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  “I’m late,” she whispered, and it sounded like she was close to tears. “I’ve been sick every morning the past two weeks. I’m exhausted all the time. If that’s what’s causing it, I’m likely about ten weeks in. And I just never noticed because there’s been so much going on—”

  It was a blur, but he tossed the box in the bag and rushed at her anyway, scooping her up in his arms and pressing her close. His heart was hammering a fucking triple-time polka but he couldn’t help smiling over her shoulder and she stopped talking and eventually hugged him back.

  “It’s okay,” he assured her, feeling her sag in his hold. Her hands tightened on his shirt and he realized they were under his kutte. “Sharon, baby. It’s okay”

  She shook, and he knew she was crying.

  “Shhh, baby. There’s nothin’ to cry over. I promise. I ain’t goin’ anywhere. You’re not doin’ this alone, okay?”

  He felt her nod.

  “I got you, Sharon. I promise. I got you.”

  Then he just hugged her close, feeling her calm, before she eventually pulled away far enough to tuck her head under his chin. She didn’t let him go, so he took the opportunity to run his hand through her ponytail. She sniffled a bit, then, sounding very much like a child, she said, “I’m scared.”

  “Me too, baby. I mean, I just found out. I got a bit of a freak out goin’ on but ... I ain’t scared of you havin’ my baby. That much I know.”

  “It’s so much work, Fritter. It’s work and it’s never-ending.”

  “And I’ll help as much as I can.”

  “You say that now but—”

  “Hey.” He pushed her back to hold her by the arms, making her face him. “I only met my daddy once. I don’t even remember, that’s just what Ma told me. He knew about me and he chose to have fuck all to do with me. I know what that’s like. I can’t be like that.”

  Her eyes were searching his face, probably to see if he was just in shock. He kinda felt like he was, but the more he spoke the more he felt rooted in what he was saying.

  “We started casual, I know. But you showed up one day upset, you cried, you told me what was botherin’ you, and Sharon ... I don’t know. That changed me, baby.” He tucked some hair behind her ear. “I liked that. I liked you comin’ to me for comfort. Makin’ me feel like I could keep you safe, give you somewhere to speak your mind and actually cry in front of me.”

  She looked down again.

  “Hey,” he said softly, bringing her eyes back up. “And when I came to you after Mickey, you let me in again. You’d had a shit day and you still let me in, gave me what I needed.”

  “But Fritter, a baby—”

  “You thinkin’ of gettin’ rid of it?”

  She looked horrified. “No, I couldn’t.”

  “Puttin’ it up for adoption?”

  She just shook her head.

  “If you’re pregnant right now, and it sounds like you’re pretty certain you are, this baby’s comin’. No matter how much we go back and forth over what we are at the moment. We’re his or hers’ parents. We can’t be freakin’ out. We can only mean to do right.”

  She face-planted in his chest, and he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. Her hands were on his chest, head to the side, breathing softly while still sniffling.

  “Just don’t cut me out,” he asked, making circles on her back.

  “You want this?”

  “Yeah. I think I do.”

  “I was young with Brayden. Or, younger. I don’t know what this baby will do to me. To my body. I might never get it back.”

  He had to smile at the wall. “Is that what you’re worried about? Really?”

  “One of the things. You’re younger. You’re good-looking. I know women like you.”

  “So ... you sayin’ you want to be with me, then?”

  She pulled back, looking a bit surprised. “Oh. I mean, I thought—”

  He cut up laughing, sliding his hand along the side of her neck. “I’m just teasin’ you, baby. I’m plannin’ on being with you and you only, especially if you’re havin’ my baby.”

  “So while I was gone ...”

  He shook his head. “Not a single woman. I was waitin’ for you.”

  Her eyes sparkled at that, and she bit her lip. If he didn’t know any better, he’d bet she was fighting a smile.

  “Does that make you happy?”

