He pulled into my parents’ driveway, putting the truck into park before turning to face me. “Just put it on my tab, sweetheart. I’m racking up a hell of a debt for everything you’re already giving me.”
His eyes drifted down to my belly and I felt a little rush of excitement twist through me. My brows furrowed. Wait. Was that just excitement?
“What is it?” he asked, worried.
“I don’t know. I’d always thought the little fluttery feelings in my belly were just anxiety, but maybe I’m wrong?”
Maybe I should’ve looked up what it felt like when a baby kicked because I had no clue. None of my friends had ever been pregnant before.
“Can I feel?” He looked a little awkward asking, but his eyes were locked on my belly, giving away how he truly felt about it. He wanted to feel, he just felt weird asking.
Taking his hand, I pressed it on the side of my belly, waiting for another flutter like before. “That. What is that?”
A slow smile spread across his face and when he looked up at me, his eyes were filled with something sweet and warm I couldn’t identify.
“That’s our kid, Sierra.”
Sucking in a sharp breath, I looked down, then back up. “Really? I thought it’d be, I don’t know, bigger? Isn’t is supposed to hurt?”
“Not in the beginning,” he explained, switching his hand out for mine. “Skylar said it felt like bubbles when it started and it got stronger as Ryder grew. She let me feel when she was close to her due date. That kid is going to be a ninja because I could actually see it without even touching when he kicked.”
Snickering, I waited for another flutter. I didn’t touch my belly often, I didn’t think I needed to when I thought it was just stress weight, but touching it now, with the warmth of his hand surrounding mine, I felt another flutter of excitement in my chest. Then, like the baby was reacting to my emotions, a stronger one in my belly. Almost like it was poking me from the inside out, letting me know it was there.
“I told the doctor I hadn’t felt it. I honestly thought it was anxiety.”
“He also said with the way the placenta or whatever was placed, it’d be harder for you to feel. But she’s in there. You’re growing something great, Sierra.”
Lifting my gaze up to his, I felt my breath catch in my chest when I realized how close we were to each other.
“She?” I asked breathlessly.
He shrugged again, eyes locked on mine. “That’s my guess. What about you? Have any mother instincts I can use to my advantage with this bet?”
Huffing out a laugh, I shook my head minutely, not wanting to break the spell we were under. “I didn’t even know I was pregnant until a few weeks ago. I couldn’t even guess about the gender.”
His eyes were warm and those dimples were out, drawing me in when I told myself I shouldn’t get my hopes up. We still barely knew each other. But after today, seeing how he acted with those kids, and how quick he was to accept that he was the father and take responsibility, it became so much harder to resist him.
My eyes drifted to his lips and I felt the air shift as he leaned closer. The flutters in my belly were going crazy now, and I didn't think it had to do with the baby.
Before our lips could touch, Vegas’s phone rang, startling me into jerking away. We stared at each other for a few seconds, and I wondered if we could get the moment back, but the phone didn't stop ringing and the porch light turned on, letting me know that my parents were aware we were outside.
“I, uh… I’ll let you get that. See you tomorrow?”
Shifting back in his seat, he nodded. “Yeah. See you tomorrow.”
11
Vegas
The demand from Prez to get back to the clubhouse was a little surprising. I was just there. But I could hear the seriousness in his voice, so despite how badly I wanted to stick around and see where things went with Sierra, I hopped out of her truck and met up with Mojave, who hightailed it back as soon as I told him about the call.
When he said he would give me a ride, I thought he’d borrow someone’s cage, but I should’ve known better. Mojave didn’t talk to people unless he absolutely had to. It was an awkward ride home on the back of his bike and I was grateful no one was outside when we showed up. The ridicule would never end if they saw me riding bitch on Mojave’s bike.
The kids were gone by the time we got back, which was another surprise. It wasn’t that late and it was a weekend. But the look on Prez’s face said a lot. He looked pissed and ready for a fight. He waited until the last of us trickled in before calling the room to attention.
“Alright. I’m sure many of you heard what happened earlier tonight. I’ll tell you what I know, but I need a guarantee from every damn one of you that you won’t go looking for revenge.”
I had no fucking clue what he was talking about, and when I looked around, I wasn’t the only one. Rooster shot me a questioning look from across the room, and I shook my head to let him know I had no clue either.
