“You…wait, what?”
“I love you. We had a two-week break, and when I saw this shit yesterday, I tried to text you. You weren’t responding, and I couldn’t let you think that was real, so I hopped on a plane and got here as soon as I could.”
As I study him, I notice how tired he looks. I cup his face.
“I’m sorry. I should have looked. I was being cowardly because of other things.”
He frowns at me. “Do not ever call yourself a coward, Blossom No Middle Name Jones.”
I snort. “I know it’s insane, but I’m in love with you too, Niall.”
Then, as if all the revelations are hitting me, my stomach starts to revolt against the crackers I had for breakfast.
“Oh, no.”
I untangle myself from his arms and rush to the bathroom. At some point, I sense that Niall has joined me. When I finish up, he helps me off the floor. I brush my teeth, all the while he watches me.
“Don’t worry. It’s not contagious.”
“I don’t give a damn.” He pulls me into his arms again. “You need to get into bed.”
My phone pings with Francie’s ringtone, and I see all the hearts along with a screen capture of Niall’s comment.
Me: Can you handle things?
Francie: With my eyes closed.
Francie: Have you told him?
Me: About to, so you'll know his response if you see him run out.
“Is everything okay?”
I look up and find him watching me in that way. My grandma would call him an old soul, the keeper of all the secrets. Only I’m the one with the secret.
“Francie just wanted me to know that she’s got everything handled.”
He nods. “Have you seen a doctor?”
I blink, my mind going blank. How did he find out I was pregnant? The only person who knows that is Francie.
“I mean, I know you don’t always go to the doc for the stomach flu, but you aren’t running a fever, or you don’t feel like it.”
Opening my mouth, I try to come up with something to say, anything that might explain what is going on. Then I snap it shut. His eyebrows furrow as he studies me.
“Is there something bad you’re not telling me? Are you really sick?”
I look down at our joined hands. “No. I’m not really sick. But I do need to tell you something.”
Worry etches his features, and I hate that I have caused that.
“Let’s sit down for this conversation.”
He nods, but he doesn’t look happy at all. I don’t blame him. I would be irritated with myself too. We go out to the bedroom and sit on the bed.
“I’ve been sick for a couple of days. It usually hits me about mid-day.”
“What did the doctor say?”
“I haven’t been to the doctor yet.” He frowns and then opens his mouth to respond, but I hold up my hand to stop him. “I’m going next week. Already have an appointment.”
“You should be in the office right now seeing your doctor. Whatever this is needs to be fixed.”
My mouth twitches. “Well, about that…”
I trail off, my bravery draining as he watches me.
“Just tell me. Whatever it is, we’re in this together. I’ll leave the tour if you need me here to help.”
My heart melts. This man. How could I ever think that he was cheating on me? I cup his face and lean closer to brush my mouth over his. A hum of need vibrates through me, and I press closer, but Niall has different thoughts.
He pushes me back. “Don’t try to distract me. Tell me.”
“I’m pregnant.”
He blinks, then I can see him putting it together, the month apart, the sickness…
Then, the most beautiful thing happens. Pure joy moves over his face as his eyes light up and his mouth curves.
“You’re pregnant.” Then he laughs, pulling me into his arms and his mouth is on mine. All my worries drain away as his tongue slips between my lips, and I surrender completely to him.
We tear at each other’s clothes. I stop him from controlling the entire situation by falling to my knees and taking his cock into my mouth. I have wanted to do this since the first time we made love, but I had hesitated. I cup his balls as I take him deep inside of my mouth. The salty-sweet taste of his precum dances over my tastebuds. I want to make him come, to have him do it in my mouth, but he yanks away.
“No.”
“But I wanna.”
He chuckles. “I want to come in you once, then you can defile me as much as you want.”
Then, he throws me on the bed.
“On your knees, Blossom.”
I don’t hesitate. I scramble into position and as he slips behind me onto the mattress. He slides his fingers along my slit.
“So wet.”
I bite my lip as he slips one finger inside of me. It’s not enough, this teasing. I need him, and he seems to sense it because soon, the broad head of his cock replacing his fingers. Slowly, at first, then his thrusts become almost brutal. Again and again, he drives inside of me. His fingers dig into my hips as he thrusts deeper and deeper inside of me.
“Touch yourself, Blossom. Make yourself come.”
I do as he orders because I can’t seem to deny him anything. I press my fingers against my clit as he hits that special spot, and I seem to fly over into pleasure. My world breaks apart into a million different beautiful pieces.
His shout tells me he follows me a moment later, as I feel him fill me with his come.
We fall to the mattress, and I feel myself falling asleep as he pulls back from me and covers me with a blanket.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to shower. I feel gross after traveling so long. I’ll be right back to snuggle.”
“I love you, Niall.”
“Ditto, Blossom.”
I smile and snuggle beneath the covers. I can’t wait until he wraps his arms around me again. It’s the last thought I have as I drift off into sleep.
ELEVEN
NIALL
I look out on Adam’s Street as I talk to my mother.
“Is this that model?”
My mother has never been happy with the models I dated. That’s mostly what I dated, with an actress thrown in here and there. Now that I have Blossom, I understand why my mother didn’t like them. None of them were real.
“No, Mom. She owns a bakery here in Adam’s Run.”
There is a beat of silence. With my mom, that could be good or very, very bad.
“Tell me about her.”
I smile because thinking about Blossom always makes me smile. “She’s amazing. She was the youngest person to graduate from Cordon Bleu. And you would die for her red velvet whoopee pies. She puts a layer of cream cheese frosting between the layers.”
My mother hums. I get my sweet tooth from her. The only difference is that she never shows it, no matter how much she eats. I rub my stomach, thinking it’s about time for dinner. Or breakfast or something. My stomach is confused by the time change, but I don’t care. Getting back here was totally worth it.
“And? I feel that there is something you need to tell me.”
I want to tell her she will be a grandma, but Blossom and I wanted to wait until after she goes to the doctor.