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Dropping the curtain back in place, Lily went out onto the front porch. The beautiful wide porch with sturdy wooden swings at both ends just begged for a lazy, relaxing day. She took a seat, curled her feet up on the deep red cushions and propped her elbow up on the back, resting her head on her fist. The gentle sway relaxed her.
Lily continued to watch the interaction in the yard, thankful she hadn’t been spotted yet. Jake had invited her to stay for a week, had wanted her to see the real man he was with no pretenses, no secrets.
She was already seeing a deeper side to the person she’d fallen in love with. But could she ever get past the fact he thought it was okay to deceive her? Who’s to say the next time he wanted something he wouldn’t lie to get it?
Between Damon’s visit the other day and seeing Jake with Tyler, Lily found herself wanting more. She just worried they were too far gone to get back on stable ground to build anything that could match the fire they had before.
A light flutter in her stomach had her pausing, her hand cupping her belly. The odd sensation happened again and Lily knew she’d felt her baby. Their baby.
The doctor had told her the first feeling she’d get in her stomach would feel like butterflies floating around. The description was pretty accurate, considering that for just a second the shocking sensation had tickled. The movement had only lasted the briefest of moments, but enough to have her smiling.
When she glanced back up, Jake’s eyes were on her, and Tyler was hopping out of the hanging tire and racing around to the back of the house. Lily’s smile faltered. So much tension stretched between them, so many words that needed to be spoken, so much emotion needing to be released.
Jake made his way toward the porch, and with each step Lily’s heart beat faster. He stopped in front of the swing, took her feet from the cushion and sat down, placing her legs across his lap.
“Don’t,” he told her just as she started to shift away. “Let’s just pretend this is a normal day and we’re enjoying this late afternoon breeze.”
His warm hands gripped her ankles, holding them securely on his lap. She hadn’t felt his touch for so long, she knew she’d missed it, but she had no idea just how much his warmth affected her.
“We’re not normal people and this isn’t just a normal family afternoon,” she whispered, hating how true her statement was.
His fingertips trailed from her shin to the top of her foot, back and forth until she couldn’t control the tremors that slid through her. That powerful, seductive touch of his would be her undoing.
Jake tipped his head just slightly, focusing those bright eyes right on her as he always had, as if he could see straight into her soul. “You always say you want to be a regular person, not the celebrity when you’re off location. Relax, Lily. We’re both simply going to be ourselves, nothing fake, no acting. Just Jake and Lily.”
Jake and Lily. As if they were an official couple. But she didn’t have the energy to argue and she would remain calm to keep her blood pressure down for their baby’s sake. And she was done fighting...fighting him and fighting herself.
“I think I felt the baby move a bit ago.” She hadn’t thought about telling him, but the words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them.
Jake’s eyes darted to her stomach, a wide grin spread across his face. “What did it feel like?” he asked, his hand pausing in mid-stroke over her leg.
“Like someone was inside tickling me,” she explained. “It was faint. The sensations happened twice while I was sitting here watching you and Tyler.”
He brought his gaze back up to hers. “How long were you watching us?”
“Long enough to know you two have a special bond.”
“I love him,” Jake said without hesitation. “I’d do anything for him.”
Lily nodded. “Liz explained the situation. I can’t imagine being a single mom.”
The smack of reality hit her before she realized what she’d said. Jerking her legs off Jake’s lap, she came to her feet. Crossing the wide porch, she rested her hands on the white railing at the edge of the structure.
“You won’t be alone.” Jake’s hands slid around her waist seconds later. She hadn’t even heard him get up and move toward her. “I’ll never let this baby feel neglected and I’ll never let you feel like you’re doing it all by yourself. No matter what happens with us.”
Lily dropped her head between her shoulders and sighed. “There is no ‘us,’ Jake,” she whispered. “Letting you back in...I don’t know if I could survive being hurt again.”
