Page 42 of Size Doesn't Matter

He’d decided before seeing her that he wasn’t holding anything back anymore. He’d learned that lesson the hard way, knew if he wanted to earn back her trust, he was going to have to tell her everything she wanted to know about him, no matter how simple.

Or difficult.

“I knew where to find you the same way I knew where to find your favourite chocolates, and what your favourite rose is, and which cheeses you like best.” He shrugged and told her the truth. “Anna told me.”

Sophie’s scowl deepened. “Oh, I am going tokillher.”

“No, you won’t,” he said, grinning at her empty threat, then stroked her cheeks again, revelled in the peace he felt at the fact that she still hadn’t pulled away from him. Hadn’t yet rejected him. “And I’m here because I couldn’t wait another day—another hour—to see you.”

She looked less than impressed as she cocked one brow, sounding bored when she said, “Oh? And why is that?”

“Because I’m single, Sophie. Technically.”

Her eyes widened and her lips parted on a silent gasp, his news obviously not what she’d been expecting him to say. Then she grabbed his hands and pulled them away from her face, but she didn’t let them go.

“Can you repeat that, please?” she asked, the shock on her face mirrored in her tone.

“I’m single. My divorce was finalised this morning.” Sophie continued to stare at him, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish as a myriad of emotions flitted across her gorgeous face. Jack smiled at her response, a flicker of hope sparking to life in his chest. “It’s been a long time coming, and I—” His smile faltered and he sighed, shoved a hand through his hair. The thing he was about to do, about to say was harder than he’d thought it would be. Jack had a reputation for being ruthless and unapologetic in all aspects of his life, but he was self-aware enough to know when he’d fucked up. Especially something as special as the night he’d spent with Sophie. “I’m sorry for not making my situation more clear to you when we met. I never meant to deceive you. That was selfish of me. It won’t happen again.”

But Sophie continued staring at him, her dark eyes slowly blinking, her sultry pout frozen in a kissable moue of confusion.

Was it too much to hope that she’d be receptive to him just showing up and crashing her uncle’s wedding? Her best friend had thought it a brilliant idea, had even roped in Sophie’s father to help smooth the waters in case it all went to shit. Which was looking more and more probable the longer she remained silent.

Jack knew she wasn’t a timid woman—she hadn’t had any trouble telling him exactly what she thought the last time she’d seen him—so why hadn’t she said anything yet? But then she closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, the myriad of emotions pinballing across her face had narrowed down to just two. The same two he’d felt since commandeering the family jet and flying off to find her.

Longing.

And fear.

But what was she afraid of?

He cupped her cheek again. “Sophie? Baby, talk to me.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “Baby.” Her hands were shaking and she visibly swallowed, her throat undulating softly. “Jack, I… um….”

“What is it?” He took a breath. He’d never had such an awkward conversation in his life. Ethan was the one women usually got tongue-tied around, not him. And certainly notafterhe’d taken them to bed. “Do you—” He shoved his hand through his hair again. “—want me to leave?”

“No!” She practically shouted the word at him, her vehemence assuaging his uncertainty. “I….” She hung her head and took a deep breath, and when she lifted it again, she tilted her chin, stuck it out in defiance. He saw the determination in her dark gaze. “I’m… pregnant.”

The summer sun was fading quickly, slipping behind the mountains in a beautiful display of pink and orange as the darkness of night chased it across the sky. It was a spectacular view, and one Jack usually appreciated, a promise at the end of a hard day that tomorrow would be better.

But as he stood there, surrounded by empty chairs and floral arrangements, he barely even registered it. His brain was shutting out everything, narrowing his field of consciousness down to the woman standing in front of him, telling him the one thing he never thought he’d hear again.

He was going to be a father.

Or was he?

He couldn’t move.

His mouth, unfortunately, could.

“Not to sound indelicate,” he began, then cleared his throat. “But I don’t know when you and Ethan last… ah….” The sight of Sophie’s lovely lips thinning in annoyance made the thought trail off. He scrubbed his hand against the back of his neck and grimaced. After berating him for lying to her, there was no way she’d do the same to him. Sophie wasn’t Lisa. “I’m an idiot,” he muttered.

To his surprise, Sophie laughed. Not so surprisingly, she agreed with him. “Yes, you are.” An instant later, she threw her arms around his neck and sniffed. Her voice quavered, and her cheek felt wet as she pressed it against his and said, “But I’m really glad you’re here.”

Jack wrapped his arms around Sophie and held her shaking body tightly, stroked his hand in circles against her back, and listened to her breathing even out. Sucking down a lungful of air, he pulled her sweet scent deep into his lungs. He’d missed her smell, her touch, her voice. Her moans and screams of pleasure. And now to think—toknow—he had her, held her and theirchild,was nirvana.Bliss.

He knew it was nuts—they barely knew each other—but he couldn’t find the will to care. At long last he was going to be a father, going to have the family he craved. After years of watching from the shadows, watching his friends find the love he knew they deserved, it was finally his turn.

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