I open the door expecting a damn ear full, but what I get is a smiling Carmen throwing herself at me. "Uh hey." I wrap my arms around her as she hugs me tightly. "Porsha called me." She tells me. I smile as she takes my face into her hands. "Thank you for defending me, and not kicking his ass." I nod, and as she is about to kiss me I tell her, "I told him you quit too." She moves back looking pissed now. "Dalton, how the fuck will I help pay bills?" She throws her arms in the air, then runs her hands up through her hair. I shrug. "Guess you won't. I can handle it for a bit." She hasn't once mentioned that my mom slipped up about my inheritance. Maybe she forgot too. She throws her arms in the air again, about to let me have it. As cute as she looks upset, I need to stop her before she does. I grab her arms. "Babe, listen to me. I got this. You can find something else. Or don't. I can take care of things financially. Plus, if I open a shop, I'll need you next to me." She looks hesitant. "Ok remember the money my mom mentioned that awesome day at the shop when she showed up?" She nods. "I have a decent inheritance from my grandma dying. Now, I wanna use it to open a shop, but IF we need some for bills then we can use some for that." She shakes her head. "No. I will not let you use your grandmother's money, she gave you as a gift, to pay bills while I sit on my ass here." I grab her ass. "It's a nice ass. You sure?" She chuckles a bit, but shakes her head. "Look Carmen, it's A LOT of money. You could sit on your pretty ass forever, and I would probably never spend it all." She raises her eye brow. "So take your time finding a job. Or start looking for buildings to put a shop in." She smiles a bit. "So you're really doing it huh?" I shrug. "I mean you only fucking live once ya know." She nods then grabs my shirt, tugging me to her. "I think this is the right step for you." I grab her hips. "Is it the right step for us?" She nods a couple times. "Hell yes. I've always wanted to be a shop keep." Could she get any more adorable? I pick her up, and carry her to our room. It's time to celebrate.
"I found three buildings." That was fast. Maybe a bit too fast. I've always wanted my own place, but Carmen is really taking hold of this and making it a reality. "Really where at?" I try to sound excited. She stirs the pan of chicken in front of her on the stove then sits the spoon down. "One is about twenty minutes away in a town called Borden. The other two are further out in Louton which is about an hour." I nod a couple times. Not sure if being closer to here would be better, or if going a bit further is better. My loyals will come with me either way. "So we would need to move too? If you I like the Louton location?" She shrugs as she leans on the counter in front of me. "We could. Maybe even look at houses...." Red flags are popping up all over. I think my vision even goes red for a second. I sit on the bar stool, practically missing it, but keep myself from falling to the floor. "Uh... I don't... I mean.... Do we really.... Uh...." I lean forward, resting my head in my hands. She reaches out touching my arm. "Babe calm down. I was just saying. I know opening a shop is a big step for you. We can take the rest slow." I let out a deep breath. Buying a house and a building for my shop at the same time is too much for me. I look to her. She gives me a fake smile, then moves back over to stir our dinner. "Carmen, I love you. The house and shit will happen, but I need to take one huge step at a time." She nods a couple times, not looking at me, then mumbles, "I know." I know she knows, but I get the feeling she isn't happy about it. She has always been so accepting of my fuckedupness. Is that about to change? "Car?" She starts to work on making a salad. "Hm?" She won't look at me. Why is she being so weird? "Car?" She continues to keep her gaze down. I stand and walk around the counter. She tenses up as I lay my hands on her hips. "Baby, what's up?" She shakes her head back and forth. "Nothing. Why would you ask that?" The last time she acted this way, she told me about gallery boy laying his hands on her. If he contacted her, I will kill him. I turn her to face me. "You're acting weird, and it's making me think the worst. So please cut the bullshit and just tell me what's going on with you." She looks me right in the eyes and whispers, "What would be the worst?" I shrug but answer, "That gallery bitch contacted you and gave you shit." She shakes her head no. I sigh but the breath is taken right from me as she whispers, "I'm pregnant." I swear I pass out where I stand just for a second. I feel like I'm not even in my own body anymore. Like I'm watching this from an outside view. THAT is the last thing on the planet I expected to come form her mouth. That is the..... ok it's not the worst thing she could say, but.... She said she can't have kids. "You're preg.... WHAT?" She sighs then crosses her arms over her chest. "I know. I mean, the doctor told me I couldn't have kids. I mean, that's why I didn't make you wear anything.... I didn't.... I mean, I didn't expect this either, Dalton." She rambles it so fast it takes me a second to process it. Or maybe I'm dreaming, and that's why I can't makes sense of this. I blink a couple times. This is not a dream. FUCK. How the fuck did this happen? I mean, I know how it happened. "Is it mine?" As soon as the words leave my mouth, I want them back. The look on her face makes me feel like burying myself alive. "YES DALTON. FUCK YOU." She turns off the burner under the chicken and rushes past me back the hall. Tears are already running down her face. "Carmen!" I call out as our bedroom door slams. I hear the lock click and just stand there. Me. A dad? This isn't right. I can't even take care of myself. I drop my head into my hands. I can't believe I just asked her if it's mine.
