Dirty Bad Boys Box Set: Forbidden Romance Collection

But, of course, I wouldn’t think of telling him that, and instead, I poke fun at him.

“Geez, Jerk, wouldn’t hurt you to hit the gym once in a while.”

“I ran ten blocks,” he responds, exasperated. “In an Armani suit.”

I roll my eyes at his melodrama and walk into the room. My cheeks start to flush as I think of having to change into the gown. Thankfully, Sandra senses my embarrassment and leads me to the bathroom inside the room where I quickly change into my gown. Walking back into the room, my bare body lays beneath the thin material and feels extremely exposed.

Ignore that he is right beside you, because it’s not like he has X-ray vision!

I cross to the other side of the bed as Sandra assists me with getting comfortable. The sheets are placed strategically over Kitty, and the Jerk takes a seat beside me as the warm lube is spread all over my belly.

“That’s a lot of lube,” he snickers under his breath.

“So mature, Jerk.”

The volume is turned up on the machine, and Sandra moves around my uterus until the baby’s heartbeat echoes throughout the room. It’s like music to my ears, and my eyes move towards the screen as I watch the images of what looks like a happy little baby cooped up inside.

“So the baby is measuring correctly,” she tells us, typing in the measurements as she speaks.

Haden is staring at the screen, fixated on the baby. “Can you tell us what the sex is?”

“I sure can.” She smiles.

“Don’t tell him. I don’t want to know.” I shake my head.

“You can’t decide that for me.”

“Seriously, what the hell is your problem? You think I’m hormonal, what about you? You’re such a jerk!”

Sandra pauses and looks at the both of us. “So yes . . . no?”

“No,” I say at the same time he says yes.

I speak up again. “Absolutely not. If you want to know, then I’ll leave the room.”

“Not yet, Miss Malone. I just wanted to talk about the position. The baby is breech. However, there is still time to turn.”

In a blind panic, I ask, “Is there anything I can do to help the baby turn?”

“Your obstetrician may be able to assist, but the best thing you can do is relax and enjoy the rest of the pregnancy. Any previous concerns we had don’t seem to be an issue anymore.”

She spends longer checking the baby and its progress, and I forget the Jerk is even in the room. I only remember he is here when I hear him clear his throat. Something about the way he is amorously staring at the screen consumes me. He’s lost in a moment where his soul becomes an open book, and I see a man who is capable of loving this unborn child more than himself. It moves me, yet I break away from these thoughts. This line of thinking is dangerous, because deep inside, my walls are breaking down and he is the giant wrecking ball ready to do damage.

It takes every part of me to turn away from this beautiful sight and move myself off the bed.

Haden reaches out his hand to help me, but stubborn old me refuses to touch him, and I almost fall off the bed.

“Jesus, can you seriously stop being so stubborn and allow me to help you?”

I hold onto my stomach as a small cramp hits.

“I told you. I don’t want anything from you. My goddamn mailman is more reliable than you!” I snap, unsure of where it’s coming from after such a special moment.

In his typical signature move, he runs his hands through his hair, disheartened. I am tired of arguing with him, and something tells me this is only the beginning. The two of us just can’t get along, it’s that plain and simple.

“I didn’t tell you that David, or as you call him, Mr. Sadler, is my stepdad because I don’t like anyone knowing.”

Thrown off by the change of subject, I attempt to listen rather than open my big fat mouth for once. Sandra gives us some time alone to gather our things and leaves the room to attend to another appointment.