Page 81 of Keeping Score

“Between who?”

“You and the baby!” I snap.

Darius reels back like I slapped him. “Why the fuck are you choosing between us? That baby is half mine Goldie, and I’m not giving up on my kid without a fucking fight!” He roars, shocking me.

“Then why won't you look at me? For weeks you have been avoiding me?—.”

“Because every time I’m around, all I seem to do is make you cry and I fucking hate it. I never want to cause you pain, Leah but it seems that’s all I do lately.” His response stuns me to my core.

“You don’t make me sad. I love having you around,” I admit.

“Then why do you cry every time I touch your belly or talk to the baby? You always cry when you see me doing things in the nursery or talking to the guys about the baby?”

Tears trail down my cheeks and I bat them away. “Every time you touch my belly or speak to my belly, I cry because I never thought this would be my future.”

He gasps. “You don’t want our baby?” He asks in disbelief. I dart forward and grip his face between my frozen hands, but he doesn’t seem to notice how cold they are.

“I want this baby more than anything. I cry because I never thought I would ever get you back, halfback. Knowing I will be the mother to your child means everything to me. The tears I cry are happy tears and because I love you so fucking much, and it makes me emotional every time I see you doing things in the nursery for our baby. The pride I hear in your voice when you talk to my brother and the guys about our baby meanseverything to me. I just don’t want you to hate me for wanting this baby, and I know kids aren’t something you ever wanted, but—.” He silences me by pressing his mouth to mine. I melt into him instantly, but he pulls back before I can explore his mouth.

He rests his forehead against mine and smiles. I see nothing but love in those beautiful eyes as he stares at me. “I never wanted kids unless it was with you. I never wanted anything aside from you but now, I get two of you, and I couldn’t be happier, Goldie. You have given my life purpose, and I am so sorry for making you think I didn’t.”

“I love you too, so fucking much. Don’t ever leave me, Darius, because I won’t survive losing you.” I plead.

He places a chaste kiss on my lips. “Even in death, I would never leave you Leah. You’re my soul, the very fucking essence that makes me, me. Without you, I’m a shell baby. I was fucking petrified when I got home from picking Cody up from kindergarten for Corvin and Alexa and couldn’t find you. When you weren’t with your brother, I knew there was only one person you would have told.” I smile sheepishly, which just causes him to narrow his eyes. “That motherfucker took a lot of persuading, but in the end, Beckett gave up your location.”

“Darius, tell me you didn’t hurt him?” I chide. He scoffs and pulls back, puffing his chest a little.

“I didn’t do shit. Your brother broke his nose for letting you drive alone a month out from your due date.”

I balk at him. “What the fuck?” I snap.

Darius waves away my concern. “Now that I know you aren't leaving me, you better be prepared to make it up to me.”

“What?” I rasp out in outrage.

His face slackens. “Goldie, you took our fucking Mustang, which has my car keys on it so I had to ride my bike all the way up here in the fucking snow! My balls are frozen.” I bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling, which just has him glaring atme. “Get your ass up now. We’re going inside so you can give my dick mouth-to-mouth to revive it.” Laughter bursts out of me, and he grabs my hand, gently tugging me to my feet. The devilish glint in his eyes has me clenching my thighs. He stands in front of me with a lustful look in his eyes that has butterflies erupting inside me. “I love you, Leah Lockhart. Never fucking doubt that again. Because my world is nothing without you in it.”

I press up on my tiptoes and kiss him. His hands drop to my ass, and I gasp into his mouth, giving him the access he needs to tongue fuck my mouth.

“Fuck.” He growls as he breaks the kiss and drags me inside the house. He may want inside me more than his next breath, but he manages to find some restraint as he slows his pace and helps me up the stairs to our bedroom. He doesn’t bother closing the door behind us before he pounces on me. The second his tongue brushes mine, I’m done for. It’s been so long since I have felt him inside me. Our hands are manic as we tear each other’s clothes off. I step back to admire him, and instantly, I feel self-conscious. “Stop.”

“Huh?” He rolls his eyes, then turns and races out of the room. I stand here gaping at the sight of his naked ass running out of the room and wondering if the sight of me big and round is that much of a turn off. Before tears can gather, he rushes into the room a second later and my jaw unhinges at the sight.

“Still want to ride my face?” He asks, then winks.

Laughter bursts out of me. “Why are you wearing a Santa hat and elf ears?” I ask between fits of laughter.

He shrugs. “I saw it in your eyes, baby, never doubt your beauty because to me, you are still a 50/10, and I’ll live the rest of my life like a cocky fucker knowing I’m punching above the belt because I got the fucking grand prize of women.” My heart swells.

“You can keep the hat but lose the ears.” He shrugs and rids himself of the ears, then comes at me. The kiss consumes me and robs me of air. Feeling his bare skin against mine is euphoric and has more liquid heat gathering between my thighs. He gently lays me down on our bed and hovers above me, smiling. “What?”

“Nothing, I just can’t believe my life sometimes.” His words have tears pricking the backs of my eyes, but I fight to keep them back when he slowly trails kisses down my neck. When he moves to my nipples and blows his hot breath over them, I cry out. They are so sensitive lately and he loves it. When he sucks one into his hot wet mouth, I arch off the bed, pressing my belly against him. He switches sides and does the same, making me scream and squirm until he finally takes pity on me and moves lower. He pushes my legs open wider. My belly is so big I can’t even see over it to watch him. But I can feel it. The first of his tongue has me bucking my hips and withering with need.

“Darius.” I whimper. It’s been too long since I have come, and I know with every stroke of his tongue, I won’t be able to last.

“Give me what I want, baby.” He growls. I’m a puppet trying to defy its master, and I know it’s a fight I won’t win. Even after all these years, he is still the only person who can make me bend to his will with just one look. He pushes a finger inside me and hooks it to stroke that fucking sweet spot inside me, and I’m done for. He sucks my clit into his mouth, and I shatter with his name tearing from me. Stars dance in my eyes as he throws me over the cliff, but I know he’ll catch me.

“Halfback.” I rasp out as he shifts up my body, and I can see the residue of my orgasm on his chin and fuck, it makes me feel powerful knowing it's me that is covering his skin, and I still get to wake up next to this bad boy every day for the rest of my life.

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