I knock on the door after giving her some time to calm down. Hell I needed some time to calm down. I'm pretty sure there isn't any good amount of time to wait after accusing your girl of being pregnant with another mans baby. "Babe?" I can hear her sobbing. Dammit. I don't want her to be crying. I knock again. I hear her moving around and let out a breath. She opens the door. I grab her and pull her into my arms. "I'm scared, Car. I can't lose you. What if this baby..... What if you can't carry it?" She looks up at me. Her tear streaked cheeks and red eyes make my heart hurt. I'm a colossal asshole. "I don't know, Dalton. But right now, there is a baby in here. Our baby." She presses her hands to her stomach. I let out a slow breath then press my hands to hers. My baby is growing inside of her right now. I'm not even able to process how that really makes me feel. All I know is I need to make her feel better. "Ok.... so have you seen a doctor?" Jesus that was about as smooth as a fucking butter knife through a stiff dick. She nods. "I was feeling a bit sick, and well...... just off, so I went to the doctor. That's when I found out." I nod as I link my fingers through hers. She looks at out linked hands pressed to her flat stomach. "How far are you?" What the fuck does that matter, Dalton? I can't get my shit together. She shrugs. "Not far. I'm guessing it happened right before everything with Max." I nod a couple times, then think about what all he would have taken that day had I not.... I push that to the back of my mind and nod again. I really don't know what to say. There is a little version of us.... I flex my fingers as I stare at her stomach. "We're...." I think about how this may not end well. That I could lose her. That we may lose this little....... Him? Her? Fuck there could be a little Carmen in there. Or a little Dalton. I'm leaning more towards a Carmen. How can I be excited when the cost to have this baby may be too high? I pull her back to me. She wraps her arms around me tightly. I didn't expect this. Neither of us expected this. But I will do whatever I have to, to keep her and this baby safe. I kiss the top of her head then whisper, "I love you." She hugs me tighter as she tells me, "We love you too." Her words hit me like a hammer. She is now a we. A we, we created. FUCK. I swallow hard. "I'm sorry I reacted the way I did." She shrugs. "I know it was you being in shock. I was in shock too at first." I nod then lay my head on top of hers. This is happening. I'm gonna be a fucking father.
