“Kace—” He quashed her protest with a cocked eyebrow and a slanted look in her direction. Bree had complained that her hips were too curvy the last time they were together and he could tell when her gaze focused there what she was about to say.

“I mean it. You’re beautiful.”

“So are you.” Her words were spoken so quiet he almost didn’t hear them. But they could’ve been shouted for the effect they had on him.

Kace wrapped his arms around her waist as she looped hers around his neck. His mouth came down hard on hers and she matched every stroke of his tongue.

He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his midsection as their mouths fused. All rational thought obliterated as he took her to the bedroom and placed her on the bed. He put most of his weight on his knees and elbows, so he wouldn’t crush her with his heft. He guided himself inside her parted legs, dipping the tip inside her sweet heat.

Bree’s fingernails dug into his shoulders as she pulled him down for another kiss. He thrust a little deeper as she bucked her hips.

“Jesus, Bree. Keep that up and this won’t last as long as I want it to. I want to take my sweet time with you.”

She bucked him in a little deeper. He started to distract himself again…but couldn’t concentrate on anything but the way she felt, the way she tightened around his stiff length as he sank into her. It sure felt a lot like home, which was strange considering he’d never known a real one.

He pumped harder and Bree matched him stroke for stroke as need overtook them. Hands danced and fingers grazed as he kissed her.

“Kace,” she moaned against his lips. He loved the sound of his name from her lips. He delved his tongue inside her mouth, tasting the sweetness honey.

“Kace,” she repeated, breathier this time and he could feel her body racing toward climax.

“Kace.” The urgency inside her built, her breath quickened as her muscles tensed before convulsing around his erection. He drove deeper and harder as he rode the wave with her and jumped off the cliff together, free-falling alongside her.

When he’d drawn the last spasm from her gorgeous body and they were both gasping for air he whispered, “Home.”

Rolling onto his back, he pulled her into the crook of his arm where she fit him to a T. She rested her head on his chest. Those familiar feelings crashed into him—feelings of the weekend they’d spent in bed. Those same regrets for letting her go assaulted him, too. But so did reality.

Guilt was a sucker punch to his gut. The sobering fact that she was carrying his best friend’s child gave a one-two punch.

Kace sat up straight.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Bree pulled the covers up, covering her body.

More guilt washed over him as he rubbed the day-old scruff on his chin. “I’m an asshole.”

“Why would you say that about yourself?”

“Because.” He nodded toward her stomach, toward the baby growing inside that belonged to his best friend.

“Oh.” Was all she said. A few beats later came, “Oh. You think I would do this to Zeke?”

Bree wrapped the covers around her as she got out of bed so fast more of that crushing guilt hammered Kace. “Hold on…” He tried to protest but she was already gone.

He cursed as he got to his feet, remembering his clothes were in the kitchen. She was most likely on her way to collect her clothes and get dressed. Damn, he was messing this up big time.

“Bree.” She didn’t respond. But as soon as he made it into the living room he could see her throwing on her clothes. Duke watched from the corner of the room. His gaze locked onto Kace as he walked into the room. “It’s okay, boy.”

“It’s not okay for him. It’s not okay for me, for us. It’s never going to be okay again.” She glanced over at him and he saw that she was crying. Fuck.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. Come back to bed and we can discuss—”

“I’m sorry, Kace. I can’t sleep next to a person who thinks I’d sleep with one man and then his best friend a few weeks later.”

“You were planning a wedding. What am I supposed to think?”

“I never agreed to marry Zeke.” Now, she really did throw him a curve ball. She stepped into her jeans and threw her sweater on over her bra.

“That’s not what he said—”

“Did you bother to ask me?” Heat radiated from her.

“Why would I?” Now, Kace was confused. He stabbed his fingers into his thick hair.

She stopped long enough to give him a look that nearly brought him to his knees. It was a mix of confusion, sadness and disappointment. “Zeke was a great guy, a great friend. But I never said I would marry him. He deserved more than I could ever give him because I was in love with someone else.”

“I don’t understand. You’re carrying his child.”

She threw the blanket at his chest, landing a direct hit in the solar plexus. “That would be impossible. I never slept with Zeke.”

Kace stood there, letting those words sink in. Bree was already on the move, gathering up the rest of her belongings.

“Are you saying what I think you are?”

