Page 66 of Fall to Me
He laughs as I tap him on the chest with the back of my hand and turn around to leave, but he grabs me from behind, wrapping his arms around me again, burrowing his face into my neck, and twirling us around. I giggle, and the kitchen spins around me as he places me back on my feet.
“That was terrible. You know that? I felt bad.”
“But you set it up so perfectly.” Carter laughs again, picking up my plate and my coffee and walking me out to my car. He drops a kiss on my lips and presses his forehead to mine. “I hope you have a good day at work, baby. I’ll see you in a bit.”
Aspen falls back into a chair in front of my desk. Just as soon as her ass hits the seat, she quickly stands back up and races out of my office. Following her, I catch sight of her black hair flyingbehind her as she disappears into the ladies’ room, the door slowly closing behind her. I hear hurling before I even push the door open. I find her on her knees, head hanging over the toilet.
“Oh, gosh. Are you okay?” I ask, even though she can’t answer me at the moment.
Holding up her hair, I rub her back as she dry heaves again and again. She doesn’t feel feverish when I place my hand on her forehead.
Leaning back against the side of the stall, she sits on the floor with her knees up, hanging her head and groaning. “I feel awful. I could curl into my comfy bed and sleep all damn day.”
I move to the sink, wetting a paper towel, then bring it back, dabbing the cool towel on her face.
“Want me to take you home?”
“No. I have too much to do. It’s just a little bug.”
The door opens and Hannah walks in.
Aspen moans again, “Oh, god,” then throws herself back over the toilet.
I side eye Hannah. “You might want to use a different restroom.”
She gives me a little salute, and without a word, turns on her heels. Aspen sits back against the stall for a few minutes before she perks up and moves to wash her hands and rinse her mouth.
“I don't know why, but every time I hit that hallway?—”
Aspen stops talking just as I pull the door open to leave, the aroma of bacon hitting us in the face. She turns around again, running right back to the toilet. Encountering a little déjà vu, I lean against the wall with my arms crossed and giggle.
“A little bug, huh?”
She looks at me over her shoulders, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, her brows scrunching together in confusion.
“Is it possible that you’re pregnant?”
Her eyes nearly bulge out of her head, and I laugh.
“Maybe you should schedule a doctor’s appointment. Oh, and tell the staff and players to eat breakfast at home for the next few months . . . at least until your morning sickness goes away.”
She was like this when she was pregnant with Tucker. It was awful. I think I lost about fifteen pounds during that time. No one could eat around her before ten in the morning because anything with a smell would set her off.
All this reminds me I need to buy a Plan B pill today and schedule an appointment for birth control before Carter knocks me up.Jesus.
I crouch down in front of her and pat her knee. “Hang tight. I’ll go grab some pickle juice from the kitchen. It should settle your stomach.”
Aspen grabs my hand as I turn to leave. “Please don’t tell anyone, not even Carter. After what Cal went through . . . I want to wait before I tell him. The last thing he needs is to get excited and this end up being nothing but a fluke.”
Nodding my head, I turn to leave. After what happened with his first wife, I understand where she’s coming from. Once Aspen is settled and my doctor’s appointment for myself is booked, I sit down and get to work.
I pick up my pen to make a note, and my mind wanders to Carter. A smile tugs at my lips. The smallest things remind me of him. The pen I’m holding now that was sitting on top of the note he wrote to me—which is still under my keyboard. Aerosmith playing on the radio. The smell of coffee and vanilla cream.
“What are you grinning about?”
I look up and remove the pen pressed to my bottom lip. My stomach does a little flip as Carter comes over to my desk and drops a kiss on my lips. Damn, he looks good, especially with that ball cap turned backwards.
“What are you doing up here?”
