by J. L. Beck
I feel like an idiot when he comes back out, followed by an orderly pushing a wheelchair. The two of them help me out of the seat and into the chair, and as soon as I’m settled, the man in scrubs pushes me inside.
Ryker takes charge immediately, going straight to the check-in and telling the woman behind the glass that I’m in labor.
“How close are her contractions?” she asks, her tone bored as she types something into the computer.
He glares at her, not that she notices. “I’m not sure, but I think they’re pretty much continuous.”
The nurse looks up, the look on her face saying this isn’t the first, or fiftieth, time she’s heard a soon-to-be parent say this. “Right. First baby?”
“Yes,” he draws the word out. “Why does that matter?”
She sighs. “Because first baby’s generally take a while. I’m sure it feels like they’re not stopping, but trust me, they are.”
Okay. I’m going to punch this woman in the vagina. These contractions are extremely close together, and I’m starting to feel like I need to use the bathroom. She’s not paying a bit of attention to me though, so she has no idea I’m about to spend my first night as a mom in jail for assault. I bite my tongue, breathing through the pain.
After directing Ryker to the elevator and telling him how to find the maternity ward, she assures him she’ll call and let them know I’m on my way.
Frustrated, he takes over control of the wheelchair and pushes me over to wait for the doors to slide open. He mutters under his breath the whole time we’re going up, and as soon as the doors open again, he pushes me out and goes straight to the nurse’s station.
There’s a nurse there waiting, and when he yells at her, she smiles softly. “So, we’re having a baby today?”
She’s entirely too chipper. “Yes,” I grit out, “and if you don’t get me into a room in the next few minutes, I’m going to be having her in this hallway.” The pretty nurse’s eyes go comically wide, and she ushers us into the first empty room.
As soon as I’m settled in the bed, she moves to stand between my legs and snaps on a pair of gloves. “Let’s see where you are, okay?” I don’t even have the energy to nod. All I want is for this to be over. It hurts, and it sucks, and I just don’t want to do it anymore.
Thank God her fingers are small, because it feels like she’s shoving her entire fist up inside me and I know she isn’t. If the male doctor at my doctor’s office was doing it, I’d be screaming.
She stands quickly, her eyes even wider, which I didn’t think was even possible. “You weren’t kidding.”
I glare at her but don’t bother to say what I’m thinking, which is, “No shit, bitch.” Labor has made me an asshole, and it’s all Ryker’s fault.
The nurse rushes out to page the doctor, and as soon as we’re alone, I turn and tell him so. “This wouldn’t be happening to me if you knew how to wear a damn condom.”
Now his eyes are the ones widening, and he holds both hands up in front of his body. “Baby—” he starts, but I cut him off.
“Yeah, not wearing a condom. That’s what caused this baby.”
He flattens his lips, and I know he’s trying not to laugh at me. It only makes me more agitated. I go from being pissed at the world to crying and scared in less than a heartbeat.
“I’m sorry, I know I’m being a jerk. I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” I sob.
Ryker wraps his arms around me and squeezes. We stand like that, him murmuring sweet words into my hair while I cry, until the nurse comes rushing back in to get everything ready.
“The doctor will be here in just a few minutes. She was just leaving to get something to eat when I paged her, and is on her way back up.” She runs around the room, getting the warmer ready and helping me move so I’m in the best position. “Okay, hon,” she says, feeling inside me again. “Push for me, but just once, okay?”
I do as she says, and she squeaks for me to stop. “No more pushing. That baby will be here before the doctor if you do.”
All I can do is stare at her. Does she know how hard it is to stop pushing once you start? She’s lost her damn mind.
Before I can tell her that, the doctor, my favorite one, comes in with a big smile on her face. She greets both Ryker and I before washing up and getting ready.
The next few minutes pass in a blur, and I’m glad I don’t really remember all the pain and the pushing. My next moment of clarity is when I hear my daughter’s cry. For such a tiny body, she has an incredible set of lungs.
They clean her up before handing her over to me, and as soon as I look into her beautiful eyes, I’m in love. I look up at Ryker, barely able to see him through the tears that are coursing down my cheeks. “Look at her,” I tell him, turning back to brush a fingertip across her chunky cheek. I can’t take my eyes off her, and now that’s she’s finally here, my heart is full, so full.
“She’s beautiful,” he whispers reverently. “Just like her mom.”
I wipe the tears from my eyes so I can get a better view of her face.
“I can’t believe we made something so perfect.” I see tears in Ryker’s eyes and pass the baby to him, watching the way his face lights up when he holds his daughter in his arms for the first time. My eyes stay glued to them both, as he holds her small hand with one finger, whispering something I can’t hear to her.
I sigh against the mattress and know life will never get any better than this for me. I’ve found the man of my dreams—well, actually, he found me—and together we made the best thing life can offer: another life.
“I love you, Ava.” Ryker’s voice cracks as he gazes over at me, those stormy blue eyes causing butterflies to explode in my belly.
