Brandi couldn’t be more confused. Blaze was with the ATF? How had she not seen that coming? Especially since she had lived with him for months! She wracked her brain thinking about the time they’d been together. The mysterious phone calls stood out like a sore thumb. But there wasn’t much else. Oh, The Decider she’d lain next to underneath his bed when she’d almost got caught in his room after she’d pleasured herself - that had been questionable. But nothing else had sparked her attention. She’d assumed he was a regular ole bodyguard. Wow. Well played, Blaze, well played. She had to give the guy credit.
“I’m in love with you.”
“What? You just confessed I hardly even know you!”
“You heard me, Red. I’m in love with you. And you do know me. I’m the same man, I wasn’t hiding my true self. Only the job I was doing. Everything that happened between us: the good and the bad, was all organic. It was honest and real. The way I held you at night, the way you held me and confided in me – all of that was real. Don’t deny that, Red. My only hope is that you can find it in yourself to forgive me for not telling you that I was undercover. I hope you can understand why I couldn’t.”
This was almost too much. Her shoulder wasn’t in so much pain anymore. She was definitely going to need rehabilitation on it and now this? This man who was confessing his love to her? He was in love with her? Mr. Hot Shot Bodyguard was in love with her? And he was begging her for forgiveness? Okay, maybe not begging, but he was asking her to understand his position.
Who was she kidding? The way he was lounging in that chair, his shirt drawn taut across his broad chest and his legs spread apart, tempting her to nestle herself between them, she couldn’t be mad at him. He was a true-blooded hero. He was her hero. As well as Dakota’s, Drew’s, Deanna’s and Dylan’s.
She was too much in love with him to be upset. How could she be angry? Night after night he’d proved to her and shown her that she wasn’t the ugly duckling her family had made her out to be. He’d proven to her that beauty comes from the inside and only extremely lucky people can be beautiful on the inside as well as the out. He’d insisted it was she who was beautiful, but really, it was him. She’d never met anyone like him – confident, strong, smart and sexy as fuck! His nervous laugh brought her back to the present.
“Say something.”
“You really love me? You’re ready for that again? You aren’t still caught up on Nadia?”
He moved from the chair, positioning himself onto the edge of her bed. “Of course I’m ready for this. Nadia will always have a place in my heart but she’s not you and you’re not her. She was my past and I will always miss her. You…you’ve shown me what it’s like to love again. You’ve shown me through all of the moments we’ve shared with Dakota and every afternoon when the rest of the kids were home. I love you, Brandi Parker. I think about you all the time. I want to be with you all the time. When you jumped in front of that bullet, I swear my heart fell out of my chest. Don’t do that EVER again, Red. Promise me.”
She felt the onslaught of unshed tears, knowing she wasn’t going to be able to hold them inside. “I couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to you, Blaze. I had no other choice. I wasn’t going to lose you.”
“Don’t cry. You aren’t mad at me?”
“Never. You aren’t mad at me?”
“For what? Saving my life? Risking your life for me? I think I can get over it,” he said. He leaned into her and kissed her.
She pulled back, “God, you smell like heaven. Ever since you walked into the guest house, I’ve been obsessed with Acqua Di Gio. I can’t seem to get enough.”
His mouth curled up in a wicked grin and his lone dimple came out of hiding. “I don’t want you to get enough. I want you wanting it, wanting me forever.”
“Tell me, is Drake okay? How are the children? I guess I’m probably out of a job, huh?”
“Drake and the kids are doing as well as can be expected. Drake’s mother moved into the house and has been helping with the kids. Drake has been dealing with a lot of legal stuff because of Diane. Safe to say, they’ll be getting a divorce. Your dad has a hearing coming up because of the new charges they stacked on him for blackmail and what have you. I don’t know about your job. But I moved out of the guest house.”
Her heart sank. If he moved out, that meant she would be alone and she wanted to be with him. No! Suddenly, it felt like the hospital walls were consuming her and sucking out all of the oxygen. He was going to move back to New York, wasn’t he? But didn’t he just make it sound like he wanted to stay with her?
