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ONE YEAR LATER
There are no fireworks in the sky, just the brightest stars I’ve ever seen. Although the snowy landscape is different to last year’s, Leif is here to keep me warm because, contrary to what I thought, the burner keeping us up in the air does not offer any warmth whatsoever.
“Is it everything you thought it would be?” he asks, pressing a kiss to my cheek. He wraps his arms around me, pressing his hands to the bottom of my belly, holding me to him.
“Yes…” I suck a deep breath of icy air into my lungs, “and no. It’s colder than I thought it would be.”
“That's why I’m here, sweetheart, to keep you warm.”
His face is freezing cold as he nips at the sensitive spot behind my ear, causing me to shiver deeper into him. I’ve never known anyone to be so tactile. I’ve also never known anyone to be so easy to fall in love with, in spite of being so annoying—mostly because he’s so good at talking me in circles, I can never get the last word.
Not even when I told him the condom situation wasn’t working on Christmas Eve. Because he very nonchalantly pointed out that he’d already realised after I missed my period last month. Which, of course, meant that I was speechless while he ushered me into our en-suite and proceeded to hand me a pregnancy test.
Yup, the fucker was positive within seconds. Seconds. Which then led to big panic from Cassidy and mad boasting from Twaticus Maximus.
“Big cock and super spunk.” He grins up at me in the reflection of the mirror, holding up the pee-stick like a trophy as he swings his hips from side to side. “Maybe Sunita is right. I should name him Hulk.”
The panic closing my chest eases a tad at the genuine excitement beaming on his face. Not enough for me to jump for joy, but enough that my heart beats a little differently. I was scared that him being prepared meant that the result would be a problem. In true Leif form, he’s surprised me.
“You realise that when I asked for more, I didn’t mean for you to knock me up?”
“Sweetheart.” He turns to me, putting the test down on the vanity so carefully that you’d think it was the baby he’s put inside me. “You were the one who took advantage of me.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.” He smirks.
That stupid fucking smirk that makes me want to squish his perfect schnozzle with my fist because of the way it makes my thoughts scramble. This is why I can never win one of our tête-à-têtes. He turns on the charm, and I’m a goner. Every. Single. Time.
Not this time though. Unlike him, I wasn’t inebriated… just too bloody horny. “Let me remind you of what happened, Maximus. You got home pissed and threw yourself on top of me. Literally flung yourself onto me.”
“You were drinking wine and reading the porn Mom and Kami suggested for your virtual book club.”
I can’t argue with that. I was reading the smut his sister-in-law picked out for our bi-weekly club. “So what? You still jumped me!”
“And then you took advantage of me.”
Ugh. “No. You tried to carry me from the sofa to the bedroom, but someone was too tipsy, so I had to give you a hand instead.”
“At which point, you threw me on the bed, stripped me naked, and had your wicked way with me. As far as I can remember there was no hand involved on this occasion. Slutty Cassidy went straight for the prize.”
He says shit like this on purpose because he knows I get all bashful and can’t get my words out while I’m too busy trying to stop myself from going red in the face.
“It was great sex, wasn’t it?”
I admire his ability to ebb and flow through whatever life throws at him. It’s one of the reasons I love him. He makes the most out of life, even when it shits on him. But having a baby isn’t changing career or navigating a scandal.
“Leif —”
“Was it great sex, Cassidy?”
Huffing out a breath, I give him what he’s after. “Yes.”
“So, it’s only fair we get a token from it.” His smile softens as he takes both of my hands, coaxing me to him.
“A baby isn’t a souvenir of a good time.”
Leif nods, his face falling serious. It’s not often I see this expression on him. The last time was when he asked me to move in with him a few months ago. That face is the face that says he knows exactly what he’s getting into, and he wants it. He wants this baby as much as he wants me.
