“Yeah, right,” I mumble under my breath before I push past Ramon and enter the foyer of my parents’ ranch house. The house that I still consider home even after living alone for the past ten or eleven years, give or take.
“Sebastian, you’re here. I asked Ramon to go and look for you.” Lily walks towards me or rather waddles towards me.
A quick glance at my brother causes the grin I’ve been trying to suppress to spread across my face. Michael is * whipped, big time.
Michael has been on edge since Lily’s belly started to expand and this isn’t the first time Michael’s followed her around, hovering to make sure she’s okay. Today is no exception and Michael looks like he’s ready to burst a gasket with Lily wandering around ignoring his suggestions.
When Lily reaches me, I pull her into my arms and hold her as close as I can with the huge stomach, which she always displays with pride, between us.
I smirk at Michael who’s come up behind Lily and starts to rub her back.
“You look hot Lily. There is something to be said about sexy, pregnant women, but I think I better give you back to your husband before we end up fighting, which will end up with us both getting dumped in one of the horse troths dad used to be fond of.” I place a kiss to Lily’s forehead.
As I release her, Michael pulls her into his arms, smoothing the hair behind one of her ears. Despite my teasing words, Michael only has eyes for his wife and completely ignores my ribbing.
Just watching my brother with his wife sends an ache through my chest. Will I ever have what Michael has? I wonder as my gaze scans the room. I know who I’m looking for even though it pains me to think of it. Until I met Carla, I never even considered having someone to call my own. Christ, I’m thirty-four and never had a relationship that lasted longer than a couple of weeks. I’ve never been interested, until now, and the woman I want is out of reach.
A slap on the back from my father brings me in to the present.
“I don’t think a day went by without one of you getting dipped in the troth. Fond memories,” Dad laughs, squeezing my shoulder.
“Yeah, and I seem to remember Sebastian ending up in there more than the rest of us,” Ruben interrupts as he walks up and wraps his arm around my neck in a noose, laughing as he does.
Pushing him away, I see Lily standing with her hands on her hips and her huge stomach sticking out. My eyes widen as it hits me – how ready Lily is to give birth.
“All this excitement is going to send me into labor. You do realize that, right?”
If I didn’t feel panicked at Lily’s announcement I’d have laughed at the look on everyone’s face, especially Michael’s.
I rub my hand over my face and point behind Lily so she’d turn to see Michael, who is standing behind her, his face pale and pasty white and he almost looks ready to pass out.
Lily reaches up and takes hold of Michael’s face before pulling him down to meet her lips.
Turning away, I meet my mom’s eyes and she looks to be holding back tears. I finally remove my jacket and hold it in one hand as I pull my mom in for a hug.
“Are you alright, Sebastian?” she asks softly against my chest, keeping her arms around me.
I have to swallow the lump in my throat before I can answer her, “I will be.” I kiss her on the top of her head and release her before moving into the room completely.
“Go find Carla. She went to the pantry to retrieve some more lemonade.” Mom gives me a gentle nudge towards the kitchen.
Shaking my head, I wonder if Mom knows how obsessed I am with Carla. I feel as though I’ve kept it hidden well enough, but then again, is it possible to really keep anything from my mom? She used to frighten the hell out of us when we were kids with the things she knew.
At the small office, now an outdoor room for coats, boots, etc., I open the door and toss my jacket onto the rack and miss. With an impatient sigh, I pick the jacket up from the floor shoving it on a peg before turning towards the pantry.
Chapter 3
Carla
The sound of someone grabbing the door handle brings me out of my musing as it suddenly opens and standing in all his masculine glory is Sebastian.
I really haven’t prepared myself for seeing him again, it’s only been ten days since I’ve last set eyes on him, but his whole presence surrounds me and won’t let go.
With a quick glance behind him, he steps into the pantry and closes the door, trapping us together.
My heart beats rapidly in my chest, it’s a wonder he can’t hear it. Unable to move, I stay over by the one window in the room, which I turn to look through, not really seeing anything other than Sebastian’s reflection in the glass as he comes to stand behind me.
I desperately want to lean into him. To feel his body against the length of my back, but I know if I do it will be even more difficult to stay away from him. I’ve always avoided anything that would bring us into contact with each other, as in skin-to-skin. Even when passing a dish or a drink to one another, we always make sure our hands don’t touch.