by Paige Warren
His fingers traced a pattern up and down her arm, leaving goose bumps in their wake. She snuggled closer, breathing in his scent. Lexie also had to admit she liked the intimacy of cuddling with Drew. She’d never really been a cuddler before, but it was something she could look forward to – with the right man. She believed Drew was the right man. Yes, they were going to wait the three weeks he was gone to see how they felt, but the past twenty-four hours had been amazing and she already knew she wanted to spend more time with him.
The movie ended and Drew kissed her tenderly. “As much as I would love to make love to you again, I was thinking maybe we could go to the bedroom and just stretch out in bed and watch movies until we fall asleep. I like cuddling with you.”
She smiled. “I like cuddling with you, too.”
He rose and held out his hand to her, helping her to her feet. “Come on, let’s go get settled in bed for the night. Morning will come all too soon, and with it a rather long separation. Three weeks is going to feel like three months.”
She followed him upstairs and removed her clothes, folding them neatly. He tossed her one of his T-shirts and she slipped it on before climbing into bed. He slid under the covers, wearing only his boxers, and she wondered how she was supposed to behave herself with such temptation on display. Snuggling against his side, she rested her head on his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heart thump against her palm. He flipped on the TV and settled on Supernatural reruns, set the timer, then tossed the remote aside and turned off the lamp.
“Drew. I know we just met, but I’m going to miss you while you’re gone.”
“I’m going to miss you too, honey. I’m going to have Carson check on you from time to time, for my peace of mind. If you have any trouble while I’m gone, I want you to call him. If it becomes unsafe for you to remain in the trailer, I want your word that you’ll come here.”
“Drew, it’s too soon for me to move into your house. We’ve known each other one day.”
He looked at her, his gaze warm and tender. “Sometimes you just know, Lexie.”
“It’s too soon,” she insisted. “I don’t believe in love at first sight. Yes, I desire you, but that isn’t enough for that kind of commitment.”
He nodded and let the matter the go.
Lexie breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time she was oddly disappointed he hadn’t fought harder for what he wanted.
***
When morning came, Lexie felt a pang in her chest. Drew would be leaving just as soon as he finished packing, and then she wouldn’t see him for three weeks. She tried to tell herself the time would fly by, but she was going to miss him, and she couldn’t deny it. One day or one month, it mattered little that they hadn’t known each other long. She was already attached to him. Drew was right: sometimes, you just knew.
She already knew that when he returned she’d tell him she wanted to date him. Lexie had no idea where the relationship would go, but she was anxious to find out. The sex between them was explosive, and the quieter moments were nice too. She dressed slowly, not ready for the time to come when they had to leave. Drew kissed her sweetly before gathering his bag and heading downstairs. She followed a moment later and found him rummaging in the fridge.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I thought I’d make you breakfast.”
She placed her hand on his back. “You don’t have to do that. I can grab something at home. You said you had an eight-hour drive ahead of you. It would be quicker for you to grab something on the road.”
He shut the fridge door. “Are you sure?”
“Part of me wants you to make breakfast, just so I can spend more time with you, but the logical half is telling me you should get on the road.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “Honey, I promise, I’ll be back just as soon as I can. Once that last rodeo event is over, I’m flooring it the whole way home. I’ll come here first, on the off-chance you’re waiting for me here, then I’ll head to your place if you aren’t here.”
Drew gathered their belongings and went out to the truck, placing everything in the backseat. He helped her into the passenger’s side, pausing long enough to kiss her, rather thoroughly. Her toes curled as she gripped the front of his shirt. How was she supposed to survive the next three weeks without his scorching kisses?
Drew got in and started the truck, then pulled down the long drive. It didn’t take long to reach the trailer park and he stopped next to her car. He started to get out, but she put her hand on his arm.
“If you get out and come in with me, I’ll want to keep you,” she said. “Just hurry home to me.”
He leaned across the seat and kissed her once more, not a goodbye kiss, but one that was filled with the promise of tomorrow. When he pulled away, she slipped out of the truck, grabbed her bag and hurried up to her door. She paused long enough to wave bye to him before pushing the door open and heading inside. Leaning against the door, she listened as his truck rumbled, taking him away from her.
Her cell phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket. Drew flashed on the screen and she smiled, answering it.
“Miss me yet?” he asked.
“Yes. When did you program your number in my phone?”
“While you were sleeping this morning. I wanted to make sure I could get in touch with you, and vice versa.”
She smiled. “I’m glad you did. You stay safe!”
“Yes ma’am. I’ll call you after I settle into the hotel tonight.”
“Bye, Drew,” she said softly before disconnecting the call.
Lexie settled in with her laptop and checked her email. She’d received a file for edits and accepted the job, then got to work. She didn’t know how long she’d been working, but after a while, there was a knock at her door. Figuring it was Shelly she set her computer aside, and went to answer it. But when she pulled the door open, she was in for a surprise.
“Carson?”
He smiled. “Big brother asked me to stop by and check on you. He said he didn’t get a chance to feed you this morning and tasked me to taking you to lunch.”
