Page 29 of Love Off Course

Sheridan

A fter a long shower, I throw on some pajama pants and a T-shirt. My body is deliciously sore from makeup sex with Camilo, but then everything went sour from there. I told him about the baby and he ran.

Baby.

I’m going to have a baby.

Rodrigo was nothing compared to the hurricane of emotions surging through me right now.

I’m happy I’m pregnant, which surprises me.

This was not in my life’s plan, but somehow it doesn’t seem wrong.

I’m upset that Camilo was so weird when I’d told him.

I get it. I screwed up royally. If only he would come back and let us talk it out.

He may not want to be the father, but it doesn’t change the fact he is the father. I don’t want to lose him over this.

Someone knocks on the door and I fly off the bed to answer it. My heart is in my throat, eager to see Camilo, but it’s not him.

Damian stands there looking as though he just stepped off a runway covered in glitter and rainbows. His platform heels have him towering over me. He winks at me, his bright yellow fake lashes batting against his pink cheek.

“Did I interrupt something?” He feigns looking over my shoulder like he might sneak a peek. “I wanted to invite you two to dinner tonight.”

“I, uh, I’m not…” I choke on a sob.

“Sister, what happened?” he cries out, pulling me to him. “Get in here. The Damian Dungeon welcomes you.” The Damian Dungeon still smells like cotton candy and tequila.

I cling to his silky orange shirt as tears roll from my eyes. My entire body trembles as I cry. I’m unable to catch my breath.

“Sweetie, are you hurt?” Damian asks, stroking my hair. “Talk to me. You’re scaring me.”

He guides me inside and closes the door after us. We walk into the bedroom and Damian groans.

“Ew. I’m not lying down in the sex room.”

A giggle bubbles out of me. “Sorry. We can go to the guest room.”

Once we arrive in the other room, he yanks back the covers, kicks off his shoes, and helps me onto the bed. Once we’re spooning and no longer crying, I let out a heavy sigh.

“Camilo?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

“Did he upset you again? He may be seven kinds of hot, but I’m still not sure I forgave him for sending you away in the first place.”

“It’s complicated.”

“So break it down for me. Whatever transpired between you two clearly happened after messy sex. Seriously, the bed was wet.” He makes a faux gagging sound that has me laughing again.

“Everything was going great. We had a great reunion. He apologized. As you noted, we made love, but then I told him.”

“Told him what?”

“I’m pregnant.”

He squeals so loud my ears throb. “What?!”

“I’m pregnant with his baby and he didn’t take it well. I thought I was protected from pregnancy, but apparently I botched that.”

Damian sits up on one elbow and gapes down at me, his glossy lips popped open. “What did he say?”

“That’s the thing. He didn’t. Sort of looked like he was freaking the hell out and said he’d see me tomorrow.”

“But not never.”

“He promised tomorrow.”

“Then why the tears, honey pot?”

“I don’t know. It felt dismissive.”

Damian smiles. “Maybe the boy just needs a hot minute to process. Maybe he’s sitting in his momma’s lap as we speak begging for advice.”

I snort. “I doubt that.”

“Whatever it is, he promised you he’d come back. If he doesn’t or walks away from you, I’ll step up.”

A laugh escapes me. “Oh you will, huh?”

“What?” He pouts. “Don’t you think I’ll be the prettiest gay daddy ever?”

“I mean, pretty, sure?—”

“I’ll be the best and you know it! I’ll spoil my little prince! Does he want a yacht? I’m so buying him a yacht. A fixer-upper of course, but something vintage and fabulous because our little prince deserves it!”

“What if it’s a girl?”

“Ew, then we’ll give it to Estefania.”

“Damian!”

We both laugh. He keeps me up for hours doing what he does best—adding sunlight in my dark world. By the time it’s bedtime, I’m exhausted and eager to see what tomorrow brings.

If Camilo walks away, I’ll be okay.

Devastated and ruined, but okay.

I have to be. I will be. I’m a Reid girl, it’s in my DNA to be.

“It looks like a unicorn threw up on the sheets.”

“Glitter is impossible to remove, mijo . Talk sense into your friends.”

“Are they a thing now because I don’t think I can handle assisting them both?”

“They are not a thing, handsome boyfriend.”

“I thought Damian liked boys and Cuervo was her lover.”

“Men,” Damian says sleepily. “Not boys, men, Eduardo.”

I pop my eyes open, aware of the fact that several people are in the room with us. My eyes first find Estefania’s smiling face. Kyle has an arm around her and is wearing an easy grin. Rosita and Eduardo seem amused.

And then there’s Camilo.

