“I . . . I wasn’t sure who it was. When I first heard you deny it, I thought maybe you were talking about me. Then I realized—”
Cori’s hand went to her mouth. It took a few minutes for her words to sink in. When they did, it felt as if lightning had struck him. The wicked thumping in his chest paralyzed his body. He lowered his eyes past her waist to her abdomen. His mind exploded with questions as he gazed up.
“Cori, are you . . .”
What little space was between them disappeared as he approached her. She backed away, doing her best to avoid him. He wasn’t allowing it this time. He kept pursuing her until she was backed against the wall.
“Are you pregnant?”
The tears welled instantly. They burst from her eyes just as sobs escaped her mouth. Her chest heaved with each one.
“Don’t. Cori, please don’t.” He touched her shoulder to comfort her, but she just cried harder. “I’m sorry. Please, don’t cry.”
When it grew worse, he pulled her into his arms. He crushed her chest to his, holding her like he’d never get another chance.
“How far along are you?”
“Around six weeks.” She sniffled against his shoulder. “That means it happened in Nashville.”
Of course it did. Jesse remembered that night like it was yesterday. Things were so intense between them after Maggie started her shit. The fight they had in the elevator led to the best sex he’d ever had. It wasn’t the act itself that made it unforgettable. It was Cori.
The fact that she was pregnant . . .
Fuck. It was at that moment when reality delivered another punch. There was something else he had to tell her.
Hugging her tighter, he placed his lips above her ear. “I’m sorry, Cori. I’m so incredibly sorry. I’ve ruined your life.”
“You hate me, don’t you? I swear I didn’t do this to trap you in a relationship with me.”
Guilt burned through him. “I could never hate you or accuse you of getting pregnant on purpose.” He leaned back until she was facing him. “You know I wasn’t wearing a condom that night. Why do you think that is?”
She bit her lip and shrugged. “I assumed you thought I was on the pill.”
He brushed his fingertips across her cheek, noting how puffy her eyes were. He did this to her, and he hated himself more every second she looked at him.
“I questioned if you were on something, but honestly, I didn’t care. I didn’t use a condom because . . . I wanted to knock you up.”
Her mouth fell open, but no words came out. She stared at him for the longest time, as if she were processing what he’d just told her. It was huge. He prayed she wouldn’t hate him for what he did.
“Why would you want me to get pregnant?”
It was his turn to shy away and hang his head. “After what happened with Maggie, I wanted to prove to you that I wanted you and only you. I thought if you got pregnant and you saw how happy it made me, that you’d never doubt how I felt about you again.” God, it sounded as stupid as he felt. “I know it was an idiotic and careless decision. I stole your dreams from you because of my selfishness and fear.”
And she thought he would hate her? Yeah right. He despised himself more than anyone. He’d succeeded at his mission and got her pregnant. Now she would realize what an asshole he was and leave him. He didn’t deserve her or her forgiveness.
“Jesse,” she whispered as her hand curled around his shoulder. “Look at me.”
Great. Here it came—the part where Cori told him it was over. She had every right to leave. He just hoped she let him be a part of his kid’s life.
When he didn’t move, she stepped around until she was facing him. He prepared himself for her anger and rejection. What he got instead made his heart seize. She kissed him, and not a peck on the cheek to say goodbye, not even a peck on the lips. It was one of those passionate kisses that set him on fire.
He didn’t let it get out of hand. As much as he loved the idea, he needed to know she was okay, that she understood how he felt about her, and not because of the news she’d given him. What he felt began long before he ever touched her.
As he broke their kiss, he held her face in his hands and kept her body close to his. “Talk to me. Tell me what you’re feeling right now.”
A halfhearted laugh was her response. She shook her head, lowering her gaze to his chest. “I’m a mixture of things. Stunned. Confused. Afraid. And hopeful.”
“I’m those things, too, Cori, and something else.”
“What?”
Tipping her chin up, he waited for her to look at him. Once she did, he drew in a deep breath to calm his nerves. It didn’t help. The longer she stared up at him, the more his insides shook.
“I fell for you years ago. It just took being around you again to remind me of that fact. It’s amazing the lies we tell ourselves sometimes, but I can’t lie anymore, to you or myself.”
“Lie about what, Jesse?”
“You own my heart, girl.” He thumbed over her lips when she smiled. “You’ve owned it for a long time. The question is, do I own yours?”
There was no hesitation on her end. She nodded her head slowly but with confidence. It was all the assurance he needed. When he pulled her closer, she didn’t resist. Her body warmed his, and for the first time since he’d arrived, he could breathe without feeling as if it were ripping him apart.
Epilogue
Cori sat on the broad steps of Cassie and Theo’s porch, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face. The trees were sprouting with spring blooms, and their sweet scent hung in the air. She drew in a deep breath then glanced at her lap.
The tiny face staring up at her warmed her heart. She stared at the baby, unable to wrap her mind around the fact that she was an aunt. Her niece was living proof, and little Thea McCabe was the most beautiful baby she’d ever seen.