“Oh, that isn’t necessary. Really.”
His smile dimmed a little. “I see.”
She frowned, not what quite sure what he saw. “I don’t want to be a burden, Carson. I’m sure you already had plans today before Drew called you.”
His smile returned. “Nope, no plans. It happens to be my day off, so unless you have plans, I thought we’d head over to the diner for a bite to eat. Or would you prefer the corner café?”
“The diner is fine. Just let me get my purse and lock up.”
He waited on her steps while she did that, then he helped her into his truck. It warmed her heart that Drew had called his brother to check on her, even if she was quite capable of taking care of herself. It was nice to have someone care. When they reached the diner, he guided her inside, his hand sitting warmly against the middle of her back. They claimed a booth near the window and he sat in the seat opposite her.
“So, you and Drew, huh?” he asked with a smile. “You aren’t quite what I pictured when I thought of him settling down.”
“No one said he was settling down.”
Carson snorted. “You don’t think he’d have me check on just anyone, do you? He cares for you…don’t doubt it.”
She cared for him, too.
“Order whatever you want,” he said. “It’s my treat. It isn’t every day I get to hang out with my brother’s girlfriend.”
“We aren’t officially dating. He said we’d discuss it when he got back in town.”
Carson grinned. “You tell yourself whatever you want. Trust me, as far as Drew is concerned, he’s off the market and you’re his girlfriend. He called me before he’d even gotten on the highway good and asked me to check on you. I figured I’d give you some time to yourself and take you to lunch. Give us a chance to get to know one another and feed you in the process. A win-win.”
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br /> “You know, this is the most you’ve ever spoken to me,” she said.
He shrugged. “Never have much to say, I guess. So, is there anything you want to know about my big brother? About the family?”
“He mentioned you have a sister.”
“Half-sister. She lives in Texas with our daddy. We have different moms. Dixie Belle is something else, though. She just turned twenty-one, last week, and she’s already out causing trouble. Wouldn’t surprise me none if Daddy didn’t take her over his knee and try to knock some sense back into her.”
Lexie grinned. “By making it hard for her to sit down?”
“Exactly. Old man never was against using a switch on us when we was young. Don’t reckon he’d mind using one on her now, either.”
“How much younger is Dixie Belle than the two of you?”
“Well, Drew’s the oldest at thirty-two, and I’m the perfect middle child at twenty-nine. Our mom passed when we were just little kids. Dad found Dixie Belle’s mom a year later. He didn’t marry her right away, not even when she turned up pregnant with Dixie, but about two years after that they tied the knot. Then she got thrown from a horse she bought five years ago now. Snapped her neck. Doc said she died instantly.”
“That’s so sad. Your father has had a hard time of it, hasn’t he?”
“Yeah, I guess he has. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
A waitress came over and took their order before scurrying away again, only to return a moment later with drinks.
“So, what makes Lexie tick?” Carson asked.
“Well, I’m an editor for a small new publisher. I went to the junior college after high school and two years ago I moved to the city, fully intending to go to the big university and finish my four-year degree, but it just never happened. I had to work so many jobs just to stay afloat that there wasn’t any time for classes.”
“What brought you back home?”
“I couldn’t make it on my own. I was mugged almost a month ago…guy took everything, including the keys to my apartment. When I got home, he’d been by there with some of his buddies and cleaned me out. I decided the city life just wasn’t for me. I called Shelly, my best friend, and she came and picked me up. I slept on my mom’s couch for a bit, then found the trailer I’m staying in now.”
“Yeah, Drew ain’t too happy about that trailer you call home.”
“I know, but it’s all I can afford right now.”
He smiled. “Don’t be surprised if he tries to talk you into moving in with him when he returns. I think he’d like having you around all the time. He said something about waking up with you being the best thing in the world. Well, he was more eloquent when he said it. I’m not so good with words.”
“Waking up with him was pretty wonderful, too.”
Their food arrived and they ate and talked, learning more about one another. Lexie wanted to make friends with Carson. He was part of Drew’s life, an important part, and that made him important to her, too. For a brief moment, she thought about introducing him to Shelly, seeing if the two would hit it off, but she shook the thought off. Shelly would chew him up and spit him out. He needed someone tamer, a meek miss who would complement his shy, quiet demeanor. Not someone who would bulldoze him. Shelly could be a ball-buster when she wanted to be.
After the meal, Carson returned her to her home, where she locked up behind him and got back to work. She figured if she immersed herself in her work, maybe she wouldn’t think so much about Drew. What she’d do when the project was over, Lexie had no clue.
Chapter Five
The weeks dragged by, with each day seeming longer than the last. Shelly tried her best to distract Lexie, and Carson did his fair share as well, but she just couldn’t get Drew off her mind. She talked to him every night before bed. As Lexie looked at the calendar, counting the days until Drew’s return, she noticed something that made her frown. She was late. She should have started her period at least four days ago, and yet she hadn’t had so much as one cramp.
