we’ve been together, or whatever we are, you’ve brought something into my life that I’ve never had before, and already I know that it’s something I never want to live without.”

  I was stunned, no idea what to say.

  “When you texted me to c
ome over, I knew something was going on. Whether it was good or bad, I had no idea. But I was happy. Just knowing that I was going to be with you, that I’d be able to look into your eyes and hear your voice…that was more than enough to make me happy. I don’t even know what to say.”

  Another expression took hold of his handsome face, as if right in that moment he’d decided on something.

  “No. I do know what to say – I love you, Grace.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “I love you. And the more I think about it, the more certain I am that it’s true. We’ve been in one another’s lives for as long as we’ve been able to make memories, and there’s not a shred of doubt in my mind that you’re someone I never want to be without. I love you, Grace. I always will. And this baby, has the biggest head start they could hope for, because they’ve come from that love.”

  I was stunned. But when he was done, when I had the chance to sit there with the words he’d just spoken, I knew I felt the same way.

  “Maybe it wasn’t supposed to happen that I’d fall for my best friend’s kid sister like this. But I’m damn glad it did.”

  I smiled. “I love you too, Hayden. You’ve been the one I’ve wanted ever since I was old enough to want you. I don’t want to waste another second without us being what we’ve been destined to be.”

  “Destined,” he said as if trying on the word for size. “I like that. And right now, I’m feeling like we’re destined to be doing something other than eating eggplant parm.”

  “And what’s th—”

  I didn’t get a chance to finish before he swooped in and kissed me hard.

  Every kiss between us had been special. But this one, knowing that there was love behind it, that it marked the beginning of a wonderful future together – that made it the most special of them all. I kissed him back and we melted into one another, our hands moving over one another’s bodies.

  “Bedroom,” I said, taking my lips from his for long enough to utter the word.

  He scooped me off the couch, a happy yelp shooting from my mouth as he carried me. Soon we were in the bedroom, Hayden gently setting me down before opening the buttons of his shirt and stepping out of his shoes and socks.

  He was the only man I’d ever been with and looking the way he did, I didn’t mind one bit.

  I shimmied out of my dress and once we were both ready, he moved over top of me, his hardness pressing against my thigh.

  “I love you, Gracie,” he said, his voice low and sensual, yet warm with emotion.

  “And I love you, Hayden.”

  We kissed, our hands reaching down to take off our underwear. And once he was bare, my hand wrapped around his stone-solid length, I opened my legs and wrapped them around his hips, guiding Hayden to where I wanted him.

  He pushed into me, my entrance slick and wet and ready for him. Every inch of him entered into me effortlessly, and I let out a soft moan as he began to move inside of me, his thickness stretching me, making me want nothing but more.

  Hayden kissed along my neck, the sensation of his lips on my skin and his cock inside bringing me to a heavy, rapturous orgasm. I held him close with my hips as it rose and fell, and when it was done, I was left wanting even more.

  “Tell me you’re not stopping there,” I said with a smile.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  With a flash of his cocky grin, Hayden moved down, kissing me all the way to my hips until his head was between my legs. Once there, he brought his tongue to my lips and licked them slowly, his hungry, playful eyes locked onto mine. Hayden spread me open, teasing me with the tip of his tongue, each sharp press pushing new waves of pleasure through my body.

  It felt good enough on its own. But when he gently slid a pair of fingers inside of me, between that and his tongue I was ready to lose my mind. I bucked my hips, trying to keep myself still despite how damn good it felt.

  I opened my eyes wide enough to watch him work, his tongue dancing over me, one of his thick arms wrapped around my leg. Hayden soon had a steady rhythm, the soft sounds of his mouth against my pussy filling the air.

  Soon I was in the grips of yet another orgasm, this one twice as intense as the first. Again, it rose and fell and when I was done, he moved up next to me, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before kissing me deeply.

  In that moment, I truly understood what it meant to make love.

  And the look in his eyes let me know he was ready to make some more.

  Chapter 30

  HAYDEN

  I held Grace close, both of us on our sides, my arm wrapped around her body. Down below I watched as our hips moved together, her ass grinding against me as I moved inside of her. I kissed her bare shoulder, her breasts full and soft under my skin.

  She was beautiful and she was all mine.

  Grace moaned and writhed, our bodies moving as one.

