“God, you’re a pain in my ass, woman! I’m sticking around town. I’ll be here to help you with our daughter because I want to be a part of her life. You’re going to have to get used to sharing, honey,” he spat.
“Yeah, if that’s not the pot calling the kettle black! How dare you make this my fault—you left us.” Sunny shimmied down the bed, trying to find the floor. It was almost comical watching her try to maneuver with her giant belly. Aaron at least had the good sense not to laugh at her struggling to escape the bed. “Fuck!” Sunny shouted. She lay back, practically on top of him, seeming to give up. She was breathing hard, and he felt bad for thinking the whole scene funny. She was having a hard time. He cupped her belly, rubbing what he assumed was his daughter’s foot.
“When are you due?” His voice was almost a whisper. If they were going to make this work, he was going to have to make some concessions. One being that he couldn’t bully his way through. Sunny wouldn’t go for him telling her what to do; she was always very independent.
“In three weeks, but the doctor says I may have to go early. I’m so tiny and she’s so—big.” He chuckled, rubbing Sunny’s belly, loving the feel of her in his arms.
“I’m sorry that I wasn’t here, honey. I’d give anything to have been here to help you get ready for our baby. But you are just as much to blame here as I am. You should have told me.” She heaved out a sigh.
“I know that, but it’s hard to talk to someone when they go out of their way to avoid you. After our night together, you treated me like I had the plague. You wouldn’t talk to me, and you barely noticed my existence.” Sunny sobbed, and he pulled her into his arms.
“I noticed, baby. I was just too busy being a stubborn asshole that I didn’t think about what my actions were doing to you. I’m sorry.” She sniffled and wiped her nose on his shirt, causing him to laugh again. He couldn’t remember the last time he smiled, let alone laughed. God, he missed her. If he didn’t play his cards right, she would never let him back in. He needed to tread carefully with his next question; otherwise, he stood the chance of pissing her off again.
“Tag told me that you are back at home, living with your parents.” Sunny nodded against his chest. “I’m guessing it’s a little crowded with all of your brothers and sisters.” Sunny had four brothers and three sisters. She moved away from home as soon as she turned eighteen. First, she and Piper did some traveling after high school. When they got back to Harvest Ridge, she took over her grandmother’s bakery and renamed it Sunny’s Buns.
“My mom persuaded me to move back to the farm, saying that it would be best for me and the baby. She’s going to help with her while I have to work. I’ve also hired a new girl to help me with baking in the morning. I’ve gotten too big to do everything around the bakery.”
“Well, it must be crowded at your parents’ house.” Aaron knew he was fishing, but Sunny still didn’t catch on.
“Yeah, the baby and I will share a room with Willa—she’s a heavy sleeper. What’s with all the questions?” Aaron shrugged, going for nonchalant.
“I’m just thinking out loud here, but I still have my loft, and it does have three bedrooms. Why don’t you move in with me?” Sunny squinted her eyes again, this time giving him a warning that he had pissed her off.
“No,” Sunny said. She finally waddled to the end of the bed and stood. Still a little woozy, she put her hand to her head.
“Dammit, Sunny, sit down.” He pulled her back down to bed. “I think you need to be checked out. When was the last time you ate?” Sunny didn’t answer at first, and his growl echoed through the room.
“Fine, I ate breakfast, but nothing since.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and he couldn’t help but notice how much bigger her boobs were.
“Fuck, Sunny, you need to eat. It’s past dinner time.” She wanted to protest, but as soon as she opened her mouth, he sealed his lips over hers, pulling her into his body. And Lord help him, she felt right in his arms. It was as if she had completed a puzzle that he had been working on for years. He broke away from their kiss, leaving them both breathless.
“First, I’m going to feed you. Then, I’m taking you to the doctor to make sure that you and our baby are okay. After that, we are going to your parents’ house. I will help you pack up your stuff, and I’m taking you back to my place. You need help with our baby? Well, here I am, honey.” He stood in front of her, his arms open wide.
