Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
But she’s not a big talker. The most I got out of her was that her parents became very wealthy in the tech industry and were workaholics, however they did like to travel quite a bit. I learned that she’s originally from Northern California—which explains her parents being in the tech industry—and that she came east to go to NC State University for its zoology program, then after she got her bachelor’s, she did a master’s in geology. Past that, I have no clue why she even likes zoology or geology or how she got to the point she wanted to work in a museum. Like I said, she controlled most of the conversation by asking me questions and listening with intense interest in me. Many would find that type of attention super flattering, but I would have liked to know more about her since we’re going to be in each other’s lives now.
At the end of lunch, we made tentative plans for me to accompany Stephanie for her first prenatal appointment, which is three weeks away. She’ll be eight weeks pregnant by then.
Jules is the one who came up with the idea for this cookout today. If Stephanie and I are going to raise a child together, that means she will be around my family to a certain extent. Thus, it was a pretty good idea to invite Stephanie over in a low-pressure atmosphere to have some food and relaxing conversation to further get to know each other. And I need low pressure right now, as I’m completely rattled by Stephanie in about a million different ways, not least of which is the fact I’m still insanely attracted to her and I’m wondering how to tamp down those feelings.
Ordinarily I’m never unsure about women, but Stephanie is not ordinary in any way. She was the best fuck of my life, and now she’s a pregnant woman I’m trying to get to know. And I don’t want her to be pregnant. I want her to be a great fuck again, because I still want her, and yet this whole broken-condom-pregnancy thing has put a very weird spin on things. I’m hoping at the very least that at the end of tonight, I’ll have a better grasp on how we’re going to move forward with this pregnancy.
The doorbell rings and I practically jump out of my skin. Jules snickers and I flip her off.
“I’ll get it,” I grumble, and head back to the formal living room before turning right to the front door foyer. Max and Jules have a double front door that’s mostly glass in a wood frame. It provides me a stunning and clear look at Stephanie as she stands there clutching with both hands the purse strap that’s over her shoulder. The late-afternoon sun causes her crimson hair to practically glow, and it’s a good thing she’s wearing sunglasses because I would be equally hypnotized by her blue eyes as I am by her curls.
She gives me a tentative smile through the glass as I open the door and invite her in. “I’m glad you could make it.”
Stephanie steps into the foyer and I get a whiff of her perfume, which has an exotic and spicy bite to it. It totally suits her. She takes off her sunglasses and shoves them into her purse.
“Thanks again for inviting me,” she says softly, and I can tell by the tone of her voice that she’s as nervous as I am.
For some reason, this gives me a massive boost of confidence and I reach down impetuously to take her hand. Squeezing it, I assure her, “None of us bite. Well, I actually do, but only in the heat of passion.”
I immediately want to snatch those words back, as I didn’t mean to make a sexual innuendo. I don’t want to make this any more uncomfortable than it already is, particularly since we had wild, pulse-pounding, uninhibited sex that goes beyond the norms of what strangers do with each other.
Thankfully, Stephanie just chuckles and squeezes my hand back. Once again, we’re holding hands and not letting go. “I appreciate your efforts to put me at ease. Nothing like a sex joke to do that.”
She’s not only not offended, but she seems to be amused, and this is the lightest her voice has sounded since I found out she was pregnant.
I don’t want to lose that and I scramble to maintain it.
“Well, sex makes everything better, right?” I ask in a low voice with a devilish grin.
“Totally right,” she agrees with a laugh.
It’s then that the slight coughing noise behind us gets our attention, and our hands pull apart involuntarily. I turn and see Jules standing there with a welcoming smile on her face.
She steps forward and puts her hand out to Stephanie. “Hey, Stephanie. I’m Jules and I’m so glad you accepted our invitation.”