Page 50 of The MC's Surprise
“I thought I was supposed to be the bad influence,” I teased as she shoved me toward my door.
The wicked grin she flashed me made my gut tighten and I wished not for the first time that this date would end up with us back in bed instead of at a dinner with our families.
“Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean I don’t have a wild side. And I somehow think you wouldn’t mind if I dragged you along with me.”
“Not even a little bit,” I agreed, pulling her closer when she tried to sneak around me. I wanted to kiss her, but she slipped under my arm, pointing at my door. “Get in before he notices you’re here. I want to be glad you didn’t show up on your bike because it would’ve been a dead giveaway, but I’m super jealous that the other women get to ride and I can’t.”
“You will eventually, I promise.”
She smiled at the sincerity in my voice, then quickly shifted to a glare. “Nope. I don’t need you to help me. Get in the car.”
Putting my hands up in surrender, I did as asked, sliding into my seat while she went around the front. I did lean over the center console to open the door for her, but her smile said she didn’t mind. She snapped on her seatbelt and made a shooing motion, beaming as we pulled out of the driveway unnoticed.
I’d thought a lot about our first date. I had a lot of ideas, but some of them would have to wait until she wasn’t pregnant anymore. I was glad she was interested in riding on my bike because a few were centered around a drive like that. When I finally settled on what I wanted to do, it was more simple than I’d originally intended, but it felt more true to Sierra and our relationship.
As I spread the blanket out, Sierra looked around with a smile. “You know, I was really worried that without the playground equipment, people would still avoid coming here. I’m really glad it's being used already.”
The park wasn’t over crowded, but it was busy and I’d gotten lucky getting us out here on a good weather day. It was warm and sunny, and even in the shade, we didn’t risk getting chilled.
“I passed by while I was taking a drive and noticed how busy it was. There was what looked like a yoga class held here earlier in the week, and I saw a bunch of moms with their babies on a massive spread of blankets under the shade of the trees. Most of the green space in town is on the college campus. I think people are really happy to have a place to stretch out and enjoy nature, even without the playground.”
She joined me on the blanket, needing some help to get down on her own, a little smile on her face as she people watched. While she was distracted, I spread out the food I brought with me, using the tub with the desserts to stop the napkins from blowing away. When Sierra finally turned back to face me, her smile widened and she beamed at me. “Oh my god, you super secret teddy bear. Did you make all this yourself?”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Not all of it. I made the sandwiches and prepped the sides, but I can’t bake worth shit. That was all Rooster, actually. Fainting at the sight of blood isn’t his only secret. He can also bake like a professional.”
Curiosity piqued, she bit her lip playfully. “Dessert first?”
Gesturing to the tub of macrons, I grinned. “Go right ahead. I’m not offended. That little shit is a savant. I already tried one before I left.”
He’d stunned the shit out of me when he brought me the desserts. He said it was a thanks for not telling the crew what happened. While I appreciated the gesture, I’d never seen Rooster cook for himself and didn’t think it’d be any good. I’d have taken it with me anyway, because he was being nice, but it blew my mind when I tasted one and it was actually really good.
Sierra was in agreement, her eyes bugging out as she took her first bite. “Holy crap. These are amazing.”
I snagged one for myself, popping it into my mouth as I leaned back on my elbow. There was a little family nearby, the mom encouraging the baby to take a few steps while the dad helped steady them on their feet. It was sweet and made my heart swell in my chest thinking that would be me and Sierra one day soon.
She laid down beside me, her shoulder pressed against mine as we both enjoyed the view and the food. There was no anxiety, no awkwardness, like when I spent time with Charlotte. I swore when she invited me out for lunch once to discuss an event she wanted to plan, I almost sweat through my suit, I’d been so nervous. It wasn’t like that with Sierra. I could relax around her, the conversation flowed steadily without me stammering and making a fool of myself, and once the food was put away, she moved closer until we were practically cuddling, watching the last of the sun's rays paint the sky in pinks and oranges. It was perfect. She was perfect. And I never realized until she came along that it could be this easy.
“So, any other fears I should be aware of for our next outreach event? You aren’t afraid of fire trucks, are you?”
I snorted, though the reminder of another day with the stupid firefighter soured my mood a little. “No. Just needles. It’s my sister’s fault I’m afraid of them.”
Tipping her head, she frowned. “How so?”
I chuckled at the memory. “I’d been fine getting shots when I was a kid until we started going to the doctor together. Seeing doctors sticking my big sister with needles and making her cry really upset me. I panicked whenever we had to go to the doctor and my mom said I even kicked my pediatrician once when she said Erica needed another round of shots. We had to go in separately from then on and it had a really negative effect on my ability to handle needles. Don’t tell her that, though. She’s not the kind of person to hold back on teasing.”
Sierra bit her lip, her eyes dancing. “That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.” I shot her a sour look, and she snickered, “It’s our secret, I promise.”
And then she sealed the promise with a kiss. I couldn’t think of any way this date could’ve gone better.
29
Sierra
Before we headed back to my parents’ house for dinner, I finally worked up the nerve to talk to Vegas about my past. It felt wrong for us to be dating, having a baby together, and not tell him the whole truth. At this point, I trusted him enough to hear me out. There was also a small part of me that didn't want to invest any more of my heart before he knew the full truth. Every day, it was a little harder to keep myself from falling completely. If he was going to walk away, I’d rather it be sooner rather than later.
“Hey, uh… Can I talk to you about something?”
He’d been in the middle of packing up the remains of our lunch, but he paused to give me his full attention, a hint of worry in his eyes.
