Page 62 of Hot Irish Halloween

“Come on, Trixie-bell!” she said cheerfully. Trixie happily ran to the door to bark at her leash.

After the walk, a quick breakfast, and a shower, Penny felt energized. She didn’t want to tell Jack about the tummy fluttering through text. Maybe she should just walk to the gym and tell him in person. It had been a month since she’d been there.

Surely Jack would ease up on his mandate that she not come anywhere near there. La Roque wouldn’t be waiting to pop outat her like Michael Myers the second she reappeared. And she wanted to share something light-hearted and fun with him for a change and maybe put some spark back in his eyes about this whole pregnancy instead of the shadow of worry that had taken over.

Penny took the walk slowly, taking time to savor the last bit of winter. It felt almost balmy. The promise of spring was soft and sweet on the wind. She pushed open the door of the gym, walked in, and was immediately greeted by smiling faces and enthusiastic hellos.

All except for Jack, who turned to look at her with darkening eyes and a tightening mouth. Her spirits sank at that look, but she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin.

“It’s good to see you, darlin’,” Charlie said, limping over as fast as his feet could carry him. He grinned at her and patted her on the arm. “No worse for wear, I see. To hear Jackie tell it, you’ve been at death’s door this whole time.”

“And I’ve been telling him I’m totally fine,” Penny said, shooting Jack a pointed glance. “So, what’s been goin’ on? How’s the crew? I’ve missed you guys.”

“We missed you, too, Miss Penny. We —”

Before Sampson, with his cute smile, could get in another word, Jack cut him off. “Penny, can I talk to you for a minute? In my office?”

His expression told her everything she already knew he was going to say. He wanted her out of there. And now she was pissed. Fucking pissed. What was supposed to be a joyful moment was about to be ruined.

So be it. He wanted to talk? They were going to fucking talk. Good thing Jack had the music going on the surround speakers.

Stalking toward his office, Jack’s shoulders in his bright red tracksuit jacket were tight. All of him was tighter and fitter, which she hadn’t even thought possible when they’d first met.He’d been a specimen then; he was now high-octane hot. She hated the reason behind it, even as a surge of lust for him ricocheted through her. Ignoring the sudden hunger, Penny walked in behind him and went to lean on his desk as he shut the door.

The windows in the office were high, near the ceiling, and let in good light. Golden sunshine highlighted the planes of Jack’s face, which was taut with displeasure.

“I’ve asked you not to come here,” he said, standing in the center of the room with his massive arms folded. “It’s not safe for you here.”

She sighed hard, folding her own arms. “You used to like it when I came here. It’s boring at home by myself.”

“I never said you had to stay home. I thought you were going to look into a prenatal yoga class.”

“I found a few. The one I really want to go to is a partner class. It meets at five-forty-five tonight. I was hoping you’d want to go with me,” Penny said softly.

A shadow flitted across Jack’s face. “With my workout schedule and evening class, I don’t think I could fit that in. Do they have one on Saturday?”

It was like a cold wind had just blown through the room. Penny nodded slowly, huffing a short laugh.

“Okay, yeah, Saturday would be cool if you’re not tired like you are all other Saturdays now. With your eight-hour workouts all the other days of the week, I thought Saturday was strictly ice bath time.”

His mouth flattened into a line. He wasn’t meeting her eyes and not responding. The hurt and confusion that she’d been carrying for weeks now had wound up tightly. Suddenly, she couldn’t — no, sherefusedto hold it in.

“Jack, I have a ton of imperfections. I’m sort of an anxious mess, even on my best days. I’m a procrastinator who turnsaround and makes impulsive last-minute decisions, usually bad decisions. I talk a lot without saying important things that I should probably say. But the one thing I’m not is stupid. So please don’t treat me like I’m slow. You’re going to fight that man, aren’t you?”

A small eternity passed. The deep red flush in his skin confirmed what she already knew. But then he had to go ahead and destroy her world by saying the words. Words that made her heart explode.

“Yes. I’m fighting La Roque. At the end of next month.”

22

SAME MISTAKE

JACK

Jack stood there, waiting for Penny to respond to his admission. Tamped down his own anger as best he could, but it wasn’t working.

He was being an arsehole to her. Knew he’d been distant toward her, even though what he was feeling wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t her fault that he needed her so much the thought of losing her or their baby had set him off in a bad, bad way.

Gulping down air, Penny pressed her hands to her cheeks and slapped them lightly, then shook her head with a cracked-glass snort of laughter. And now he had to hold in the urge to pull her into his arms and comfort her. If he did that, he’d fucking cave. Cancel the fight. Let the world know he couldn’t protect his woman and she was fair game for anyone who tried to come for her.

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