Page 49 of Pumpkin
To her shock, pink colored his cheeks above his dark beard. “Yeah,” he answered begrudgingly. “That’s where my accident happened. In my defense, I was in a medically induced coma when they made the decision to rename the bridge after me.”
A shiver ran through her. Between that news, the chill of the fall day, and their lack of clothing goosebumps raised up all along her body. Dosia had been set to ignore it, too comfortable to consider moving, but Pumpkin noticed, or guessed, and flipped them, turning his naked body into a living blanket for her.
“Thank you.” Dosia smiled up at him as their naked bodies rubbed up against each other’s again. She let out a moan, and then a light giggle. “I can’t believe we slept together.”
“Really?” He propped himself up on his fist, his elbow by her head. “I can’t believe we waited this long. If SJ hadn’t been at the restaurant, I think I would have ended up fucking you over the dinner table.”
Dosia shook her head, biting her lips to keep from smiling at him again. Mainly because she couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. “At least we used protection this time.”
Pumpkin raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? We used protection last time too.”
Dosia blinked, surprised by this. “We did? I just assumed we hadn’t with the pregnancy and all.”
“I woke up next to two used condoms, and as drunk as we were, I highly doubt I would have been able to get it up a third time.”
Dosia snorted. “Sorry,” she stifled quickly. “I just… I’m just grateful. I spent six years thinking I had reckless, unprotected sex with a stranger.”
“Nope. Just reckless,protected, amazing sex with an incredible sexy man.”
She couldn’t stop the laugh that time. He smiled down at her, but it was the look in his eyes that had her pausing. It was the look of a man who saw something beautiful in front of him. She saw it every time Grandpa Marmot looked at Grandma Solstice. She remembered her dad looking at her mom the same way.
Her heart started beating quickly for an entirely different reason. Shit, she was going to ruin her good mood. She just knew it was too good to be true. “Can we talk seriously for a moment?” At his raised eyebrow, she added, “Please, Pumpkin?”
His brows drew down. “Of course. You can tell me anything, Dosia.”
He lifted his hand to cup her face, and Dosia felt like such a bitch for her next words. “I can’t date you.”
Pumpkin blinked. He removed his hand from her face, and despite that his warm, big body covered hers, Dosia felt utterly cold in that moment. “Are you married?”
“What? No!” How could he even think that after what they’d just done?
“Then what’s the problem?”
Dosia took a deep breath and closed her eyes, needing to not look at him when she said this. “It’s all happening too fast. We’re still strangers, Pumpkin. I agree that you have a right to be in JJ’s life, and SJisher brother, but you and me…?” Her voice trailed off. “This can’t happen again. I need to…figure some things out.”
His body was completely still over hers. And he was quiet. Too quiet. Dosia opened her eyes, needing to see his reaction. He was staring down at her, his expression oddlyblankfor the bomb she’d just dropped on him. Even his heartbeat felt steady.
Dosia swallowed hard. “Say something.” Her voice was little more than a plea from her elevated nerves.
“So you want to co-parentwithoutsex?” He said it very factually, not accusatory or jokingly. Like he was verifying the sky was blue.
Dosia swallowed, suddenly not sure. But it was that hesitancy thatproved her point. “We know nothing about each other,” she pressed. “Can’t we just…” Dosia shrugged, not even really sure what it was she was asking for. “It’s just all moving too fast. I need time to think and I can’tdo thatwith you,” she waved a hand up and down his naked body, “like this.”
He continued to stare at her. It wasawful, honestly. She would have gladly taken anger over an utter lack of emotion.
Then he nodded. “As long as you’re good with me being in JJ’s life, I’m good with just being co-parents.”
“You are?” Disbelief coated her voice and her face.
He shrugged. “Sure. I mean, you’ll still have my cut and my protection. That’s a dealbreaker there, but we don’t have to be a couple for that to happen.”
Dosia swallowed hard. “I, uh, I mean, thank you. I think.”
He nodded sharply, kissed her on the fucking head like she was his godsdamned sister, and then stood up. Moving carefully, he started getting dressed. “What are you doing this afternoon?”
Dosia tried not to stare. She really,reallydid. But damn. Those muscles and tattoos and the way his jeans hung low on his hips and his sex-rumpled hair…
She jumped when he said her name again. “Um, what?”
