Chapter 2
Chapter Two
“ T —two? ” he sputtered, his eyebrows lifted high enough to touch the ceiling.
“Yes,” Raven Shepherd said, barely able to keep her voice from wavering.
Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod .
Shock clawed through her body, and she gripped the edge of the reception desk to keep herself from sliding to the hardwood floor.
It was him. The most gorgeous, sensuous man she’d ever met was standing almost within reach of her. How was that possible? It had been almost a year, and she never thought she’d see him again. Yet, here he was.
And that voice? One of many things that had attracted her to him that night in Vegas. Whenever he spoke, his unbelievably deep baritone was like that of the R & B singer, Giveon—rich, sultry, and erotic. His voice was still as arousing and smooth, like warm honey drizzled over a hot, buttered biscuit.
“I have a feeling you two know each other, but just in case, Raven, let me introduce you to my son, Zion,” Virginia Priestly said cheerily. “Zion, this is Raven and her daughter, Zanaya.”
His mother? Oh my God. This just keeps getting weirder.
From the moment Raven had arrived, Mrs. Priestly had welcomed her into the B & B as if she’d known her forever. When in reality, they’d just met. An hour ago, Raven, bone tired and hungry, showed up with her babies who’d been just as tired and cranky. Mrs. Priestly and her sister, Gwendolyn Renee, had been a godsend, fussing over the kids and immediately taking them into their care.
Wait, Zion?
Raven’s eyebrows pinched together as she looked at him, realizing Mrs. Priestly had said Zion . Not Andrew?
Raven was tired, but she was fairly sure this was the man she’d met in Vegas. It had to be. No way could there be two men who looked like this adonis standing in front of her. He was at least six-feet tall with a chestnut skin tone, deep, intense amber eyes that stared back at her, as well as a sexy mustache and goatee. The man was so fine. Add that to his sculpted chest, wide shoulders that tapered down to a narrow waist, and long legs with powerful thighs like that of a linebacker, and you had one incredible specimen.
Yeah, this was him. He looked a little younger than she remembered, but she was confident that she’d know her kids’ father anywhere. Then again, maybe he was a twin. No. No, it was definitely him, and he must think her crazy with the way she was staring at him.
However, the shock on his handsome face told her that he was just as surprised as her. Or maybe that was a look of fear. She wasn’t sure, but it was possible that he had figured out he was a father times two.
She had prayed every day, since finding out she was pregnant, that she’d eventually run into him. Maybe God was finally answering one of her many prayers. But just in case…
“Andrew?” she whispered, hoping she hadn’t lost her mind, that her imagination hadn’t conjured him up. “Or is it Zion?”
After the long drive from Houston with her babies, she was beyond exhausted. She’d barely slept in the last couple of days, and it was starting to catch up to her.
God, please let it be him. She had needed him in more ways than one over the last few months, and now he was here.
“Zion Andrew Priestly,” he said, his shocked expression still in place as he gawked at her. “I can’t believe you’re here ,” he said, and her knees went weak.
He was as quick as lightning when he reached out and gently grabbed her elbow. It gave her just enough assistance to keep her from face planting on the gorgeous hardwood floor. Yeah, she needed some sleep. Or if nothing else, to lie down for a while.
“Oh you poor dear,” Mrs. Priestly said, hurrying to grab Raven’s other arm.
But the older woman released her when Zanaya started fussing. The bottle had come out of the baby’s mouth, and she scrunched up her face, but Mrs. Priestly didn’t miss a beat. She returned the bottle to Zanaya’s mouth as if nothing happened and all before the baby could get too wound up.
“Zion, carry Raven into the library,” she said. “She’s worn out after driving all the way from Houston. It doesn’t matter that she stopped for the night. That’s still a long drive for anyone, especially with two infants.”
