Page 122 of Indecent Ventures

“You’re naked under the hospital gown. I may have helped to undress you. I may have taken a peek at your body. I may have fondled you when you were passed out.”

“You’re a pervert.”

He nods. “Totally. I think you dig it though.”

I can’t help but smile. “I do dig it.”

He takes my hand and kisses it. He then rubs my ring finger. “Will you marry me?”

I shake my head. “We’re not getting married just because we’re having a baby.”

“How about because we love each other, and we want to spend our lives together?”

“Can we shelve this until after the baby comes? We talked about moving in together. Let’s see how that goes. What if you’re an annoying roommate? And I may be too fucked up to ever get married. I swore I never would.”

“You’re not fucked up. You’re perfectly imperfect, just like me. How are you feeling about the baby?”

“I’m in shock. I don’t think it’s registered. I’m not upset, just surprised.”

There’s a knock at the door. I look up and see that it’s my mother. I wave her in.

She sits down next to me. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. I’m not as excited as Howdy Doody over here, but I’m okay with it. I’ll guess I’ll be a young mom like you were.”

“Except you have money, a job, a place to live, a supportive partner, and a crap ton of family around to help you.”

I smile at the realization of everything she said. I do have all of that. My situation is nothing like hers. I have a huge support system and plenty of money.

Collin looks at my mother. “She won’t marry me. Will you help me talk her into it?”

Mom lets out a laugh. “Jade does what Jade wants to do. Neither of us will ever talk her into anything. She’s been like that since birth when she decided to flip seconds before delivery. I should have known then how she’d be.”

He sighs. “I suppose. My family might kick me out of the family business for having a baby out of wedlock. I think I want to be a stay-at-home dad anyway. You can be my sugar mama.”

“I thought I was your baby mama.”

He smiles. “You’ll be both.”

I slowly sit up. “I need to get dressed. I want to check on Reagan and Skylar.”

Collin sits up with me. “I’ll supervise and observe you getting dressed. Maybe watch you get into the shower.”

Mom stands. “That’s my cue to leave. I’ll wait for you outside the door.”

I stand and stretch and then start walking toward the bathroom. I turn my head back and motion for him to join me. “Come on. I need a shower bra.”

He smiles as he follows me in.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

COLLIN

After a very good celebratory shower, we head back up to the maternity ward. None of Jade’s family is in the waiting room, so we head down to their original room. It gets louder as we approach. We look at each other and smile knowing the whole big crew is in there, which means the babies have arrived.

As soon as we turn into the room, Darian runs to Jade and embraces her. “Are you okay? We were so worried about you. Your dad said you were fine but wouldn’t say anything more.”

Jade sighs. “I’m fine. Collin knocked me up.” She points to the babies in Reagan and Skylar’s arms. “I’m going to have one of those monsters soon.”

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