“Do you see which way my boots are pointing?” he asks sharply. I look down, not able to see anything past my bump, but I have a reasonably good idea of which way they are pointing.
“Toward me?” I hazard a guess.
“There’s only one direction they’re walking in…” he growls, low and deep, looking me dead in the eye.
My heart skips.
“Toward you. I told you, I’m all in, and I meant it.” He watches me intently, and I take a big breath and nod, relieved. Something about the way he looks at me, the way he speaks so sincerely, I believe him.
“How are you feeling? After…” he asks, and I feel my cheeks heat.
“Great. I think it worked…”
His eyes widen as he looks down at me, his hand coming to touch my belly as his brow furrows.
“Hmmmm… I think so…” He nods.
“How are you feeling? After…?” I ask him the same question and watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows. He goes to move his hand from my belly, to step away from me, but I grab it. I need him to know I’ve got him.
“I’m sorry I unloaded. You didn't need that.”
Now it’s my turn to frown. “That’s what friends do, Griffin. We listen. We don’t judge…” I tell him, watching him carefully.
“Is that what we are? Friends?” he asks, and my chest hurts at the thought.
“I mean, last night was…” I blow out a breath because last night was amazing.
“It was… mind-blowing, I think you said?” A smirk tugs at his lips as he takes another step closer to me, his hand moving back around my belly, and I almost melt into him.
“Are we more than friends, Griffin?” I ask tentatively. I don’t even know how this is ever going to work.
“I can tell you right now that you better not have any other friends who fuck you like I did last night because that isn’t going to end well for anyone.” His voice is gruff but laced with a little humor, although I have no doubt he’s speaking the truth.
“I mean, if that’s us as friends, what does us as more than friends look like?” I can barely breathe as I wait for his answer.
“That’s new territory for me,” he says, looking a little apprehensive.
“For me too,” I admit, because while I had a boyfriend, he never treated me like a woman he wanted to keep around, the benefit of hindsight showing me exactly what I didn’t have, now that I do.
“So I guess we’ll figure it all out as we go along. None of what we’ve done so far could be classed as conventional. No point changing it now.”
“Don’t go promising things you can’t handle.” It’s almost a warning. Like if he’s in, he can’t be running off in a week’s time when things get real.
“Let me be clear, sweetness… I thought I showed you last night exactly how well I can handle you. But if you need reminding, I’ll pick you up and take you back upstairs and let this whole town hear how I take care of my business.”
I think I sway on my feet. I feel my pussy flutter, my legs weakening. He’s not committing, but he’s not letting me go. I mean, he can’t. None of us know what’s going to happen when this baby comes. Will he run? Will I change? Will I be so overwhelmed that I can’t handle it and end up going home, like my parents expect? That feels like it would be the worst decision I could make, but babies make you do weird things.
“I better get baking. Looks like I need to replenish the freezer.”
Griffin’s eyes search mine. Like he’s looking for an answer he can’t find yet, before he nods.
“I’ll finish your baby nook.” He kisses my forehead before he steps away and grabs the newspaper and pen on the way past.
“Hey, what’s a five-letter word for devour with gusto?” he yells out to me, and I grin.
“Inhale?”
“No…”
