CARTER LAY AWAKE IN bed, his forearm slung across his forehead, staring up at the white painted ceiling. He had barely slept the previous night, his mind turning thoughts over and over.

Pregnant. She was pregnant.

His world had shifted, his reality changing. Was that the reason he’d been so drawn to her? Had he, on some intrinsic level, realized she was the thing that had been missing from his life?

The baby wasn’t his, but no one else knew that. He had a reputation for working his way through women. He’d already told Kimberly that Piper was an old girlfriend, and, knowing how Kimberly liked to gossip, that news would be halfway across town already. What was stopping him from telling people the pregnancy was the result of what was supposed to have been one last night together? He and Piper could easily have hooked up in another town somewhere, and the pregnancy was the result of that hookup. He’d tell everyone the baby was his, and, in return, he’d offer Piper and the child a safe home for life, and Piper would be able to get the prenatal care she needed.

The magnitude of what he was considering swept over him. Nausea coiled in his gut. This could change everything. Piper was the first woman he’d ever thought of in a way that was more than just sex. He cared about her. He wanted to keep her safe. Surely the baby was just a bonus? It would be the answer to both their problems. And if the ex came sniffing around, he’d tell him the same thing—that he’d met Piper months ago on a one night stand and the baby was his, and that was why she’d left to come to find him. It would keep the rest of the pack off his back, and give Piper a safe place to call home. It was a win-win on both sides.

Would she go for it, though? She’d seemed happy to stay, despite her initial resistance, but this was a step to a new level. They’d be deliberately deceiving people. He’d be lying to his own pack, and the idea sat uneasily on his heart. But he’d be doing it for Piper’s safety, and the safety of her child, and it just happened to benefit him as well. Surely Piper and the baby being safe was more important than a white lie?

Knowing he didn’t stand any chance of sleeping and with the sun already starting to rise, he gave up and got out of bed. He was so conscious of Piper asleep, he assumed, on the other side of the house. He didn’t want to wake her yet, still needing time to gather his thoughts.

He went downstairs and made himself coffee. Now he understood why Piper hadn’t been drinking any. He was sure he’d heard caffeine wasn’t good for pregnant women. He felt so stupid he hadn’t noticed before, especially considering he’d carried her from the forest. But he hadn’t been looking for it, and she’d managed to disguise the pregnancy so well. She wasn’t a big woman by any means, and her bump was small and neat. With a jolt, he remembered getting her to ride on the back of his motorcycle. He hoped that wouldn’t have caused any harm to the baby.

Carter paced his house, the words he needed to put his proposition over to Piper dancing on his tongue.

Movement came at the top of the stairs, and he glanced up to see her making her way down. She looked sheepish, a small smile on her face, not quite able to meet his eye. She’d found some clothes that were a little more form-fitting than the giant t-shirts she’d been hiding her shape in, and had gone for a sleeveless tank top, which showed off her curves. She held her hand to her belly, and for the first time, Carter felt as though he was properly seeing her. He’d always thought she was stunning, but the way she’d held herself to disguise her bump had made her appear awkward, and something about her had always been a little off. Now he knew why, and he felt as though she’d taken shape before him. The roundness of her hips, breasts, and belly, and the way her white-blonde hair fell softly around her shoulders, only made his emotions for her grow.

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to put his proposition across to her. Not for the moment. What if she turned him down? What would he do then?

“Morning,” he said instead, falling into the easier option of what had become their routine. “Hungry?”

“Starving,” she replied, taking the final steps to join him.

“Good.” They went into the kitchen, and he set about cooking them breakfast—pancakes and syrup, with a side of berries and yogurt, food he assumed would be good for a pregnant woman. But he couldn’t bring himself to sit down and eat, instead picking at the food while busying himself with the dishes before either of them had even finished. His appetite had vanished due to nerves, and he’d only made something to keep Piper’s strength up and buy himself some more time.

Piper finished eating and got to her feet, picking up her plate to carry over to the sink.

She frowned at him. “What’s up with you? You’re pacing around like an expectant father.” She gave a small laugh and gestured to her belly. “Which obviously you’re not.”

Her words were too close to the mark, and he couldn’t help wincing at them. She must have noticed.

“Seriously, Carter.” She put her hands on her hips, her fine eyebrows drawing down. “What’s gotten into you? Don’t tell me nothing’s wrong.”

He caught her hand and pulled her down to sit beside him at the kitchen table. “I’ve had an idea, and I want you to hear me out.”

She must have picked up on the seriousness of his tone, as she twisted to face him fully. “What is it?”

He reached out and placed his palm against the swell of her belly, and the baby jerked beneath her skin, as though sensing his touch. He smiled at the sensation, momentarily forgetting what he was about to say as he was lost in the miracle of a life not yet born.

“Carter?” she prompted.

“Sorry.” He removed his hand. “You know I’ve come to care for you over the past few days. You’ve been comfortable here, and happy. And it’s been good for me, too, having someone around who I’m not in a relationship with—you witnessed the fallout between me and Kimberly. But you can’t stay locked away in this house forever. The baby will be born soon, and people are probably already asking questions now that Kimberly has had time to spread the word. Members of my pack won’t be happy to have an outsider live among us, and someone is bound to spot that you’re pregnant sometime soon. Plus, you need to get medical help. What if something goes wrong during the birth?”

The hint of a frown appeared on her face. “What are you saying?”

“That we should tell people the baby you’re carrying is mine.”

She straightened, her eyes widening. “Why would you do that?”

“To help you. I want to protect you, Piper. And if that asshole of an ex shows up, we’ll stick to that story. Say you met me somewhere and we had an affair.”

She shook her head. “He’d never believe it. I never went anywhere. He practically had me locked inside the house.”

Much like you are here, Carter thought. A twinge of uneasiness plucked at his insides like a guitar string.

“Okay, so maybe we can’t fool your ex, but there’s no reason he ever needs to find you. There won’t be any rumors about a strange, pregnant woman showing out from nowhere because people will see you’re with me.”

Her teeth dug into her lower lip, and he could see she was considering his proposal. She hadn’t told him an outright no, and said he was crazy, which was partly what he’d been expecting, so that was a good sign.

“But what’s in this for you?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I like having you here.”

“And a baby?”

“Hey, I like babies.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “You do? I’m not even sure I like babies yet, and I’m the one who’s about to have one!”

He laughed and reached out to squeeze her hand. “You’ll be a great mom. Just look at everything you’ve already gone through to make sure this baby is safe.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I feel like if I was going to be a great mom, I’d have done more to make sure I wasn’t going to end up in this position in the first place.”

“None of that was your fault, Piper. I wish there was a way I could make you see that.”

“Maybe I will, in time.”

“So, let me tell everyone the baby is mine,” he insisted.

“And we all just live here, like one big happy family?”

He gave a laugh. “Well, a small happy family, anyway.”

Carter watched the struggle on her face, how she wanted to say yes, but was perhaps frightened of getting herself in another bad situation.

He leaned in toward her. “I’m not like your husband,” he said. “If this doesn’t work out, you’re free to leave at any time. This isn’t a prison, Piper. I want it to be your home.”

She lifted her gaze to his, locking him with her blue eyes. Then she nodded tightly, almost as though she found the movement hard to do. “Okay,” she said, her voice breaking. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Carter pulled her into his arms.