“What do you want to know?” I asked her, holding my arms out to the side. “I’m an open book.”
Keaton scoffed and rolled her eyes. “You’re a freaking vault, Garret. Secrets are your life.”
I reached across the table and took her hand, giving it a small squeeze. I waited until her dark eyes met mine, then smiled. “I’ll answer every question you ask me with compete honesty. Unless it’s classified.”
She perked up but eyed me skeptically. “Seriously?”
I winked at her and cocked my head to the side. “Seriously.”
Her face scrunched adorably for a moment as she contemplated something. Then she grinned. “When was your first kiss?”
I shook my head. “I don’t remember anyone before you.”
Her eyes narrowed and her lips tipped down. “I thought you were going to be one hundred percent honest.”
I sighed and gave her a crooked smile. “That’s what I get for trying to be romantic.” She giggled and looked at me expectantly.
“Savanah Foster. Second grade. Her brother punched me about two seconds later.”
Keaton threw her head back and peals of laughter burst from her lips. Damn, I would never tire of hearing the beautiful sound of her joy.
Sometimes I’d ask her to answer her own questions as well, if it was something I didn’t already know about her.
“What about you?”
She thought for a moment, her free hand tapping on the table. “Danny Connor. Fifth grade. He backed up so fast he fell on his butt. My ego took a serious hit. Then he proceeded to rat me out to the teacher, who told my dad”—she shook her head, her eyes brimming with indignation—“the little punk.”
“Need me to track him down and kick his ass?” I asked, only half joking.
Keaton laughed, then launched into another barrage of questions.
With every date, we grew closer and she became more openly affectionate. I loved the way she was constantly touching me and melted when she was in my arms.
When we weren’t ripping each other’s clothes off and sating our rampant lust, things between us became easy and comfortable. Like this moment, as we lounged on the lawn and simply enjoyed each other’s company.
The opening credits started, and Keaton fell quiet. I set her feet on the blanket and helped her sit up before maneuvering her to where she was sitting between my legs, her back resting against my chest. It was the perfect position, and I could have stayed like that, simply holding her in my arms, forever.
When the screen went dark, everyone in the park clapped heartily. Keaton’s smile was huge as we gathered our things and walked to where Jack had texted that he was waiting.
On the drive home, I held her hand in my own and stroked my fingers over the creases while she rested her head on my shoulder. At first, she was so quiet that I thought she’d fallen asleep. But then I noticed her other hand drawing nervous circles on her thigh. She sighed but continued to be silent. I decided to wait until she was ready to talk about whatever it was she was thinking so hard about. Until her third sigh.
“What’s on your mind, beautiful?”
She tensed and looked up at me with uncertainty brimming in her eyes. “I was wondering…”
“You know you can ask me anything, beautiful.”
She drew her hand back and clasped both together in front of her, pressing them into her stomach.
I frowned. “Are you feeling all right?”
Her gaze followed mine, and it was as though she just noticed what she’d been doing, because she quickly released her hands and ran her palms down her legs.
“Um, what’s your favorite color?”
My brow lifted in surprise. That couldn’t have been the question she’d been so nervous about. Still, I didn’t want to pressure her, so I answered. “Light brown,” I murmured as I lifted up one of her soft, springy curls and tugged it straight before letting go and watching it bounce back.
The city lights illuminated Keaton’s face so I could see her features soften, her nerves seeming to settle a little.
“What’s your favorite type of music?”
I leaned in close and whispered right into her ear. “This one is top secret. Are you sure you can handle keeping such sensitive information to yourself?”
She giggled and shivered simultaneously. “I’m a vault, too.”
I was grateful that she wasn’t looking right at me when I told her my embarrassing secret, because I could feel the heat of a blush on my face. Yeah, the big, bad-boy billionaire was fucking blushing.
“Country music,” I muttered.
Keaton froze for a heartbeat, then she slapped her hands over her mouth. Her body shook, and moisture leaked from the corners of her dancing eyes.
