“You seemed angry,” I correct.
He nods. “I was.” He turns to face me now. “Not with you, but with myself.”
“For getting me pregnant?” I feel my brows pinch together.
“No,” he breathes out. “Well, yes,” he says, taking my hand in his. “I was terrified that I was going to turn into my dad. I never wanted a kid because I couldn’t bear the thought of fucking up some kid’s life the way my dad did.” He lets out a deep breath, then stands and starts pacing in front of me.
“This isn’t coming out right.” He stops and turns to face me once again. “My whole life, I’ve had to take care of someone else. I had to raise Amy when I was just a little boy. I had to take care of my mom. My whole life, I’ve lived for someone else. I mean, fuck, I basically had to sell twelve years of it to the military just to get away. Then, finally, my time was done. I was released and I thought this is it, you know? This is finally my time. Amy is an adult and in her own relationship. My mom is finally sober and able to live without anyone watching her. I thought, finally, it’s my turn to live.” He laughs as he walks around the coffee table and flops down beside me. “I wanted to work on the cabin and live there full-time. I wanted to hunt and farm the land. I wanted to be the crazy breaded old man who lived on the mountain and never came down. I wanted to be a loner because I’ve never been alone. I’ve always had my mom, my sister, my troops—always someone else to watch out for. So, when you said you were pregnant, I freaked out. The dream I’d been working toward was suddenly shot out of the water.”
“Ethan,” I interrupt, but he ignores me.
“I went to the cabin to think things over. I sat there on the floor, watching the fire burn while drinking waaaay too much. And you know what I realized?”
I shake my head.
“I don’t want to spend my life alone.” He drops down to his knees and crawls up to me, his hands landing firmly on my hips. He pulls me closer to the edge of the couch. “I’m in love with you, Aria. And I’ve known it for a long time. I’ve just been stupid and wanted to bury those feelings deep inside myself because I knew to love someone meant taking the chance of being hurt.”
I place my hand on his cheek and look into his eyes, studying him for any answers he might not be giving me.
“I want you. I want our baby.” He presses his lips to mine, and already, I’m lost. “Will you take me back, Aria?” he asks between kisses that trail down my jaw and neck. “I promise, I’ll never hurt you again. I’ll always be here for you and our baby. No more secrets. I’ll tell your family. I’ll shout it from the rooftops if you want. But please,” he pulls back to look into my eyes, “please, take me back,” he begs.
I sit up, forcing him to sit back on his knees. “You love me?”
He nods and swallows down his fear, causing his Adam’s apple to bob. “I do. I love you, Aria. I’ve never loved anyone before, but you’ve got me. You’ve had me since that first day I walked into the dealership and saw your smile.”
“I love you, too,” I whisper.
His smile stretches across his face, and he pulls me in for a long, deep kiss. It’s a kiss I can feel all the way down to my toes—a kiss that lights every nerve ending on fire as tingles take over my body.
I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer. His hands move up my thighs and under my ass to support my weight as he picks me up against him and carries me to my bedroom. Our kiss doesn’t break until we’re in my room and he kicks the door shut behind him as he spins us around and presses my back to the door.
He releases my ass and sets me on my feet as he slowly lowers himself to his knees, lips kissing their way down my body. My stomach muscles tighten when his lips touch my belly button, where he lovingly presses a kiss. It’s not meant as something naughty as he descends my body. It’s like he’s kissing his baby for the very first time, and it does something to me. It engulfs my body in a fire that can’t be extinguished—a fire that lights up my chest and warms my heart and soul. This sweet heat tells me that everything will be okay.
His hands work on pushing my jeans down my thighs. Finally, his mouth finds the junction between my legs, and his tongue runs between my folds, causing me to jerk and cry out. The sound that escapes my lips only seems to fuel his fire. Now, his hands are massaging my thighs and ass while his mouth doubles its pace. His tongue flicks back and forth across my hard, sensitive nub. A tornado begins to swirl around in my stomach, making every inch of my body break out in goosebumps and tingles. When he slides two fingers into me, that tornado explodes and rains down on me hot and heavy.
