Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Xavier crossed his arms over his chest to brace against the cool evening air. It was the perfect night for a fire.
And since May was at Lou’s for girls’ night, he’d be enjoying the fire alone. He lit some rolled paper and placed logs in the fire bowl. He’d just cracked open a beer and settled onto a chair when his phone buzzed.
Want some company?
The incoming text was from May. He hadn’t expected to hear from her until tomorrow.
This is a nice surprise, he texted back.
He’d been working at Salty Dog more often than not over the last few weeks. He only had himself to blame. When he’d hired Cheyenne, it was with the understanding that she’d be taking a two-week vacation to the Poconos.
Unfortunately for him, there was no way he could’ve predicted that he’d have to choose between covering the bar or burning up the bedsheets with May.
Which they’d done at every available opportunity over the last three weeks.
He was beginning to wonder if he could ever have enough of her.
Just last week, he’d gone to her house a couple of times.
He’d surprised her with pizza one night and, on a particularly late shift for him, Salty Dog carryout on another.
Both times they’d stripped each other naked and left the food cooling on the countertop.
Mostly though, she’d come to his house. She’d mentioned how comfortable it was in his bed and how much she loved the quiet.
His house sat on a more private part of the lake.
The channel was narrow enough that most boats didn’t bother navigating into the watery cul-de-sac only to have to maneuver through a complicated three-to-four-point turn to get back out again.
And at night, when the stars were reflecting off the lake’s still surface, his dock made for the perfect relaxation spot.
While privacy was one of the main reasons he’d purchased this particular house, he was fairly sure that May’s wanting to be here had more to do with him. And, damn, did he love that.
This past Tuesday, she’d been wrapped in a blanket, warming herself by the flames, when he’d brought out a warm cup of tea. Beneath that blanket, she’d been wearing nothing but his T-shirt and a bulky pair of his socks. She’d complained that she was freezing but didn’t want to change.
Her wearing his clothes, at his house, while wrapped in his comforter, had caused a jolt in his chest. At first, he thought it was alarm.
He’d dated since moving to the Cove, but hadn’t so much as whispered the word “relationship.” That jolt had made him wonder if that was where he and May were heading…
and then further question if he was ready for that level of commitment.
As he’d watched the steam from her mug curl into the night air, he decided not to be alarmed.
What they had was simple. And awesome. Great sex, great friendship, and mutual respect for each other.
At most, he’d experienced two of the three in the past. Until May, he couldn’t recall having all three at once.
Can be there in ten, she texted.
Wanna talk about the app? he texted back. He chuckled when her swift response was the word NO in all caps.
May had introduced him to Jewell two weeks ago. The CEO was incredibly driven and could give Lisa a run for her money. Jewell had been enthusiastic about the app and about his involvement. Win-win.
Wanna get naked? he texted to May.
A seedling of doubt crept in when the response text bubble appeared and then disappeared twice on her side of the screen. In case she was having doubts, he reassured her with, Come over. I’ll be good.
“Damn good,” he said aloud. He didn’t text that. No sense in pushing his luck, though it was a safe bet if she was in his house, she’d soon be in his bed. Or on his couch. Or on the kitchen table, which had been a fun challenge he wouldn’t mind trying again.
About nine minutes after his last text, headlights sliced across his yard. He climbed the hill, meeting May in the driveway as she stepped out of her car.
She wore a one-piece pantsuit that was canvas green with a patch over her breast. The button-down front was open, revealing cleavage tempting him to dive in beard first. As long as he was careful around her thick gold herringbone necklace, he’d avoid injury.
He snagged the tie at her waist and tugged her close. She gave him a hesitant smile but then melted against him as expected. Neither of them had been able to resist the other’s pull since they’d given in to their mutual attraction.
“What are you doing here?” he murmured, his mouth an inch from hers. “And why do you smell so good?”
“You smell like campfire.” She stroked his cheek with her fingers before laying a gentle kiss on his lips. His cock jerked to life. She’d barely touched him, was dressed in an outfit that was going to take him way too long to slip her out of, and he was ready to go.