"Alright dad. You can stand right here." The doctor motions to the spot next to the bed Carmen is laying on. He has a little handheld heart monitor. Apparently we should be able to hear a heart beat today. I sure fucking hope we hear a heartbeat. I step next to her, taking her hand into mine. She smiles up at me then gasps a bit as the doctor squirts a little dollop of blue gel onto her stomach. I chuckle then hold my breath as he presses what looks like a litt
le microphone to her stomach. He moves it lower so that it grazes the waistline of her pants. I hear nothing. "Can you undo your pants please." He tells Carmen. Something's wrong. Why isn't he finding it? She does as he asks with shaky fingers. I swallow hard as he presses it back to her. I feel like I might pass out, then the most amazing noise fills the room. I look to Carmen. Her eyes are instantly filled with tears. I blink a couple times as I clear my throat. The emotion that rushes through me is unreal. The doctor takes the microphone thing away. I wish he had kept it there longer. "Nice strong heart beat." He tells us as he hands Carmen a paper towel to wipe the gel off with. I stay right next to her as he sits on his swivel stool writing something in her chart. He looks to us as she buttons her pants back up, then sits up. "Any questions?" I had so many, but after what I just heard, I can't seem to think of any of them. Carmen speaks up. "Tell me the truth. What are the chances I can carry this baby?" He gets serious. I take her hand back into mine. She's shaking. "You're last pregnancy you got to what?" He looks to her chart. "10 weeks." She tells him. He nods and looks back to us. "Well I'd guess you're about 12 now, so... that's good. Look sometimes we can't explain why one pregnancy takes and another doesn't. You're uterus looks good. Stay off your feet as much as possible. Limit stress and.... pray." I close my eyes. I don't pray. It's not my thing. But right there I ask for Gretchen's help. I ask her to take care of our baby if we lose him or her. I open my eyes asking, "So she needs to basically do nothing until this baby is out?" He chuckles. "If you can allow that, yes. I mean she needs to eat of course, but rest and relaxation will help keep this baby in there. If we can get her to even 28 weeks, there is a really good chance the baby will make it after that. Modern technology is amazing." He stands and holds his hand out to me. "It was nice to meet you, Dalton." I shake his hand. "Thank you. You too." He gives me a look only a man could give another man, then nods and walks out. I look to Carmen. "You're officially off your feet for the next six months." She opens her mouth, I press my finger tip to her lips. "I will not take any of your bullshit over this. The shop can wait. We are keeping this baby," I press my hand to her stomach, "in here until he or she is ready." She swallows hard, then nods as she presses her hand to mine.
I walk through the shop door. Sunny shoots me a smile. I can tell by the look on her face Carmen told her about the baby. I step up to the counter. She starts to clap and opens her mouth. I reach out grabbing her hands, stopping her clapping. "Please Sunny don't say anything, ok. Not right now. It's not a guarantee, so I'd rather no one else know until we're in the clear." She gets serious as she whispers, "ok." I nod my thanks then head to my station. "Dalton." I look to Steve as he steps up to me. "What's up?" He shrugs as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Not much except that I hear you're looking for buildings to put a tattoo shop in." Great. This is just what I need right now. I look him dead on. "I was yes. But I'm not going anywhere right now." He nods then searches my face a bit. "I know we're not friends. Not even close. But are you ok?" I nod once. "Yep." I'm not talking about shit with him. He's no one to me. He turns and walks away. I'm not sure why Sunny is still with him. Not my problem. I get set up for my first client. I'm about to go take a piss when I hear, "Hey babe." Carmen walks to me with a cup of coffee and a bag from Mabel's in her hand. "What are doing?" She gives me a funny look. "Uh... What's it look like? Bringing you coffee." I take it from her and sit it down, then I force her into my chair. "Babe, you need to stay off your feet." She let's out a slow breath. "Dalton, I'm fine. Getting coffee isn't stressful at all." I give her a look. "Carmen...." I look around to make sure no one is listening, then look back to her. "Babe you need to go home and rest. This baby needs you to." She presses her hands to her stomach, then gets a pissed off look on her face. "I know my body, Dalton. Don't treat me like this baby doesn't mean just as much to me." She stands almost smacking her face off mine, then storms out. I slam my hands into my hair. Good job, Dalton. Way to not stress her out.