My eyes fall shut as my breathing halts in my lungs, unable to do anything but relish my release and the way he can control my body. He doesn’t stop even after my climax ends. He works even harder to prompt another. But I lace my fingers into his dark hair and pull gently until he follows my lead.
I drag him up my body by his hair, all the way to my lips. He kisses me with blinding passion and tugs me closer. Picking me up, he carries me to bed, where he begins ripping his clothes from his hard, muscular body.
Everything moves so quickly. My shirt and bra are tugged off and discarded, and he’s completely bare. His hands and mouth travel my body at lightning speed. I’m lost in passion and love—absolute heaven. His strong hands pull my thighs further apart as he settles between them. Without warning, he slams into me, and I let out a scream of pleasure and pain all mixed into one like a deliciously balanced cocktail—strong, sweet, and savory. My nails dig into his back, pulling him closer, making him go faster and harder. The room is filled with the sounds of my bed hitting the wall, our bodies smacking together, and our hushed cries of passion.
“I love you, Aria.” He slams into me with so much force that my back slides up the bed. “And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you,” he adds on, rocking his hips and teasing that spot inside me that begs to be touched time and time again.
“I love you, Ethan,” I whisper around the gasps of pleasure escaping my lips with his every move.
My eyes open and strain against the bright morning sun. My body feels sore and tired—like it’s drained of all its energy—but then I remember last night, and excitement washes over me. I roll over and find him awake with his eyes on me. The second our eyes meet, his light up and his lips form a smile.
“I was wondering when you were going to wake up. It’s almost noon,” he says, rolling to his side, his hand landing on my cheek as he moves in for a soft kiss.
“Someone wore me out last night,” I say against his soft lips.
He chuckles. “I’m sorry. I just…” he pulls back enough to fully see my face. “I just really wanted you to know how sorry I was, and that I’ll never have another moment of being unsure about us or our future.” His thumb traces my lower lip slowly back and forth, until he leans in and kisses it.
Happiness swells in my chest. It feels full—too full. The pressure that started in my heart now moves lower, into my stomach. I pull away just as my mouth begins to water.
“Oh no,” I mumble as I scramble out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I fall to my knees in front of the toilet and go through my morning routine.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
I look up to find him leaning against the door frame, completely naked from the night before.
I shiver from my naked legs being on the cold tile. “I’m fine. Just our little bundle of joy making itself known.”
He helps me to my feet and I quickly rinse my mouth with mouthwash.
“Come on. Get back in bed and warm up. I’ll get you some water and crackers to help settle your stomach.” He takes my hand and leads me back into the bedroom. He helps me climb into bed, then pulls the blankets around me.
I lie back and watch as he pulls on his boxers and jeans, then leaves the room.
Even though I’m sick, I still smile.
When he returns with a glass of water and a pack of crackers, he takes his place beside me and pulls me against him. A
s I nibble on a cracker, his fingers softly move up and down my back, soothing me.
“Ethan?”
“Hmm?” he asks.
“We have to tell my parents.”
“I know.”
I roll over to study his expression. “When do you think we should do it?”
He shrugs. “The sooner the better. I’m sure your dad will notice you running from the counter to the restroom every morning.”
I bite my lower lip. “I think he already has.” I snuggle into him. “When are you coming back to work?”
“I have to get released from my doctor first, and I doubt he’ll do that until after the surgery.”
I look up at him. “You’re going through with the surgery?”
He nods once. “I have to. I can’t live every day in pain. It changes you. It makes you bitter and unbearable to be around. My temper is short, and if I continue taking these pain pills, I’ll be no better than my mom was.”
I press a kiss to his lips. “I’ll be with you every step of the way,” I promise.
