Page 29 of Marked By Blaze

“Well, you were right, Ingrid,” she starts, and I’m momentarily frozen as I wait for her next words. “Congratulations, you are…”

“Pregnant,” I whisper, nearly jumping off the chair at the news. She carries on talking, but the words blur together as my pulse thuds loudly. I can feel a smile breaking across my face and warmth spreading through my chest. I’m going to a mom. Again. The thought is exhilarating, and I can’t help but let out a small laugh.

Blaze is going to lose his mind.

He’s been talking about giving our little boy a brother or a sister, and when I started suspecting that I might be pregnant, I wanted to confirm the news myself first. God, he’s going to go crazy just like he did when we found out I was pregnant with our son merely months into being together. It came as a surprise to me—which quite frankly, it shouldn’t have seeing how much sex we were having—still have years later.

And now instead of three, there will be four of us.

“That’s great news, right?” the doctor asks when she spots the tears in my eyes.

“It is.” I sniff, running a hand over my flat stomach. “My husband and I have been talking about having another kid. He’s going to lose his mind like he did with the first.” I always thought Blaze was protective before our child, but he became far more protective when our son was conceived.

“That’s good to hear,” she tells me, before instructing me on when to come in for my next appointment and to bring my husband with me. I laugh, knowing not even an act of God could keep the man away.

I’m still smiling as I walk out of the doctor’s office and reach for my phone to call a ride when I feel a familiar tingle down my back. I sigh as I turn to look around, but I don’t spot him anywhere. He’s exceptionally good at staying hidden, and I never can locate him no matter how hard I try.

A taxi pulls up in front of me, but I waive for the driver to go on, deciding to walk. I take a left when I spot an alcove facing away from the main street, and I don’t have to wait long before I catch the faint sound of boots. And then his scent. That scent rich, earthy scent that has stayed the same in the five years we’ve been married.

“I bribed someone at the clubhouse to keep you distracted,” I call out, knowing he can hear me, and when he steps into my line of view, I try to glare at the man, but God, it’s hard to look at that handsome face and feel anything but desire. His dark hair is a little longer, framing that ruggedly handsome face that always sends my heart swelling with affection. Everything about him is hard and rough, masculine all over.

“You did well, angel,” he growls, stepping into my space. “Bribing Saint and Jade with the promise of babysitting their kids on their next date night in exchange for him sending me to the other end of town was clever.”

I blink in surprise. “H-how did you know?”

He laughs, wrapping an arm around my waist and yanking me hard against him. “I know you,” he says, his voice thick and heavy, which in turn has the spot between my legs pulsing with need. “And I bribe better. I thought something was suspicious. Why would Saint send me to the other end of town for some intel he could easily get through a simple phone call?”

Okay, so maybe I should have been a little more creative…or only involved Jade. Saint isn’t exactly subtle. “What did you promise him?”

“Aged whiskey.”

“That traitor.” I chuckle with a shake of my head. I can’t believe Saint sold me out for a bottle of whiskey. Jade won’t be impressed.

“So, tell me, dear wife. Why did you not want me there to confirm the pregnancy?”

My eyes widen as I stare up at him in surprise. “You knew?”

“I told you, angel,” he leans down and brushes his lips over mine, “I know you.”

Of course he does. Before Blaze, I didn’t put much stock in love. Never thought anyone would love me if my own mother barely could, and yet, I didn’t just find a husband, but a best friend too.

He seems to be two steps ahead of me every time, often anticipating my needs. It’s always been like this, and I madepeace with that when I walked down the aisle five years ago. Heck, he even knew without a word about my desire to start my own beauty salon and said that he was waiting for me to bring it up. And when I finally did, he proceeded to pour ridiculous amounts of money into my project. I never imagined that my life would change in this way when I first walked into that intimidating building years ago, and all I’ve ever wanted is to make this man as happy as he makes me.

“I didn’t want to disappoint you in case the test turned out not to be what we were hoping.”

“You could never disappoint me, Ingrid.” He brushes my hair from my face and leans down to kiss my birthmark. “We would have just kept trying until I planted another baby in you.” I gasp when he trails his hand over my breast. A whimper climbs up my throat and my sex flood with arousal when he pinches my pebbling nipple over my blouse. “But I already knew that you were pregnant. How could I not, when your body reacts like this?”

“I didn’t notice,” I whimper, feeling his hardness press against my thigh.

“You’ve been so horny lately, angel. I bet if I touch you right now, you’ll be wet.” He’s right. Even so, I let him find out for himself as he slips a hand under my skirt and slides his finger under my panties. I cry out as he rubs his finger gently over my damp sex, working the digit around my clit in slow circles. “Fuck, you’re practically dripping, baby.”

“From the moment I sensed you,” I breathe, leaning in and brushing my lips over my husband’s jawline, inhaling his scent deeply. I cup his jaw as I kiss his neck, licking at his Adam’s apple, and I slowly start to lose sense of where we are as all my senses tune in to him. But that’s okay; I can let go. He’ll protectme, keep me safe and blocked from view. Though, I can’t deny there is an added element of excitement at the thought of being caught. Only the thought; my body is for my husband’s eyes only. “God, you feel so good. So fucking strong.”

I run my fingers up and down his sculpted back as I graze my teeth over his throat, licking to soothe the sting. The need to have him grows strong—desperate, and it’s almost like something has taken over my body, and Ineedto have him, to feel him inside of me.

“Want you.”

He chuckles deeply. “You see what I mean? You turn into a succubus when you are ovulating or pregnant. My bet was on the latter.”

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