Page 40 of Pretty Little Disaster

“Well, since you have his child in your uterus, I figure sharing a bed with him wouldn’t be an issue… and youdidsupply the luxury transport.” She slides her sunglasses back down from her hair and points her face toward the sun.

I step out onto the beach after taking an afternoon nap, and as I tie my sarong around my hips I try not to stare Nic in his swimming trunks. His body is perfectly defined from all those hours he spends in his home gym. His olive skin has a light sheen of sweat over it from the volleyball match he’s having with Cass and the boys, and he immediately abandons it when he notices me standing by one of the sun loungers.

“Have a good nap?” He jogs toward me, immediately placing his palm flat against my stomach. I’m wearing a bikini for the first time since I started to show and it feels kind of strange having it on full display. Nic constantly tells me how much he likes it, so I’m trying my best not to feel self-conscious… I guess I need to get used to it, it’s only going to get bigger over the coming months.

“I had agreatnap. You guys seem to be having fun.” I’m pleasantly surprised that he’s joined in, especially since I know he hasn’t come here to be social.

“Cass insisted, and the numbers were uneven,” he explains, rolling his eyes and reaching down for the sunscreen. After pouring a healthy amount into his hands, he starts dutifully spreading it over my stomach.

“Nic, that’s factor 50. I’d like to leave here with some form of a tan.” I shove his hands away.

“I’m not having my baby suffer third-degree burns because you want a sun tan.” He gets back to smothering me.

“You really are extra.” I give up and shake my head, standing like a child while he covers my arms and my legs too.

“I’m making more margaritas. Who wants one?” Cass steps away from the net and picks up the pitcher that's on the table beside her lounger and when the boys follow after her, both their eyes fall awkwardly to my middle.

“What’s wrong, never seen a pregnant woman before?” Cass calls them both out and makes my cheeks flush.

“Not in a bikini.” Jonah steers his eyes directly to the floor. While Wes makes no attempt to hide his fascination.

“How far along are you, now?” His hand reaches out as if he intends to place it on me, but Nic quickly swats it away.

“That’s mine, you can look but you’ll lose your fingers if you fucking touch,” he warns, grabbing my hips so he can position me with my back against his chest. He kneads them deep as he applies sunscreen to my shoulders while Wes and Jonah stare at me as if I’m some kind of exhibit.

“If it makes you feel uncomfortable, I brought a bathing suit,” I tell them, starting to feel like this was a bad idea.

“You're not changing, you look great,” Nic assures me, shocking the hell out of me when his fingers slide through my hair and he starts to braid it.

“No, don’t change, you look… ho—” Jonah quickly elbows Wes to cut him off.

“Fine. You look fine.” Wes recovers himself before looking back out toward the ocean.

“Where did you learn to braid hair?” I ask Nic when he finishes tying it off with the hair band he slides off his wrist.

“Well, I figured there’s a fifty percent chance I have a daughter in there, so I’ve been practicing on the girls,” he explains, looking proud of what he’s achieved as he tucks a few loose strands behind my ear.

“What girls?” A pang of jealousy and a sting behind my eyes comes all at once.

“Isa and Carlotta….and I’ve had to learn fast because neither of those two can sit still for more than five minutes,” he laughs, sliding his hand over my head before he pulls me closer and kisses my temple.

“That’s really sweet.” I turn around and stare up at him with that sting still in my eye, and a warmth in my chest.

Fucking hormones.

NIC

Ilie back on the sun lounger and watch Lorna standing thigh-deep in the glistening water, casually stroking her tummy as she talks to her friend. She’s even wearing the sun hat I insisted she couldn’t leave the shade without. Thankfully, she’s becoming much more tolerant of my ways, it makes it so much easier to take care of her when she’s being cooperative.

“So, you work for Dario DeMarco. Do you have a gun?” Wes asks as he takes in the same stunning view as I am. I want to scoop his eyeballs out for the way he’s looking at the mother of my child but I promised myself, and Lorna, that I’d behave myself during this trip, so I allow him to admire what's mine.

“I have several.” I make sure there's a hint of threat in my tone.

“That’s so cool, you ever had to use it?” He sits up and takes a sip of his cocktail.

“Once or twice.” I shrug.

“Don’t you find it weird, you know, fucking her while she’s got a kid in there?” Wes’s eyes remain fixated on my girl, making it progressively harder for me to keep that promise I made her.

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