“Morg! Stop crying because now I’m going to cry too.” Emma fans at her face rapidly. “Ugh! It’s too late, I can’t stop it! My baby Ford isn’t a baby anymore!” she cries into her hands.Did I forget to mention that she’s pregnant too?
All I can do is stare with wide eyes at the screen. I’m not sure what is happening, but this is chaos.
“All right, that’s enough.” The phone is suddenly ripped out of Morgan’s hand, and a shirtless Clay comes into view, causing my cheeks to flush at the sight.Stupid blush!“The rest of this conversation can wait until tomorrow. My wife needs her rest and so do I. Goodnight.” He finishes by hanging up his end.
“Burkley’s right. Time for bed everyone, we have practice in the morning. Goodnight.” Silas takes Cecilia’s phone and shuts it off next.
“Bunny?” Greyson’s voice comes through once more.
“Coming, Wolf!” Emma tells him as she waves to us. “That’s my cue. Night.”
The video call ends, and Ronnie sets her phone down just as Noah comes over and cups her cheek tenderly. “We should head home too, Kitten.”
“Okay.” She leans in and pecks his lips before turning to me and taking me in her arms. “I’m so happy for you, Aubrey, you deserve this. Greyson will come around. I know he will.”
All I do is nod, unable to agree with her statement, but also not wanting to disagree. Because there’s nothing I’d want more than to explore this world with Shane, but I know my brother, and he doesn’t let go of things easily.
Which only means one thing. If Grey were to find out, he’d never forgive me.
Chapter three
Shane
It won’t fit!
~ Three Days Later / December ~
I haven’t gone to see Aubrey in three days, wanting to give her some space to think about everything that’s happening between us. I’ve wanted nothing more than to kiss her again since, but once the high died down, I started doubting myself. I wondered if maybe I had pushed her too quickly, if maybe she thought I only kissed her because she told me she had never been, and I don’t want her to think I was only doing her a favor.
Kissing Aubrey has been my greatest desire from the very first moment I met her, but now I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid that if I do kiss her again, she’ll think I only want her for that, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. I want her heart and soul before I even think of wanting her body.
But tomorrow we’re leaving for four days. Which means four extra days without seeing her, and I don’t know if I can wait that long. I guess that’s why at eleven-thirty at night, I leave my house and rush off to the bakery, hoping to catch her as she finishes.
At five to midnight, I park right in front of the bakery and get out of my car. The lights are off in the front portion of the store, but her office at the back is lit, which means she’s still here. I lean against the side of my car, ankles crossed and hands in my coat pockets.
There’s a small flurry falling from the sky, dusting the pavement with little white dots. We don’t normally get snow so early, but this is already our second snowfall since last week. The sound of the door being pushed open regains my focus on the shop, and I see Octavia walking out first, followed by Aubrey.
“Oh look, boss. Your boyfriend’s here.” Octavia grins when she spots me, and I can’t help but smile along with her at the term she used.
Aubrey’s cheeks take on a shade of pink as her eyes widen. “He’s not… It’s not…” She shakes her head and sighs. “Goodnight, Tavie.” She then takes a step toward me but slips and crashes right into my body as I push off my car and catch her just in time.
“Woah, there.” I straighten her, keeping one arm around her body as I brush her hair away from her face. “You okay, Angel?”
She looks up with her big, beautiful, breathtaking eyes and says, “Yes,” in a breathy voice.
“Oh God, this is like straight out of a romance movie. I’m so jealous,” Octavia mumbles beside us.
I chuckle when Aubrey groans and hides her face against my chest. “Do you live far from here, Octavia? I would offer you a lift, but there’s not much room in my car.”
“As much as I’d love a ride in that beautiful beast, my car’s right there. But thank you.” She points to a rundown red Corolla. “Goodnight, guys. Have fun.” She winks, then giggles when she hears Aubrey groan again from her spot against my chest.
Without even realizing it, I’ve been stroking the back of her hair.God, I wish I could have her in my arms like this all the time.It feels like she fits perfectly there, like this spot was made only for her.
“Goodnight.” I smile at her friend as she heads over to her car.
A few seconds later, Aubrey peeks to the side. “Is she gone?”
“Yes, she just started her car.”
