Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 67644 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67644 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
I waved thanks and ran to the elevator. Since Autumn and Drew kept a guest suite on the same floor as their apartment, I was able to hop into their private elevator and avoid the crush of tourists waiting on the others in the lobby.
My foot tapped impatiently all the way up. When the car halted and the doors slid open, I could finally take a deep breath. I stepped off and turned to the left. I passed the first set of double doors, which led to Drew and Autumn’s place, and stopped at the next set.
The door wasn’t locked, so I burst inside without knocking or announcing myself. There were three bedrooms in the suite, but only one door was closed, and I sprinted over to it.
This time, I opened the door gently, not wanting to disturb Belle if she was asleep. But, damn, I needed to see her, touch her, and assure myself that she was okay.
The room was dark other than a small sliver of light shining from between the drawn curtains. It lit a path to the bed and gave off just enough glow for me to see the woman lying under the covers. I toed off my shoes and padded over to the side of the bed. Carefully, I pulled back the blanket, then slipped in next to her. She didn’t wake when I pulled her into my arms, but she snuggled deeper into my embrace and sighed.
Holding her close, I shut my eyes and listened to her cute little snores until I fell asleep. I was finally home.
The sound of someone getting sick jerked me out of a deep sleep. I was groggy for a few seconds until my mind cleared the instant I realized Belle was no longer in bed with me.
I jumped up and ran to the bathroom, skidding to a halt at the sight of Belle slumped over the toilet. I grabbed a hand towel and ran it under the tap before kneeling at her side. As I gathered her hair in one hand, she glanced up at me with bleary eyes.
“Griff?” she asked hoarsely.
I laid the damp towel on her neck before leaning in to kiss her forehead. Her skin was clammy, and I was happy there was no sign of fever.
“Hey, baby.”
“Of course, this is the moment you choose to show up,” she groaned.
A smile tugged at my lips, and I kissed her head again. “You look beautiful, Belle.” She scoffed, then moaned and basically face-planted into my chest. “Are you done?”
She nodded and mumbled a muffled, “I think so.”
I scooped her into my arms and took her to the sink. After searching a couple of drawers, I found several spare toothbrushes in clear packaging and a few different tubes of toothpaste. Belle shot me a grateful look when I squeezed some paste on a brush and handed it to her. After brushing and rinsing with mouthwash, I picked her up again and returned her to the bed.
“Are you here to break up with me?” she asked in a small voice. Her brown eyes were glistening and filled with sadness that broke my heart.
“What?” I reared back in shock. “What the fuck would make you think that?”
She shrugged and looked away. “You’ve been really distant, and you didn’t want to talk to me, and then I heard that woman—”
I placed a finger on her lips to stop her rambling, then replaced it with my mouth for a long, sweet kiss. “Haven’t I made it clear that we’re forever?” I inquired softly when we parted.
“I just thought maybe you’d changed your mind.”
I climbed into bed next to her and scooted my back until it was supported by the headboard. Then I dragged her into my lap, so she was sitting sideways and leaning against my chest.
“Never,” I reassured her with a tender kiss on her temple. My arms tightened around her.
“If you weren’t sick, I would strip you down right now and remind you that you’re mine. Will always be mine.”
“I’m not sick. I’m pregnant.”
I froze, not sure I’d heard her correctly. “Pardon?” I croaked.
“I’m pregnant.”
“With a baby?” I don’t know what possessed me to ask that question.
Belle sat up and observed me with a wry expression. “No, with a snapdragon. Yes, a baby!”
“Holy shit!” I crowed suddenly, startling her into falling off my lap. “Sorry, baby,” I apologized with a grin as I lifted her back into place. “A baby! Hot damn. The woman I love is carrying my fucking baby!”
Belle gasped, and my gaze whipped to hers. I didn’t understand her reaction. Was she upset about the baby?
“The woman you love?”
I frowned, confused at her tone. “Yeah.”
“You’ve um”—she swallowed hard—“You’ve never told me you love me.”
My eyebrows shot up, probably lost in my hairline. “What?” Son of a bitch. No wonder she hadn’t been convinced I was all in. I cradled her face in my hands and stared into her warm, chocolate eyes. “I love you more than anything, baby. More than my next breath.”