“This stick says pregnant.”

I didn’t open my eyes. Didn’t even breathe. “No, it doesn’t.”

“Actually, yes, it does. I can read, Cal. It says pregnant.”

“I don’t think so. It can’t be. We’ve been trying for months, and nothing.”

“You know what they say about returning to the scene of the crime. With the way you two go at it, you’re sure you don’t have a couple muffins in that incubator?”

“You’re mixing your metaphors,” I told my sister as I faced the mirror and pulled my ordinary yellow top in tighter to my stomach. “I haven’t gained any weight. My boobs aren’t even bigger.”

“First, she’s pregnant by a smokin’ hot Irish rockstar. Then I’m supposed to be sad for her that she’s gonna squeeze out his offspring and isn’t even gaining any weight for her trouble? Nope, sorry.” Ava came up behind me and dropped her chin to my shoulder, a wide grin wreathing her face. “Congratulations, mama.”

I met my sister’s bright green eyes in the mirror and started to smile. The corners of my mouth lifted, prepared for liftoff, and then, without warning, water gushed from my eyes.

“Oh my God. Really? Is this really happening?” I whirled around to hug my sister and she laughed and hugged me back, dancing and sniffling and laughing with me.

We babbled incoherently at one another for probably three minutes before the front door of our apartment slammed. “Calliope, where are you?”

The weepy, giggly dancefest ended abruptly in the bathroom.

Ava held a finger up to her mouth. “Shh. Maybe he won’t know we’re here.”

Playfully, I shoved her and passed a hand over my hair. There was no making myself presentable. I had makeup smeared around my eyes and my nose was as red as the famous reindeer’s. I sounded as if I had a severe cold.

This so wasn’t the way I wanted to tell Owen we were having a baby—finally. It seemed like it had taken forever, but in actuality, we’d only tried for a few months.

Memorable ones at that. We’d worked our way through some positions that even my highly deviant mind couldn’t come up with on its own, never mind figure out how to re-enact without help.

He’d had a rough day in the studio from the sounds of things. Maybe I should wait until a better time to tell him. Maybe—

Maybe he was standing in the doorway, a snarl on his normally easygoing face as his sexy gray eyes zeroed in on what Ava still held in her hand.

“What is that?” he demanded.

My sister shoved it behind her back, and then shoved me in front of her. “Nothing. How was your day, honey bunch?”

He didn’t so much as blink. In the almost six months we’d being married, he’d swiftly learned my sister spoke fluent sarcasm. “Calliope, what is your sister holding in her hand?” he asked, looming over me until my nipples waved hi and my throat grew dry.

Hey there, kid in utero. This bossy Irish dude is your daddy. Don’t let his bluster scare you. Normally, he’s a kitten with a monster penis.

“What’s up with the full name treatment suddenly?” I cleared my throat and attempted to steer my thoughts away from Owen’s accent, Owen’s accent’s effect on my nipples, and Owen’s monster cock which had nothing to do with his heritage and everything to do with why I’d so enjoyed the process of getting knocked up.

“I come home and call out for my wife, and she doesn’t reply to me. Instead she’s huddling in here. Now I know why.” He angled his head. “You’ve been crying.”

“Not exactly,” I hedged.

“We agreed you weren’t going to take any more tests for a while, because they upset you too much. And after the day I’ve had, we don’t need any more of that.”

“What was wrong with your day?” I followed him from the bathroom into our bedroom, well aware that my sister was left holding my pee stick for a little longer.

I hoped she didn’t throw it out. Didn’t think it’d fit in the kid’s baby book, but maybe I could make a memento box.

Ugh, gross, no one needs your pee stick as a memento. Least of all your unborn child.

“Just the usual. Squabbling bandmates, overbearing managers, endless takes of one bloody song.” He yanked out a drawer and dug through it, looking for who knows what. Then he raked a hand through his overlong dark hair and glanced over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes as footsteps sounded behind me. “Seriously, you can dispose of that thing. Not sure it’s necessary you wave it in our faces anymore.”

Ava lifted her eyebrows pointedly at me.

“Can we, ah, have some privacy?” I said to my sister.

“Sure. I’ll just—”

Owen shut the dresser drawer and stomped over to Ava, plucking the stick out of her hand before she could make a peep. “Let’s just get rid of this, shall we?”

