“Yes,” I said, not meeting his gaze. Instead, I fixated on the lower part of his neck that dipped down into his shirt. I wanted to reach out and touch him there, then curl my fingers around the back of his neck and up into his hair. I should just stick my fist in my mouth before my hand did something stupid.
“There’s one more thing to tell you,” I added. “I guess I’m now a member of Nana’s family. It’s really sweet of them. They want to be there for me and help me when I need it. They want me to stay in Cooperstown permanently. I said I would. But if you don’t want me here, I totally understand. I’ll go. ASAP. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if I moved back to New York.”
Dan took my hand in his and lifted my chin gently so he could look me in the eye. “I hate New York.”
I was confused. “And that would that matter because…?”
“I want to be where you are.”
My heart thudded against my chest like it was trying to burst out of my skin.
“Um, what?” I asked stupidly.
“I want to be where you are. Ineedto be where you are, wherever that is,“ he said gently.
“I couldn’t figure you out, Nik, with the mixed signals. You had walls up, and I thought if I didn’t press, the walls might come down.”
His thumb softly rubbed the back of my hand. “What I did know was I wanted you. In all ways. I wanted a future with you. And if I didn’t have my own insecurities about fucking up my relationships, I would have had the confidence to really let you know where I stood about you, and maybe you would have felt safe enough to tell me about the baby.” He shrugged.
“Nicole, I’m in love with you, and I think I have been from the moment I saw you back in Cooperstown.”
His fingers twined with mine. “And like you’re afraid of not being a good mother, I’m afraid of not being a good partner or husband. But I know I want to go for it because you’re worth it. If you’ll have me, that is.”
I thought my ears were playing tricks on me, but then he leaned down and gave me a tender kiss on my forehead.
“I’m a two-for-one deal,” I said quietly, barely daring to hope.
“Hellyes,you are. I can’t wait,“ Dan said with a reassuring smile. “I want to be her father. Not because a baby should have a dad, but because I want to beherdad. I really don’t care she’s not biologically mine because she’s part you.”
He looked solemn. “I promise that you two will be my whole world, and I’m going to spend my time trying to make you happy.”
His knuckles softly grazed my cheek, and his finger outlined my lips before kissing me sweetly and with so much love I thought my knees would buckle.
I threw my arms around his waist and hugged him tight. Then I pinched the back of his arm.
“Ow,” he said, laughing. “What was that for?”
“Just making sure you’re real because right now, I think you’re too good to be true.”
“I’m real, and you’re not leaving.” He grinned at me and twirled me around a few times. Buddy got caught up in the excitement and danced around our legs while letting out a few joyful yips.
I jumped on Dan, wrapping my legs around his waist.
He walked me into the bedroom, shutting the door before Buddy could get in, and tossed me gently on the bed. He pulled his shirt off over his head and leaned down over me. “Let’s make this official, okay? And a handshake is not what I have in mind.” His breath warmed me, and I inhaled the musky scent of him.
I grabbed his neck and brought him to me for a deep, penetrating kiss. He moaned, and that turned me on even more. He pulled his lips away and looked at my breasts. My nipples hardened instantly, and he hadn’t even touched me there yet. He palmed them and gently twisted both sensitive nubs with his fingers. I could feel the calluses on his hands, rough, as they rode over my nipples. I fucking loved it. I wondered if a girl could orgasm just from that. I thought it was possible.
“Fuck, you are so sexy, Nicole,” he said with fire in his eyes.
I pushed him onto his back and slid off the end of the bed so I could tug down his pants and go down on him with my mouth. I swirled my tongue around the shaft, hearing his breathing pick up. I took as much of him as I could, working him farther into my mouth with each suck. My mouth worked up and down his cock for as long as he would let me.
“Get up here, now,” he growled. “I need you.”
That was music to my ears—like a hot pulsating song that thrummed through me. He pulled me up the bed, and he hovered over my body. I ached with the need building inside my body. He thrust into me, deeply, again and again, and my hips ground hard against him each time. My orgasm came fast, slamming through me and out into the universe. While I was at the peak with my insides clenching him tight, he plunged into me again and launched into his own release like a rocket firing.
“Wow, so we’ll get to do that again and again and again?” I panted out, breathless.
He rolled over so I was on top of him, probably thinking he would crush the baby. “It’s a tough cross to bear, but I’m yours, anytime you’d like.”