“Hard to believe she’s already a month old.” Cassie sat down beside her and stroked her daughter’s cheek. “She’ll be graduating and heading off to college before we know it.”
“It’s not going to happen,” Theo assured her as he closed the screen door and hovered over her and Cori. “There’s no way she’ll ever leave her daddy.”
“Mmm hmm.” Cassie rolled her eyes and stifled her laugh.
Cori chuckled at them as she glanced at Jesse. He was sitting on the step below her, focused on Thea. “I think you should hold her.”
“She’s too tiny.”
“Well, get used to it.”
Cori leaned over and placed her niece in his arms. He tried to argue with her but ended up grunting when nothing else came out. The second she released Thea, she folded his hand under her head.
Before she pulled away, she noticed a glimmer of light on his finger. The sun was reflecting off his wedding band, making it shine brightly. She touched it softly, stroking the edge as she smiled at him.
“You’re a natural at this, but I never had any doubt.”
He kissed her hand as she eased it away then focused on the tiny bundle in his arms. Those big, powerful arms shielded her niece, protecting her from any harm. It wouldn’t be long before he was doing the same with their child. She couldn’t wait to see him hold their baby for the first time. There was no doubt she’d cry.
She did on their wedding day.
Cassie nudged her shoulder. “We haven’t had a chance to talk since I had Thea. How was the honeymoon?”
“Beautiful. I’ve never seen water that blue, and the food . . . I’m glad the morning sickness subsided. Everything smelled and tasted delicious. I swear I did more eating than sightseeing.
“Well, you didn’t gain anything from it.” Cassie looked her up and down. “Of course, dancing helped. I’m glad your doctor gave you the green light to keep doing it.”
Cori was too. Once the doctor said she could keep doing whatever activities she did before getting pregnant, she felt better about performing. Now her dance course was finished and she had her degree.
They would be adequately staffed before they opened their doors. Mariah would keep everything running until Cori returned from having her and Jesse’s baby. They were partners for a reason.
It was hard to believe that she once thought that getting pregnant meant she’d have to give up her dream of opening a studio. Through Jesse’s encouragement and support, she realized she’d been wrong. He was good at calming her fears whenever they crept to the surface. It wasn’t just in the words he spoke but the little things he did. A single touch could chase away any negative thought. That didn’t include what his mouth could do.
She laughed to herself. It was best to save her dirty thoughts for later when they were alone. There was no doubt in her mind that Jesse would fulfill her fantasies. He had from day one. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. She believed that with everything in her heart.
Jesse loved her with a fierceness like no one ever had.
Another smile crept across her face as she thought about her jewelry box and the little old women at the antique shop. She never had to go back and return the gift her sister gave her. The woman had been right. Fortune, fertility, and fortitude had found their way into her life, and just like its previous owner, she’d found happiness. Now she would be able to pass the magnificent gift on to her child if she had a daughter.
Her thoughts dispersed once she noticed him handing Thea back to Cassie. “She’s going to be a heartbreaker. She’s beautiful, Cassie. Thanks for letting me hold her, but we need to get going.”
Cassie nodded as Jesse helped Cori stand. “What time is your sonogram?”
“At two, and I can’t wait. I think the water I drank is finally hitting. How the hell did you do this?”
Her sister chuckled. “Sister, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Marry me, Cori . . .
The words played through Jesse’s mind bringing with them the memories of the day he spoke them. He would never forget the day he found the courage to ask her or the fact that she said yes.
When she decided to skip a church wedding, he was sure she’d regret it, but seeing what she, Mariah, Jamie and Cassie created was far better than any stuffy church. It only stood to reason that they get married under the moss-covered oak trees in their backyard. It was the same place he asked her to be his wife.
Cori flinched as she gripped his hand. “Wow. That stuff is cold.”
He gazed at her belly as the doctor squirted a thick gel on the little mound below her belly button. Seeing it brought a smile to Jesse’s face. She called it a baby bump when she discovered it that morning. He’d been admiring it ever since.
It was hard to believe his child was inside of her, growing stronger every day. The heartbeat echoing from the machine amazed him. So did the tiny face he saw on the screen. He stared at it in awe, disbelieving what he saw. It seemed more real now that he saw their baby.
His breath hitched. Cori glanced up at him then squeezed his hand softly. “Overwhelming, isn’t it, Daddy?”
He nodded. At this point, he didn’t trust his voice, not with the lump growing in his throat. She was right about one thing. It was overwhelming. He never thought he’d love anyone as much as he did her.
“Do you want to know the sex, or are you waiting until the delivery?”
Her doctor regarded both but focused on Cori for an answer. Instead of giving him one, she looked up at Jesse, those big brown eyes full of love as much as curiosity. He couldn’t help but laugh.
“We said we were going to wait, but I think she’s changed her mind. Whatever she wants, doc. As long as she’s happy, I’m happy.”
“Cori?” The doctor waited until she refocused on him. “Do you want to know what you’re having?”
She bit her lip, struggling with the decision. Jesse knew it was a hard one to make. They wanted to be surprised, but it would help her choose how to decorate the baby’s room.
