Page 23 of Royal Baby Maker

Nell wrapped the leash around and around; I was sure the knots would be impossible to undo. “Right... but... does Iris know?”

The question threw me off. “I'm not sure. It wasn't something I thought mattered.” She shifted on the spot. I hated that, seeing her fidget—knowing she was doubting me. “Nell, I don't care if my mother is batting for Iris. If something else is going on, tell me.”

Filling her chest until she unfurled, gathering her strength, she... waited. It was a long minute, and in it, I felt judged. “Iris told me she'd been chatting with you. I got the idea that it was very friendly. The kind that wouldn't happen if you'd made it clear to her that you're done with your mom's attempts at match making.”

“She's lying. I don't think I've said anything to her since your first day working here.”

“But shewashere yesterday. For all I know, she's been here a ton. Why would she bother lying?”

I stepped towards her—she backed up. “To upset you, Nell. She's threatened by you, and rightfully so.”

She screwed up her face. “Stop it! Don't try to make this go away with flattery, I'm not that shallow!”

“Why the hell is it so hard for you to trust me?” I groaned, fingers clenching into painfully tight fists. “I can't compliment you without you thinking I'm—I don't know, fucking with you! I'm not a monster, I'm not tricking you.”

We stood there, facing off like enemies and not the soon-to-be parents we were. The indent in the base of her throat fluttered. Her lips were bloodless from how fiercely she was biting down.

How had we gotten here?

One of the dogs whimpered. The sound plucked at my heart, and Nell reacted even more obviously. Shaking herself, she stared at Cujo where he was backed into the kitchen corner with his friend. Their eyes were wide, black; worried.

Nell's hands came up to her face. Covering her eyes, she slumped in place. I thought she might collapse. I was ready to grab her when she dropped her arms, watching me with so much regret she could have been a different person. “I'm so sorry. Bishop, it's not your fault. You didn't do this to me—you didn't hurt me. That was all my ex's handiwork.”

My eyebrows scrunched up. “Your ex? What did he do to you?”

“Nothing. Everything. Iwantto trust you, but I'm not sure I even know how anymore.” Clasping her hands against her chest, she spoke around a bitter smile. “I'm full of broken, shattered things that want to destroy everything around them. My ex always told me I was selfish.” In wonderment, she stared up at me. “You were the first person to ever say I was kind.”

Pain drove through me like a truck that had lost control. I grabbed her shoulders, her hair, just holding her desperately because I worried she'd fall apart and I'd never have a chance to put her back together. “He was wrong about you.”

“I know,” she laughed, empty of humor. Clutching my hand, she pushed it to her cheek. Warm, wet tears soaked my skin. “You'd think learning it wasn't anything you did that made your ex cheat on you would help your sanity. But no. It just made me hate myself for being blind for so long.”

Fueled by new hatred for a man I'd never met, I shut my eyes and breathed through my nose. “If I could kick his ass, right now, I'd drop everything and go do it.”

That time, her laugh wasreal.It shook through her body, I felt it move through my hands to my soul. “Thanks. That's sweet.”

“Listen... I know why you were so afraid to believe in me now, but if you'll let me, I want to show you that some people in this world aren't so awful. Not everyone cheats.” My thumb rubbed over her cheek; it shifted under the angle of her growing smile. “I would never do that because I...”

The words stopped on my tongue. It didn't matter; Nell knew what I'd almost said. Summoning my confidence, I parted my lips, but she put her hand over my mouth to quiet me. “Don't say it, not unless you mean it. I can't do fake love. You have to take responsibility for what you say.”

Prying her arms away, I kissed her. She opened for me like a flower in Spring, her body going soft, tension fading away. “I'll never lie to you. I'll never risk your heart. Ilove you,as crazy as it might seem, and I'm not going to marry some other woman—not even if my mother prefers it.”

Nell's eyes were full of newborn stars. “You really mean it?”

Pressing my lips on hers, I mumbled, “I do.” My tongue sought out the roof of her mouth, stroking quickly. “I really, truly mean it. I love you, Nellie Pinewood. And I love this baby.”

She trapped my hand on her belly, not moving me away. “I love you, too. But... this baby... we need to wait to tell anyone else. There's a chance it won't make it. It's so early, that stuff happens, you know? So much can go wrong.”

“Nothingwill go wrong,” I said severely.

Nell hesitated in the wake of my belief. “Okay. Alright. We should still wait until we're sure.”

Nodding, I scooped her into my arms. “Deal.”

“Hey—what are you doing?”

“You have to walk the dogs, but you need to take it easy. I'm helping.”

“This isn't helping!” she gasped when I threw her over my shoulder.

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