The table is set. The house is clean and tidy and between us we’ve cooked a Sunday lunch. To ensure Jack doesn’t stab me with a carving knife, we also invited Aiden and Kaylie. Safety in numbers and all that.
Reese comes downstairs from getting changed and she’s dressed in a black knitted dress with leggings. It shows off the slight curve of her pregnant belly and the swell of those tits that are blossoming as she is. I want to part her legs and fuck her over the table.
“You look amazing.”
“Do you think you can tell I’m pregnant yet?”
“A little, I think.” I walk over to her. “Can I?”
She nods.
I run my hand over the swell of her stomach. “Hey there, bean.”
We’re standing so close together; so close that I hear her breath hitch as I touch her.
And the doorbell goes and shatters the moment. Reese jumps back. “I’ll answer it.”
“Sure thing, cupcake.” I wink at her.
Aiden and Kaylie come in and I don’t miss Reese looking at Kaylie’s more rounded stomach. They start chatting babies, while Aiden comes towards me and starts helping put out glasses, seeing as they’re still in the same place as when he lived here.
“There’s water, wine, beer, cordial,” I tell him. “Help yourself.”
“You can have a beer. I’ll drive back.” Kaylie shouts over at him.
“You can have a beer too, snookums.” Reese blows me a kiss.
Aiden sniggers. “Snookums?”
I lower my voice. “It’s part of the acting like a couple in front of Jack thing. We’ve developed pet names for each other.”
“Well, don’t worry. Kaylie won’t say anything.”
“You told her?” I feel the panic hit my system.
“We don’t have secrets. But don’t worry, she’ll keep your secrets. She promised me.”
The doorbell rings again and this time it’s Jack and Rhian at the door.
Finally, everyone is sitting at the dinner table. Jack is being more like his old self with me, although there’s still an awkwardness between us. As Reese and I serve dinner we cuddle, call each other pet names and tap each other’s bottoms.
“Have you ever seen three couples so loved up?” Aiden asks as we eat. “Who’d have thought we’d all be here like this, when not long ago there was only Jack dating.”
I join in. “It’s unbelievable to think that I was a slobby mess, who’d practically given up on life, and thanks to you and Jack who encouraged my makeover, now I’m in love and going to be a dad.” I smile over at Reese. “Thank you for making my life complete, cupcake.”
“Yes,” Reese smiles back. “I know you’ve been super-protective of me, Jack, like I’d expect of my big brother, but you were the one who showed me who Brandon really was. I had no idea of the hottie hiding away under those lazy layers, and the kind man hiding under those protective ones.”
I continue back. “And I hadn’t realised that under the woman I’d dubbed Ice Queen there was actually a beautiful woman inside and out who was also hiding under her own protective layers. I couldn’t think of anyone more perfect to be my baby mama, and I’m so excited for the future.”
Reese’s eyes mist up and I watch her wipe under them. Jack clears his throat. “I’d like to say something.”
Fuck.
“When I first found out my sister was pregnant and you were the father, I wasn’t exactly happy about things.”
Understatement of the year.
“I admit it’s taken me some time to get used to the idea, because you’re my best mate, and you’re my little sister and Reese, I don’t think I’d have been happy about anybody knocking you up, cos big brother and all that, but…” He looks from one of us to the other. “I can see how happy you are making each other. It’s clear you have something special, and I, well, I want to say I’m happy for you and I can’t wait to be an uncle.”
I do believe my best mate has a tear in his eye and then so does Reese and they are up and hugging and I feel all mixed up again, because I’m either the biggest shit in the world for lying to him or the biggest idiot in the world for lying to myself.
But which one is it?
14
Reese
Rhian and Jack excuse themselves and leave not long after, leaving just Brandon, Aiden, Kaylie and I sitting around the table.
I’d been dreading this evening, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much I’ve actually enjoyed it. I had no idea if Jack was going to come around to the idea of Brandon and I, not that there really is an us, but he seemed pretty happy about the fact we’re having a baby together. He even seemed genuinely excited about becoming an uncle.
Things with Brandon have been weird over the past few weeks. I’ve tried to keep myself busy, setting up my new online second-hand store and visiting charity stores to find my stock, but it’s not stopped me freaking out about our situation or stopped my eyes wandering whenever he’s in the room.
The longer I’m here, the stronger the pull I feel towards him gets. And that is dangerous, especially because he’s out dating, just like I insisted he did. He’s been out at least twice a week, forcing me to sit around and watch as he gets himself ready to spend the evening and maybe longer with another woman. The jealousy is starting to eat me alive; not that I’d ever let on.
Lying beside him every night is torture. I so desperately want to feel the weight of his arms around me, his soft lips against my shoulder, his cock as he… “No,” I say aloud, not meaning to. All heads turn towards me, eyes wide, waiting for me to explain why I just interrupted them.
“I’m sorry,” I mutter. “Why don’t you all take this into the living room?”
