Stolen By A Highlander (Scottish Pregnancy Romance)
Page 53
"Who are you going to kill?" Her grandmother asked her looking confused."
"Tomas, one of my clients, no don't get that look on your face grandma, it wasn't like that. He was asking me to find him a wife, and then one thing led to another and ugh. It was over a month ago, it never occurred to me that one time would be all it took. Not after all the years it took mom to get pregnant and you only having one child because of infertility issues." Lydia shook her head. It was just her luck. The better question wasn't how it happened, since she knew that, but what she was going to do about it.
"Lydia, I assume you plan on keeping the baby?" Her grandma's gaze narrowed on her.
"Of course grandma, I'm not a heathen." Lydia said, looking offended and then felt a little green.
"Let me get you a lemon and some crackers. Keep lemon or mint water around to help. Ginger also can help control this." Her grandma left the room and a few minutes later came back with a handful of crackers and some water with lemon in it. "Drink this."
Lydia sipped the water slowly and made sure it would stay down. She nibbled on a cracker her grandma handed her and realized after a few minutes she finally felt good enough to stand up.
"That actually worked," She was surprised and hugged her grandma gently.
"Of course it did." Her grandma gave her a look that said 'did you think I was stupid?' and then gave her a half squeeze back. "So, you want me to go to the drug store and get you a test so you can be sure?"
"You'd do that grandma?" Lydia was shocked. Getting her grandma to leave the house was difficult. These days she rarely went anywhere.
"For you, sweetie? Absolutely!" Her grandma gave her a gentle smile and hugged her again. "I'll be back in a jiffy, you just wait here."
Lydia brushed her teeth and changed her clothes. She felt a million times better by the time her grandmother came back with a bag from the drugstore. Taking out one of the little boxes, she looked at it and read the instructions.
"We never had these back in my day." Her grandmother told her looking at one of the two boxes of tests she'd bought for Lydia. "Half the time girls just popped out a baby and had no idea how far along they were."
"Wow," Lydia said laughing and then went back into the bathroom to pee on a stick. The two pink lines popped up before she even finished peeing and her hand started to shake. It was one thing to think about it being a possibility, another to see the hard proof in front of her. At least now her work could let her come back knowing she wasn't contagious. "Damn."
Walking out she held the test up for her grandma to see.
"I guess you don't need to take the other one then." Her grandma joked and patted her on the shoulder. "What do you plan on doing about it? Are you going to tell the father?"
"If I have a choice? I don't know if I want to tell the father. He's the type of guy who'd probably think I got pregnant on purpose to trap him into marriage. I suppose the best thing I can do is sign up paperwork stating if he gives up his parental rights he owes no financial obligation for the child." Lydia said, thinking out loud.
"Uhhh, Lydia, have you ever considered that maybe he'd want to know his child too?" Her grandma asked her softly and shook her head. "Just because the man's not pregnant doesn't mean he didn't help make the baby and wouldn't feel a responsibility to helping raise the child too."
"Yeah, but grandma--" Lydia started to say and was interrupted.
"No, no buts. You can't just decide to cut him out of the child's life without even having a frank discussion with him. You need to communicate clearly and give him a chance to tell you how he feels about everything. You said he was looking to settle down, you obviously liked him enough to get into bed with him, so why not see if you two are compatible outside of the bedroom?" She asked her granddaughter.
"It wasn't in the bedroom, it was against a wall." She muttered, not realizing she said it out loud and felt her face grow hot as she said the words out loud.
Her grandmother blinked for a moment and then burst into laughter. "Well, that was more details than I really needed to know, but I stand by what I said. Give the man a chance. If he's looking to settle down and he's a half-way decent guy, and a good enough guy you'd sleep with, don't write him off without talking to him."
"Grandma, he's a wolf shifter, he's the kind of man who'd want to be my alpha and take over my entire life. He's stubborn and determined and won't take no for an answer, I really don't want to go see him again." Lydia said, sounding whiny to her own ears.
