Chapter 15 Koda
FIFTEEN
KODA
My muscles burn with that good kind of ache as I pull up to the cabin. The afternoon training session still hums through my system. Five rounds of mitt work, seven clients, and a private session with Adrian have left my body pleasantly exhausted.
I cut the engine and notice Charlotte’s car parked in its usual spot beside the woodpile. Something in my chest loosens at the sight.
No matter how many times I come home to find her here, it still hits me like the first time. This is real. She’s really here. With me.
I grab my gym bag from the passenger seat, then reach back for the small gift bag I picked up after training.
The fancy boutique wrapping feels almost too delicate in my calloused hands.
I’d passed the shop on my way out of town and couldn’t resist stopping when something in the window caught my eye.
I head up the porch steps. The mountain air fills my lungs, cooler now as afternoon edges toward evening.
The door swings open easily. I drop my gym bag by the entrance with a dull thud, setting the gift bag carefully beside it. The cabin smells like home with hints of Charlotte’s vanilla perfume.
“Charlotte?” I call out and kick off my boots.
“In here.”
Her voice comes from the living room, something different in its tone. I round the corner and see her perched on the edge of the couch, dressed in one of my flannel shirts.
The red and black pattern swallows her small frame, the sleeves rolled up multiple times to free her hands. Her hair falls in loose waves around her shoulders, catching the late-afternoon light streaming through the windows.
I cross to her and bend down to kiss her forehead. “Hey, beautiful.”
Charlotte tilts her face up for another kiss, but I catch something in her expression. Excitement mixed with nerves. I kiss her hard anyway.
“How was your day?” She asks once we pull apart. “New kid improving?”
“Kid’s got potential.” I settle down onto the couch beside her. “Might actually survive a real match one day. How was lunch with your dad?”
Charlotte’s smile falters slightly.
“Fine. It was good to see him.”
Something in her tone makes me tense. “Did he suspect something?”
Charlotte shakes her head quickly.
“No, but I felt so guilty the entire time.”
“What did he want to talk about?”
A small smile plays at her lips.
“He actually told me that he’s dating someone. He was so nervous about it, too, like he thought I might be upset.”
I watch her face carefully. “And are you? Upset?”
“No.” Her expression softens. “I’m happy for him. He lit up when he talked about her. I haven’t seen him like that since before Mom died.”
I feel a weight lift from my shoulders. “I thought that might be what he wanted to tell you.”
“You knew?”
“He mentioned something about seeing someone when we had drinks at the Summit.”
“And you didn’t think to mention this to me?” There’s no anger in her voice, just surprise.
“Wasn’t my news to share.” I reach for her hand and rub my thumb across her knuckles. “He wanted to tell you himself.”
Charlotte considers this for a moment. “I guess that’s fair. I’m glad he has someone. He deserves to be happy.”
“So do you.” I give her hand a gentle squeeze.
Her face softens, but there’s still something different about her expression. Something I can’t quite place. She seems almost giddy. Like she’s barely containing herself.
“What’s going on with you?” I study her face and try to read what’s beneath the surface. “You’re acting weird.”
Charlotte’s smile grows more pronounced. “Weird?”
“Not bad weird. But something’s up.” I gesture toward her fidgeting hands. “What is it?”
Charlotte takes a deep breath, holds it for a moment, then releases it slowly. “I have something for you.”
She reaches behind one of the couch cushions and pulls out a small gift bag with tissue paper sprouting from the top.
“What’s this for?” I ask as she hands it to me.
“Just open it.”
Suddenly, I feel strangely nervous.
I pull back the tissue paper and dig around until my fingers brush against something plastic. I take it out and turn it over in my palm to examine it.
A pregnancy test.
My brain stalls, unable to process what I’m seeing. The two pink lines are clearly visible in the little window.
My entire body freezes. Blood rushes in my ears and drowns out everything except the thundering of my heart.
Two lines.
That means positive, right?
I look up and meet Charlotte’s gaze.
“Baby, are you pregnant?” I whisper.
She beams. “Yep. I just found out today.”
A dam I didn’t know existed until this moment breaks open inside my chest. Emotions flood through me, overwhelming and raw. The room blurs completely as tears fill my eyes.
Charlotte’s voice wavers with uncertainty. “Koda?”
I try to speak, but a sob escapes instead.
I haven’t cried in years. Not since the night I locked the nursery door with all my broken dreams inside. But these tears are different. They burn hot tracks down my face and release something I’ve carried for so long I’d forgotten its weight.
