Love So Wild

by Valentine, Marquita

  His son waved his chubby arms around.

  “You’re an eater, too, just like all Lawson men. You keep eating, though, and one day you’ll be big and strong like me. Also, we’ll keep you away from Uncle Mason, so he doesn’t teach you words that your momma probably doesn’t want you to say.” Okay, so Eli was heading into dumb territory, but he’d never talked this long to a baby before, and he was winging it. “Do you know any words?”

  Miles growled.

  Elijah growled back.

  Miles’ eyes filled with tears, his mouth wobbling, before the room filled with cries.

  “Oh, no. Oh, Lord, no. Don’t cry.” Elijah swooped his son into his arms, sitting up at the same time. “I got you.”

  Miles kept crying, and Elijah just knew it would wake Skye up. Not only that, but she would figure out he sucked as a dad because he didn’t know shit about kids. She’d leave him, then. Well, she’d already left once, but she’d decide Miles didn’t need a dumbshit for a daddy and do it again.

  Awkwardly, he began patting the boy’s back, something he’d seen his mother do with kids a thousand times—his dad, too. Finally, Miles began to calm down, his little body growing heavy as the seconds passed.

  He looked down, his chin almost stuck to his neck as he tried to see over his beard and into his son’s face. Miles had his eyes closed, tears at the corners as he clutched his toy plane tight.

  Elijah’s heart swelled so big it felt as if it were about to burst into pieces—the good kind, too. “Note to self, no growling at your son.”

  With one hand, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and texted his parents. He needed help, and he had to convince Skye that she should stay with him.

  Right or wrong, the only place she and Miles belonged was with him, at his house, so he could take care of them. Hell, she didn’t need to work to put a roof over their head or food on the table. He could provide that and then some.

  He’d give her the option, though, because he knew she was proud and she enjoyed being a midwife… but not because he was in love with her.

  Oh, no.

  He had to do right by her and Miles, and that was entirely different.

  Chapter Four

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  Skye wasn’t sure what she’d find when she woke up from a rather long and refreshing nap, but a house full of people wasn’t on the list.

  Miles was at the center of it all, sitting like a king in a high chair that she hadn’t brought with them, and eating what looked like baby food, although he could eat more substantial things now, too.

  An older woman, most likely Elijah’s momma, sat to the side, praising Miles for each bite he took. That made Skye’s stomach twist in the best way, like when the first dip was taken on a favorite roller coaster. Her son was already accepted, no matter what Eli had told them.

  Or what he’d left out.

  Skye retreated, nervous and unsure if she should join in with his family.

  While Miles seemed perfectly happy, she wasn’t used to noisy families with lots of laughter. For years, it’d only been Skye and her sisters. Whenever their mother came home, she brought bitterness, disappointment, and anger with her. Skye tried very hard not to resent her, but every time her mom left, another brick would be added to the wall being built around her heart.

  Eli hadn’t had that sort of upbringing. He didn’t know a lifetime of disappointment in the parents he was given. Hadn’t experienced a mother coming and going so often Skye was never sure if the woman would stay longer than it took the tide to change.

  Eventually, Skye’s older sisters were more like her mothers, but even that fell apart when Summer couldn’t face a future that held so much pain. It wasn’t long after when Skye decided to leave for good. She needed to make her own way in life, somewhere no one knew about her family’s reputation

  At first, she regretted leaving like she had when her sister, Rose, needed her the most. But Skye stopped regretting it as soon as she discovered she was pregnant with Miles. Her son was one of the best things to ever happen to her.

  An image of Eli pressed forward, bringing the memory of their second date to the forefront. He’d taken her on a picnic to watch the sunset, insisting her hair rivaled the sun. Pretty words from a man who’d barely known her.

  Wait, that wasn’t right.

  Miles was the best thing to ever happen to her.

  Skye didn’t know why her mind automatically went to Eli and the time they’d spent together. She didn’t know why the first thing she thought about every morning was his smile, his embrace, and the way he treated her like she was most precious thing on earth.

  Men like him didn’t exist in the real world. At least not in the world she used to inhabit, not the one where she and her sisters had been considered the town pariahs. And the only thing they’d been deemed good enough for was seeing on the side.

  All that changed when she moved to Colorado. In Denver, she found her people, joining up with a group of women who shared the same dream she did. Once she was done with her training, she took a job at a local birthing center, where she became one of the most in-demand midwives there.

  It was as if she’d found her tribe, the place where she was meant to be. Until the night she’d met Elijah, she hadn’t even known she was missing anything.

  Sure, she’d left behind a man in Holland Springs, but Tristan Reed had his own life path that diverged so far from hers there was no way they’d ever cross again. Her way of thinking about medicine and childbirth was contrary to everything he had studied and learned in medical school. When they’d fought over her interference with one of his patients, it had been the straw that broke the camel’s back.

  Now that she was older and wiser, she could admit she’d been wrong. Seeking out Tristan’s patient in order to tell her about homeopathic remedies without talking to him first had been out of line.

