The panic disappeared because he knew exactly where he should be and who he should be with. “Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
He went in for a kiss, and then he could breathe.
“Bax…”
He continued kissing her as he said, “I wrote a song about Em. I didn’t know that’s what I was doing, but I was saying goodbye to her. Because we had something, or at least I thought we did.” His lips continued to find Courtney’s. Nip at her skin, shower her with emotion. “And now it’s over, and I’ve got something better. Someonebetter. Maybe I started seeing you different because you’re carrying my kid—I’ll give you that.” His hand pressed along the side of her belly. “But now I just see you. It’s like”—the residual energy from the concert seemed to make an appearance because he couldn’t hold still, couldn’t stop kissing her—“you were there, but in the periphery. I didn’t want to see you, because I knew you saw me. Now you’re close-up, and dammit, I want that. I want you. I want the entire package. When it’s just us at the end of this road, when the kid goes wherever kids go when they grow up, it’ll be enough.”
Fuck. She was crying.
“Don’t cry, Court.” He caught the tears with his thumbs.
She nodded. “Okay.”
“You’re still crying.” He kept swiping, unable to keep up.
“No. I mean, okay. If you’re in a place to move forward, I’m there too. Let’s move together.” She squeezed him to her.
He wanted to give a massive fist pump with a screamed,Hell yeah!What he did instead? He kissed her again.
He didn’t ravage her mouth or try to take it further. He held her face between his hands like she was precious, and let the kiss be what it was, what it was going to be… like them. No pressure, no expectations, just the two of them.
“This is what falling in love feels like,” he said against the side of her mouth.
“Then I think I really like being in love with you.”
“Yeah? Think so?” He pulled back, not a lot, only a little. “Do youlikelike being in love with me?”
“I love you, Brennan.”
“Thank you.” He winked at her.
She chucked him on the arm. “Really?”
He moved in closer, peppering kisses along her nose and cheeks. “I love you, Courtney. I want this. I want us.”
She pulled her bottom lip in with her teeth. “That’s good, ’cause you’re stuck with me.”
Oh, hell yeah. This was going to be good.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Bax
Three Months Later
“You’resure she won’t be pissed?” Bax asked, taking in the Brek’s Bar transformation.
“She won’t be pissed,” Irina assured. “I’m her best friend, I know what pisses her off.”
“Maybe a little pissed?” Linx asked. “She’s not really the surprise type.”
“What are you talking about? She loves surprises.” Irina paused where she fluffed one of the black tablecloths.
“In what century?” Linx sort of snorted and made an attempt at fluffing another cloth. He failed, but he tried.
“All right, boys, here’s the deal—she’s gonna love this because I made her a baby shower that looks like Club Pew in LA. Got it?” Irina used a tone that brokered no questions.
“Ve are here.” An elderly woman with a strong Russian accent trotted through the door with about six other retirement home–aged women behind her. “Let the party begin.”
