by Anna Castor
“Can you blame me? We fucked twice, Bree. You just said you wanted nothing to do with me and you’re still talking to that douche.”
He widened his stance and folded his muscular arms in front of his chest. How could she not talk to Craig? He’s her colleague!
That asshole! What did he even think of her?
“Yes. Talking. Moron. Not fucking,” Bree sneered.
“Well, how am I supposed to know?” Declan said and Bree’s upper lip trembled. She wanted to cry so bad right now. But she wouldn’t let him get to her.
“I’m only telling you this because it’s the right thing to do—” Bree started before Declan interrupted her.
“What do you mean? If you think I’m the father—”
Dishes clanging in the kitchen interrupted Declan. Someone was doing an awful job of making his or her presence known. He or she had to have overheard their conversation. Great. Who would be the next to know about her situation?
Errin stuck her head around the corner and gave her best fake smile she could muster. Dec was sitting down again, but the anger was still rolling off of him in waves.
Bree held one hand on her still flat belly. How in the hell did they get here? What was she going to do with Declan? He didn’t even believe her he was the father of her unborn child. Out of all the scenarios…
“Hey, you guys. Everything all right here?” Errin asked.
Declan narrowed his eyes at her. “Not a word. I know how you operate, Errin.”
“Dec. What is wrong with you? Don’t talk to her like that! She’s your brother’s girlfriend for crying out loud.” Bree defended Errin. She had enough of his attitude. Like things weren’t bad enough already.
“Well, if Errin heard us, the news will travel our families faster than the speed of lightning. And since you were nice enough to spring this news on me with both our families sitting only a couple of feet away—”
“Ah, shut it Dec. I didn’t mean to throw it all out like this,” Bree said, stomping a few steps away from Declan.
“So yeah, I’m asking you, Errin. Please, not a word,” Declan said in a much softer voice.
“I’m telling Brennan, because we keep no secrets between us. But other than him, not a word from me.” Errin faked zipping her lips and took a step back from the doorway.
Bree nodded at Errin and turned back to Declan.
“I can’t believe you had the nerve of asking me if you were the father. I feel like I don’t even know you anymore…”
Without waiting for a response, she walked away from him. Gwenn stood from her seat at Bree’s burst through the swishing doors. Gwenn grabbed Bree’s elbow and steered her out of Lucky.
“I didn’t even thank Brennan. I need to say goodbye first.” Bree hiccupped while the tears kept rolling over her cheeks.
“Nah, Brennan was still upstairs. I’ll go back in a bit and tell them you felt sick. But only after I’m certain that you’re okay.”
Gwenn unlocked the passenger door to Bree’s car and opened it for Bree.
“Tell me.” Gwenn said after settling in behind the steering wheel.
“I can’t even talk right now.” Bree shook her head and closed her eyes.
“Do I need to have a talk with him?” Gwen asked.
Bree watched her sister out of the corner of her eye and almost wished she could send her sister back inside to kick Dec’s butt.
“No. I’m okay.” She swallowed the lump in her throat.
After a minute Gwenn said, “We’re going to be okay. With or without him.”
“You can’t shut me out, Bree.”
With an increasing cadence that represented the rising anger inside of him, Declan battered Bree’s front door with his fist.
“Sir, if you don’t leave now, I’m calling the cops.”
Declan eyeballed the closed door of Bree’s neighbor. The elderly man yelled again behind closed doors, “I mean it.”
Declan had seen the brittle man once or twice, and he respected him for standing up for his young neighbor.
Normally, it would be Declan on the receiving end of phone calls reporting a disturbance. It should bother him he might end up with guys from his precinct coming by Bree’s apartment.
But since Bree had dropped this bomb on him just an hour ago, Declan was not giving a flying fuck about anything.
“You do that,” Declan said.
“And tell my colleagues to bring the battering ram. Or better yet, tell them that Declan Mills from Austin PD asked for the hydraulic door blaster.”
Declan wasn’t about to leave. What a fuckin’ mess.
Bree had ignored him for days, snapped at him, told him to leave her alone, and then dropped the bomb she was late. Because she’d said she didn’t need him anymore, he’d jumped to the conclusion that he wasn’t the father.
A bolt of anger had hit his chest as the vision of Bree with another man’s baby crept into his mind. He needed to be the father of Bree’s child. Not someone else.
While paralyzed by hurt, all of his words had come out wrong. If he hadn’t been so stupid last March, then they’d be welcoming this baby with open arms—as a couple. They were going to be a family now. No matter if they were in a relationship or not.
“Bree, I know you’re home. I just talked to Gwenn at Lucky.”
He had been staring at the concrete brick wall in front of him, when Gwenn barged into the back ally at Lucky’s. She’d given him an ear full, and it served him right. It had been the wake up call he needed.
He leaned with his forearm over his head against the front door. Declan sighed.
“Please, let me in.”
The locks turned, and Declan stepped back when Bree finally opened the door wide. She took a few steps back, waiting on his next move. Bree looked ghostly.
Her white T-shirt reached mid-thigh and matched her unusually pale complexion. He closed the door behind him and locked the door.
