Page 173 of Rules

I can hear her soft gasp at the first touch, her warm breath tickling my skin. Groaning, my hand slips to the nape of her neck, pulling her closer, my lips sliding over hers gently. The last thing I want is to scare her, but no matter what she thinks, Brook Taylor isn’t that easily scared.

Her palms press against my chest, fingers digging into my shirt and pulling me closer. Our bodies bump together, pressed flush against one another as she opens her lips. I comply, my tongue sliding into her hot, wet mouth. Brook moans loudly, coming even closer if possible. I can feel her bump press against my stomach, a zing of awareness going through my whole body at the impact.

Inhaling sharply, I break our kiss and pull back, looking down at our bodies still touching.

“W-What’s wrong?” Brook stutters, confused. Not that I can blame her.

“I-I…” I move my hands, letting them slide over her shoulders and down her sides, stopping on her waist. Moving away, I look at her. Her lips are red from our kiss, cheeks flushed. She worries her lower lip as I take in her body, my eyes stopping on her stomach.

Brook straightens her shirt self-consciously. “I’m afraid I’m not what I used to be.”

My head snaps up instantly, just in time to catch a flash of embarrassment on her face. Brushing a runaway strand of her hair behind her ear, I say, “You’re beautiful, Brook. Always were and always will be. That’s not why I stopped.”

“Why did you stop then?”

“Can I…” My eyes dart down, but I force them up, scratching at the nape of my neck. “Can I touch you?”

My hand, still glued to her waist, grips her a little tighter. Green eyes grow wide in understanding, her mouth falling open. This time, I’m the one feeling embarrassed. After all this talk that I’m here for her, I can’t help but wonder about the baby. Since the moment she showed me her bump, I wanted to touch it, to feel this life we created, and having her in my arms only intensified that feeling.

Taking my free hand in hers, she slowly brings it down. My heart is beating so hard I’m afraid it’ll burst out. I look at Brook, not once breaking our eye contact as she lowers my hand, putting it on her stomach and placing her hand on top.

I gulp hard, all the emotions assaulting me at once. Amazement, fear, worry, they’re all swirling inside of me. My eyes sting, vision growing hazy, but even then I don’t look away. Spreading my fingers, my whole hand completely cups the little bump.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Brook whispers, and I can only nod my head. “I still can’t believe that soon I’ll be able to feel him move, and then, in a few months, I’ll hold my baby.”

“D-do you…” My throat is so dry I have to clear it before continuing. “Do you know what we’re having?”

I could see it clearly. A little girl who looks just like her. A mass of wavy brown hair, impossibly green eyes, and that little smile that will have me wrapped around her finger.

Brook shakes her head. “It’s still too early. The doctor said maybe on the next check-up, although I think I want it to stay a secret. But I have a feeling it’s a boy.”

A shaky laugh bursts out of me. “Funny, I was just thinking we’re having a little girl.”

Brook smiles, and I can feel my heart skip a beat. Not that long ago, I’d have given anything for one of her real smiles, and now that I have it, I know I’ll do everything in my power to keep it.

No, she still hasn’t told me she loves me, although I know she does. And everything about us is so new, so fragile. But I’m not going to let it stop me. Brook is giving me a chance, and I’ll prove to her there is nothing to be afraid of.

She’s mine, and I’m hers. I just needed her to realize that.

Chapter Sixty-Four

BROOK

“Funny, I was just thinking we’re having a little girl.” Max laughs, and I can’t help the flutters spreading through my stomach.

We.It’s not the first time he used the word when referring to the baby, but every time he does, my defenses lower more and more, my smile growing wider. For somebody who thought she could do it all on her own, I’m falling pretty fast.

His eyes soften when he looks at me, the gray in his irises glowing bright. I’ve never seen him look at me like that before, and I couldn’t help myself but reach out to touch his face, the stubble covering his jaw gently scraping the tips of my fingers.

My finger brushes against his lower lip, and I can hear him suck in air, the smile dying on his lips as tingles spread through my hand. I start to pull away, but Max doesn’t let me. He gently sucks on the tip of my finger, and I moan softly, unable to hold it in.

I knew from reading some of the pregnancy books that some women are more sexually aroused during pregnancy, and for the first time, I get it. Having Max this close makes me all kinds of horny, and when he puts his hands on me, I can’t help myself. I want themallover me. Just the thought of it makes my core clench and heat pool between my legs.

Max nibbles at my finger, the soft gleam in his eyes growing hazy. My hand that is still covering his on my stomach tightens a little, my mouth growing dry. He lets my finger pop out of his mouth, his tongue darting out to wet his lips.

My stomach clenches in anticipation. As much as I liked his previous kiss, I want more. So much more, and by the looks of it, he’s ready to give it to me. Moving closer, he slips his hand around the nape of my neck. His lips brush against mine softly, teasingly. I moan in protest, ready to throw myself at him if he doesn’t give me more, just as the door bursts open.

“Are you guys done already?” Andrew yells from the back of the house. We can hear his loud footsteps nearing. Jumping apart, I stumble to get on my own feet, but Max’s hand grabs my upper arm, steadying me.

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