Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
“Wow. Why didn't you guys ever tell me?” I ask them curiously.
“Not sure. Just didn’t seem relevant to our lives until now. Now Ripley, let me ask you one question.” My father begins, kneeling in front of her. “Do you want to keep the baby? Forget all the other stuff you have in your mind. I am asking you what you want. You have to know we would be more than happy to help with our first grandchild. Support you and Jocobi in any way you need. But this has to be your choice, despite what my son protests. This is your body.” I grunt at his comment because it is my fucking body, my woman, and my baby. But I don’t interrupt him. “What would you like to do, sweetie?”
I want to keep it,” she says without hesitation. “I just don’t want to ruin anyone's life.” My father raises his eyebrow and looks at me.
“And what about your life?” he asks her.
“No matter what, I am going to be stuck in this town, working at the diner. I am never going to have the money to go to college or get out of here.” My stomach begins to turn for another reason. The look my father gives me tells me this is as much my fault as hers. He always told me growing up that things left unsaid are things misunderstood. Now I finally get it.
“Well, it seems you two have a lot to discuss, no?” Nodding my head I walk over to Ripley.
“Maybe we should talk upstairs.” She nods and gets up from the couch. “Oh and don’t forget your sister is coming home tomorrow.” Oh yeah. I totally forgot it's time for her to come back. I have a little sister named Siddah. She is thirteen and the sweetest, sassiest girl ever. She has spent the last four weeks with her freshman class in Costa Rica, helping some not-for-profit company test the water. She and Ripley hit it off immediately when we first began dating.
Once back in my room, I sit on the other side of the room in a chair while she sits on the bed. I close my eyes for a moment and try to cool the anger. I want to be able to speak from a place of love and clarity and give her a chance to do the same. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant, Rip? I think that is what stings the most is that you didn’t believe in me enough to confide in me.” She nods and wipes her face.
“I know and I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to feel obligated to be happy or something. I don’t know, Cobi. I was trying to do the right thing.” I don’t know what it is, but the word obligated makes my stomach tickle. Like a deep rumble from the middle of the ocean a laugh bubbles up inside of me. “What's so funny?” Ripley asks, confused and looking at me like I have finally cracked up.
“You really never figured it out, did you?”
“Figured out what?” she asks, getting frustrated. Tired of the separation between us, I go over the bed and lift her onto my lap and turn her to look at me, so she is straddling me.
“No man fucks a woman without a condom or at least pulling out without intent.” Her cute little red eyes squint and I can see her mind running through my words and I know the moment she figures it out.
“Are you saying you got me pregnant on purpose?” You are damn right.
Chapter Five
Ripley
He is not saying what I think he is? “Cobi, did you get me pregnant on purpose?” He has the nerve to look contrite for a moment before it goes away, and he nods his head.
“Damn right.” I look at him, shocked and speechless. He says nothing. He simply leans over and kisses me slightly before pulling back and looking at me. “I had to make sure I could keep you, angel.” I blink a few times trying to figure out what the hell he is talking about.
“Keep me?” I whisper still not sure what he is telling me.
“Yes. Forever, baby. You have consumed me from the moment I saw you again. You ran from me, put up roadblocks and ignored me and all it did was make me want you more. When I think of my future angel, all I see for sure is you, me and a family. Everything else is a maybe, but us, is certain.”
“So you knew I wasn’t on birth control?”
“You’re damn right I knew. I banked on it. Every time I take you I am spilling my swimmers inside of you, praying for them to take hold and breed you. Hell, I push it back in you every damn time when it leaks out.” I gasp and lean back.