Ride with Me (12 page)

I need to make a doctor’s appointment.

Part of me wants to call Cruz right now and tell him, but that would be seriously shitty of me. Throwing a bomb like this on him just isn’t going to happen. I don’t want to worry him with what I have floating around in my head right now. Besides, he’s on the road, and he said he would be back late tomorrow, so I will tell him then.

I look at the clock and curse. I need to pick Cooper up from Ma’s.

***

“What’s going on with you?” Ma asks me right off the bat. I’m not sure what I look like, but I didn’t write “
I’m pregnant
” across my damn forehead before I left the house.

“Nothing?” It comes out as more of a question than an answer. I should tell Cruz before anyone else, but my mom’s eyes narrow on me then widen. She knows.

A smile beams across her face, and I swear she’s just stopping herself from jumping up and down like a lunatic.

“Are you?” she asks as Coop jumps down from my lap and rushes out of the room.

I nod, and she squeals.

“Don’t,” I warn her. “I just figured it out this morning. Cruz doesn’t know, and I don’t want Pops knowing until I talk to Cruz.”

She waves her hand. “He’s on a run, too. He won’t be back until tomorrow night or the next day. How far along are you?”

I tilt my head up to the ceiling, more because of the fool I am for not catching it months ago. I then look around the room, making sure Coop is out of it. “I think two months, maybe.”

Her look turns fierce.

In … five … four … three … two … and one …

“Harlow! I taught you better than that. You are nowhere near a stupid airhead. How could you not know you weren’t bleeding between your damn legs?”

I hang my head because she’s right. I deserve this.

“Excuses are shit, Ma. Bottom line is, I’ve been so damn busy and keeping track of days hasn’t been top on my list. Cruz, Cooper, X, family, the club …” I shake my head, furious with myself. “I’m an ass and I’ve drunk, Ma. Do you know if I hurt the baby?”

Ma’s expression changes in a flash. It’s not disgust or anger. No, it softens as she comes closer. “You’ll have to talk to the doctor about all that. I don’t have those answers.”

“I’m an ass, Ma. If I hurt this baby in any way …” My head falls into my hands as the fear of causing harm to the unborn baby slams into my gut.

Ma places her hand on mine, giving me a squeeze as my head comes up. “Baby girl, you can’t worry yourself about this right now. You don’t know if there is something to worry about, so doing it now is going to zap all of your energy, which you’re going to need.”

She’s right and I know it.

“All right, Ma.”

***

I call Blaze, asking her if she can handle everything at X for a couple of days until I get my head straight. I don’t tell her that last part, just that I am spending time with Cooper, which isn’t a lie. I swear we have played every game in this house, done arts and crafts, and watched movies. I love my boy, but damn, he has so much energy.

I appreciate the movies, though. He settles down enough for me to take naps. The greatest thing about him keeping me so busy is that I don’t let the fears of hurting my baby come into play. I simply enjoy my boy and the prospect of having another.

I imagine the three of us playing games, just like I have with Coop, and I have to admit the thoughts are wonderful.

Cruz calls and says he will be home late tonight. I want to stay up to talk to him, but sleep overtakes me, and I pass out.

***

Raging heat blankets me, and my eyes fly open, trying to get rid of the heat that is sweltering my skin. Cruz lies next to me, his arms and legs wrapped around me so damn securely his body heat is entrapping me. I shift, trying to get his beefy arm off my chest, but he just grips me more tightly.

The heat is too much. I’m on the verge of passing out, so I elbow him in the chest.

“Cruz, let go!”

He groans yet doesn’t let go, so I elbow him again, frantic to get away from the heat and get some coolness. Normally, I love waking up with my man wrapped around me, but this morning, it is a no go. The next hit is hard.

“What the fuck?” he growls, pissed off.

“Cruz, let me go. I’m fucking hot and need some air.” My words are frantic because, for some reason, I’m feeling a shit load of anxiety that I have never felt before.

