“What if she’s waiting for Jess to say it’s okay? Maybe she doesn’t want to hurt her daughter more.”
“I don’t know how to handle this situation, but I do know that it’s not Jessie’s thing to have to fix. She’snotthe one who needs to apologize and I won’t entertain anything that puts that thought in her head.” Hawk closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I think I’m just gonna have to man up and have a one on one with her dad, but I’m not really sure what more there is to say to him.”
“You ready to get the ol’ shotgun in the face?” Nash laughed. “I feel like Danny would break that out in a heartbeat.”
“He almost did the first time around.” Hawk smirked. “But I told him the truth. I love Jessie. I love our baby. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them.”
Nash nodded. “As a girl dad now, I would hope if one of the girls fell in love and got pregnant unexpectedly, I’d be patient enough to hear them out.”
“You would be. You’re a great dad.”
His buddy smiled. “Thanks, Phoenix. I have no doubt, however you decide to handle this, that you’ll be there for Jessie in the exact way she needs. And in case you’re sitting there worried about it, all of us know you’re going to be a great dad, too.”
“Jess? Do you know where all my black t-shirts went?” Hawk yelled as he held back his laughter. Jessie was apparently on round three.. or, shit… was it round four… of moving his shirts around. He was able to find shorts—thank God—for after his shower, but had no luck with a shirt.
Hawk scanned the room again, piles of clothes left on the small chair in the corner, out in front of the closet, there was even a drawer left open on his dresser, but no clothes were inside.
“Hawk!!” Jessie’s cry rang through the apartment. He went running to find her in the next breath.
Luckily, he didn’t have to go too far. Standing in the living room, dressed only in one of his missing t-shirts, hand splayed over her tiny bump, his heart thundered in his chest. Because holy fuck, she looked incredible. Hawk had never, ever had a thing for pregnant women. So why the fuck was he so turned on looking at Jessie cradling her belly? She looked more beautiful in that moment, back lit by the dusky afternoon sunlight, than ever before. There was something so primal, so raw that burned deep in his chest for her. And he couldn’t imagine any other woman in that role.Hiswoman. Carryinghisbaby. Holy fuck. He’d unlocked aJessie Ford’s-fucking-carrying-his-babyfantasy. Damn.
Another gasp brought him out of his thoughts. Hawk looked her over head to toe for any sign of injury.
“Why did you yell for me like that? Are you okay?”
Her whole face scrunched up. “Come here. I can’t move.”
“Can’t move?” Fuck. She was in pain. Those fake contraction things weren’t supposed to kick in until later… at least, that’s what he remembered Nash telling them about Lacy. He really needed to skip a few weeks in that fucking baby book and read ahead.
Hawk added that to his mental list of things to do.
“Hawk!” Her shoulders dropped. “I’m fine, okay? Now, shush. Let me see your hand.”
His hand? What thehell?
“Jessie…”
Her jaw clenched. “Give me your stupidly big, warm hand right now, Hawk. I just felt the baby kick and it was a big one. I want to see if you can, too.”
Oh.Oh!
He pressed his hand across the smooth skin of her belly, loving the way the baby made it curve into his palm. His child was in there. Growing inside her. Fuck, he loved that bump so much.
“Where—”
“Shh!” She placed her hand over his, moving it to the lower right side, almost to her hip bone. Her fingers pressed down on his.
“Jess… I?—”
“Shh. Don’t scare him.” Her serious tone made him laugh.
“I don’t think hearing her daddy’s voice would be scary.”
“That’s not what I—” Her eyes went wind and she pressed his fingers harder into her side. “I felt it again, just then. Did you?”
God, he wished he could say yes. More than anything.
“No,” he admitted, dropping to his knees. He brought his other hand up and splayed it across her tummy, cupping the baby in the palm of his hands. “Listen here little bumblebee. Your daddy is a big, strong man. There’s no reason why you should be little for that much longer. Grow big and strong like me so I can start feeling your kicks and we can play while you’re still in Mommy’s tummy. Plus, it’s just a few more weeks until I’ll be able to start reading to you because you’ll be able to hear and recognize my voice. I can’t wait.”
