Page 59 of Sometimes You Fall

“But you need to understand something, Scottie,” he says, moving closer to me instead of the door. When he’s only a few inches from me, he tips my chin up with two of his fingers and places his other hand on my bump, drawing a gasp from me.

It’s the first time he’s touched me—while pregnant, that is—and my body is eager for more instantly. A wave of security wafts through me, like I can let my guard down just because he’s near.

But the truth is, he’s the person I need it for the most.

“You can pretend like you are mad at me for being here, but I think you’re just scared to accept my help and care,” he says, making me feel like he can see right through me. “All I keep wondering is if I’m doing enough for you, if there’s something you need that I can give you because I feel helpless in this situation, and Ihatethat fucking feeling. I can’t grow our kid, Scottie.” He shakes his head with a pinch in his brow. “I can’t fucking help you with that, but Icantake care of you, so that’s what I’m going to do. And you.Can’t. Stop. Me.” He punctuates the last four words, making his point clear. “You need ice cream at midnight? Text me. You want your feet rubbed after a long day? I’ll be at your house in fifteen minutes. And if you need anything else to help you relax,” he says with a suggestive smirk, “I can help with that too.” Licking his lips, he drops his eyes to my mouth and then back up to my gaze before saying, “Eagerly.”

My knees threaten to buckle and my mouth gets dry before I swallow hard to coat my throat. I dart out my tongue to lick my lips, hating how his eyes dip right to the sight again, making me wish he’d just kiss me, toss me onto my desk, and fuck me into next week.

The hormones are increasing in my body at an alarming rate. I knew it earlier this week when I whipped out my vibrator and got myself off twice before I passed out the other night.

“Thank you,” I say instead, knowing he at least deserves that from me.

The corner of his mouth lifts and then he takes a step back, satisfied with himself and the law he just laid down. “You’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, at six. Chase will be there.” Tomorrow is Wednesday, so my son is scheduled to work at the garage again. It seems to be working out well around his baseball practices and games, the last of which they won last night.

“Okay. See you then.”

Grady leaves my office finally, giving me a moment to breathe before Alaina comes sauntering in. “Uh, was that Grady Reynolds?”

“Yeah.” I sigh, moving back to my seat as I plop down in my chair, rubbing my stomach again.

“What was he doing here?” she asks, looking borderline starstruck. And I guess when a former MLB player moves back to the small town he grew up in, he is a little like a celebrity.

“Grady is my baby’s father,” I reply, gesturing to my bump.

Alaina’s eyes go wide. “Damn, girl.”

“Yeah. We, uh, were good friends in high school, and now…”

Alaina smirks. “So I take it he’s taking his role in all of this seriously?”

“Ha. Yeah, a little too seriously.” I point to the bag on the floor. “He dropped off a care package.”

“Jesus. Marry him, Scottie,” she declares, catching me off guard before snapping her fingers. “Marry him right now.”

“What?”

“You’d be crazy not to. I mean, do you know how many single women in this town throw themselves at him every day?”

Just the mention of other women going after Grady has my pulse spiking. “Are you serious?”

“Oh yeah. It’s embarrassing, really. I once saw him in the grocery store, and some woman ran her cart into a display of soda, knocking the entire thing over because I swear, she was trying to do the bend and snap from Legally Blonde to catch his attention.”

I snort, and not in a classy way. Once I get ahold of myself, I reply, “I’m not going to marry the man just because I’m pregnant, Alaina.”Been there, done that.

She fakes a pout. “But you’d be living out the dream.”

“What dream?”

“The one where you marry the guy who was always just your friend, who also happens to be a famous former athlete, and is smoking hot, and then knocked you up one hot, steamy night together, tying you to one another for all eternity when you were really meant to be together all along.”

I laugh at her. “That’s the dream?”

“I mean, it’s a mix of a few, for sure.” She shrugs with a smile on her lips.

“My goal is to keep things as simple as I can, and that means no feelings and no marrying Grady.”

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