I don’t know what to expect, and his normally expressive face is anything but.

Sitting up, I glower at each one of them. “It’s called privacy. Learn to knock.”

“And miss this?” Camilo says, a smirk forming on his face and making my heart skitter in my chest. “Not a chance.”

“It’s not what you think,” Damian says to him dramatically. “I only have eyes for you, boyfriend.”

Camilo chuckles. “Scared me there for a minute, pal.”

“What are you all doing in here anyway?” I demand, searching for my inner fire. “It’s too early for this.”

“We were inviting you to breakfast,” Rosita says. “Among other things.”

Camilo’s grandmother comes waddling in, muttering in Spanish. Eduardo shakes his head at her, rattling something back to her that I can’t understand.

Damian yawns and stretches. “Camilo, baby doll, can you take your shirt off? Snuggle bear here has been squirming so much she gave a gay man a chub. I’d rather not taint my morning wood with the reminder she has a vag and is one hundred percent not my type.

Show me some abs and erase this horrible memory from my mind.

” He sits up on one elbow and waves a hand at Camilo. “Oh, maybe a happy trail. Yummy.”

Camilo grabs Damian’s arm and pulls him out of the bed. Damian squeals with laughter. “Sorry, Dame, but I only have eyes for one girl.”

Damian sighs dreamily and winks at me. “Whatever. I can still enjoy the scenery.”

“You’re beautiful first thing in the morning,” Camilo says, stepping to the edge of the bed. “I like you best when you’re messy and frazzled.”

“Gee, thanks,” I grumble, sitting up and letting my legs dangle off the edge of the bed.

“I also like it when you’re in boss babe mode and telling everyone what to do. When you wear your fancy as fuck clothes and wear your bitchy attitude like it’s a name brand that everyone who’s anyone should be wearing.”

I flip him off. “Dive bombing, bird boy. Really fast.”

He sinks to the floor, his hands on my knees. “See, abejita , that’s the thing. I thought I liked flying. I do. I really do. But I love crashing with you. Into you. Because of you.”

“So romantic,” Estefania says, practically swooning.

“We’re still mad at him,” Damian hisses. “Hold it together, woman.”

Camilo grins. “You changed me is the point. For the better. It came on quick and out of nowhere, but it felt right. Too good to be true. I pushed you away once, but I’m never letting you go.”

“You left last night,” I tell him with a frown.

“Because I needed to get something. Eduardo had to take me all the way into town.”

I glance over at Eduardo and he puffs out his chest. Pride ripples from him. I can’t help but smile knowing how much it meant for Camilo to include Eduardo on a task. He adores Camilo. I’ve learned a lot about Eduardo since coming to live here and he sees Rosita’s son as his own.

“What did you get?”

Rosita pulls out a camera, grinning. She looks just like Camilo when she lets her guard down. I’m transfixed by her smile when I realize she has a camera. Why does she have a camera?

“Camilo,” I demand, turning to glower at him. “What’s going on?”

He grabs my hand and draws it to his lips before kissing the top of it.

“Little bee, I want to keep you. Both you and our little one. I want to make a life with you. For once, I want to coast rather than soar. I want to live in the moment with you and stop chasing stars I’ll never catch.

What’s life without love? I don’t want to find out. ”

I gasp when he retrieves a small box from his pocket. He flips open the lid and a pretty engagement ring glistens inside.

“I know you’re fancy, Sher, but that’s just one part of you. You’re funny and brave and tough and strong. So fucking strong. This ring called to me for you. It’s perfect just like you. Please let me put this ring on you and keep you.”

A tear races down my cheek. “Is that question or a statement?”

“Will you marry me, Sheridan Reid?”

“Yes, Camilo, I will.”

Everyone erupts in a chaotic mess of cheers, but I only have eyes for Camilo. He slides the ring on my finger and then he’s pouncing on me, kissing me in a pornographic way that might get him whipped by his mother. It’s when I come up for air that I realize they’ve left us to our privacy.

“I love you,” Camilo murmurs against my lips. “I want to spend the rest of our lives showing you.”

“That’s a long time,” I say with a smirk.

“Time with you is never enough, abejita .” His smile grows wicked. “Now let’s get naked so we can celebrate with ten orgasms each.”

“Ten orgasms! Are you insane?”

“Strip, beautiful.”

“Hell no. There’s no way you’re giving me ten orgasms.”

“That sounds like a challenge.”

“It’s an impossibility!”

“Wanna bet?”

“Go away,” I groan.

“Never, Sher.”

He kisses me deeply, making me forget my own name.

But I don’t forget that he loves me.

I certainly don’t forget he’s promised to make me his forever.