"Lydia, sweetie, I know you, you wouldn't have let him touch you if he wasn't a good man. His money isn't the issue here, whatever is going on in your head, get rid of it and face this head on. Running away from conflict isn't like you. What's wrong with this man that would have you running like a scared rabbit in the other direction?" Narrowing her eyes at Lydia she eyed her up and down. "What does your animal side feel?"
"The traitor likes him. And his wolf." Lydia sighed and wanted to just go find the nearest hole to climb into.
Grandma laughed and grabbed Lydia's truck keys off the coffee table and tossed them to her. "Get cleaned up and go see him. If you're cat likes him that much and you were willing to be stupid during sex with him, there's obviously something more between you two then just sex. Find out if his animal feels the same way. Mates respond to each other and you can't always pick and choose who your soul mate is. You can choose to ignore it, but I'm guessing if there's a chance he's your mate you shouldn't run away from him."
"Grandma, how do you know for sure?" Lydia asked, nervously, she wasn't sure she wanted a mate.
"You don't. You make an educated guess based on everything involved in the big picture, your emotions, and you listen to your gut and animal instincts. I've found they rarely lead you wrong." Her grandma patted her on the arm and then yawned. "I'm going to go take a nap. Don't come back until you sorted this out with your man."
"He's not my man." Lydia protested.
Her grandmother smiled at her and winked. "Yet."
Lydia groaned.
Chapter 5
Lydia pulled up to Tomas's house. She knew that she would have to have a serious talk with him and had wanted to avoid this. She'd tried to talk herself up the entire drive here, not knowing exactly how he'd react to the news of her pregnancy.
Getting out of the car, it was getting dark, now that fall was coming, it was starting to get dark earlier. His truck was out front, but whether he was in the house, or somewhere on his ranch she wasn't sure. Maybe she should have called first. She could have just left a voice mail.
Kicking her own butt, knowing her grandma would smack her upside the head for being such a chicken she walked up the front steps and went to ring the doorbell. The door opened before she could even push the button. Tomas looked at her in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" He asked her, curiously and then a sly grin crossed his face. "Not that I'm complaining. I am glad to see you."
She'd meant to do it carefully, tactfully, gracefully. But how it came out was anything but. She punched him in the arm and burst out into tears.
"Uhm. Lydia? Are you okay?" Tomas asked her, his eyes going wide. He scooped her up in his arms and hugged her tight, rubbing her back as she sobbed so hard she hiccupped.
"You bastard. You got me pregnant. I hate you." Lydia managed to wheez out between the sobs and then buried her face against his shoulder and let the shock of everything just come out. When her meltdown was finished, he wiped the tears off her face and took her inside to the living room. Lydia stared at the wall and felt her stomach grow tight as the memory of him screwing her brains out right there was etched forever into her brain.
"You're pregnant?" He asked her calmly and searched her face as he looked at her and held one of her hands in his own. He sat a few inches from her on the couch where he'd had her sit, but his body language was relaxed and not stressed out. She wondered how he could stay so calm.
"Yes. This is all your fault. I haven't been able to
work I've been so sick and then my grandma had me take a test and it's not the flu. It's a baby. Your baby! I cannot believe you got me pregnant." She growled at him.
"Well, that sometimes happen when you get carried away and aren't careful." He told her and then grinned at her. "Hot damn, I'm gonna be a daddy."
"You're not upset?" Lydia blinked at him.
Tomas let out a half laugh, "Why do you think I wanted help finding a wife?"
"You got me pregnant on purpose then!" Lydia accused him angrily. She felt like she'd been setup, although they'd only had sex once, how was he supposed to know she'd be fertile. It didn't make a lot of sense.
