Chapter 24 Beatrice
BEATRICE
Just like Everett promised, the food was incredible. And I have to be honest; the company was pretty decent as well.
Everett was different from the man I met before. I can’t say I’m surprised, but I am relieved.
That first night he was such a cocky jerk. He really thought that fucking him would make my entire year. And then the night he learned the truth, well, he was just an asshole. But tonight, he’s been sweet, thoughtful, and fun.
He seems to genuinely care about me and my pregnancy. And the thing that’s shocked me the most is that he’s clearly done some research. He knows how big our little one is right now; he knows about prenatal vitamins and the things I should and shouldn’t be doing.
Listening to him talk with obvious concern for my well-being and in turn, that of our baby, caused a huge lump to form in my throat. I did everything I could to stop my eyes from filling with tears, but I wasn’t very successful.
Everett thought he’d fucked up. The panic that he’d done or said something wrong was clear in his eyes, and it made me like him that little bit more.
I always knew I wanted him involved in our baby’s life, but I never thought I’d actually enjoy spending time with him. Of course, it’s only the first time we’ve really hung out, but it’s been great fun.
“Thank you,” Everett says as he shakes Diego’s hand. “Everything was incredible as always. Give my love to your parents, yeah?”
“You got it. It was nice meeting you, Bea. Enjoy the rest of your night,” he says as Everett holds the door open for me.
“You too,” I say before Everett follows me out toward his giant-ass car.
“I’m gonna call a rideshare,” I say, pulling my cell from my purse and scrolling for the app.
“The hell you are,” Everett grunts behind me.
“It’s fine. I doubt you live in my direction. I don’t want to put you out more than I already have.”
“I think I was the one who invited you to dinner,” he points out, his giant hand finding that comforting spot at the base of my back, forcing me to keep moving forward.
“And you paid,” I point out.
“I’m taking you home,” he states.
The truth is, I really want to climb into his comfortable truck and get a ride home. It’s much more appealing than waiting for a random driver to pick me up. But…having Everett take me home means telling him where I live, and…I don’t want to do that.
I don’t want to be ashamed, but I am. My new apartment signifies that something has gone very, very wrong, and I don’t want him to know that.
I have no doubt that he lives in a swanky penthouse in some multi-billion-dollar building.
I wouldn’t have cared last week. I was proud of my home. But right now, the last place I want to take the professional hockey player is my new neighborhood.
“My car is at the salon,” I blurt, suddenly figuring a way out of this. “Take me back there, then I can drive home.”
“Or you could get your rideshare in the morning so you can get home faster now,” he suggests.
“Are you trying to get an invite for coffee? Is that what this is?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look really tired, and I’m trying to get you home so you can rest.”
“Right,” I mutter, my shoulders slumping in disappointment.
Stupid, stupid girl.
It’s not that I wanted him to want to come in for “coffee.” The last time we indulged too hard we ended up in this situation.
But there’s a part of me that wants him to look at me like I’m still the same woman from that night.
I’m not sure anyone has ever looked at me with so much hunger and desire in their eyes as he did.
Am I ever going to experience that again?
My body is about to change. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have the perfect one.
My stomach is already a little softer than I’d like, but after growing a kid, it’s going to be even worse.
Will anyone look at me with a baby resting on my hip and want me ever again?
Or have I experienced the best of it? I guess I went out on a high note with Everett Donnelly. It certainly could have been worse.
You wouldn’t have allowed anyone else to fuck you against a club wall.
My cheeks heat at my own thoughts as memories flood back
“What’s that face for?” he asks as we come to a stop beside his truck.
“I don’t have a face,” I state, refusing to look up at him because, yeah, I definitely have a face.
He reaches out and tucks a finger beneath my chin, forcing me to lift my gaze.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. As you said, I’m tired, and I want to go home.”
His eyes bounce between mine, searching for the lie I haven’t told. Okay, so I might be withholding some of the truth, but what I have said is true.
“You’ll let me take you home?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“Good girl.”
All the air rushes from my lungs at his praise.
The smug fucker knows it, too, if the smirk that spreads across his lips tells me anything.
He leans a little closer, forcing me to tip my head back to keep eye contact with him. Heat burns through his thin T-shirt and rushes down my front, making my temperature soar instantly.
My breath catches as I wait for what he’s going to do next.
But…but he doesn’t do anything next.
Well, he does. He opens his freaking passenger door.
I curse myself for letting my hormones get the better of me.
