As he attempts to regain his breath, Dean places his big hand on my stomach. I cover his hand with mine, and his breathing slows to a normal rate.
“I love you, Dean. I never meant to hurt you. I was coming here to tell you that you’re going to be a father and that I’m moving here to be with you. I want this to work. Please don’t be mad at me.”
“Why would you hide this from me? You had so many times to tell me over the phone.”
“I had to tell my dad and brothers over the phone, but I knew I would see you before them. So, I figured I could wait a few weeks.”
“You’re talking about my child.” He shakes his head. “Our child. I would never look at him or her as something I need to deal with. I’m not my father.”
“I know that, Dean.” I let out a puff of air. “That’s not what I meant. It came out wrong. See, this is why I wanted to have this conversation in person.”
“I would have preferred to find out from you and not your asshole brother as he’s throwing punches at me.”
“He shouldn’t have done that. I asked him not to. But you know Duke. He’s such a jerk. I’m sorry.”
“Duke will get suspended for it,” he says. “He attacked me with brutal force and knocked out a linesman. He’ll be lucky if he’s off suspension by the end of the season.”
“Yeah, I know. My dad’s pissed. You should have seen him trying to report what happened between you and Duke. He even apologized on-air to you and the league for Duke’s behavior.”
“It’s not your dad’s fault that Duke’s an asshole.”
“He has anger issues.” I rub Dean’s shoulder. “I’m sorry he took his aggression out on you.”
He nods.
I thread my fingers between his. “Dean, please just listen to me for a minute. There’s nothing I can do or say that will make this situation better, but we can work on moving forward. Whether we like it or not, we’re having a baby. Your child is growing inside me and will be here in no time.”
“You know how I grew up,” Dean growls. “My dad was never around. I haven’t seen him in so many years that I can’t even remember what he looks like anymore. I don’t want that for my child.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.”
“Are you really moving to Philly?” He winces in pain and touches his swollen cheek. “Fuck, this hurts like hell. Can you grab some ice from the freezer for me?”
As I hold an ice pack against his cheek, he wraps his fingers around my wrist and sighs. “I’m still mad.”
I bite my bottom lip. “Do you hate me?”
“No, I could never hate you. But I’m allowed to be mad at you. I need some time to process everything.” He takes the ice from my hand and holds my gaze. “You should go back to Chicago and pack your bags. I could use a little space right now.”
“But I had plans for us. I wanted to take you someplace special for your birthday.”
“What’s the point, Kat? I’m not in the celebratory mood. My face looks like I went twelve rounds with Holyfield, and I can’t even look at you without clenching my jaw, which is only making the pain worse.”
“Oww,” I say as I get up from the floor.
Dean grabs my arm that’s rested on my stomach. “Are you okay? Is the baby okay? Did the baby kick you?”
I shake my head. “No, I think I pulled something when I got up. The baby won’t start kicking for a few more months.”
“I hope it’s a boy,” he confesses. “I want to teach him to play hockey.”
“Well, his mommy is a hockey player, and she’s a girl,” I point out.
“Yeah, but you’re Nick Baldwin’s daughter. That’s expected.”
“Our baby will have a famous hockey player for a dad. So, either way, they’ll learn how to play our favorite sport.”
“Do you miss it?”
I nod. “Yeah, I loved playing with the Senators. But I knew that wasn’t my long-term plan.”
For the first time since I walked into his apartment, Dean smiles. He bends down in front of me, holding onto my hips, and presses his cheek to my stomach.
“Hey, little man... or baby girl. I’m your daddy.”
I stroke my fingers through Dean’s damp hair. He’s still wearing a towel from his shower, which has been slightly distracting me for most of our conversation. It’s been too long since we were together.
“You’re going to be an amazing father, Dean.”
He peeks up at me. “You think so?”
I nod. “I know so. Our son or daughter is lucky to have you as their dad.”
“Have you thought of any names?”
“If it’s a boy, I was thinking Noah.”
“I like that name,” he says with a smile. “Noah Crawford. And if it’s a girl?”
“I like Savanna.”
He smiles. “Me, too. Wait until I tell my mom she’s going to be a grandmother. This baby might get her to leave Florida.”
“I’ll need some help when you’re on the road.”
He stands, still holding onto my hips, and plants a kiss on my cheek. “We’ll make it work.”
“Are you less mad now?”
“No, I’m still angry with you.” He moves his hands to my shoulders. “Please don’t lie to me again.”
“I promise. Never again. Full disclose for now on.”
“I need to get in bed,” he says. “I feel like shit.”
I stare at his ass and the muscles bulging from his back as he walks away. “Are you going to sleep in a towel?”
He strips the towel from his waist and throws it in my direction. It lands on the floor at my feet. My mouth falls open at the sight of his naked body.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
He turns around to smirk at me, his muscular body on full display. “Night, Kat.”
“Night,” I mutter, too focused on his toned ass as he heads toward his bedroom.
