AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Samantha broke off when she suddenly found herself backed against a wall, her body only an inch from mine. My palms were on the hard surface on both sides of her head, caging her in.
“Poor, innocent Walt?” I echoed in a low, dangerous tone. “A friend?”
Samantha’s indignant expression slipped, and she watched me cautiously.
“First of all,” I rasped, trying to keep my temper under control. “That asshole isn’t a poor, innocent anything. He’s slept with most of the interns in this hospital and a few of the attendings.”
Samantha’s mouth formed an O, but then she shrugged. “Just because he’s a player doesn’t mean he can’t have a friend.” Her words were firm, but her tone wavered, indicating that she wasn’t sure if she believed her own defense.
“Baby doll, I love how sweet and innocent you are. It’s appealing as fuck that you have no idea how damn gorgeous you are.”
She blushed, and her gaze danced around, but I was taking up all the space around her, so she stared at my throat. I swallowed, and my cock twitched when she followed the movement, and I heard the rustle of her thighs rubbing together. I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Her sweet, citrusy scent filled my lungs, and I barely restrained myself from finding out if her mouth tasted as good as she smelled.
Opening my eyes, I focused on her bright blue orbs. “You don’t see the looks you get from men, and that’s more than fine with me. But I see them. I saw the way he looked at you, and I won’t tolerate some cocky little prick playing his games with you.”
Samantha stared at me with a blank face, and since I’d never known her to shutter her emotions, I assumed she simply didn’t know how to feel about what I’d told her.
“Boys aren’t worth your time, baby doll. You need a man to take care of you.”
“You’re a man,” she croaked, and I chuckled. I wasn’t sure what she was getting at, but she’d turned cherry red, and it was cute as fuck.
“Damn straight.”
“What do you want from me?”
Good question, baby doll. I considered hedging the truth, then decided to say fuck it. I bent my neck and brought our lips a whisper apart. “Everything. And I won’t settle for anything less.”
Samantha sputtered, “E-Everything?”
I pushed away from the wall before I kissed the hell out of her. “That’s right. So stay away from other males. I don’t share what’s mine.”
“Yours?” Her expression was dazed, making me smirk.
“As soon as you’re eighteen, baby doll. Be ready.”
Be ready. The phrase rang in my head, reminding me of something else I should make clear. I’d monitored her movements, particularly her doctor’s appointments. However, it was always possible that something had slipped through the cracks.
I stalked back over to her. She was still leaning against the wall when I crowded her once more. Firmly gripping her chin, I made sure she was looking at me and could see that I wasn’t fucking around. “Are you on birth control, Samantha?”
She flushed to a nice shade of tomato and bit her lips. When she didn’t answer fast enough, I tightened my hold on her chin, not enough to bruise, but enough to let her know I expected her to acquiesce.
“No,” she whispered.
“Good,” I grunted. “It better stay that way, baby doll.” I wanted to add, Because I want you ripe and ready for me to breed as soon as I get you in our bed…but I didn’t.
8
Noah
My mom barely acknowledged my goodbye, too busy cooing and baby-talking to Gracelynn. I’d brought her home two days ago, and just like the rest of us, my mom had fallen hard for my daughter. When I asked her to watch Gracelynn for the day, she couldn’t say yes fast enough. I’d bundled my baby girl up against the cold, and Mom put her in the baby carrier. As I handed her the cover to keep out the biting wind, my heart stuttered, and I wondered if it was such a good idea to be away from her for so many hours. I hadn’t been away from her since I picked her up from the hospital and started my paternity leave. And I’d taken her to a new home, to a new place with someone she hadn’t known for long. Now her mommy would be coming home and—
“She’ll be just fine,” Mom announced, clearly knowing where my train of thought had been traveling. “You’re going to need some alone time with Samantha. We’ll be back by Gracelynn’s bedtime.”
She was right, of course, but it didn’t stop me from worrying. The anticipation of hearing Samantha scream my name and knowing our daughter would be back by the end of the day were the only things that convinced me to let her go with my parents.
