Page 85 of Unexpected Forever
Being close to her, smelling her lavender shampoo, feeling the heat of her body, has me wanting to take her upstairs and reenact our phone sex session we had in person.
A smile curves her lips. “I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
“I ruined this meal, but I’m determined to do this right. We’ll need to go into town for a few things, but then I know a place you’re going to love.”
“You don’t—”
“Have to, yeah, I know. But let me do this for you, okay?”
Any trace of sadness in her eyes is gone, and the spark is back. I’d agree to anything to keep that spark there.
“Okay.” I nod my head toward the other counter. “You baked a cake too?”
“Yeah, I got that part right.”
My eyes meet hers. “Thank you, Charlotte.”
“Of course.” She tilts her head. “This feels like a time to hug.”
She lifts up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck. My arms come around her waist and I pull her into me. I bury my face in her hair, soaking in her warmth and essence.
All the tension and stress from traveling and navigating our situation melts away as we stand like that for a few moments.
It’s then I feel the unmistakable small bump under the loose T-shirt she’s wearing.
I release my grip on her and look down between us. “Oh, wow. You’ve got a bump now.”
“Yeah, I woke up one day last week and there it was.” She looks up at me. “Want to touch it?”
I swallow hard. “Yeah, okay.”
My large hands cover her entire stomach. It’s warm and firm under my palms. My heart races, knowing that’smybaby inside her.
Our gazes meet, and a flicker of something I haven’t felt since I retired from the game comes to life in my gut.
A sense of being part of something bigger than me.
She wets her lips. “Um, give me about thirty minutes to clean the kitchen and change. Then we can go.”
I glance around the kitchen with a wry smile. “Babe, it’ll take thirty minutes, but only if we tackle this mess together.”
* * *
It’sclose to an hour before we get the kitchen set to rights and head to the town grocery store.
With the warm summer wind flowing in through the windows of my Range Rover and Charley’s sweet voice singing along to “American Pie,” I can’t recall a time I ever felt this…free.
Baseball brings me a sense of peace in a way that makes me feel like I belong. My team is my family, even if I’m not technically a part of it anymore.
But this light, carefree feeling I have sitting next to a pretty woman, who’s bobbing her head to Don McLean?
It’s a new feeling for me. One I want to bottle up and keep with me when I’m not near her.
But also one that sends a cold sliver of fear down my spine if I think about it too long.
For tonight, however, I push that fear aside and enjoy the company, picking up the last chorus and singing along with her.