  I couldn’t hold back the orgasm that had been growing since the moment I’d entered her. Judging by the shallowness of her breath, the power with which her heart was beating, I could tell she was right there with me on the verge.

  I pushed into her, the orgasm releasing and my cock pulsing between her warm walls. She released too, her body tensing and her breath going silent, our bodies arching with pleasure against one another. I stayed buried to the root inside of her, not wanting to move an inch until I’d filled her full.

  Our orgasms descended, and soon we were laying in one another’s arms, not a word being spoken. When we felt ready, we got up and threw on some clothes, bringing our food into bed with us and having something of a little slumber party. We talked and laughed and planned. Before too long, we were both tired and on the verge of collapsing into a deep sleep.

  Grace was soon out, and I took the time to appreciate the sight of her before me, wondering if it would be the first of many, many more nights of her sleeping by my side. We’d talked about our future as far as the next few months, but only regarding doctor’s appointments and practical matters.

  What about even further into the future than that? Would we be living together? Would we be married? What would our baby look like? Would it be a son or daughter?

  They were all very important questions, but I wasn’t worried – not even a little. I found myself imagining what our baby would look like, an adorable girl or a handsome-as-hell son with Grace’s light brown hair and my bright blue eyes, her brains, and my impeccable sense of humor. The kid would be unstoppable.

  I could only smile as I drifted off to sleep, Grace’s head tucked under my chin, her chest gently rising and falling with every breath she took.

  The future was going to be amazing. And we were going to take it on together.

  We didn’t want to waste any time before we let her family know what was going on. My family was a priority too, but they were still in New Zealand; Grace’s family was right here in the states. Not to mention, I had to let Ryan know that I was more than thrilled to be there for his sister. Besides, breaking the news to family was a process. We’d have to take it one step at a time.

  “OK, you look nervous as hell.” Grace flashed me a smile as we parked in front of Ryan and Carly’s place.

  “I’m not nervous as hell,” I said, giving myself a quick glance in the reflection of my car’s rearview mirror before turning to Grace. “I’m just concerned about it all going well.”

  “In other words, you’re nervous as hell.”

  “I don’t get nervous.” I smirked, but I was having a hard time keeping up the façade.

  We got out of the car and walked up the steps to the front door. She placed her hand on my shoulder, stepping on her tiptoes and planting a kiss on my cheek.

  “It’s going to go fine. We’ll be telling my mom and dad that they’re going to be grandparents again. It’s like, a dream come true for them that they’re going to have even more grandkids to dote on.”

  “Yeah. But there’s also the matter of how we haven’t decided what the future’s going to look
like for us. We haven’t decided on if we want to get married, if we’re going to live at my place, what our career paths are going to be…”

  She smiled. “I have to admit – after a lifetime of seeing Mr. Cool followed by Dr. Cool, it’s kind of cute to see you sweat a little.”

  “Dr. Cool,” I said, trying the title on for size. “I kind of dig that, actually. Any chance I could get you to start calling me that from here on out?”

  “You wish.” She stepped up on her tip toes and planted another quick kiss on my lips. “You’ll be having someone call you Daddy before too long. I think that’s all the new titles you need.”

  “Fair enough.” I gave her a quick grin.

  The door opened, Ryan and Carly there with the twins, both girls letting out happy cries at the sight of us, Carly with her hands placed on her big belly.

  “There you both are!” Ryan said. “Get in here!”

  We entered the house, hugs all around as I took Rose and Grace took Lily. The two little bee sting bumps on Rose’s face had long healed by this point, and she was looking cute as ever. Lily was the same, adorable as could be.

  I was taken with the usual love I had for the girls, but there was something else. Knowing that I was going to be a father, that in less than a year I’d have a child of my own…it was enough to give me pause.

  “Hey, heart doc!” A hand clapped down on my shoulder, and I turned to see that it was Lisa – Grace and Ryan’s mom. “Good to see you!” she opened her arms and pulled me into a tight hug, without me saying a word.

  When she released the hug, she furrowed her brow in confusion.

  “What’s the story? No quip? No smart-ass comment that’s funny but also makes me kind of want to smack you?”

  “Just happy to see you, is all.”

  God, two minutes into the affair and I was already tongue-tied. But seeing her mother reminded me of exactly what was going on, the seriousness of what we were doing.