“Aw come on, beautiful. I laid out my soul here and you’re laughing?” I teased.
I heard a muffled snort and couldn’t help joining in with her laughter. When we sobered, I took hold of her chin and turned her face so I was looking directly down at it. “Now, do you believe that I will answer anything you ask me honestly?” She nodded with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “What did you really want to ask me?”
“Um…how many kids do you want?”
I was silent for a moment, searching her expression, wondering why this question seemed so different from the others. Usually, Keaton telegraphed all of her thoughts and emotions through her face and expressive eyes, but she was oddly unreadable.
“You don’t want kids, do you?” she asked suddenly in a small voice.
“That’s not it at all, beautiful.” My gaze flicked to her flat stomach before locking with hers again. “I was trying to decide if my answer would send you running in the opposite direction.”
Confusion drifted across her face, but she stayed mute, waiting.
“I want as many kids as my wife is willing to give me,” I replied truthfully. “I’m hoping she wants a big family, too.” We’d reached the house and were pulling into the dark garage, so I wasn’t able to gauge her expression. “Well, wife. Do you?”
Chapter Seven
KEATON
I bit down hard on my lip to try to stop myself from resorting back to my verbal vomit habit. It had taken me a couple of weeks to move past it again. But I’d discovered today that I wasn’t as comfortable around him as I’d thought—and the reason was currently the size of a sweet pea, if my suspicion was correct.
I was pretty darn sure it was, even though it’d taken me longer to catch on to what was going on than it probably should’ve. Between the sore breasts, irritability, late period, and all the unprotected sex Garret and I had been having, it was kind of a no-brainer.
Even though he’d just said he wanted as many children as his wife—me—would give him, I was still afraid to tell him I was pregnant. There was a big difference between wanting kids someday and being excited that you were going to be permanently tied to the wife you’d married for only a year. No matter how many times you’ve told her she was yours in the heat of the moment. But I wasn’t ever going to get a better opening than this one, so I needed to pull up my big-girl panties and get the ball rolling by answering Garret’s question.
I took a deep breath, rested my hand over my stomach again, and blurted out, “Yes, I’d love a big family. Being an only child was hard for me, especially after my mom died. I don’t want that for my children.”
“You mean that you don’t want that for our children, beautiful.” He pressed his hand against mine, right over where our little sweet pea almost definitely rested. “Because any children you have will be mine, too.”
My mind whirled with the implication of what he’d just done and said. Did he suspect I was pregnant? If so, was he okay with it? Because he seemed like maybe he was. Also, it wasn’t the heat of the moment. He’d pretty much just said outright that he expected us to be together for a lot longer than one year, if he was going to be the father of any children I had. It was all so confusing, and there was only one way
to straighten it all out.
“What if the first one came in about eight months?”
“Eight months?” His hazel eyes widened before they filled with an air of wonder that left me no doubt that he was thrilled by the idea of me being pregnant. “As in you’re pregnant right now?” His tone was full of excitement, and it caused butterflies to erupt in my belly.
My gaze darted to the front seat of the car. Jack’s focus seemed to be on the road, but it felt weird to share something so important while we weren’t alone. “Maybe,” I whispered. “I haven’t taken a test yet, so I’m not sure.”
Garret didn’t share my shyness, and my cheeks filled with heat as he called out, “I’m going to need you to run an errand for me as soon as you drop us off at home, Jack. Head over to the nearest Duane Reade and grab two of each kind of pregnancy test they carry.”
“Garret!” I swatted at his arm, but it didn’t do any good, since he just lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. Not only was I mortified that he’d basically just announced that I was possibly pregnant when I hadn’t really come to grips with it, but I was surprised he would send Jack on such a menial errand.
“It’s fine, Keaton,” Jack chimed in with a laugh. “There are certain things that require discretion, no matter how small.” His words made me feel a little less embarrassed, since I knew Jack valued privacy as much as Garret and would keep the news to himself. He looked at me in the rearview mirror, his eyes crinkling. “Besides, I’m used to his demanding ways.”
