Page 101 of Stone Rules

She laughs and the sweet sound permeates my ears and goes all the way to my heart. “There isn’t a test for a marriage license, Ethan.”

“There’s not?” I say, playing along. “You mean I don’t have to prove to anyone how much I love you? I’m really good at tests, you know.”

She giggles again. “Thank you,” she says.

“For what, dear?”

She laughs, snorting through her nose. “For making me laugh when there isn’t anything to laugh about. And don’t call me ‘dear’.”

“Okay. How about ‘Buck’? ‘Fawn’? ‘Moose’?”

“If you call me ‘Moose,’ I’ll spit on your dinner.”

I pretend to pull a pen from behind my ear, dab it to my tongue and write on my hand as I say, “Do not call pregnant fiancée ‘Moose’.”

“I love you,” she says, still laughing.

“I love you, too, Buck,” I say.

“You’re hopeless.” She swats the back of my head.

“Hopelessly in love with you,” I say. And while I realize that might have just been the cheesiest line in the history of all cheesy lines, it earns me a long, wet, erection-producing kiss, so I really don’t give a shit.

Chapter Forty-five

I lie in bed next to Charlie, listening to her toss and turn. Wanting to believe it’s because she’s thirty-six weeks pregnant and uncomfortable. But knowing it has more to do with the stress she’s under.

Two things should happen this week. We should get the results of the paternity test. And I have my hearing for the restraining order.

Damn Zach Thompson for doing this to her. Just when she had let go of the past, he had to go messing with her future.

As I promised John and Charlie, I’ve kept my distance. Even though I want more than anything to ruin him. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t had a team of people working around the clock to dig up anything we could use against him.

She cuddles into my side. “Can’t sleep either, huh?” she asks.

“Nope.” I put my arm around her and mold her body to mine.

“The baby is really kicking tonight. And I’ve been having more Braxton Hicks.”

“Do you need me to calm both of you down?” I ask.

“Would you?” She smiles at me in the moonlight.

I love to see Charlie in the moonlight. The curves of her body, the nuances of her face. And the sun comes up late enough in the morning this time of year that I can leave the shades up. Not to mention she loves to look at the nighttime view with the twinkling city lights and the luminescent skyline. And who am I to deny her anything?

I reach over and pull the box out of my nightstand drawer. I now keep one box here and another in my car. I pull out the harmonica and start playing a soft melody I know she loves. I’ve been doing this a lot lately. It calms her. It calms the baby. It makes me feel closer to Cat, as if it somehow makes her a part of all this.

“Better?” I ask, putting my harmonica away after the song.

“Mmmmm,” she mumbles sleepily into my chest.

I smile, knowing I can help her relax when there is so much to be tense over.

But then she draws in a breath and sits up as fast as an eight-month pregnant woman can sit up. It scares me so I reach over and flip on the light. I look at her and she looks terrified. “What is it?”

“Ethan.” She rubs a hand over her belly. “I think my water just broke.”

My eyes widen in surprise and my pulse rate shoots through the fucking roof. I try to remind myself that I’m the one who’s supposed to remain calm here. “Are you sure?”

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