“I don’t think you should. Well, maybe you should, because kinda disgusting, but better get used to it, because your whole life is going to be disgusting from now on. Dirty diapers, two a.m. feedings, vomit on your shoes—” At my astonished glance, Ava fell silent. “So how about those Raiders?”

Owen was staring at the stick and saying nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“Ava,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Okay, I’m going. It’s been real. Congrats again. And sorry. And congrats. K. Bye.” She fled down the hall and the front door shut behind her a moment later.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you first. I mean, I’m sorry I didn’t take the test with you. I just got a wild hair, and Ava was here, and she pushed me into doing it right then— No, that’s a lie, I wanted to do it right then, and I didn’t want to get your hopes up, but then again, I didn’t know you’d come home in a cranky pants mood.”

“Are you quite finished?”

I flipped through my jumbled thoughts. “Yes. For now.”

“You’re pregnant.” His gray eyes, so like the windswept water of his beloved country during a storm, roamed over my face and down to my belly. His gaze lingered there, as if he was trying to see through my clothes.

I could help him with that, as the longer he looked at me with those sex eyes, the closer I came to getting naked.

Hell, I was pregnant. Might as well fuck like a bunny while I still had good range of motion.

“Yes?”

He frowned and brought his gaze back up to mine. “Yes? Question mark on the end?”

“No, it’s pretty definitive, I’d say.”

“If you’ve taken only one test—”

“That was the second.” I smoothed a hand over my stomach and tried not to shiver as he tracked the movement. “I’d say it’s pretty definite.”

Also, that expression of yours? All broody, thinky, and intense? Equally capable of making a woman sprout a child. Just saying.

Still holding the stick, he stepped up to me and cupped my cheek in his broad, warm hand. “Are you ill?”

“Right now? A little, waiting for your response. Killing me, Blackbeard. Just tell a girl if you’re happy or…whatever. But if you’re not happy, there’s no sending it back. This isn’t like a toy you ended up not liking when you got it home. Once you put one of these suckers on layaway, you’re pretty much—”

“Bunny.” His minty breath wafted over my lips.

“Yes?”

“Shut up.” Then he crushed his mouth to mine.

* * *

Baby.

Little person.

Don’t hurt her.

Don’t manhandle her.

How was I supposed to do this? All these intense emotions were driving me toward maximum overload. All the things I was used to doing with her—and now shouldn’t do—overrode my brain.

Abort. No, don’t use that word.

Go easy.

Baby.

Sweet bleeding Jesus, she was having my baby. I glanced down at the stick in my hand and the lines that blurred and focused like a camera gone haywire. It should have made me shrink like I was swimming in the Atlantic, but no. I was as hard as a fucking pike.

My baby.

I set the stick on the side table and dropped to my knees in front of her.

“Owen, jeez.”

She staggered when I dragged at her leggings she was forever wearing. I needed flesh. Her skin under my lips.

I needed to touch all that was housing our little one.

I swiped my thumb across the baby-fine hairs along her skin and the cute little belly button I’d spent ages kissing, talking to, begging for a baby to start growing behind.

Now he—she?—was finally here.

Did I mention I was hard as a feckin’ piece of rebar? Not that I knew what rebar was until a few weeks ago. Building a damn house, I was.

Well, not me. Workmen.

But I’d been freaking out about all the materials everywhere in our little place as we survived in the only corner of the house that was done—confining ourselves to our bedroom and master bath was like living in a small apartment in the midst of chaos. Now I had even more to worry about. Dust, debris, chemicals, noise…God.

A baby.

I pressed my cheek against her belly and blew out a long, slow breath. “A wee little one in there?”

She looked down at me with those huge, guileless eyes. My beautiful wife and her perfectness that fit me in so many ways. She toyed with my hair. “Aye, Blackbeard. We have a little guy—or girl—in there.” Her eyes shone. “Happy?”

“Very much. More than I thought even possible.”

She laughed and pushed my hair back. “You’re going to be the very best daddy.”

“I hope so.” I frowned and looked down at her belly again. “How far along are we?”

“How far am I, you mean? I don’t see you pushing out a watermelon from your boy places, pal.”

I laughed. “Aye, but I did have a hand in the creating.”

“That you did. I’m not sure yet. I’m barely late.”