She directed her eyes to a spot above his head, not meeting his eyes. Her lips were cracked and her hair a mess.
“Love, I’m so, so sorry…”
Her shoulders slumped, and her bottom lip trembled. He rushed to pull her in for a hug. He always did that, engulfing her smaller body with his arms so he could snuggle his face into her unruly, shiny hair.
“Have you been sick before I got here?”
She nodded against his chest.
“Shall I make you some ginger tea? Brennan said it always helped my Mom when she was sick from chemo.”
Still without words, she nodded her confirmation.
“Let’s get you back to bed.”
Declan picked her up, and instant worry zinged through his chest. She weighed nothing. How long had this been going on? Why had he been such an arse to her? The poor lass had been sick, and he yelled at her because his stupid male pride got the best of him.
He sat her down on her rumpled bed. “Okay. Can you sit here for just a moment longer like this?”
She cocked her head. “Why?”
He knelt before her and enveloped her hands that rested on her lap with his hands.
“I’m going to the kitchen to grab you some stuff. Will you please wait for me here… like this?”
“Dec… you don’t need to—”
“I need to do this. I…” He closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them again, he met her sky-blue eyes.
“I’m so sorry for being an arse to you. I want you to know that it came out all wrong. I was shocked. But I’m not using that as an excuse for saying the things I did. I hope you know that—”
Bree pulled her hand from his and placed her fingers to his lips.
“I shouldn’t have sprung it upon you like that. I’m sorry too.”
He kissed the tips of her fingers and as if he’d electrocuted her; she yanked her hand back.
“It isn’t your fault,” he said.
She nodded. “Okay. And now?”
“And now… we’re going to get some
food into your belly. Because I noticed you didn’t touch your food at dinner. But you need to have something, or else you’ll get nauseous again. Then we’re going to get you cleaned up under the shower. I’m taking off this sticky bedding.” Bree slapped his chest, and he chuckled.
“And after everything is all cleaned up, then we’re going to bed and—”
“We’re going to bed?” Bree asked with her chin jutted out. She fisted the bedding next to her thighs.
“Yes, Love. I’m going to be big spoon and you, like always, are going to be the little spoon. Just like when we were kids.”
He tapped the tip of her nose once with his index finger before he stood up. “Call out if you need me, okay?”
He left her sitting on the end of the bed, wide eyed. He boiled some water for tea and stuck two slices of bread in the toaster. He pulled out his phone to call Kera.
“Declan.” Kera’s voice was crisp, not how she’d normally greeted him.
“I heard what happened from Gwenn.”
Declan sighed. That didn’t take long.
“I fucked up. I’m working things out with Bree, but it’s like I’m talking to a ghost. She seems so frail. How much longer before the puking stops?”
“There’s no rule book here, Dec. No pregnancy is the same.”
“I know that. I guess what I’m really asking is—is Bree still healthy? I want to get her checked out in the hospital. I don’t want her to get dehydrated. We need to look out for her and the baby.”
“I’m a doctor, Dec. Bree’s my sister. I’ll let nothing happen to them. What Bree needs now is to rest. Give her some ginger tea. I’ve brought her salty crackers last night. The pack is on top of the fridge. Oh, and try some toasted bread with butter.”
“I’m already on it,” he said.
“Good. And Dec?”
“Yeah?”
“You’ve acted like a total putz. Get your shit together. I know the one person Bree needs right now is you.”
Declan let out a breath. He was all too aware he’d fucked things up. Multiple times.
“You’ve always been her rock, Dec. You’re the one person Bree turned to when things went from bad to worse after our dad left. She has always depended on you for guidance. I know you can be that for her once again. Please, don’t let her down again.”
“She means everything to me and more. Don’t worry, Kera. I’m going to do right by my girl. I’m going to show her how much she means to me. She and our little baby growing inside of her are mine. I know this will not be a walk in the park, but Bree is going to trust and love me again.”
“She never stopped loving you. It’s the trust you need to work on,” Kera said before she hung up.
He brought back the phone from his ear and laid it on the counter next to Bree’s plate. How would he get her to trust him again? After he’d fucked things up yet again. The screen turned black and if it wasn’t for the toast to jump up from the toaster, he would be still staring at the screen.
Declan took out the butter from the fridge. After taking care of Bree’s meal, he put everything back in its place before heading out to the bedroom.
Just like he figured, Bree didn’t listen to him. The shower was running in the bathroom.
He decided to not make a big deal out of it.
“Are you okay in there?”
“Yes,” she said.
He cracked the bedroom window and walked around her comfy looking bed. After changing her sheets, he went to the tiny washing room in the hallway. He put the bedding in the washer and went back to the bedroom to check up on Bree.
She had turned the shower off. She rummaged around in the bathroom so he knew she was up and about.
He wanted to look her in the eyes. To see for himself, with her sister’s confirmation in the back of his mind, that she still loved him. Even though he was a big putz.
Bree stepped out of the bathroom with her wet, long curls cascading over her shoulders. Droplets of water hurried themselves to find their way in between Bree’s breasts.
He looked up from her cleavage pressing against the turquoise towel. Bree’s throat moved as she swallowed while he stalked closer. A curl whirled around her earring, and he took the strand in between his thumb and index finger.
