Page 76 of Truck Stop Titan

“That’s not what I meant,” he snapped, hard vibes bouncing off the walls.

His irritation grated my unstable nerves. “Oh. What am I going to do about the baby? Is that what you’re asking?”

Nothing. Another hand landed on the glass, his head bowing between his arms. Clearly the topic made him uncomfortable, but eff that, and eff him. We were both in the shitter with the baby situation.

And suddenly I was angry. At Dane. At Mickey. At the world. “Hmm. Let’s see. Well, apparently, I’m going to puke my guts out ten times a day for the foreseeable future, burst into insane bits of crying for no apparent reason. Maybe lose my job for not coming clean right away about my pending motherhood… Oh, and I’m going to be a single mother who thought she would never be a mother, and I’m going to love the holy living shit out of this baby and Mim because life is short and love is precious, and I’m gonna be the best mom the world has ever seen, and if necessary, I’ll be the best effin’ father, too.”

Silence. His hands disappeared. Back to the pacing.

“How’s that sound? That what you wanted to hear? That you’re off the hook?”

A loud boom shook the walls. Heart in my throat, I waited for Dane to storm out of my life forever. Instead, he burst into the shower, fully clothed, cheeks red, fists clenched, storm blazing in those green eyes.

“Let’s get one thing clear.” He towered over me, close as he could get without touching. “You’re havingmykid. Ain’t nobody doing the fathering but me.”

Sure, I was naked and vulnerable, and Dane was clearly in a mood, but I was woman, goddammit, and I needed to roar.

But when I looked into those turbulent eyes, I lost my steam because despite being big and scary, Dane was also…lost and vulnerable, same as me, maybe more. “Someone interested in being a daddy doesn’t disappear for days after—”

“I didn’t disappear,” he interrupted. “I… I thought you needed time to decide if you wanted to go through with the pregnancy.”

“You thought I wouldn’t keep the baby? Oh, my God. I would never. I could never…” I couldn’t finish the sentence, my body going ice cold. I’d been a mess the past few days, but I hadn’t considered what he’d gone through after learning the news.

“The timing is terrible, but I want this baby—”

In a blur, he smothered me between those strong arms and his soaked shirt. “Thank fuck.” He kissed the top of my head. “Jesus. Thank fuck.” Releasing me, he stepped back, his shoulders hitting the wall, then slid to the ground, knees bent, face buried in his hands.

Killed me, seeing Dane so tormented. I’d bet my right arm he never showed an ounce of weakness. Yet, there he sat, a mess of emotion, fully dressed and sopping wet on my shower floor.

“Dane,” I whispered, inching closer. “Talk to me.”

His shoulders rose and fell on deep inhales, and with a wet plea, he whispered, “Need a minute.”

“Oh. Okay. Yeah.” I finished rinsing, turned off the water, and moved to step around him, allow some privacy, but strong fingers curled around my thigh, halting my exit.

“Don’t go.” That warm hand slid higher, brushing between my legs, then higher still, around to my hip, then upward, resting on my abdomen.

My lungs seized. Chest tightened.

Lifting his eyes to mine, he pulled me closer, then shifted, rising to his knees, dropping kisses on my hip, then my stomach, his hands moving to my ass, fingers digging into my flesh, slowly killing me with his silent worship.

“Promise you won’t take my child away. Promise me.” Kiss. Kiss. “Whatever I do. However bad I fuck up.” Kiss. “Don’t walk away. Promise.”

His embrace was painful, but I couldn’t pull away, the intimacy knotting us together, and although my emotions were muddled, one thing became hauntingly clear. I was forever bound to Dane, and for reasons I didn’t understand, my soul was at peace.

Dane

A STRANGE SENSE OFpeace melded me to the mattress. Moriah flipped her hair, tugging her fingers through the long waves, the blow dryer screaming, that gorgeous ass shaking back and forth causing her tits to bounce under the thin cotton top.

Beneath her soft sheets I was dangerously close to blowing my load, her simple bedtime routine an unbearable tease. Wasn’t the time for indulging in dirty fantasies, but hell if I didn’t have a firm hold on my cock, working to ease some pressure.

Her bed was a dangerous place for the likes of me, but my clothes still had a good forty minutes in the dryer, and I wasn’t about to parade around in a pink robe. So, there I sat, dick in hand, naked, and too damn comfortable.

Good fucking God, a man could get used to that domestic shit.

Moriah came my way, a little hesitant, a red tint to her cheeks, but chin held high regardless. She paused at the foot of the bed. Too far away for my liking.

“C’mere,” came out more a plea than the command I’d intended.

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