“Koda, please say something.” Charlotte slides from the coffee table to kneel in front of me. “Are you mad?”
I shake my head violently.
“Mad? Fuck, no. Baby, I’m—” Another sob cuts me off, and I drag my sleeve across my eyes to clear my vision. “I’m happy. So fucking happy.”
I set the test down on the coffee table and pull Charlotte onto my lap. Then I bury my face in her neck as the reality sinks deeper into my bones.
A baby.
Our baby.
My heart feels too large for my chest, expanding with every breath. I’ve never wanted anything the way I want this. To hold our child, to watch Charlotte’s body change as she grows our baby, to build a family together.
“I love you so much, Charlotte.” I breathe the words against her skin.
Charlotte’s fingers thread through my hair. “I love you too, Koda. But I’m worried about my Dad. He’s going to—”
“No.” I pull back to look at her. “Not tonight. Tonight is just about us, about this miracle. Jason will understand eventually.”
“But—”
“He’ll come around.” I press my forehead to hers. “And if he doesn’t, we’ll figure it out. All that matters is that we’re together. The three of us.”
Charlotte’s smile is bright enough to light the whole cabin.
“The three of us. I like the sound of that.”
We sit like that for a long moment, wrapped in each other, the knowledge of our growing family settling around us. Eventually, Charlotte shifts on my lap**, her eyes sparkling with mischief.**
“So what did you get me?” She asks, tilting her head. “I saw you brought a gift bag in with you.”
“You noticed that, huh?” I chuckle and reach for the bag where I’d left it by the entrance, retrieving it quickly before settling back beside her. “Definitely not as life-changing as your gift, but I thought you might enjoy it.”
Charlotte takes the bag, her eyebrows lifting in surprise at its weight. She pulls out the wrapped package and tears through the tissue paper. When she reveals what’s inside, her eyes widen, a flush spreading across her cheeks.
“Oh.” Her voice drops to a whisper as she holds up the sleek black vibrating anal plug. “That’s not what I was expecting.”
I watch her face carefully and try to gauge her reaction.
“If you don’t like it, we don’t have to use it. I just thought, since you seem to enjoy my fingers...”
Charlotte turns the toy over in her hands and examines it with growing interest.
“I figured we could use it to work up to the next level,” I explain. “If you’re comfortable with it.”
Charlotte’s flush deepens as her fingers trace the smooth silicone. She looks up at me and gives me a shy smile.
“I think I’d like that.”
A sudden thought strikes me, and I frown.
“Wait, do you think it’s safe?” I ask. “With the pregnancy, I mean. I don’t want to hurt you or the baby.”
Charlotte giggles.
“The baby is the size of a poppy seed right now, Koda. Unless this thing is going to reach my uterus, which would be anatomically impressive, we’re fine.”
A cheesy grin spreads across my face. “Size of a poppy seed, huh?”
She smirks and sets the toy on the coffee table. “Yep. The app says next week it’ll be the size of a sesame seed.”
I pull her closer and nuzzle into her neck. “Our little seed.”
Charlotte’s arms wrap around my shoulders, and her body melts against mine. “Thank you for being happy about this. I was so scared.”
“I’ve never been happier in my life.” The truth of the statement resonates through my entire body. “This baby is everything I never let myself hope for.”
Her lips find mine, soft and sweet and perfect. When she pulls back, her eyes are dark with a different kind of emotion. She picks up the toy again and weighs it in her palm.
“So, about this gift of yours...” Her voice takes on a husky quality that sends a rush of heat through my veins. “Want to show me how it works?”
“Absolutely,” I growl.
In one fluid motion, I stand from the couch with Charlotte in my arms. Then I cradle her small body against my chest as I carry her toward our bedroom.
The knowledge that she’s carrying my child burns through my veins like wildfire, intensifying every sensation.
I kick the bedroom door wider with my foot and lay Charlotte down on the bed with a gentleness that contradicts the hunger coursing through me. The toy is still clutched in her hand, the sleek black silicone a stark contrast against her pale skin.
I hover over her and search her face for any sign of hesitation. “You sure about this?”
Charlotte’s blue eyes are wide and trusting. “I’m sure. I want to try everything with you.”
A growl rumbles up from deep in my chest. I capture her mouth with mine and kiss her deeply. She responds instantly and arches up against me, her free hand tangling in my hair.