“A desperate one, okay? I’m not … proud of it.” He ran fingers through his hair. He hadn’t openly been deceptive. Whenever he should have reached for a condom, he didn’t. Simple as that. It wasn’t because of him being a dick, or anything like that.
When it came to Gina, he wanted it all.
He had these feelings when he was a kid, before he went to high school, where he fucked everything up.
“Yeah, well, now you’re telling me she’s got morning sickness.”
A few times this week, she’d been running to the bathroom, throwing up in the morning, but come evening, she’d been fine, cooking at the stove and welcoming him home with a warm smile.
Gina couldn’t cook well, but she tried.
“What do I do?” Jared asked.
“You’ve got to tell her the truth.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not doing that.”
“Dude, Gina’s a smart girl. She’s going to be able to figure out that she’s pregnant, then what?” he asked. “What will you do?”
“I’ll handle this.”
“Are you even ready for a kid? For all of this?”
“I’m ready for Gina,” Jared said.
Phil’s brows rose. He started to chuckle. “Put those big guys down.”
“Are you serious?” Phil asked. “You want … Gina, like for real? As your wife?”
“She is the only one I do want.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, wow,” Jared said.
He gripped the back of his neck, knowing how fucked up this was. This was the story of his and Gina’s life. He fucked up by making a stupid, rash decision, and Gina, well, as a kid, she fixed everything. That was how they worked.
She always said that he had the best of intentions, and even now, he did.
He loved Gina.
Even with their time apart. Seeing her for the first time in years, he’d been hit by that love once again. It never faded. He knew it never would. It was why he made sure no one asked her out in high school. The guys never paid her any attention, and if they so much as tried, they ended up in his bad books.
No one had Gina. No one but him.
He loved her. Had done so since he was a kid.
“Look, I don’t exactly agree with this. I feel that you’ve been a bit of a dick, but if that is what you want, then I will stand by you. I will always stand by you.”
Jared nodded at his friend, but the truth was, he was still fucking scared. Gina had every single right to turn her back on him. To keep him out in the dark, and the very thought of her doing that left him feeling empty and cold.
He was a fucking moron for what he’d done.
Phil gave his shoulder a squeeze before he left the office, and Jared collapsed into the only available chair. What had he done?
Later, there was a knock on the door, and he glanced up to see Gina there, holding a small box.
“Surprise?” she said hesitantly.
“What’s this for?”
“I wanted to apologize for being off my game this week.” She stepped into the office. “So, don’t worry, I didn’t bake this. I went to the local bakery down the street and saw your favorite, or at least it was your favorite when we were kids … double chocolate fudge cake.”
He repeated the words along with her and looked into her brown eyes.
They shared a smile.
He adored this woman. Always had.
She stepped toward him and placed the cake in front of him.
He lifted the lid and saw it was a smallish cake, but it had been cut into several different pieces.
“You didn’t have to do this,” Jared said.
“I know. But I wanted to.” She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I even got them to cut it for you, so it’s easier for you to grab a piece.”
Gina went to stand up, but Jared needed her, and the dress she wore was floaty enough for him to force her to straddle his waist.
“Jared? Not here.”
They had already had sex in this very office less than a month ago. “I’m not going to fuck you. I just want to hold you.”
She smiled at him, resting her hands on his shoulders. “How’s work?”
“Busy.”
“Will I see you tonight?”
“We live together, Gina. You’re always going to see me.”
She rolled her eyes. “I mean because of all the work you’ve got to do.”
“I’ll be home.”
He didn’t want to let her go, and he feared the moment she discovered the truth that it would be over between them.
Chapter Six
Gina looked out of the kitchen window to see Jared outside with her father. Her parents had returned from their cruise a few weeks ago. They’d looked so good, happy, and refreshed. They both possessed a nice tan from days of sunbathing and lapping up all that Vitamin D.
“It’s nice to see Jared around again,” her mother said.
Gina rolled her eyes as she turned toward her. “Subtle.”