A Baby for the Bear (Wylde Brothers 1)

12

February stared at her cell for the hundredth time since she decided it was time to call Charlie. His number was written on a scrap when she scribbled it down after finding it on one of the many Wylde Construction signs posted throughout the town.

She let herself have some time to get used to the idea that she was pregnant, had even made an appointment with one of the town’s shifter clinics. Her pregnancy was in the very early stages, but a shifter’s pregnancy only lasted two-thirds of a human’s gestation. In less than six months, she would have Charlie’s baby.

She set her phone on the table and placed the slip of paper with his number beside it. Reaching into her purse, she took out one of the ultrasound pictures the clinic had given her. The baby looked like a piece of rice, but warmth settled inside her every time she looked at it.

It was real, but looking at the picture of her baby seemed to cement everything inside her. Setting the picture on the other side of her phone, she looked among the three items. Why was this so hard for her?

Because what if he is the hard asshole everyone in town makes him out to be? What if he wants nothing to do with you or this baby? And what if he denies it is even his?

In all honesty, she couldn’t blame him if his reaction was the latter. She had gone home with him, a virtual stranger, even if she knew of him by reputation. No doubt, that made her look like some kind of slut, regardless of the fact that she had never done something like that in her life.

There had just been something about him that called to her. She always went with her instincts, and they had been screaming for her to let the gorgeous bear take her home. But then again, look at how well that worked out.

“Quit being so weird about it. You’re a grown woman. He’s a grown man. This kind of thing happens all the time.” Yeah, talking to herself wasn’t helping matters. She picked up her phone, but before she could swipe her finger across the screen and dial his number, she got an incoming call. The number that flashed in front of her had her heart racing.

It was the same number she saw on the construction billboards in town, and the same one she had been staring at on that scrap piece of paper for the past several days.

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Just answer it already before it goes to voicemail. Ary ran her finger across the screen and brought it up to her ear. “Hello?” Why did she sound so out of breath and shaky? Because she was nervous as hell.

“February?” God, there was something about his voice and the way he said her full name that made everything inside her tingle with awareness. She heard it replay over and over again in her head, but actually hearing the smooth baritone of it over the phone was so much more satisfying.

He said her name all smooth-like, and all she could think about was being beneath him as he pounded all that hard flesh into her.

“Yeah, this is Ary.” Oh Lord, she sounded ridiculous. Closing her eyes and slapping her hand over them, she breathed out and prayed he didn’t hear the nervousness through her voice. His chuckle told her she failed miserably at trying to hide it.

“I’m glad to know I’m not the only one nervous about this phone call.”

What? Really?

“Listen, let’s just forget about how strange all this is and relax, yeah?” He made it sound so easy, but really, wasn’t it?

No, you stupid girl. Remember, you planned on calling him to tell him you’re pregnant with his child?

“Ary, you there?” How long had she left him hanging on the line? Taking a deep, steadying breath, she placed her hand on her rounded belly, which had nothing to do with the baby growing inside her, and forced her voice to stay steady.

“Yeah, I’d like that.” She heard him exhale and wondered if he had been holding it in. It was strange that she could sense how nervous he was through the phone. It went against everything she had ever heard about him and what she experienced when she spent those few blissful hours being consumed by him.

“Good, that’s real good. Maybe you’d want to meet up and get something to eat? I’d like to talk with you, if that’s all right?” Well, if this wasn’t turning out easier than she thought. She hadn’t been the one to call him and ask him to meet, but that led to the realization that when she agreed, because there was no option against that, she would have to come clean. She looked at the ultrasound picture again.