Chapter Sixteen
Ethan
Aria and I spend most of the day in bed. I bring her food to snack on, and we make love several times. We’re back to being lost in our own little world. Finally, around four, we leave the warmth of her bed to shower.
“What do you think about maybe inviting my parents over for dinner to break the news to them?” she asks as I’m washing her hair.
“I think that’d be a good idea. Get everything out in the open.”
“Are you ready for that?” Her voice sounds so unsure.
I shrug as I begin rinsing the shampoo from her hair. “My mom already knows. So does Amy, Vesper, and I’m assuming Tyler and Liam. Might as well tell your parents before anyone else has the chance. It’d be better if they heard it from us. I don’t want them to think we’re hiding it from them.”
She nods. “You’re probably right. How fast can you run?” She smiles wide.
I let out a nervous laugh. “Why?”
She shrugs one shoulder as she turns and grabs the bottle of conditioner. “My dad used to run track, but old age has gotten to him. Was just trying to figure out who’d win.”
I laugh out loud and pull her in for a kiss.
I wasn’t nervous about telling her folks before, but as the day drags on, I become more and more anxious.
Aria invites her parents over for dinner, but they already have reservations. Instead of canceling, they invite us to join them. Aria, being the worrywart she is, thinks her dad won’t try to kill me if we’re in public, so she quickly accepts.
“Are you sure about this? Breaking the news to them in public?”
“Oh, this is the best way,” she says with wide eyes as she sits at her vanity and applies some makeup.
I let out a long breath and straighten my tie. “You know, I wasn’t anxious, but watching you nervously clean your house all day has gotten to me. Your nervousness is like an infection that’s gotten beneath my skin and infected my brain.”
She laughs. “I’m sorry. I’m just…really scared.” She turns in her seat so she’s looking at me instead of the mirror.
I sit on the edge of the bed. “Why?”
She takes a deep breath. “I’ve always been the fuck-up. Vesper is their angel. She got good grades, went to a fancy college, runs her own business, got married to a freaking multimillionaire, and now she’s having a baby. She did it right. I, on the other hand, got bad grades, almost flunked out of college, and have been in more trouble than Ves ever thought about. I party, come into work hung over, and still don’t have a career. Nor am I married or plan to be anytime soon. I’m even fucking this up.” She hangs her head.
I reach out and place my hand on her cheek, directing her eyes to mine. “You’re not a fuck-up, Aria. And your parents don’t think that. You’re free-spirited. You’re passionate and creative. Ves is book smart and strait-laced. You’re both different, and that’s good.”
“You don’t think they’ll care that we’re doing this all out of order?”
“Is there an order?” I joke.
She cocks her head to the side. “You know what I mean—having a baby without being married or even having plans to get married. They don’t even know we’ve been dating.”
“There is no right or wrong way, Aria. Your parents love you, and they’ll love this little baby just like they’ll love Vesper’s baby. One won’t be more important than the other. But they may need time to adjust to the news like I did. So don’t worry if they aren’t on board right away, okay?”
She forces a smile and nods. “Okay,” she whispers.
An hour later, we’re pulling up to the restaurant and Aria is so scared, her hands are shaking. I pick up the hand closest to me and press a kiss to the top. “It doesn’t matter what happens in there tonight. I still love you, you still love me, and we are going to have this baby and live happily ever after, okay?”
She takes a shaky breath but agrees.
We walk into the restaurant and are taken to the back table where her parents are already sitting. Both of them stand—her dad shaking my hand and her mother offering a hug before we sit down.
“How ya doing, Ethan?” Gary asks, eyes flashing back and forth between Aria and me.
“Not too bad. I’m still in a lot of pain if I’m not careful, and I’ll have surgery to fix the pinched nerve in my neck in a couple weeks. It can’t come fast enough, I tell ya.” I turn my attention to her mom. “Mrs. Lawrence, how are you doing? You’re looking lovely tonight.”
