Page 48 of Zone Protection

Emma: How nice of you. See you soon.

“Okay then. I’m going to go take a quick shower before he gets here. I didn’t shower before I left my parents’.” I walk around the couch, grab my bag, and start down the hallway to my room.

“Oh, hey, Em!” Mia shouts. “If you need any condoms, let me know. I have some in my room.”

They all laugh.

“We got it covered, Mi, but thank you!” I shake my head when I get to my room.

When I finally tell Mia and Peyton that I’m pregnant, I wonder what they’ll think about our situation then. Not that I think they will be upset with me, but I have no doubt they’ll be shocked.

After a quick shower, I’m dressed in my PJsand brushing out my hair when I hear a knock at the front door. When I open the bathroom door, I see Mia opening it to let Archie in. He’s standing at the door in joggers, a T-shirt, and a backward baseball hat.

Why does that have to be so hot?

“Ladies. How we doin’ tonight?” He looks around at each of them with a smile.

They all start chattering at the same time, but I’m struck speechless, just looking at him. I really am a lucky bitch. He’s the complete package—kind, sweet, thoughtful, has a good head on his shoulders, ambitious, and utterly sexy.

He meets my stare and smiles wider. “Hey, darlin’. You shower without me?”

“Marry him, Emma! Right now, or I will,” Mia yells.

Of course, this makes Archie laugh, but then he says, “I’m sorry, Mia, but I’m spoken for.”

They all look over at me at the same time.

Not sure what to say in response to that in front of everyone, I settle on, “Get over here and kiss me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Archie makes his way to me.

When he’s standing in front of me, I look up at him and smile. “Hey.”

“Hey, baby.”

Then he slides his hands into my wet hair, tilts his head, and devours my mouth. He isn’t shy about kissing me in front of my friends, which I’m happy about, so I wrap my arms around his shoulders and return the kiss in kind.

He releases me from the kiss and moves his hands from my hair to my waist, then around to my ass. He lifts me up and carries me to my room. I look over his shoulder and wave to my roommates.

“What about the quesadilla I made for you?” Peyton asks.

“I’ll come get it in a bit,” I reply before Archie shuts the door with his foot behind us.

He walks us over to the bed, then gently lays me down.Bending over me, he kisses me deeply again, and I reach for his waistband, but he pulls his waist away from me and stops the kiss.

“Before I get lost in you, are you hungry? We can pick this up after you eat something.” He kisses my nose.

“I am a little hungry, but I can wait.” I try to pull him back into me.

“Well, I don’t plan to let you leave this room for a while, so if you’re hungry, we’d best get that out of the way first.”

He stands and holds his hands out for mine, and I let him pull me up. Then he brings me in for a hug, and I wrap my arms around his waist.

“So, how did it go with your parents before you left? Did they say anything else about the baby?”

For just a minute, I close my eyes and breathe him in. I love the way he smells, and, good Lord, when I’m in his arms, I feel so safe and protected.

“They were good. No more tears today. I told them I would keep them updated and let them know how my next appointment goes. I think they’ll be nervous up until the baby is born.” I move my hands up and down his back.

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