Chapter 22
Surprise – when the man you’re falling for gives you everything you want and scares the pants off of you
Nova
I yawn as we drive down the driveway toward Hudson’s chalet.
“Lunch was good but I’m ready for a nap.”
Growing a baby is tiring. I can’t remember the last time I felt as if I got enough sleep despite sleeping nine hours a night.
I clutch the image from the ultrasound in my hand. I’ll accept tired for the rest of my life to hold baby Sprog in my hands.
“Before your nap, I have a surprise for you.”
“What surprise?”
He chuckles. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you.”
“Are you going to show me?” I cross my fingers and raise them in the air. “Please be a pool. Please be a pool.”
“You want a pool, I’ll get you a pool.”
My mouth drops open. “I was joking. You can’t snap your fingers and suddenly you have a pool.”
“You’d be surprised what I can do with my fingers.”
Tingles erupt in my belly and travel to my core where my panties dampen. I wouldn’t be surprised. I know exactly what he can do with those fingers. Give me pleasure I’ve never felt before.
I lift my hand to fan my face but drop it before he notices. Hudson Clark doesn’t want me. He wants this baby I’m carrying.
“Is the surprise a massage? I could do with a massage. My back is sore all the time.”
He frowns. “You didn’t tell me your back is sore. You didn’t tell the doctor either.”
“I told Dr. Katz at my last appointment. She said it’s normal during pregnancy.”
“I’ll have the masseuse come over this afternoon to give you a massage.”
I’m disappointed he doesn’t want to give me a massage, but I don’t take it personally. It’s just more proof he doesn’t want me. He wants the baby.
“What’s this surprise if it’s not a massage?”
“I have to show you.” He exits the truck and I wait for him to come around to my side.
“Do you want me to carry you? How sore is your back?”
“I can walk.” I don’t want to, though. I want him to carry me everywhere.
He ignores my words and lifts me into his arms to carry me to the front door. The door clicks open but he doesn’t set me down. He walks down the hallway to the spare bedroom. He sets me on my feet before reaching for the door.
“This is your surprise.”
He pushes the door open and I step inside. I expect there to be a gift on the bed, but there’s no bed. In fact, all of the furniture from the spare bedroom is gone because this room is now a nursery.
There’s a crib in one corner next to a changing table. In the other corner is a rocking chair. And, smack dab in the middle of the room, there’s an oversized stuffed seal. It reminds me of Sammy. The walls are covered in wallpaper with scenes from the sea in it, including mermaids and treasure chests.
“It’s perfect.”
He wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses my hair. “You like it?”
“I love it. The baby will love spending time here when they’re with you.”
He scowls.
“What? What’s wrong?”
He urges me toward the rocking chair. “Sit. We need to talk.”
Oh great. It’s time for ‘the talk’. Does he want me to leave now? Does he want full custody? I clasp my chest. No. He can’t have full custody. This baby is mine.
“Hey. Hey.” He kneels before me and pulls my hands away from my chest. “What’s wrong?”
“You can’t have this baby. I won’t give Sprog to you.”
His brow wrinkles. “What are you talking about?”
I yank my hand from his and motion to the room. “You made this room for the baby. So you can have the baby here all the time. So you can steal the baby from me.”
“I do want baby Sprog here all the time.”
I gasp. “I knew it! You’re stealing my baby. And you’re the big, important football hero. What chance do I have to fight you?”
“I don’t want you to fight me.”
“Tough. I’m fighting you. I’m not giving you my baby.”
“I don’t want you to give me the baby.”
“You do want to fight me?”
He sighs. “Nova, my sunshine, I’m not explaining myself very well.”
I snort. “No, you’re not, Captain Grumpy.”
“I want the baby here because I want you here.”
“It’s sweet of you to offer for me to live with you but I have a house in Smuggler’s Rest. Once the baby is born and you know they’re safe, there’s no reason for me to live here.”
He brushes the hair off of my forehead. “Yes, there is.”
When he doesn’t say more, I push. “What reason? What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about you and me. I want us to be a family.”
“We are a family. Mom, baby daddy, and baby.”
“No. A family as in mom, dad, baby.”
My pulse speeds up until I can hear the thump-thump in my ears. “W-w-what?”
“Nova Myers, I want you. Not because you’re the mother of my children.”
“Child,” I correct. “Dr. Katz confirmed I am not having twins.”
“I want you to be the mother of all of my children, not just baby Sprog.”
I gasp. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I like you, Nova. I want our relationship to be real. Not a friendship because we’re having a baby together. But a romantic relationship where I get to hold you and kiss you and spend the night wrapped around your body.”
“I don’t know what I’m more shocked by. How many words you spoke or the words you actually said.”
He kisses my nose. “What do you say, Nova? Are you going to put me out of my misery?”
I open my mouth to shout yes! I want you! I want this! But fear grasps hold of me and the words won’t come.
Hudson is giving me everything I’ve ever wanted. He’s the man I want. He’s the man I’ve wanted forever. He’s the man I’m falling in love with. The man who wants to take care of me. The man who cooks for me. The man who opens the door for me. The man who carries me. The man who built a nursery for our baby.
But what if I give in to him and allow myself to love him? He’ll die. Everyone I love dies. It’s my curse to bear.
“What’s wrong, Sunshine?”
I nibble on my bottom lip but Hudson reaches forward to remove my lip from my teeth. “I know I’m not exactly a catch.”
I rear back. “What? You’re not a catch? Have you covered up all the mirrors in your bedroom? Or forgotten how you own this successful business? It’s been less than two hours since someone reminded you of winning two Super Bowl Championships. What in all of those awesome accomplishments says you’re not a catch?”
“Says the woman who refers to me as the King of the Grumps.”
“You smiled today. And you laughed. I’m breaking you out of your grumpy persona.”
“If anyone can, it’s you.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“Come on, Sunshine. Give me a chance. I’ll make it worth your while.”
I know he will. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted. He’s offering me the one thing I want. A family. A real family.
But my heart is lodged in my throat and my stomach is filled with dread. What if he dies? I can’t handle it if another person in my life who I love dies. I won’t survive.
“I don’t know.”
He frames my face with his hands. “Give me a chance, Nova. I know I’ve been an ass in the past. Because I was trying to resist you. But you’re irresistible. No one can withstand the lure of your sunshine. I certainly couldn’t.”
He’s making it awful hard to say no. Don’t say no, my heart whispers.
The temptation is too much to resist. “No promises, but why don’t we go out on a date? See how it goes. Maybe you’ll change your mind when you realize I can’t eat without spilling food down my bra.”
He chuckles. “I already know you can’t eat without spilling food.”
I scowl at him. “You’re not supposed to mention it.”
He presses his lips to mine but pulls back before I have a chance to wrap my arms around him and enjoy the feel of him touching me.
“Thank you, Sunshine. You won’t regret this.”
I hope he’s right. I hope I’m not making the biggest mistake of my life. I hope this doesn’t end in heartbreak. Or, worse yet, tragedy.