Page 14 of Curvy Girl and the Ex-Military Firefighter

He starts the engine, throwing one last look at the house.

"You sure? Your aunt's probably now watching from the window, planning our wedding."

"Let her." The words slip out before I can stop them.

When he pulls back, there's something different in his eyes. Something that makes my heart race.

"My place it is," he says softly. "We've got some planning to do anyway."

"Have you told anyone else?" Max asks as we pull onto the highway.

I fidget with my seatbelt. "Just Autumn. Are you mad I told her first?"

He glances at me, surprise written across his face.

"Mad? Nah, that's like, best friend code or something." A pause. "She hasn't told Ashton, has she?"

"Not sure, why?"

"Because that man can't keep a secret to save his life. He'd have the whole station knowing before I got back for my next shift." He lets out a breath, leaning his head back against the seat. "I still can't wrap my head around it. Me, a dad."

I stare out the window, watching pine trees blur past. "I can't believe you're so okay with all of this."

"You should've expected better from me," he says softly.

"Maybe." I turn back to him. "But I've heard so many stories. Men who swear they're all in, then get cold feet when it gets real. I thought..."

"That I'd run for the hills?" His hand finds mine across the console. "Emma, this is it for me. This is the next chapter. Being with you, being a father, watching our kid grow up – that's everything I’ve always wanted."

My throat tightens. Damn, hormones are making me cry again.

"Besides," he adds, squeezing my fingers, "soldiers don't run. We march forward."

"I can't believe we got here in just a month," I say, watching his profile as he drives.

"Best month of my life." He glances at me quickly. "Knew you were special the second I saw you."

Heat creeps up my neck. "I felt it too, but..." I bite my lip, embarrassed. "I thought you'd be gone after that first night. You know, hit it and quit it."

"What?"

"I mean, I was shocked when you stayed the whole night. Even more shocked when you called after your shift."

His brow furrows. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" I gesture vaguely at him. "Hot firefighter who probably has women throwing themselves at him daily. Why would you stick around for the chubby blonde teacher?"

His knuckles whiten on the steering wheel. "Emma—"

"I'm just saying—"

"No," he cuts me off, eyes fixed on the road ahead. "You're perfect. Every curve, every inch. And our chemistry?" He shakes his head. "I couldn't walk away from that if I tried."

I stare at my hands in my lap. "Even when I'm as big as a house?"

"Especially then." His voice drops lower. "Because you'll be carrying our baby, and that's the sexiest thing I can imagine."

The way he says 'our baby' makes my heart skip.

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