Carmen hasn't spoken to me in two days. I was giving her time to cool off, but she's not. I can't sleep on the couch another night. My back is killing me. But what's bugging me the most, is not having her close to me. She's just another body in our apartment. It's killing me. She walks from back the hall into the kitchen. I watch as she starts the coffee pot. She isn't drinking coffee now with being pregnant, so I know she's doing it for me. That has to be a good sign. I lay there and just listen to her move around the kitchen. My fear of losing our baby, or her is very real, but I need to keep my shit in check. I'm not helping by adding stress and pressure on her. I sit up. She glances at me, but keeps at what she's doing. I need to fix this for both of us. I walk into the kitchen. She pretends I'm not there. I step closer, getting myself within an inch of touching her. I watch as her breathing picks up. I still affect her, thank god. I reach out pressing my hand to her back. Goose bumps rise all over her body. She can't keep from reacting to the chill that runs through her. I kiss her cheek then whisper in her ear, "I'm so sorry." She crosses her arms, shaking her head a bit. I have to fix this, so I keep going. "I can't take this anymore. I love you. I know you won't do anything you feel could harm the baby. I'm just so scared." I take a deep breath, then add something so real it scares me to say, but I say it. "I love our baby." My voice breaks with emotion. A year ago I was a piece of shit barely holding it together. And now I'm responsible not for just this amazing woman in front of me, but for my baby growing inside her. She looks to me with tears in her eyes. "I'm scared too, Dalton. But pretending I'm not pregnant makes me feel worse. I know it's a risk. But I wanna tell people and be as normal about this as we can." I nod wanting to say so much, but keep my fucking mouth shut. She's right. We have a right to be happy about this. We can't predict what will happen. No one can really. If being "normal" about this makes her feel better, I'm in. "Ok baby. Now can I please hold and kiss you?" She turns to me wrapping her arms around my waist. I hold her tightly as I place a kiss to her head. She looks up at me. The love I feel for her is so overwhelming sometimes. My eyes move to her gorgeous full lips for just a second before I lean down pressing mine to hers. God I needed this. She moves her mouth around mine making my dick rock hard. I don't think it's a good idea that we have sex considering, but fuck me, I want to. She grinds against me. I grab her ass pressing myself to her, and her to the counter, as I groan into her mouth. She digs her hands into my hair tugging lightly. Fuck I need to stop this before I can't. I grab her shoulders gently pushing her away. Maybe I should have let her stay mad at me. "Babe we...." I start to explain. She sighs cutting me off, then adds, "Yeah I know...." She turns away from me and starts to pour me a cup of coffee. My eyes are drawn to her perfect little ass in her tight little shorts. "Yep cold shower time." I announce, then turn and book it to the bathroom. I can hear her giggle as I close the bathroom door.
She takes her shirt and bra off over her head without any concern for who can see her, then lays on the table on her stomach. I can't remember her name for the life of me, even though I know she told me. I'm in trouble with this one. Her blue hair cascades around her face. I swallow hard. She winks at me through the ocean of blue. I'm better than this. I'm better than the numerous positions I'm picturing fucking her in. The thoughts of her hair draping over my thighs as she sucks me off. I turn and get things ready. Carmen and I haven't had sex for months. I'm not at all wanting to step out on her, but fuck me, this chick is oozing fuck me. I close my eyes, and after taking a few deep breaths, picture Carmen at our ultrasound last week. We saw our baby. He or she is stubborn just like her. We wanted to find out what we're having but the little shit kept it's legs closed. The happiness and love I felt come flooding back. I cannot let my dick take that from me. I open my eyes and get my shit together. I turn to my client. She's lifted up just enough that I can see areola. "Ok ready?" She nods then crosses her arms in front of her and lays her head on them. She keeps her eyes fixed on mine. I sit and put on new gloves. I pick up my machine and get started. I will stay focused
