Page 17 of Bless My Heart

Lexi: Me too. He’s going to be in your maternity pants in no time.

Hazel: HEY!

Caroline: You know you get really horny when you’re pregnant. You’re going to need someone to take care of you.

Hazel: I’ll be fine.

Lexi: We’ll see about that.

Little do they know that I almost caved fifteen minutes ago just from having his hand on my face. God, why was it so sexy? Why is he so hot? Why couldn’t I have picked a less attractive man to have my first one-night stand with? Jeez. I better make sure my vibrator has fresh batteries if I’m going to make it out of this alive.

Now that I’ve told Wes that we are having a baby, I’ve got to think about telling the really hard ones — my parents.

They’ve been pressuring me to have a baby basically since I met Jordan. They wanted us to get married, have babies, and live happily ever after. Just like they did. Just like my sister did. But I had to be different. I didn’t get married right out of college. I got my Masters and then my doctorate. I lived with a man before marriage. I’m newly single at thirty. And now I’ve got to tell them that I’m going to have a baby with someone eight years younger than me and a student at the university I teach at.

I’m already a huge disappointment to them, so I might as well add to it. I’ll call them next week. It’ll be better to do it over the phone so I can’t see their faces. They’re just as terrible at hiding their emotions as I am.

I sigh and scoot down on my couch until I’m laying down. Maybe I’ll just sleep here tonight. I don’t feel like I have enough energy to walk the few feet it will take me to get to my bedroom.

My life is such a complete mess.

CHAPTER EIGHT

WES

On my drive home from Hazel’s apartment, it starts hitting me that I’m going to be a father.

Me.

Wes Mitchell.

I’m still in college with no current job. I can barely take care of myself. How am I supposed to be a dad? Hell, I still call my dad all the time and ask him stupid questions about changing the batteries in the smoke detector. That’s something a dad should know without having to call someone else, right?

What if I mess up? I don’t even know how to hold a baby. There are going to be diapers and shit. Literal shit.

But I have to own up to it. It may have been an accident, but it is what it is. Sure, I’m scared. Who wouldn’t be? But I think it’s something I can handle. I’ll just have to take it day by day.

On top of my irresponsible ass, there’s Hazel. Sweet, sexy Hazel. I want to be there for her. I really do. I want to show myself and her that I can be a good dad for this baby and a good partner for her.

Except, I can’t even remember the last time I was in a relationship or even thought about being in a relationship. I’m more of a one-night-only kind of guy. It’s paid off for me up until now.

Usually, the women I hook up with understand that this is temporary, and I’m not looking for any sort of commitment. Even Hazel knew that after our one night together, and I’m pretty sure she wanted the same thing. After the way she acted when she told me about the baby, I think she still wants or maybe expects me to not be a part of all this, but I don’t want that.

I actually want to be with her. I like being around her. She’s not my usual type, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her.

I hate to admit it, but I don’t even have the desire to hook up with anyone. I got a random blowjob at our party the first week of the semester, but that’s it. The only reason it went that far was that I was so wound up finding out Hazel was my professor, and my hand just wasn’t doing it for me anymore. I couldn’t shake her from my mind. I kept finding myself wanting more from her.

I know she isn’t looking for a relationship just because she’s pregnant, or maybe she doesn’t want me to feel pressured into anything. For some reason, though, I want to try. I don’t want her to be alone in this, and I don’t want to be alone, so I think it will be best if we do this together. I’ve got to convince her of this. I’m a pretty convincing guy. I don’t think I’ll have too much trouble.

The way she leaned into my hand tonight. I wanted to kiss her so badly. I wanted to do more than kiss her, but I’ve got to start off slow. I’ve got to prove to her I’m not going anywhere because that’s what she needs right now. But I would have done anything to see her writhing beneath me as I pounded into her. Or better yet, her tight ass in the air while I take her from behind.

I shake off the thought. I’ve been so freaking horny since I haven’t gotten any. I hope Hazel gives into me sooner rather than later because I’ve got a mental list going of things I want to do to her.

When I pull into the driveway of my house on, I see Ozzy getting out of his truck. He must be finished with his shift at Jim’s Bar, where he works as a bouncer. It’s basically the only bar/nightclub we have around here. He also fights there every month or two for tuition money. I hate that he does it, but I understand why.

“Hey, man. You’re out late,” Ozzy says as we walk to the front door.

“Yeah. You know. Keeping the ladies of Brunswick happy.” Ozzy laughs. What I said technically wasn’t a lie. Hazel is a lady of Brunswick, and I was keeping her happy. Just not with my dick, unfortunately. “How was work?”