Players, Bumps and Cocktail Sausages

by Natasha Preston

Holly slapped my shoulder. “You have to ruin it!”

  I laughed. “Seriously though, you don’t have to worry about an absent dad, I’ll be here so much you’ll be sick of me. ” I needed her to know I would never let her down.

  “I know,” she whispered, smiling.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Holly

  “What do you want, sweetheart?” Mum asked. We’d been going over university and work and baby arrangements for the last half an hour, and I was starting to get a headache. There were so many things to consider.

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  I shrugged. “I don’t know. I used to want a career, but now I’m pregnant I couldn’t imagine leaving the baby all day. Don’t get me wrong, I want to do something, and I’ll need to, but maybe part-time. Until she’s school age anyway. ”

  Mum frowned. “What part-time career do you want?”

  “I don’t know. ”

  “You need to think about that. I know you want to be a good mum but being a good mum means providing too. You also need to think about what you want. Just because you’re having a baby, doesn’t mean you have to give up your dreams. ”

  “Yeah, I guess. I want to be a Pharmacist, but maybe when the baby starts school I should be looking at pharmacy in a doctor’s surgery rather than a hospital: The hours are more family friendly. ”

  “And until then?”

  “I’ll see if I can stay at The Centre part-time. ”

  “Okay. ” She looked away.

  “What?”

  “Nothing, love. ” She hugged her mug of tea with her hands. “Look I’m not saying being a receptionist is beneath you – it’s not. A job is a job, and you’ll be providing, which is the main thing. ”

  “So what are you saying?”

  “It’s just hard to watch your child who has worked towards her dream career have to put it on hold. That’s all. ”

  “I know it’s going to be hard, and I still have a year left to study, but I can defer for a year. ”

  “You don’t want to work full-time until the baby is in school, but you think you’ll have time for a full-time course when the baby is just a year old?”

  I bit my lip, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, love”, she said, clearly seeing me sag. “I’m not trying to bring you down. I’m just concerned. Holly, we will do everything in our power to get you that degree, but it’s not going to be easy. ”

  “I get that. Uni is full on but at least I don’t have classes all day five days a week. I’m sure between me and Jasper we can work something out. You know how keen he is to be a dad. ”

  She smiled. “Yes, he is. And I think you mean between your father and I, yourself and Jasper, and Jasper’s parents we can work something out. ”

  “Thanks, Mum. ”

  “What has Jasper said about it?”

  “That I should go back in October and take a few weeks off after the birth. ”

  “Well that does make sense. Uni is almost starting again, and you still have just over seven months left. The year will be almost over by the time the baby comes; you’ll only have a few months left. ”

  “Yeah, I see his point, but I don’t want to be stressed out with studying when I’m pregnant. And definitely not taking my final exams when I’ve got a newborn. . . ”

  “Honey, it’s going to be a lot more stressful trying to do a whole year with a baby crawling around and demanding your full attention. ”

  I wanted to bang my head on the table. It would be easier to do it all now.

  “I’d need to take three weeks off after the birth at least. ” Two weeks was the legal requirement, but I knew I’d want and need longer.

  “Of course. But you could catch up the things you’ve missed, and we’ll all help. ”

  I narrowed my eyes.

  “You’ve been talking to Jasper. ” He’d said the same thing to me just a few days ago.

  She held her hands up.

  “Yes. Don’t be angry though, we’re only trying to help. It’s a well known fact that not everyone that takes a year out goes back. ”

  “I would go back. But you’re right; it’d be crazy of me not to struggle past the final few months and finish my course with a new baby rather than deferring and having to do a whole year with a young child. ”

  Just then we were interrupted, and my head was spinning so much it was a relief.

  “Look who I found wandering around outside,” Dad said, walking into the kitchen with Jasper trailing behind.