  She just nodded, and he lowered his head to kiss her lightly. A surge of want ran through him as she returned the pressure of his mouth, and his hand reflexively tightened on her back. Before he could slide his tongue into her she stepped back with a deep breath.

  “Wait,” she whispered. “I’ve been holding it so I can pee for the tests. I gotta go to the bathroom.”

  In all their time together he’d never seen her use the facilities; at the hotel or here at her house. There was something so familiar about her just blurting out that she had to “pee.”

  He chuckled, kissing her jawline and stepping away. “Okay. Go take the tests. I’ll put the groceries away.”

  “Okay.” She dug another box out of the grocery bag then scurried to the half-bathroom at the end of the hallway off the living room.

  Everything she’d bought needed refrigeration so that was an easy task to sort out. By the time he had the bags folded up and stowed in her recycle bin she was leaving the washroom, a flushing toilet echoing behind her as she approached her sofa. He couldn’t read her face.

  “So?” he asked, walking to her and holding his arms out for an explanation.

  “Need to wait two minutes.” She sank into her couch, pulling a toss pillow into her lap and hugging it to her chest. He sat next to her, putting his arm across the back of the sofa. Her eyes were on the floor, her hands twisting and pulling at the corner of the pillow she was clutching. He’d never seen her so unsettled. Even when the club had found out about the two of them she was poised and calm.

  And yet now he was feeling calmer while she fidgeted. Maybe it was shock—that was a possibility. But when he looked at her right then, imagined them having a child in this house, a child they had made, he couldn’t freak out. It wasn’t in him to cringe and curse his luck.

  This was because, while she was gone these past two weeks, he’d had time to think. And he wanted her. He wanted her as his woman, and he needed the chance to prove he could be her man. He knew he could be; she would take more convincing, and that was his fault. He was immature at times, and, being honest, he was an outlaw. But she knew that when she started up with him. On some level she got off on that. She had to.

  He’d put the fear of God into Turnbull’s kid for her. Waited outside his old man’s dealership where the kid worked, after hours one night. Hadn’t touched him, just snuck up on him, shoved him against his vehicle and informed him that he and his father would have some uncomfortable questions to answer if anyone bothered the sheriff anymore.

  Kid had nearly pissed himself.

  It made him feel capable, like he was taking care of his woman and making it safe for her to come home. So a child was another reason to keep her close. His motives were somewhat underhanded, but he had to admit it pleased him that now she couldn’t bolt. Not if he wanted to be involved.

  “C’mere,” he murmured when her twitching became annoying. He reached for her shoulder and she tucked the pillow behind her and crawled his way, sliding along his side under his arm. She put her head on his shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I know I ain’t the ideal man to have a kid with. Sometimes I’m gone for days. There’s always the chance I could end up in jail. But I know you’re strong enough to deal with my bullshit, and the fact is you won’t need me. But I promise, Sharon. You let me, and I’ll make sure you know every day how much I appreciate you givin’ me all that. You will never go to sleep doubtin’ if I’m with you. I will always, always, have your back, baby.”

  She put her hand in the center of his chest and pushed up slightly, the better to see h
im. Her eyes shone wet again, and he used his thumb to brush off the first tear. “I’m believing you.”

  “Good. ‘Cause I mean it.”

  “And I like it when you call me baby.”

  He grinned, feeding his fingers into her silky hair. She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand, making his grin wider. “You like me callin’ you that?”

  “Yeah. I don’t know why. Anyone else I’d likely punch in the face. But I like it when you say it.”

  “Because you like me.”

  “It might just be the accent,” she said, opening her eyes and grinning.

  Fuck him, she was teasing him.

  “Nah,” he growled, hand cupping the back of her head now. “You like me.”

  When he pulled she moved further up his body, close enough he could kiss her properly, titling his head to slide his tongue into her mouth as she gave a soft whimper, her tongue ready to meet his. Holy shit, Sharon Downey was kissing him sweet, melting into his body, her hands sliding around his sides, clutching his ribs.

