Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Two lines in the window of a plastic stick change everything I ever wanted. I could put off being a mom in theory, when it was only an idea. Now it is a reality and it is instantly transformative, a sudden avalanche of feeling that brings tears to my eyes.
Did my mom feel like this when she was pregnant with me? Like I was the only thing she ever wanted in the entire world? The promise of this baby is everything to me all at once. Love like nothing I fathomed fills me up like light.
My phone rings and there he is. Jack calls me, and I answer, swallow hard and remind myself not to tell him. I can’t yet, not till I have my bearings and know what I want to do. He’d marry me. In one second, maybe less. If he knows I’m having his child, I’d be a Marino missus before I finish my sentence.
“Are you busy at four?” he asks.
“No, what are we doing?”
“We’re going back to class,” he says, a little mischievous.
“More yoga?” I ask.
“Don’t get your hopes up. This doesn’t involve barnyard animals of any kind.”
“Oh. Well, you’re not doing the best job of convincing me to go,” I say.
“My assistant is going to send a car for you. Are you home?”
“I will be by then,” I say.
“I’ll meet you there at four. I’d pick you up myself but I’ve got a meeting.”
“Okay. What should I wear?”
“My assistant will have everything you need.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
“Hey, Serena,” he says, faltering just as I’m about to hang up.
“Yeah?”
“I miss you.”
I smile. “I miss you, too.”
A bubble of excitement rises in me because I’ll see him later. I have to tell myself to calm down, and don’t get too excited. I have a baby to think of now and my decisions have to be smarter and less impulsive. I look up the best vitamins and exercise for pregnant women in the first trimester and make some notes, a shopping list. Then I do some laundry before I flat iron my hair and put on make-up. I’m ready way too early, giddy and a little queasy, possibly because I didn’t feel like eating lunch.
When the car pulls up to my house, it’s not the dark Town Car I expect. It’s Jack himself, driving his car. My heart leaps, a grin blooms on my face.
What is he up to?
14
JACK
Her face when she sees that it’s me—that’s the greatest payoff right there. The biggest rush of satisfaction swamps me, like I succeeded, I’ve made her smile. I don’t hear violins in my head or anything stupid, but I definitely get out to open her door. She looks me right in the eyes and says, “I thought a car was coming for me?”
“I saw a chance to end the meeting early,” I say, downplaying the fact that I moved the entire schedule around on several executives who were smart enough not to complain.
Serena smiles, her dimples showing. “I’m glad you did. Now I don’t have to wait to see you. Tell me where we’re really going.”
I open the door and settle her in the car. “You’ll have to wait and see,” I say playfully. Her hand darts out, catches my tie and tugs me closer.
“Please?” she says, her pretty eyes sparkling.
I growl a little, deep in my chest, a possessive noise that slips out as I catch her wrist and bring her hand to my lips, kiss her palm. I feel her body respond, the way her skin heats and lips parted as her breathing gets faster.
If I kiss her now, this will be over. We’ll never make our appointment then. I clear my throat and release her hand, back away from her.
“We better get going,” I say, my voice gruff and rusty as I force my body to calm down.
I drive, my hands gripping the wheel too hard, the air conditioning blowing hard in my face as I try to cool myself off.
“I’m a little cold. Mind if I snuggle up to you?” she says.
I curse the gear shift in the way, reach for her with my right hand, draw her closer. She turns down the fan so it’s not a gale force wind in the interior of my car. She leans on my shoulder. I let a breath out and tension loosens in my chest. I rub my cheek over her hair and let myself feel how much I love her.
“God, I love you,” I murmur into her hair at a stop light.
She lifts her face and the tremulous lips; the wide eyes nearly unman me. I lock lips with her swiftly, sucking her lower lip, giving her a soft, quick kiss because I can’t keep not kissing her all the way there.
Her small hand reaches up and cups my cheek. Her eyes are too bright, gleaming with unshed tears. A knot forms in my throat, my whole body going rigid as steel. She’s about to cry. I want to find whoever upset her and rip them apart. The urge to rescue her, to avenge her sadness is primitive. I might as well be a wolf, a bear, some wild animal gone feral over his mate.