Page 94 of The Keeper

“Hey, hey,” Dane said when my eyes welled up with tears. “Piper, talk to me. What are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling pregnant, Dane. That’s how I’m feeling. How did this happen?”

He eased onto the narrow hospital bed facing me. “Well, I’m pretty sure I know how it happened,” he said with a soft chuckle, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears streaming down my cheeks.

I let out a watery laugh before my ribs protested. “You know what Imean, smartass. We were careful… Well, except for the night we got engaged. But we were careful all the other times…” I trailed off, dissolving into another round of tears.

Dane cradled my belly in his palms, his eyes misting with tears as he gazed at me in awe. “We made another baby, Mama,” he whispered, pressing his lips to my still-flat stomach.

“And I’m happy,” I choked out between sobs. “I am. But I’m also terrified. Avery’s only one, and we’re still trying to find our footing…”

“Darlin’, listen to me,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I know you’re scared. Hell, I’m scared too. But you are the strongest person I know. We’ve been through hell and back, and we’re still standing. This baby? This is a gift. A new beginning for our family.”

“But I wanted to get moved and settled before… this.” I waved vaguely in the general direction of my stomach, still sniffling.

He lowered his head against mine. “I know it feels like the timing’s all wrong, and it’s not what we planned. But we’ll figure it out together, okay? You’re not alone this time.”

I gave him a shaky nod before brushing my lips against his. “I love you.”

Dane’s mouth curved into a tender smile against mine. “I love you, too, baby.”

His hand drifted to my stomach again, his touch reverent as he caressed the spot where our baby was growing. “I’m gonna be here for every part of it this time. Every check-up, every milestone?—”

“Every craving, every mood swing, waking up every hour to pee,” I finished helpfully before covering his hand with mine. “You do realize you’re basically signing up for nine months of hell, right? I was a nightmare when I was pregnant with Avery.”

He chuckled, the rumble vibrating through his chest. “Baby, I can handle anything you throw at me.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Even if I wake you up at three a.m. demanding ice cream and french fries?”

“I’ll have the food delivery app already pulled up on my phone.”

“What if I cry because my shoes don’t fit?”

He grinned. “Then I’ll buy you new ones in every size.”

“Uh-huh,” I said, unconvinced. “What about when I’m the size of a house and feeling about as sexy as a beached whale?”

Dane’s eyes darkened with desire as he leaned in close, his breath fanning hot against my ear. “I’ll strip you down and spread you out on our bed, worshiping every fucking inch of your body until there’s not a goddamn doubt in your head that you’re the sexiest woman on the planet.”

I bit back a moan, suddenly very aware of how thin the hospital gown was. “Jesus, Dane. You tell me this when I’m stuck in a hospital bed?”

His lips curved into a wicked grin. “Just giving you something to look forward to, darlin’.”

I shook my head, trying to ignore the way my body responded to his words. “You say that now, but wait until I’m waddling around looking like I swallowed a beach ball, and my sciatic nerve is being compressed?—”

Dane captured my lips with his, silencing my objections. I tilted my head to deepen the kiss while stroking his beard with my fingertips.

“You’ll be gorgeous,” he murmured, leaning down to press his lips to my stomach. “Carrying my baby... there’s nothing sexier.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling as I said, “You’re ridiculous, you know that? You and your super sperm.”

“What can I say, baby? I’m good at marking what’s mine,” Dane replied with a cocky grin, his brown eyes twinkling with mischief. “We’ll probably have to get a bigger house for all the babies I’m gonna give you.”

“Nice try, Romeo,” I said, shaking my head. “But I’m getting on birth control as soon as this one is born. Two kids under the age of two is more than enough for now.”

My smile faded when I glanced up to find Duke standing in the doorway, looking as if he’d aged a hundred years in the span of a few hours. His red-rimmed eyes and vacant expression made my stomach drop.

“Did she?” I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence. I tried to move, but my body protested vehemently, pain flaring through every nerve. I stopped, taking in shallow breaths as I tried to mitigate both the physical and emotional agony.

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