“Aren’t we all?” I rolled my eyes as I buried my face against Garret’s chest.
“Hey,” he grumbled against the top of my head. “No teaming up against me with another guy.”
“It’s just Jack.”
He tilted my head back, his hazel eyes burning into mine as he insisted, “It doesn’t matter who it is, beautiful. You’re mine, which makes you team Hansen all the way.”
My heart fluttered at the possessive rumble in his voice. “Then team Hansen needs to have a rule that certain topics, like possible pregnancies, are only talked about in the cone of silence.”
“The cone of silence?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You know what I mean.”
“I do, and it’s just one more thing that makes you so damn cute.” Jack made the turn into the garage as Garret bent low and whispered, “Which only makes me want you more.”
I wriggled in my seat, my thighs rubbing together and my panties growing damp. His hot breath blew against my cheek when he chuckled deeply, making it clear that he knew exactly how my body was reacting. My cheeks heated, but not with embarrassment. It was pure, unadulterated need. Stronger than usual, which was saying a lot, considering the kind of response Garret normally pulled from my body.
“Awesome. Maybe I need to add extra-horny to my list of possible pregnancy symptoms,” I grumbled as he helped me out of the car and into the house, Garret laughing all the way.
The door had barely closed behind us before he yanked me into his arms and slammed his mouth against mine. I melted against his body, my eyes blinking open again when he ended the kiss to whisper against my lips, “If that’s one of the side effects of knocking you up, then you can plan on being pregnant often.”
“But—”
He pressed his lips against mine again, and I felt his curl up at the edges as he pulled away. “I know what you’re going to say—we don’t even know for sure if you’re pregnant yet. But it won’t take Jack long to run to the store and grab the tests.”
That wasn’t what I’d been planning to say at all. I’d been focused on how he’d mentioned getting me pregnant often. It indicated a future between us far beyond the year our contract had stipulated. And once again, it hadn’t been made in the heat of the moment. My heart filled with hope, and tears spilled down my cheeks.
“Shh, beautiful. You don’t need to be scared. I’ve got you.”
He lifted me off my feet and carried me into the first-floor living room. After he set me down on one of the long, leather couches, he headed into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. He cracked it open and pulled the lid off as he walked back toward me and crouched down in front of me.
“Here, beautiful. Drink some of this.”
I took a couple of sips and tried to hand the bottle back to him, but he shook his head and lifted it back to my lips.
“I’m not really thirsty.”
“We’ve got to keep you hydrated, since you’re drinking for two now.”
“Isn’t it supposed to be eating for two? Not drinking?”
He quirked an eyebrow at me, looking so damn arrogant that I wanted to stomp my foot. Instead, I grabbed the bottle and downed half the contents before thrusting it back into his hand. “There. Satisfied?”
“Almost, but not yet.” I took a page from his playbook and quirked my brow at him. His eyes filled with male appreciation, and his raspy chuckle sent goosebumps along my spine. “Is it any wonder that I won’t be truly satisfied until I see a positive result on one of those pregnancy tests?”
Hearing him put it that way, I couldn’t stop myself from blurting out, “What about the one-year term to our agreement?”
His hazel eyes went wide, burning with intensity as he set the water bottle on the end table and lifted me off the cushions. He took my spot and turned me around so I was straddling his lap. “I’ve told you over and over again that you’re mine, Keaton. Have you spent all this time thinking I didn’t mean it?”
“It was always when we were in bed with each other, and I thought maybe it was just because of how…” I paused, trying to find the right word to describe how perfectly we fit together.
“Fucking fantastic it is when I get inside your tight, little pussy?” he finished for me. I nodded, and he offered me a sweet smile. “I’m not going to lie, that’s part of it”—his hold on me tightened when I jerked back—“but only because I know I’m claiming you as mine each and every time. Leaving my marks on your creamy skin and filling your pussy with my come.”
