Ang’s throat closed around the denials she couldn’t seem to voice. No. God, no. He wanted to take her baby from her?

She clutched her hand protectively over her stomach as it roiled. No. She’d die first. Maybe she hadn’t been all the way on board with the whole concept of motherhood in the beginning, but the idea was growing on her. Just like her child was growing in her womb. She was behind on her doctor’s appointments due to her financial considerations—and her denial ones—but she’d finally called to schedule her dating ultrasound, and that was happening tomorrow. She was handling this.

Them against the world. It had been that way from day one. Her and her baby girl.

“You can’t have her.” Her grip tightened. “Over my dead body.”

“I don’t want her.” His voice turned pitying. “Keep reading, sugar. I think you’ve gotten the wrong idea.”

Heart pounding, she forced herself to continue scanning the page. The more she read, the clearer the picture became.

He didn’t want her child. Of course not. He wanted to use this opportunity to divest himself of any responsibility. If he couldn’t get her to abort the kid, he refused to give it his name or his financial support.

She raised her bone-dry eyes to his. “Goddamn bastard.”

“If you think this through, you’ll see this makes total sense. You refuse to be cool-headed enough to terminate, but there’s no reason we both should suffer.”

“Suffer? I’ll tell you who’s suffering. Me for having to deal with you.”

“Then this is the out you’ve been searching for, isn’t it?”

“You honestly think I want your child to have your name or your stupid money?” She stepped forward and drilled a nail into his chest. “I can’t believe I ever fucked you.”

His smug smile made a reappearance. “Oh but you did. Numerous times.” He licked his lips. “Memorable ones too.”

“For you, maybe. I remember more about the last time I cozied up with my vibrator.”

“And when was that? This morning?” He edged closer, just over the threshold.

Driving her back a step before she held her ground and glared him down. “You wish. Get out of my house.”

She hadn’t meant to say it. This wasn’t her house. She didn’t have a home. Once she’d worn out her welcome at Sterling’s—if she hadn’t already—she and her baby were on their own.

“Your house?” His eyes taunted her, even the one that was bloodshot and nearly swollen closed. “This isn’t your place. Do you really think spreading your legs for a guy makes you his? Didn’t work so well with you and me, now did it?”

“Get one thing straight. I never wanted to be yours. You were a man I screwed.”

“That tattoo of my name on your back says something different, sweetness.”

She gripped the papers in sweaty, tensed fingers. “Everyone’s allowed one moment of stupidity. I’ll just have to pay for mine for the rest of my life.”

Even as she said the words, she mentally threw up an apology to her baby. You aren’t a mistake, Maybe Baby. I’m sorry. I never meant you. Just him. I promise.

He jerked his head at the documents. “Signing those will end our association and get me out of your life for good.” His tone had turned cajoling. “Isn’t that what you want?”

She rubbed her knuckles soothingly over her belly. Yet again she was on the verge of ralphing up her breakfast. Unless her morning sickness had decided to make an unexpected reappearance after a brief respite, she was clearly suffering from all-body rebellion. Or maybe her child knew what was happening. Who could say for sure what a fetus understood?

Either way she cut it, she needed this asshole out of her hair—and her life.

But was this the answer? Sure, she didn’t want Pete around, but did she have the right to exclude him before the child had a say? What happened when her baby grew older and asked questions? Perhaps Pete would come around and change his mind about having at least a peripheral involvement in her daughter’s life. Being hasty right now because it suited her needs might harm her kid later.

She couldn’t allow that to happen. No matter what, she intended to do right by her baby.

“I need to thi—” Ang broke off at the stampede behind Pete. “What the hell?”

Two women, one petite and dark, the other statuesque and redheaded, charged up the steps. “Well, hello there.” The redhead smiled and eased past an obviously startled Pete. “Are you ready to go shopping?”

The brunette wasn’t nearly as subtle. “Yeah, mamajama, we need to haul ass.” She shoved past Pete to flank Ang’s other side. There really wasn’t enough room for the three of them in the doorway, but neither woman surrendered ground. “Sorry, Genetic Mistake, you’re infringing on our ladies’ day out.”

