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A quick glance at my ruined mascara and matted hair tells me a shower is an excellent idea.

Braxton might want to see me naked, but in no way am I prepared to show off my zombie-preggo-lady look. I shower quickly, throw on minimal makeup, enough to cover up the still slightly green look from morning sickness complexion, and toss my hair into a messy knot on top of my head. It’s when I’m sliding into my most comfortable, stretchy pair of yoga pants that I catch my profile in the mirror and cringe.

The pants are tight, digging into my stomach and sides above my hips.

And it’s like the air stills while my hand settles on my stomach. It’s no longer just a nightly bloat.

I’m showing.It should make me uncomfortable or scare me, shouldn’t it? But as I stare into the mirror, I catch my own soft grin.

I’m having a baby. A real-life baby and it’s unexpected and with an unexpected guy, but so far, Braxton’s the kind of guy I’d imagine myself with.

His idea of dating doesn’t seem so scary now. He’s definitely good at following through on taking care of me and he’s handled all of this with such confidence. He’s becoming my calm strength in the midst of what could be a brutal storm. I might not know him well, but I know enough to know he won’t let any hint of that storm come close to me.

He’s not only a great guy, he’s also really, really sexy. A girl could do much worse, but I’m not sure it gets much better.

I grab my empty juice glass and sleeve of crackers intent on heading to find him, but as soon as I open my bedroom door, I come to an abrupt stop, almost tripping over a waggling tail, sad puppy dog eyes, and a happy tongue lolling out of Lucy’s mouth.

“Hey, girl,” I say, crouching down and going straight for her ears.

She whines, bumps her nose into my palm, and licks me wherever she can reach.

“She’s been waiting for you. Thought she was going to have at least three heart attacks this morning.”

I look up as Braxton speaks and all that confidence, my newfound excitement at seeing him, spikes to immeasurable levels.

He’s standing at the edge of the hallway, shoulder braced against the wall. His arms are bare. In fact, everything above his waist is bare. His ink is everywhere.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen him like this, it takes all my will to resist jumping to my feet and tackling him so I can taste him all over.

This is not pregnant hormones kicking into high gear, creating a throb at the apex of my thighs.

This is simple, boy meets girl, girl wants to taste hot boy, physical chemistry.

Chapter 14

Braxton

She’s beautiful, crouched down, ass to heels, a package of crackers in one hand and her other hand on the top of Lucy’s head where she paused as soon as I spoke.

But it’s her eyes, like always, drawing me to her, pulling me closer as though the web of chemistry I’ve always felt between us has finally made its way to her.

“Hey,” Cara says, giving Lucy another rub and pushing to her feet. “Good morning.”

Good morning, indeed. Although it was a better night last night when I was peeling her skintight satin dress off her body and standing there like a jackass, admiring her body, thinking of the way it was going to change in the upcoming months. I only felt slightly disgusted with myself for doing it when she passed out and was unable to see my vast appreciation of her body.

Shame, because with the way she’s eye-fucking me, I think we’re thinking the same thing…

Desire.

I’ve been pretty blunt with what I want from her, especially throwing a relationship with her down like a gauntlet, one she was clearly hesitant to pick up. Last night, after the run-in with the redhead, I’d considered stepping back.

Now? Her gaze is glued to my chest and my abs, and I drop my arms from my chest, letting her look her fill. No way in hell am I backing down.

It’s full speed ahead, picking up exactly where we left off the morning she snuck out on me.

“You should eat.” I push off the wall and snap my fingers, calling Lucy to me, but like she’s behaved since last weekend, with Cara around, Lucy wants nothing to do with me.

“I’m not really hungry. I ate some crackers.”