I melted into his chest, wrapping my arms around his neck. “But what about the contract?”
“That stupid contract flew out the window the second you gave me your cherry.”
I was used to how bossy he was, but I still felt like he was missing my point. “You can’t just unilaterally decide that the contract doesn’t mean anything anymore because I slept with you. We both signed it, and Luxe Connections helped negotiate the whole thing. It’s not like it just went poof and doesn’t exist anymore.”
His eyes flashed with triumph. “Actually, that’s exactly what happened, beautiful. Since we both agreed to breach the contract on day one, it would now be considered abandoned by a judge. That makes it unenforceable.”
“It does?” He nodded. “You knew this the entire time?” Another nod. “And you didn’t tell me?” He shook his head, and I poked a finger into his chest. “Why not?”
“Because I didn’t want to give you any reason to second-guess your decision to marry me.” He wrapped his hand around my wrist and lifted, nipping at my finger. “When it comes to keeping you, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“But why?”
“Isn’t it obvious, Keaton? I love you.”
My heart understood what he’d said faster than my head did. It raced so hard, it felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. And then my brain caught up. “You love me?”
“More than you’ll ever fucking know.”
I peered into his eyes, looking for any sign that he wasn’t being 100 percent honest. But I didn’t find it. The only thing I saw shining back at me was unadulterated love. It filled my heart with a joy I hadn’t felt since my mom died, and the walls I’d put up to try to protect myself after my father’s distance came tumbling down. Our motives for meeting each other in the first place—my desire to get away from my dad, and his to meet the terms of the inheritance Julia had mentioned—didn’t matter anymore. Not with how we felt about
each other.
“I love you, too.”
“You’d better, because I’m never going to let you go.” He rested his forehead against mine. “You or the baby we created together.”
My lips curved up in a small smile. “We don’t know if there really is a baby yet.”
“Maybe we should practice in case it’s negative.” His hands seized my ass, and he boosted me up so that I had no choice but to circle my legs around his waist.
I heard a throat clearing and glanced over my shoulder to find Jack standing in the doorway to the galley kitchen, a brown paper bag clutched in one fist. “Before I see something I’ll have to acid-wash my brain to get rid of, I’ll just leave this here and give you two some privacy.” He dropped the bag onto a counter, turned, and shook his head as he swiftly walked out to the garage.
My face heated with mortification at what Jack had witnessed. Not that he’d really seen anything, but if he’d walked in ten minutes later…
“Perfect timing,” Garret murmured against my lips. He claimed them in another brief but possessive kiss. Then he held me up as though I was as light as a feather and, after grabbing the bag from the kitchen, he carried me into the bathroom. Setting me on the counter, he dumped the contents on the other side of the sink and sorted through them until he found whatever it was he’d been looking for. He ripped open a purple box, tore through the rest of the packaging, and thrust a stick into my hand. “Pee on this, beautiful.”
“I’m not peeing in front of you!”
“I want to be part of this moment with you. Let me help you.”
“Well…okay,” I agreed reluctantly.
He flipped open the lid of the toilet, lifted me off the counter, yanked the bottom of my dress up, and set me down. Before I knew what was happening, he’d pulled my panties down to my ankles and turned his back toward me. “There, now I’m not watching.”
“There really is no such thing as boundaries with you, is there?” I muttered to myself as my bladder made the decision for me. I hastily shoved the tip of the pregnancy test into the stream while I glared at his back. He waited for me to stand up and flush before he turned back around and yanked the stick out of my hand to set it on the edge of the counter. Then he tugged me over to the sink, settling right behind me. He twisted the faucets to get a steady stream of warm water and slid his soapy hands against mine. He’d washed my entire body from head to toe in the shower before, but it somehow never felt as intimate as him helping me wash my hands right now did.
Bought for Protection (Bought by the Billionaire Book 3) Page 5