Even though he’s pissed, I know Dean will forgive me. And when he does, everything will fall into place.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Dean
Kat follows me into the bedroom and flicks on the light. I spin around to face her. When I see the heated look in her eyes, I cross the bedroom to close the distance between us. I don’t know what to do. I’m still mad at her for keeping the truth from me. But I can’t deny the way my heart pounds for Kat. This isn’t how we planned our life together, but it’s how it has to start. Because we have a baby on the way.
I pull her to me, and her soft lips graze mine. “I missed you, Kitten.”
Kat wets her lips. “I missed you, too.”
She hooks her arms around my neck and leans into me, parting my lips with her tongue. I slowly strip away every inch of her clothing until there’s a pile on the floor. When our lips finally separate, she stares into my eyes, her blue irises burning into mine. The tension between us is palpable, so thick and tense I can feel it on my skin. I lower Kat to the mattress and take a second to look at her naked body.
I run my hand over her stomach. She’s gained some weight but not much. I know her body well enough to see the little bump. I’m still in shock, not yet ready to process the news. But I’m excited about the baby. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Kat. Instead of moving at a snail’s pace, we’re moving at light speed, and I’m okay with that.
I place light kisses up each of her thighs, taking my time as I make my way to her stomach. Knowing my baby is growing inside her does something to me. I keep wanting to touch her, even though she swears our baby won’t kick for a few more months. Still, I keep hoping he will. Making my way up her body, I kiss her breasts, sucking her nipples into my mouth. She whines when I tug on the hard bud that swells in my mouth.
“Dean,” she whines.” They’re more sensitive now.”
I smile with her nipple between my teeth.
She shakes her head. “I’m serious. Don’t pull too tight. They’re sore.”
I massage her breast, rolling my thu
mb over her nipple. “Better?”
“Yes,” she cries out. “Yesss…”
I smile down at her, loving how she unravels so quickly beneath me. I’m not even inside her yet, still teasing her until she’s begging me for more. I want to take my time. I don’t want to rush a single second.
She rolls her head to the side when I kiss her neck. I lick and suck until she bucks her hips.
“Dean,” she growls. “My hormones are different now. Don’t play with me.”
“You want me to make you come, Kitten?” I bite back my laughter, a smirk forming on my lips.
She swats her hand at my chest. “Stop torturing me.”
Her lips brush mine, and as she sucks on my bottom lip, I inch inside her. She’s so damn tight I have to go slow. I’m so nervous about hurting her… and the baby.
I rub her cheek with my thumb, feeling her soft skin against mine. She smiles, a single tear falling from her eye. I wipe it away with my finger and kiss the next one that touches her cheek until there’s none left. I love her so much my heart swells as if it could burst from being so full of her love. I have to ignore the fact she hid the baby from me and focus on what we have and how we’re going to move forward.
I share a deep connection with Kat. She understands me in ways I never thought were possible. When I’m with Kat, my world starts and ends with her. She spins my world on its axis, taking me to new places. Even before we kissed, Kat has always had the power to break me. I get lost inside her, waiting for her body to relax before hers works in a rhythmic motion along with mine.
As I lift Kat’s leg over my shoulder, I slide deeper and deeper. She screams, my name coming out in ragged breaths. I love seeing her like this. When Kat lets go, there’s nothing more beautiful. After I come, I plant a kiss on her forehead and roll onto the mattress next to her. She rests her head on my chest, peeking up at me with a satisfied look on her beautiful face.
I wrap my arm around her. “Tomorrow, I want you to go home and pack. When you come back, we’ll decorate the baby’s bedroom.”
She smiles. “You’re taking this so much better than I had expected. I feel horrible for waiting to tell you in person.”
“Well, you should feel bad, but I won’t rub it in too much. Maybe for a day or two.”
“We’re going to be parents. This is crazy. I’ve had a few weeks to get used to it, and even I still can’t wrap my head around it. How are you taking this so well?”
“I’ve always wanted a family. And when I saw my future, you were always in it.”
“As your friend?”
I shake my head. “No, I always wanted more when it came to you. It just took you longer to figure out.”
She chuckles and then slaps me lightly on the arm. “Idiot. You should have just manned up and told me how you felt.”
“We’re together now.” I hug her against my chest, and she curls up at my side. “That’s all that matters to me.”
“Me, too,” she agrees. “I swore I would never change my life to be with someone, but in this case, I know it’s the right move. I have to quit my internship when I get home.”
“You hate that job anyway.”
“I do,” she admits. “I thought it was a good idea to stay for the experience, but there’s no point. I can make coffee and order lunches anywhere.”
“That wasn’t a real internship. You can find something better after the baby comes.”
“How does this work?”
“You’ll move here and have the baby, and when we’re ready, we’ll get married.” I kiss her forehead, and she purrs. “All of my dreams are coming true, and you were always part of them. I knew I would love you for the rest of my life right after I met you.”
“It was love at first sight?”
“Almost,” I confess. “You were everything I ever wanted and everything I thought I could never have. You scared the shit out of me. That’s why I waited so long to make my move. If you were any other girl, I wouldn’t have taken my time. I would have gone in for the kill.”
She chuckles, her laughter shaking through me. “Gone in for the kill. I’m so glad I never dated Dirty Dean.”
“Dirty Dean doesn’t date,” I deadpan.
