But if I’m hormonally crazy, then why isn’t he being his overbearing self? From the moment we met he couldn’t keep his hands off me. He’d goad me into touching him so that he could touch me without scaring me.
God help anyone who tried to get between us too.
I would have thought pregnancy would heighten those traits, but he’s barely touched me. And when he has, it certainly hasn’t been sexually.
It’s been far too long since we’ve had sex. Before the morning sickness. Before I told him I was pregnant.
I tried to make a move on him last night while we were in the barn, and he walked out on me. He’s famous. He could have any one of the beautiful starlets he’s worked with. Why would he want me with my rounding belly and my sweatpants and my greasy hair?
“I’m right. You’ll see,” Ivy says.
“I hope so,” I respond as the guests start to congregate. Bianca Del Ray is sandwiched between Ethan and Linc while they talk to a couple of Ivy’s drag queen friends from Mojito Bar. A sharp dressed Nathaniel snags a flute of champagne before he joins them. He seems to be in his element.
Burke is sheepishly following Rogue’s assistant Kia around with his hat in his hands. Luckily, she seems to like the redheaded behemoth as much as he likes her.
The rest of my brothers descend as the aroma of baked goods, bacon, and omelettes spreads on the wind.
The bartender serves up pink champagne and berries to Dizzy and West. The newest Maddox brother’s expression darkens before sweet, hyper Dizzy wraps her hand around his and guides the glass to his lips.
The drink is as pink as every inch of her outfit. Spinning back to the server she flirts with the man who clearly does not know how to handle so much energy in one explosive package. He keeps darting worried glances at West, who silently simmers next to her.
Ivy waves at Dizzy when her sister notices us watching. The girl becomes more animated, clutching West’s arm and waving her hand vigorously. He’s too busy glaring at Ben as he approaches to say hello to the girl he once dated.
The two men square each other up before Ben thrusts his hand out to West in an attempt to be friendly.
Ivy whimpers like she can barely keep whatever she’s thinking inside. “I have to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
“Rogue and I started trying too.”
“Wait. No way. Really?”
“We’re trying to have a baby.” She beams at me. “I hope we get pregnant quick. Then our children can be besties as well as cousins.”
“That’s great.” I beam at her. I mean it. She deserves happiness after this past year. She kept Rebel out of jail and made her psychotic brother furious in the process. He almost killed her. All she’s ever wanted was a family. One that was loving and not full of narcissistic psychopaths. “Having our kids close together would be amazing.”
“Imagine if one of us has twins,” she says as two white SUVs come into sight at the top of the driveway. “Or—Oh, look. They’re here.”
Ivy rushes down the wide steps, the boards creaking under the thrum of her footsteps. I follow at a more sedate pace.
Rebel, Rogue, Riot, and Kelsey climb from the first car. Two serious and stalwart men step out of the other and oversee the unpacking of luggage and baked goods, giving us the appearance of privacy.
Ivy leaps into Rogue’s arms and plants her mouth on his. His hands climb up her back and hold her so tightly it’s hard to tell where one of them starts and the other ends.
Seeing them like this...
“They saw each other before we came to get you,” Rebel says drolly to Riot, his blue eyes locking on me as Riot collects his and Kelsey’s luggage. He left before I woke this morning.
My fingers wrap around the diamond penguin at the base of my throat. A gift he bought me almost a year ago that reminded him of how determined I can be.
Used to be.
I can’t claim to be determined after I pretended to be asleep when he left the bed this morning. Too embarrassed after he rejected me. I’m more like a timid and scared mouse with the way my feet root to the ground now.
“Red?” He opens his arms for me.
15