  “I wasn’t wandering around, I was walking to the door,” he said. “Wandering makes me sound like a stalker. ”

  Dad turned to him. “You got my daughter pregnant, you’re whatever I say you are. ”

  “Fair enough,” Jasper replied and sidestepped him. Deep down, Dad liked him but he was stubborn so it would be a while before he admitted it again.

  He sat beside me, and his aftershave filled my lungs. I tried to act cool as if he had no effect on me at all, but I couldn’t help leaning just that little bit closer to him.

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  “How’s my baby doing?” he asked, placing his hand on my stomach.

  “She’s fine. ”

  He looked up at me with the biggest grin I’d ever seen.

  “Good. I wonder when we’ll feel her kicking around in there. ”

  I shrugged. “A while yet. ”

  “I can’t wait. ”

  “Me neither. Although, apparently the kicks to the ribs really hurt. Oh but something you’ll be happy to hear, I decided to go back to uni next month. ”

  “That’s great, Holly. ” Jasper beamed, and so did my parents. “What about living arrangements?”

  I looked at Mum and Dad.

  “Think I can move back here just before the birth?”

  The drive to and from university every day would take about forty-five minutes each way so that would be too much for me to do each day. But I needed to be close when I was near to my due date because I had very little idea of what it was going to be like.

  “As if we’re going to say no!” Dad said, sitting down beside Mum.

  “Thanks. ”

  Jasper leant back, placing his arm on the back of my chair.

  “And if he did you could just stay with me. ”

  Dad barked a laugh. “I don’t think so. ”

  Wow, living with Jasper. Recently that fantasy had filled my head more times than it should, and I didn’t know if it was because I had real feelings for him or because I was carrying his baby. Who was I kidding, they were real feelings!

  “She’s carrying my baby,” Jasper said, trying to keep a straight face. He and Dad had a weird relationship; they teased each other a lot, and it was sometimes hard to tell if it was in jest or not. At first I was worried Dad would hate Jasper, but he was very quickly coming around, probably because Jasper had been perfect.

  “Anyway,” I said, pulling Jasper up with me. “We need to talk about some stuff so we’ll see you later. ”

  “Leave your door open, Holly,” Dad said. I could hear the humour in his voice, but I didn’t look back because him trying to be a ‘cool dad’ was annoying. Jasper, however, laughed as we walked up to my room.

  “We should actually have sex and call your dad’s bluff,” he joked. I noticed he waited until I’d closed my door before he said it though.

  “Hmm, I’ll pass but thanks for the offer. ”

  He gripped his heart.

  “You wound me. I thought I was irresistible. ” Giving me his big puppy dog eyes, he pouted his lip and cocked his head, giving the full effect. My heart pounded.

  “You’re not that irresistible. ”

  “Then why’re we up here?”

  I rolled my eyes. “To talk about how this is all going to work. Do you think your mum will be able to help with childcare fo
r the few months the baby’s here before university finishes?”

  “You kidding, right? Try taking her off my mum! We’re all going to help, Holly. I’m so glad you decided to stick at uni. ”

  “Me too. My friend Li is coming to visit on Friday. I’d like you to meet her. You don’t have to or anything-”

  “I’d love to meet her. ”

  I sighed in relief. We weren’t together so why would he want to meet my friends? I was glad that he took an interest. He probably just wanted to check her out because she would eventually have contact with our baby.

  “We need godparents!” I said.

  “Alright, moving on. What made you think about that?”

  “I don’t know. There’s just so much to do, and you only get nine tiny months. Hell, by the time you find out it’s only eight months!”

  “Calm down,” he said, holding his hands up. “Why don’t you think of two and I’ll think of two. ”

  “Who’s your two?” I asked.

  “Cole and Oakley. ”

  I could’ve guessed that.

  “Brad and Amy. ”

  “There. Tick that off your list. Stop stressing, Hol. Hey, we agree on things easily. I’ve never had that before. Ha, I should’ve married you and not Abby. ”

  I laughed, pretending to take it as a joke when something deep inside me wondered what it’d be like to be Mrs Scofield. If he decided to keep his new surname, you never knew with him.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “When is Li getting here?” Jasper asked, eyeing my still flat belly. I was sure he was keeping an eye on it so he could be the first to see the bump.

