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I step closer to Bunny and place an arm around her, holding her at my side. Her head leans against me, and I feel the exhaustion weighing down her body.
I tell the sisters, “I’m taking her home with me. Come by tomorrow afternoon, and you can chew me out all you want. Until then, I aim to feed this one and put her to bed.” Picking my Bunny baby up, I easily slide her into the passenger seat of my truck. She doesn’t fight me, and I don’t know if that’s because she wants to come with me or she’s just that worn out.
“We’ll be there at noon,” Christmas says with a warning. Nodding, I accept the bag Tabitha hands me and head to the driver’s side. I’m not sure what Jack has planned for my cousin, but it had better include charges of some kind because, otherwise, I’ll kick the punk’s ass myself.
“You need anything?” I slide a glance over at my passenger. Her head rests against the window as she looks out the front.
“No…”
I let the silence surround us until we get home. I wasn’t lying when I said I intended to feed her and put her to bed. It’s the only thing on my mind right now.
Arriving at my place, Bunny doesn’t move; I’m not even sure she knows where we are. Getting out, I pluck her from her seat and carry her inside, where I’ve got food made and waiting in the fridge.
Laying her gently on the couch, I drape a blanket over her legs before grabbing the plate of sandwiches, a bowl of fruit, and two bottles of orange juice I bought this morning and bringing them to her.
Flicking the T.V. on so she doesn’t feel the need to fill the silence or worry about me trying to talk to her, I crack open the juice and encourage her to drink before handing her a triangle of sandwich and placing the fruit bowl in her lap.
“Please eat, Bunny.” Her hollow eyes meet mine, and tears spill freely. “Fuck.” I can’t stand seeing her like this. I lift her legs and drop down onto the sofa, cradling half her body in my lap. “You eat; I’ll grovel.” I wait until she acknowledges me and brings a corner of the sandwich to her mouth.
“I didn’t handle things well. I figured you were young, knew I had to be at least ten years your senior. When you talked of school and classes, I foolishly thought you meant college. High school didn’t even occur to me.” It should have. I see the signs now. Her gaze drops, and color drains from her face, what little of it she had.
I lift her chin with a gentle touch. “The fault is mine,” I tell her. “Neither of us thought to concern ourselves with the possibility that you being barely eighteen would be a problem. And it’s not, Bunny. I need you to know that.”
“The things you said…” I fucking wish I could punch my own head in for that.
“Were stupid, irrational, and fucking ignorant. None of it was aimed at you, not really. I was mad as hell at myself because if I’d met you one day earlier, I’d have walked away. I know you would have told me your age then. I don’t doubt it for a fucking second.” I pinch the bridge of my nose at the idea of walking away from her. “I said some stupid, fucked up shit to you that day, and you know what I was most pissed off about?”
“What?” she whispers, and I hear a hint of life in her voice.
“That I’d have to wait an entire fucking year to celebrate your birthday.” She blinks a few times before a giggle escapes on a puff of breath, and Christ, I nearly weep at the sound. “As soon as you walked away from me, I knew it was a mistake. My reaction, letting you go, my words. None of it mattered once you were out of my sight because the only thing I want in this life is you by my side. If our age doesn’t botheryou, it doesn’t botherme.”
“What about your girlfriend?” The sadness returns to her eyes.
“What girlfriend?” I think about that, but nothing comes up.
Her eyes dart away before she speaks again. “The one in your shop.”
“Juliette? Oh, she is so fucking fired.” That rancid-ass bitch. “She say something to you yesterday?” Bunny nods, her lips in a thin line. “No, she’s not my girlfriend. Never has been; never would have been. I should have fired her months ago. I wish I had. I’m sorry, baby. If I’d known she said that to you, I would have shut that shit down immediately.”
She gives me a subtle smile, takes another bite of her sandwich, and I’m pleased to see she’s finished two triangles off already. There isn’t a damn thing I won’t do for this girl, and if it means burning down the world to gain her trust again, I will, without question or hesitation.
CHAPTER11
Bunny
Decision time.
It’s been a month since Caspian showed up at my school, whisking me away to his house and baring his heart and soul to me. Apologizing in the only way he knew how. I wasn’t unaffected by his words then, and I’m not now. When he reassures me that my age doesn’t matter, I believe him.
I’ve forgiven him for the things he said because, honestly, it wasn’t entirely his fault. We were both shouldering the blame, and it took us a couple of weeks to figure out that, despite the hurt we felt, it made us stronger.
Since that night, we’ve not slept apart—either at his house or in my guest cottage. But we’ve never gone further than kissing and cuddling. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t bother me. It does. I miss the feeling of his body moving inside mine, the dirty things he would whisper in my ear when I came apart for him. I need that connection again.
As I stare down at the stick in my hand, feeling the emergent bump growing in my belly, I know I have a decision to make. This tiny bump seems to have popped up overnight because it was not there yesterday, and I know that as soon as Caspian sees it, he’ll realize.
I’m pregnant with his baby.
I’m thrilled.