Finally, she nodded. Her doctor faced the ultrasound machine as he swiped over her stomach with the transducer. At least Jesse thought that’s what the doctor called it.
A moment later, he pointed to the screen just as it paused. “It looks like you better buy pink.”
Holy shit. A girl. They were going to have a daughter.
“And maybe blue too.”
Jesse frowned at him. Had he made a mistake? “What do you mean, maybe blue too? Is it a boy?”
The doctor moved the transducer as the screen shifted. He paused it once more and pointed again. “This is definitely a girl,” he explained as he tapped the screen. Then he moved his finger to a different spot. “But this baby here is a boy.”
The world seemed to stand still as he and Cori’s eyes met. Disbelief weighed in hers as much as delight. Then she spoke the same words he did.
“Twins?”
“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Woods.”
Once the doctor moved away to make some notes in Cori’s chart, Jesse leaned down to her ear. “I love you, Cori.”
“I love you too.”
His and Cori’s paths had more than collided. That collision exploded into something rare and magnificent. They’d created something far more precious than music. They’d created a love song.
And they’d spend the rest of their lives dancing to its sweet melody.
Also by Kelli McCracken
Only in Time (Touched by Magic, Prequel)
He lied to protect her. She left to forget him. Neither expected the past to change their future.
Jonah McCabe has no time for love. As a prestigious L.A. record producer, his long days and short nights keep his schedule full and his bed empty. But when his current project leads him back home, Jonah is haunted by memories of Ally.
Ally Jacobs is getting the promotion of a lifetime. The only downfall is returning to her hometown and the past she's struggled to forget. When she runs into Jonah, the humiliation over his previous rejection comes barreling back.
As a series of mishaps bring them closer together, Ally must decide if Jonah is worth getting her heart broken again. And Jonah must reveal a painful truth or walk away from Ally forever.
Longing for You (Touched by Magic Series, Book 1)
He once fought for her honor. This time, he's fighting for her heart.
Theo McCabe has it all—a record deal, a future tour, and any woman he desires. Almost. In truth, the only person he's ever wanted is Cassie. Too bad a fight his senior year stole his chance to be with her. She never knew he'd fought to protect her or that any woman he'd met since would never be enough.
Cassie Clarke doesn't believe in fairytales. Happily ever after didn't exist, and love was a four-letter word she refused to say. Besides, being single had it's perks. So did working at a recording studio. Yet the moment she and Theo cross paths again, she can't help but feel drawn to him.
Though Cassie doesn't want to fall for Theo, the more time she spends with him, the more she worries there's no turning back. Theo is desperate to have one night with Cassie, but doing so means risking more than his career. It means exposing his heart to the only woman who could break it. After all, he's not the only man in Cassie's life.
Heartstrings (Heart & Soul Series, Book 1)
Forgetting the past isn’t always a choice.
Jo Hayes is desperate for answers. After waking from a coma, she faces a harsh reality. Amnesia has stolen six years of her life. The only thing keeping her sane is her brother, Brighton, who vows to protect her at all cost.
As fear and confusion dominate Jo, she struggles to regain her memories. Pieces slowly emerge once she meets the mysterious Adam Hart. Something about him strikes a nerve she can’t ignore, and the more she’s with him, the harder she fights to remember.
While flashbacks bring Jo closer to the truth, they leave her physically drained. If her me
mories don’t return naturally, the truth may destroy more than her mind. It may be the one thing that kills her.
What the Heart Wants (Soulmate Series, Book 1)
A recurrent dream. A fated encounter. A destiny neither can deny.
Heaven Lewis needs a break—from college, from relationships, from her life. After arriving in L.A., her vacation plans are thwarted by chaos. Encountering a celebrity wasn't on her to-do list. Neither is dating him. But the more time they spend together, the more his soul speaks to hers.
Dylan McBride is desperate to find the girl haunting his dreams. When he meets Heaven, her presence calls to his soul, awakening a desire so primal, he struggles to control it. A simple glance, a tender touch, even the sound of her voice electrifies his body. As much as he craves her, there’s more than lust drawing them together. Dylan can sense Heaven’s emotions.
As the mysterious connection between them deepens, Dylan uncovers a secret that proves his and Heaven’s destinies intertwine. Yet telling her the truth won’t be easy. Outside influences threaten to keep them apart, and a horrific encounter puts Heaven in danger. Dylan must find the courage to tell her the truth or risk losing the woman whose fate is linked to his.
What the Heart Needs (Soulmate Series, Book 2)
Bound by destiny, can their love survive those that would tear them apart?
Dylan McBride thought he had it all when Heaven Lewis agreed to marry him. Yet the secrets surrounding them continue to build. Dylan’s father won’t accept his relationship with Heaven, but Dylan refuses to let his dad come between them. Even if it means giving up his life as a rock star.
His refusal brings a turn of events that may cost him Heaven’s life. The only person he can count on for help is Layne. While his best friend agrees to help, Dylan can tell Layne is keeping secrets of his own.
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