Genetic Mistake? Ang nearly snorted.

Pete wasn’t so amused. “Who are you two?”

Ang wasn’t sure either, only that she belatedly recognized them as the two women she’d seen with Sterling at the bingo hall. Had they been hiding in the bushes? Were they spies sent over by Sterling?

Regardless, at the moment, they were providing her with a welcome distraction.

“These are my friends.” Ang linked arms with both of them, wrinkling her nose as their dueling perfumes wafted over her. One of them smelled innocuously of vanilla, the other a violent explosion of fruit.

Alas, her stomach currently wasn’t fond of fruit.

Don’t throw up. Please don’t throw up.

“Oh, really? Your friends, huh?”

“Yes.” The redhead gave Ang a reassuring squeeze, which had the unintended effect of tumbling her loose red hair over Ang’s arm. Perfectly silky hair that went with her crisp white blouse and trim dark pants. A delicate gold chain belt ringed her impossibly tiny waist.

No preggers belly there, that was for damn sure.

“Absolutely,” the brunette agreed, crowding closer and nearly knocking Ang over in a wave of melon and mango. She was also impeccably dressed, though more casual. She wore jeans and a tight T-shirt that showed off breasts that would have laughed in the face of stretch marks.

Not that Ang was jealous of their tight bodies or flawless hair, clothes and makeup. Nope. She looked great herself in her shapeless top, ratty boxers and toenails bearing half moons of fading blue nail polish. The dark bags under her eyes just gave them…definition.

Yep, she was so going to puke.

“Excuse me,” Ang choked out, flinging the papers at Pete and breaking away from the women.

She hauled ass as requested, just not to the closest store. Instead she booked down the hall to the half bath, lunging inside and slamming the door an instant before she fell to her knees in front of the toilet.

A few minutes later, she flushed and let out a windy sigh. Her Fruity Pebbles hadn’t stood a chance.

She used the facilities and washed her hands with about three gallons of liquid soap, then brushed her teeth twice. After finger-combing her hair, she opened the door and shuffled back down the hall to attend to her “guests”.

Small favors, at least Pete was gone. But the brown envelope was not. It sat on the table next to the door, with a Post-it note stuck to the top.

“Fucker,” she muttered, lifting her head at the click of high heels on the hardwood floor. She glanced over her shoulder and connected gazes with the brunette, the owner of the biggest blue eyes Ang had ever seen.

“Are you okay?” she asked gently.

“Yeah.” Ang swallowed and fought the urge to crumple the envelope in her fists. She tossed it back on the table and forced herself to smile. “I’ve been better, but I won’t be worse.”

“That’s the spirit.” She held out a hand. “I’m Summer, in case you forgot.” At Ang’s blank look, Summer prompted, “You announced my engagement, remember?”

“Yes. I remember.”

“And Cass is making you tea.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Ang shook Summer’s hand limply and released her. “Um, I appreciate the rescue. I saw you with Sterling at the bingo hall, so I’m assuming you’re friends. Did Sterling send you over to babysit me?”

“Ha. No one sends me anywhere. Cass and I were hanging out across the street at Mrs. Wilder’s. Cass told me Sterling punched that guy for hassling you yesterday. So we came over to do our neighborly duty and get that DB off the porch once and for all.”

Ah, so now they were getting closer to the truth. “DB?”

“Douchebag,” Summer confirmed.

“Who’s Mrs. Wilder?” Ang really needed to meet more of Sterling’s neighbors. And venture outdoors more, period. She hadn’t even made it down the street to Lake Winnetonka and the lovely attached park yet.

When the baby came, she’d want a nice place to push her stroller. The park would be perfect.

Reality slammed down hard on the back of Ang’s neck, an almost physical blow. You won’t be living here then, remember? You and Maybe Baby will be long gone.

“Mrs. Wilder is Jax’s mom. She lives in the blue saltbox across the street. I’m Chase Dixon’s girlfriend. Fiancée,” Summer corrected. “Chase owns Deuces Wild with Jax.”