“But I can’t—” He covered her mouth with his hand before she could get out another word.
“You can and you will, honey. We are going to share custody of this baby, and for the time being, she will have both of her parents under one roof, taking care of her. This baby is more important than our differences.” Sunny bit his fingers, and he swore. The little minx was going to give him trouble at every turn.
“Fine,” she shouted. “I’ll move in with you under one condition,” she said.
“All right, let’s hear it.” He held his breath. Did she just agree to move in with him?
“I get my own room, and we are just two people raising our child together, strictly platonic.” He wanted to balk at her suggestion, but the look on her face made him reconsider. He knew that the chemistry between them was bigger than Sunny’s stubborn streak. He didn’t want to scare her off before she even packed her bags. He would move her into her own room, and then they could see where things ended up. Judging from the kiss that they just shared, she wouldn’t be in her own room for very long. At least this way, he could help with the baby and be involved in both of their lives.
“All right,” he agreed.
“Good.” She held out her hand to shake on it. He took her hand in his, noticing her shiver at his touch. “Just two friends living together, raising this baby,” She added. Sunny wrapped her arms around her belly, driving home her point.
“Sure, honey. If that’s the way you want it. We’re just two friends, living under the same roof, raising our baby.” Aaron smiled down at Sunny; he couldn’t help it. The thought of trying to tame someone as free-spirited as Sunshine Francis was going to be difficult, and he was always up for a challenge.
CHAPTER THREE
With just three weeks until her due date, Sunny didn’t like that her whole life was being uprooted by one very stubborn, hot man. She felt the need to nest and get settled, not to pack up all her shit and move into his loft. Her only saving grace was that she didn’t have much for the baby. She was trying to be frugal and only pick up things as she needed them, but her little one was going to be here shortly, and she didn’t even have diapers for her. Aaron asked her where the crib was, and when she shrugged and said that she didn’t have one yet, he looked horrified.
After they helped clean up at Sawyer and Lorna’s wedding, Aaron stayed true to his word and forced her to eat something. He then took her back into town and found the only open clinic to have her and the baby checked out. It was a relief to hear their daughter’s little heartbeat, and they even did a sonogram to make sure that she was safe. She was always mesmerized every time she got the chance to see pictures of her baby. But watching Aaron’s face when he saw their daughter’s profile pop up on the screen was magical. Every emotion that she felt the first time she saw her baby was right there, shining through in his eyes.
The doctor sent her home, telling her that she needed to rest. Sunny probably overdid it with Christmas and Lorna’s wedding, so he wanted her to be either in bed or on the sofa as much as possible. She wanted to protest, but secretly craved being able to just lie around for a few days and do nothing—it would be like heaven. Still, Aaron was back in her life for all of ten minutes, and he was already being bossy and demanding. Having him around was going to take some time to get used to. She was prepared to go through bringing her baby into this world by herself. Now, she had Mister Bossy Pants with his perfect body and great ass telling her what to do. If she was being honest, a part of her liked the way that he dived head-first into her crazy life to help. She was scared to death that she was going to screw this baby up. Having Aaron around to tell her that she was a hot mess might not be such a bad thing. He always had a way of telling her the truth, no matter how bad it was, while at the same time making her feel like everything was going to be all right.
She didn’t like having to explain to her parents and siblings, late Christmas night, that not only was Aaron the father of her baby, but that he was packing her up and whisking her off to his house. Her mother was skeptical, questioning if Sunny knew what she was doing. Luckily for her, both of her parents were free spirits who’d raised her to follow her heart. And Lord help her, but her heart wanted Aaron Steele. She tried to hold onto the anger that had built up over the past few months that he was gone, but she just couldn’t. He made her sit on her bed while he packed her meager belongings. He carried everything to his truck, not letting her lift a finger to help. When she complained that she was a grown-ass woman capable of taking care of herself, Aaron simply pointed to the bed and told her to sit.
