Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
“ Y our sisters may never speak to you again.”
Larissa stared out the dark window as Moon drove her back to Jamestown. “Pfft.” She released a puff of air sardonically. “Yes, they will. My sisters tend to forget the situations they put me in, so every now and then, I have to remind them.”
“How were they responsible for you turning the stove over on yourself?”
“Mom had given Lana and me each a cookie. Lana had taken mine and told me she had hidden it in the stove.”
“Was the cookie there?”
“No. I’m sure she ate it.”
“Without a doubt.” His amused voice had her rolling the window down. Damn. Maybe accepting Moon’s offer of a ride to Jamestown wasn’t the smartest move she had ever made.
“How about falling down the steps?”
“Either I was pushed or tripped.”
“What about the toaster?”
“Payback for me burning Lana’s hair.”
“And I thought boys were the troublemakers.”
“Nope. We’re lucky we’re having a boy. Girls are sneakier.”
Larissa felt Moon’s surprised glance at her.
“I would have thought you’d prefer having a girl.”
“I just want a healthy baby, I’m more shocked than anything else. There haven’t been many boys in our family. We haven’t had one born in two generations.”
“That long?”
“Yes. My mom isn’t going to be thrilled. She was so sure I was going to have a girl that she’s been buying everything pink.”
“Your sisters have, too,” he told her.
Larissa turned to look at him. “How do you know?”
“That’s how I found out you’re pregnant. I was helping emptying the office above yours when I came out of the elevator and saw them holding a sleeper. It was pink.”
“Really?”
“Yes, that’s how I figured out you were pregnant.”
Larissa started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
She had to wipe her tears away from her eyes. “You don’t get it?” she asked, gurgling on her laughter.
“No … Should I …? Damn.”
She could tell by the tone in his voice that he must have figured out Priss’ deception.
“Your sister texted me the wrong gender.”
“I think so.”
“We’re having a girl?”
“Surprise!”
“That’s not cool.”
“Well, to be fair, you telling me in the first place wasn’t fair.”
“No, it wasn’t,” he admitted. “It also means I’ve done it twice.”
“Don’t worry about it. With my family’s track record, it was a foregone conclusion I was going to have a girl. Are you disappointed about not having a boy?”
“Not really. I’m like you—the most important part is I want them healthy. Though, I will be on the outlook for any sneaky behavior her aunts might teach her.”
The rest of the way back to Jamestown, they talked about the movie they had seen.
When they arrived back at where she was staying, Larissa was sorry to see the evening end. He had been considerate and attentive the whole evening. Having a man like Moon wanting to spend time with her was as heady as wine.
“Thank you for bringing me back.”
“No problem. The least I could do for letting me tag along. When do you want to go shopping?”
“Does Saturday work for you?”
“Yes, it does. I’ll know by then if my offer was accepted.”
“Are you going to miss living in the clubhouse?”
“No, not all the brothers live in the club.”
“Will you still be going back and forth between Treepoint and Ohio?”
“No. I only seesawed between the two because I didn’t have anything holding me in place.”
“Now you do?”
“Of course. I don’t plan on being an absent father.”
Larissa let out a small gasp.
“What’s wrong?”
His concerned voice brought an inexplicable reassuring warmth to the dubious part of her mind, which was still doubting the change in his behavior.
“The baby kicked. I guess she liked your answer.”
“May I?” Moon extended his hand toward her abdomen. Taking him by the wrist, she placed it over where the baby had kicked.
The silence stretched out as they waited for the baby to kick again. A streetlight in front of the car exposed Moon’s face. When the baby kicked, his tough features broke into a tender expression that most men wouldn’t feel comfortable revealing.
“Are you sure Priss was trying to pull one over me? He kicks like a boy.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and find out.”
Her heart did the double-tap thump in her chest when Moon leaned forward to kiss her cheek.
“Thanks for letting me feel him kick.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ve been worried I’d miss out on some of the small stuff.” He straightened back in his seat.
“The baby is yours, too. I might not be the mother you envisioned having your child, but I don’t want to steal the joy of becoming a father, too.”
“Jet told you what I said?”
“About me not being the garden you wanted? Yes.”
“Asshole.”
“Why? You said it.”
“Not within your hearing.”