Ang fought to shake off her glum thoughts. “Oh. Okay. So your man works with Sterling.”

“Technically he’s still Sterling’s boss, but Sterling doesn’t see it that way.”

“Well, considering all the ideas Sterling has and the ways he’s drummed up business, he shouldn’t, now should he?” GothGeek had been told plenty about Sterling’s business practices and daily work life. Ang, on the other hand, had been told precious little.

Summer’s mouth curved. “You’re protective of him already. I like it.”

“What do you mean already? I’ve known the man since I was a baby.”

Summer eyed Ang’s stomach. “When you say you know him, are you talking biblically? Because I’m getting a very biblical vibe from you, and I’m cool with it, but I’m not sure Cass will be. Because Jax won’t be, and that may cause marital strife. Jax and Cass are together. Did I tell you that before?”

“No,” Ang mumbled. She’d need a nap before this conversation was over. “Why wouldn’t Jax be happy about me and Sterling—if we were—”

“You’re young and knocked up. Sterling’s older and set in his ways. It’s a match made in trouble. So maybe we won’t mention too much about any of that to Cass. Okay?”

None of this made sense. Who were these people? Getting their names didn’t give her a clue as to why they were all up in her business. “If you say so.”

“But you can tell me. Just so we’re square.” Summer leaned closer. “Are you boning GQ?”

Ang blinked up at her. Summer was pretty petite, but most petite people towered over Ang. “GQ?”

“Sterling.”

“Ah.” Ang glanced furtively up the hall. “Where’s that tea? Suddenly I’m parched.” She hated tea, truth be told, but she’d drink Sterling’s entire stash before she admitted to fucking him. Or intercoursing with him or whatever he’d consider an acceptable alternative.

“So that’s a yes. I figured as much. You’re a cute little thing.”

“Not so little.” Cute…well, she’d been called worse.

Like unwanted and fickle and a whore, for a start. And that was just from Pete.

“How pregnant are you?”

Ang threw back her shoulders. In the deluge of information, she’d skated right over Summer’s earlier mention of her being knocked up. “Who said I was?”

“The adorable baby bump, the big cans that don’t really match your small frame, the protective way you keep holding your belly, and oh yeah, the way you heaved loud enough to scare off that weaselly-eyed creep who was hassling you.”

“Baby bump? You can’t see that. It’s barely there.” She pulled up her shirt to check for herself, glancing up at Summer’s laugh. “No one ever accused me of being classy.”

Summer grinned. “Me either. I can tell we’re going to be BFFs.”

“You already have a BFF.” A voice echoed down the hall.

“So I do. But a girl can always have more than one.”

Ang frowned and let her shirt drop. “I don’t have any. I mean, I have friends. Good ones. But a bestie, no. That’s different. Special. Isn’t it?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yes, it is.” Cass carried a tray down the hall, her hair bouncing over her shoulders like a lush strawberry-gold carpet with every step. “Summer and I have been friends since we were kids, just like Chase and Jax. Chase is my big brother, by the way.”

“Well, not counting their emo-man breakup.” Summer sounded remarkably cheerful about said breakup. “But they’re all good now. Men can be such babies.”

Ang caught herself cupping her belly again and stroked the ring in her eyebrow instead. She really had to get a new nervous habit, at least until she told everyone she needed to tell. “So I hope you don’t mind me asking, since you’ve both been so…kind and all, but now that Pete’s gone, why are you still here? We aren’t going shopping.”

“Sure we are.” Cass set down the tray on the coffee table and fixed Ang a cup, adding a pinch of sugar and honey before handing it over. “Jax pried it out of Sterling that you don’t have any baby things yet.”

Ang took an experimental sip. The smooth citrus notes buffed away the flash of annoyance that Sterling had talked to Jax about her baby. Already she could tell this bunch formed a tight network, and maybe she shouldn’t expect Sterling to remain mum to his friends. He’d done so much for her by giving her a home and keeping her secret. Besides, it wasn’t like any of them knew her parents.

She hoped.

“This is really good,” she said, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.

“Of course it is,” Cass replied. “Sterling told me he’d stocked several kinds for you so I went with lemon. I thought that might clear your taste buds after your bathroom interlude.”

