We stood at the door; he turned to me. “It’s just an idea.”
Then he pushed open the door and stepped back, so I could enter. The walls had been plastered and painted pink with bright polka dots. My sewing machine was setup on the table. Another larger table sat across the room, one I knew he designed and built. A desk sat under the window with my sketchbooks and colored pencils. All of my craft supplies, from fabrics to crystals, were arranged in bins. Mannequins were lined up against the wall, racks for clothes against the back wall. My eyes burned, seeing the designer studio he created for me.
I turned to him; he was leaning against the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his chest.
“When did you do this?”
“Been working on it since I showed up that first day.”
“A studio.”
“You need to make more like that dress, which you still need to wear…”
I threw my arms around him. “I love you. God, I love you.”
His arms locked around me.
I hadn’t told him the news, we’d barely come up for air in the last two days, but I couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out, not that I wanted to. “I’m pregnant.”
He tightened his arms, almost to the point of pain. “Come again?”
“I’m pregnant.”
He released me, his focus moving to my stomach, before he looked back up at me. I would never forget the look on his face for as long as I lived. For a man who didn’t show emotion, he was showing it now.
He touched my stomach then he yanked me to him and kissed me senseless. We were both breathing heavy when he ended it. “We move you in and get married, not in that order.”
Tears filled my eyes. “Is that you asking me?”
“You’re carrying my baby. Not asking.”
How like him. I touched his face, kissed him, then asked, “Is it later?”
Later, I wore my dress. He fucked me in it, hard and fast against the wall, and then he undressed me and took his time.
Liam, Killian andI stepped from the bank. I was now a silent partner in the tavern that Liam now had full control of. Killian pulled the key for the tavern from his ring and handed it to Liam.
“Congratulations, man,” Killian said. “Dinner, my treat.”
“Won’t get an argument from me,” Liam said.
Killian turned to me, pressed a kiss on my forehead. “Wait here. I’ll get the truck.”
I watched Killian for a second. I had wondered what I liked more, him coming or going, it was definitely him coming back to me, but I did like looking at him going, too. I shifted my focus to Liam.
“What’s going on with you?”
He didn’t pretend when he said, “I’ve been a fuck up my whole life.” He pulled a hand through his hair. “I’ve never done anything on my own. I’m too fucking old to be counting on others.” He fisted the key. “I’m not going to fuck this up.” He glanced at me and grinned. “Don’t get too comfortable, Boss, cause you won’t be boss for long.”
“I’m not your boss, and good, because I don’t know shit about running a bar.”
Silence settled, and for as happy a day as this was for Liam, something was bothering him. “What happened with Natalie?” I asked.
He looked up the street, before his gaze drifted back to me. “Like I said, I’m a fuck up.”
“It’s not too late,” I said.
“She needs someone who has his shit together, not waiting around for a guy who may never figure it out.”