  “In about an hour. ”

  “And she definitely speaks English?”

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  “Jasper!”

  He looked up and raised his hands. “Hey, don’t go getting all defensive. I’m not being an arse or anything, but you met her in on your exchange thing, and you speak Chinese. ”

  Okay, he had a fair point.

  “Yes, she speaks English. Better than you actually. ”

  He smiled teasingly.

  “Why didn’t you want to go to China when she invited you? I thought you wanted to go back. ”

  “I do and I would’ve, but if I get a bump while over there…” Jasper couldn’t wait to see the bump first appear.

  “You stayed because of me?”

  I did a lot of things because of him. Like getting butterflies, blushing fits and heart palpitations.

  “I can’t miss anything – not that I’d want to – but you can so I don’t think it’s fair if I go off and risk you missing seeing my belly stick out or my squealing over the first kick. ”

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  My heart skipped at the low rawness and sincerity in his voice. I was lusting after the man I was having a baby with, a man that pledged his allegiance to the No-Strings Attached Club. I was doomed.

  “So, we’ve got time before she arrives,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

  “Jasper!” I whacked his upper arm.

  He pouted. “I don’t even get a kiss?”

  I tried to stare coldly, but he could probably sense my eagerness. And I was sure he could hear my heart beating.

  Lowering his head he said in a very low and seductive tone, “You want to kiss me. ”

  Yes, but it’s a bad idea. I liked him way too much to not get hurt when he ended our casual physical relationship. I had everything pinned on him falling for me when his heart was healed again, and I didn’t want to like him even more in case he didn’t. If he ended up with someone else – even the thought made me feel sick – we’d still have to get along for our child’s sake.

  I bit my lip and his pupils dilated.

  He inched closer, and I gripped his arms, both eager and resistant. Smiling briefly, he closed his eyes and then he was kissing me. The tips of my fingers dug into his flesh, making him groan. His hand gripped the back of my hair, and the kiss turned wild.

  He lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, clawing at his back to get him closer. I wasn’t sure if it was my overactive hormones, but the sexual tension between us had spiked.

  Jasper laid us on my bed and kissed his way down my neck. Something inside my head was telling me this was a bad idea, but it had been seriously muffled as every nerve ending in my body burst to life. I gripped the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. My hands greedily gliding over his muscular six-pack.

  Biting his way down my neck, he pinned me to the bed with his arms and legs. I gasped as his lips trailed over my skin, his hot breath giving me goose bumps.

  “Jasper,” I whispered, arching my body into his.

  He was up in a shot, pushing off me. I gasped, eyes widening.

  “What?”

  I was about to freak out when he reached for the top of my leggings, yanking them down as quickly as he could. I lifted my butt to help, but they were off in a flash. Sitting up, I helped him get my top off and then unbuttoned his jeans with shaky hands. We hadn’t been together in what felt like months, and I missed how I felt with him.

  His steely, heavily lidded eyes pierced into mine, showing me how much he wanted me. I unhooked my bra and with my newly found confidence, whipped my thong off too. Jasper made me feel wanted and sexy.

  Looking up, I said, “What?”

  His mouth parted, and he sucked in a deep breath.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he said, running his fingers over the skin between my breasts.

  He got off the bed and took off his jeans, keeping his lust-filled eyes on me. He slipped on a condom I handed him and crawled back on the bed slowly. I squirmed under his gaze, my body on fire for him.

  “Jasper,” I whispered.

  His body covered mine, and he lowered his lips to my jaw.

  “I know. I’ve got you. ”

  He entered me at a maddeningly slow pace.

  “Holly,” he groaned and kissed me.

  “Li!” I shouted, running out of the door to greet my friend. I’d missed her. We hadn’t seen each other since we were eighteen, but we wrote all the time.