His arms relax, and I scurry out of them and sit on the edge of the bed, my breathing labored. I close my eyes as the coolness of the room caresses my skin. The panic recedes as my body cools down.

My eyes drift over to Cruz who has the most puzzled look on his face.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

“Care to tell me what the fuck is going on here?” He sits up, resting his back on the headboard, his arms at his sides. Even angry, my man is hotter than hell.

“I …”

“Mommy!” Coop calls into the room just as he barrels through the door. I’m glad I wore a T-shirt to bed. I swear that little guy can sense when Cruz or I are naked. Cruz doesn’t give a shit. Me? I do.

“Hey.” I smile just as his face finds his father’s.

“Daddy!” he screeches and runs directly to Cruz, jumping up on the bed and into his arms.

Watching my man hug my little man is enough to bring tears to my eyes. Fuck, what’s wrong with me?
Pregnant, Princess.
Fuck, I need to talk to Cruz.

“I misseded you,” Coop tells his father.

“I missed you, too, buddy.” The smile on Cruz’s face would bring any woman to her knees. I love seeing their interactions, love seeing how good Cruz is with Coop—gentle yet stern. It only makes me love him more.

“Mommy and I payed games …” Coop goes on an entire tirade, giving Cruz a blow-by-blow of every single thing we did while Cruz was gone.

I get up from the bed and head to the bathroom where I do my business and wash my face.

In about five minutes, I’m going to rock my man’s world. The nerves kick in a bit, not in fear, but in anticipation. I’m excited to see what his reaction will be, what he will say, if his mouth will drop open, considering I was on the pill and then boom. We didn’t plan it, but I know he will be happy. I almost want to set up a video camera and tape how he reacts.

I smile into the mirror, my face having a slight glow, but I don’t look different. I do feel a little different, yet I don’t know how to explain it. Maybe I shouldn’t know yet. Maybe I need to let all this digest before I figure it out.

I hear Cooper still blabbing on about Hungry Hippo and Chutes and Ladders. I hate those fucking chutes. I swear I landed on every single damn one of them, but seeing Coop’s glee when I had to go back down to the beginning was worth it.

I step from the bathroom and move to the closet, tossing on some shorts.

“Mommy, I ’ungry,” Cooper calls from behind me as I turn to my boy.

“Cereal or pancakes?” I ask with a smile.

“Oot Oops.” Fuck, that F sound is still so damn difficult for him. He’s been practicing, but his teacher says it’s the way his mouth moves that makes that sound difficult. He actually still drops several of his sounds. I have been nervous, but the teacher says to give him time and gave me games to work with him at home, so that’s what I’m doing.

“Fruit Loops, got it. Go into the living room, and we’ll be right out,” I tell him, putting my fingers in his hair and giving it a shake.

He darts from the room, a bundle of energy, and I know my day is going to be seriously busy with him.

I grab the pregnancy test from the top of my dresser and hide it in my hand, the tip of it pointing up my arm. Then I turn to my man, who’s still sitting the exact same way as before, except with his hands behind his head, stretching those sexy muscles of his. My pussy dampens, and I shift my legs.
Not the time.

As I climb on the bed, Cruz’s brow lifts in question.

“So, I have something to tell you,” I start as he opens his arms, ready for me. I go into them freely. I say nothing, just hand him the test. I’m not going to lie; it’s gross that I’m handing him a stick with my piss on it, but I do. Whatever.

Cruz’s eyes grow wide as his mouth opens into an O. “You’re shittin’ me,” he says in a deep breath then starts sucking in air like he can’t get enough of it.

“No, babe. I’m not shitting you. I’m pregnant.”

The test goes flying through the air as I gasp, watching it fall to the carpeted floor. Cruz tackles me to the bed, laying his body over every inch of mine. His weight feels like coming home. I love it—love him.

His eyes are seriously intense as they penetrate me, but it isn’t anger. No, it’s possession. I have seen this look before, and I’m sure for what he wants to do we won’t have time, because if I don’t get my ass to the kitchen soon, Coop will be back in.

“I want to fuck you,” he growls deeply.

