Page 88 of Stone Rules

I kiss her on the tip of her nose. “I guess I can live with that.”

“So, are we going to find out the sex?” she asks.

“If you really want to we can. But there are so few true surprises in life anymore. If it were up to me, I’d wait.”

“Then we wait,” she says.

“Really?”

“Of course. You’re his daddy,” she says. “Or hers.”

My smile splits my face in two. “Say it again,” I beg.

“You’re his daddy,” she says.

“Or hers,” I add, and we both laugh.

~ ~ ~

While I wait for Charlie to dress, I stare at the ultrasound photos Dr. Chavis printed off for us. Turns out, baby Stone was not cooperating and we wouldn’t have been able to find out the sex anyway. His or her legs were so tightly crossed it’s as if he or she were in on the surprise.

Charlie emerges from the room and I tuck the pictures into my pocket. If Thompson is still outside, I wouldn’t want him to see them. I grab her hand and escort her quickly through the waiting area, not looking around to see if he’s still here.

As soon as we’re through the door, someone comes out into the hallway behind us. “So, am I going to have a son or a daughter?” Thompson asks. “I really hope it’s not a girl. Girls are more trouble than they’re worth. Of course I’m not sure I want it to be a boy if he’s going to be some pansy-ass ginger.”

I pull Charlie behind me and turn around. “What you’re going to have is my fist in your nose if you don’t walk away right now.”

He holds up his hands in surrender. “Geez. Aren’t we touchy? Just trying to get the information I’m entitled to. I guess I’ll have to go ask the office whether I should get pink or blue shit.” He grabs the door handle, but then he spins around and looks right at me. “Oh, and I’d think twice about threatening me. You have no idea how much power I really have over you, do you?”

I’m in front of him in two steps, Charlie begging me back. I get in his face. “I’m not threatening you,” I say. “I’m telling you there is no fucking way you will ever touch me, Charlie, or this baby. I know exactly who you are and what you’ve done. Apparently you don’t know the same about me. In the future, I’d be careful who you fuck with.”

He doesn’t seem as affected by my intimidation as I’d hoped. He simply says, “You two have a good day. Be sure to feed that kid of mine, okay?” Then he disappears back into the office.

Levi comes barging through the stairwell door, out of breath after apparently running up eight flights of stairs. He looks at the hallway that is now empty but for Charlie and me. “Shit. Sorry I took so long, I had to leave my gun with security.”

I raise my eyebrows at Charlie. “You called him?”

“It was a text,” she says, not looking apologetic in the least. “I couldn’t have you and Zach killing each other.”

“Is this you protecting me?” I ask, taking her hand in mine.

“It goes both ways,” she says.

“What happened?” Levi asks, his eyes bouncing between us.

“Pissing contest, I’d say,” Charlie tells him.

“Who won?”

I shake my head. “I’d have to call it a draw.”

I look at Charlie, pale and frazzled from the confrontation. I decide to take the rest of the afternoon off, telling Levi to handle things in my absence. Charlie is under a tremendous amount of stress and I need to make sure she’s okay.

“Let’s get you home.”

Thirty minutes later, she’s sitting on our new couch as I’m drawing her a bath. I think the oversized sunken Jacuzzi tub is her favorite thing about the penthouse. Well, that and the view. She will sit and stare out the windows for hours. But whenever I ask her what she’s thinking about when she does it, she clams up.

Sometimes I think she’s wondering where all the men from her list are. Other times, maybe she’s wondering about her father. Days like today, when I catch her staring out the windows while rubbing her belly, I know she’s thinking about the future. Wondering if the plans we’re making are just pipe dreams, or if they could be our happily-ever-after.

---