“This isn’t exactly the way I’d planned to tell you that you were going to be a father. But, the baby is yours.” Bree’s gaze fixed on him and he had no doubt in his mind she told the truth.

“Were you planning to let me move to Alaska without being told that I’m going to be a father?” News like this would’ve brought him to his knees six months ago. Hell, three months ago. So much in his life was different now. His priorities were different. He was different.

“What would it have changed? You were pretty clear about not wanting attachments after the weekend we spent together.” There was fire in her eyes now. “What was I supposed to think? That a baby would change your mind? This isn’t the way I’d planned to have a family, either, in case you were wondering.”

He couldn’t argue her points. Another thought struck. Zeke knew about the baby and didn’t tell Kace.

“I would’ve stepped up to the plate.” A picture was emerging. One he didn’t like. She must’ve told Zeke and his best friend tried to…what?...shield Kace from his responsibilities?

“Good to know.” Her arms were folded across her chest.

“You didn’t give me a chance and I understand why.” If he was being honest he couldn’t blame her. He had been clear about not wanting attachments.

She shouldered her purse like she was about to walk out the door but sank onto the couch instead. “I wanted to tell you, Kace. I tried. I thought up a dozen ways to break the news to you. All of them ended with you being trapped. Forced into a life you didn’t want. Zeke tried to step in and save the day. And then he died.” Tears tumbled onto her cheeks. “You’d planned your life and it was far away from here. It had nothing to do with me.”

Kace walked over to the couch. He took a seat at the opposite end. She picked up a pillow and hugged it to her chest. “What can I say? I was a class-A jerk.”

“You still deserved to know the truth. I should’ve found the words but I…I guess I chickened out each time I gave it serious thought. Zeke was trying to protect you. He told me that he loved me, that he’d probably loved me since high school. We were close. He said we could do a helluva lot worse than each other and that he’d be a good father to the baby. I told him I’d think about it. Only because he told me how devastated you’d be if I told you. I didn’t see you again until Zeke’s funeral and even then it was from across the room. You were there for the service and then gone.”

What did it say about Kace that his best friend didn’t think he could handle the news about being a father? It was a role Kace had never wanted to fill. He figured he’d screw up the kid as badly as he was screwed up.

“He came back from leave and said the two of you were engaged.” And his heart had almost shattered.

Bree’s heart nearly burst at the pain playing out in Kace’s eyes. He’d just found out that his best friend had betrayed him. At least, that’s the way Kace would see it. She could only hope the news he was going to be a father wasn’t part of that hurt.

“I think he just wanted to give you an out. In his way, he was protecting you. Somewhere in there I realized that Zeke’s feelings for me went further than I knew. I think I hurt him by saying no. He told me to give the idea some time to seed. That it might not seem so bad in a few weeks. That’s when I agreed to think about it, but I warned him my answer wouldn’t change.”

“And then he died.” There was so much emotion in his voice. Sadness. Regret?

“Which was probably my fault. I never should’ve confided in—”

“Don’t say that. Zeke’s death was awful but it was not your fault.” If anything, Zeke being distracted was on Kace. Kace would take that to his grave.

“We both have reasons to blame ourselves,” she argued.

He studied her. “I know I don’t deserve your trust but give me a chance. A lot has changed in the past couple of months. I’m not the same man I was.”

Could she risk trusting Kace? Could she risk her heart a second time? Could she set aside the hurt from when he walked away before and believe that he wanted to be with her. Granted, a baby was a good reason to try. But an even better reason not to fail. If she and Kace took the messy emotions between them out of the equation and only focused on their child, would that lead to stability? Because their child deserved everything.

Duke walked over and curled up at her feet. She touched her stomach before leaning forward to scratch him behind the ears.

“Trapping you into a role you don’t want would only lead to heartache for all three of us.” She feared their relationship would turn into obligation even though she’d felt so much more between them when they made love.

“What just happened between us was a game changer for me, Bree.”

“Are you trying to tell me that you don’t have casual sex?”

“Not since you. Not since that weekend.” Her heart wanted to believe him. Because she was head-over-heels for Kace. But, damn, that man had the power to shatter her. It wasn’t just her heart on the line anymore. The baby’s needs had to come first.

“Think about it?” he asked.

Those three words might haunt Bree for the rest of her life.