  When she got to squirming against him his cock was rock hard and aching. Two weeks was a long stretch for him and the women at the clubhouse had been plenty willing to make him feel better but he’d resisted. This was better. This was so much fucking better.

  His hands pulled at her T-shirt and then found the skin of her back, sliding over her warm softness to marvel at the pronounced dip at her spine, sliding lower and she crowded upward, giving him enough access to cup her ass, which he did under her shorts and over her underwear.

  With a groan he rolled his hips upward into her belly, the softness of her crossing his eyes. He wanted her, he wanted her more than he’d wanted anyone. Because she was his, and hopefully she wanted him to be hers.

  And he was. Absolutely.

  There was a loud ringing in the room suddenly, and she pulled her mouth from his, gazing down at him with a soft and hazy look that he really liked. Not quite fuck-drunk, but not far off.

  “That’s the timer,” she said, sounding scared again.

  “You want me to go look?”

  She shook her head and planted her hands on either side of him to push herself up. “No, I got it.”

  “Okay, baby.” He grinned as she shivered at the word baby then watched her walk to the small bathroom door. With a grunt he stood too, hands going to his pockets to wait.

  When she reentered she was holding two plastic cylinders, eyes on them, her face again hard to read. Then she looked up, eyes wet, and with a shuddering breath she pronounced, “Pregnant.”

  He didn’t know what she was thinking. If she was disappointed or what. “What do you want me to do?”

  “I need a hug.”

  “You got it, baby.” And she did. He was on it immediately, loving that she wrapped her arms around him so readily, resting her head on his shoulder. “What do we do now?” Maybe talking about the next steps would help her snap out of this.

  “I have to go see my doctor tomorrow. Have him do a test to be absolutely sure. Then he’ll likely have all kinds of warnings about pregnancy at my age, give me a good scare. Nightmares for weeks.”

  He gave her a slight squeeze. “Everythin’ will be fine. You’re healthy.”

  “I went online to look for common complications of pregnancy after 40. I didn’t sleep for four nights.”

  “We aren’t going to do that,” he assured her. “We’ll go with what the doctor says.”

  “Okay.”

  Fuck, the way she was clinging to him made him feel ten feet tall. And there was no doubt in his mind that he could take care of her and their kid. He knew he could do this. “What do you need, right now?”

  “Can you stay with me tonight?”

  Another squeeze. “That’s no hardship, baby. You got it.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  High blood pressure. Gestational diabetes. Low birth weight. Still born children.

  Sharon’s head was spinning by the time she was leaving the doctor’s office, but it was all warnings and information she’d been expecting. She had to make sure to stay healthy, one thing the doctor kept telling her. “Stay healthy. You’re in great shape considering your age. Hell, any age.”

  She really didn’t need people reminding her she was too old for this. She was well aware that this was possibly dangerous. To her and the baby. But it wasn’t planned, it happened. So obviously this old lady body still had it goin’ on somewhat.

  The only thing she hadn’t been prepared for was Fritter. While his interest in the baby last night had been welcome she expected him to wake up and bolt that morning. But he hadn’t, and at the doctor’s office he’d been totally involved and asking questions.

  She was surprised. Her doctor was very surprised. Once he got past the tattoos the check-up went very well. Thankfully Fritter left the kutte in his truck before they went inside. He’d even picked her up after going back to his own house that morning to get his “cage.”

  As she pulled the passenger door shut and fastened her seatbelt Fritter circled to the driver’s side and did the same then started up the rust bucket. It ran well, it just wasn’t pretty.

  “You hungry?” he asked, signaling before pulling out into traffic. “Sandwich? Pizza? Dill pickles and ice cream?”

  She laughed. “No weird cravings, not yet. But a sandwich would be good.”

  “You got it, momma.”

  “Momma?”

  “What?”

  She laughed again. “You’re really going to call me momma now?”

