Page 106 of Barefoot Dreams
The sudden rush of emotions and feelings is almost too much. It’s overwhelming.
Oh my God, she doesn’t know! She doesn’t know how much I love her and she’s having my baby. And I’ve been wasting my time here fighting in the sandbox with Callum.
Callum doesn’t matter. No one else matters right now. Only her.
My feet start moving, but Callum’s hand catches my shoulder, stopping me.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“I am going to see my girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend.” His lip curls. “Forget it!”
“Hilarious, this one is.” I throw my thumb at Cal as I speak to Luke. The latter throws a handful of popcorn into his mouth and hands the bag to his wife who appeared out of nowhere.
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
I turn my attention back to the newly returned porcupine—aka the uncle of my baby.
“You are not touching my baby sister.”
“Oh yeah? And who’s gonna stop me? You?” I take a step into his space, knocking his hand off my shoulder. “I’d like to see you fucking try. I won’t waste the big words on you right nowbecause your sister deserves to hear them first, but she’s mine. Always was and always will be.”
“Callum! Grifffin!” Julie’s shaky, breathless voice fills the room, and my eyes find her immediately.
She’s panting so hard—she has to hold onto the wall to keep herself standing. “Oh, thank God you didn’t kill each other yet—” She cuts herself off when she sees us. “Why are you both dripping wet?” Julie shrieks and then turns her cute glare at her older brother. “What did you do?”
Fucking sexy when it’s not directed at me.
Hell, who am I kidding, she’s always fucking sexy, especially now…
“You’re pregnant.” The statement leaves my lips in a hurry Julie grows stiff, her heaving lungs trying to suck in a sharp breath.
“Yeah?” It sounds like a question but she’s nodding, chewing her lip off raw as tears start to fill those pretty eyes. “I-I’m sorry, I know we didn’t plan this! I know it’s not what you wanted and I promise I can do it on—”
I shut her up before she can utter the next words, my drenched body colliding with hers as I take her lips and wipe those awful thoughts from her mouth.
The world, the growling people around us…it all disappears when she’s in my arms.
When they are in my arms.
“Never,” I breath into her mouth. “Never say that again. Don’t even think it.” I twine my fingers through her silky hair, waving them into it as I bring her mouth closer, deeper, kissing her until I feel her body slowly release the tension she was holding it in.
“But you didn’t want this,” she whispers.
“How do you know?”
“We never even spoke abouttomorrow, let alonethis.” I know what she means. We live it one day at a time.
Because that’s what I need.
Only it never applied to her. Never.
I cup her delicate face with one hand, my thumb wiping off the stray tear on her cheek as my other hand lowers to rest on her stomach.
It’s still so flat, so…normal looking, yet there’s magic growing inside already. A tiny seed. Our future.
Julie sucks in a sharp, quick breath.
