“I’m sorry for your loss.” For all of them. His wife, his grandparents, babies he never had.
Bull shrugs, gazing back at his dinner plate. Tonight, he made pork chops with diced potatoes and green beans. He’s really too good to me. “I don’t know what happened between Jen and me. One minute, you think you’re in love, and the next, it’s all temperature-taking and baby-making business, minus the tenderness needed to be close to someone.”
My thumb rubs back and forth at the hairs on his forearm. He’s such a strong man. His arms define arm porn, but it’s his heart that’s the strength of him.
“It was never the right time to have children with Shelton,” I explain of my own situation. “I didn’t think I even wanted a baby until he was suddenly having one with someone else, and I was left questioning everything in my life.” My other hand automatically moves to my belly although there’s no outward evidence of my condition yet. Bull smiles a little deeper, but it still isn’t setting off sparks in those deep eyes surrounded by thick lashes.
“I’m glad I’m pregnant now,” I offer, my voice quiet while my thumb still rubs at his skin. Bull’s hand covers mine and lifts my fingers. He turns my hand to press a kiss to my palm, closing his eyes a second before re-opening those beautiful lids.
“I’m glad you’re pregnant, too.” His words are full of so much sincerity, and I don’t want to disappoint him. It’s embarrassing enough to question who the father is, but it will be devastating to discover it isn’t Bull. I haven’t allowed myself to consider one man over the other. It’s too hopeful for me. For now, I concentrate on how the baby is mine.
“You’re starting to spoil Sprout and me.”
“Sprout?” Bull inquires, and I tip back so he can see my hand patting my belly. He pushes back his chair and reaches over for mine as I’m sitting to his left. After pushing it out as well, he drops down to one knee and faces my tummy.
“Hello, Sprout.” He places a hand over my hand on my stomach and then lowers his head, pressing kisses to my covered belly. I slip my fingers through his hair. He’s so sweet like this, so tender. Every part of me vibrates—my inner thighs, my hammering heart, my shaky fingers. I want to tug his hair and pull him up to me, kiss him with the pregnancy passion churning inside, and tackle him down to the floor, but I don’t. It wouldn’t be fair to Bull to keep taking advantage of him, especially sexually. His heart is too big for just sex.
He wraps his arms around my back, scooting me to the edge of the seat to hold me like this—his head on my belly—and I send up a silent prayer.
Please let him be the father.
The next night, Bull and I walk to the main house for dinner. The sun is up a little longer. The air is heating. Everything is bursting into bloom, and soon, so will I.
“Let’s not mention our predicament to my family,” he states as we walk down the dusty gravel drive. “Not yet, at least.”
“Totally agree. What will be our story? How did we meet? Why am I here?”
“Pretty sure Canyon already told them we had a one-night stand.” Bull cringes as he speaks. “We can say we’re friends. I’m helping you out while you’re between places.” Bull glances off in the distance, not liking his own explanation, but it’s as close to the truth as we can get for now.
When we enter the main house directly into the kitchen, I’m accosted by the smell of something mouthwatering and spicy. “What is that?” I ask of the intoxicating scent.
“Grilled steak and Brussels sprouts are tonight’s specialty,” a feminine voice answers me, and I glance across the kitchen to find a gorgeous woman with raven black hair and deep blue eyes. “Hi. I’m Carly.”
“You’re stunning,” I admit, not holding back. Her face pinkens at my direct compliment, but when someone is beautiful, it needs to be stated. She has movie-star good looks with high cheekbones and sultry lips. Brushing hair over one ear, she mutters her gratitude at the comment while another person enters the room wearing a ballcap. Nearly as tall as Carly, the body is of someone young, and I surmise this is Canyon’s child.
“Aw, Carly. I hate Brussels sprouts,” the teen whines. I squint a bit, trying to decipher if this child is a boy or a girl with his or her back to me. The solid shoulders and loose jeans suggest a boy, maybe, but the high voice hints at a girl.
“They’re good for you,” Carly argues, slapping at the bill of the cap, lowering it over the teen’s face.
“Since when?” the teenager argues before glancing over a shoulder at me. “Hey, who is this? This the woman shacking up in your place, Uncle Bull.” The kid hitches a thumb at me while addressing Bull, and I’m a little taken aback at the description.
“Joey, mind your manners,” Bull warns. “Who said such a thing?”
Joey. Boy.
“Uncle Blade said you met another damsel in distress and brought her home with you. She from one of those dating apps you were on?”
Bull rolls his eyes, but I immediately react. “What dating app?” Bull reaches behind his neck, scratching nervously at it.
“Oopsy,” the child states, hand flying upward to cover thin lips, but the shadowed facial expression shows no sign of remorse. “Uncle Bull is the bull of DatingDairy.”
“Joey, make yourself useful and set the table,” Carly interjects, placing hands on the teen almost taller than her and redirecting Joey to a room off the kitchen. “And no hats in the house.” Carly tugs at the cap, and a tumble of ginger-colored hair flows from the headgear.
Oh. Girl.
“Joey?” I choke.
“Josephine Elizabeth. My brother Canyon’s daughter. She’s thirteen.”
“Ah,” I groan as if that explains everything.
“She’s also being raised by a gaggle of men, and she’s taking on characteristics of being one,” Carly states. “I apologize on her behalf. I’m trying to do my best.” Her eyes lead to where the girl disappeared into the dining room, and Bull shakes his head.
“You’re not her mama,” he states, making me question where the girl’s mother is. Bull mentioned Canyon just showed up one day with the child next to him.
“I know,” Carly whispers, and sorrow fills her voice. Looking up at Bull, I’m curious as I thought he said Blade was the one in love with Carly. Was Carly in love with Canyon?
Oh, this has all the makings of a good love triangle, but I have my own issues.
“Tell me more about this dating app.” I intend to sound teasingly intrigued, but jealousy lingers beneath the surface. With Bull’s head in my lap the other night, I wanted desperately for him to lift my skirt and nuzzle his face between my thighs, restoring us to who we’ve been together. But I’m the one who set the limits. I’m the one who said we should wait until we have an answer because I don’t want to be unfair. However, I’m dying a slow death over my attraction to him. I want to touch him and have him touch me. I want our mouths to meet and explore like they did during our night together. Fighting off the urge to throw myself at him like I did in the Busy Bean’s bathroom is a constant battle.