“He stocked tea for me?” It didn’t surprise her. The man was ridiculously thoughtful. Except when it came to post-sex interaction, but who was keeping track?

“Sure. He wants you to be comfortable.” Cass doled out a cup of tea to Summer, who produced a flask from her hip purse. She tipped a couple of amber drops into the liquid before shooting Ang a conspiratorial grin.

Which Ang very nearly shot back, despite being semi-annoyed for reasons she couldn’t quite decipher. Sterling was keeping her secret from the people who counted, particularly her father. Just because she was still peeved at him for running out yesterday shouldn’t color her feelings toward his friends.

Friends who had helped her out big-time with Pete.

“Are you Sterling’s confidant or something?” Ang asked, unable to stem her curiosity.

Cass sat with her own cup of tea and crossed her mile-long legs. Her ankles appeared to be the approximate circumference of Ang’s thumbs. “Sterling doesn’t have many confidants. You must know that.”

“I’m questioning a lot of things I thought I knew lately.”

“He’s close with Jax.” Cass shrugged. “And Jax tells me stuff. It’s in the husband-wife agreement.”

“You’re married?”

Cass smiled. “Engaged. But close enough to the real deal to count.”

Ang sank to the arm of the couch and took another sip of tea. Everyone engaged as far as the eye could see. Then there was her, unmarried and pregnant and causing men to come to blows over her to their own detriment.

“I shouldn’t let him stock me tea. Or deck Pete.” Or lick my pussy until I see shooting stars. “Or anything else I’ve let him do recently.”

Summer cleared her throat. “Ah, so about that. I haven’t been off tour long so I don’t know Sterling that well, but—”

Ang squinted at Summer. “I knew it. I thought you were Sunny Z when I saw you at the bingo hall. If I hadn’t been so distracted this morning, I would’ve embarrassed myself fawning all over you.”

“Aw, that’s so nice.” Summer jogged over to give Ang a one-armed hug. “It’s so cool to meet someone who actually knows who I am.”

Cass lifted one pale eyebrow as she sipped her tea. “I know who you are.”

“Don’t pay attention to her. She’s Oscarella the Grouch. Just like her brother, except he rocks jeans instead of silk.” Summer smacked her lips. “And looks mighty fine in them too, I might add. So fine I could just nibble his tight little buns like a sausage sandwich. Oops, I already have.”

Cass choked on her tea. “She tries to embarrass me with her sex life with my brother. I refuse to fall for the bait.”

Ang had to laugh at Cass’s clipped tone. It was hard to imagine her as the fiancée of the swaggering ex-baseball player she’d seen at the bingo hall, but then again, she couldn’t really picture Jax being buddies with Sterling either. Or herself dirty talking to Sterling while he fucked her brainless.

Yeah, her mind was pretty much blown in general lately.

Ang glanced at Summer. “You’re a great singer. You just came back from tour? That must’ve been so exciting.”

“A small tour, comparatively, but—”

“Don’t you run yourself down.” Cass’s scolding voice proved there was another side to her than prim and proper. “You’re going to be huge. Pretty soon everyone will know your name. And God help us all then.” She smiled as she spoke, proving she was teasing.

“See? That’s why I keep her around. Grouches have a core of pure sweetness. It’s a little-known fact.”

Ang stirred her spoon thoughtfully. “Do you consider Sterling a grouch?”

“No. He’s a fuddy-duddy.” Summer plopped back down on the couch and took a hearty drink of her enhanced tea.

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what he could do with his tongue.”

Silence descended, swift and unrelenting.

Ang cleared her throat. “Uh, I mean, he’s silver-tongued. You know, a talented…speaker. Yes. That’s what I meant.”

Cass returned to her tea. “Sure you did.”

Summer giggled and slapped Ang’s thigh. “You go, girl. I know someone who gets a lot of tongue action herself.” She elbowed Cass about as discreetly as an elephant charging through the forest. “Not saying I don’t get plenty of my own, but Chase prefers to—”

“Summer,” Cass warned.