“At the time you said it, would it have mattered if I had?”
“No, it probably wouldn’t have,” he confessed.
“I can handle what you say about me, even if it is behind my back. I’d rather you talk honestly than be deceptive about your feelings.”
“I get that,” he agreed.
“I suppose you do.” Unconsciously, she gave a heartfelt sigh of regret.
Moon had straightened in his seat, but his palm still rested on her abdomen as they talked. She could feel his thumb gently stroking back and forth through the material of her dress.
“I should have said something the moment you spoke to me that night. I—”
“Let’s not discuss that night,” he cut her off. “How about we pretend I saw you downstairs and persuaded you to come upstairs to my room?”
Larissa shook her head. “I’m not good at pretending at something I would never do.”
“You don’t think I would have been able to convince you into having sex with me?”
“No, you wouldn’t have.”
“Wow. Even if you didn’t know then I was an ass?”
“No, not even if you had been smooth as butter.”
“Any particular reason why not? I’m not your type? My hair color—”
“None of those. I simply have never had a casual … hook-up.”
“Never?”
“Never,” she confirmed, thankful he wasn’t able to see the red flush she was sure was staining her cheeks.
“You weren’t a virgin.”
“No, I wasn’t. I had a boyfriend in college. We broke up after we graduated.”
“Because you wanted to live in different places?”
“Bryer ended our relationship when the woman he was cheating on me with threatened to tell me.”
“That had to hurt.”
“Broke my heart at the time,” she admitted.
“Are you over him?”
Larissa didn’t have to think long for the answer. “Yes, I have been for some time,” she replied instantly.
“Hmm … in that case, I might have been able to coax you upstairs. I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”
“Of that, I have no doubt.” Moving his hand away, she reached for the door handle. “I’ll see you Saturday. I’ll drive myself to Treepoint. Text me where to meet you.”
“Larissa …”
The strange tingling sensation ran down her spine at the sensual way he spoke her name.
“You can’t tell me you didn’t play pretend when you were a child.”
“I did. Ask Lana and Priss how much I sucked at it.”
“Sweetness … you weren’t playing the right games.” Moon swept the collar of her shirt to the side of her neck to pull her toward him.
Had he turned the heat on? She was becoming overwhelmed, and he was only lightly touching her.
“I should go inside …” she murmured.
“Why?” Moon shifted in his seat to bend over the console, bringing him closer to her. “Aren’t you curious what a kiss between us would be like now that I know who you are?”
That could be a double-edged sword. What if the encounter they had shared was only because he’d thought she was the other women? Did she really want to know if the desire that had culminated in them conceiving a child was only because she had deceived him?
She twisted her hands in her lap, waiting for his lips to descend on hers.
When she remained silent, Moon must have taken it for acquiesce and brought his lips down on hers.
Her fears dissolved instantly. The heat suffusing her body couldn’t be one-sided. Moon kissed her as if she were a priceless artifact that needed to be explored. His tongue traced the contours of her lips before delicately prying her lips apart.
A storm of emotions caused her to struggle with herself to end the kiss before she was too far gone, but another part pleaded with her not to. Dazedly, she didn’t know which inner voice to listen to.
Clutching the front of his shirt, she opened her mouth wider at his silent urging, giving him what he wanted.
Moon’s hand slid to the back of her neck, caressing the skin there, making her wish his hand were touching a more intimate spot.
Something about their chemistry was like throwing nitroglycerin on a forest fire. The ensuing blaze couldn’t be put out. Only the thought of the scorched earth that would be left behind if she continued to let it flourish made her break the kiss.
“I guess we answered that question.” Clearing her throat, she fumbled with the door handle before managing to open the door. “See you Saturday.” She got out and shut the door,
Moon met her at the front of the car. Before she could say anything, he lifted the purse she had forgotten in the car. Blushing, she took it from him.
“Thanks,” she mumbled.
“Anytime.” Bending down, he placed a chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth.
As she walked up the driveway, she refused to look back, telling herself she should have shut him down when he had made the move to kiss her. She should have known better than to let Moon talk her into kissing him. How many times had Lana and Priss joked about her having nine lives?
Stupid, stupid woman , she blasted herself.
Curiosity killed the cat.