Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“I want that too,” I tell him. “I want to see you and get to know Debbie and my sisters.”
“They’re going to be so excited, Paige. They ask about you all the time. I know you’re pregnant, so maybe we can come to you.”
“I would love that.”
“Good. Now, tell me everything. Tell me about your job and your life and how your pregnancy is going. I want to know everything you’ve left out all these years.”
For the next couple of hours, I tell my dad everything, starting with my time in college and ending with Nate. We laugh and cry, and it isn’t until my stomach starts to rumble in hunger that I tell him I’ll call him soon.
When I hang up, I go in search of Nate since he left earlier to give me some privacy. I find him sitting on the bed, back against the headboard, typing on his phone.
When he hears me come in, he sets his phone on the nightstand and gives me his full attention. Something he always does when he’s with me.
“That sounded like it went well,” he says as I pad over to him.
“It did. But it never should’ve happened. I should’ve spoken to him fifteen years ago, when I overheard him. All those years wasted because of my pride and fear.”
I climb into Nate’s lap, situating myself so my knees are on either side of him, my soft belly lightly bumping against his. He wraps his arms around my waist and looks into my eyes, and my heart squeezes in my chest.
“I made a huge mistake with my dad,” I tell him. “And I don’t want to make that mistake with you.” When he quirks a brow, I explain, “I don’t know what the future holds, and everything with us has happened out of order.”
I choke out a laugh, and he shrugs.
“But what I do know is that I fell for you in England, and I’ve only fallen harder since you found me. I was scared to let you in. First because I’ve been burned on more than one occasion when it comes to letting people in. And then because I felt guilty. I mean, why should you have to uproot your entire life because of me?”
“Because one of us has to,” he murmurs, palming my cheek. “And I’m okay with it being me. Your home, your life, and your job are not any less important than mine. I love you, and I want a life with you and our little guy.” He glides his hand down to my belly and presses his palm against it tenderly.
“I want that too,” I tell him, hating that I can’t tell him that I love him yet. I want to—I can feel it—but I’m still so scared. “I want to see where things go between us. We still have plenty of time before the baby comes, and I want to spend that time with you, getting to know you—and not just as the father of my baby, but as more than that. Is that okay?” I ask. “I know it’s not what—”
“Stop,” Nate says softly, refusing to let me finish. “That’s more than okay. You need to take things slow, and I get it. I’ve been hurt too. But my wounds have since healed, and that’s partly because of you. But yours are newer, fresher, and it’s going to take time. And it just so happens I have plenty of time.”
“Thank you,” I mutter, sighing in relief that he understands.
I want to have it all with him. The family, the home, the love…but I need to take things one day at a time so I don’t feel like we’re rushing into things. The last thing I want is to go all in and Nate regret it and then be forced to break my heart.
“I’d do anything for you,” he says, cupping my face with his strong hands.
His lips capture mine, and the kiss starts off gentle with the silent promise of a fresh start. But then his tongue slides into my mouth, and I’m overtaken with lust and want and need.
Without breaking the kiss, Nate lifts me off his lap and carefully lays me onto my back, then lifts my shirt over my head, exposing my simple black bra and boy shorts.
“Do you know how sexy you look like this?” he says as he kisses the swells of my breasts. “They were perfect before, but now…fuck,” he now out. “I just want to lick and suck them for hours.”
Pulling one cup down and then the other, he gives each nipple a gentle lick before he sucks one into his mouth, drawing a moan from me.
After he’s given them both enough attention that I’m damn near coming from nipple stimulation alone, he moves on, kissing his way down my torso.