Seduction - Chapter 18
Tuesday
Rob had only recently moved back to town. And just like everything Rob did…he didn’t think twice about his living arrangements. He’d moved right in with Daphne.
I loved their place. But I knew Rob was already checking out new real estate. The place felt like Daphne. It did not feel at all like Rob. Rob was more of a penthouse kind of guy. Not a basement apartment kind of guy.
James and I made our way down the steps of the duplex. Which, I guess was actually a triplex since the basement had been converted into their apartment? Was a triplex even a thing? Either way, it was super cute.
“Do you think she’s pregnant?” James asked at the exact same time I rang their doorbell.
“No. And keep your voice down.” Their apartment was tiny. And I bet the walls were perfectly fine, but not exactly thick.
“I think he probably knocked her up.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?”
James smiled. “Who else is saying it?”
“Justin. He won’t let it go. Bee too. Rob does everything spontaneously, including proposing. He just loves her.”
“And the baby he put inside of her.”
I laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Wanna bet?”
I looked up at him. “On whether or not this is a shotgun wedding or that you’re ridiculous?” I shifted the casserole dish in my arms.
“The shotgun wedding thing. I’m not ridiculous in the slightest.” He grabbed the casserole dish from me.
I glanced at the door. I never backed down from a bet.
But…I was sure they were just about to open the door.
And the last thing I wanted them to overhear when they were already stressed out was that people thought they were getting married out of obligation.
“Oh, it’s so on. But drop it right now.” I nodded toward the door.
James put his finger on the doorbell. I could hear the ring throughout their apartment. Yup, thin walls.
But no one came to the door.
“I guess they’re not home,” James said. “Which is good, because I’m hungry and I really want to eat this.” He lifted the foil on the edge.
I swatted his hand off it. “We’ll just leave it for them.”
James looked down. “There’s probably rats here. We can’t just leave a dish of food. It’ll attract more of them.”
“You are just as bad as your brother. This apartment is so cute. Just because you’re used to high-end everything doesn’t mean this place has rats!”
Daphne opened up the door just at that moment. A frown cut across her face.
Oh, fuck. I was defending her apartment, but I was pretty sure the end of my sentence was just: “This place has rats!” I cleared my throat. “Hey! I was just telling James how much I love your apartment.”
She nodded, but I could tell she looked hurt.
“I mean it,” I said. “You heard the end of my sentence, but I was actually saying that your place doesn’t have rats.”
“It’s true,” James said. “I think you may have just heard the end of what she said and it was completely out of context. I was the one that thought there might be rats if we left this dish on your doorstep.” He lifted up the casserole dish.
“We brought you dinner. We know you must be crazy busy with all the planning.”
“Oh.” She smiled, immediately believing him. “How thoughtful of you.”
Not how thoughtful of you guys . Just James. Gah. Yeah, I was definitely not going to be a bridesmaid.
“Shit,” Rob said and groaned.
I peered over Daphne’s shoulder. Rob had just hit his elbow on a doorjamb as he was pulling on a shirt.
Okay, wow, we’d definitely just interrupted them banging.
“Anyway,” I said. “We just wanted to drop this off and get out of your hair. Unless you needed help with anything?”
“Hey, guys,” Rob said. “Did Ellen make that or did you?” he said and looked at me.
“Ellen.”
Rob smiled and grabbed it out of James’ hands.
“I’m not a bad cook,” I said.
“I didn’t say you were.” He peeled back the foil and reached somewhere to the right and suddenly had a spoon.
Yes, their apartment was tiny. But cute, I swear it!
“I just really love Ellen’s cooking,” he said and ate a spoonful of the chicken pot pie. “So freaking good. It’s actually perfect, because we just depleted a whole lot of energy.” He winked at Daphne and her face turned crimson.
James cleared his throat. “Okay, well, enjoy. Catch you guys later.”
“Unless you need help with anything,” I added. “Wedding related or…anything. We’re always here for you.”
“Nope, we’ve got it all handled. We’ll see you this weekend though. I think it’s Mason’s turn to pick the place.”
