The one thing I want most from him I can’t bear to ask for. Rather than dwell on the words I long to hear from him, I focus on the firm swell of him under my backside. As always, the chemistry between us never needs to ignite because it’s always there in the background. Just simmering and waiting for the moment to burst forward to draw us into the flame.
Chapter9
Price
Neither of us is paying any attention to the inane show on the television. In all my years, I’ve never had trouble controlling my body’s demands. Then perfect little Lyric showed up and shredded my control. From the boardroom to our bedroom, the moment she walks in, my focus is wholly on her.
If it were only physical between us, I could battle it down and stow it away. There’s so much more to it. I truly like Lyric. She’s funny and confident, without being conceited or malicious. Her jokes are always invitations to enjoy the ironies of life. Never anything to tear down others or poke fun.
She cares about making the world a better place, just like I do. She might be a lot younger than me, but she’s already shown a tremendous capacity for making a positive impact on the environment. I’m excited I get to be there for her every step of the way.
I wish I knew why she’s not more excited about getting into the grad program here in town. Now that the haze of jealousy and panic she’s planning to leave me is resolved, I feel like even more of an ass. If I’d stopped and thought about it for any length of time, I’d have remembered I’ve actually met Anders Karisson, the guy who called for her that day, a handful of times when I’ve been asked to speak at the college.
Grad school, especially the program I saw marked on those papers, is another step toward the dreams she’s shared with me. Over the past nearly half year together, we’ve talked so many times about our mutual goal to bring affordable green solutions to governments, so people can live healthier lives while protecting our planet.
“Why aren’t you more excited about grad school?” I know I said we could ignore it for a while, but it’s bugging me so much that even my dick is settling down so we can get answers. “Talk to me, Baby Girl. Make me understand.”
Lyric meets my eyes for a moment, liquid and rich with her feelings. Nervousness and fear war with the love that always shines in them for me. Her mouth opens and closes a few times, as though she’s struggling for the right words. It catches me off guard when her hands start flapping around, pushing at me and wiggling to get off my lap. I’m startled enough I let her go. Luckily, she catches her balance before she falls off me completely.
The moment she regains her footing, she’s off and rushing down the hall. I leap to my feet and race after her, making it in time to brace my foot in the door and stop her from closing me out.
“Price, don’t! Mghfhhg—” is all she gets out before she slams to her knees beside the toilet and begins to retch. Helpless, I scoop her hair off the back of her neck and reach for one of the pretty hand towels that hang next to the sink. I wet it with cool water, wring it out one-handedly, and fold it against her sweaty skin.
Finally, after her stomach emptied whatever it possibly could, she sags against the plastic seat and looks up at me with resignation. Tears trail over the curve of her cheeks to drip from her chin. Her lower lip trembles as I lift a glass of cool water for her to sip.
“Price, I’m pregnant. That’s why I’m not excited about the grad program. I can’t go back to school. Not right now, anyway. There’s a baby that will need me.”
“I don’t understand. What do you mean you can’t go to school because you’re pregnant.”
Fury swirls in her eyes, and it slashes me clear to the core of my being. In my selfishness to keep her from leaving me, have I stolen her dreams of school and making a difference in the world?
What if the times she talked about having my baby were actually just bullshitting, and I’ve truly taken away her choice? Now, it’s my turn to fall to my knees, my stomach forcing up its contents into the trashcan next to where Lyric still kneels.
“Oh fuck, Lyric, I’m so sorry. I did this to you.” The stricken look on her face guts me, and I race to explain. “I just love you, Baby Girl. So fucking much. So fucking much. And when I saw your resume at the office and thought you were leaving me, I had the terrible idea to force you to stay. I knew if I could breed you, make you pregnant with our baby, you’d stay and let me love you.”
Like every adult, I’ve had my share of heartache and pain, but nothing can compare to the harrowing gap between each breath I take right now. Every single beat of my heart is a second of time when the uncertainty of our future swings like a Sword of Damocles overhead.
“Youdolove me? That’s what all of this was about? The hiding my pills and feeding me fertility enhancing foods?”
“And the grapefruit juice. Plus I swapped out your regular vitamins for prenatal ones. I know it makes me a sick fuck, but Lyric, in my defense, I’ve never been in love before. It’s a given I’d fuck it up. Please. Tell me you’ll forgive me and let me fix everything.”
Chapter10
Lyric
“It’s not a bell you can unring, Price. It’s a baby. You can’t exactly fix the situation.” I feel my lip curve up in the first real smile I’ve had reason for in days. Price Ford admitted he loves me. All my doubts and worries turn to mist and vaporize as though they never existed.
“Baby Girl, there’s always a fix. A solution for every problem.”
My heart plummets. A problem? Does he think this pregnancy is a bad thing? Was it just a means to the end of keeping me with him after all?
My distress must be pretty obvious. He stands and sweeps me into his arms, carrying me to my bed and laying me down gently. I’m sure I look like an absolute wreck, but there’s nothing but tender love for me in his eyes. His fingers stroke over my cheeks, drying what I’m sure are tear tracks from the crying I’ve been doing.
“Lyric, the only problem is how to make sure you can handle the grad program and the pregnancy at the same time. The baby is a perfect reward I don’t deserve.Youare a perfect reward I don’t deserve. Especially after what an asshole I’ve been.”
“As long as you want the baby, and want me, the rest can work itself out. I can go back to school someday, maybe, when the baby’s older.”
His head’s shaking a denial before I even finish the sentence.