I was officially twenty-eight weeks pregnant—and in my third and final trimester.

Go me!

So far things were going great. My sex drive hadn’t changed. I was still a sexed-up maniac. Josh just had to look at me and I was ready to jump his bones.

The man was a real trooper. Not once did he complain.

I exited my car in the mall parking lot as a text came through on my phone. I still had a few minutes before meeting up with Kelsey and Erin for lunch and shopping.

Josh: How’s the sexiest momma around doing?

Josh and his team were away on a road trip. A very long road trip—according to my libido. Apparently, no one in the NHL scheduling department cared that I was super-horny.

How considerate of them.

Me: I take it you mean me?

Josh: Of course. Who else? So, what are you wearing?

I glanced at my forest-green maternity top, which hugged my body in the right places, and my maternity jeans.

Me: My black lacy bra and matching panties.

Hey, that was partly true. I was wearing them.

Josh: What else?

Me: A smile. Should I be wearing anything else? Where are you?

Josh: Just landed at Calgary airport. Waiting for the plane to arrive at the gate. But never mind that. Let’s get back to what you’re wearing…

Me: Guess this is your way of saying you aren’t sitting on your hotel bed, alone, in nothing but your briefs.

Josh: Yep, that would be correct. But you can imagine it if it makes you feel better.

I ran my hand over my stomach and leaned back against my car.

Me: That would make me feel better.

That was a complete and utter lie. With that image now in my head, all it did was make me hornier than before…if that was at all possible.

Me: I miss you. I miss taking you in my hand and stroking down your length…long and hard.

I giggled as I imagined him groaning at my words.

Me: And as I do that, I’m thinking about putting my lips over the tip and sucking you until you can’t hold back anymore.

I had meant to leave him all hot and bothered, but all I accomplished was to do that to myself. Brilliant.

Did I believe Josh hadn’t been affected? Hell no. The man was as horny as they came. Which had been a huge positive for me.

Josh: You’re killing me, Hot Stuff. You do realize that, right?

I grinned.

Me: You’re welcome, Cool Stuff :)

Josh: We have to disembark now. Will talk to you soon.

Me: Okay. And good luck tonight. Noah and I will be watching the game.

Technically, it wasn’t true. But at least Noah would hear me get excited whenever Josh was on the ice—or whenever the camera flashed to him sitting on the bench.

Before I had a chance to put my phone in my purse, it rang. Dad?

The last time I’d talked to him was a few weeks before I told Mum that I was pregnant.

I accepted the call. “G’day, Dad.”

“Don’t you mean Granddad?” Unlike Mum, he didn’t seem upset about it. “Although personally, I don’t think I look old enough to be a grandfather.”

I laughed. Dad’s hair had been gray for a number of years. It was Mum who looked too young to be a grandmother—thanks to her hair colorist.

“You’re right, Dad. You look too young to be a grandfather.…So, I’m guessing Mum’s still angry about my news.”

“You might say that. But I’m sure she’ll eventually come around.”

“Sure, maybe when Noah is in college,” I muttered.

“I wanted to make sure you’re all right,” he said, either not hearing me or choosing to ignore what I’d said, “and suggest that maybe you should consider moving back here.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re going to be a single mother. Wouldn’t it be better to do that here, where we can help you out? I mean, your mum and I know all about being parents.”

Good thing I hadn’t been eating when he’d said that. I might have choked.

Any suggestions who we could nominate for the Most Delusional Parent Of The Year award?

“Thanks for the offer,” I said, “but I like it here and I have a great job.” Not to mention Noah’s daddy lived here and not in Sydney.

“Just thought I’d suggest it. Well, I’ve got to get back to work. If you need anything, let me know, otherwise I’ll talk to you soon.” Before I could say anything, he ended the call.

Surprised at the short duration?

Don’t be. Normally they were even shorter than that, usually due to a meeting he had to rush off to.

Kelsey and Erin were waiting to be seated when I arrived at the restaurant a few minutes later. Three-month-old Samantha was asleep in the infant seat next to Erin’s feet.

“How’s it going?” Kelsey asked as she and I hugged.

And yes—Kelsey had agreed to be my backup labor coach if Noah decided to come into the world while his daddy was away.

“We’re still doing great.” Minus the part where I needed to go to the loo every five minutes—especially when Noah found it particularly amusing to use my bladder as a hockey puck.

Speaking of which…

“I’ll meet you at the table. I need to go to the bathroom.” I didn’t even wait for their reply. I hurried off in the direction I was well acquainted with.

Once finished there, I walked out of the washroom and collided with a tall, hard body coming toward the men’s room.

“Sorry,” I said, stumbling back while doing my best not to fall on my arse.

Which meant grabbing the closest thing to me—the man’s arm.

“Holly?” a surprised Aussie accent said.

