His brows arch, and his face is dead serious. "Did you just roar and try to claw me like a bear?"
I blink my eyes a few times, realizing how crazy I am acting.
His head cocks gently to the side. “Now, let's stay focused. I wouldn’t say demanding you and my daughter live in my house is punishment, as you say, but it means you don’t have a choice but to rely on me and my place to stay, no fucking escape. Our daughter deserves to have both her parents around her. Isn’t bonding crucial the first few months? Then we can figure it out.”
My head perks, and I slow down chewing my mouthful. He saidourdaughter. He isn’t running away. I need to retrace my thoughts a second and break down the information that he’s throwing at me through dominant demands. “Wait, you made your decision… about being involved.”
Vaughn takes the ice cream sandwich out of my hand and flops it on top of the box that’s now on the coffee table. Apparently, he needs me focused. “Didn't you get that clue with the whole ‘you will move in with me’ thing? Yeah… I’m involved.” His voice is pure reverence, delicate, but in the best possible way.
I lift a shoulder. “That probably… was an obvious clue.”
His nostrils flare slightly as he inhales deeply. “Isla, I’m not going to lie. Timing? Uhm, not great.” His face is near cartoonish. “Although it’s off-season for hockey players, it isn’t really for me, and I have a lot to do to prepare for next season, especially with the draft approaching. Which is why I need you at my home, ready whenever I need.”
“Ready?” I gulp.
Holy fuck, something inside of me is clinging to logic for survival while I feel a pool of wetness between my legs. I subtly shift my gaze down to double-check that he won’t notice that my nipples are now tight and hard, nor hidden thanks to flimsy fabric.
His tongue darts to the corner of his mouth while his eyes stay glued to me. “I mean it’s easier on my schedule. I will be traveling with the team, so I don’t want to be puzzling with our calendars. When I get back from a late flight, then I better be able to simply walk in to see my daughter.”
“Our daughter,” I correct him, but I stay mesmerized by first the image that was in my head, followed by the emotions soaring up through my body, because as prevailing as his request is, it’s because… he’s invested in the baby.
The fear I had is fading away bit by bit.
“Our daughter,” he repeats. “I get the keys for my place tomorrow since it was an all-cash offer and the former owners were already out. I have movers ready to pack up what you need, I have all the furniture… wait, except the baby furniture.” He’s making a mental note that he forgot something.
This is another side of Vaughn. I’m still in a trance.
“I really don’t have a choice in this matter and guilt is taking over. Plus, I really need to nest for the baby. I was waiting for my baby shower next week to get everything in order. We were supposed to have it a few weeks ago but had to postpone due to a lot of us out with the flu,” I point out blankly.
Vaughn pinches the bridge of his nose. “I’m not entirely sure what a baby shower entails, but fine. Look, we focus on the baby, but damn, Isla…” His look is now stern. “I didn’t sleep, I’m still numb, and you really fucking hurt me by keeping this all a secret.”
“Crap, oh no, we keep using bad word choices, and the baby can hear us.”
“Really? We’re still on that?” His tone is mundane.
He’s right, it’s silly. I comb my fingers through my hair. “I can say sorry a thousand times. I was scared, and every time it just didn’t seem the right moment.”
His look isn’t changing, he’s not impressed. “My cock inside of you while you were bouncing on my dick in my car didn’t seem like the right moment? We could be as intimate as can be, yet you couldn’t share the news?” he dryly highlights the replay of events.
Taking relaxing breaths, I remind myself to keep my debate from boiling up. My hands begin to rub my belly as I think of the best way to move on from this topic.
“Look, as much as I am ready to do this all on my own if needed, I still feared you wouldn’t want to be involved. I’m sorry. It is what it is.” I swim my eyes away from him because I can’t handle seeing the disappointment on his face.
It takes a few seconds before he responds. “Like I said, that issue still needs to simmer down inside of me. We should just focus on the baby.”
“I agree.”
A butterfly feeling flutters underneath my ribs before a hard nudge hits me from within. It causes me to smile, as it has done every single time.
“What’s wrong?” Vaughn moves to touch me, with panic appearing in his posture.
“Relax, she must be awake now and is just letting me know. Or it was the sugar kick from the ice cream.” I keep my hand steady on my belly to feel her shuffling her little feet inside of me.
Vaughn seems unsure what to do.
Without thought, I grab his hand and bring it to the spot where he will feel her. “That little jab against your hand is her kicking. They say it will slow down once she is ready to rumble in her life outside of the womb. Her space is getting limited, so it restricts her from moving the way she did a few weeks ago.”
The warmest of smiles begins to stretch on his mouth. “Wow, she has strength.”