"Well, it didn't really occur to me in the middle of what we were doing that you'd get pregnant, but anytime you have unprotected sex, pregnancy can be a side effect. I haven't had any luck with those dating sites of finding a suitable woman and I know I like you. All things considered, this situation could be worse." Tomas took her hand in his own. "Marry me Lydia, I promise I'll take care of you and the baby and any future babies we might have. I know were sexually compatible and I like your wit and company and fire. Your passion is one of those things that so many women are missing in life. I know this isn't what or how you would want something like this, and I honestly was trying to figure out how to get you to go out on another date with me before you showed up here. I like you. I was going to ask you out again before this."
"Then why have you ignored me for the last few weeks?" Lydia asked him suspiciously. He wasn't the type to lie, but at this point she wasn't sure she trusted him further than she could throw him.
"Would you have said yes?" Tomas asked her quietly. When she paused and then shook her head no he gave her a hard look. "Exactly. I was trying to figure out the best course of action to win you over."
"Win me over?" Lydia searched his face, trying to understand what he meant.
Tomas put his hand to her cheek and looked into her eyes. "You're kind of easily spooked. You require a gentle hand and finesse and it has to be your idea or you don't really seem open to taking suggestions. You're not the type of girl you can just push around and get your way without hurting your feelings. You deserve respect, and I was trying to figure out how to meet what you needed and wait for you to come around to the idea. I was hoping if I had you start finding me a wife, working closely with you, it would give me time to seduce you and win your heart. I got lucky you fell in bed with me that night, I don't regret getting you pregnant, though I wasn't thinking about that when it happened."
"I am not a horse," Lydia's brows knitted together, not sure whether to be offended, or flattered at his wording.
"No, if you were a horse, I'd have already won you over." He chuckled and pulled her into his arms before she could react and stop him. "I am glad you are here tonight. I'm fine with having a baby, I'm fine with you being the one to have my baby. I've wanted you from the moment I saw you and I wasn't going to give up until I made you mine. One night isn't enough. I want a life time with you."
"How can you know so fast that you want me?" Lydia blinked at him in confusion.
"I just do. My wolf knows you're my mate, I can tell were compatible in all the areas that count, and I find you intelligent, beautiful and accomplished, what more could a man want?" He asked her gently and before she could answer him he kissed her. When she melted against him, he deepened the kiss and wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her close.
Eventually he pulled back and looked at her.
"I won't deny the chemistry between us, but do you really think that's enough?" Lydia asked him and hesitated. When he kissed her, it made her forget everything else in this world except the way her lips felt against his, his strong arms wrapping around her body. She wanted him.
"I think it's more than a lot of people have. I think we will have mutual respect, admiration, we both are shifters, we won't need to keep secrets from each other. Around here, we can shift and run freely. Our children will be free to play and run and not worry about a human parent. You don't care about my money, I can take care of you, but I appreciate that you work and do your own thing and are a capable woman."
"I don't like being told what to do, and you're the kind of man who will want to boss me around." Lydia told him and then pressed her hand to his cheek. "I need you to be willing to compromise, and explain things and tell me your motivations for things. I'm a lot more likely to cooperate if you communicate with me. I know you're a big bad wolf and used to getting your way, but I'm a cat and I do things my way."
"I know, it's one of the things I like about you. You're not afraid to stand up to me and show me your claws. In fact, the last time you were here, you left claw marks in my back." He grinned at her and then kissed her again, slowly getting her out of her clothes. Pulling her back until he was on the couch and she was about to get pulled into his lap he kissed her belly. "Ride me Lydia, you can take charge, show me what you like, I can be patient, I'm a good boy."
The innocent look he gave her had her cracking up. "You are far from innocent, and I don't think you'll be able to handle just sitting there letting me make all the decisions."
"Try me." He challenged her and grinned, putting his hands back behind his head and watched her. She had her shirt buttons open and the front clasp of her bra was undone, her breasts hung there, exposed and she leaned down between his legs. Pulling his zipper down and undoing the button on his jeans she pulled his already erect cock out of his boxers through the whole. Stroking him she watched him with her eyes.