She smiles and it causes her cheeks to brighten. “I’m very well, thank you for asking, Ethan.” She adjusts her white dress. “But if you don’t mind me asking, what is the meaning of this?” She motions between the two of us. “When Aria called and invited us to have dinner with you two, I must admit I was quite surprised.”
Aria and I look from each other, to her parents, and back.
“Well, Mama, Ethan and I have been seeing each other for a while now,” she admits.
Gary’s expression doesn’t change. He’s like stone. I watch Kim, Aria’s mom, and note that her mouth drops open as she looks between the two of us with one hand over her heart.
“Are you okay, Mama?” Aria asks.
Kim clears her throat and gathers her wits about her. “I’m just surprised. Don’t get me wrong, Ethan, you’re a good man—I’ve always admired the way you helped support your family—but there is quite an age difference between you and Aria.”
“Yes, ma’am. Ten years.” I look at Aria and take her hand—holding it in mine on top of the table. “But you’ve raised a very mature, beautiful, kind woman, Mrs. Lawrence. Aria and I didn’t even know each other until I started working at the dealership, but we hit it off right away.” I turn to look at Aria. “I’ll admit, I tried keeping my distance, but there’s just something about her that pulled me in no matter how hard I fought it.”
Finally, I turn my attention back to her parents. “And if you know me at all, you know that I would never let anything happen to her. You see, we didn’t tell anyone about us at first because we were afraid we’d get this reaction from everyone, and we didn’t know if things would work out between us. But we’ve both come to realize that neither of us wants to live without the other. This isn’t temporary. I love your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence, and it’d mean the world to me—to both of us—if you could support our decision.”
Kim smiles as she glance between the two of us. “Oh, after a speech like that, how could we not?” She laughs and stands to move between us, bending down and hugging us both. When she takes her seat, Aria and I both look at Gary, who still hasn’t moved.
“Daddy?” Aria asks.
He clears his throat and picks up his drink, throwing it back. “Ethan,” the word is clipped out in anger, “I don’t know what to say.” He scoffs. “I don’t know what either of you expected me to say.” He looks around at the three of us. “I mean, you’re ten
years older than my daughter—my youngest daughter, I might add. She’s not ready for a serious relationship. Hell, she’s not even ready to come to work on time.”
“Gary!” Kim chastises.
“No!” He drops his fist down on the table, making the ladies jump and the liquid in our glasses slosh around. “Don’t ‘Gary’ me. This is absolutely ridiculous. The girl is twenty-one years old, and she has no business getting into a relationship with a thirty-one-year-old man. Nothing good can come of this.”
“With all due respect, sir, this isn’t open to discussion. We are together, whether you like it or not.” I level my eyes on him.
I hate that the evening has been brought to this. Aria and I are both consenting adults. It’s not like I’m twice her age. It’s not like I’m only using her for sex…anymore. It may have started that way, but it quickly turned into something else—something that even I wasn’t expecting.
He rises to my challenge and stands. He pulls his wallet from his back pocket, drops some bills on the table, and looks down at Kim. “My appetite has now been ruined, and I’m ready to go.”
“Daddy!” Aria stands, eye to eye with her father.
“You, young lady…” He points his finger at her. “You’ve always been full of shenanigans, but I never expected this.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy. I didn’t mean to disappoint you, but we didn’t call this dinner to tell you about our relationship.”
“Then why did you call this dinner?” Kim asks, standing and pulling her coat on to leave with her husband.
Aria looks down at me, and I quickly stand at her side, wrapping my arm around her shoulders to let her know that I’m here and I’m not leaving. No matter how they react.
“To tell you that I’m pregnant, and I’m keeping the baby—we’re keeping the baby,” she corrects.
Her mother gasps and her father grinds his teeth. He holds out his arm for his wife, and when she steps up to his side, he looks at me. “Don’t bother coming back to work, Ethan. You’re no longer welcome there.” Without another word, they both walk past us to leave.
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