Predator - A Stand Alone Suspense Romance (27 page)

Alex~

It’s been two days since the talk. Things feel better between us, and those deafening silences are gone.

I’m leaning against the truck, waiting for Nina to get off from work. I’m forcing myself to think of her as Nina, because she’s fought so hard for that name. It will also reduce the risk of one of us slipping up.

It’s time to put the past behind us and to focus on a future neither of us thought we’d ever have.

I hear her greeting Joshua and then she comes walking out of the store. Her eyes find me and she smiles wide.

I grin back at her and say, “Hey, Nina.” I push away from the truck when she gets to me. “Wanna go for a ride in my truck?” Laughter bubbles over her lips and I lean in even closer. “We could get ice cream.”

“Oh, we could?” she asks.

I move into her personal space, almost touching her. “Yeah, and I could watch you lick it off your fingers,” I whisper.

“Uh-huh,” she mumbles. I can see the heat flaring in her eyes.

“And then you can suck the ice cream off my fingers.”

She starts to nod. “I like the sound of ice cream.”

I hurry to open the door and bundle her inside.  I can hear her laughing as I race around the truck.

We get our ice creams at the diner, and then I drive us to the same spot we parked at before. We get on the back of the truck and I watch her lick the ice cream. She’s a fucking tease because she’s eating that thing as slow as she can. I’ve finished mine already and she’s only halfway.

“Fuck this,” I say. I grab the ice cream and throw it to the side. She squeals with laughter, and I grab her hips, pulling her onto my lap.

As I lean in for a kiss she pushes me back. She darts up and then jumps off the back of the truck. Oh, she wants to play.

I get up and run after her. She runs into the water and screams like a girl. Well, she is one, but still. She turns around to see where I am, and I dive at her. She laughs as we hit the water. I quickly turn us around so she’s on top.

I stare up at her and she takes my breath away. Her hair is wet and then my eyes travel lower and I see her hard nipples straining against the wet material.

“I knew you liked getting wet, but I never knew you looked so hot.”

She laughs again. “You remember that?”

“Yeah, you walked right into that one that day.”

“I was so jealous of Jean.”

“Why?” I whisper as the water starts to suck us in deeper.

“Because I already loved you back then,” she admits to me.

“Can I tell you a secret?” I whisper and she nods quickly. “You’re the only woman I’ll allow on top of me but we’re going to drown if we don’t get up now.”

“Ass!”

She shoves me under the water and gets up. I watch her as she stalks away from me and then call out to her, “Sexy ass. You love my ass!”

She flips me off, and then I hear her laugh again. I get up and follow her to the truck. We’re both soaked. We might as well take this party home.

Nina~

I don’t even make it to the front door before he peels my shirt off.

If we had neighbors they’d be getting a full view right now.

My shorts come off in the living room. I lose the bra at the bedroom door and the panties almost make it to the bed.

I help him out of his wet clothes and turn us around so that his back is to the bed. I shove at him lightly and whisper, “Lie down.”

He shakes his head but he lies down while mumbling, “Also the only woman I’ll take orders from.”

Once he’s fully stretched out in front of me, I drink in the stunning man before me.

“What’s that look for?” he asks.

“Just enjoying the view,” I say, and then I crawl over him. I straddle his hips and then lower myself onto him. Once he’s inside me I still, just taking in the feel of him. It feels like I’m home. Finally.

I’m biting my nails as I leave the hardware store. I’m so nervous. Shit.

I get in the truck and then turn to face Alex. He starts to drive off. Smiling at me, he asks, “Did you have a good day?”

I bite my bottom lip and then just blurt the words out, “I’m pregnant.”

He stops the truck in the middle of the road and just stares at me.

“Did you hear what I said?” I ask nervously, and I go back to biting my thumb nail.

Slowly, he nods, and then a smile spreads across his face. “We’re pregnant?” he asks and I watch as emotion floods his face.

Someone hoots behind us, and he quickly starts the truck again. We drive in silence for a while and my nerves start to get the better of me again.

Then he just pulls over. He grabs me to his chest and kisses me hard. “We’re pregnant?” he asks again.

“Well, I don’t know about the ‘we’ part. I’m the one doing all the work.”

“My sperm had to swim its ass off for that egg, give it some credit,” he says all serious, but I see the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Your sperm didn’t take my egg on a date. Your sperm is so in the dog box.”

A huge grin spreads over his face and then he turns the truck around and drives back into town.

“Where are we going?” I ask, giddy with happiness that he’s handling the news so well.

“The sperm is taking the egg to dinner.”

I burst out laughing as he stops in front of the diner. He runs around the front and opens the door for me. He helps me out, letting me slide down the front of his body, and then his eyes start to shimmer with tears and it instantly makes me want to cry.

“I’m taking my beautiful pregnant wife to dinner,” he whispers, and a tear slips down his cheek.

All choked up, I whisper, “Why are you crying?”

“Because I’m so fucking happy. I’m so happy that you chose to stay with me. I’m so happy that you live me. I’m so happy that you’re going to have my child.”

“I’m happy, too,” I whisper and then I stand on my toes so I can reach his lips. “Thank you for making every one of my dreams come true.”

“I did?” he asks, holding back on the kiss.

“Yeah.” I inch a little closer to his mouth. “I just wanted a husband who loves me, and a house full of kids. That’s all I ever wanted.”

He presses a soft kiss to my lips, and I smile against his mouth. “We’ll have to get a bigger house for all those kids.”

“I’d like that.”

I press a kiss to his mouth and then he pulls back. Taking my hand he leads me into the diner. “Time to feed my wife and kid.”

His wife.

His kid.

I place my hand over my stomach and swallow back the emotions.

My husband.

Our child.

I’m so thankful. I’m overflowing with gratefulness for this man and another chance at being a mother.

It was a long and hard road to get here. It’s a road that brought me to Alex Jackson. I’d walk that road again, but only for him.

Just a note from me…

This book is so close to my heart.

I got to deal with a lot while writing it. If you’re in a dark place, I hope it will offer you some sense of comfort.

Please, stay strong! It will get better.

You’re priceless.

Don’t let anyone make you feel worthless.

Hugs,

Michelle.