She swallowed, “Where are you staying? You probably have to go back to your job, huh? I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“I gave my notice to Shell, who is my boss there. He’s refusing to accept it but when I saw you lying on the ground, I knew I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t risk losing a woman I love, all over again. This was close enough. I couldn’t leave your side once you got admitted into the hospital. Shell was plenty pissed about that. But they figured it out. Then when they had to induce you into a coma,” he chuckled and shook his head. “Damn Red, you’re sure a feisty one.”
“What did I do that they induced me into a coma?”
“After they sewed up your shoulder, you woke up and were trying to fight with everyone because you were trying to find me. You don’t remember any of that?”
“No. How mortifying!”
“I was flattered. Anyway, I’m staying with my brother and Marilyn. But since they’re going to be having a baby any time, I’ll need to find a place of my own.”
“You’ll have plenty of time. The baby isn’t due yet.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. I drove Marilyn here with me. They’re having a baby as we speak.”
“What?! And you waited until now to tell me?”
“I was pouring my heart out to you. That was more important.”
“Okay, you’re right. That was more important-”
“Hello, Hello. Knock, knock.”
“Gabbie! Amber! Did you guys come for Marilyn?”
“What? Marilyn? No silly, we came to see you. Where is she?”
“Ohmigosh, don’t tell me, she’s having the baby?”
“Yes! They’re in there having a baby!”
The ladies clapped and cheered and Blaze must have taken that as his cue to exit. His warm breath slid across her forehead as he kissed her.
“Don’t keep me in suspense too long. I will be back to finish this conversation,” he whispered.
He stood and walked passed Amber and Gabbie, “Ladies, I will see you later.”
“Bye, Blaze.”
Both women turned to the door, watching him as he exited, all the while admiring his ass as he strolled down the hallway.
Gabbie fanned herself, “Oh my, that boy is on fire.”
“Almost puts Gage’s ass to shame,” Amber said. “Almost.”
“It does put Gage’s ass to shame. And he is all mine. All mine.”
“Is that what we walked in on? We can leave, you know, and get him to come back in here.”
“No. It will be fine. Blaze and I are going to be okay.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
“I’m glad to hear it, too.”
“And, we’re all going to be aunts!”
“Do you think we can wheel you down to the maternity ward?” Gabbie asked.
“I don’t see why not. Where are Logan and Gage?”
“They’re in the cafeteria. They wanted to give you space.”
Brandi buzzed the nurse explaining what they wanted to do and a few minutes later, the three of them were on their way to the maternity ward.
“I sent Gage a text. They’re going to meet us in the waiting room. Blaze is with them.”
“I still can’t believe we were lucky enough to find these men.”
“Me either. And I know Logan wants lots of babies but he knows how hesitant I am about the whole issue and he’s been so kind and patient. I don’t know how I got so lucky.”
“Amber?”
“What?”
“I don’t hear you saying anything. What’s going on with you and Gage?”
Amber flipped her blond hair to the side before answering, “You have to wait until Marilyn can be with us. I want to tell you all together.”
“Ohhh, a surprise! Are you guys finally getting married? Having a baby?”
“Stop. I’m not telling you guys. Yet.”
“How are you holding up, Ginger? With everything that happened and your dad being involved yet again. Are you doing okay?” Gabbie asked. Gabbie slowed the wheelchair, the wheels squeaking as she almost came to a stop.
“Keep going. I’m good. It’ll be okay. Everything will be okay as long as I have Blaze with me.”
“Have you told him you love him yet?”
“Not yet. He can read me like a book. I bet he already knows.”
“You probably said it in your sleep.”
“Did not!”
Amber rolled her eyes, “Did to! We all know you talk in your sleep.”
“Whatever. I hope not. That would be so embarrassing.”