“No,” Raven hurried to say, though Andrew… umm, Zion hadn’t made a move to lift her into his arms. “I can walk but thank you. I would like to sit down for a minute, though.” Her head hurt, her brain was tired, and her body felt as if she was being weighed down by a heavy anchor.
Yeah, it was time to call it a day, and the number of surprises thrown at her wasn’t helping.
“Well, at least show her to the library,” Virginia insisted. “We’re expecting some of the other guests to return soon, but rarely does anyone go in there this time of evening. She can rest in there for a while.”
Zion maintained a hold on Raven’s elbow as they moved slowly across the large living room on their way to the library. The brightly decorated space had butter-yellow walls, with elegant white crown molding, and super tall ceilings. The wood-burning fireplace currently heating up the space and two wing-back chairs, as well as a long, comfortable-looking sofa, made the space warm and inviting.
Or maybe it was Andrew that had her feeling warm and tempted to pull out of his hold. The intense heat crawling up her arm from his touch was almost too much to bear. It had been like that the day they’d met in Las Vegas. When he’d introduced himself, he had stuck out his hand to shake hers, and the moment their palms touched, an electric jolt of awareness shot through her.
Actually, that whole night with him had been much of the same after she’d gone to his hotel room. It had been so unlike her to do anything so brazen and reckless. Yet, it was a night she’d never forget. The man had touched, kissed, and licked her whole body into submission, and she’d been on fire for much of the night.
An involuntary shiver shook Raven, and Zion must’ve thought she was going to drop because he tightened his hold. She was glad because she honestly didn’t know if she could stay upright. The last couple of days had been a lot.
Thankfully, they finally reached the library, and he guided her over to an overstuffed sofa where Raven practically dropped onto. This room wasn’t as big as the living room, but it was just as cozy with its dark furnishings and hundreds of books on bookshelves that lined three walls.
Looking past Zion, Raven noted Virginia was standing in the opening, gently rocking Zanaya.
“I can take her, Mrs. Priestly. Thank you so much for helping me with the twins. I’m sure her brother will be awake shortly.”
As if on cue, Raven heard Gwendolyn, who’d helped with Andrew, cooing as her voice got closer.
“Ginny, look who woke up,” she was saying, apparently to Mrs. Priestly.
Raven still didn’t see her but knew she was almost to the room.
“Doesn’t this little sweetheart remind you of someone?” Gwendolyn was saying before she made it to the opening into the room. She was smiling down at Andrew who was cradled in her arms. “He’s a spitting image of…” Her words trailed off as she glanced up, apparently surprised to see Zion if her wide eyes were any indication.
Oh crap. That wasn’t the only reason she was surprised to see her nephew. She clearly saw the resemblance between him and the baby.
Since learning she was pregnant, Raven had played various scenarios through her mind of how she’d tell Andrew… no, Zion, about his kids. That was assuming she’d ever see him again, but this wasn’t one of them. She couldn’t have planned this reunion if she’d tried.
Now that she was sitting down and able to catch her breath, Raven’s gaze bounced between the two women. They were around her height or maybe just a little shorter, and watching them, anyone could tell they were sisters, though they had different styles.
Mrs. Priestly appeared more conservative with her straight hair pulled back into a bun and wearing minimum makeup. The pretty, sage green sweater and black pants complemented her shapely frame.
Her sister, whose shoulder length braids that were burgundy and curly at the ends, looked like a fashionista. The trendy glasses she wore didn’t hide the fact that her face appeared professionally made up and her lips, painted with red lipstick, looked perfect. She was a little curvier than Mrs. Priestly, but her red V-neck sweater and stylish jeans that hugged her full hips had her oozing sex appeal and confidence.
An eerie silence had fallen over the room, and Raven almost groaned as she watched the three adults stare at the babies, looking from one to the other. Then she saw the exact moment they all pieced it together.