"Put your mouth on me Lydia, I need you to taste me," He told her and pulled her down towards his lap.
"Nope. You said I got to make decisions, is thirty seconds really all you can handle?" Lydia asked him laughing at the puppy dog expression on his face as he pushed his hips up to wag his cock at her and get her to suck it.
"Baby, if you put your mouth on me, I'll let you do whatever you want after." He told her and then blinked and pouted, sticking his lower lip out teasing her and had Lydia take pity on him. Kneeling down between his legs, she took him in her mouth.
She spent the rest of the night having him make love to her in all the imaginative ways she could come up with, just to prove her point. He struggled with letting her be in control, but he put in the effort to do things her way.
Lydia knew these moments would probably end up being rare, but the fact he'd try had her trusting him a lot more than before.
Chapter 6
They were being married in front of the justice of the peace. Her white dress was a baby doll cut that hid her almost due any day pregnant belly. She'd been living with Tomas for a while before agreeing to finally marrying him. She wanted to make sure she could handle it before she finally tied the knot and the one person who'd been on Tomas's side had been her grandma.
Standing next to the two of them as their witness, dear old grandma was here and giving Tomas the googly crush eyes that almost had Lydia groaning. Her grandma may be old, but she joked she wasn't dead and told Lydia if she didn't want Tomas, she'd take him. Lydia appreciated her grandma's humor and was glad to see her out of the house. Tomas had brought her grandma to come live on the ranch with them and she'd thrived since they put her house on the market. She loved going out every day with the animals, and though she was getting old, she could still shift and meander after the two younger ones.
Lydia wasn't sure entirely what their future would look like, but she felt confident that Tomas and her would find a way to make it work at this point. He was a pretty mellow, relaxed man and only put his foot down when he strongly believed in something. He was always willing to explain why he felt a certain way, and even if Lydia didn't always agree with him, he had a way of winning her over to his way of doing things.
Smiling at him, she signed the final bit of paperwork and he slipped a simple gold ring on her finger. She hadn't wanted anything big or elaborate, and he was okay with that. While he had a lot of money, she didn't need to feel the need to spend it as
fast as he could make it, and because of it he often tried to spoil her even when she didn't need anything.
"I love you Lydia." Tomas took her into his arms and kissed her. "I know I haven't told you yet and I realize you need to hear the words. Thank you for having faith in me, and for giving me your heart and body. I'm looking forward to growing old with you, having more children down the road and spending my life by your side."
"You're going to make me cry! Don't get all mushy on me," Lydia said and pinched his shoulder playfully and then smiled at him. "I love you too, but let's have this baby first before we talk about more. The first time he pees on you, you may change your mind about having another one."
"They pee on you?" Tomas looked confused.
"Well, sometimes when you change them, if you don't do it fast enough," Lydia started to laugh at the look of horror on his face. "And don't think you'll be getting out of diapers, it's not going to be all guns and horses. He has to get out of diapers before you can stick him on his own horse."
"Well, how long will that be?" Tomas asked and chuckled, as he put her arm through his and then offered his other arm to her grandma to escort her out to the truck. They were having a small get together tonight at the ranch to celebrate their nuptials. He had decided to try to mend fences with the pack, and had invited them to come out to celebrate with him and his new wife.
Driving back to the ranch, he couldn't but help feel how lucky and blessed he was that Lydia had been open minded to the chemistry between them, and hadn't let his personality, money, or domineering ways scare her off. He knew he could be a bit of a control freak at times, and she was never afraid to stand up to him, and sometimes especially in the bedroom, she even encouraged him.
He didn't know how he'd gotten so lucky to find such a wonderful woman who seemed to mesh with him completely, but he was thankful every day for her existence. Looking at her belly one more time, he couldn't wait to meet his son. They'd decided to name him Blake Daniel after his father.