Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 154728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Reminding me too much of what I’d lost.
I’d put myself away, on my proverbial island, in this house, walking on the beach for hours with my dog, reading books, watching mindless television, trying to plan for a life I hadn’t expected. One as a single mother.
Kane was staring at me. He had been staring at me for a long time, while I’d been lost in thought. Brackets framing his mouth and the crease between his eyes told me he was worried.
I wondered how much of the last five months I’d shown on my face.
“Let’s go get you your croissant, then,” he said, although I was sure that wasn’t what he’d planned to say.
I nodded, not moving, still staring at him. Blanche ran up to me, puffing and tongue wagging, nuzzling her face into my hand. Kane had obviously taken her on the run with him.
“First, you walking her alone is no longer happening,” Kane motioned to Blanche. “You want to walk, we’ll do it together. You’re not getting pulled by her in your condition.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he wasn’t done.
“As much as I enjoy the sight, you’re gonna have to change into something different to go to the bakery,” Kane waved to my clothing. “I’ll need a shower too, but you can go first if you need one.”
He was offering practical solutions to get ready for the day. Except that wasn’t Kane. He wasn’t about practicality. If we were together and needed a shower, we did it together. He carried me there, my legs wrapped around his hips, his mouth on mine.
Sure, such a thing wouldn’t be practical given my overall size. But the shower off my bedroom was plenty large enough for both of us. Though small, the entire cottage had been renovated by someone with sense. The kitchen was big, and the bathrooms were all big enough for walk-in showers, full tubs and double sinks. Not that I thought I’d need the double sinks.
And maybe I wouldn’t, since it was possible that Kane would never want to do something as benign and intimate as brush his teeth next to me again.
“I’ll go first,” I said, trying to digest everything.
I turned quickly so he wouldn’t see my eyes well up.
“Chef.”
I stopped, taking a breath to clear my expression before I turned.
Kane was standing in the same position, his eyes locked on mine.
He lifted two of his fingers to his lips then tapped against them.
The silent command made me gasp, made hope warm in my stomach.
I traveled the distance between us. He didn’t move, didn’t meet me halfway. Maybe that meant something. Maybe that meant nothing.
I went up on my tiptoes to reach his lips, laying mine on his. Still he hadn’t moved to take over the kiss. It was all me. Until our lips touched, our tongues crashed together, and the kiss was no longer the peck on the lips I’d expected.
By the time it was done, Kane’s hand was on my ass, inside of the panties, his other hand behind my neck.
Our bodies couldn’t be flush because of my protruding stomach pressing into his flat torso.
Kane looked down at my stomach, his eyes hungry and possessive. He let go of my ass, stepped back then knelt down to lay his lips gently on the swell.
“Good morning, Baby Girl Rhodes,” he murmured in an incredibly tender, incredibly sweet voice, speaking without any of the reservation he was using with me.
Which was good. I didn’t want Kane taking his resentment toward me out on our child.
As if responding to her father’s voice, a foot kicked against Kane’s hand.
His eyes widened in wonder, then he smiled. Smiled with his whole being. Without any of the shadows that had been shrouding his face. “I can’t wait to meet you either,” he whispered, laying his hands on me a moment longer before looking up at me.
His smile was gone.
My heart panged painfully.
“You wanna be quick about getting ready?” he asked. “Our baby’s hungry.”
Another heart pang.
Our baby. Protective. Claiming.
Because I couldn’t speak, I just nodded then turned to go get ready.
My tears mixed with the spray of the shower. And I couldn’t decide whether they were from happiness or heartbreak.
KANE
I could barely breathe. Barely fucking think. My mind had been in a fog since the second Avery had opened that door. I’d been prepared to be mad at her. Ready to rage at her for running from me. For fucking abandoning me.
Just like my mother had.
Yeah, it was shitty of me, projecting all of my issues onto her when I knew she wasn’t my mother. But I’d also told her about my mother, about the wounds she’d opened up inside me. Ones I’d hid from everyone but her. And I’d been livid about the fresh cuts she’d created herself despite knowing what she knew.