  “Holly!” she replied with the same enthusiasm and ran at me. We collided, hugging like long lost sisters.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Break it up, you’ll squish my kid!” Jasper shouted from behind us.

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  Pulling back, I rolled my eyes. “Li, this is Jasper. Jasper, Li. ”

  “So you’re the one that got my friend pregnant,” Li said, shoving her hands on her hips.

  Jasper did a bow. “That’s me. ”

  I felt the floor whip away beneath me. Li was beautiful, smart, confident and outgoing. How could I not have seen before that she was his type? I swallowed my jealously. She wasn’t here long, and I wanted us both to enjoy seeing each other again.

  “Come inside! We’ve got so much to catch up on,” I said, pulling her towards the door.

  She made a quiet squeal and bound into the house behind me.

  “I missed you. And we do have a lot to catch up on, mum!”

  “I know,” I said as we sat down on the sofa. “Crazy, isn’t it?”

  “Super crazy! That was the last thing I ever thought would come out of your mouth. ”

  Li and I spent the next two hours gossiping and catching up. Jasper joined in the conversation when needed and kept us supplied with drinks and chocolate. He’d won Li over immediately and had her laughing at some of the things he got up to as a teenager. When the doorbell rang he went to answer it.

  “He’s very cute,” she whispered.

  I grinned. “I know! I hope the baby gets those good-looking genes. ”

  “Please, with you as its mum and hottie out there as its dad, there’s no doubt!”

  Jasper walked back in the living room with Amy trailing behind
.

  “I approve,” Amy announced, nodding to Jasper.

  He frowned. “Of course you do. ”

  “She said you were cocky. ”

  “Charmingly cocky,” he corrected, making her laugh.

  The uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach again. I knew Amy would never let anything happen with Jasper, but the thought of him wanting her hurt.

  “Anyway,” Amy said. “You need to leave. This is girl talk time. ”

  Japer turned to me. “I know when I’m not wanted. ” Beside him, Amy raised her eyebrows at me, and I tried to not react. “Call if you need anything,” he said, leaning down and kissing the top of my head. “Keep that baby safe. And you two ladies, keep that one safe. ” He nodded to me and then walked out.

  “Bye, Jasper,” Amy shouted in a singsong voice. I threw a cushion at her.

  “Are you joining us for dinner?” I asked Amy.

  She sat down and gave Li a hug. “No, unfortunately I have plans, so I thought I’d come over now and catch up. I won’t be around much this weekend. ”

  “Oh?” Li said.

  “Me and Liam have a make-or-break weekend planned. ”

  “What? Things are really that bad? Why didn’t you tell me when we went out, or the other hundred times we’ve spoken on the phone?” I asked.

  She grimaced. “We’ll you’ve got a lot going on and-”

  “I don’t care what I have going on, I want to help you too. ”

  Amy smiled and sat back.

  “Right, no baby or Jasper talk. I want to know everything that’s going on with you and Liam. ”

  “Okay,” she said. “But quickly before we start, I think he likes you too. ”

  “Definitely,” Li agreed.

  “Sure, we’re friends, and I’m carrying his child. ” I deliberately left out the part where we’d had sex in my bedroom only three hours ago. They both opened their mouth to say something else. I held my hand up. “No more. We’re moving on. What’s going on, Amy?”

  She sighed, shoulders slumping.

  “Things have been strained for a while. I’m ambitious and working towards my degree, I know the career I want and what I have to do to get there. He’s the opposite. He’s bored at work, hates being shut inside a warehouse all day but does nothing about it. I hate people that complain about a situation but don’t change it. It’s like he’s waiting for his dream job to miraculously land in his lap. ”

  “What is his dream job?”

  “Spray painting cars. Custom stuff, not accident touch-ups. When I suggested he changed jobs and worked for a mechanics while doing a course, he looked at me like I was crazy. Now surely if you’re advertising for a job and someone has experience working with cars and the other one has been working in a factory you’re going to go with the mechanic. ”