Page 49 of Forbidden Desires

"Brought you some of your new favorite tea," Pete adds, holding up the thermos. "I guess now we know why you've gone off the coffee." He sends a tired smile my way.

I manage a faint one in response, but before I can say anything, the doctor walks in, clipboard in hand. Greeting us with a nod, he focuses his attention on me. "Good morning, Suzie. I see you've had a quiet night. How are you feeling today?"

"Tired," I admit, sitting up a little straighter. "But okay, I think."

He smiles at me. "That's to be expected. I've gone over the scans and the test results from yesterday, and everything looks great. The baby is healthy, and so are you. Considering, anyway."

The relief is instant, though it doesn't entirely banish the ache in my chest. "Thank you," I whisper.

The doctor goes over some instructions—the importance of staying hydrated, resting, no heavy lifting—and then suddenly he's signing my discharge papers. "We'll see you back here for a check-up, but other than that, I have nothing to say except take care of yourself and that little one, Suzie. Please ‌call if you have any concerns."

As he leaves, Pete steps forward, his hand brushing against mine as he offers the thermos. I take it, the warmth spreading through my palms as I stare down at the lid.

"Time to go home. Pete and I have a surprise for you," Dexter says gently, but his voice is still steady and firm.

I blink up at him. "Surprise? What kind of surprise?"

"You’ll have to wait and see," Pete says, his expression soft but determined.

Before I can push them for more details, they're helping me gather my things and guiding me to their car. The drive is quiet, the tension thick, despite the fact that they’ve told me they have a surprise, I get the feeling like they’re nervous about something. My mind races with questions but I can't bring myself to voice them.

I’m so lost in my thoughts, I don’t notice the route we take, and when we pull up to a large house nestled on a quiet street near the museum, I freeze.

"What is this?" I ask, staring up at the sprawling two-story home with its wraparound porch and neatly trimmed hedges.

"Our new home," Pete says, his voice low.

I turn to look at him, confusion written all over my face. "What do you mean, our new home?"

"We found it, a few days ago," Dexter explains. "We started looking for something pretty much the day after we got here because we wanted to be close to you. To where you work andnow live. But we didn't want to scare you or overwhelm you." He shrugs and looks at me sheepishly. "We were kind of waiting for the right moment."

Well that sounds vaguely familiar.

I gape at them, my heart thudding painfully in my chest.

Pete steps closer, his hand brushing against my arm. "We're all in, Suzie. For you. For the baby. For everything."

Dexter nods, his eyes steady and warm. "We love you. Both of you. And we're here for as long as you'll let us be."

Tears blur my vision as their words sink in, but the ache in my chest doesn't ease. "You don't have to do this," I whisper, pushing the words past the lump in my throat. "I don't want you to feel trapped?—"

"Trapped?" Pete's voice is incredulous. "Suzie, babygirl, we chose the house. We choose you. And that little creature you're carrying."

Dexter adds softly. "We'll follow you anywhere, sunshine. But we'd love it if you stayed here. With us. Both of us can work from here and be close to you. Whatever you want, we'll make it happen."

I don't know what to say, my emotions warring inside me. Part of me wants to believe them, to let myself fall into this dream they're offering. But the other part of me—the scared, broken part—still doesn't trust it.

I swallow hard, nodding as they guide me into the house. It's beautiful and warm, and every detail screams that they thought of me when choosing it. Down to the large backyard with a space that can easily be changed into a workshop for me.

But I can't shake the fear that all of this—the house, the promises, the attention—is really just for the baby.

Not for me.

Pete takes my hand, shaking me from my dark thoughts, and leads me inside, Dexter close at my other side.

The house is warm, sunlight streaming through the large windows. My breath catches as I take in the open floor plan, the high ceilings and the welcoming atmosphere. It feels like home.Ourhome. And that thought terrifies me.

"This way," Pete murmurs, tugging gently on my hand.

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