Bad Boy's Kiss (Firemen in Love Book 2) (24 page)

“Jeez, I didn't know you'd get so defensive. I wasn't absolutely
sure
you were pregnant, although I swore I heard Trey talking about it with Max one day.” She fiddled with her glass. “I didn't catch much of the conversation, but I did hear that nasty p-word. Now, I know
I'm
not pregnant, so I thought it was either you... Or maybe Trey accidentally knocked up one of his little girlfriends from work, and he was confessing to Max.”

“Oh, God. You seriously thought Trey cheated on you?” Yeah, right. A likely story. “So why didn't you just ask him what they were talking about? He would have told you the truth.”

“I
did
ask him. He said he wasn't at liberty to talk about it. Well, I don't know about you, but I don't like it when my man hides things from me.”

Rachael had been acting so batty lately, I had no idea if her story was true or some elaborate ruse.

“Okay, so explain why you felt the need to blab my problems to mom and dad. If you thought I was pregnant, you could have simply asked.”

“Well, I noticed your tummy getting a little bigger, but you know how it is. What if I asked and you
weren't
pregnant? Then I'd feel like an idiot for basically calling you fat.” She laughed for some reason. “I eventually couldn't take the stress of not knowing anymore. I mean, at the restaurant, I swear I saw Trey checking out a waitress. And I was pretty drunk, so I guess I just blurted it out.”

This was total bullshit. The sane, sensible thing to do would have been to ask me. We're sisters; I wouldn't have been mad, and she knew it. But what was she plotting, then? I couldn't wrap my brain around it.

“Whatever. Thanks to you, now dad's forcing me to get married.”

She faked surprise. “What's the problem? I thought you and Max loved each other.”

“We're just... not ready for this right now. And I don't want to marry because I
have
to.”

“Technically, no one's really forcing you to do anything.” She shrugged. “He's not holding a gun to your head, is he?”

“Don't be dumb. You know if I refuse, if I 'shame' him and the family for giving birth to a bastard child, he'll never forgive me. Okay, maybe he
might
eventually get over it, but not for a very long time. I'd prefer to keep the peace.”

Although the longer I thought about it, the more I was unsure. Was it worth marrying just to “keep the peace?” What about the farm? If I dared anger him enough, he would surely take it away.

This decision wasn't mine alone, of course. Max had to go along with it, and I doubted he would. Why would he? He had no reason to. He told me marriage was awful. I couldn't make him go through that.

Not only that, I wanted to marry for love – and he certainly didn't love me. He might have changed, but not
that
much. Deep down, I knew he was just as commitment-phobic as ever.

The alarm on my phone beeped. It was a reminder that I had my gyno appointment soon. I was almost too scared to go and find out what might be wrong with me.

“I've got to go. You keep on looking at dresses and table place settings.”

“I don't know if I want to. The longer I look, the more jealous I get.” Her shoulders fell. “Maybe one day,
someone
will propose to me.”

I didn't bother to tell her that Max never actually proposed. Instead, I left her there and returned home so I could get ready. Wasn't sure if the doctor was checking me out “down there,” but I liked to groom just to be on the safe side.

Back at home, I found Max doing laps in his wheelchair around the pond. He was panting and sweating, and I had to admit, it was pretty sexy.

Unfortunately, I had so much else on my mind that sex was the last thing I had time to think about.

“I'm back,” I called to him.

He rolled to a stop, wiped his brow, then came to me. “Just working off some frustration. I know your parents went back to San Diego, but it feels like you can never escape 'em. Your mom called twice while you were out asking about cake flavors.”

He knew I was about to launch a tirade against her rude, intrusive behavior. He patted his lap and stretched his arms out for me, and I gratefully sat down with him.

“Ah, you are getting heavy.” He winced. “That's a good thing, mind. The more weight you gain, the better.”

“You're an awful liar.”

“Darlin', I don't kid. Dunno what it is about you, but watching your body change and grow like this...” He shivered. “It just fascinates me, I guess.”

I snuggled up with him by the edge of the pond for a while. What was this strange relationship we had? I didn't know anymore.

Neither of us talked about it, really. Never talked about dating, or what we were to each other these days. Never discussed who we were sleeping with besides the other, if anyone. For all I knew, he could be out screwing chicks behind my back – if he could even get off the property in that chair – and I wouldn't have any right to get mad at him for it.

“Okay, I gotta get going.” I struggled to get out of his lap. “Doctor's appointment.”

His eyes widened. “With the gyno? I want to go with you.”

I laughed, at first. Then I figured out he was serious.

“Why in the world...?”

“Last time you came back from there, you looked awfully worried. I just don't think it's right that you go through that alone.”

This normally wasn't the kind of thing I'd invite company to. But Max looked genuinely eager to come along, and besides, I felt guilty about leaving him behind at home so often lately.

“Fine. We can talk about this wedding disaster while they make me wait to see the doctor.” Then, without thinking, I added, “I've got to go shave my pubes.”

He exploded with laughter and almost fell out his chair. “Oh,
really?
”

“Well, y'know. I don't want to be a gnarled mess down there. Doctor Ferris would be horrified.”

“You care what the gyno thinks about your pubic hair.”

“It's embarrassing!”

I left him there to laugh at me while I took care of business. As I got dressed, I mulled over how easy our conversations were and how comfortable I felt talking to him.

I'd walk around the house in my rattiest pajamas and he didn't bat an eye. Well, that actually wasn't quite true. He still enjoyed grabbing my ass even when I passed by in torn sweatpants.