  The day she’d met Elijah, she’d been helping a friend. When he’d approached and asked her name, she decided to take a chance for once. She’d had plans to celebrate making it through a patient’s rather hard delivery at a new bar later that night, so she’d invited him along after he’d asked her out. The evening had led to a few drinks, and then to a stolen kiss. Skye couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. She’d known there was something about the man, something special and wonderful. For that reason, she hadn’t been able to turn him down when he asked her out on another date.

  Come to find out, they had more in common than she’d initially thought. They were both from North Carolina, craved adventure, and felt as though they’d found their home halfway across the country.

  Add in the fact he was a rugged, sexy pilot who treated her like a queen, and she’d fallen hard. So hard it hadn’t even hurt when she hit the ground. Well… not at first. It wasn’t until she had to leave him like a thief in the night that she truly knew how hard.

  None of that, however, could be helped now.

  She was a mother, and being a mother meant accepting the responsibilities that came along with the title. Responsibilities her mother had neglected, and ones Skye was determined not to mess up. Miles would get the best of her, including her attention and her love. And now, Miles would get a father and a family.

  Straightening her shoulders, Skye moved to the kitchen with a smile plastered on her face. She didn’t want it to be fake, but she also didn’t want to go in there with a frown. Or worse, a look of panic. No telling what they would think in that situation.

  What she did know about Elijah’s family was they were loud, they loved everyone, and they took people, especially the ones who didn’t want to be taken, into their fold until he or she came around.

  All in all, it was rather intimidating, but she refused to let that stop her. She’d spent her entire life with people who didn’t want her—no matter what her sisters insisted.

  They thought everyone back in Holland Springs loved Skye, but the truth was most people only tolerated her. They viewed her with s
uspicion around their men because they knew she’d be just like the rest of the Holland women someday… not good for anything other than stealing husbands.

  Please don’t let Elijah’s family think the worst of me, she prayed. Or at least let them love Miles so much that it doesn’t matter what they think about me.

  Eli spied her first. Her breath whooshed out of her as soon as a smile appeared on his lips. While she didn’t think he hated her—and she knew for a fact he wouldn’t take anything out on their son—his smile was surprisingly friendly.

  It meant there was the possibility of friendship, even when her heart told her otherwise.

  “Skye,” he said, his voice silencing the others. “This is, um, Delilah and David… my momma and my dad. And this is everyone else. Everyone, this is Skye.”

  She stood stock still while everyone turned to look at her. Raising her hand, she made her fingers wriggle. “Hi, everyone.”

  Great. Now they would think Miles’ mother was an idiot.

  “It is so good to meet you, sugar.” Delilah all but jumped to her feet and gave Skye a tight hug. “I’m so happy you’re here, and I’m overjoyed you brought my grandson to me. He’s just the smartest thing. And he looks so much like the two of you. I’ve never seen a baby who looks so much like its mama and daddy.”

  Skye looked over at Elijah to gauge his reaction. His smile was still firmly affixed to his face. Unfortunately, she couldn’t tell if it was actually friendly or simply polite.

  “That’s so nice of you to say. I’m happy Miles could meet all of y’all.”

  Thankfully, Elijah took pity on her and gently pulled her out of his mother’s embrace. “Let’s give Skye some breathing room. The poor woman drove halfway across the country just to get here.”

  Delilah gasped in horror. “I cannot believe you let the mother of your child drive all the way here, Elijah. Why in the world didn’t you pick her up like a proper gentleman and fly her back home?”

  It wasn’t a question as much as it was a statement of outrage and chastisement. Elijah might be thirty-five, but he sure as heck wasn’t too old to be scolded by his mother.

  However, Skye couldn’t leave him on the hook like that. It wasn’t his fault she’d kept the truth from him, and the sooner she got things out in the open, the sooner his family could make up their mind about her and her place in their family as Miles’ mother.

  “Actually, he didn’t know, and I couldn’t tell him at first.” Skye looked around the room at the multitude of faces that filled the kitchen. Most were friendly. Others were a bit skeptical, but at least none of them were angry. “I know I should’ve told him sooner, but I—”

  “I was really stupid,” Eli broke in, shocking her. “I broke up with her, sent her away… Basically, it was my fault. But now that she’s here, I’m gonna make things right by her and our son.”

  Skye’s eyes widened. Was he serious? Did Elijah really think he needed to take the blame? She couldn’t let him do that to himself, much less to his family. They were important to him, and he valued their opinions too much.

  “Actually, Elijah isn’t telling the truth.”

  “Skye,” he warned, and her heart warmed.

  “Look, I’m not the type of woman to let someone else take the blame when they did nothing wrong. The truth is… we’d already broken up by the time I found out I was pregnant with Miles. Since I’d deleted his contact information, I couldn’t call. At first, I didn’t even try to track him down. So if you want someone to be angry with, be angry with me.”

  Delilah and David shook their heads, Elijah’s dad speaking first. “We’re not mad at you.”

  Skye gave him a look. “You have every right to be.”

  “We’re not mad at you,” he repeated. “We understand that sometimes these things happen… and we want Miles and you to be part of our family. You’re a package deal.”

