Page 52 of King of Hearts

I leanedagainst my forearm that was pinned to the door. My body faced away from Taylor while my frame vibrated with the need to stop Ivan from breathing. I was still having a hard time understanding that he was so cold and cruel toward his own flesh and blood. Then again, I had no doubts that my own father would have sold me if he was offered a high enough price.

I wasn’t sure how my new fake fiancée would respond to my need, but I was at the edge of reason and didn’t frankly care.

“I need to touch you. Even if it’s just to hold you, I need to feel you…” I swallowed, unsure how to explain it to her. She was consuming me, in my veins, my lungs, my head. She was everywhere and nowhere because of whatever her fucking reasons, but she wasn’t mine in any real way. I just needed to feel her warm skin against mine as a reminder that she was here with me, safe.

Taylor waited a few seconds before responding. “I feel too restricted in these clothes. I’m going to get more comfortable.” I nodded silently.

After a few seconds of breathing, willing my pulse to calm, I turned around.

She reclined on the bed, her shirt gone. Instead she had on a see-through, lacy bra that held her tits in place over the swell of her creamy stomach. Her shorts were gone now, and in their place was what seemed like a strip of lacy fabric, probably a thong or something, but with her stomach, they just seemed nearly invisible.

I swallowed.

“Come feel the baby kick.” She held out her hand toward me, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from her. Stripping out of my clothes, down to my boxers, I joined her on the bed.

I gently placed my ear to her belly, being careful not to add too much pressure.

The little jolt against my face had me sitting back.

“Did he just kick me?” I smiled.

Taylor laughed, her nose crinkling. “I guess I will find out today if it’s a boy or girl…but yeah, she kicks a lot.”

“You want a girl?” I rubbed my hand down the expanse of her belly, over her protruding outie.

“I want a healthy baby.”

My hand moved along the lower part of her abdomen, right over the top of her underwear.

“I figured we’d need to get used to being in bed together, like this. With, um…” She hesitated, her face flushing. “Less clothing. I don’t usually sleep in a ton of clothes…I hope that won’t bother you,” she confessed quietly.

I nodded, knowing she was right but a little surprised that she was the one to suggest it. “We need to leave soon, for the ultrasound,” I stated, trying to divert my thoughts, dragging my fingers up her stomach, away from the band of her panties.

Taylor’s eyes jumped to mine, her mouth gaping. “You’re coming with me?”

“Of course I am.”

“I figured after last night…” She trailed off.

I didn’t move my eyes from seeing how my dark hand looked against her creamy skin.

“Last night I was feeling a lot of really big things.”

Taylor wet her lips, cupping my jaw. “You wanted me to ask you why.”

I nodded, still nervous about confessing this, but as I stared at her stomach and the way she looked in my bed, I realized I needed to say it.

“Why?” she asked, voice just barely above a whisper.

I looked away from her stomach and swallowed the thickness that had strangled my throat, realizing she deserved the truth…but at the last second, I changed my mind.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about that night on your bed…I got jealous when you said Holden was going with you to the appointment.”

Taylors fingers slowly pushed through my hair while she watched my lips. “You don’t like that you felt jealous?”

I shook my head in answer. I was too cowardly to tell her I might be falling for her, especially after learning more about her that morning…all my emotions were gathering in my chest like a tidal wave, drowning all my resolve to stay away from her.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about that night either…I was just scared. I left because I realized you cared about the baby, and I wasn’t used to that,” she explained, stroking my jaw. Then she whispered, “I think we should finish what we started that night.”

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