Chapter4
Ashlyn Shepherd
I go stilland look at him in the mirror. Did I hear him correctly? I can’t afford to misunderstand. “Say that again.”
His arm snakes around my waist and he spreads his hand over my stomach. “I said you’d be beautiful with my kid growing inside your swollen belly.”
Fuck. Me.
I’ve already had his kid growing in my belly once and he has no idea. It’s very possible he may hate me when he finds out. What then? I share my son with a man who despises me?
“Damn it, I need to use my arm.” Owen reaches for his sling.
“Don’t you dare. You’ll mess up all the repair work.”
What we’re doing is reckless in so many ways.
Owen has no business doing this kind of physical activity. He could cause all kinds of permanent nerve damage to his shoulder.
I have no business letting him put himself at risk. I’m his nurse. I’m supposed to take care of him.
We have no business doing this without birth control. We’ve already had one unplanned pregnancy—making me a single mother. I can’t handle another kid right now.
What is wrong with me? I ask myself the question but I already know the answer.
I want him. I need him.I love him.
I don’t think it’s possible I’ll ever want anyone but Owen. Five years later and he’s still all I desire.
I lift my head and look into the mirror. Those beautiful pale blue eyes lock on mine. I can’t believe this. I’m letting the panty dropper fuck me again. And come inside me. I know what happened last time he did that, yet here I stand—saying nothing—while he does it again.
His hand moves around and grips my hip when he thrusts one last time, filling me with his seed. Just like he did that night. Just like when he got me pregnant.
“Fuck, Ashlyn,” he hisses through gritted teeth. “That was so good, baby.”
He relaxes and his hand comes up to my face to grip my chin, turning it so he can kiss the corner of my mouth. “You are mine. You have been all this time even if you didn’t know it. Do you understand that?”
No two ways about it. Owen Bliss owns me. There’s no debating it. “Yes.”
“Don’t run from me again.”
I don’t think I could if I tried. “I won’t.”
He kisses the side of my neck in that sensitive place I love so much. Is it a lucky guess or does he remember? “I want you at my house as soon as you get off work today.”
Shit. Being a mother is going to throw all kinds of wrenches in spending time together. “Can’t. I have somewhere to be.”
“Where?”
What do I say to that? I can’t tell Owen that his son—whom he doesn’t know exists—has a T-ball game.I can’t miss it. My parents are tied up tonight and can’t take him for me. “I have to take my nephew to his ball game.” I’m a horrible liar. Can he see straight through me?
“Come over after the game.”
Shit. I can see this is going to get sticky in a hurry. “I can’t. I have him the rest of the night.” Another lie.
I hate lies. No good can ever come from them but I don’t feel I have a choice at this point. I want to see if Owen wants me for me before he finds out about Jacob.
“I’m going to be in pain later. I’ll need a nurse to take care of me. Please come. You can bring your nephew with you.”