Offering a sympathetic frown, Sebastian opened his arms. Relief and gratitude washed over Taylor’s face. Pushing to her feet, she surged against his chest in search of comfort and reassurance.
“Did you peek?” he asked, burying his nose into the fragrant silk of her hair.
“No, but it was killing me,” she admitted. “I didn’t think you were ever going to come out.”
Tamping down an amused smile, he lifted her chin. “I had some things to process. Since you are feeling so impatient, go ahead and tell me what they say.”
She glanced at the sink before burrowing deeper against his chest. “I’m scared, Sebastian. At least tell me what you are thinking here. What you want.”
Brushing his thumb over the swell of her lower lip, he winked. “It doesn’t matter what either of us are hoping for here, darling. What’s done is done either way.”
She forced a weary smile. The uneasy chime of her laughter rang through the bathroom as she nodded and raked an unsteady hand through her damp hair. “I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I am,” he scolded, grabbing her hips and tugging them against his. “Don’t make me reiterate that point. I can be very creative when the need arises.” Her cheeks flushed, and this time her smile was a little more genuine. Releasing her, he pointed her in the direction of the sink and gave her ass a scolding smack. “Stop procrastinating. Tell me what they say.”
His breath caught as he watched her lift one of the sticks. The blood drained from her face, leaving her even more pale and ashen than before. Crossing the room, Sebastian pulled her against him to steady her shaking form. He propped his chin on her shoulder and scanned the pink lines. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to decipher the bright plus sign.
“I…I’m sorry, Sebastian…” she stammered. “I…”
For a moment, it felt like all of the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. He grew dizzy and lightheaded, and the bathroom seemed to spin. Then relief washed over him, its wake almost euphoric. She was going to be okay. Unable to help it, he laughed.
“Mmm. You should be, darling,” he murmured against her neck, his voice low and husky as he rubbed his hands across her belly. “You may be the only woman on the planet capable of knocking yourself up.”
Gasping, she whirled in his arms. He laughed even harder seeing the shock and astonishment on her face.
“That’s not funny!”
“No, baby, it’s not,” he agreed, pulling her against him. “I don’t know if I should be offended that you seem to have forgotten the part I played in all of this, or worried that you think it could have happened without me.”
She stifled a laugh. Hope and a million questions illuminated the silvery pools of her eyes. “You’re happy?”
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“This isn’t exactly what we had planned.”
He shrugged and kissed the tip of her nose. “It is exactly what we had planned. Just not when. The best things in life tend to happen when we least expect them. That was certainly the case when I met you.”
Blushing, she wound her arms around his neck and squeezed. “I honestly thought you might be mad. Especially after everything that happened tonight.”
Searching her eyes, he gave a slow shake of his head. “I’m not going to lie to you. This is not something Marx is going to want to hear. He was far from thrilled with the prospect of us getting married. A child might very well push him over the edge. For your sake as well as the baby’s, it would be best if we kept this situation under wraps. Now more than ever, I need you to trust me to do what’s right for us. The timing’s not perfect, but I will handle this. I have a plan for everything. We just need to bide our time.”
His chest ached as worry dimmed the joy lighting her beautiful face.
Taylor’s brow furrowed as she bit the side of her cheek. “Does that mean I can’t tell Monique?”
He dropped his chin to his chest as the hurt and concern she felt washed over him. Taking her hand, he led her back into the bedroom and pulled her onto their bed. The black and silver micro suede comforter rumpled beneath them. Once they got situated, he massaged her temple while she rested her head on his chest.
“Right now we can’t tell anyone, baby,” he said, twining his fingers through hers. When push really comes to shove, there is no way of knowing where Josh stands when it comes to keeping Marx happy. He has his own family and his own wellbeing to think about, and Monique is very much a part of that. You can’t expect her to keep a secret from him.”
“No. I know. It just would have been nice to have someone to talk to who’s been through this before.” She traced the well-defined bulges of his abs with absentminded affection. Her shoulders rose and fell with a quiet sigh. “What about doctor appointments?”
“They sell prenatals over the counter. I will grab some on my way home tomorrow. Getting you into a doctor will be a little more tricky. SKALS tends to monitor our comings and goings. Trips to an OB would raise some definite flags, but I will think of something. I promise you, Taylor. I will do everything in my power to see that you and our child are happy, healthy, and well-cared for.” A terse smirk curved his lips. “Even if that means nabbing some unwitting doctor and dragging them in here at gunpoint.”
Her hands splayed against his chest as she snapped into a semi-upright position. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide and accusing. “Sebby!”
He bit back a chuckle. Arching a brow, he held her disbelieving stare. “Yes,
Taylor?”
“You’re awful,” she exclaimed, dropping back onto the mattress with a quiet huff.
“Perhaps, but I am determined to do what’s best for you, darling. That should be all that matters.”
Rolling onto his side, he trailed his hand across the smooth, flat plane of her abdomen. It was a strange and wondrous feeling to know there was a tiny little person growing inside there. Something they had created in a moment of pleasure and love. Despite the odds. The thought drew a quiet laugh from him.
“What’s so funny?” Taylor asked.
“I can’t help feeling a little proud of myself,” he admitted. “Lingering side effects of the shot or not, one of my little guys got through. Mission achieved.”
She burst into laughter at the lecherous waggle of his brows. “You have no shame whatsoever, Sebastian. I swear.”
“Mmm. You better not,” he warned. “I’m pretty sure my hand can still warm your butt without it affecting our little one. Besides, what man wouldn’t be thrilled to know he’s harboring a breed of super sperm?”
Taylor snickered with a roll of her eyes. “I’m sure it wasn’t any great accomplishment, Seb. They probably just flashed their badge, demanded access, and swam right in.”
The visual alone got to him. He threw his head back with loud laughter and pulled her on top of him to straddle his hips. An overwhelming sense of love welled inside of him as he peered up at her, growing until he was certain his chest would explode with the sheer intensity and force alone. Dragging her further up his body, he strained forward until he could plant a kiss against her navel.
“I love you so much, baby,” he murmured. “Both of you.”
“We love you, too.”
The four words hung between them, their meaning simple yet so profound. Threading his fingers through the dark gloss of her hair, he pulled Taylor down and claimed her lips. She moaned softly and rubbed against him in a quest for friction. Smiling into their kiss, he realized his previous threats weren’t forgotten. Nor was the evening entirely forgiven. One way or another, his little minx was going to make things up to him. Snaking his arms around her, he flipped her onto her back. Her playful squeal died as she stared up at him, well aware of the hunger and passion burning in his eyes.