Page 84 of Trigger's Forever

“If you say so.” I roll my eyes with a smile at his stubbornness and rub my stomach when one of the boys kicks. “The boys want Mexican.”

“Then the boys get Mexican,” he laughs, patting my leg. Voices drift in from the main area. “I think your students are starting to get here,” Trigger says, gesturing toward the door.

Trigger helps me up and, without being asked, drops down to the floor to help me change from my ballet flats into tap shoes.

After saying goodbye to him at the door with a kiss, I greet all of my high school students and lead them into the room.

I hear a few of the girls behind me talking about how attractive Trigger is, and I smile at them in the mirror. The teen on the left blushes and smiles bashfully at me while the other shrugs and winks at me.

I shake my head with a laugh to myself and start the class.

* * *

Two hours later, my feet and legs are killing me as I gather up my things in my office and chug down my water.

“I will see you tomorrow!” Clara breathes heavily.

“Drive safe, Clara!” I wave to her back as she bounces out the door. After locking up behind me, I head towards home.

I’m surprised to find Trigger sitting sideways on his motorcycle in my driveway when I pull up.

My headlights illuminate his body and he pushes off the bike to stand when I put the car in park. I barely have the thing shut off when he strides over, and rips my door open and leans in.

“I missed you,” he says against my mouth.

I laugh, pecking him back. “You just saw me two hours ago.”

“That was an hour and fifty nine minutes too long.”

“Smooth,” I say, hopping out of the SUV. I’m barely twenty two weeks and nowhere near waddling yet, but after today’s tap class, there’s a slight sway to my step.

“You okay, babe?” Trigger asks, guiding me towards the front door with his hand at my lower back.

“Yeah, just sore. I’m not used to dancing like that anymore.” I shake my head, frustrated that I’m sore after a few simple classes.

“You have a reason. It’s not like you’d be hurting if you weren’t pregnant.”

“I guess that’s true.” I shrug, dropping my bags by the front door.

“Why don’t you go take a bath? I’ll let you know when dinner gets delivered.”

“That sounds like heaven. Yes!” I moan at the thought of an epsom salt and a lavender bath bomb soothing my aching muscles.

Trigger’s chuckle warms my chest and I surprise myself and him when I turn quickly, pulling him into a hug. One hand wrapped in my hair and the other resting low on my hip, he squeezes me to his chest.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around much. We’ve been busy,” he says as he nuzzles my head, his voice muffled by my hair.

“It’s okay. I grew up in the life, remember? I get it.”

He pulls the top half of his body away from mine so he can look into my eyes. “I’m still sorry though.”

When he looks into my eyes the way he does, I can tell he’s telling me the truth. I lean up on my tip toes and place a small kiss on his chin before letting go.

“I don’t want to get out of the tub until my fingers are prunes!”

I turn the corner of the stairs with Trigger’s laugh following me.

I don’t have a clock in my bathroom, but I feel like it’s been forever when Trigger knocks lightly on the door, causing it to slowly swing open. I have bubbles covering my nakedness, but it’s not like it’s anything he hasn’t seen before.

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