My head jerked up and I blinked—while trying to recall if What To Expect warned of possible delusions during pregnancy. Possible delusions that looked especially hot in a dark gray suit. “Drew? What are you doing here?”

“The company sent me. We’re examining expansion opportunities in the U.S.” His gaze dropped to my belly, but if he was surprised that I was pregnant, he didn’t show it.

But maybe he wasn’t surprised. My pregnancy was hardly a national state secret—especially where Simon’s loose lips were concerned.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” I asked, smiling.

Was I happy to see him? Yes—now that Mum had given up trying to marry us off to each other.

Thank you, Noah, for putting a wrench in that plan.

Whatever you want once you’re born, it’s yours.

“I was planning to contact you once I arrived,” Drew said. “I just haven’t had a chance yet.”

“Well consider me contacted. How long are you here for?”

“Just until tomorrow night this time. But I’ll be back next month and will be staying till the end of January. The company rented an apartment for me.”

“Nice. Are you here with someone?” I indicated to the restaurant.

“Just a business associate. Who I guess I should get back to. But I would love to get together with you for dinner next month.”

“That would be great. I’m sure Josh would like to see you again.” All right, maybe that was a bit of a stretch. More like amused.

Thanks to Mum, Drew had my number—which she must have given him prior to my little announcement. I entered his into my phone.

“Holy smoking hot male,” Erin said as I rejoined the girls at our table. She and Kelsey had had a bird’s eye view of my run-in with Drew. “Who was he, and why were you exchanging numbers with him?”

“That’s Drew.”

That was all I needed to say. They knew all about him. Did they also know about what had happened between my mum and me?

Yes. Erin had decided her parents would adopt me like they had unofficially adopted Kelsey and her brother when their parents died.

She was kidding of course—about all of it.

But it was the thought that counted.

“Is there something wrong with him?” Erin asked, eyes wide, as if she was expecting me to announce he was an ax murderer—of chocolate bunnies.

I laughed. The women at the next table winced. “There’s nothing wrong with him. Not as far as I know. I was just never interested. That’s all.” Of course, back then he hadn’t looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ.

“So you’re planning to get together with him to reminisce?” Erin asked.

I chuckled. “You make me sound old. And sure, why not? It’s not like we’re going out on a date. I’m currently with Josh.”

As you might have guessed from the sexts, we were still boyfriend-slash-girlfriend. Other than when the team was away on a road trip, he and I slept together. Every. Single. Night. Surprised? Don’t be. I’d given him a key to my apartment last month so he could join me in my bed after his home games. Usually I was asleep by then, but I was always happy for him to cuddle me awake.

What’s the best way to deal with an adrenaline overload?

Hot. Steamy. Sex. Lots of it.

And I had to say the sacrifice on my part was well worth it.

But that was as far as things had progressed between us. There had been no discussion of moving in together once Noah was born. I had even tried bringing it up once—but when he began acting like someone who had sat naked on a red ants’ nest, I’d dropped it.

So why couldn’t I go out with Drew—as a friend?

It wasn’t like I was cheating on Josh—which I would never do.

“When did you and Josh want to do the prenatal photos?” Kelsey asked after the waiter had taken our order. The pictures she had taken of a pregnant Erin and Erin’s husband were gorgeous.

I removed my phone from my purse to check the Rock’s schedule and came up with three possible dates next month that worked for Kelsey. I sent Josh a text.

He responded a minute later. What are prenatal photos? Is that where you’re naked?

I smirked. Josh had a thing about seeing me naked.

Not necessarily. I was thinking something we wouldn’t scar Noah for life with.

So with clothes on?

Yes, the clothes stay on.

Can they come off afterward?

Once we’re alone—yes.

Can’t wait!

He told me which dates worked best for him, then a moment later sent another text. And you know what else I can’t wait for?

Watching me eat crackers and ice cream?

Don’t ask—I had abandoned fries and ice cream months ago. It took forever for Josh to quit laughing at me every time I scooped the crackers into the ice cream. Which, I might add, required talent to do without breaking them in half.

Seeing you naked. Making you come. Being inside you.

The ache between my legs seconded that, temporarily forgetting none of this would happen for three more days.

Me: Make that two of us :)

“What are you up to?” Erin asked, laughter in her tone. “Sending sexts to Josh?”

My face played traitor and both Erin and Kelsey laughed. “Are you telling me you two don’t send sexts to Darren and Trent?”

Erin scowled at Kelsey. “Don’t even answer that question.”

Kelsey laughed. Trent—the love of Kelsey’s life—was Erin’s brother.

But Kelsey didn’t have to answer. Her eyes and light blush gave it away.

Then a moment later, the blush deepened when her phone chimed and she read the text.

And while she typed her reply, I counted down the minutes until Josh was home again, doing to me exactly as he had promised.

Anyone know how to speed up time?