Page 139 of Discretion

“What’s this?” Halle asked. It was a rectangular shape, wrapped in brown paper.

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the wall. I was about to tell her to open it and find out, butholy fuck.The sheet slid down, baring her breasts to me.

“God. You are gorgeous,” I said, forgetting she’d asked a question. “I am the luckiest man alive.”

I went to her, crawling up the bed over her. She was taunting me with that gorgeous body of hers. I cupped her breasts. “Damn.”

She laughed but then winced slightly.

“You okay?” I thought I’d been gentle, but maybe she was still tender from earlier.

“Probably just pre-period tenderness,” she said, though she didn’t sound convinced.

I frowned. “I thought you were supposed to get your period last week.”

She’d had her IUD removed about six weeks ago, but it seemed way too soon to get pregnant. Though…with the number of times we’d had sex lately, maybe it wasn’t that farfetched.

“I…” Her eyes widened, and she grabbed her phone from the nightstand, tapping frantically on the screen.

“Halle?” I asked.

“I, um…” She wouldn’t look at me. “Think you can run to the drugstore before Kai wakes up?”

I pulled out my phone and placed an order for delivery. There was no way I was leaving her alone right now. “It’ll be here in twenty minutes.”

“Thank you.” She sighed, sinking down on the edge of the bed.

“You okay?” I asked again, though this time, I was referring to her mental state.

We’d discussed this. We’d agreed that we wanted to expand our family. And while it had been tempting to wait until things felt more settled both at home and at the office, I hadn’t wanted to. And Halle had agreed. That said, I was worried she might feel differently now that it might actually be happening.

Work was going well. I might not have been my grandparents’ pick for CEO all those years ago, but I no longer questioned if I was up to the job. The board seemed to respect me more now that I’d taken charge. They might not like me as much, but I was done pretending this was a popularity contest. I was done trying to be my older brother or anyone else, because I was more than enough.

Halle had shown me that. Sumner had helped, as had Darla and my family—especially Sloan. I wasn’t CEO by default; I was more than capable of effecting positive change in the company in this role. And even though I was no longer an SVP, it was important to still find ways to nurture my creative side, my desire to improve the guest experience.

Halle was rocking it as the new SVP, and the data proved it. More than that, employees loved her. She was perfect for the job, just as we’d all already known.

Kai was thriving at his new school, settling in and making friends. Adding a new baby to the mix would definitely be a challenge—for all of us. Even so, if Halle was pregnant, I would be ecstatic. But only if that’s what she wanted too. Right now, I wasn’t so sure.

“I’m—” She shook her head, unwilling to say more.

I went over and knelt before her, my heart aching for her. “Halle, love. Tell me what you’re feeling.”

“I’m…” She swallowed hard then glanced up at me with tears in her eyes. “Scared.”

Fuck.

I cupped her cheek, realizing how vulnerable she seemed in that moment. “Why?”

“What if the test is negative?” she asked, and something in my chest eased. She wasn’t scared of the idea that she might be pregnant. Shewantedto be pregnant, and she was scared to get her hopes up.

“If it is—” I took her hand in mine, rubbing my thumb across the back “—then we’ll just have to keep trying.” I waggled my eyebrows.

She laughed, rolling her eyes. It might be silly, but it had had its intended effect.

“Either way—” I kissed her forehead “—it’s all good, right?”

She considered it a moment then nodded. “It’s all good.”