Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Eventually, she was done. She pulled away from me and lay down on the cool, tiled floor for a while. I stood and got a wet cloth and a glass of water before curling up on the floor beside her. I wiped her face gently until she looked up at me, taking the cloth from me to finish up. After she’d gotten her breath back, she sat up and rinsed her mouth before spitting in the toilet once more and flushing.
“Let’s get you to bed,” I said, trying to sound gentle.
She nodded, still pale and exhausted, but struggling to her feet. I stood as well, steadying her as we went into the bedroom. I wanted to pick her up and carry her, but I was afraid I’d shatter the fragile truce we had going on. I watched as she crawled onto the bed, lying on her side and curling up into a ball. Then I stood in the doorway for a few moments, debating whether or not to leave. When I heard a muffled sob, I knew there was no way I was leaving her alone.
With a sigh, I walked back to the bed and climbed in beside her. She allowed me to pull her into a loose embrace, burying her face in my chest. That’s how we stayed, holding each other for a long time, until the sobs had stopped and her breathing evened out. Looking down at her, I could see the tear stains under her eyes and on her cheeks. She looked so lost and forlorn even as she slept it hurt my heart. When had this woman gotten so thoroughly under my skin?
Was it because I knew she was carrying my child? Or was it the woman herself? I was beginning to think it was a lot of both. Even if she chose to abort the child, I knew I’d never stop thinking about Willa. Mainly because there hadn’t been an hour during the last six weeks when I hadn’t thought about her.
With a sigh, I pulled the covers higher over her sleeping form. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do or how much of an input she’d let me have in this situation, but I knew I wanted to be in her life and the baby’s. Assuming she decided to keep the child.
Which brought up another dilemma. She was nineteen. I was thirty-five. The age gap wasn’t insurmountable, but everyone was different. Just because her parents and mine had a similar age gap, as did several members of Bones and their old ladies, didn’t mean she’d accept me even if I was interested in keeping her for my own. Which I wasn’t. I wasn’t!
Tomorrow. I’d figure it out tomorrow. Right now, I was tired and needed sleep. If I wasn’t in top mental condition when she woke, there was no way I could hold my own with her. Especially not with the bombshell she’d dropped.
With that last thought, I settled her just that little bit closer, dropped a kiss on the top of her head, and closed my eyes. Soon after, sleep took me.
Chapter Seven
Willa
I woke up warm and cozy, a comforting, familiar scent surrounding me. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that Cyclone was in the bed with me and was wrapped around me in an intimate embrace. I glanced up to see his sleeping face, illuminated by the soft moonlight coming in from the window. His brows furrowed slightly, as if he was deep in thought, and I found myself wondering what he was dreaming about.
I was pulled out of my musing when the reason I’d woken up nudged me in the bladder. I knew it was impossible for me to feel the baby move at this point, but my bladder didn’t care. I extracted myself from Cyclone’s arms and padded to the bathroom. My whole body hurt. I probably hadn’t moved since I’d fallen asleep.
Once I’d done my business, I washed my hands and brushed my teeth. Looking in the mirror, I studied my reflection for a long time. My eyes were bloodshot from my bout of sickness and crying, and there were dark circles under them. My cheekbones stood out sharply. It was a shock to see how my appearance had changed in only six weeks. I figured it was more from stress than the actual pregnancy itself, but I had started getting sick a week and a half ago and vomited most days at least once.
I splashed some cold water on my face and vowed to move on to the next step, whatever that was. I’d figure it out. The first thing I needed to do was to try and get some sleep. I’d need it in the morning when I headed back with Cyclone. With that thought, I turned to head back into the bedroom.