Page 53 of Burning for the Truth

We go back into the bar and Zander acknowledges our presence. Brittney takes a seat beside me. “What are you going to do now?”

I take a deep breath, feeling it soothe me. “I’m going to live…and love with no regrets.”

She smiles at me and reaches for my hand as she swipes at a tear with the other. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Briella. And I’m happy you found closure.” She pauses. “Does that mean you’re going to try and make things work with Dean?”

I squeeze her hand. “If he’ll still have me. He told me he loves me, but I didn’t say it back, and everything went to hell. I told him when I got out of the gym, but we haven’t talked.”

“He does love you, Bree. I can see it in the way he looks at you. I think maybe he always has,” she says.

I smile. “I think you may be right. We’re going to talk and I’m going give him everything…the good and the bad, and show him my heart, once and for all.”

Brittney laughs through a few more tears, and as I reach forward to hug her, I catch sight of Tate and Hawk walking into the bar. They both see us, but just as she sees something when Dean stares at me, I see something when Hawk glances at her. I whisper in her ear, “Someone is staring at you.”

She turns to see for herself and freezes before facing me again with annoyance as she rolls her eyes. “I love you, Bree. Go get your man and tell me how it turns out. I want details.”

“I need details on that.” I gesture with my eyes toward Hawk as he slides into a booth across from Tate.

“There are no details there,” she says quickly before reaching across the bar and tying her apron around her waist again.

“Are you so sure?” I ask.

She turns to face me again. “Some things are worth fighting for, but trust me, anything between Hawk and me…it’s not.”

I hug her and whisper as I get ready to leave, “Never say never.”

“Dean, where are you?” I call as I walk into his house. It’s dark aside from a lamp in the living room.

He comes out of his bedroom. “Hey, sweetheart. I’m glad you’re home.” He wraps me in his arms before pulling back to kiss my lips. My heart pounds in anticipation.

“Are you ready to talk now?” he asks hopefully.

We need to but I’m already chickening out. I finger the chain and ring around my neck again. He looks at what I’m doing and stiffens slightly.

“Let’s spend one more night together before we talk. Today was tiring for me. I want to be able to talk with a fresh mind,” I tell him. I’m being a coward and I know it.

He looks so disappointed and heartbroken. I pull him back to me. “Come to bed with me? I need to feel your arms around me.” He nods but doesn’t say anything.

“I told Chief I needed a few more days off, so we’ll have a few more days to be in our own little bubble if you can stay off with me,” I tell him sweetly.

“I’ll make it happen for you, baby.”

Baby.The one word which has new meaning to me. We’re going to have a baby. I need one more night of him seeing me…like this before we add a baby into the equation. I’ve known since I was in the hospital after the fire at Wally’s. That’s when I found out. With all the tests they ran, it showed up. I’m only a few weeks along, but the knowledge of this baby has changed everything. What will Dean say? I assured him I was on birth control, and I was. Only a small percentage get pregnant while on the pill. But some things have a way of working out when they’re meant to be, whether it’s how you expected or not.

We crawl under the covers, and he kisses my neck before snuggling in beside me. “I love you, Briella.”

I smile. “I love you too, Dean.”

Morning comes and we spend most of the day snuggled in the bed. I run home and grab some clothes and other things from my apartment. He told me to take my time, he had to run some errands. He also told me to be ready to go out tonight, he wants to take me somewhere special.

I sure hope he still feels like sharing something special with me, because little does he know, he already is sharing the most special thing a man and woman can share together…a child.I pack a few things and shower at my apartment, and by the time I’m back at his house, he’s there and ready to go. I’m unsure what we’re doing tonight, but I wore a purple maxi dress with sandals.

He looks delicious. I’ve wanted him so badly this week, but it didn’t feel right when I was keeping this secret. He’s in jeans and cowboy boots, a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms, and his black hair is a bit unruly like he ran his fingers through it.

His stormy gaze swirls with desire. “Hi, sweetheart. I missed you.” He pulls me in his arms, and I feel heat rush to my center. I’m always drawn to him, but now, he’s irresistible. It’s like my body recognizes he fathered the child growing inside me. He kisses me so intimately it steals my breath.

When we pull apart, I grin. “I missed you too. What is it you wanted to show me?” I ask.

He grabs my hand. “Come with me.” He pulls me to his truck.

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