I nodded. “Doctors then? Straightaway.”

She laughed. “Yes, we’ll get an appointment.”

I pulled her panties down lower to find the curve of her lower belly and swollen slit. She sucked in a deep breath, her eyes wide and lit with a fire that matched my own. I watched her as I flicked my tongue through the sweet little valley. Her lips swelled and her clit tightened instantly. Drawing tight to hide itself from me.

I chased it down, sucking the little pearl of perfection. Her legs trembled and she swayed slightly. I slid my hand around the backs of her thighs and up to the solid curves of her ass. My Bunny was more than a handful there. So much so that I was forever chasing her around for a bite. All the lunges she did for her photography left her tight as a drum. That and the yoga she’d taken to doing with her sister to get her body ready for a baby.

And again, the word baby caught me off guard.

We’d been doing everything we could to make one. Fucking, loving, even timing out our sex sometimes—which was way less sexy than it sounds. But she wanted one and I…well, I didn’t realize how much I wanted something of my own until she put the idea in my brain.

Something of her, something of me, something of us in a wild, wonderful configuration that only we could create.

So fucking amazing.

So goddamn huge.

I buried my tongue deeper into her and watched as she swayed in that Callie way of hers. Fighting it, loving it, and finally surrendering to it. As if she had any other recourse. I’d never leave her hanging. Even to my own detriment.

I ripped at my zipper and took myself in hand to ease the ache of being stuffed into my denims. I pumped and palmed myself in time to each stroke of my tongue. I held onto her with one hand as she shuddered for me.

The soft, mewling sound I lived for started from her damn toes. I released my cock and gripped her hips as I drank her down, pushing her toward the bed. She fell back with a little shriek and I crawled over her, pushing her up the bed.

She crab-walked back, trying to get away from me.

“Owen.” Her voice was cracking, her breath more of a pant.

There was no way I was stopping now. I threw her leg over my shoulder and slid two fingers into her as she flexed around me. She bowed up off the bed, her arms reaching above her head.

I only wanted her holding on to me.

I reached up with my other hand to find her breasts. She arched higher, bowing up until she was nothing but a feline stretch of golden skin and hair. She twisted her fingers over mine, laced ours together as I pushed at cotton to get to her.

I shoved at her little lacy piece of fluff she called a bra. My girl didn’t really like to be bound by elastic and wires. I loved it.

Her pert little tits were my favorite to suck on.

Well, next to her perfect clit anyway.

I plucked at her nipple and she writhed. She grabbed at my hand, pushing me away then dragging me closer. Fucking sensitive.

They always were, but now?

Fuck, she was unraveling under me as if I was the only thing holding her together.

I pulled my mouth free of her, the taste soaked into my tongue and cheeks, sticking to my beard. I was covered in her. I turned my hand to replace my tongue with my thumb at her clit. Circling again and again then pressing down until it pulsed under the pad of my finger.

So damn hot.

So much mine.

I climbed higher to her breast.

I sucked her raspberry nipple into my mouth. So tight and God, if it wasn’t practically throbbing under my tongue.

Maybe it was just my own heartbeat. Or my cock. Because it was so hard I couldn’t use good sense at this point.

Sex had been for a purpose lately. A scheduled time around temperatures and gauges I’d never understand no matter how many books I read. Oh, there were still times when we couldn’t get enough of one another. When it wasn’t just about the baby we both wanted so very badly. But there were far too many nights that ended in prayers and quiet, both of us hoping that maybe this time was the one.

Here and now, my Bunny was strung out on my touch. Just because of me. No ulterior motive. Because she wanted me to touch her and connect.

Possessiveness threatened to drown me.

I had to get inside her.

She pushed at my jacket, at my shirt, at my pants—all at once, her hands were everywhere. I flipped my coat off as I knelt between her thighs. She was open wide for me, her shirt shoved up under her chin and her panties hanging off her ankle like a white flag of surrender.

No surrender. Not now.

I reached behind my neck to jerk my shirt off and her eyes did that hooded thing I loved. The lust and love battling for supremacy in her bright summer blue gaze. She drew her fingertips up her ribs to her breasts. “Everything feels so big.”

I grinned down at her. “Aye, I’ll give you big.”

She lifted her foot against my belly as I pushed my jeans down lower. She dug her blue polished toes into the ridges of my abs. “You certainly will.”