and get her out of here as soon as possible. "So are you single?" Perfect I can tell her I'm not, and she'll stop giving me fuck me eyes. "I'm not." I tell her but keep on working. Not offering her eye contact. "Are you happy?" Fuck yes I'm happy. But something about how she asked made my dick jump. "Yep." I need her to shut up now. "I think you're lying. I think...." She pauses getting my attention. "You need a blow job." I clear my throat. This is not happening. I just keep working. I will not even let my mind go down this road. I can't tell her she's wrong though. Carmen offers, but I would feel like a jack ass. We talked to the doctor about sex. He said if we take it easy it would be fine, but that there is a risk that it could throw her into labor the further along she is. I asked about oral and he said that would be fine, but Carmen gave me some vague excuse about not wanting me down there right now so..... Here I am, rock hard and trying like hell not to be the dick I once was. I stay focused on what I'm tattooing and completely clear my mind. After what felt like a short amount of time, but after glancing at the clock I see was more like two hours, I hear her voice. She's like an angel coming to save me. I smile as I hear her round the corner. I stop what I'm doing and look to her. She's showing enough that people can tell she's pregnant. I asked the doctor if she should be bigger, and he assured me her size was fine considering her tiny build. She walks over and looks at my clients back. "Wow, that's gorgeous, babe." She tells me as she rests her hand on my shoulder. "Thanks beautiful." I tell her, then place a kiss on her pinky. My client looks over her shoulder at Carmen. I watch her eyes zone in on her stomach. Shame spreads across her face. Thank god. Hopefully she won't be offering me any favors that will be hard for me to turn down. "How about a break?" I offer as I put my machine down and grab some paper towels. Dammit I wish I could remember her name. I get her back cleaned and covered. She looks more shy now. "We'll go over here." I tell her, offering her some privacy. She nods as I remove my gloves, throwing them away, then take Carmen's hand into mine. She steps in front of me, grabbing my face in her hands as soon as we are a few steps away asking, "What's up with you?" Fuck, she knows. I clear my throat. There is no way she could know what I was thinking about that woman. I need to fucking relax. "Nothin." I tell her, sounding relaxed, or so I think. She raises her eye brow. God dammit she's not gonna let this go. She knows something's up. She'd feel it too if she conducted an investigation, although that's because of her. She's so beautiful. It takes everything in me not to grab her and have her how I want her. "I'm just a little stressed today." She gets a smirk. "Yeah?" I nod. She keeps searching my face. She's gonna make me crack. I don't like lying to her, even if it's for her benefit. "You're attracted to her right?" I swallow hard, but say nothing._ _I don't need to, she knows. She nods once, smiles a bit, then slaps my face. A few people look to us. I don't know whether to be pissed or just accept it. I deserve it for how I was thinking earlier. She waits to see if I'm gonna say anything else... I don't. "This is why you need to let me blow you, Dalton." I'm so in shock I just stand there. She chuckles. "Look babe you're a sexual man, and I used to wear you out. But with my condition..." She presses her hand to her tiny bump. I rest mine over hers, running my thumbs along her belly button. "You need to let me get you off." She states, then takes my hand into hers and starts for the bathroom. My heart starts to race. Fuck I want this, but I'm not letting my pregnant girlfriend get on her knees in the fucking shop bathroom. She looks over her shoulder at me and licks her lips. FUCK. OK maybe I will. "Babe NO." I blurt louder than I mean to. A couple clients look to us. She giggles then steps closer whispering, "Come on. You know you want it." I glance to her perfect lips, then close my eyes trying like hell to control my dick. He's standing at attention. Anyone who looks at me WILL notice. I tug her into the break room. "Carmen, you're killing me here." She strokes me through my jeans. I can't help it, my body bends in half from the rush of pleasure. I'm a fucking lame ass right now. "Dalton..." She practically purrs. "I WANT you in my mouth." I'm throbbing so hard, it hurts. She starts to unbutton my pants. I can't even find the desire to stop her. I do however reach out and push the door closed. Not that I care if anyone walks in right now. She lowers to her knees. I reach down and pull her back to her feet. She gives me a funny look. I pull a chair up behind her. She chuckles as she sits on it. I step between her legs. She pulls my pants down to my thighs. I'm about to lose it already. She gives me the sexiest look, then pulls my boxers down freeing me. Without even a second of hesitation, she slams me into her mouth. "Oh fuck." I call out loudly. She hmmmmm's on my dick. Yep I'm about to embarrass myself. One quick swirl of the tongue, and I'm unloading into her mouth. I look down and notice she isn't swallowing. I pull from her mouth and grab her an empty coffee cup. She spits into it. "Sorry I just didn't want an upset stomach." I could give a fuck less. I feel like the most relaxed man on the planet now. I take the cup from her and lean down placing a kiss on her lips. "Thank you for that." She chuckles then grabs my face pulling my lips back to hers. I stand up and put my dick away. I push a couple paper towels into my cum cup and toss it in the garbage. Carmen stands and smiles at me. "Ok big boy. See ya at home." She opens the door and walks out. I am THE luckiest man on the planet.
Black Ink (Hart Book 2) Page 3