“You like the smell of campfire.”
Her face softened as she peered up at him. “I like the smell of campfire on you.”
Hell yeah, she did. Every other evening they’d spent together had started this way. With a kiss, him holding her, and then sex. Any recaps of their days were reserved for when they were both naked.
“We should take you inside before we’re carried away. Given our shared history, I can’t guarantee we won’t be fucking on the porch in thirty seconds.”
Her laugh was his favorite. Smoky and earthy. “I don’t know if that’s pathetic or admirable.”
“Admirable.”
Her smile faded as she licked her lips. Her expression was cautious. A premonition of doom shook him like thunder rattling the walls of his house.
“I didn’t come over to tear your clothes off,” she said.
“That’s always on the table, honey. And you on the table is something I’d like to try again, and soon. You seemed to like it.”
“I did. So much.” She tipped her head up, which brought her mouth closer to his.
He kissed her, lips only at first, then open-mouthed. When his tongue was stroking hers and his hands on her waist had turned to fists, she whimpered into his mouth.
This. This was what it was like to be with May Glenfield. The world faded until it disappeared, and there was only her—only him. Only the promise of—
She pulled away abruptly, leaving him frozen in place. He was still clutching her pantsuit, his mouth slightly open, his eyes shut.
When he opened them, he was greeted with a version of May he wasn’t as familiar with. Her brow was puckered with worry, and her eyes were damp and sorrowful.
“I need to talk to you. Can we sit by the fire?” Her flat tone tied his stomach in double knots.
“Uh, sure. Can I get you a drink or—”
“No, I’m good.”
May was honest, direct, and decent—nothing like Tracie—but something in her expression tonight was unraveling threads he hadn’t tugged on in years. Maybe it was her tone. Maybe it was the weight in her eyes.
Tracie had never sat him down to talk. She hadn’t given him the courtesy of a conversation. He’d caught her with his boss-slash-friend and had dumped her on the spot. After the anger faded, he’d been bitter. The least she could’ve done was end it with him before sleeping with someone else.
And yet here he was, bracing for May to announce she was leaving him. It didn’t make sense. But in his gut, he knew.
She was dumping his ass.
What had gone down at girls’ night? He intended to find out. As they walked down the stone steps to the fire bowl, he considered his options and decided to hear her out before he pled his case.
He hadn’t seen any signs that she was second-guessing them being together, so he was flying blind.
“Beautiful night.” She took the seat next to his. He picked up his half-empty beer bottle and guzzled down the rest of it. Then he sat in his own chair and did his damnedest to appear relaxed.
She wouldn’t cheat on him. He knew that. But she could have met someone else. And if she had, he knew she would do what Tracie hadn’t been capable of: tell him the truth.
But if that had been her plan, she wouldn’t have kissed him when she’d shown up. So, what was it she needed to talk to him about? Had he not offered her enough? Did she want to label what they were doing?
She’d been with Lou and Elliott tonight, and Xavier knew that Ant was planning on proposing soon. What if being around her married and engaged friends had May wanting to define her own relationship?
But that didn’t make sense either. They’d been seeing each other for less than a month. May had made it clear that she was living in the moment, same as him. It was one of the reasons things had worked out so seamlessly. So if not that, then what—
“I’m pregnant.”
He’d been staring unseeing into the flames while he’d been thinking, his beer bottle loosely gripped between his fingers. He blinked the fire into focus and then slowly turned to face her.
“Did you hear me?” she asked.
“Yes,” he croaked, then cleared his throat and tried again. “Yes.”
“At least according to these tests I’m pregnant.” She pulled two white sticks out of her purse. “I don’t think they’re both wrong, but I’ll take another at home. I was going to take a test earlier this week, but I was too scared. Lou happened to have a few spares.”
“Didn’t know they were trying,” he said, feeling…well, not much of anything at the moment. He was numb from the neck down.
