Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97409 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97409 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
COLLINS
“This is ridiculous,” I mutter, walking out of his house and down the steps. “I could probably just walk there.” I look over at him, and he glares. “It’s two-thirty in the morning.”
“And it’ll be three by the time I get home, and I can go to bed for three more hours.”
“I have a serious question to ask you.” I stop halfway to his truck and cock my hip. “And you have to answer me honestly.”
“Always.” His hand comes up to tuck my hair behind my ear.
“Will I ever win an argument with you?”
He holds my face in his hands as his thumbs rub my cheeks. “I let you win last night, right before bed.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You said we always do what I want to do in bed, and I let you choose the next position.” He smiles big.
“You didn’t let me win. You said, ‘Either on your knees or you ride my dick,’” I say, mimicking his voice.
“And you chose riding me.” He shrugs. “It was a great decision by the way. Watching you on top of me, trying to focus on me while my thumb played with your—”
I lift my hand to block his mouth. He pulls me closer to him, and as I move my hand, his mouth finds mine. His tongue slides into my mouth as I fall into him and the kiss.
He lets go of me, and my eyes flutter open. “See? You win sometimes.” He rubs his nose with mine and smacks my ass before walking to the truck.
“You’re lucky you are really hot”—I march to the truck and open my door—“and you are okay in bed.” That makes him laugh, and I hide my smile as I reach for my seat belt.
“Did you get the bag I packed?” he asks me, and now I look at him with a soft smile.
“Yes. It weighs a hundred pounds.” I put the bag on my legs.
“I just want to make sure that if you don’t have time to stop and eat, you have food.” After dinner last night, he cut me some fruit and then took out a couple of protein bars and some fruit snacks. He also made me a grilled chicken, cheese, and lettuce wrap because I mentioned how I like wraps.
“If you get out and walk me to the door, I’m never going to live that down,” I tell him when we reach the station.
He laughs. “Okay, I won’t walk you to the door, but I’m not not kissing you.”
“Fine,” I give in.
He leans over the console and kisses me. “See? Again, you win.” He kisses my neck. “Call me when you get a chance?”
“I will.”
I enter the station as quietly as I can, knowing the firemen are sleeping. They also do twelve-hour shifts, but their change is at 7:00 a.m. A couple of us have complained about our shift changes being in the middle of the night, and we’ve requested an adjustment, but it is always ignored for reasons unknown.
I walk up the stairs and head to my locker before grabbing my uniform and going to change. Only when I try to zip up the pants do I stop and look at my little bump. It’s coming along. I try in vain to get the button closed, but nothing will make it fit. I look up at the ceiling and know that in the next week, I’m going to have to come clean to everyone. I’m almost at four months, way over the twelve weeks. I take out my phone and send Theo a text.
Me:
My pants don’t fit me. I need to come up with an excuse.
Theo:
How about “I’m having a baby?”
Me:
Thanks for nothing.
Theo:
Baby, there are parts of you that have changed.
I don’t bother texting him because he calls, saying, “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“You basically just called me fat,” I point out.
“I did not. Don’t ever say that out loud again,” he says, exasperated. “Baby, your body is changing.”
“I look the same.” Though my bra feels tighter. “Okay, my boobs have gotten a bit bigger”—I check behind me—“not my ass though.”
“You were perfect before. You are perfect now, and you’ll be perfect after you have our baby.”
“Barf,” I retort. “I have to go.”
“Have a good day.” The gentleness in his voice makes me shake my head and disconnect.
I go through my bag, grabbing an elastic out of my makeup case, and do a loop with it before putting the button through it. “That’s better.”
I’m pinning my hair on top of my head as Roman comes in. “Hello,” I greet, and he grunts. “It’s two weeks, and then we’ll be back to your vampire hours,” I remind him, knowing he prefers that shift over this one. “I’ll be in the common area.” I pat his shoulder, grab my bag, and walk out.