“Can I ask you something?”
Her eyes search mine as she nods.
“Would you have looked for me if there wasn’t a baby?”
She doesn’t glance away, which I consider positive, and then she answers, “I wish I could say yes, but honestly, I’m not sure. I missed you. I may have thought about you once or twice.”
“Only once or twice, huh?”
She reaches out and caresses my face, rubbing her thumb along my cheekbone, and enjoying the feel of my facial hair beneath her fingers. "A lot, if you must know. You were still a student. I didn't want to get in the way of what you had planned for your future. I thought one night would get each other out of our systems." She pauses. "It didn't work."
“I looked for you,” I admit. “I saw you with David and thought he was your boyfriend.”
"What?" She blinks and tries to shove herself up from the pillow. However, I gently push her backward.
She asks, "You came after me?"
"I did. Not right away, but once I realized you weren't coming back. Last night in Kenza, my brother was talking me into going after you again, regardless of the fact I thought you had a boyfriend.” I shrug. “And then there you were looking gorgeous.” Grinning, I add, “I think you need to wear that dress again. For my eyes only, of course."
"Of course." She giggles, becoming silent. "Are you sure I'm okay being here." She puts her fingers over my mouth. "I don't mean because of your parents, I mean—"
I remove her hand and kiss her palm. “I know what you mean.”
22
Poppy
My heart thumps behind my breastbone as I feel the sincerity behind Jaxon’s words. He very slowly slips a hand beneath the sheet and spreads his fingers over our baby. The heat from him warms me in places that I shouldn’t be thinking about right now.
I mean, he's a sexy man and, lying here in bed with him, while I'm wearing only a thin barrier from his touch, hurts—the right kind of hurt. My limbs twitch, wanting to open wider and beg for his touch. I’ve always reacted this way to Jaxon—from the moment we met. Nothing has changed with how my body reacts to his closeness. I’m also sure Jaxon would have no issue with putting out the fire burning through me.
“You’re blushing,” he states, giving me a knowing look. “You’re enjoying having my hand on you.” He pauses and moves his face so close to mine that I feel his breath whisper against my lips. “Do you want to have my mouth on you, Poppy?”
“Mmm,” I moan staring at his mouth.
His lips brush softly back and forth along the seam of mine. “You know what I want right now, which isn’t going to happen, huh? I want you naked so I can touch every part of you. I want to cradle your belly in my hands while I enter you from behind. I want to make slow love to you in my bed.”
“Jaxon,” I whisper. “Being pregnant has made me really horny.” I press closer.
“Fuck, Poppy!” he hisses. “I’m trying to behave. You’re not helping.”
“I don’t want you to behave. I never have.”
Breathing heavily, Jaxon grabs my hips and moves me slightly away. “I want you too.” He takes my hand and presses it to the front of his jeans before quickly removing it. "I want you to rest." He kisses the tip of my nose. "Tonight though…my best behavior ends."
"You expect me to sleep now, you've turned me on?"
“You will sleep.” He brushes his fingers across my brow. “Because you have nothing to worry about. You’re where you belong with whom you belong.” He kisses my lips, albeit briefly—too briefly. “Sleep.”
Jaxon moves from the bed and leaves me alone in his room. Frustrated, I inhale deeply. There is part of me that admires him for walking away from me right now. I've been back in his life less than twenty-four hours. At least he accepted he was the father without one question. That hadn’t surprised me either.
He was good whereas I hadn’t wanted to be. My body has ached for Jaxon far longer than our one night together. There is also a small part, buried deep inside of me, that wonders if he’s doing this because I’m pregnant. Not because he wants me, but because he wants our child. With how he reacts to me, it's probably all in my mind. Worry hovers, and I can't get it out of my head.
Maybe I'm hormonal. I’m not usually one to worry.
Either way, I’m far from tired as I look around my new room. It’s a masculine room with dark wooden furniture: fitted closet, large desk, tallboy and, the bed I’m lying on. The bed is large and fills up a good size of the room, but there is still plenty of space to move around. The armchairs on either side of the room look comfortable. There’s even a footstool on my side of the bed. Beside the chair, an old Victorian lamp sits on a small round table. Cozy. Looking around, I can't decide whether or not his mom has decorated or Jaxon. It's so like Jaxon and suits him.
Rolling to my side, I close my eyes, feeling sleepy.