Remembering the broken condom, she grabbed her purse and keys and rushed to the pharmacy to pick up a pregnancy test. It could be stress––she’d been worried about bills, and about Drew––but something told her it was more than that. She didn’t know what she’d do if it came back positive. What would Drew think? He’d know it was an accident, but that didn’t mean he’d be happy about it. Spending lots of time together, and wanting to date exclusively, was one thing. Having a baby together was something else altogether.
She read the backs of all the boxes, selected the two that seemed the best, checked out and rushed home. The instructions said it was best to use the first urine of the morning, but hell if she could wait that long. She’d be a basket case if she had to wait until the morning to find out the results. Lexie ripped the cap off the stick, followed the instructions, and then waited the recommended three minutes. She paced the small bathroom, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides.
A glance at the stick had her stomach dropping. Two pink lines. She was pregnant.
No. It could be a false positive. She’d heard of those before. Tearing into the second box, she followed the instructions for the second test, and then waited the three minutes for the second set of results. When a positive sign flashed on the stick, she groaned and dropped her head.
What the hell was she going to do?
Someone pounded on her front door and she hurried to answer it. Carson stood on her steps, smiling broadly.
“I heard there’s a new movie at the theater. I thought I’d see if you wanted to go.”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know that now is the best time, Carson. Maybe another day?”
His smile slipped. “What’s wrong, Lexie? You seem upset.”
“It’s nothing. Everything is fine.”
He pushed his way into the trailer. “Everything is not ‘fine’. Start talking.”
She flopped onto the sofa and motioned toward her bathroom. “The answers you seek are in there.”
He gave her a funny look, but ducked into the bathroom. A distinct holy shit could be heard, and then a stunned Carson returned to the living room. He planted his hands on his hips and stared at her.
“Have you called Drew yet?”
She shook her head. “I just found out. Besides, I don’t want to give him that kind of news over the phone. He’ll be home in another five days.”
“Fuck, Lexie. You can’t wait five days to tell the man he’s going to be a daddy. If you don’t call and tell him to bring his ass home now, I will. That last rodeo hasn’t started yet. It ain’t too late for him to pull out and head home. He could be here by tomorrow night.”
She toyed with the hem of her shirt. “What if he feels trapped?”
He hunkered down in front of her. “Lexie, if there’s one thing I know about my brother, it’s that he ain’t going to feel trapped. Not by you. He thinks you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. If anything, he’ll be over the moon.”
“I-I guess…I should call him.”
Carson pulled out his phone and dialed his brother’s number. Lexie watched pensively.
“Drew, I have someone here that needs to talk to you. Now, don’t panic, everything is fine. Here’s Lexie.” Carson handed her the phone.
“Drew?” Her voice came out a little shakier than she’d have liked.
“Honey, what’s wrong?”
“N-nothing. I have something I need to tell you, but not over the phone.”
“Can it wait until I’m home in five days?” Drew asked.
She glanced at Carson. “Your brother seems to think you need to come home now.”
It was silent on the other end.
“Drew?”
“I’m still here, honey. I’ll withdraw my name from the rodeo and turn the truck around. If I haul ass, I can be home a little after midnight. Maybe sooner. I want you to go to my house, Lexie. Carson has a key, so he can let you in. Wait for me there, okay?�
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“Okay.”
“And Lexie? Pack a bag. I want you to plan on staying overnight.”
“What if you don’t like what I have to say? You might decide you want me to go home after you hear my news.”
“Honey, nothing you can tell me will make me want to throw you out. Unless you’ve cheated on me while I’ve been gone. Did you step out with someone else, Lexie?”
“No. I haven’t been out with anyone but Carson and Shelly. I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too, honey. I’ll be home, quick as I can. You tell Carson to take you to my house. And I mean right now, Lexie.”
“All right. I’ll see you soon, Drew. Please be safe.”
She disconnected the call and handed the phone back to Carson, who looked at her expectantly.
“He wants you to take me to his house. And he wants me to pack an overnight bag.”
“I think you should put those test sticks in a baggie and take them with you,” Carson said. “Not that I think he won’t believe you, but he might like to see the tests. Have that memory, you know?”
She nodded and stood on shaky legs. Heading into her bedroom, she gathered a change of clothes and her essentials, stuffed them into a bag then went back into the living room. Carson took the bag from her.
“Need anything else?” he asked.
“My purse and laptop.”
He waited while she put her laptop in its carrying case, then he helped her out to the truck. They made the drive to Drew’s place in silence, giving Lexie plenty of time to think. She worried about Drew’s reaction, despite Carson’s insistence that his brother would be happy about the baby. They were still getting to know one another, hadn’t even made their relationship official yet, and here she was about to tell the man he was going to be a father.
When they reached Drew’s place, Carson carried her things inside for her. She sank onto the sofa and twisted her hands in her lap. She didn’t know where Drew was right now, but it must be far away if it was going to take him eight hours or more to reach home. She knew he must be worried right now, and she hated that. But there was no way she was going to blurt out over the phone that she was pregnant. For one, she wanted to see his face when he heard the news. His expression would tell her everything she needed to know. He’d either be happy, or he’d get that trapped, panicked look that she figured most men got. Not that Drew was like most men.