Tears cling to her lashes, and her lips wobble. My chest caves in and it feels like the room takes a breath.
“I’m pregnant.”
For a moment all I can hear is static in my ears. I blink. My hands tighten on her face. She’s… She’s pregnant?
Lexi is carrying my kid.
She’s having my baby.
My eyes drop to her belly, hidden beneath her blouse and pants, as if I can see it growing there. Fuck. My lungs stutter, the air trapped behind the lump in my throat.
We talked about kids, did it before we got married, but neither of us were ready.
Now that she is standing in front of me, our heartbeat in her body, I don’t know why we waited.
“You’re pregnant.”
I repeat it, even though I know I heard her clearly.
She nods as much as she can in my grasp.
I drop to my knees in front of her, shoving her blouse up to expose the soft skin beneath. She doesn’t stop me, doesn’t do anything. She just lets me do what I need to.
Her stomach doesn’t look any different. Still soft, that slight curve she’s always had there. But it’s different. Everything about her is.
“Casey? Are you okay?” Her voice is small, like she’s in uncharted territory with me.
“I put a baby in you,” I murmur. “Fuck, I put a baby in you.”
Her fingers trail through my hair. “The doctor thinks we may have dislodged my IUD when we were having sex.”
I don’t give a shit how it happened. I only care that it did. My palm stretches over her belly, like I can feel the baby beneath it. I don’t know whether to lock her in the house or chain her to me for the next nine months.
“This is all mine,” I say, pressing my forehead to her stomach. “You, this baby. Mine. You’re never leaving my sight again.”
I know she’s probably rolling her eyes, but I don’t give a fuck. Every protective urge inside me is firing the highest alert.
“I’m pregnant, not dying. I don’t need a bodyguard.”
I don’t care what she thinks she needs. I’m going to take care of her how I need to. The thought of something happening to her while she is pregnant unravels me. I hold her hips and kiss under her navel, my hands shaking.
“No one gets to look at you, breathe near you, exist in your sphere.”
I sound unhinged. I fucking feel it. I’ve always been obsessed with her, loved her harder than is healthy, but this creates vulnerability I didn’t expect.
“Casey.” She takes my face between her hands, lifting my chin. “Please don’t go crazy on me.”
“I was already crazy, Lexi. This baby has dialed that up to a hundred. You’re carrying my name, my baby, my entire fucking legacy in your body. You’re mine now, in every way possible. Every goddamn inch of you is mine.”
I can’t stop kissing her stomach. Can’t stop touching her either.
“I’m glad you’re taking it so well,” she deadpans, then blows out a breath. “I have a scan booked for Thursday. You don’t have to come. It’ll probably be really boring. They need to check where my IUD ended up, if it’s still in there—and date the pregnancy.” Her nose wrinkles. “It feels really weird saying that.”
I snap my gaze to her. Why in the fuck would she think I don’t want to be there for all of it? “I want to come. Every scan, every appointment. I don’t give a shit if all you’re doing is peeing in a cup, I’m there.”
Her expression softens as I stand. I tower over her, just as I always have, but right now she seems smaller, like she needs my protection more. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be mad.”
I shake my head, claiming her mouth. “How could I be mad about you giving me a child?”
