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I’m not nakedwhen Bain returns only because I’m starved. I’d been too stressed to eat this morning, then Drake stayed awhile to talk. With things good between me and my brother when he left and the solid decision to proceed with the pregnancy, my body now demands nourishment.
I tell Bain that very thing when he walks in carrying a pizza. He laughs but gladly leads me into the kitchen. I don’t get any of the “you’re eating for two” jokes, but instead, he says, “I’ve heard pregnancy hormones make you horny. You’ll need to keep your strength up.”
I have a slice of pizza halfway to my mouth and it’s a good thing I hadn’t taken a bite as I would’ve choked.
His expression is innocent as he picks mushrooms off. He knows I love them and suffers their presence, even though they gross him out. “What?” he asks as I laugh.
“I’m always horny for you,” I say. “We didn’t need to get pregnant for that.”
Bain’s smile is soft. “I like how you say ‘we.’We didn’t get pregnant… We’re a team.”
I can’t describe the flush of warmth that lights me up from within. His proclamation that we’re a team is more romantic than any declaration of love. At least to someone like me who is afraid that loving someone can be very dangerous.
“You seem awful Zen about this whole thing,” I say conversationally, trying to dig down to what seems to be his complete acceptance.
Bain flicks a mushroom off his finger, grimacing as he wipes his hand on a napkin. His gaze comes to me. “I called my mom. It was a good conversation. There were a lot of reassurances that I can do this and having their faith in me makes all the difference. While she had no thought she’d be a grandma this soon, she’s pretty psyched about it.”
“Really?” I ask, insanely curious about Sheila Hillridge. Bain’s told me some things about his parents and I know he’s close to them both. He models himself after them in that they were both free spirits when they met. They didn’t want to settle down and start a family until they’d had all the time to do things for themselves. That included solidifying careers—he’s a research biologist and she’s a college English professor—as well as having children. Bain was following their same life journey… live wild and free while you’re young and don’t settle down too soon.
“They want to make a trip here soon to get to know you,” Bain says before taking a bite of his pizza and my jaw drops.
“But… why?”
Bain stares at me as if he can’t believe I’d ask such a question. “Because you’re carrying their grandchild.”
“Well, yeah… but it’s not like you and I are a couple. I’m more like an oven for her grandkid.”
Setting his slice on the plate, he locks eyes with mine. “Maybe we should be a couple.”
I set my pizza down only because my hands shake slightly and I’m afraid it will drop. “What would that even mean?”
Bain shrugs. “We make it what we want. I imagine it’s not much different from what we’re doing now. We’re already monogamous. The last few weeks we’ve spent all our free time together, so it’s not like we felt our freedom was being impinged. We’d be open and public about our relationship.”
“That seems… logical.” And why am I so sad that there’s no warmth to his words or a declaration that he cares for me? I’m a very logical person, so why does that seem wrong?
Bain shakes his head and looks a little exasperated. “I probably didn’t say that right.” He leans over, takes my hand. “We’re in a place we never wanted to be or thought we’d be. I never thought I’d want to settle down with one woman, but here I am, completely happy to be in your bed and no others. And if I’m honest, I felt that way before we found out you were pregnant. I guess it’s time to put it all on the table. I care about you, Kiera. When I saw how upset you were earlier today, it fucking broke my heart and I wanted to fix it. I’ve never felt that before nor have I wanted to be responsible for another’s happiness, but I found myself wanting to soothe you. I wanted to see you smile, not cry. I don’t know what you call that, but I can tell you, I’ve surpassed our friends-with-benefits deal we had going. There’s nothing casual about the way I’m feeling now.”
Maybe it’s the hormones, but I have to blink against the prick of tears. Gripping his hand tight, I push out of my chair and drape myself across his lap. My arms loop around his neck and I brush a soft kiss over his mouth.
I press my forehead to his. “I care about you too. There’s nothing casual about my feelings either.” I think about all my fears around falling for someone and the walls I’ve built up so that I’d never fall prey to a man like Peter again, and they all come tumbling down. “You make me so happy and I feel so secure and safe with you. I never thought I’d be able to say that about a man, and yet I know, to the depths of my soul, that you would never hurt me. You’re kind of it for me.”
Bain’s arms come around me and he squeezes, then tilts his head to kiss my neck. “Think you can handle cold pizza?”
Leaning back, I frown at him. “Cold pizza. Why?”
“Because I’d really like to fuck you now. Apparently, sweet words make me horny.”
As if to punctuate his sentiment, he rotates his hips and I feel the growing length of him under my butt.
Grinning, I wiggle against him. “Yeah… cold pizza is just fine.”
CHAPTER 21
Bain
Most of theteam has boarded the plane that will take us back to Pittsburgh. It’s quiet as we load due solely to the fact the Cold Fury kicked our asses big-time. I’m pissed about the game and my nasty feelings following a defeat usually plague me all night. But while I’m still angry about the loss, I can’t deny the pleasure within me that I’ll be heading back to Pittsburgh.
To Kiera.
