Chapter 5
I was about to break. I tried to remain strong, I honestly did.
I had to be sure that Heath was here to stay.
That I could believe him when he said he would never leave me again, and that he loved me and wanted a life with our daughter and me.
I was terrified of being hurt. The pain of those two months, not knowing where he was and thinking he’d abandoned me, had torn at my fragile heart.
I thought I had it sufficiently protected, but Heath had gotten past the wall I built around it.
The only other person who was on the inside was Johann.
Not only was Heath doing everything he could to win back my heart, but his friends, the Dark Patriots, and their families were helping him, too. The ladies had invited me to join them in their various endeavors—shopping, spa day, ladies-only meals, you name it.
Johann had been here for some of it, but he was away on another mission, which stressed me out, even if I worked not to show it. He left four days ago. He had no idea how long he’d be gone. It was the second one he’d been on in the past three weeks.
As independent as I was, and though I told Heath and anyone who would listen that I was more than capable of taking care of myself and the baby, the truth was, I appreciated the backup. I needed distractions.
Heath had taken Noah’s suggestion of flowers and candy and had run wild with it.
I had so many flowers, it was insane. Heath showed he knew me by buying me mostly plants that would live for years if cared for.
Fresh flowers were lovely, but they died way too soon. Plants were taking over Johann’s house.
As for candy, he had the best European chocolates sent to me.
I’d never tasted anything like them. They put the stuff I could buy in the store to shame.
In addition, he either cooked for me or took me out to eat.
I tried so many times to cook, but he refused if I had worked that day.
We spent time between Johann’s and Heath’s place.
Heath doted on me. When we weren’t working, he took me shopping for the baby.
So many things he pointed out and put on the list. He hadn’t been pushy about it, but he’d talked about the nursery and how it would need to be finished by the last month of pregnancy.
To do it, I had to decide where we would live.
In the evenings, when we talked, he’d rub my feet.
One night, I had a sore back from being on my feet so much.
He insisted I lie on my bed and let him massage me.
As if all that wasn’t enough, he had my body in hyper-excited mode.
I was always horny. I went through panties like crazy.
When he returned to his home for the night, I’d dream about him and have to relieve my sexual tension alone.
Based on the number of times I’d seen him with an erection, I had no doubt he was relieving himself, too.
God, I wanted to see him pleasuring himself.
The need for him to make love to me and then fuck me wildly was intense.
I’d always had what I considered a healthy libido, even if I didn’t run around sleeping with men right and left. However, being pregnant had amplified it threefold. Every time I laid eyes on Heath, I had to fight not to jump the poor man.
And it was because of my weak control that I was sweating tonight.
It was Friday, and I’d agreed to go to his home for the evening.
I couldn’t call and say no because he’d driven me to work.
Yeah, that was a new development. With him staying in town to work, or at least not going anywhere overnight, he insisted on driving me to work and picking me up.
I objected, but he was very insistent. I finally got him to agree that he’d do it no more than three times a week. He hadn’t liked it, but he gave in.
My week at the clinic has been super busy.
A strain of colds had sprung up. It was May.
We should be past those, but no, we weren’t.
The number of people who came into the clinic for that was huge.
When we told them we couldn’t give them an antibiotic for it because those only work on bacteria, not viruses, which were causing their colds, the patients weren’t happy.
They became extra crabby and took it out on the staff.
Walking out the door of the clinic at the end of the day, I almost ran. If one more person bitched or said something critical or snide to me, I’d be hard-pressed not to punch them. Looking around, I spotted Heath in his usual parking space. Smiling in relief, I headed toward him.
“Hmm, there he is again. What is a man like him doing with her?” I heard someone say from behind me.
It was Holly. God, she and Julie had been extra catty since that day Heath brought me lunch. He’d done it a few more times, and they hated that. No matter what they said, I chose not to tell them anything about him.
They reminded me of the mean girls in high school who thought they were too special for the rest of their peers.
I knew some of them grew up to be mean adults, though I secretly loved it when they got rude awakenings.
