Holiday Baby Scandal

Ryker rolled over in bed. The canopy with white sheers draped all around the posts was definitely not his bed. This was Laney’s world, a world she’d graciously let him into.

No. Scratch that. A world she’d woven him into, and he was getting to the point where he wasn’t sure if he ever wanted to leave. It would be the smart thing to do, but he had needs, damn it...and he wasn’t just talking physical.

He had no clue what time it was, but the sun wasn’t up yet. The soft glow from Laney’s phone had him squinting to see what she was looking at.

Baby furniture. Something twisted in his gut. All this time he’d been worried about their safety, about how he’d handle Mac and Braden. The reality was this child would need things. Probably lots of things he had no damn clue about. But he’d learn. He refused to be a deadbeat dad like his had been. Ryker would go out of his way to make sure his child, and the mother of his child, was comfortable and wanted for nothing.

Ryker slid an arm around Laney’s waist, flattening his palm on her stomach. “I’ll buy whatever you want,” he murmured, nuzzling the side of her neck.

The warmth of her body penetrated him, never failing to warm areas that had been iced over for years.

“I can get the things for the nursery.” She scrolled through a variety of white cribs. “I really want yellow and white, no matter the sex. I can always add accent pieces once we find out what we’re having.”

Ryker swallowed. This was a conversation he never, ever thought he’d be having...especially with his best friends’, his employers’, little sister.

“Do you care what we have?” Laney turned her head slightly to look at him.

Ryker eased back. “I hadn’t thought about it, actually.”

Blowing out a soft breath, she turned back toward her phone. “No, I’d say you haven’t. This isn’t something that excites most men, and when you weren’t wanting a baby at all—”

Ryker lifted enough to roll her beneath him until she was on her back and staring up at him. He rested his hands on either side of her head.

“A baby may not have been on my radar before now, but that doesn’t mean even for a second that I’m not excited about this life, Laney.”

Her face lit up. Her brows rose, a smile spread on her lips. “You’re excited?”

Hell. He hadn’t realized he was excited until he’d said the words aloud.

“I am. I’m scared as hell, though. I haven’t thought about the sex because it doesn’t matter to me.” Ryker kissed her softly. “All that matters is you two are safe, healthy, happy. That’s my goal here, Laney.”

Cupping the side of his face, she stared back at him. Her brows were drawn in, the happiness in her face vanished.

“I’m scared for you,” she murmured. “When Braden and Mac—”

He silenced her with his lips. “I’m not worried about them.”

“They won’t like this.” She blinked as moisture gathered in her eyes. “They’ll blame you, and I’ve been half in love with you my whole life, and Miami was—”

“Amazing.” He nipped at her lips, her chin, along her jawline. “Miami had been coming for a long time. There was no way I could’ve avoided you forever.”

The screen on her phone went dim, plunging the room into darkness. He settled perfectly between her spread thighs.

“I can resist many things in this world, but you’re not one of them.” He ran his lips along the side of her neck as she arched her body against his. “I’m only human, Laney. And I can only ignore my body for so long. I’ve told you before, I’m a selfish bastard.”

“No, you’re not. You’re one of the most giving people I know.” Her arms and legs encircled him as he slid into her. “You know this is more than just the baby and chemistry between us, right?” she asked.

Ryker stilled for a second before moving his hips slowly. “I can admit that, yes. But beyond that, let’s just—”

“I know. Concentrate on now.” She returned his thrust with a quicker pace. “I’m all for what’s happening right now.”

But they would get back to this topic later, he knew.

Ryker framed her face between his hands again and covered her mouth with his. He’d never wanted to take his time like this, never wanted to enjoy the process of getting to the climax. Fast and frantic had been just fine with him. Slow, passionate...that meant getting more emotionally involved.

And God help him, he had plunged headfirst into this...whatever this was...with Laney.

Her nails bit into his back. She opened her mouth fully for him, completely taking him in every way she could. There was a fire, a burning for her that hadn’t been there before. The all-consuming need he’d had in the past was nothing compared to right here, right now. She was taking him and wrapping him into her perfect world where she believed such things as love actually existed.