That wasn't all. It was the simple things, little stuff that probably meant nothing to most people, but to me, it meant a lot.

Like the way he busted his butt to help me around the house instead of lounge about even when I wouldn't have faulted him for it. Or how he got up early to make me coffee just the way I liked it.

He even took care of my laundry with no complaint. And it sure was nice to have a strong man around the house to fix broken stuff when I hadn't a prayer of doing so myself. Even in a wheelchair, he was handier than I'd ever be.

Soon, we were in the truck and on our way. He put on my favorite radio station, but I was too nervous to listen.

It wasn't just about the doctor. That wedding loomed large in both our minds.

“What are we going to do?” I asked him.

“What do you mean?”

“My parents have gone, but they're trying to force me to marry. You've barely said two words about it.” I was so stressed out I almost ran the stop sign. “Your legs will be all better soon. Then you'll be free to leave. There's nothing keeping you here.”

“Who told you that? There's family. Old friends to reconnect with. New job.” He took my hand. “And you.”

“You'd stay just because the sex is good?”

“The sex isn't just good, dang it. It's the best I ever had.” He cleared his throat and adjusted himself. “But that's besides the point. I wouldn't only hang around for sex. If I left, I'd miss you something terrible.”

“And I... I'd miss you too. But there's this huge lie we've built together, you know? You stood up and said this baby is yours when it's not. And now you're paying the price for it.”

“Honestly, I've been waiting to see what happens. My guess is now that your parents are back in California and busy on the campaign trail, they'll be too overbooked to deal with you.”

“What, you think they'll just forget I got knocked up? Not happening. My mom's already picking out her dress and trying out cake flavors without me. And then there's Rachael.” I frowned. “I know they were going to find out soon enough, but she went and told them herself.”

“Didn't you go over her place? Ain't you asked her what she was thinking?”

“I did, and it doesn't make a lot of sense. I hate to talk smack about family, but it feels like she's hiding something.”

His gaze suddenly shifted out the window, but he didn't respond right away. I knew what that look of his meant by now. He didn't want to talk about something – and maybe
he
was hiding something, too.

Lord, I hoped not.

“What do you know, Max? Tell me.”

“I don't know nothing. Your sister's grade-A crazy, that's all I can say. Seems like she slips a little further every day – and all that booze she's chugging doesn't help much.”

“Have you talked to Trey about it?”

“He claims to be clueless. Says she never acted like this before. Poor guy.” He sighed. “Told me she's been working late every night this past week, so he's barely seen her. It's either that, or she's hanging out with her friends and he can't get a hold of her.”

“I doubt she's cheating. She and Trey have been dating for years. I know them. They're the closest couple you could imagine.”

“Well, yeah, but people drift apart. Years is a long while.”

“Drifting apart isn't a good excuse to treat your partner like crap. How do you suppose a marriage survives over time?”

“I haven't a clue. That's why I tend to avoid relationships, because I don't know squat about being in one.”

So then what were we doing with each other right now? If he thought it was nothing, just friends with benefits, I would probably be crushed. Time to admit it – my feelings for him were born the day he kissed me and they just grew stronger every moment we spent together.

If that had to come to an end...

We arrived at the clinic and sat down to wait. Max was wide eyed at all the pregnant women, most of whom were several sizes larger than me.

“Is that what you're supposed to look like?” he whispered, then gaped at my tummy.

“You're not making me feel better.”

He took my hand. “Sorry. Relax, okay? I'm the one who should be freaking out. I feel like I'm surrounded by aliens.”

I rolled my eyes, but his idiotic comments made me warm inside. Only he could get away with saying something so dumb and sounding too cute to reprimand for it.

“Miss Anna Southwell? Right this way.”

The nurse called me, and off we went. She glanced at Max curiously as she took my blood pressure and weight, as she'd done before.

“Let's see. You're at... one thirty three. That's up three pounds in a week. Not too bad.”

Max beamed. “See? I told you that cake was a good idea.”

The doctor came in next to check me out. When he saw Max, he hesitated, then stuck out his hand.

“Hello there. I'm Doctor Ferris. I'll be taking care of Anna through her pregnancy. Are you, uh, the father, if you don't mind my asking?”

“That's right,” he said without missing a beat. “I don't know a thing about babies, and the whole giving birth thing kind of freaks me out, but I'll do my best.”

I buried my face in my hands. Even though he made me feel like a dope, I didn't regret bringing him. His company made me feel safe.

“I'm glad to see you've gained a little.” Dr. Ferris looked over my chart. “That's promising. We'll need to keep an eye on that for the next five months, though. Now, I'd like you to go visit Nurse Irene for that ultrasound.”

I rubbed my tummy. “You still need that?”

“Well, yes. It would reassure me that the baby is developing normally. You'd like that peace of mind, wouldn't you?”

I glanced at Max. He didn't seem fazed one bit.

“I suppose so.”

“Besides, you'll get to find out the baby's gender.” He winked. “I'm sure this is a very exciting time for you both.”

With that, he left us to go deal with some other patient. That was my cue to move.

“Y'know, I
am
excited,” Max noted. “And it's not even my kid. I think if it was mine, I'd be going nuts right now.”

“Thought you didn't want your own children.”

“I'm pretty sure I don't, but who knows? Time changes people, as you said.”

We went down the hall to the ultrasound room. The nurse saw us standing out there and waved me in.

“You sure you want to come in for this?”

“Hell yeah, I do. This is a huge moment for you. I just... want to be part of it somehow.”