“I love you, too,” I murmur, knowing I’ve been waiting all my life for this moment.
The Winston Brothers series continues with Remy (The Baby Contract) and if you haven't already, you should definitely check out Reed (The Baby Arrangement).
Click the title to learn more and grab your copy, or you can read ahead for a preview of The Baby Arrangement.
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Turn the page to find out more about Reed and Remy's books, The Baby Arrangement and The Baby Contract.
The arrangement is simple, with only two rules:
Rule #1: Don’t fall in love
Rule #2: Revert back to rule one when necessary
I thought I could stick to the rules, but with a girl like Fallon I should've known rules were only meant to be broken. We’ve been best friends since elementary school, and she’s the only woman I want for more than a one night stand.
No matter how much I’m attracted to her, and I'm pretty f-ing attracted to her, I know she deserves better than a man who refuses to commit.
Then my father gives me an ultimatum:
Have a baby...or he’s selling the business my great-grandfather started over fifty years ago to a stranger.
Winston Industries is mine and I'm not about to let someone else take it from me.
Too many drinks has Fallon volunteering to help me with my problem and our agreement is born.
There’s just one little problem…
Everything changes the moment I slip inside her body.
To hell with the rules... I'm going to claim what's mine before it's too late
Turn the page to preview the first three chapters, or click here to purchase
I’ve known Reed all my life. In second grade, he stuck up for me when a bully pushed me down on the playground
and told me I was ugly. Then, when I was a freshman in high school, he protected me from a guy at a party who got a little too handsy. He saw me cry, wiped my tears away, and vowed to always be my best friend.
What he didn’t know was being his friend was last thing I wanted.
A friend.
The word itself causes an ache to form in my chest and trying to push the painful thought out of my head, I check the time on my computer only to see it isn’t even noon. The thought is depressing because I’m ready to go home. Back to my apartment and read a book...maybe even chug an entire bottle of wine too.
And it’s not just because Reed doesn’t see me the way I want him to. This whole week has been shit. Honestly, the entire year has been shit. I’m twenty-five, in love with my best friend and desperately wanting to start a family of my own, not to mention stuck in a job I don’t really like because it’s the only way I can be close to him. My only problems? I can’t feel anything for anyone that’s even close to the way I feel about Reed and he’s completely oblivious.
Every guy I date is a douchebag, an asshole, or a self-centered jerk that only cares about his looks or his money. None of them are anything like Reed. Nibbling on my bottom lip, I try to envision us as a couple, but it’s impossible.
I want him to want me like I want him.
I want him to kiss me like I want to kiss him.
I want him to do unthinkable things to me, things I know he’s done with other women.
I want to be his first and his last even though I know that isn’t possible.
An incoming email pings, and I pull myself out of the daydream and back into reality. Clicking open, I read it, blinking as I stare at it in confusion. It’s an invite from Reed’s father, Clark, calling a business meeting for all the executives. Why am I being invited? I’m just a lowly secretary.
Thinking about Clark makes me smile though. He’s a very sweet older man. In fact, because he and my father were close friends before the accident that took both of my parents’ lives, Clark took me in and treated me like the daughter he and his wife never had.
His three sons, Reed, Remington and Ryker are my closest friends.
Reed is the oldest and has big plans for his father’s company. He brought me on as his personal assistant three years ago when I needed a job to help finish paying for college. His dad would have paid my tuition since my parents didn’t have a life insurance policy, but I wouldn’t let him. I wanted to do it on my own, or not at all, and didn’t want to owe anyone.
Ryker is the classic middle child, always doing whatever he can to get attention. He’s the clown, and makes me laugh daily.
Remy, he’s the youngest. He’s also the sweetest. He’s the one who lets me cry on his shoulder when Reed does something stupid or thoughtless and hurts my feelings.
They’ve all been there for me through thick and thin, and I don’t think I’ll never be able to repay them for everything the brothers have done for me. Not that they would let me.
It’s different with Reed. He doesn’t notice my desire to be everything he needs. Then again, maybe he does and he’s too afraid to cross that very thin line between friends and much more.
That’s not something I want to think about, so I close the email and force the thoughts out of my head with a shake, then go back to working on the spreadsheets Reed asked me to comb through. The numbers are never-ending and the more I stare at the computer screen the more my head starts to hurt. Math is not my strong suit.
“Good morning, Fal.” Reed’s deep voice vibrates through me, and I lift my eyes from the screen to meet his. His blue eyes are brighter than usual today and he gazes down at me, concern darkening his features as he studies my face.
“Morning,” I mumble back. Reed is handsome as hell and he knows it. He’s tall, lean but somewhat athletic, and has a face that looks as if it was carved out of stone. He is lick-worthy and I spend too much time wondering if he still has the eight-pack abs like he did back in high school.
