Page 124 of Playboy

I head for the bathrooms, my hands balled at my sides, blood pressure rising, head pounding. So unbelievably pissed at myself for fucking this up.

When the door to the women’s bathroom swings open, I’m ready to hustle past the person exiting, but I almost tip over when Hannah is the one who comes barreling out. Her eyes are red and puffy, but her face is dry, as if she cleaned herself up so she could return to the table and act like nothing is wrong.

It isn’t until I step in front of her that she notices me.

“Daniel?” Her eyes go wide, and she says my name on an inhale, like she’s surprised to see me, her hand going to her chest. Quickly, her expression morphs into a glare.

“I should have told you.” I step right up to her, keeping my hands to myself for now.

“We can talk about it later. Let’s get back to dinner.” She takes a step to the side.

Before she can skirt around me, I grab her arm and tug gently. “I told Cam we wouldn’t be coming back.”

She lets out a derisive snort. “Great. Another steak dinner I missed out on.”

The lead ball in my gut sinks farther. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll order ten steaks from room service.”

With a sigh, she leans against the wall, her entire demeanor wary. “Why didn’t you tell me about the offer from Vegas?”

“I was never going to take it.” I make sure each word is clear and concise. The last thing I want is for her to believe there was ever a chance I’d leave her and our child in Boston.

“Why?” Her voice is soft, yet it pierces my heart.

I step closer, pressing her against the wall and cradling her cheek. “Hannah, we’re having a baby. Your job is in Boston. Your life. You’ve given up enough because of this pregnancy. I refuse to ask you to give up more.”

She presses her hand to my chest, but rather than push me away, she grips my shirt. “You’re my life.” With her free hand, she slides my hand from her cheek and settles it on her stomach. “You and this baby. You told me home wasn’t a place. You said I was your home. And you’re mine.”

I take half a step back and shake my head. “Wait, you’re not mad at me?”

She huffs. “Oh, I’m mad, all right. I’m upset that you thought you could make a decision like this without me. I’m furious that you thought so little of my love for you, that you assumed I wouldn’t do exactly what you do for me. If this is going to work, you need to talk to me. You need totrustme.”

Heart thundering, I grasp her hip. “I do trust you.”

She shakes her head. “Not enough to talk to me about this. Not enough to see that I’m in this with you.”

I bury my face in her hair and inhale, letting her scent soothe me while I collect my thoughts. She’s right. I guess I didn’t trust that her feelings for me are as strong as mine are for her. In the back of my mind, there was always this concern that if not for the baby, she never would have given me a real shot. That maybe she was with me because she felt like she should be. It’s unbelievable, honestly, to think that she’d give up any more than she already has just so she could be withme. Not for the baby, not for us, but just for me. I pull back, exhaling slowly. “You’d really leave Boston? Your job?”

She dips her chin once. “I planned to talk to you after your game tomorrow. I’m going to give Beckett and Liv my notice next week. After the baby is born, I want to stay home and write. I donotexpect you to support us?—”

I bark out a laugh. “Might as well stop right there. You better believe I want to take care of my wife and the mother of my child.”

She blinks up at me, her lips parting. “Your wife?”

“Yeah, Han. Eventually I’m going to ask you to be my wife.” Though the uncertainty that’s lived inside me all these months bubbles up, I choke it down and own the statement, standing taller. “You ready to run yet?”

She looks down at her feet. “I’m not moving, am I?”

“What about tomorrow?”

I need to know this is for real. For so long, I’ve been terrified to make a wrong move, certain I’d lose her. But I made the wrong move tonight, and she’s still here. So maybe she’s in this. Maybe she’s always been in this. Maybe I couldn’t let myself believe it, because for so long, she felt unattainable. She was unattainable. Older. My sister’s best friend. Confident and intelligent and unimpressed with my flirting. But now?

“And the day after that, and the day after that. For all the days of our lives,” she whispers.

I shake my head. Fuck. I’m in awe of this woman. “I’m so fucking in love with you, dream girl.”

“And I’m in love with you too,Daddy Hall.” She breaks into a smile. “So tell me, where do you want to live for the next few years? Because if it’s Vegas, I could get used to all the lights.”

Desperate to be as close to her as I can get, I press my lips to hers. This life we’re creating is already so damn beautiful. Day by day, piece by piece, we’re going to build it. Together. And she’s right. We have to make these decisions together. I inhale her. Drunk on her. Light and excited. Energized in a way I’ve never been.

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