“Sounds good, another beer?” Brandon asks Aiden before getting up and going to the fridge. Unlike all the other times when we were pretending in front of Jack, he doesn’t lean down to press a kiss to my temple or run a hand over my shoulder lovingly and I miss it.
I keep my head down, tears pooling at the corners of my eyes as he grabs a couple of bottles and heads towards the living room. Aiden goes to follow and Kaylie pushes her chair out but I feel her stare. It’s the main reason I refuse to look up. While everyone has happily accepted the two of us are embarking on a new life as a couple, Kaylie’s eyes have been assessing me, digging deeper and I don’t like the idea of what she might find.
“I’ll join you in a bit. I just need to use the toilet, again,” she sighs, making me smile as she walks from the room with her hand on her belly. She is absolutely glowing and I’m envious. I just feel like a lump right now. None of my clothes fit, yet I haven’t got the cute bump she has to show why. I just feel... totally unsexy. It’s no wonder Brandon is out getting what he can elsewhere.
With them all gone, I make myself busy clearing away the mess. I’m happier hiding in here doing my thing than continuing trying to fake this thing between us. It’s draining both mentally and physically and I’m about ready to fall face first into bed. A bed that smells like him and will only remind you of what you want and don’t have.
Shaking away my inner critic, I scrape the plates and stack them ready for washing.
“I feel like I spend most of my life in the toilets these days,” Kaylie moans when she comes back in and slows to a stop next to me.
“W- what are you doing?” I ask when she grabs a towel and sets to work.
“Helping. I don’t really need to be in there listening to another conversation about football.”
“You don’t need to help. You’re our guest.”
“It’s really okay. Plus, I thought it would give us time to talk; to get to know each other better without the boys.”
As much as I don’t want a heart to heart with the woman who’s spent all night trying to put the pieces together in her head, the prospect of talking to another pregnant woman who might have all the same fears I do is tempting.
“As long as you’re sure.”
“So how are yo
u finding things, morning sickness worn off now?”
We chat away about bumps, and thankfully she steers away from any more probing questions. I find that I actually quite like her company. With Sarah being so far away and Rhian embarking on her new married life, I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed girl time.
“Would you like a hot drink? We’ve got decaf coffee, tea of most varieties, hot chocolate?”
“Oh, do you have cream and marshmallows?”
“We do,” I say with a wide smile thinking about my craving a few weeks ago.
“What’s that look for?”
“Brandon went out at midnight to get it all a week or so back because I craved a hot chocolate. He brought back the works.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet. He’s really doting on you, huh?”
“He’s just excited about the baby.”
She lets the conversation hang while I prepare the mugs of goodness and find a seat with her at the table.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
“I think he’s more than excited about the baby, Reese. I’ve never seen him as happy as he is right now.”
I shrug, a lump of emotion crawling up my throat. “He’s going to be a great dad.”
“I’ve no doubt. But what about everything else?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you think he’d be a good boyfriend... or husband maybe, one day?”
“I... uh... He’s dating other women. This thing between us, it’s an act for my family.” Tears pool in my eyes at admitting the truth. My chest constricts like someone’s tied an elastic band around it.
“I know,” Kaylie says softly, reaching her hand out to squeeze mine. “Only, that’s not quite true, Reese.”
My eyes fly up to meet hers. “It’s not?”
Shaking her head, she sips her drink and moans in pleasure. She glances over to the doorway to make sure we don’t have company. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but... when he’s been telling you he’s out dating, he’s... he’s actually with Aiden or at our house.”
“He’s what? Why?” Confused, my brows draw together but it’s my heart that starts to get carried away with itself as it thunders in my chest.
“Because it’s what you told him you wanted.”
“What I—fuck.”
“You told him to date, to meet other woman, and see if he could find the one. But as far as he’s concerned, I'm pretty sure he thinks he’s found her.”
“But—” My chest heaves as I fight to catch my breath. “He comes in smelling of other women.”
“I caught him spraying himself with my body spray, Reese. He’s trying to do what you want, to be what you need. But seeing you both tonight, it’s pretty clear that what you need and want is him.”
“I—” Her eyes soften as she stares at me.
“Trust me, I know how hard this is. I was terrified of things changing between Aiden and me, but it was the best thing I’ve ever done. If you want him, you deserve to see where it could take you.”
I’m silent for a few seconds as her words spin around in my head. “I’ve never been in a real relationship,” I admit quietly.
“So? I don’t think he cares how experienced you are at all this. You’re carrying his baby and he wants the real deal, Reese. The question is, do you?”
Do I?
Nothing more is said between us and thankfully Aiden comes in to ensure that’s the end of it.
“You ready to make a move, babe?”
“Yep. Let me just wee again.”
Aiden chuckles softly and his eyes follow Kaylie from the room, love and adoration pouring from them. I want a man to look at me like that.
Aiden makes small talk, but I can tell he’s holding himself back.
Once Kaylie rejoins us, I thank them for coming and Kaylie and I briefly arrange to meet for some baby talk in a few weeks before they disappear to say goodbye to Brandon, who seems to be hiding in the living room.
