Page 55 of Hidden By His Side

She grew stiff in his arms, a shiver running through her. “I do hate myself.”

It broke his heart that she did.

“I hate the hole inside me that needs more. More love, more attention, more of everything!” She tried to scramble away.

Ramiro caught her but didn’t pull her close. He stared into her face, her nostrils flared, her skin flushed red from her anger. Anger at herself.

“I’m never satisfied either, Summer. I always want more.” He tilted her back, forcing her to meet his eyes. “I always want more of you.”

Her bottom lip trembled. “I’ll never be enough for you.”

This woman. She would never accept the truth, but he would never stop trying to make her. “You’re more than enough, Summer. You’re everything. I’m the one who’s addicted.” He leaned closer. “You’re never going to get away from me, baby girl.”

She shook her head in denial, but her eyes were wide and dazed.

He swallowed, his needs simmering. He would scare her if he pounced on her like the desperate man he was. Instead, he tugged her down over him, wrapping her up in a hug.

“We’ve gotten off track. We were talking about the baby.”

“I’m sorry,” she choked out.

He brushed his hand over her hair. “What are you sorry for now, baby girl?”

“Everything.”

He had been afraid of that. All he could do was touch her. Even when all his words failed, Summer loved to be touched. Especially her hair. She loved when he stroked his hands through it.

“Mostly, I’m sorry you have to deal with all of this.”

He let out a grunt, wanting to argue with her again, but swallowing the words.

New ones formed. “Tell me something. If this baby is a little girl, and she grew up and asked for something she wanted, a toy maybe, how would you treat her?”

Summer remained silent.

“Would you tell her she’s selfish? Just for wanting something?”

“She would be,” Summer whispered.

“So, you’d tell her that?”

Summer let out her breath, shaking her head against his still stroking hand. “No. I’d give her whatever she wanted.”

Ramiro nuzzled her head. “I would, too.”

She snorted. “Of course you would. You’d spoil her rotten.”

Ramiro smiled against her hair. If she had a little girl with pale-blonde hair and a smile that lit up the room when it was genuine, just like Summer, damn right he’d spoil her.

The thought rooted inside his chest. A part of him now wanted the baby growing inside of Summer to be a girl.

Chapter 18

Summer had fantasized about going into the office with Ramiro for a long time. It felt so couple-like. Especially when he held her hand on the drive there.

She made his coffee just the way he liked it—mostly black with a splash of cream. The twisting ache inside her stomach settled when she brought it to him.

Life was back to normal.

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