He reached up to rub his neck, mainly to ensure that his head was attached to his body. For a second he’d wondered if it’d snapped off and rolled down the dock and into the lake. Might as well have for how long it was taking his thoughts to coagulate into words.
“I came here instead of going home because I didn’t want you to hear the news from Ant or Brady. I didn’t want you to think I was afraid to tell you the truth.”
“I wouldn’t have thought that. There’s not much you’re afraid of, May.”
“Just unopened wedding invitations?” she asked with a half-smile.
“That wasn’t fear. That was…indecision. Who wouldn’t pause before saying yes to an event that included an ex and their entire family?”
A puff of air left her lips. It was her turn to stare at the fire.
“I thought you were going to dump me.” When she didn’t respond immediately, he realized that her dumping him wasn’t technically off the table.
“I came here to tell you I’m pregnant and to find out how you felt about it.”
That was a landmine and a half. “How do you feel about it?”
She stood and plunged her hands into the pockets of her jumpsuit. Then she paced to the edge of the grass and stared at the tranquil surface of the lake. He took his place next to her.
“It’s possible I’m in shock,” he muttered.
“Ya think?” Her casual response relaxed him a bit. She crossed her arms over her belly. Her flat belly. But it wouldn’t stay that way, would it? Before they knew it, she’d be round with a child—his child.
The world canted to one side.
“I tried not to worry, like you said. But when my period didn’t come, I worried.”
“Yeah.” His voice sounded like it was coming from about three feet away. “You’re pregnant.” Those words rolled around in his mouth like oversized gumballs. “And…you’re having it.”
“Having it is the only option for me.”
He nodded. “Me too.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Really?”
“I mean, I would support your decision no matter what, but if it were up to me…” He shrugged, not sure where this was coming from, but oddly certain about it. “I love kids.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good.” She nodded. “I guess we didn’t really talk about that.”
Hell no, they hadn’t. Discussing the possibility of starting a family after the Case of the Missing Condom could have jinxed it. God, that sounded so stupid now.
“We should prepare for what’s coming,” she said.
“Now?”
Her laugh seemed to ask, Are you for real?
“Babies still take nine months, give or take, right?”
“Last I checked.” Her expression was uncertain.
“Not sure what we could prepare for tonight.”
“What would you suggest?”
“You know.” He came closer, faced her. “What we started in the driveway.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You want to have sex after hearing this news?”
“Fuck yeah, I do.” He’d barely had time to breathe, let alone process. But what was he supposed to do? Start Googling cribs or budgeting for college tuition? That wasn’t what she needed. Hell, that wasn’t what he needed.
Right now, he needed to be close to her, to remind both of them they were still who they were before the bomb dropped. Before the baby news. Before everything changed irrevocably.
This wasn’t just about sex—it was about anchoring them both to something solid. Something real.
“You are unbelievable.” She grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt, but she was smiling.
“That doesn’t sound like a no.” What else was there to talk about? What else mattered? “I don’t want you to worry about anything tonight.”
Her eyes sank shut. “That is tempting.”
“So am I.” He erased the scant inch separating them and kissed her. He wasn’t going to wait for an argument, and she returned the kiss, content with not offering one.
Her arms were around his neck when she suggested, “Is it wrong to seal this moment with sex?”
“Sex is what started it. Feels right to me.”
“Damn you! Why do you sound so reasonable?”
“Part of my charm.” He tucked her close, until her breasts were pressed against his chest. “Let’s head inside, unwrap you from this challenging one-piece ’fit, and see if I can’t make you forget that time exists.”
She shook her head, but whispered, “Okay.”
“Okay.” He took her hand and walked with her up the stone steps toward his house. Along the way, he questioned his own sanity. On paper, he was a guy who should be having a nervous breakdown right about now.
Then again, why?
He wasn’t a kid. He was a grown-ass man who had a steady job, plenty of money, and a house large enough for a family. He’d do well to take his own advice and not worry tonight. Well, except for delivering multiple orgasms to the goddess at his side.
There wasn’t a single downside to that.