Have My Baby (Crescent Cove 1)

“Ally,” she said again. At this point, it was starting to become a chant.

“She’ll be here in a little while. Wouldn’t you like to be all dressed in your pretty party dress for her? She’s so excited to see it on you.”

Since the only reason Laurie even had a new party dress to wear was because of Ally taking pity on us and coming shopping with us last weekend, I’d wanted Laurie to be ready when Ally showed up. But naturally, my willful child was not having that. God forbid I demonstrate my competency at parenting even once per month.

Hell, per year at this rate.

“Wait for her.” Laurie changed tacts and decided to push the door shut, effectively shoving me into the hallway. I slammed a hand on the wood, halting her efforts. It wasn’t much of a victory, considering she was four and all, but hey.

“If you want to take a bath by yourself, fine. I’ll wait out here. But you have to start now. Your friends will be coming over soon and we can’t wait for Ally. She might be late.”

Or not come at all.

I didn’t truly think she’d bail on Laurie’s party. There was no denying Ally had been weird lately. Our Skype session had definitely gone in a surprising direction, though she’d still helped to plan Laurie’s party.

Forget helped. She’d asked all the questions and made most of the phone calls to make it happen. That was my girl. She got things done.

Even if she didn’t have nearly as much to say to me anymore.

Ever since I’d presented her with that contract—that was now collecting dust in my desk drawer where it belonged—she’d been…off. That was probably understandable, since it involved a big life change. And seeing her best friend in a different light, yadda, yadda. Then there was the girl processing thing she’d mentioned.

And she’d been a virgin.

Fuck, I’d been the only man to ever have her. Still couldn’t believe it.

I shut my eyes. I was not getting an erection right now. Just was not gonna happen.

Moving on.

We’d been on a damn roller coaster since that day. Having sex definitely represented the highs. We’d been together another two times over the past week, which wasn’t exactly optimal for pregnancy-achievement, but I was rolling with her schedule. She claimed she was busy. That was the same reason she gave for never staying for more than a few minutes afterward. A couple of nights ago, I’d made the mistake of falling asleep after we’d christened the couch.

Unsurprisingly, I’d awakened alone.

Most of the time, she was oddly quiet and not as eager to toss back her usual zingers. The one place she was uninhibited was in bed. Or against the wall, since that seemed to be our favored spot. We hadn’t actually done it in a bed again since the first time. I also hadn’t been able to lift her legs in the air again. That was all right. I was just as happy keeping my cock inside her until she squirmed. I was all about improvising.

“You stay out.” A thud against the door indicated my little girl was leaning against it. Apparently, shoving me into the hall wasn’t enough of a signal. She wanted me to get the message loud and clear.

Ally—awesome.

Daddy—major suck.

“The door needs to stay cracked if you’re getting in the tub. And you are getting in the tub, Lauren Elizabeth.”

The cry on the other side of the door surprised me less than the windy sigh and tap of heels. “This again?”

I turned to see Ally marching down the hall toward me, once again in heels, her hair up in some complicated knot thing and her dress…

Fuck, her dress was like sheer gauze or something. A pale lilac wrap that hugged her curves and made me harder than the wood my daughter was currently pounding against.

“Front door was unlocked.”

“Mmm.” I couldn’t currently speak, and from Ally’s little smirk, she knew what her outfit was doing to me. This wearing dresses thing of hers was all new.

I fucking loved it.

“Down, boy,” she said, pressing her knuckles against my chest as she grabbed the bathroom doorknob with her other hand. “Laurie, honey, it’s Ally. Can I come in?”

Moving quickly, I snaked my hand into the back of her hair and yanked her mouth to mine. I had to. There wasn’t conscious thought involved. She drove me to a point no other woman had before.