It was Tuesday. They weren’t planning on seeing us for four more days? They really didn’t want our help? It felt like my stomach dropped. Daphne hates me. I just nodded. “Sounds good. See you this weekend, guys.”
“Thanks again,” Daphne said with a wave and a smile before the door slammed in my face.
I felt tears welling in my eyes. I quickly ran up the stairs and back to the sidewalk. Ian was parked, waiting for us, but I just needed a minute. So I walked straight past the car.
The autumn night air was finally chilly. So I could feel the hot tears slide down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away.
“Penny, where are you going?” James said and caught my wrist.
“I looked like a complete ass.”
“I love your ass.” His hand squeezed one of my butt cheeks.
“Very funny. Daphne hates me.”
“That’s definitely not it.” He touched the side of my face. “Penny, are you crying?”
“I love her apartment. And she thinks I’m an elitist monster.
And I’m not. I just want to be her friend.
And I freaking hate being hormonal. I’m acting like a crazy person.
People don’t get along with their sisters-in-law all over the world and I’m acting like it’s a huge problem. God, I am elitist!”
“Baby.” He pulled me in closer. “Everything is going to work out. I promise.”
“What if we never see Rob anymore because she turns evil and keeps him away?”
James laughed. “They come to every hangout we have and every party we host. They’re family. We’re all family. Nothing will change that. Just don’t scream ‘rats’ next time you see her.”
I punched his arm.
“Ow,” he said with a laugh. “Wow, mothers really do gain super-human strength.”
I laughed too.
He cradled my face in his hands. “No more tears. Not over this, anyway. If they want us in their wedding party, they’ll ask.
If they don’t, that’s fine too. But you will not shed another tear on someone else’s opinion of you.
Especially someone who doesn’t even really know you yet.
Once she gets to know you, she’ll love you.
I promise. How could she not? You’re amazing, baby. ”
God, he was so sweet. “I just…I like when people like me.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up. “I think that’s normal. But you’re a Hunter now. And a lot of people hate us.” He leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “Because we’re elitist monsters.”
I laughed. “You’re not. I didn’t mean that. You’re really not.” I wound my arms behind his neck and stared into his dark brown eyes. “But…there is this new restaurant and the reviews look really good…”
“So you’re saying you want to get out of this rat-infested borough and use my last name to score us a table at the last minute?”
I smiled. “Exactly.”
He turned to go back to the car, but I grabbed his hand.
“We can walk,” I said.
He raised his eyebrow. “So we’re not leaving this borough?”
“Don’t you trust me?”
He shrugged. “Whatever, I’m starving.”
We started walking down the block.
“Here it is,” I said after a few minutes.
He looked up at the glowing neon sign. “Baby, I don’t think you need a reservation here.” He smiled down at me. “There aren’t even any tables inside.”
“I know.”
“What were the rave reviews even about?”
I tried to hide my smile, but I couldn’t. “Apparently they have really great pickles.”
He laughed. “Let’s go get you some pickles then.” He pulled me inside the restaurant that was indeed new, but not at all high-end.
***
“Just a fair warning…you’re going to have to pee all night.” He climbed back into bed with the bowl of watermelon he’d just fetched me from downstairs.
“It’s worth it.” I pulled the bowl to my chest like the little watermelon gremlin that I was.
“Just like eating ten huge pickles on the sidewalk of Manhattan was worth it?”
“Mhm. But it was only five.” I took a bite of watermelon.
Holy summery goodness. I was glad we could still find watermelon now that it was fall.
I’d been very worried about that. And I half suspected that James had paid our local market to keep them in stock.
“Thank you,” I quickly added. He had gone all the way downstairs to get it because I said I was too cold to leave our bed.
“You know I do whatever you ask when you distract me with those.” His gaze wandered down to my exposed breasts.
We’d been in bed together ever since coming back from the restaurant. And I’d decided I no longer liked wearing clothing. Pregnancy changed people, right? I was now a nudist. A watermelon eating nudist. I took another bite and a little juice fell on one of my breasts.
James leaned down and licked it off, his eyes locking on mine.