  “Yeah, I am. And uh,” he cleared his throat, eyes on the road. “Ma’s gonna need to know soon. I mean, I can wait until you tell your folks if you want. And the kid. But I can’t not tell her. She kicked my ass when she found out about us.”

  “She did?”

  “Oh yeah. Well, she suspected after I ran into you on Main Street, thinking you were dating your kid.” He winced. “Sorry about that, by the way.”

  “It’s fine. How exactly did she kick your ass?”

  “Found out about the video at the salon, then at the laundry at the hospital. People were talking about it, filthy shit she did not like because she’s probably your second biggest fan. I don’t think she even cares that I’m on that video, giving everyone a show of my cock before lasting all of one and a half minutes fucking you. But she knows that the election is basically tanked now. She’s really pissed.”

  Sharon bit her lip to keep her smile away. “Is someone giving you shit about your staying power?”

  He looked surprised, then he gave her a slow smile and returned his attention to driving. “The guys that saw it are. Askin’ me if I was racin’ someone.”

  “Did you tell them you took me to my room and then gave me an hour and a half of your undivided attention?”

  Now he outright grinned. “No, I didn’t,” he said on a chuckle, then looked to her again. “Don’t talk about you, Sharon. None of their business.”

  Her heart fluttered yet again, and she decided to watch out the side window as the sights of Markham flew by. “Are we really going to a diner to have a sandwich together?” she asked suddenly, alarmed.

  “I thought we would. Unless you’d rather I went in and got it to go.” Damn, he actually sounded disappointed. “We gotta get used to being seen together, momma. We can’t hide each other once the baby is here.”

  He was right, but she needed to get used to the idea. This being Markham, she had three minutes to accept it because it didn’t take all that long to get to a diner that she knew well because everyone in the department loved the place. It was close to work and delicious in a disgusting, greasy way.

  She grinned. He took her somewhere she was comfortable. Honestly, she could get used to that treatment.

  They walked through the deco chrome and glass door, strode past empty black, red and white half-circle booths to sit in a small two-person booth along the windows that looked out to the street. Fritter positioned her on one side quite pointedly, and she kne
w he wanted to watch the door.

  That was fine with her. She was happy to drop her guard, slide into the vinyl booth and grab a menu.

  They ordered when the waitress came, then she set her hands on the tabletop in front of her. He reached across to take her hand so swiftly it startled her and she tried to pull back. “Fritter—”

  “No one’s even looking.”

  She scanned the room and found he was absolutely correct. There was one older fellow at the lunch counter talking to his waitress, and a circle booth hosting a family of five had their attentions on two toddlers who appeared to be twins and having a “Who Could Make The Most Noise” contest.

  “See, momma? Told you.” He grinned, and she felt it right down to her toes. Damn, had such a great smile. She hoped their baby had that smile.

  “Not used to it,” she mumbled, shaking off the sappy baby thoughts. She wasn’t that woman, never had been. “Haven’t been on a date since college.”

  Fritter grinned, too. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on a date.”

  “No?”

  “Nuh uh. In school we went to dances in groups, hung out in groups. After high school, just had to worry about hook ups.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “For your first date you were doing very well. Right up to that statement.”

  He laughed softly, looking down at their hands. “Yeah, I’m a little rough around the edges, momma. But here I am, on a date with you anyway. And it doesn’t feel weird to me at all.”

  She had to smile as he ducked his head and brought her hand up to kiss it, then just smiled at her across the table. Sweet. So unbelievably sweet.

  She was about to speak when his cell phone rang. He frowned then nodded to her, leaned forward and pulled it from his back pocket. “Howdy.”

  She took her hand back and smiled as the waitress set their glasses of water down, took a big sip then watched Fritter’s face go from curious to shock. Her stomach dropped.

  “You’re shitting me.” She sat up straighter. “No, I’ll go. I’m just a couple blocks away.” his eyes flicked to her and she nodded to show she understood. “I got back up.”