Play Me (Take a Chance 3)

“TMI, dude. TMI.”

Mike laughed. “At least I’m not having a baby with your sister. I didn’t need to know everything worked down…there.”

Garrett ignored him and looked up the stairs, contemplating what Mike had said. Was it true? Was she starting to cave? If so, he hoped she would hurry up. Because if she didn’t give in soon…he just might break.

“All right, let’s get this stuff going.” He hopped down the stairs, his heart a little bit lighter than it had been moments before. “My room is her old office.”

“Got it.” Mike followed him outside. “And the baby will be…in the closet?”

Garrett grinned. “In the spare room, douche. Now let’s go get this place filled up with my junk.”

“Yeah, most of it is definitely junk,” Mike said, clapping him on the shoulder. “But, hey. Welcome home.”

Home. He’d finally, finally found a home. Their situation might be a little awkward…

But it felt pretty damn amazing, even so.

…

When Garrett flopped down on the couch beside her, Kiersten scooted over as far away from him as she could get. As if that would keep her safe or something. Chris was in bed, and it was just the two of them. All afternoon long, she’d watched him carry box after box up the stairs to his new room, and tried not to get all excited at the sheer determination he showed in being a part of her life…even before the baby came.

“Damn,” he moaned, laying his head back on the couch and closing his eyes. She took advantage of his closed eyes to look her fill. “I don’t think I even have enough energy left to shower.”

His bare chest was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and she longed to help him shower and wash it all off. Then, after they made love, he could hold her all night long, and never let her go. She snapped herself out of her fantasy and back into reality. She preferred the fantasy, thank you very much. “Yeah, you look pretty tired,” she agreed.

“I’m fucking beat.”

“I’m not, since you didn’t let me help,” she said. “You realize I’m pregnant, not useless, right?”

“Of course you’re not useless. You’re making a baby as we speak,” he said, grinning at her as he shot her a look out of the corner of his eye. “My baby girl.”

She touched her gently rounded stomach, in turn feeling her heartstrings tug. Damn her heart. But the way he’d said my baby girl sent waves of pleasure rolling through her—and not the kind she usually felt. No, it made her want to curl up in his lap and hug him. Tell him all of her fears, hopes, and dreams. Trust him. She cleared her throat and met his eyes, taken aback at the new feelings she was experiencing. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones? “It could be a boy, too.”

“Could be, but it’s not. She’s a girl, and she’s gonna look just like her mommy. Adorable and irresistible.”

His gaze dropped to her stomach, and his fingers twitched as if he wanted to touch her. But he held himself back this time. Why? “You can touch him if you want.”

He grinned and reached out, his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He laid his hands on her stomach, his touch gentle and barely there. “She’s perfect.”

Kiersten swallowed and looked away, warmed by the tender look in his eyes. Could he be any sweeter than he already was? She could only hope the child took after him when it came to the emotional part of his genetic make-up. Not screwed up in the head like her.

“Turn around. I’ll rub your shoulders for you.”

He stared at her, the warmth in his eyes turning to fire and his hands still on her. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“I promise I won’t do anything to sacrifice your virtue.” When he still didn’t move, she narrowed her eyes and spun her finger in a circle. “Spin. Now.”

He huffed out a breath and followed her order. She closed her fingers over his tight, damp shoulders and rubbed. He groaned and let his head drop forward, his entire body going lax. “Jesus, that feels amazing.”

“I know.” She grinned. “I’m good at this.”

“If I knew that, I’d have been begging for them every time we hung out.”

“I couldn’t let you know. It’s my best kept secret.”

He chuckled. “I’ll take it to the grave.”

And he would. She knew that. She could trust him. He would never—