I bit my lip. I wasn’t sure which thing I wanted more right now. Another bite of watermelon or more of James’ tongue. Just kidding. I wanted him. I was about to put the bowl down on the nightstand when James shifted lower.
Yes, please. Would it be acceptable to eat watermelon while James went down on me? I thought about it for a second. Nope, it was too weird.
But then he stopped far too soon and kissed my stomach. “Hey, baby girl.” He put his hand on my stomach, splaying his fingers. “How are you doing in there?”
I smiled down at him.
“Good, good,” he said. “You know…I feel like we should probably tell you…you’re going to have a niece or nephew soon too.”
I laughed. “James, Daphne isn’t pregnant.”
He smiled up at me. “I don’t know…it sounds like our daughter agrees with me.”
“We’re having a boy.”
“I think we need to bet on both of those things. What do I get if we have a girl? And what do I get if Daphne is knocked up?”
I laughed. “Good move separating them. Because it would have been a lot harder to win if you lumped them together.”
“I’m the good negotiator in our family, remember?” He lifted his left eyebrow.
I made a few concessions to be nice to Justin and now I was a terrible negotiator? No way. I put my bowl of watermelon down. I needed to focus. “Okay, if I’m right about our son…” my voice trailed off. “You have to get another tattoo. Because your heart will beat for him too.”
He smiled and kissed my stomach. “Your mother is terrible at this. I was already going to do that.”
Damn it. “And if Daphne isn’t pregnant…you have to use your charm to make her like me. Because I still really want her to like me even though you said it’ll all work out.”
He shook his head. “That was some truly awful negotiating, Penny. I was already going to do that too. Why’d you think I said it was all going to work out?”
I picked up a pillow and threw it at him.
He caught it before it hit him and laughed.
“Let me change my rewards then,” I said.
“No way. You’re locked in.”
I stuck my tongue out at him.
“You better put that away unless you want it on my cock.”
I kept it out.
He reached out and tapped on the tip of my tongue with his hand.
I laughed. “What do you want if you win?”
“I haven’t decided yet. When I win, I’ll just ask for whatever I want.”
“What? You made me say mine. You have to tell me yours.”
“Yeah…not happening, baby.”
God, he was so tricky! “Well I want that too. I want to ask for whatever I want when I win. It’s only fair.”
He grabbed my ankle and pulled me down, dragging me across our sheets until he was looking down at me. “Fine…I’ll allow it. If I get something right now in return.”
“What do you want?”
He looked down at my stomach. “I was thinking it might be fun…over the next few months…” He looked a little embarrassed.
“What are you thinking?”
“I thought we could read Harry Potter to her. While she’s still cooking in there. So she comes out loving it too.”
I had no idea why, but my eyes started watering again. “I freaking love that idea.”
“Yeah?”
“Let me go grab it.” I was about to climb out of bed when he put his hand back on my stomach.
“I’ve got it.” He reached over and pulled his old copy out of his nightstand.
I smiled. How long had he been waiting to ask me this? Because I definitely remembered that copy being in the library downstairs.
He pulled out a sheet of paper that was marking a page and crumpled it in his fist before tossing it to the side.
“We won’t be needing that, will we?” he said and kissed my stomach.
Tears pooled in my eyes. I knew what was on that paper. It was an emancipation letter to his parents. He’d felt trapped. Lost. I put my hand on top of his on my stomach. No, our son or daughter would never feel that way. I already loved our baby with all my heart. And I knew James did too.
He smiled at me and then cleared his throat and started reading.
It was probably the most adorable thing I’d ever seen him do. Lying in bed on his stomach, his feet in the air, reading.
And I suddenly got the strangest image in my head of our son doing exactly that one day. Because we were having a boy. And he was going to come out loving Harry Potter. And looking just like James.
I picked my watermelon bowl back up and started eating as I listened to the familiar words.
I didn’t know it was possible, but I fell even more in love with James.
Especially when he started doing different voices for the characters.
And extra especially when he’d stop every now and then and kiss my baby bump.
Tonight it was easy not to be afraid of change. Because things were already changing and I was happier than ever. Plus, now I knew exactly what I wanted to be for Halloween this year. I couldn’t wait for the Caldwell Halloween party.