Risking the Crown (The Crown 2)

She turned off the bathroom light and walked toward the bed.

“You can’t tell me you aren’t sick.” I glared at her. “I can at least get you to a doctor. Maybe I can call someone in the village. They’re already programmed into all our phones.”

I reached for my cell when Ava grabbed it from my hand.

“I’m not sick.”

“Like bloody hell,” I raised my voice. “Stop being stubborn. You just threw up.”

And then it hit me.

I saw the tears well on her bottom lid. “Blaine, I’m pregnant.”

18

Ava

I stared at him. He hadn’t spoken a word since I dropped the bomb between us.

“I didn’t want to tell you like this. I was trying to let you swim. Don’t you get it?”

“How long have you known?” He hadn’t blinked.

“A week,” I whispered. I suddenly felt ashamed for keeping it from him.

He turned from the bathroom and sat on the bed. “You’ve known all week and didn’t tell me?” He looked hurt.

I sat next to him. “I couldn’t let this pregnancy ruin your chance at gold. I’ll still be pregnant after the games. I was going to tell you then. I swear.”

“You’re carrying my baby?”

I nodded. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not what you expected. I didn’t expect it either. I—I thought it was jet lag, but it wasn’t. It’s some kind of twisted morning sickness that comes and goes all day.”

His hand pushed my T-shirt from my stomach and he cupped my belly with his palms. “My baby is in there?”

“Yes. It’s your baby.”

My heart ached. I had just done everything I didn’t want to do. I wanted him to sweep gold. I wanted him to achieve all his Olympic dreams. And with one little word I had undone all of it. How was he going to concentrate after this?

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“I’m okay.” I smiled. “Really. We can deal with it later. I don’t the baby to ruin your career, Blaine. You’ve worked your entire life for this.”

His hands pushed the T-shirt over my breasts. He stared at them hungrily.

“I’m not running away from this.” He leaned toward me, clasping a nipple between his teeth.

“Oh, God,” I moaned, pressing his head harder to my chest.

He laid me on the bed, raking the shirt over my head. “Do you know how fucking gorgeous you look with my baby inside you?” he growled.

Everything in me trembled. I felt the wet heat between my legs. My nipples perked.

“You’re not mad?” I asked.

He flicked his tongue over my breasts. Shit, everything was sensitive and highly alert. I was a live wire in his hands.

“Love, I’ve never been more turned on in my life.”