Page 10 of Desperation

Chapter Eight

Hannah

I laid awake listening for the sound of Devon walking out the front door and his truck roaring to life. It didn’t come for a long time, but when it finally did, I felt like I could breathe for the first time since seeing Drake’s truck in the driveway. Instantly, I was flooded with guilt. I hoped he was sober enough to drive. I wasn’t sure what Drake meant earlier about Devon’s history, but it made my hackles rise. I hoped he hadn’t done something reckless. I knew what it was like to have the only person in the world who cared for you be taken too soon by someone too selfish to avoid getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

When Drake stumbled down the hall a few minutes later, my body tensed, my heart rate picking up speed with every step. He was unpredictable when he drank. There was a fine line between hostile and angry drunk and blissfully relaxed drunk for him. I was hoping he’d shot right past both and had entered the pass-out-fully-clothed stage of drunkenness he usually reserved for Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve. Those were the times I had a free pass.

I felt his presence when he entered our bedroom. That sensation used to set my skin on fire and make me squirm in anticipation. Now, it made me anxious, wondering which version of him I would be sharing a bed with tonight. I prayed he wouldn’t want anything from me when he slipped between the sheets.

I pinched my eyes shut at the sound of his belt sliding through the loops of his jeans and the clink of the metal buckle hitting the floor. He shucked his pants, no doubt leaving them in a pile next to the hamper. A little grunt left him as he struggled to get his cotton t-shirt over his head before falling onto the mattress. He pulled the covers over himself and scooted close to me. I held my breath as his arm slid around my middle and cradled my belly, his large palm splayed over my navel.

“Goodnight, little guy,” he slurred and pressed his face into my neck. I relaxed and let my body melt into his. I could smell the alcohol on him, but I didn’t care. He was simply spooning me, and from the lack of anything hard digging into me from behind, he was too far gone to want anything else.

His soft snores sent little puffs of air into my hair a moment later, and I finally let my mind settle. As I drifted off to sleep, thoughts of Devon Kingsley floated across my vision, and I felt my lips curl into a smile.

I was startled awake by the sound of a diesel engine revving right next to me and a not so gentle kick to my bladder. My eyes snapped open, and I sat straight up to find Drake snoring loud enough to shake the bed. I got up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes before heading to the bathroom. When I was finished, I went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and noticed it was still early. Drake wouldn’t be up for a while, so I held off. I wanted to go back to sleep, but that would be impossible with him sawing logs next to me. Besides, I was already wide awake. Since I’d spent a good part of the evening cleaning to avoid being near Devon last night, there was nothing to really do around the house. I found myself in the nursery staring at the still unopened box my little boy’s crib had come in. I’d asked Drake several times to put it together, but he always seemed to have something better to do, so it looked like that was how I would spend my morning.

I went to the garage and located the box cutter and riffled through the tool box until I found a couple screwdrivers. I wasn’t sure which one I’d need, so I grabbed several.

An hour later, the paper instructions were scattered across the floor, and my hairline was damp with sweat. I was ready to pull my hair out. The one end of the wooden frame I’d managed to piece together sat askew against the wall. Something had gone wrong somewhere because the horizontal support was not level at all. I would have to take the whole thing apart and start over. Frustrated tears pricked my eyes as I held back a scream. The last thing I wanted to do was wake up Drake. He’d be hungover and probably really pissed off.

A faint tapping sound startled me, and my ears pricked up. I waited to see if I’d hear it again, and a minute later, there it was. I went into the living room, following the direction of the noise. The sun was now up, and light was creeping in through the blinds.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

There it was again. Someone was knocking on our door.

Who the hell…

I peeked through the peephole and immediately jumped back as if it had burned me. Devon stood on the other side, dark shades hiding those broody, gunmetal gray eyes, dark hair expertly disheveled. What the hell was he doing here?

I unlocked the door and inched it open. His gaze settled on me, and his lips turned up in a smile. His teeth were straight and gleaming white, the dark stubble on his jaw accentuating their brightness.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, gripping the side of the door for dear life. It probably looked like I was standing guard, unwilling to let him pass, but all he’d have to do was step near me and I would retreat. He was dangerous, not only to my body, but my heart as well. I needed to keep my distance.

“Drake and I are supposed to go for a ride today. We made plans last night after you went to bed.” I stretched out on my tiptoes and glanced over his shoulder to find his bike parked on the street in front of my house. When I returned my focus to him, his eyes were scanning down my body. I realized then that in my attempt to see his bike I’d stepped out from behind the door, opening it wider and letting the sunlight flood the dim room and illuminate my scantily clad form. He swallowed thickly and cleared his throat.

“He’s still asleep,” I said hastily. “But you can come in and wait. I’ll put the coffee on.” He smiled at me again, and I watched his lips, enraptured by their soft form and sensual lines. I wanted to feel them on mine, on my skin. I blushed at the thought and turned away from him quickly, hoping he wouldn’t notice. A low groan left Devon’s sultry mouth as I stepped toward the kitchen. Too late, I realized my mistake.

I was wearing sleep shorts that barely covered my ass before pregnancy expanded it. I was certain the very edge of my cheeks were now poking out the bottom. And they were snug. I only wore the skimpy little shorts to sleep in because they kept me cool at night and were stretchy enough to still be comfortable. I hadn’t planned on anyone seeing me in them.

Scurrying to the kitchen, I started the coffee pot and excused myself. Slipping soundlessly into my bedroom, I changed into some more appropriate attire, keeping quiet so I didn’t wake Drake.

I pulled the door closed, wincing when it clicked shut. Devon was standing at the counter when I returned, looking like he was ready to shove his head under the coffee maker and let the dark roast pour straight into his mouth. The visual made me giggle, and he looked up to catch me watching him. He straightened and took a step toward me.

“What’s so funny?” he asked playfully.

“Nothing,” I replied, shaking my head with a grin. “It looked like you were willing to do just about anything to get some of that coffee into your system.”

He chuckled. “I was.” His easy smile was back, and the tension was slowly dissipating.

“You might as well have a seat. Drake’s still dead to the world. You may be waiting a while.” I shrugged. The last of the coffee sputtered out, and I pulled a mug and a little canister of sugar from the cabinet. “There’s milk and creamer in the fridge.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem. I’ll be in the nursery if you need anything else.” I turned and walked away before he could say anything. The sight of him in my kitchen, holding a steaming mug in his hands first thing in the morning was giving me stupid ideas.Bad ideas.

I returned to the task at hand and started to dismantle the piece of the crib I’d managed to put together, muttering frustrated curses under my breath.

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