“Oh, God, get over it. So we fuck. It’s a natural thing. You want adorable little nieces and nephews someday, right?”

“Of course I do. I like tiramisu too, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear about them soaking the ladyfingers.”

“Wow, dirty talk from Cass before noon. This must be a record.”

Ang laughed, shaking her head. “You two should take your act on the road.”

“She’s on the road plenty. She’ll be going out there again soon enough.” Cass sighed and tipped her head against Summer’s, ushering in another moment of silence. This one weighed heavily, fraught with poignant things unsaid.

“It must be nice to have a close friend for so long.” Ang couldn’t keep the wistfulness out of her tone. “I met most of mine in college.”

That was mostly by choice, since she’d grown apart from many of the people in her hometown. She tended to meet the social climbers and the boyfriend stealers. Sometimes both at once.

“You only need a couple of good ones to make up for all the rest.” Summer finished slurping down her tea and slammed the delicate cup on the tray.

Cass grimaced. “I agree with the sentiment, if not the delivery.”

“Stop worrying. I didn’t crack the freaking china.” Summer rose and held out a hand to Ang. “Seriously, let’s go shopping. We’ll help you forget all about that guy.”

“Which guy?” There were two men taking her attention at the moment, for very different reasons.

“The one at the door.” Summer shuddered. “He gave me the creeps.”

Ang glanced toward the front hall and the papers waiting for her there. She’d have to hide them well before she left the house. God forbid Sterling found them.

Good luck at her hiding their existence from her thoughts. She had a feeling she’d be thinking of little else until the two weeks had passed. She still had no idea what direction to take. Her inclination was to sign the papers and run. But if her child begrudged her hasty action later, she’d pay the price. What was best for the baby mattered most.

When Ang didn’t reply, Summer angled her head. “Did you think I meant Sterling?”

It was Ang’s turn to sigh as she set aside her empty cup. Maybe she did like tea, surprisingly enough. “No. Not Sterling.”

There weren’t enough stores in all of New York to make her forget. Maybe not even the world.

Where on earth could she be?

Sterling stopped pacing by the window only to pick up the glass of whiskey he’d poured sometime during hour three of waiting. Since he rarely drank, the alcohol was giving him a nice little buzz.

A nice little buzz that wasn’t doing a damn thing to dull his worry.

It wasn’t all that late. A quarter after nine wasn’t cause for alarm. But she hadn’t left him a note that she was going out, and they hadn’t exactly left things on the best of terms that morning. They’d barely spoken at all after yesterday’s sex fiasco.

The sex itself hadn’t been a fiasco. Far from it. His realization of Ang’s identity as GothGeek and his subsequent reaction definitely qualified, however.

She wasn’t working tonight. And she hadn’t replied to any of his e-mails after she’d sent over that incredibly alluring picture of her bare breasts, nipples hard and ready. She must’ve neglected to notice the faint bruise under one pink tip.

The bruise from his teeth.

Sterling groaned under his breath and, like the creeper he was, scrolled to the photo on his phone once more. He’d looked at it a hundred times already. She was so beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her and make her cry out those dirty words that had made him so crazy the day before.

He just wanted her, more than he’d ever wanted anyone.

But she’d lied to him and, dammit, hurt him too. He didn’t understand why she’d developed an online persona and engaged him in a fake relationship. Did she find teasing him amusing? Was this all one big joke, with him as the punch line?

Everyone knew he had issues with relationships. He’d royally bungled their first sexual encounter. So maybe this was her manner of payback. Turning him on before she turned him off for good.

She slept with you. Gave you her body and her heart in her eyes every time you looked into them. What kind of game was that?

He just didn’t know. None of this made sense. When she’d told him that morning that she didn’t want to be online friends anymore, he’d almost lost his mind. She brightened his days and made him laugh. He couldn’t give that part of her up, despite knowing who GothGeek truly was.

Now that he knew, he craved GothGeek even more.

And then he’d started sending her those pictures, anything to keep her from signing off for good. His cock bound up in his tie, for God’s sake. Rather than shutting down his libido, the photos had ramped it up to the point that he’d been tempted to take care of business in the bathroom at Deuces Wild.