  Skye heard the words coming out of his mouth, but she couldn’t quite believe he meant them. People said things they didn’t mean all the time, and when there was a new baby involved, it doubled. If they were going overboard because they were afraid she’d take Miles and leave, then of course they would be offering all sorts of invitations to stay and be part of their family.

  “I appreciate your candor, but so you don’t have to worry or do something you’re not really ready for, I plan to stay in Jessamine… regardless if y’all were planning to accept me into your family or not. All I ask is that you spend time with and get to know Miles. That’s it.”

  Elijah’s face grew dark.

  What had she said wrong? She told the truth—that she’d come here with the sole intention of letting her son get to know his dad and his extended family. What more could she do or say?

  She wasn’t in love with Elijah.

  Skye hadn’t come here to rekindle an old flame. That flame had burned out a long time ago. Forget burned out—she’d put it out with a gust of hurricane-force wind. She was lucky he hadn’t slammed the door in her face.

  Working with women like she did, she’d heard all sorts of horror stories about men who didn’t want to take responsibility, who refused to believe the truth, and who, even after having the truth proved, still didn’t want to have anything to do with their children. The entire drive to Jessamine, she had held on to her belief that Elijah wasn’t like other men. Never had been and never would be.

  “Be that as it may, you are welcome in our home anytime,” Delilah said.

  Rubbing the tips of her fingers against the side of her temple, Skye tried to make amends. “Thank you so much for being so welcoming, but I’m kind of overwhelmed right now. If you’re not sick of Miles, and you don’t mind, I think I’ll go back to my room to rest a bit longer. I’m not sure I’m fit for company right now.”

  She rushed out of the kitchen before anyone could stop her, going as fast as she could without breaking into a run. But by the time she got to her room, Elijah had caught up. He grabbed her by the arm and pushed her inside, closing the door behind them

  “Mind telling me what that was all about?” he asked, even as sparks of desire tripped up and down her arm from where their skin touched.

  Did he feel it, too?

  “I was only stating the truth,” she insisted.

  “Your truth is to tell us that we shouldn’t bother getting to know you because all that matters is Miles?”

  She closed her eyes for a moment. “Of course he’s all that matters. I stopped mattering as soon as he was born!”

  “Well, that’s not how we do things in this family. You matter just as much. As far as we are concerned, you’re part of this family now.”

  We are concerned? Did he mean the royal we or was he referring to his entire family? “Don’t I get a choice in this?” Why did it matter? He was offering to include her to make it so things wouldn’t be awkward when they wanted to spend time with Miles. She should be jumping with joy, but all she felt was emptiness.

  The entire situation was ridiculous.

  She was ridiculous.

  “I know that look, Skye Holland. Stop analyzing the why and simply take us up on the offer. I want you here. Miles deserves two parents who not only get along, but who are also friends as well.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “What would your girlfriend have to say about that?”

  A grin kicked up the corner of his mouth. “Not much.”

  No girlfriend. “A wife?”

  “Don’t have one of those either. I heard from a reliable source that to have one of each is detrimental to one’s health.”

  She had to twist her lips to keep from laughing. He was such a silly charmer. When they had been together, she’d loved that about him.

  “I don’t have anyone in my life either, in case you were wondering,” she said.

  He leaned against the door. “Wasn’t wondering about that at all.”

  Skye wanted to wipe the smug smirk off his mouth, but she didn’t know how. She wasn’t the confident
woman she used to be anymore.

  “And why is that?”

  He straightened, taking a step closer to her and sending her heart into overdrive. “Because if you were mine, no way in hell would I have let you come alone.”

  “Oh.” She sounded breathless when she should be outraged, but she’d loved that possessive side of Eli, too. It was just right in her opinion. It allowed her to be her own woman while letting her know she belonged to him… and he belonged to her, too. A sort of equal belonging that left her knees weak.

  “Tell you what,” he said. “I’ll send everyone home, and we can have a quiet, early supper.”

  “You’d do that for me?”

  He nodded, biting the side of his lip. “I panicked a little and called in reinforcements after you fell asleep. I didn’t think my mother would bring almost the entire fleet with her.”

  This time, she allowed herself to smile. “That’s not a bad thing.”

  “Your expression and little speech in the kitchen said otherwise.”

  She shook her head. “You misunderstand me. It’s good you had backup, and it’s great you could call them…. More than anything, it’s wonderful they would come.”

  “I realize in the grand schemes of things twelve weeks wasn’t all that long to be together, but in that time, I got to know you. I know what scares you.”

  “I’m not afraid of anything.”

  He opened the door. “Now that, Ms. Holland, is a bold-faced lie if I ever heard one.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because the real reason you left me is that you were scared of this very situation.” He grew serious. “This time, sweetheart, you’re stuck with me.”

  Chapter Five

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  In less than twenty-four hours, Elijah’s life had been turned completely upside down, and it was all thanks to one woman and a small child.

  He couldn’t say he was unhappy about it, but then again, he couldn’t say he was thrilled either.

  The one thing he did know was he had a lot of reassessing to do. He had responsibilities now, and no matter what Skye thought or made plans for, it was his job to take care of her and his son.