“Nope.”
“Fine,” he slides his hands under my butt, and I wrap my legs around his waist. He walks us towards the family room. The tips of his fingers wander, grazing my pussy.
I slap his chest, and he smiles, “I can’t help it. You’re wet for me, and it’s driving me nuts.”
I roll my eyes, “You’re incorrigible. Talk. First.”
When we get in front of the couch, he lets me go, and I flop down on the soft cushions. He sits down practically on top of me.
“Oh no, scoot one seat over.”
He mumbles something under his breath but complies. “I’m sorry about what went down, Kitten. I know you were blindsided. It wasn’t fair of us to keep you in the dark like that. Honestly, it was Cole’s fuck up, so he was the one who needed to man up and tell you about it. Foster and I nagged him incessantly, but he wouldn’t budge. He’s almost as stubborn as you. I love you and never meant to hurt you with my silence.”
“I accept your apology, Talon.”
He smiles before he tackles me on the couch, kissing me while his hands wander underneath my shirt.
Chapter 29
Since my alarm woke me up about four hours ago, I’ve been at my computer editing photos. After a week back in the house, I still have work to catch up on. My back is stiff from sitting, and my stomach rumbles, so I head downstairs to grab a snack. Cole is sitting at the counter when I reach the kitchen, staring into space. The last few days have gone well. My relationships with Talon and Foster are solid. Cole came back yesterday, but we haven’t talked.
“Are you okay?” I ask him quietly, careful not to startle him.
He doesn’t react. I go into the cupboard to find some cookies and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. Still, he sits and stares. I lean onto the counter across from him and wave my hand before his face. He blinks and focuses on my face.
“What’s going on?” I ask him.
“Hannah’s mom called. She’s at the hospital. She’s in labor.”
“Isn’t this too early?”
“Yeah, by five weeks. The doctors are saying the baby should be fine. Maybe a short hospital stay.”
Are you going up there?”
He shrugs, “I don’t know what to do. It might not be my baby. It’s probably not.”
“But there’s a chance it could be. Did she even contact the other potential fathers?”
“Not that I know of.” He stares out the windows into the yard again, and I let him collect his thoughts. No matter how I feel, he must figure this out alone.
“Will you go with me?” Cole asks me, then grimaces. “Sorry, that’s not fair of me to ask you. I know that would be extremely hard for you. Forget I asked.”
I reach across the counter and place my hand on his, “If you need me there, I will be.”
Cole gives me a small smile, “You’re amazing, do you know that? I have to leave for practice in a minute. Her mom is going to keep me updated.”
“That’s great. You’re making the right decision. I know you’d regret not seeing your son after he’s born. If he’s not yours, there’s nothing lost by being there.”
He nods, “You’re right.”
He stands from his stool, comes around the island, and hugs me. We still have a lot to say, but I hope we can make our way back to being friends again.
Hannah gave birth to her son, Connor Michael, at around two in the morning. after being in labor for over eighteen hours. I’m with Cole six hours later as he pulls into the hospital parking lot. I don’t know what kind of shitshow awaits us upstairs.
“Her mom said she’s on the fourth floor, but the baby is in the NICU on the fifth. I can’t see the baby without Hannah present.”
I see his hands shaking and take them in mine, “Everything is going to be okay, no matter what.”