“Babe, Coop,” I remind him, but the intensity doesn’t go down.

“Bathroom.” He jumps up, pulling me with him into the bathroom where he shuts the door and locks it.

Before I can breathe, my shorts are down and my ass is on the countertop. His dick bounces against his abs only seconds before he pushes inside of me.

“Stop,” I say, and he halts. I have never told him to stop before, but I can’t go to the doctor with come running down me. “Babe, wrap it. Can’t go to the doctor with you falling out of me.”

“You’ve got to be shittin’ me,” he growls.

“I’m not.”

“No,” he grunts out and pushes inside me. “My pussy. I don’t fucking glove up for it.”

“But …” I start, however, he pushes so hard he hits my sensitive spot, and my eyes flutter. Fuck. “You gotta pull out,” I try.

“Fine.”

As he fucks me with abandon, my ass scrapes up and down on the countertop. I take it all, clutching his shoulders.

He wastes no time getting me there as his lips crash down to mine, lighting me on fire. His strokes become feverish as sweat begins to form on my skin. I’m there, so there. Two more ins and outs and I’m lost. I close my mouth, trying not to scream, but a muffled moan comes out anyway. He stills, pulling out of me and coating his release on my belly and his shirt. We then clutch each other as we catch our breaths.

“Mommy!” is yelled through the door as little fists pound against it.

“Fucking hell.”

“I’ll be out in a second!” I call out, hopping off the counter and grabbing a washcloth before ripping the shirt from my body.

“Is Daddy in tare?” Cooper calls out as Cruz grabs a pair of green sweatpants, putting them over his once again straining cock.

“Be out in a minute. Go to your room and get your Legos. Bring them to the living room, and we’ll play,” Cruz calls through the door, his eyes pinned on me as I finish cleaning the remnants of him then put my shorts back on. So much for basking in the afterglow of a mind-blowing orgasm.

“Okeydokey,” Cooper calls, his little footsteps heading down the hall.

Cruz pulls me into him, wrapping me in those warm arms of his. Luckily, I don’t feel so damn heated this time. “You’re havin’ my baby.” His voice is soft and reverent, like he doesn’t believe it’s actually happening.

“Yeah,” I whisper back.

“Fuck yeah.” He smiles, making my stomach flip. His lips crash down on mine as he takes me in a deep, toe-curling kiss.

I almost get lost in it yet pull away. “Babe, I’ve gotta go take care of Coop.”

“You are the best fucking mother my kids could ever have,” he says, kissing the top of my head.

I feel the heat creeping up. I don’t fucking blush, but he’s doing it to me. Shit.

“Thanks.” My voice is quiet, trying to hide a bit.

“We need to get married sooner rather than later. Babe, I know you don’t give a shit about it, but I do. You’re wearing my ring and have my kid inside you. I want it.”

I smile up at him. “Then let’s do it.”

He kisses me senseless before finally pulling away.

She’s fucking pregnant. Holy fucking shit!

When Coop’s mom told me she was pregnant with him, I admit I was pissed at first. Mel was a fuck I repeated over the year, but I never wanted anything more with her than sex. I knew she was trying to trap me into staying with her, but a man like me can’t be trapped … unless I want to be.

She did give me the best fucking gift in the world, though—Cooper. From the moment I held that boy in my arms, I knew I would never be the same man.

Now Princess is carrying my kid, and there is an entirely new set of feelings there. Happiness doesn’t seem to fit the way I feel at this moment. No, I’m not sure any one word could convey the swarm floating around inside me.

Sure, Mel wanted to trap me and tame me, but the difference with Princess and me is that I know she wants to be with me, heart and soul.

Having a child between us connects us forever. It may be hypocritical of me, but fuck it. I don’t give a shit. The three of us are already a family, but that shit is becoming official. I’m going to make it happen.

I enter the kitchen, seeing my boy sitting at the table, eating his cereal, and Princess moves around, opening cupboards and pulling down mugs for coffee. She turns, probably feeling my presence in the room, and darts toward me.