“Your alter ego is kinda nasty. I’m glad he doesn’t come out to play with me.”
Sliding my hand between her legs, I test her slickness. “I get dirty with you.”
She tilts her head back and spreads her legs to give me room. “Dean…”
“You want more, Kitten?”
“Yes,” she coos.
Replacing my fingers with my cock, I rock into her, each of my thrusts matched with her own. I spend the rest of the night making love to her, showing her much she means to me. After a while, I forget about my throbbing headache and the swelling in my face. And sometime in the early morning, we fall asleep in each other’s arms.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kat
After the last box is packed into the moving van, I let out a sigh of relief. I had no idea packing would be such a pain in the ass. I left Dean’s apartment last week, thinking I could get up and go, only for my dad and brothers to snap me back to reality. The driver tips his hat to my dad and then climbs into the truck to leave.
My dad slides his arm behind my back and hugs me. “Are you ready to go?”
“I think so.”
He laughs and hugs me harder. “Well, I’m not.”
“Dad, I lived in Philly for the last four years.”
“Yeah, but you always came back. My little girl is all grown up.” He sighs. “My baby is having a baby.” Dad shakes his head as if he still can’t believe I have a child forming in my stomach. “I wasn’t always there for you, Kat. Being a parent is hard. I just want you to know that I tried. I did the best that I could.”
I run my fingers down his arm to stop him. “Dad, this didn’t happen because you were a bad parent.”
“Maybe if I were around more,” he whispers. “I should have spent more time with you.”
“The baby has nothing to do with your parenting,” I assure him. “I wasn’t thinking. I don’t think Dean was either. We love each other, Dad. I never expected our friendship to turn into a relationship, but I’m glad it did. Dean will take care of me.”
“I know he will. Dean’s a good kid.”
“Did I ever tell you that you’re the reason we met?”
He laughs. “No. What did I have to do with that?”
“Dean has posters of you on his walls at his house in Florida. He was obsessed with you as a kid. He still loves you. You’re the reason he wanted to be a hockey player.”
I never told my dad about Dean’s fanboy ways because I thought it would embarrass Dean, but I want my dad to know more about the father of my child.
“At least I know he has good taste,” my dad says with a smile.
“Will you come to the hospital when I have the baby?”
“Of course, I will.” His smile is so wide it reaches his blue irises. “I wouldn’t miss the birth of my first grandchild.” A beat passes before he releases his hold on me. “You ready to go back inside? Your brothers want to say their goodbyes.”
My heart aches at the thought of leaving them behind. This is only temporary. We’ve gone through this plenty of times. I’m used to not seeing them. The only difference is that I’m usually the one left behind. This is a good thing. My life can begin when I get to Philly. No more waiting around for people. I’ll have Dean and our baby and hopefully a new internship after I deliver.
I head inside the house with my dad. Austin and Duke are in the living room arguing over which of them will be the godfather of the baby. Theo and Travis are clicking buttons on the gaming remotes in their hands, yelling at each other about getting a wand to advance to the next level. What a bunch of weirdos?
Dad clears his throat to gain their attention.
I shake my head at my older brothers. “Are you guys fighting over who will be the baby’s godfather
?”
“Yeah,” Duke growls. “I think it should be me. I’m the oldest and…” His voice trails off when he looks at my dad.
And I raised you, he wanted to say, but so did Austin. They each had a hand in my upbringing. I know they think this is their fault. I hate that they feel responsible for me getting pregnant.
“Look, guys,” I say. “Can you not fight over this? I’m tired, I don’t feel good, and stress isn’t good for the baby.”
Austin rushes over to my side, his eyes pointed down at my stomach. “Are you okay? Did something happen? You know, I’ve been reading a lot of books, so I can help you with the baby. So, I’ll know what to do.”
“Austin, you already know what to do,” I say with a tiny smile. “You helped raised me.” Turning to face all of them, I say, “All of you did a good job with me. This isn’t your fault. I did something without thinking, and now, I have to deal with the consequences. But I’m not upset about it, okay? I don’t look at this baby as a bad thing. If anything, it’s what I needed to force me to move back to Philly. I wanted to be with Dean anyway. We’re just starting sooner than either of us had expected.”
Duke leans against the edge of the couch, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. Austin blows out a deep breath. Dad shoves his hands into his jeans pockets and forces a smile.
“I don’t want you to give up on your dreams to go running across the country to be with a man,” my dad says. “Your mother did it for me.” Dad’s eyes fall to the floor as he sighs. “She could have done so much more. She wanted to help people, and I took that away from her. I don’t want the same to happen to you.”
“Dad, c’mon,” Austin says. “Mom didn’t give anything up. She had us. Kat’s not doing the same thing. She’ll find a job in Philly after the baby is born.”
Austin is the one who consoles, the glue that holds all of us together. Duke breaks everything but will put it back together better than new when he’s done having a tantrum. Dad beats himself up for not being around enough, even though we all know he loves us fiercely. Theo and Travis are still the babies, even though they’re all grown up. And I’m the one they all place on a pedestal. The girl who can now live her life, on her terms, and with the man she loves.
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