Holding You Close (Ex-Con Duet 4)

“Okay, fair enough,” I say, grabbing the soap. “I just love the idea of you carrying my child. So goddamn stunning.”

“As sweet as that is…” She grins. “It also comes with weeks of morning sickness, body aches, back pain, and pretty soon, you’ll be putting on my shoes. And the waddling.” She sighs.

“You’re a cute waddler. Plus, it tells everyone who sees your precious belly that you’re mine.” I move the curtain back so I can see her, and she blushes.

“Alright, caveman. Finish your shower. Imma try to find something to wear and get dressed.”

Once I’ve cleaned up, I head into Katie’s room and watch her dig through her closet. Since I’ve practically moved in after finding out she was pregnant, most of my clothes are here so I find a clean pair of jeans and a black T-shirt.

“Would you mind checking on the pot roast? I gotta blow-dry my hair and put on my face still. Oh!” She spins around before walking out. “Can you also make sure Owen’s ready? He was supposed to change out of his school clothes and into his new shirt.”

“I got it, baby. Go do your thing.” I move behind her and wrap my palm around her throat. Carefully, I squeeze, making sure I only press on the sides of her esophagus so I don’t hurt her. “Just know that whatever you’re wearing, I’ll be thinking of removing it,” I whisper in her ear, then kiss her neck.

She shivers with a moan. “You’re such a tease.”

I chuckle, then release her. “Just giving you a teeny tiny sample of how I felt during my youth. Blue balls for years.”

She turns around with an eye roll. “Don’t even get me started on whose fault that was.”

“Both of ours,” I quip, flashing her a wink as I walk backward toward the door. “I think I made up for it, though.” I point my head toward her baby bump.

“Times two,” she taunts before I go to the living room.

“Hey, Owen. Did you change out of your school clothes?”

“Not yet,” he says with his eyes glued to the TV.

I walk in front of it, crossing my arms. “Okay, can you please go do it now? Everyone will be here soon.”

Owen leans to one side, then the other as he tries to see behind me. “I will.”

“No, now please.”

Finally, he looks at me and huffs. “You aren’t my dad. I don’t have to listen to you.”

My brows shoot up in shock. He’s never talked to me this way before, and I’m not really prepared for how to respond.

“I didn’t say I was, but your mother asked you to change, and since you haven’t, now I’m telling you. So you either do what you’re told or you lose TV privileges all weekend.”

“You can’t do that.” He scowls.

“I sure can.” I stand my ground, keeping eye contact with him. Owen and I have a great relationship, but there have been so many changes recently, and he’s not been taking them as well as we’d hoped. Between the news of the babies, me being here a lot more, and talking about moving soon, he might not be getting enough attention.

“Whatever.” He rolls his eyes, slams the remote down, then walks away. I contemplate stopping him so we can sit and talk about what’s going on, but I promised Katie I’d finish getting dinner together. However, as soon as it’s just the two of us again, I’m going to make sure we discuss everything.

“Is it done?” Katie asks as soon as I take the pot roast out of the oven.

“Looks done to me.” I set it on the counter. “Smells delicious too.” Katie rounds the counter and stands next to me to look. “So do you.”

“Thank you.” She rises on her tiptoes and merges her lips with mine. “I overheard you and Owen.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I’m a mom. I hear everything.” She smirks. “You handled it well, by the way. I’m sure you weren’t expecting that.”

“No, I really wasn’t. I feel bad I had to put my foot down.” I frown. “I don’t want him to hate me.”

“He’s testing you, well—us. Owen’s never had a man live with us before, and if you don’t set boundaries, he’ll walk all over you. He’s ten, going on sixteen and is trying to see what he can get away with. When he realized he couldn’t talk back to you, he did what you asked. But don’t worry, he won’t hate you. Owen’s always adored you, Noah.”

“He said I wasn’t his father,” I say softly. “Does he think I’m trying to replace him?”

Katie shrugs, opening the fridge. “Possibly, but I’ll talk to him. I’ve been so busy and not spending as much time with him so—”

“I’d like to talk to him first, if possible.”

“Sure, that’s fine. Or we can talk to him together if you want?”