He grumbled but nodded his head. “He almost died for you and Ellie, so I guess he gets a free pass, but he still annoys me. I still think about that day in that restaurant when I saw him kissing you…” His voice trailed off. “Did you two…?”
“It was a short-lived romance,” I said softly, not wanting to say more than that to him and tell him it was just to hurt him and that nothing happened between us. Back then, Ryder was one of the ones who saved me and brought me back to life after I lost Fox. Over the years, my feelings for him had grown exponentially, but I never acted on them despite the way his smile would make my heart race or his nearness would draw me in closer. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt Ani. They were best friends, and I respected that.
But lately….
I sighed.
I didn’t want any friendships ruined, and if I told Ryder how I felt and he didn’t feel the same, it could ruin everything.
I pushed the thoughts out of my head and focused on these moments I had with Cole.
Cole made the salad, conversation light and easy, while I worked on the main dinner. I instructed him on how to make the cake, which he did with gusto and the biggest smile on his face. My heart was almost full as I watched him work as he spoke to me about what he did at the hospital during the day. He seemed to truly love his job and was great at it.
His phone buzzed, and he stopped telling me about a vomiting incident to answer it. I was grateful since he didn’t seem to have a filter when it came to his work. I suppose he was so used to seeing that stuff that he was desensitized to it. I, however, wasn’t accustomed to vomit and blood, but I wanted desperately to see the smile on his face, so I endured, wincing through most of the horror stories.
“Hello?” He paused, frowning. “Uh, Josie. Yeah. No. No. I appreciate the invitation, but I’ll have to decline. I-yes. I know I won’t be working that day. I appreciate you being odd enough to check my schedule, but believe it or not, I do have a life outsidethe hospital. No. I don’t believe I ever said that. Yes. I do love cats. That’s true. No. I’m not a vet. You know that.”
I glanced at him to see the frown on his face had deepened.
“No. Tell Gage that’s fine. He can have it all. Yeah. Fine. See you tomorrow at work. Bye.” He hung up and stuffed his phone back into his pocket, the frown still on his face.
“Everything OK?” I ventured.
He shook his head and looked at me. “Fine. Just one of the nurses. She’s been on my dick for a minute about hanging out. They’re all going out tonight for drinks and asked if I wanted to go with them.”
“Why don’t you go?” I asked. “It sounds like a fun work thing.”
He huffed. “No thanks. I’ve been to those drinking things before with work people. Aside from Gage, another doc, I don’t really fit in.”
“Have you tried to?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Not really. I have E and Enzo. And we have Riot. I don’t… I don’t need other friends.”
“But you have Gage.”
“He’s my work husband. He likes cats too.”
I chuckled at that. “Another cat enthusiast?”
He smirked at me. “I’m talking about pussy, baby. He likes pussy. Whenever I went out, I was his wingman to help him get laid.”
I raised my brows at that, my cheeks heating. “Oh. Did you, um…”
He moved over to me and wound his arms around my waist and tugged me back so he was grinding his dick against my ass, his lips at my ear.
“Are you asking me if I messed around as his wingman?”
“Maybe.”
He kissed along my neck. “Baby, you have always been my girl. And here.” He placed his hands protectively over my stomach. “Is my baby. My son. I have waited my entire life to have this family with you. There isn’t a force in this world or the next million that will ever tear me away from you now. And maybe after this baby is born, I’ll put another one inside you.”
I turned in his arms and stared up at him, seeing his blue eyes filled with his truth.
“I have three husbands, Cole,” I murmured. “I’m sure they want babies too.”
“Then they can fight me for it,” he replied, leaning in to kiss me gently.
“And if this baby is Ani’s?”
