Page 48 of Pirate

“I’m sure Keys can pull the camera feeds for you.”

Carlos shook his head, still chuckling. “Look, man, I’m not trying to tell you your business, but I’m a cop. I go where the evidence points me. And you clearly have feelings for Sophia that for some reason you’re suppressing. I don’t know why. That’s for you to find out, but even you can’t deny that they’re there after today.”

Pirate was silent for a long time. He could begrudgingly admit thatmaybeCarlos had a point, but it didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t. Right? Then again,technicallySophia was his wife. Could hedatehis wife? Did he want to?

Pirate thought back to the fantasy he’d had earlier of Sophia in her yellow polka dotted bikini with his marks all over her. Then he took it a step further, allowing himself to add details he hadn’t permitted himself to imagine before.

This time Sophia was standing around the swimming hole. She turned to smile over her shoulder at him, that mischievousglint in her eye that he adored so much. On her left ring finger was a modest wedding band and engagement ring combination. As she shifted around to face him, he caught sight of the roundness of her belly. Not fully a baby bump, but certainly on its way to becoming one.

The fear he’d felt that afternoon while driving Harper to the hospital resurfaced.

Pirate had never envisioned himself as a father. Hell, he half assumed he’d be dying an old bachelor. Jumper and Jasmine were undecided about kids, though Pirate had a suspicion that they were just going to end up with a menagerie of animals rather than a house full of rugrats. But he knew that they would welcome a child if Jasmine did get pregnant, either by accident or on purpose. And Pirate would love being an uncle to his niece or nephew. He’d spoil them rotten and let them get away with anything their parents said ‘no’ to.

Fantasizing about having a baby was new for him. He wasn’t like some of his other club brothers who took to fatherhood like it was their sole purpose in life. But the idea ofSophiabeing pregnant? Of a little minx running around with her mother’s sass and stubbornness?

Fuck. He suddenly understood the appeal.

Realizing Carlos was just standing there letting him work through his thoughts, Pirate asked his friend, “What the hell am I supposed to do? I can’t just… I mean, even if Ididhave feelings for her, which I’m not saying I do, but maybe do, but even if I did, I can’t just tell her, right? What if she doesn’t feel the same for me?”

“My opinion? She does.”

“How do you know?” Just because she had sex with him didn’t mean she had feelings for him. Both of them had been very adamant aboutnothaving feelings for the other.

“Because she told you what happened between the two of us.” Carlos said it like it was the final clue to solving a great mystery.

Pirate shook his head. “I don’t get it. She said it didn’t mean anything. You did too. Why would that matter?”

“Because we swore we would never tellanyonewhat happened and, if we did, the one who blabbed would have itching powder poured down their underwear for three days.”

Pirate’s eyebrows went up. “What?” Had he just heard that correctly?

Carlos waved it off. “That’s not the point. The point is that she told youknowingwhat the consequences would be.”

Pirate hesitated before asking, “Did you tell Zoe?”

Carlos nodded. “It wasn’t something I could keep from her once she and Sophia became friends.”

“You and I have been friends since I moved here.”

“But you and Sophia only just started to mean something to each other. Case in point,” Carlos added, “she told you.”

Pirate still wasn’t convinced. “Should I tell her? I’ve never…” He felt a slight blush creep up his neck to his cheeks, feeling a bit like a virgin on prom night. “I’ve never actually asked a girl out for more than a night.”

Carlos’s expression did not fill Pirate with a lot of confidence. “I can’t tell you that. Hell, you could keep it to yourself and never tell her. That’s your choice, Pirate. All I’m saying is that you need to work out whatever is going on inside your head before you throw a punch at someone else who won’t be as understanding.”

“Does that mean you’re not pressing charges?” Pirate asked hopefully.

Carlos snorted. “I should, but I’m not going to. Just promise me something?” When Pirate nodded, Carlos said, “Don’t hurt her. Whatever it is that the two of you have or don’t have, that’s your business, but don’t hurt her. She deserves a man who will always put her first and never take what isn’t freely offered.”

Pirate knew Carlos didn’t mean sexually. Sophia had expressed her own concerns about men only using her for money or her family connections.

“Never,” he swore to Carlos.

Carlos nodded once.

The door to the exam room opened and Bear stepped inside. “Thank God! Now that you two ladies have kissed and made up, let’s get you patched up.”

CHAPTER 9

---