Page 23 of Just One More Affair
“I’ll take you home.”
She shook her head. “There’s no reason for you to go out again when I can get home easily.”
“Not home, to the hotel, and I want to make sure you arrive at your room safely.”
Her lips parted in surprise. “You’re going to be overbearing for the next seven months, aren’t you?”
He grinned. “I am. It’s one of my finest qualities.”
With a put-out sigh, she placed her phone back in her purse and gestured with one arm. “Lead the way.”
He hooked his arm in hers. “My pleasure, sweetheart.”
God, the man was potent with his hands and with his words. Pushing aside all her conflicting feelings, she let him put one hand on her back and steer her toward the garage.
***
Jared returned fromtaking Charlotte back to the hotel and walking her to her room. After having his fingers in her pussy and her taste on his lips, going home alone had been cold comfort, but he was a man of patience. He’d take his time and do the old-fashioned thing. He’d woo her. Never in his life had he thought about slowly romancing a woman but Charlotte was different.
When she’d passed out in his arms, he’d been petrified, both for her and the baby. The idea of her moving in had been a spur-of-the-moment thought but it felt right at the time. It still did. But he understood why she’d rebelled against it. She was an independent spirit and he needed to respect that. If she ever moved in, it needed to be because they’d reached that point logically in their relationship. A relationship he wasn’t sure she believed they had. Which was why he intended to show her how things could be.
In the meantime, he needed to tell his family about the baby. Charlotte had given her okay, and he had a choice. He could make the rounds to inform his siblings about his upcoming big life change one at a time or call for a family get-together. He opted for the latter and since he didn’t want to reveal the news in a public place, he asked Lizzie and his dad if he could have everyone at the house on Saturday.
With everyone over, his father sat in his favorite recliner, the rest of his siblings and their significant others, minus Aiden, sat on the circular sofa in the family room, with a few in club chairs. Aiden had gone back abroad, planning to come home next month, and Jared had invited Brooke because she was family.
“Jared, are you going to explain why we’re all here?” Remy asked, meeting his stare. “You said it was mandatory.”
Raven sat beside him on the couch, her hand in his. “I’m curious, too.”
“Who’d you knock up?” Dex asked with a chuckle, and his wife smacked his shoulder.
“Behave!” Samantha said.
Noah shook his head, remaining silent because he and Fallon had already heard the news.
Jared rose to his feet. “Dex guessed it. I’m going to be a father.”
“Damn! I should have taken bets,” his brother said. “Are you serious?”
“Completely.”
Chatter surrounded him as did shouted questions. Jared tuned them all out, waiting for silence.
He stared at his father, wondering what the older man was thinking. “Dad?”
“You’re stepping up? Doing the right thing?” Alex asked.
Jared nodded. “Of course I am. The other news is about the baby’s mother. It’s Charlotte Kendall.” He met Noah’s gaze but found no judgment there. He supposed his brother-in-law had been in this exact same position almost a decade ago.
“Charlotte as in Charlie?” Remy asked. “You and Noah both…” He shook his head. “Never mind.”
Noah had already winced.
“Yeah. Can we not go there? The fact is, she’s pregnant with my baby and is going to move into the empty apartment in my building. At least she’ll be close by. I just wanted to tell everyone at once. Not make the rounds.”
“Well, I say congratulations!” Fallon rose, walked over, and pulled him into a hug. “We’re going to have many small family gatherings.” She laughed as she stepped back. “Seriously, though, you’re going to make a great dad.”
“Thanks, sis. I appreciate that.”