I lifted her foot and kissed her ankle as I lowered myself slowly. The fervor dying down a little at the happiness radiating out of her. I slowly dragged the tip of my cock through her soaked slit and bumped against her clit.

She let out a gasp and her back arched. “Again.”

I gripped the steel rod that was my dick and swirled again. “Like that, Bunny?”

She shuddered. “Inside. That feels so good, but I need you inside me. Like we used to. You filled me until there was nothing else.”

Fuck, yes.

She felt it too. Knew that above even the joy of the baby, we needed this closeness again.

This was about us, and the love we’d nurtured for the last year in between the craziness of a tour, and album releases, and band tensions, and our own trials to get pregnant.

Above all of that would always be me and Callie.

I slipped inside her slowly, watching her face as I touched every inch of her from the inside out. I propped myself up with one arm and slid the other under her back to grip her glorious tangle of sunshine hair. I covered her mouth and swallowed the sweet moan and melded it into my own.

Every inch. Every space. Every sigh became mine as we moved together.

We rolled around the lake-sized bed, enjoying the give and take of our bodies. Until finally she rose above me and shook out her hair as she tipped her head back and took all of me.

I reached up to cup her breasts, then even higher to cup her face as I tipped her gaze down to mine. “Together. Wait for me.”

She quaked above me, watching and waiting as I drove up into her.

“Callie.” Her name was a prayer and an oath as the pleasure I’d been battling shook me to my foundations. Once upon a time, I’d never have allowed myself to give so much. But she never rejected me, or the love I had to give. She took all of it and gave back so much more.

I reared up and wrapped my arms around her back and dragged her mouth to mine. The low keen of her release crashed into my growl as I shuddered in her wake. As she pulsed around me and wrung me out. I buried my face in her hair, nipping at the sweet spot where neck and shoulder met as she shouted my name.

She wound her arms around me and her fingers slid through my hair. We held on to each other while we both found our breath.

She leaned back a little, but still kept my half-hard cock inside her as she smiled down at me. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled with happiness. “If we hadn’t made a baby before, I’m pretty sure that might have done it.”

I grinned up at her. “Is that right?”

“I’ve never felt more loved than right now.”

“Never?” I laughed and swung her around and settled her back on the bed.

We were a tangle of legs and arms, hair and sweat, but there was nothing but love and bliss on her face. “Nope.”

“Guess I’ve got some making up to do, then.”

She laughed. “I didn’t mean it that way. You and me and baby makes three kind of way. Okay, with a side of orgasms.”

“Or four.”

“Babies?” The horror in her voice made me laugh.

“Orgasms, love.”

“Oh. Okay, I’ll take more of those. I’m thinking just one baby. Maybe two.”

“I’m good with just two wee ones. I only like sharing you so much.”

She lifted her knees up to cross her ankles at the small of my back. “Ditto, Blackbeard.”

“However, I am enjoying the extra sensitivity.” I lowered my mouth to her breast and smiled around her nipple as she hissed. “Am I hurting you?”

“No!” She cleared her throat and slipped her fingers into my hair to hold me close. “No, I really like that part.”

I laughed and wiggled down the bed a little to give them some special attention. “So these are going to get bigger, then?”

“Maybe.”

“I’m looking forward to the changes.” I inched even lower to her flat belly. “To see her grow.”

“Her being me?”

“No, the little wee one.”

“You think it’s a girl?”

I thought about it for a second. Terror and love warred in my brain. “I think so.” I peered up at her as I laced my fingers over her belly button and rested my chin on my hands. “I think you’re going to be a beautiful mum.”

Her eyes filled, but didn’t quite brim over. “I know you’re going to be a great dad.”

“I have a feeling we’ll bumble along together just fine.”

She nodded. “Exactly the way we should.”

“We got this far, didn’t we?”

“We sure did.”

I inched a little lower. “Now, back to showing you just how much I love you. At least three or four more times.”

“Four?”

“I’m feeling just a bit invincible tonight.”

“I accept any and all practice rounds you have in you.”

I pushed her thighs open and waggled my eyebrows. “That’s my girl. Always ready to take one for the team.”

She lifted her hands above her head with a luxurious stretch. “I just want to keep you happy, honey.”

“Well, then hang on tight. Things are going to get very happy up in here.”