That wasn’t him. He didn’t take nude self-portraits. Didn’t use his tie for anything but its intended purpose. The idea of wrapping it around Ang’s delicate wrists before knotting it to his headboard was arousing. Stimulating.

More than he could fucking take.

He blew out a breath and looked at his watch again. Nine thirty. He’d called her cell three times and left voicemails twice. No response.

Worrying about her was bad enough. Missing her squeezed his ribcage until he ran out of air.

On a hunch, he’d asked Cass to spend some time at Mrs. Wilder’s instead of at Deuces Wild that morning. Cass’s ice cream shop, Triple Scoop, had been damaged by fire during an unfortunate incident with a mentally unstable woman earlier that summer, but the newly renovated shop would be opening up again next week. That meant Cass’s tenure as Deuces Wild’s receptionist would be coming to an end. While she still had free time, he’d asked her to stop by Jax’s mom’s place as often as she could to help keep an eye on Ang. After the fight with Pete, Sterling had temporarily called back Bob Collins, choosing once again to handle the physical legwork himself while Collins delved into more of Pete’s background.

Sterling couldn’t be certain he wouldn’t kick Pete’s ass more thoroughly next time and it was better altogether if there weren’t too many witnesses. Besides, Pete had already made that crack about Sterling’s “goons.” If Pete had made Bob, he wasn’t any more helpful as a tail than Sterling.

And if Pete noticed Sterling hanging around, even better. Discretion mattered little now. Maybe the little fucker would finally get the message to stop hassling Ang.

Still, Sterling hated the idea of Ang being unprotected while he was at work. Enter Cass. She had taken the morning off from the bodyguard agency as requested, which had offered the unexpected side benefit of giving Sterling the freedom to take his explicit pictures. But if Cass had seen anything strange involving Pete or Ang, she hadn’t seen fit to inform Sterling. Or to answer his calls that afternoon.

Apparently, everyone had decided en masse to ignore him.

Sterling tossed back the last of his whiskey. Maybe he should tie Ang to his bed, nice and tight. At least he’d be able to keep his eye on her.

And his mouth, and his hands, and his cock…

The front door banged open and Sterling swiveled toward the hall, anticipation already lacing his gut. Ang strolled inside, carrying a shopping bag. She’d made it halfway to the stairs before she caught sight of him rotating his glass between his palms.

She stilled. “Sterling.”

“Angelina.”

Her shoulders drooped and she tipped back her head to expose the long, pale line of her throat. Her lip piercing glinted dully in the hall light. “Have you been waiting up for me?”

“What do you think?” His voice came out sharper than he’d intended.

“I think I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”

“Where have you been?”

“Out,” she snapped.

Her temper kindled his, already banked and waiting. “I called you three times. Left two messages. Were you too busy to reply?”

“I must’ve been or I would have. Now if you don’t mind—”

“I damn well do mind.” He slammed his glass down on the side table, barely registering the way she braced as he stalked toward her. All he could focus on was his concern for her and that baby she carried, and how much he’d missed her. How he’d been missing her every day she sat across from him at his own breakfast counter, getting further and further away with every awkward, stilted conversation they shared.

He’d caused the first rift between them when he’d bent her over his guest bed and attempted to get her off with his fingers. She’d been the one to throw down the impetuous sex gauntlet, but he’d gotten onboard quick. Not that she knew that. Undoubtedly, his behavior had been inconsistent. Perhaps she didn’t believe he wanted her. He’d probably underscored her concerns by leaving her after they’d made love the previous afternoon.

Hell, he was probably the reason she’d resorted to online flirtation in place of real-life interaction. She wasn’t a liar by nature, despite her recent pregnancy-related prevarications. But that was a special case. Normally she shot straight from the hip. Had he pushed her far enough that she’d decided to hide behind a screen?

Bottom line, right now he didn’t care why she’d become GothGeek. No matter what crazy explanations he dreamed up, he didn’t believe deep down that she’d created her Sole Mate persona to be malicious. That wasn’t his Ang.