He gives me a half smile, making him seem more boyish than manly and my heart flutters in my chest. Looking at him and knowing I can never have him hurts… it hurts a lot. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I say with a shrug, hoping he will let it go. “Just a migraine.” The words barely pass my lips before he’s putting his stuff down on my desk so he can slip behind my chair, his huge hands gripping me by the shoulders as he starts to slowly massage my tense muscles.
“Where are your glasses?” Reed leans down and whispers the words into my ear, his woodsy scent filling my nostrils while his breath fanning against my ear sends a flurry of goose bumps across my skin.
“I left them….” I sigh, losing my train of thought as his fingers works the muscles into goop. It’s times like these when he touches me that I fantasize about what being his would be like.
He finishes the sentence I forgot I was saying with a hint of laughter in his voice, “At home, right?”
“Yes, they’re next to the paperback I was reading last night.” He knows me well. I’m forgetful, and I hate wearing glasses.
“Bring them tomorrow or else…” There is a note of danger in his voice and it makes me clench my thighs together with need.
My voice wobbles as I think about the possibilities. I want to ask if he’ll spank me, but I’m not that brave, so all I say is, “Or else what?”
Reed stops massaging the muscles and grips the top of my arms tightly, his full lips pressing against the sensitive flesh below my ear. “Or else you’ll get another headache.”
I blink, realizing he is messing with me, and not really about to threaten to spank me ... or fuck me against the desk like I wish he would.
Clearing my throat, I try to cover my disappointment with a small smile and agree. “Right…Yeah another headache.”
“I’m assuming you got Dad’s email?” He pauses in the act of grabbing his things off my desk but doesn’t wait for my response before giving me instructions. “I’ll need you in the boardroom in thirty minutes to take notes.” Looking down at his phone, he continues, “I need to talk to him beforehand.” He startles, looking down at me like he’s just remembered something. “Oh, and after that I’m leaving so please cancel all my meetings for the day. If anyone asks, just tell them I’m out of the office. They don’t need to know specifics.”
I swallow hard, finally finding my voice now that his hands aren’t on me. “Of course, Reed. I’ll let everyone know.”
Sadness tightens my chest as I watch him walk away and into his office, his perfect butt beckoning me. God, why does he have to be so handsome and so fucking off limits at the same time?
I shake my head, making mental note of all that he said and try to turn my focus to the stupid spreadsheet he wants me to work on.
Falling in love with your best friend shouldn’t be this hard.
My cock goes rock hard the minute I put my hands on her. I know I shouldn’t have touched her. I should’ve walked away instead of making some lame joke in the hopes she would flirt back. Knowing she has a migraine, and I can’t cure it, irritates me. The fact that she isn’t mine, and it’s not really my job to care for her, irritates me further.
I’ve spent years pining for her, wondering if she wants me like I want her. Hell, I even gave her a job here so I could keep her close when she could’ve gone anywhere. That was three years ago, and I’m still single, fucking random women left and right in an attempt to kill these feelings I have for her, and refusing to settle down because it isn’t with her.
Slamming my stuff down on my desk, I push the things I can’t change from my mind and instead ready myself for my father’s announcement. I’ve been waiting for this day for years. The day he’ll finally give the company over to me and Winston Industries will be mine.
I run a hand through my hair nervously before slumping down in my leather office chair, hoping like hell I can run this place as well as he has. A knock on the door interrupts my dark thoughts and I shoot daggers
at it. I can see the shadow of a man through the blinds and know it has to be one of my brothers, not that it matters. I treat them both the same - like the assholes they are.
“Go away,” I growl, opening my laptop so I can pretend like I’m doing something. The door opens slowly, and I roll my eyes when I see Ryker pop his head through the opening, a mischievous grin on his face. He looks more like Dad than Remy or I do.
His hair is more clean-cut, and he’s a good three inches shorter but he has the body of an ox, and he isn’t all that bad looking either.
“Don’t act like I’m interrupting something.” He chuckles, inviting himself in.
“You are,” I lie, looking down at my laptop as he takes a seat on the leather sofa across from my desk. He’s doing it to annoy me, I can tell.
He laughs. “What? You jacking off to a picture of Fallon?”
I glare at him, his question a little too close to the truth. Little does he know that happens more often than I ever want to admit. “Shut up and get out of my office. We need to be in the boardroom in ten minutes or less and instead you’re doing what? Wandering around the office causing trouble?” I love my brother, even if it seems like we are callous and almost cruel to each other. That’s just what brothers do.
“Oh, please. I was walking to the boardroom when I saw Fallon….” He cuts himself off, a smirk pulling at his lips because he knows she’s a hot topic for me. No one touches her, and no one talks about her in my presence. She’s mine as far as anyone else is concerned.
“Don’t even start, Ryker. I will kick your ass across this office, so help me…”
I don’t get to finish what I was going to say because the asshole cuts me off. “You know she’s got the worst migraine ever, right? I saw her suffering so I gave her a little massage…” It only takes a few seconds for my blood to turn boiling hot.