What was I even thinking? This man doesn’t want to kiss me. He’s already had his taste. He’s only hanging around because I’m growing his child.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
“Yep, everything is perfect,” I state before turning and attempting to climb into his truck.
His deep chuckle vibrates through the air as he watches for a few seconds.
“Whoa,” I cry when I wobble on the step. “What are you doing?” I bark when his hands land on my ass.
“Stopping you from falling,” he points out as he gets me into the cab.
“With my ass.”
“It’s a nice ass, sweetheart. I don’t think I appreciated it enough before.”
My chin drops but no words come out.
“You good?” he asks before taking a step back.
I nod, and he closes me inside his car, leaving me to watch as he jogs around the hood.
The air in here smells exactly like the man who owns it, and without meaning to, my mind flies right back to that night when his scent was in my nose, and his hands were on my body.
The second he opens the door and climbs in, that scent gets stronger, and my need grows.
Damn it.
I was doing just fine without a man in my life. My vibrator and I had a good thing going. Then in walks Everett Donnelly and points out that no matter how good a vibrating friend might be, they don’t quite hit the same spot as a perfectly crafted dick.
He doesn’t say anything as he starts the engine and wraps one large hand around the wheel, leaving me with no choice but to trace the veins and ink that run up his forearm as he pulls out of the space.
When I finally make it to his face, the asshole is smirking.
“See something you like?”
“Ugh, really?”
Dragging my eyes away from his annoyingly handsome face, I stare out the windshield.
His deep chuckle vibrates through the air, and damn it if the sound of it doesn’t make me squeeze my thighs together.
Why did he have to be so nice and thoughtful tonight? Why couldn’t he be the asshole I know he can be? Then I’d want to punch him in the face instead of fantasizing about sitting on it instead.
He continues driving in silence while I fume, irritated at myself for reacting this way.
I decide it’s him. It’s his stupid face and his stupid tattoos and his stupid arrogance.
Stupid hockey players.
I huff out a breath as I fold my arms across my chest.
“When you’re finished doing whatever you’re doing, I’m going to need an address.”
Before I know what’s happening, it’s rolling off my tongue.
“Yeah, I know it,” he says and takes the next right.
I was expecting him to put it into the GPS, but he doesn’t. Instead, he effortlessly navigates to my old apartment building.
The closer we get, the more I regret the knee-jerk reaction to send him here.
This man is half responsible for the person growing inside me. I should just be honest about my new shitty apartment and how I’m living my life.
So what, he’s got a million-dollar contract and more money than he knows what to do with. He won’t care that I don’t have as much as him. I should embrace it. Be honest.
And I will. But not tonight.
“Just here is great,” I say.
“But the entrance is all the way up there,” he points out, making me wonder if he’s been inside this building before.
He probably has a regular girl in there.
My stomach twists uncomfortably at the thought of him being with someone else.
It’s stupid. He’s not mine, and I’m not his.
Hell, he was out the other night with women hanging all over him. It’s what he does. I can’t expect him to stop just because we’re having a baby. It’s not like we’re together or anything.
“It’ll walk off some of the food,” I say in the hope he lets it go.
If he drops me at the door …
Oh God.
My heart begins to race as reality starts to hit.
Is he going to want to walk me to my door? At the very least, he’s going to want to see me into the building. But I’ve given my keys back. I can’t get in. I—
“Okay,” he thankfully says, putting his blinker on and pulling over.
“Great. Wonderful. Fantastic,” I blurt.
He glances over once the car has stopped.
“Are you okay?”
“I get a little delirious when I’m tired. The next few months should be a lot of fun.”
He lifts one hand from the wheel and combs his fingers through his hair.
“Thanks for the date. I had fun.”
“It wasn’t a date,” I argue.
“Dinner, great banter, dropping you home at the end of the night. Definitely a date.”
“Ah, no. See, a great date always has to end with a kiss.”
His eyes bounce between mine and then drop to my lips.
“Is that right?” he muses.
“Yep, so you don’t need to worry. We haven’t ruined your non-dating reputation.”
“I don’t care about my reputation,” he says as I throw the car door open.
“Wait,” he barks when I twist around, ready to figure out how I’m going to get down.
“I’ve got this.”
“No, you don’t.”
He’s out of the car in a heartbeat, and the next thing I know, his hands are around my waist and he’s lowering me to the ground.
“Thanks for dinner. It was delicious.”
“The company was good too,” he says, his hand still on my waist.
“It was okay,” I deadpan before attempting to twist away.
It takes him a second to release me, but he does, and I quickly slip around him and race toward the building I can’t get into.
Fuck. How am I going to get away with this?