Page 7 of Katie 3 (Desires #6)

Chapter seven

Katie

M y mind is still buzzing with pleasure.

Carter’s sudden determination to “breed” me is new, but I like it.

I like his feral desperation. He’s never been so determined to have me that he’s fucked me in a place where anyone could see.

It’s honestly a miracle no one saw us. I have a feeling that people heard us, but they didn’t say anything if they did.

And when he finally slipped out of me, appreciating his art between my legs, he was quick to redress us, then made sure I could walk as he led me to his car. His cum leaks out of me and fills my panties as we ride home, leaving me a squirming mess.

“Something wrong, doll?” he asks with a smirk in his voice.

“No. Just… my panties are sticky,” I admit.

He chuckles. “Good.”

I roll my eyes, but smile, then laugh softly. “You’re an animal sometimes.”

He growls and winks at me, then glances at my belly.

He reaches over and gently touches my still-flat stomach.

It’s easy to forget I’m pregnant. Sure, we just had the doctor’s appointment.

Sure, I just made the household aware. Sure, Brad is determined to do everything for me.

But considering my stomach is flat and I’ve only had occasional morning sickness and my breasts are more tender, I can almost believe I’m not pregnant.

“What are you thinking about?” Carter asks.

“What are you thinking about?” I tease back.

He shakes his head. “My mind is empty. I just keep smelling your perfume, feeling you right next to me, and am focused on getting home.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “I almost forget I’m pregnant sometimes. It’s easy to forget plenty at school. I almost feel like I’m two different people,” I murmur. “Not really, I’m not going crazy or anything, it’s just…”

“Different at school?” Carter guesses.

“Yeah.”

He nods. “I think everyone feels that way… somewhat.”

I don’t ask him to elaborate. I can imagine it. No one is their whole self at school or at work. They’re a version of them. Maybe we always show a version of ourselves instead of the whole thing.

“Katie?”

“Thinking,” I assure, reaching out to him and taking his hand. Carter considers that, but I clear my throat. “Are we good?”

“I think it’s very clear that we’re good.”

“Not just sexually. Are we good knowing that… that I’m going to keep the baby?” I ask, my voice softening on every word until I’m not sure if he hears that I’m going to keep the baby.

He stops at a stop sign and looks at me evenly. “I know you’re keeping the baby. You would have done something about it before telling us if you thought otherwise.”

“And you all would have hated me if I did,” I whisper.

“I could never hate you,” he says.

I swallow slightly and clear my throat. “Um, does it bother you that we don’t know whose it is?”“By the time we get to the point where you have the baby, I have a feeling it’s going to be a little bit of all of us. Not scientifically, but not for lack of trying,” he chuckles.

“And that’s enough?” I ask.

Carter’s smile tells me he’s about to laugh or tease me, but when he gazes at me, he really thinks about it. He pulls into the driveway and turns to face me while unbuckling. “For me, yes.”

I don’t like the discomfort that lodges in my chest at his clear “ for me. ” It means that someone else might have a problem. I struggle to unbuckle myself. Carter finally does it for me and grips my chin. “Talk to me.”

“I don’t want there to be more problems. Brad could go to jail. Henry would fail at keeping him out. Which leaves you, me, Henry, and a baby. If Henry blames me for Brad going to jail—”

He shakes his head and cuts me off. “He won’t.”

“Then he’ll pull away even further, which will leave you and me and a baby and we’ll have to visit Brad and you’ll be distracted. Your career could suffer—”

“Doll, slow down and—”

But I don’t. “Which will make you hate me and the baby too because it’s our fault. Brad never would have jumped into action if you weren’t with me. Brad never would have hurt Dan or even met him if he wasn’t on campus because of me.”

“Katie—”

“I did something to seduce you all and it’s all moving really real, really fast. A marriage ruined, all of us living together. I’m pregnant. Brad’s in a lawsuit. Henry already sees it falling apart and you will too, so it will be me and a baby and I won’t have my mom either!”

“Breathe,” Carter says.

But I can’t. It’s all crashing around me.

I can’t seem to catch my breath. Every time I try, my chest clenches tighter.

I can see it all evaporating in a way I didn’t before.

My future is gone. How can I start a career with a baby?

I’m not finished with college and I have a matter of months before I start showing.

I have nothing to fall back on. I’m living with my men and relying on them. I can’t get a job now just to take off in a few months on maternity leave. I can’t… I just…

A sharp slap on my thigh pulls me out of my thoughts. Another one makes me suck in air. My third breath comes after a deep and hungry kiss from Carter. I stare at him as he holds my face between his hands.

“You have every right to panic. I get it. I do,” he says with a heavy breath. “But you cannot let it consume you, doll.”

I gulp as I stare into his eyes.

“Feel everything. Feel it all. But don’t you dare let it take over,” he says sharply. “It’ll be tempting, but you’re letting your mind slip further and further into things that might not happen.”

“How do you not go to the worst?” I demand.

“Because I know what I’m capable of. I know what Brad is willing to do for you.

And I know my dad. I also know that you are the strongest of us all.

” He takes another breath. “You don’t know that Brad is going to jail.

My dad isn’t going to blame you for something Brad did.

Neither will I. You’re not going to be alone with a baby and no one to help you. That’s fear talking, not reason.”

“Reasonable fears!”

“For everyone except you,” he says darkly.

“You want to know what I’m thinking? You want to know what I’m feeling?

I’m hurt you think I’d simply leave you.

I’m insane over you. You didn’t ruin a marriage.

You didn’t force any of us to want you. You didn’t force yourself to get pregnant. That took all of us.”

“I…” I want to say something, to argue in a way, but I can’t.

“Don’t you dare minimize how often we fucked you or how determined any of us were to have you. Don’t you think that we’re simply going to leave you now. If you think I’m going to let you go, I’m just going to have to fuck you until that thought rolls out of your head.”

I press my forehead to his. This is a new side to Carter. A good side. A side I need right now.