Dampness clung to his fingers as he rolled the strand around. The motion had always soothed him. His gaze went to her puffy lips with their fresh coat of lip-gloss. Hmm, she smelled of coconut. The tropical fragrance made him crazy with lust for her.
But he knew he had to rail himself in. He needed to be there for her. To take care of her. Not to lust over her.
She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth and it was as if a lightning bolt went straight to his dick. He sat down on the edge of her bed and took off his shoes and socks.
“What are you doing?” she said as she held still on the bathroom threshold, clutching her towel.
“I’m staying, Bree.”
He stood from the bed and unbuttoned his navy blue shirt. He pulled down his jeans and grinned at her gasp.
“Sorry, but you better get used to it. You’ve been making me hard even before I could spell erection.”
Bree’s nervous giggle transformed into a full on belly laugh, and he joined her wholeheartedly.
“This is so weird,” she said as she walked over to the bed and snuggled under the covers. Bree must not want to change her clothes in front of him as she lay down in a skimpy towel.
“What is?” he said.
“You. Me… Our baby.”
Bree shrugged as she took her bottom lip between her teeth. She spied him as he slipped under the covers from his side from the bed.
He grabbed her arse to pull her in. She yelped and placed her hands on his chest.
“I know we have a lot to talk about. And we will… but please let me stay.”
“Now you’re asking? You’ve already taken off your clothes, lying here in my bed!” she scolded him while holding back a laugh.
He thumbed the apple of her cheek and said in a soft voice. “I’ve fucked everything up. Twice.”
“This is so good. Keep your apologies coming,” Bree said, grinning from ear to ear.
“You’re feeling mighty better, eh?” he said and chuckled.
She missed a beat before she softly admitted, “Yes. I think I do.” Bree snuggled in close, and he rolled on his back to give her room to lay her head on his collarbone. His hand instinctively found its way to her still toned stomach. Bree took a shaky breath.
“I’ve got you, Love. And that goes for you too, Little Love,” he said as he gave the softest pat on her abdomen.
“I don’t know, Dec.”
“Oh, but you know, Bree. Deep down, you know this is right. Having you here in my arms is right. Having our baby is right.” A lone tear fell on his chest, and he pulled her even closer. “I know we need to work out a lot of stuff…”
“I’m scared, Dec. I need to take it slow. Just… see how it goes, okay?”
“What are you afraid of?”
She looked up at him. “I’m pregnant, Dec. Of course I’m scared! I’ve never been pregnant before. I’m not even together with my baby’s father—”
“Not if I have anything to do with it. I want us to be together.” He narrowed his eyes and held on even stronger.
“I know what you want. But I don’t know if it’s what I need.”
“How in the world can you even say that? You’re carrying my baby. Why don’t you want to raise our child together? I’m… I have no words right now….”
“I can’t turn a blind eye to the past year, Dec.” Bree slipped out of his tight grip and sat up in bed. She tugged her towel close to her heaving chest and looked down at Declan.
“You’ve hurt me,” she held her hand up defensively, “I know you didn’t mean to. But I tried so hard to get over you when you said you didn’t love me. I don’t know if I can take another round of heartbreak. Especially after having your baby.”
&nb
sp; “You still have it in your head that I’m going to leave you. I’m not your Dad, Bree.”
Declan knew it was a low blow, but he needed to say it. She was hiding behind a wall of hurt, and he needed to tear down that wall to bring her over to his side.
“Well, you still haven’t said what I needed to hear. So… No. We are not together. Maybe, after some time. I don’t know. Just give me time, okay?”
“People are going to come at you with questions. You know that right?” Declan said as he perched up on one elbow.
“You don’t have to look so happy about it!” Bree bristled, and he chuckled.
“It’s just a matter of time, Bree. You, me and Little Love belong together.”
“Hmm.”
He kissed her shoulder. When she didn’t complain, he trailed his tongue over her goose bumps upwards to the spot where her neck met her shoulders. She shuddered, and he smirked against her skin.
“I love finding all these little spots, Love.”
He eased her back against the mattress and unfolded the towel from her heaving chest. She looked up with her lust filled eyes. He leaned in and whispered against her lips, “I can’t believe we’re having a baby, Bree. You’re making me the happiest man alive.”
She threaded her fingers through his black hair. He kissed the corner of her mouth.
He slipped out of his boxer briefs. Her warmth and tightness welcomed him in when he entered her. She arched from the bed with her eyes rolled back into her head.
He licked and nibbled her lips. She opened up and gasped when he picked up speed.
Unbelievable that she’s carrying his child. The thought almost made him come alone.
He grabbed the back of her knee and brought her leg up over his hip. This new angle had her crying out in pleasure.
“Oh, Dec. I’m so close. I… ooooh.”
He wanted to go as deep as possible. If he didn’t already made her pregnant, he wanted to do it now.
“This is going to be hard and fast, Love.” He was almost there with her. She shuddered and bit the back of her hand while she came. Stars appeared before his eyes and his ears drummed.
Fuck. How was it that every time with Bree got better? More intense.
When she opened her eyes, she smiled at him.