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“You’re ruining a perfectly romantic moment,” I chided.
“You’re lucky you got me on my knees without your sweet pussy in my mouth,” he growled into my ear, making my legs tremble. “And I don’t need to ask because you already said yes.”
“Under duress,” I moaned when he nibbled at my neck.
“Were you under duress when you called me your fiancé to the nurse at the hospital?”
I couldn’t believe it; I’d been ratted out by his mom. “Oh, never mind,” I grumbled.
His laughter rang in my ears as he tangled his fingers with mine and led me downstairs, his thumb sliding along the ring as we walked. Four men were waiting for us in the living room. They were unlike the others I’d seen hanging around Nic. Although they were dressed much the same, in dark suits with sunglasses, they reminded me of soldiers. Tightly cropped hair, paired with an air of restrained power and supreme confidence, set them apart from Nic’s men. Not that the guys I’d seen around were buffoons or anything like that, they just weren’t up to quite the same level as these men.
They stood as we entered the room, their attention somehow focused on Nic and I but still scanning the area for possible threats. Nic kept me anchored to his side as he introduced me to them, calling me his fiancée and practically peeing circles around me to make it abundantly clear I was under their protection, but off limits.
Each of the men shook my hand, their gazes completely professional without the slightest hint of flirtation. And yet when the last one turned to Nic after our introduction, his eyes lit with humor.
“Another one bites the dust,” he murmured.
“Shaddup,” Nic drawled.
His exaggerated mafia-guy accent made me giggle, drawing both men’s gazes my way. Nic practically growled at the bodyguard, tugging me closer to his side.
“Brecken wasn’t kidding when he said you were gone over her.” He glanced down at my hand where it rested on Nic’s arm. “I’m pretty sure they can see that rock from outer space, dude.”
“It’s not that big,” Nic grumbled.
“Maybe you should knock her up just in case the ring doesn’t warn other guys off her,” the other guy joked. “It worked for Brecken with Hadley.”
I buried my face in Nic’s side, blushing wildly in mortification at their turn of topic. It had been less than a week ago that I’d been a virgin, and here I was standing with Nic while a stranger talked about him knocking me up.
“Enough, Devon,” Nic bit out. “You’d do well to remember who you’re speaking to.”
I shivered at his hard tone and the icy look he sent Devon’s way. Any sign of humor, which had been there moments before, was wiped clean away at my discomfort. As we left the house and headed back to the hospital, I was comforted by Nic’s protection of my sensibilities, as antiquated as they might be. And yet, I couldn’t help but note the one thing he hadn’t done—not once had he denied that he’d been trying to get me pregnant. He couldn’t, not when he seemed to be doing his best to make it true.
FOURTEEN
Nic
Sophia was coming home.
I hugged Gianna to my side tightly as we thanked Dr. McGowan for the news and hurried into her hospital room. My mother had already packed up her things, and we were able to get her out the door and home by lunch. The activity took a lot out of her, and when we arrived, I carried her up to her room. I laid her on the bed and tucked her in, kissing her forehead before making my way back downstairs.
Voices floated back from the kitchen and I smiled, thinking about my family as I walked down the hall. For so many years, Sophia had been my world. Now, I was so desperately in love with Gianna, and she fit perfectly into the space in my heart that had previously only been filled by Sophia. Hopefully, I would be making room for another addition soon.
I stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and drank in the sight of Gianna as she puttered around, making lunch. She shooed my mamma out of the kitchen casing her to grumble, but she winked at me as she left the room.
Gianna’s long, dark hair was pulled up into a mess of curls, high on her head, showing off her beautiful face. Her sweater wasn’t tight, but it clung to her curves and I stared at her flat belly, envisioning it swollen with our baby. Feeling my pants tighten at the thought, I started going over baseball stats in my head until I calmed down. When that didn’t work, I moved on to ugly little men dancing around in my daughter’s ballerina costume. Mission accomplished.
I slipped into the room silently and came up behind Gianna, closing my arms around her and holding her tight. She gasped in surprise but melted the moment I nuzzled my face into her neck. “Mia dolce, you are so beautiful.”