It’s only a few minutes later when the front door shuts and the house falls silent. My heart pounds in my chest knowing he’s only feet away and that his secret has just been revealed. But what should I do about it?
Do I continue as we were in an attempt to protect my heart, or act on what I want and see where it takes us?
Wasting a little more time, I make myself another drink and grab the packet of biscuits from the cupboard.
The second I step through into the living room, his eyes turn to me.
“Hey.”
“Hey. You feeling okay?”
“Yeah. Brandon?” His eyebrows lift for me to continue. “How was your date last night?”
His mouth opens, but no words come out for a few seconds. “It- it was good.”
“Really? You were home pretty early.”
“Yeah well. I wasn’t really up for it.”
“Right. Something to do with the date being a guy maybe?”
All the colour drains from his face.
“Goes by the name of Aiden, maybe?”
“How’d you...? Fuck. Kaylie.”
“Yeah, Kaylie. Why have you been lying to me, Brandon?”
The tension crackles between us as I wait for his response. He twists the bottle in his hands and chews down on his lip.
“It’s... fuck.” Standing, he shoves his hand deep in his pocket, refusing to meet my eyes. “It’s what you said you wanted.”
“Yeah, because I thought it was what you wanted.” It’s only half true because my biggest concern was allowing myself to fall for him, but I fear it’s now too late for that.
“I never wanted anyone else, Reese.”
He takes a step forward and finds my eyes. My heart races and my hands tremble. He must sense it because when he’s close enough, he reaches out and takes the mug from my hand, dropping it to the coffee table.
“Reese,” he breathes, his palm cupping my cheek as he stares deep in my eyes. “I haven’t so much as looked at another woman since you moved in.”
“But the lipstick on your collar...” I thought it was a little cliché at the time but pushed it aside.
“I put it there,” he confesses.
15
Brandon
“I sprayed perfume on myself, either supermarket deodorant sprays or Kaylie’s. I put lipstick on my collars, so you’d think I went out. See, I thought it was what you wanted; you kept asking me to date other women. Tell me what you want, Reese. I need to be clear before I make another move.”
“I don’t want you to date other women,” she says and my heart starts to beat in anticipation that she might actually feel the same way.
“I’m not, so that’s sorted. What else?”
“I want you. Take me to bed, Brandon.”
That’s not enough for me. I need her to tell me how she feels.
“Is that all you want from me, Reese? A fuck buddy?”
She shakes her head and once again those vulnerable eyes look up to mine. “No. I want you, Brandon. I want all of you. I- I think I’m falling in love with you.”
I sweep her into my arms and get ready to carry her up the stairs where I can put claim to her. She’s mine. All mine.
And then the doorbell goes.
“Ignore it,” I whisper into her ear, my mouth on her neck.
“I can’t. I totally forgot. It’s a woman coming to pick up a load of clothes and shoes she bought from me. She’s come all the way from Manchester.”
I put her down at the bottom of the stairs.
We look at each other and start laughing.
“I hope she’s not here long,” I groan.
But of course she is. The woman insists on trying everything on, having a drink, and basically telling Reese all about her life, while I hover on the periphery making sure she’s not a female serial killer.
Waiting for her to leave is the longest wait of my life.
Because what happens when she goes could change everything.
16
Reese
Things with Brandon are just about to explode, along with my libido, and then the door goes. It’s almost two hours later when the woman eventually hands over a stack of cash and I’m forced to say goodbye to some of my much-loved shoes and bags. I fight down the emotion that threatens to clog my throat. I know they’re just things and that it’s ridiculous to get so attached to them. But I worked my arse off and those things were my reward. It wasn’t like I had much else in my life to celebrate my success with.
I let out a huge sigh when I eventually close the front door behind her. Tears burn at the back of my throat and my teeth sink into my bottom lip in the hope it’ll stop it trembling.
I’m just about to turn when I feel his presence behind me. The air surrounding me vanishes and I fight to drag in the air I need knowing I’m under his stare.
He’s been standing in the corner watching me for the past two hours, ensuring that the tingles he caused in me earlier didn’t abate even a tiny bit. If I thought I wanted him earlier when he was about to carry me up to his bed, then it’s nothing compared to how much I want him right now.
I keep my eyes downcast, afraid that he’ll see too much if I look at him. I need to get myself under control before going to him. But I don’t get the chance because as I go to step forward, he beats me to it. The warmth of his hand wraps around the back of my neck and his lips find my forehead.
“Reese?” His voice is so soft, it does nothing for my raging emotions. With the fingers of his other hand, he tilts my head up so I’ve no choice but to look at him.
His breath catches when his eyes find mine. “Reese, baby. What’s wrong?”
I shake my head, afraid that if I open my mouth a sob will fall out. Everything just feels too much right now. Our confessions before the knock on the door, selling all my old stuff. My head starts to feel a little fuzzy and my heart races.
“You still want me?”
I hate that I’ve made him question what I said before.
The Daddy Dilemma: A Brother's Best Friend Enemies To Lovers Romance (Hot Daddy Book 3) Page 10