“Oh. My. God. Ginny! I think your wish has come true… twice !” Gwendolyn whispered-shouted and then burst out laughing. “ Oh. My. God! This is wild! We’re holding your grandbabies. ”
Mrs. Priestly continued to stare at Andrew, and her mouth dropped open. Then she closed it, and a second later, she screeched. The ear-piercing sound was loud enough to crack glass, and both babies started crying.
“ Shh… shh ,” Mrs. Priestly and Gwendolyn both said as they cooed and gently rocked the babies, who settled down almost immediately.
Raven had been truly blessed. She’d been terrified when she learned she was having twins, afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle two babies. But they were, for the most part, good kids. They did their share of crying but usually only when they were hungry or wet.
She glanced up at Zion who stood frozen as he stared at Andrew. Raven’s heart squeezed. No doubt he saw the resemblance of the tiny version of him.
They needed to talk, and it was sure to be one of the hardest conversations she’d ever had. She knew without a doubt that he was the father. Not just because she hadn’t been with anyone months before or since meeting him. But also because the moment Andrew was born, and she looked at him, she saw Zion’s face.
That was one of the reasons she’d named him Andrew. She had thought she was naming him after his father, but who knew Andrew’s first name was actually Zion? Since she thought it impossible to find the man who had rocked her world that night, she’d wanted to honor him with a junior. Since then, every time she stared into Andrew’s sweet face, she thought of Zion.
And here he was.
“Umm,” Zion said, and swallowed hard. His shocked gaze darted from the kids to Raven, and then back to the babies. “Mom… Aunt Gigi, can you guys give me a minute to talk to Raven?”
Knowing the talk was inevitable, Raven started to stand, but Zion stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
“I should take the babies,” Raven said, not wanting his mother or aunt to feel like they were being forced to keep the twins.
“If you don’t mind, let them hold your kids for a little while longer,” Zion said. “I’d like to talk to you in private.”
Anger stirred inside of Raven at the way he’d said your kids . Yeah, maybe she’d had a little more time to get used to having his babies, but she still didn’t like how he’d said those two words. Anyone could look at him and the kids and know he was the father.
Mrs. Priestly looked at Raven, her eyes glassy as she bit down on her bottom lip as if trying not to cry. “So… it’s true?” she asked, looking hopeful as she held Zanaya close to her chest. “These are my grandbabies?”
Before Raven could respond, Zion jumped in front of her and blocked her view of his mother.
“Mom, please . Just take the babies and give me and Raven a minute to talk.”
The only reason Raven didn’t shove him out the way and answer his mother was because she could tell he wasn’t happy. So yes, it was best they talked in private.
Zion’s reaction was totally understandable. Learning that she was pregnant had knocked her sideways, and no doubt he was feeling much of the same. He was also thinking the same— but we used protection . Yeah, they’d used protection for the most part.
When his mother and his aunt left the room, Zion whirled on her. “What the hell?” he growled, his handsome face an angry mask.
Though sitting down felt good, she stood. No way was she going to stay sitting while someone raised their voice at her.
“There’s no way,” he ground out. “There’s no way those kids are mine. We used protection. We were careful !” he snapped.
“If you want a conversation with me, I suggest you lower your voice and calm down,” Raven said, trying to keep her tone peaceful even though she wanted to lash out too.
She kept reminding herself that this was a shock to him. That he was just learning he was a father not to one baby but two. Still, she wouldn’t let him talk to her any kind of way.
“Can you sit down, please?” she asked, pointing at the sofa.
He was still glaring at her as his chest heaved. Then, as if he were a balloon with a slow leak, his shoulders drooped, and he collapsed onto the sofa. He ran his large hands down his face, then shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe it.
Raven sat next to him. She wanted to touch him. She didn’t. Instead, she placed her hands in her lap, and before she could speak, he spoke.
“Two babies,” he said, barely above a whisper.
Raven stared down at her hands in her lap, bracing herself for what she had to tell him. When she finally looked at him, he was watching her with a guarded expression. “Yeah, two babies, and yes, they’re yours.”