The girls giggled all the way to the waiting room where Logan, Gage and Blaze were waiting for them. Gabbie flew into Logan’s arms as if she hadn’t seen him in decades and Amber and Gage eyed each other, clearly keeping a secret between them. Brandi couldn’t wait to hear what it was and she couldn’t wait for Marilyn and Blake to become parents.
“Has anyone heard anything?”
Blaze checked his phone, “Nada. He’ll text me once the baby is born.”
“I can’t wait to find out whether they have a boy or a girl.”
“It’s going to be a boy,” Gage said.
“Nah, I bet it’ll be a girl,” said Blaze.
“Maybe with their next pregnancy, they’ll have twins.”
They chatted and laughed, making bets about the gender of the baby, including what the baby’s name was going to be. The guys currently had twenty each in the pot with Gage convinced the baby was going to be a boy. Logan and Blaze agreed to split Gage’s twenty once he was proven wrong.
“Finally! The moment of truth,” Blaze hollered. “You guys have the baby? I’m going to put you on speaker, everyone’s here in the waiting room.”
“Just come to our room. It’s 408.”
“Sweet. We’ll be right there.”
They made their way to Blake and Marilyn’s room in record time. Naturally, the women were the first to enter.
“Ohmigosh.”
“You guys. I’m so happy you are all here,” Marilyn said. Tears welled in her eyes, “Meet our new baby girl, Jean Harlow Bryant.”
The room was full of chatter from that point on. The men shook Blake’s hand and did that half-hug thing that only guys do, while all the women took turns oohing and ahhing over baby Jean Harlow.
“Would you like to hold her?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Amber gently placed her arms underneath the baby and nestled the newborn into her body. “Oh my, I’ve never held a baby this young before. She’s so adorable. Look at her tiny nose and her little lips.”
Gage stood stoically behind Amber, as he too was enthralled with baby Jean Harlow. “She is so tiny,” his voice was gruff and Brandi couldn’t help but wonder what was going on between Amber and Gage. Maybe they were getting married and meeting the newborn had them considering starting a family.
Amber looked up then, at everyone, “Gage and I have some news we wanted to share with you all. I’m pregnant.”
Everyone started cheering and congratulating them but Amber quickly hushed them, “Shhh, you guys will wake up Jean Harlow. Keep it down.”
“This is going to be so amazing, Amber. Maybe you’ll have a girl and they’ll be best friends like us.”
“I know,” a trickle of tears fell from Amber’s eyes, slowly sliding down her cheeks. “This is a miracle. It’s unreal how…how innocent and precious this is. I mean, she is so tiny and she completely depends on you guys. It’s almost scary to think about really.”
“You guys are going to make great parents.”
“We hope,” Gage tenderly stroked the newborn’s cheek. “We’re going to do our best, aren’t we, Reina?”
“We sure are.”
Brandi’s own eyes watered as she watched Gage and Amber’s sweet exchange between one another and Jean Harlow. That is what she wanted. The sweet love between two people that could fill an entire room, yet only stay between the two of them as if it were a big secret. The way Gage leaned over Amber admiring the baby and Amber, as if he’d never seen anything more beautiful.
She swallowed and met Blaze’s gaze. His bright blue were as clear as the sky on a summer day. That’s my man and he wants me. Heat rose to her cheeks as he undressed her with his eyes and she squeezed her legs together in an attempt to stop the heat spreading any further.
“Do you want to hold her, Brandi?”
“Not now. I’m actually getting tired. Blaze, will you take me back? I leave tomorrow and I will come see you guys tomorrow, okay?”
“Get plenty of rest.”
“Congratulations, you guys…well, to all four of you! See you tomorrow.”
Blaze wheeled her out of the maternity ward and back to her room. She settled onto her hospital bed as Blaze shut the door behind him.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to Ms. Parker.”
“Why, whatever do you mean, Mr. Bryant?”
“I saw the way you were looking at me in there. I know what that look is telling me.”
“What’s that?”
“That your pussy is hot and wet, waiting for me to tear into it.”
“You think so. I dare you to find out.”
“Open your legs, Ginger. Let me feel you.”