Page 89 of Hidden By His Side

He pulled her face into his chest, nuzzling into her hair. “Forever, baby girl. You have me forever.”

His chest muffled her words, making him strain to hear her. “So I’m enough?”

“You’re more than enough.” He’d told her that before, but he would say it every day if that was what she needed to hear.

“Even if I cling and whine?”

“Cling away.” His arms banded around her, wanting her as close as he could get. “Whine all you want. Ask me for anything and everything.” He kissed her hair. “I’m yours. I’ve always been yours; we were both just too scared to see it.” He rolled them to their sides, hitching closer to her so his softening cock wouldn’t slip out. “I’m not scared anymore. I won’t push you away again. I promise.”

Summer began to cry.

“Oh, baby girl,” he whispered, holding her as sobs shook her body.

Ramiro let her tears soak into his skin. He’d seen her cry so many times over the years. These tears felt different. They felt like relief and acceptance and hope, all rolled into one.

Summer cuddled with Ramiro on the couch while they watched reruns. They’d spent most of their Saturday having sex. A thrill curled in her stomach. Ramiro had completely let go and used her body, and she felt fantastic, except for the way her face ached from crying so much.

She was such a crybaby sometimes, but Ramiro didn’t seem to mind. He’d been touching her in some way all day, and she couldn’t get enough.

That scared her. He’d said all the right things, but if she let go, if she let him see how needy she was all the time, he’d finallyrealize the truth. He could never love her enough to fill the black hole inside her.

She’d have to make sure she was never too much so he’d never have a reason to stop loving her.

Her fingers curled between his where they rested on her stomach. She’d been avoiding touching her belly, not wanting the reminder of what was growing inside. Giving up the baby was the next step in keeping Ramiro. She needed to stop making excuses and set up an appointment with one of the adoption agencies.

Someone else would give her daughter all the love she could ever want. Why did that make Summer sad? She’d never wanted a baby. Ramiro was enough for her.

Their interlocked hands over her belly made her chest tighten. She wished she had a slight bump, something they could both touch and feel.

Ramiro would be a gentle father. She could almost picture it, after seeing the way he held Emma, even if he had been annoyed and uncomfortable.

Summer had been leaking his cum all day. His seed was inside her, and a part of her had been disappointed that it couldn’t take hold, that she couldn’t have that part of Ramiro forever.

The thought was ridiculous. Ramiro didn’t want kids. He wouldn’t have fucked her without a condom if she hadn’t been knocked up.

Summer released his hand, pushing to sit up so that it would fall away. “Are you hungry? I can make us something.”

“I could eat.” Ramiro stroked his hand down her arm. “But you don’t have to make anything. I’ll order in.”

“No, let me make it,” she said, escaping to the kitchen.

She should have expected Ramiro to follow her, his eyes watching, worry back in them. She constantly made him worry.

Hiding her face in the open fridge, she grabbed the fixings for tacos. That was quick and easy, even if she made the guacamole herself, and Ramiro would like it. He’d looked excited when she’d picked it out at the store.

After setting everything on the kitchen island, she set the pan on the burner to warm for the meat. Turning back, she watched Ramiro nudge the lime, making it roll against the cutting board.

“The app said your daughter is the size of a lime now.” He smiled down at the fruit.

Summer’s chest ached at that smile.

“It’s still so small.” He stared at that lime like it had the answers to the world.

Her hand hovered over her stomach before falling away. ‘Your daughter,’ he’d said. Like it was always going to be hers.

She couldn’t keep it. That would be reckless. For the baby, and for her relationship with Ramiro.

Relationship? Is that what they had? It felt strange to think of Ramiro as her boyfriend. The term wasn’t big enough.

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