Apparently, Julie and Holly hadn’t had that happen to them yet.
However, with my patience at an end, hearing that comment, I turned to face them and let it fly.
“Since my personal life is such a topic of concern for you, why don’t you go ask him? But after you do, I’d better not hear shit out of you two,” I snapped.
Both had frozen. I moved closer to them.
“And what if we don’t remain quiet?” Julie sneered.
“Then I’ll make sure that your asses are fired. What do you think is harder to get: a PA, an MA, or an LPN? Hmm?” I asked.
“Baby, is everything okay?” Heath’s deep voice asked from the right of us.
“Everything will be good once I get these two cats to stop yapping their big mouths behind my back and just within earshot. By the way, they want to ask you a few questions.”
Both women’s faces flushed pink. Heath’s muscular arm curled around my waist as he brought me close. I let the feel and scent of him seep into my body. My tension eased.
“W-w-we don’t want to ask you anything. She’s a wacko,” Holly said lamely.
“Oh, don’t get shy now. They have been asking me all kinds of questions about you and our relationship.
Or I should say they talk about me where I can hear them.
Just now, Holly wondered what a man like you was doing with me.
I told them to ask you. Then, if they keep running their mouths, I’d have them fired.
It’s creating a hostile work environment. I don’t need the stress,” I snapped.
“I’ll say this once, and then that’s it.
If I hear you giving Danae any grief, spreading rumors, or causing her trouble, you’ll have more to worry about than just losing your jobs.
I’m with her because she is the most fascinating, loving, smart, and stunningly gorgeous woman in the world.
She accepts me and all my facets. Her heart is bigger than most people's. She doesn’t try to hurt others for her own entertainment.
I love her. And as soon as I can convince her she can trust me with her heart, I plan to ask her to marry me. ”
His words were said with absolute sincerity.
It poured off him in waves. As my two nemesis gasped and stood there speechless with their mouths hanging open, I reached up and hooked my hand behind Heath’s neck.
I tugged on it. He lowered his head as I stood on my toes.
When his mouth was within reach, I seized his lips with mine.
It was our first real kiss since he’d returned.
His arms wrapped me close, then he lifted me.
I clung to his shoulders and let our mouths mate.
I held nothing back. I reacquainted myself with the feel and taste of him.
Our tongues twined together. I had no idea how long we had been kissing before the sound of clapping registered.
Heath slowly, and regretfully, broke contact.
He set me on my feet, but kept his arm around me as he turned toward Holly and Julie.
However, they weren’t the only people standing there. Five others I worked with had come outside. They were smiling and clapping. The only ones scowling were the original troublemakers.
“Any more questions?” Heath asked the first two, hiking his left eyebrow.
They murmured something that might’ve been no, then scurried off to their cars.
As soon as they left, the others came forward.
I spent the next several minutes introducing them to Heath and vice versa.
When asked, I was the one to say he was my boyfriend.
Eventually, we told them we had to be somewhere, and they wished us a happy weekend, and we told them the same.
Once I was buckled into the car, Heath glanced over at me.
“Did you mean that? Am I your boyfriend? Have you forgiven me?”
“Get me to your place, and I’ll answer that,” I told him.
“Fuck,” he muttered as he got the vehicle moving. He saw the smoldering expression on my face. I squirmed and resisted stripping off my clothes. I never prayed for a drive to end as fast as I did that one.
Because of Friday afternoon traffic, it took us forty-two minutes to reach his home.
I was almost in tears. Sensing I was on edge, Heath swept me along and into his house once we were there.
The door barely closed behind us before I swung around to face him.
I pushed on his chest. He stepped back until his back met the door.
If he hadn’t wanted to move, he wouldn’t have.
My hand came up to cup the bulge pressing against his zipper. Heath groaned.
“Christ, Danae, don’t. I’m primed. I’ll go off,” he warned gutturally.
“Good. I want to see you come. I can’t stand it any longer. I need you,” I pleaded.
His gaze sharpened, but he captured both my hands and lifted my hand off his cock. He shook his head.