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I took off my coat, hung it on the coatrack, and slipped out of my boots. “Sorry for your loss,” I teased him.
He reached for my cold hand, engulfing it in his warm masculine one, and pulled me to him. “Why don’t you make me feel better?” His minty breath danced across my cheeks.
I stood on my tiptoes and let my lips tease his. “What’s in it for me?”
He inched closer, his lips grazing mine, tempting me—and showing me exactly what was in it for me.
I took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. My eager lips pressed against his.
He picked me up, and I wound my legs around him. I don’t know about him, but I was feeling better already.
With each prod of his tongue, he reached deeper and deeper until he stole my breath. He had just backed me up against the wall when Izzy appeared.
“Oh. My. Gosh. We have over a dozen rooms in this place. Pick one, already.”
When Drake pulled away, it literally made a suctioning sound, which only made Izzy grimace more.
I slid down Drake like a sexy fireman’s pole, giving Izzy an abashed smile.
She curled her lip. “Keep this up and you’ll be explaining to Jameson how a baby got in your belly.” She marched off.
Drake went ashen faced.
“You okay there?”
He tugged on his collar. “Yes, just . . .”
“Just what?” I tilted my head.
“The thought of you being pregnant again.” He swallowed hard and let out a heavy breath.
I took a step back and grabbed my midsection. “You don’t have anything to worry about since we aren’t sleeping together, but . . . is the thought of me carrying your child that awful to you?” I couldn’t hide the hurt in my voice.
“You’re taking that wrong,” he got defensive.
“So, you wouldn’t mind having another baby with me?”
He pressed his lips together and rubbed his neck. “I didn’t know you wanted another baby,” he evaded my question.
“Not today, but I would love to have another baby in the future. Another baby with you,” I added.
He was back to going pale.
“I take it that’s not something you want.” I felt queasy.
He grabbed my hand. “I didn’t say that. It’s just, why do we need to worry about it right now?”
“So, you’re open to the idea in the future?” A girl needed to know these things.
“Maybe.” He didn’t sound too sure. “Charlotte, I’m still trying to wrap my head around being a father. And I like where we’re at right now.”
“I get that I sprung the whole dad thing on you. And I don’t expect you to transition to a family man overnight. Even though you’re doing great. But . . .” I bit my lip. “I need you to know that I want to get married and have more children. That’s where I see this going.”
He blinked an inordinate number of times, stunned into silence.
“Oh,” my voice hitched. “I guess we’re on different pages.” I felt so sucker-punched, I was having a hard time catching my breath. And not in a good way. I felt as if I were watching all my hopes and dreams for our future go up in flames.
When he still said nothing, I tugged my hand out of his. “I need to get to work.” I had no idea what else to say. I turned to head upstairs, feeling numb inside.
“Charlotte.” He gently grabbed my arm, his bewildered eyes trying to focus. “I want to be with you. What difference does the label make?”
“Marriage isn’t a label. And I’m not expecting you, or even begging you, to propose to me anytime soon, but—call me old fashioned—I want that commitment. I want Jameson to know we are committed to each other. And if that’s the kind of commitment you’re offering me, then I can ask you the same question. Why does the marriage ‘label’ bother you, if all it is to you is a label?”
He dropped my arm. “I would think that would be obvious to you. You know about my past.”
“I do. I thought you wanted to work through that.”
“I am,” he growled.
“Great. Have you contacted your mom or dad?” I hadn’t brought it up before, as I had been giving him time to settle into the dad role, which he seemed to be naturally acclimating to. He was a pro in the car pickup line at school, and he could read a mean bedtime story. He even knew how to build a good snowman and give good night hugs and kisses.
“What good would that do?” He turned paler than when he’d thought about me being pregnant.
“I don’t know, maybe give you some perspective, help you forgive yourself? Perhaps let you be able to move on with your life so you can make a life with Jameson and me,” I added quietly. I thought that had been the point of him telling me about his past.
