His arms came around me tighter and lifted us up. “I have a better idea.”
He carried me through the bedroom and into the master bath and stood me in front of the claw-foot tub. He turned on the faucet. While he checked the temperature, I stared down at the floor. Dozens of golden tiles were cool under my feet. Ian’s beautiful crown.
How would I tell him? I squeezed my eyes closed and pretended for the moment that I wouldn’t have to. Nothing would have to change. Tomorrow I’d wake up, and I wouldn’t be facing this unexpected situation. Everything could go on the way it had been.
I thought once the outside world agreed to mind its own business, we’d be safe inside our circle. I never thought something like this could happen. That my trust in Will could be so utterly shattered.
While the bath filled, Will turned his attention to me. With gentle care, he undressed me. His movements were slow and methodical, as if I were a child. There was nothing suggestive or sexual about it.
He held my hand and helped me into the bath. The warm water soothed my tense muscles, but it wasn’t enough of the comfort I needed. I wrapped my arms around my knees and held on tight through another wave of disbelief and regret.
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Will’s forearms rested on the lip of the tub. His cobalt gaze was soft and serious at once.
I nodded, and he undressed. He stepped into the water behind me, sat, and gently ushered me back so I rested against his chest. His legs framed mine. He slid his palms down my arms and gently cuffed my wrists.
I sighed as a little more of my tension melted away. At least he was here…with me. Suddenly it occurred to me that I shouldn’t take that for granted. Being in a relationship didn’t guarantee that he’d be on board for fatherhood. He could have bailed the second he found out I was pregnant. He still could.
“Are you going to stay with me?” I didn’t recognize my voice, so small and raw.
His grasp tightened. “Yes,” he said, his tone steadfast. He pressed his nose against my hair and inhaled. “It’s going to be okay, I promise,” he whispered. “Whatever happens, I’m with you. I’m not letting you go.”
I woke early and managed to slip out of bed and leave the penthouse without rousing Will. Ian would be due back from his night shift soon, and I wasn’t nearly ready to face him. The numbing shock of learning that I was pregnant had settled into a reality I was gradually getting used to.
I didn’t have much choice but to accept it. Will had been careless, and here we were. He’d accepted the blame, but I should have been more vigilant too. I’d been so wrapped up in his bubble of sex and sharing and kinky fuckery that I’d gotten too comfortable.
Nothing about life was going to plan lately, and becoming pregnant by one of my two boyfriends certainly fell right in line with that.
I grabbed a coffee and a muffin at my favorite café and made my way to the hospital.
Cameron had texted me a couple of hours earlier with a photo of my newborn nephew. Aidan Jacob had been welcomed into the world at a healthy six pounds, ten ounces. He was a beautiful little red-faced angel wrapped up tight in a hospital blanket, and I couldn’t wait to meet him.
I could have used another day or two to come to terms with being pregnant myself, but nothing was going to keep me from seeing my family today.
The bright sun marking a new day filtered through the hospital windows as I passed doors on my way to their room. I knocked and entered on the sound of Maya’s voice. She greeted me with a smile, and I went to hug her. She looked a little pale but beamed with happiness.
“How are you?”
“Good. So relieved to have him here finally,” she said.
“I bet.”
Cameron’s eyes were bright too, considering he probably hadn’t slept a wink all night. He sat in a chair beside her hospital bed. My nephew’s small body was tucked into the nook of his elbow. I peered over, eager to get a look. He was perfectly still, snoozing contentedly in my brother’s arms.
Instantly, tears stung my eyes and emotion clogged my throat. “He’s so beautiful.”
“Do you want to hold him?” Cameron’s voice was quiet.
I nodded, and he gingerly passed the precious bundle to me.
The baby made a little grunty noise, but quieted as soon as I brought him to my chest. I sat in the chair beside Cameron and looked down in wonder.
The baby opened his eyes and stared up at me. In an instant, my heart felt like it had been carried away, high into the clouds.
“Hi, baby Aidan,” I whispered, feathering a light touch down his cheek.
I pretended to listen while Maya and Cameron relived the highlights of the delivery, but I was more captivated by my perfect nephew. Between his wide-eyed stares and my whispers of adoration, we were having a big talk. Somewhere in it, I made him a silent promise that only he could hear. He would have a cousin very soon.
WILL