She’s leaving town soon.
She could be dangerous to everything my brothers and I have worked so hard to accomplish.
The hand holding her elbow slides around to her lower back. Her unique aroma is invading my senses, and I need more of it. I gently pull her closer until her rounded stomach meets my hard one, and I lean my head closer until I’m only inches from her face, trying to figure out what exactly it is that I smell.
“Wh-what are you doing?” she asks, and it satisfies me immensely when her voice comes out breathless. It means I’m not the only one effected by whatever this thing is between us.
I close my eyes and inhale deeply. “Trying to figure out what you smell like.” I open my eyes. “Coconuts,” I murmur.
I fucking love coconuts.
“Umm… you could have just asked?”
My lips twitch.
“I enjoyed it better figuring it out on my own.”
Her unexpected giggle brings a grin to my face, but it falls when her tongue darts out to lick along her bottom lip. Does she have any goddamn clue what she’s doing to me?
“Stop doing that,” I rumble deeply.
Her brows pinch together. “Doing what?”
“Licking your lips. It drives me nuts.”
Her mouth opens fractionally, and fuck if the woman doesn’t bite her lip instead.
I open my mouth to tell her that’s just as bad, when I feel a nudge against my stomach. Her eyes widen and we both look down between us. A second doesn’t pass before another bump hits me, except this time, I see it too.
I’ve delivered twenty-eight babies in my career, encountered numerous pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy, and performed countless sonograms, but I don’t ever recall feeling a baby moving in a woman’s stomach. It’s crazy to think about, but it’s true. Feeling it now, on a woman who’s somehow getting under my skin, only wedges her deeper under the surface.
Remi Stone is dangerous. Not only for me, but for my brothers, this town, and everyone in it.
Thankfully, Susan has perfect timing as she steps out onto the porch. I release Remi and take a step back, but keep my eyes on her as her cheeks turn a light pink. I clear my throat and face Susan. Her eyes dart back and forth between Remi and I. She’s not an ignorant woman. She knows what almost transpired. She also knows why nothing can ever come of it.
“JW and I are leaving town for the night. I’m going to have my calls forwarded to you. We should be back tomorrow evening at the latest.”
I raise my brows when she doesn’t say anything and just continues to stare at me with an uneasy expression.
“I’ll have my phone on me,” she acknowledges finally. “Just let me know when you get back.”
“Will do.”
My gaze lands back on Remi. Her smile is fake, and I don’t like it, but there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. I give her a nod, then one to Susan before walking down the steps back to my car.
Remi is the very last thing I should be thinking about. The task ahead of me, one that’s been in the making for years and is nearly complete, is what I need to concentrate on.
As soon as I’m in my truck and on my way home, thoughts of Remi fade away. Epinephrine secretes in my veins and nerves make me jittery. Not from fear, but from the rush and excitement of what’s to come.
REMI
“DON’T LET THAT MAN get to you,” Susan says beside me as I watch Trouble drive away.
I turn and grab my glass from the table. “I don’t know what you mean.”
When I face her, her eyes are soft, if a bit assessing.
“You know just what I mean, Remi. I’ve seen the way you look at him.” I open my mouth to refute her claim, but she talks over me. “And I’ve seen the way he looks at you.” She takes a couple of steps closer until she’s right in front of me. Reaching up, she tucks a strand of hair behind my ear in a motherly fashion. “As much as I respect Trouble, he’s not the man for you. You’ll be leaving soon, with a new baby to boot, so someone’s bound to get hurt.”