Page 61 of The Trouble with Flings

I breathe in, my chest shaking on the exhale.

“Again,” he says.

I do it again.

“Good girl.”

He kisses the top of my head, and I close my eyes, the panic loosening a notch. His hand moves soothingly in slow circles on my back, and I melt into him in a way that might embarrass me if I had the energy for embarrassment right now.

“This baby is not going to ruin my life,” he says against my hair, his voice low, earnest. “But I hear you. We’ll take things slow, date. Get to know each other outside of hotel rooms and Costa Rican beaches. No pressure, no expectations…in or out of the bedroom.”

This man has the patience of a saint. The way my hormones have me zigzagging, I would’ve kicked myself to the curb by now.

I tip my face up, meeting his reassuring gaze. “You don’t mind going slow or waiting to tell them?”

“Not at all. We’ll take it one step at a time.” He smiles and says, “Starting with food. Are you hungry?”

Grateful he didn’t push for more of a discussion, a sigh of relief slips out. “Always.”

“Then let’s get some dinner.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch as natural as the way he drew me into his arms. “I’d like to come back tomorrow, if that’s okay, and spend the day with you.”

Happiness moves through me like a held breath releasing, and in a way, that scares me more than any of the rest of this. “You’re going to go all the way to the island tonight just to turn around and come back in the morning?”

“Why not? I’d love to see what a day in the life of Jennifer Stone looks like.”

God, this man…

“That’s an awfully long trip for a day that will surely disappoint you.”

“I highly doubt that.” He holds me tighter, and the grin that comes out is the playful one that’s been taunting me in my dreams for three months. “What do you say, wild girl? Dinner tonight and spend the day together tomorrow?”

I take in that smile, in my moonlit apartment, with our baby’s sonogram pictures on the surfboard Fitz sent me as a joke that stopped being a joke a long time ago. I’ve missed him so much, for once, I don’t let fear talk me out of what I want. “I say we order in and watch a movie. I’ll even let you pick it, as long as it’s not sci-fi.” I pause for a second before adding, “And you should spend the night instead of wasting all that time going back and forth.”

Relief rises in his eyes. “Sounds good to me.” He cocks a brow. “How do you feel about action movies?”

“I’m all for them. How do you feel about Greek food?”

“I love it. Look at us getting along.” He lowers his lips toward mine but stops short. “Sorry. No expectations.”

“Oh, you really meant that?”

“Yes, indeed,” he says evenly. “One step at a time.”

“In that case, we’d better order dessert.”

Chapter Seventeen

Jennifer

On a normal Saturday morning, I go from asleep to upright in seconds. But this morning, as the sun sneaks through the curtains, I lie still, enjoying the feel of Fitz’s warm body trapping me. We started out spooning, but now I’m lying on my back with his arm across my waist and one of his legs hooked over both of mine, as if he’s afraid I might escape. The slow cadence of his breathing suggests he’s still sleeping, but I’m acutely aware of at least one of his body parts that is most definitely awake.

I lie here trying to behave like a reasonable adult. But like last night when Fitz was determined to be a gentleman, my overactive hormones have other ideas. Apparently they missed the memo about taking things slow.

He makes a sleep sound, shifting against me, and stills, as if he’s just become aware of his enticing situation, too. “Good morning.” His voice is gravelly.

“Morning,” I say, matching his stillness.

“I need you to stop moving like that,” he says.