This lapse on her part most likely had sprung from the series of lapses he’d made since he’d invited her into his home. Good intentions weren’t enough. Actions told the real story.

Tonight he’d make up for those lapses with his body, in lieu of the words that wouldn’t come. She’d lied to him, over and over, but he would give her the truth of his need and force her to deal with it.

With him.

He stopped in front of her and fisted his hands at his sides. His injured knuckles screamed, but he didn’t loosen his fist. Losing control scared the hell out of him, especially when he suspected she craved its decimation. “I never wanted to take your choices away. That’s not who I am as a man or a lover.”

“So you ask me what I want.” Chin raised, she held her ground. All fierce beauty, wrapped in a soft, alluring package. “Then be the man you say you are and stick around long enough to offer it.”

Moving closer, he touched her cheek and fought every impulse that demanded he tear the bag from her hands and rip off her clothes. He wanted nothing more than to crush that smart mouth beneath his until she begged him to sate her, again and again.

Like she had yesterday, before he’d run like a coward.

He wasn’t running now.

“I care about you. Not only are you pregnant, you’re my friend. You’re under my care.” His voice came out as a harsh whisper.

“Oh, fuck that. Yes, I’m your friend. But you don’t need to handle me like I’ll shatter if you press too hard. Being pregnant doesn’t make me weak. I feel stronger than I ever have. More determined to get what the hell I want out of life. I’m not screwing around anymore.” She dropped her bag and bared her teeth. “If you think I’m some breakable piece of glass—”

He slanted his mouth over hers, silencing both the words and her surprised gasp. His arm locked around her waist and he hauled her against him, dragging her straight off her feet. She made a noise against his lips, startled, aroused, and plunged her tongue into his mouth, tangling it with his. He bit down and she stilled in his hold, letting him know with her moan that she wasn’t turned off. Far from it. She rubbed her pelvis against his, over and over, building his desire until he grabbed hold of one of her wrists and backed her into the nearest wall. He held her wrist over her head, helpless to keep from pulling back to examine the picture she made bound in that superficial way.

Full breasts straining, nipples beaded tight. Glazed, hungry eyes. Wet, pouty lips. And that slight swell of her belly under her top, as fascinating to him as all the rest.

“Like what you see?” Challenge edged her tone, but beneath the question he heard the doubt that he’d fostered unintentionally.

Bastard.

“I fucking love it.” He dragged his fingertip down the center of her body, between her breasts, over the slope of her stomach. Lower to the juncture of her thighs. She shivered, straining the buttons of her white blouse. “You’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.”

She started to scoff and he went with instinct, twisting one of her erect nipples between finger and thumb. She yelped, going lax at once. So he soothed with a gentle stroke, unable to stifle his smile when she leaned closer, pushing more of her breast into his palm while that same needy expression returned to her eyes.

“Tell me what you need, Ang. Don’t make me guess.”

“I like it rough.” She sucked in a ragged breath. “I need it. Especially tonight. I want to feel everything.”

Naturally when she said she needed it rough, he couldn’t help caressing every patch of her skin he could see. The inside of a rose wasn’t half as soft as the vee of skin near her throat, revealed by the open collar of her shirt. “Why especially tonight?”

Her lashes swept down. “Don’t.”

“You don’t want me to ask.”

“No.” Her wrist flexed in his grip. “I want you to fuck me the way I see in your eyes that you want to. I want you to give me what we’re both craving.”

“I’m afraid of hurting you. The baby…”

“You care about this baby more than its father does. And if you think that’s going to shut me down, you’re sadly mistaken. I trust you, in every way.”

He let out a shaky laugh. “You wouldn’t if you knew what I was imagining doing to you.” She’d unlocked a secret vault inside him, so secret he hadn’t known it existed. Every lurid scene inside his head featured Ang. She costarred in every experience he ached to share.

“Show me. Don’t make me guess,” she whispered.

The part of him that rationalized and compartmentalized all aspects of his life wanted to set out guidelines to make sure she wouldn’t be frightened. To map out every moment to give her exactly what she expected. But she didn’t want his planner side tonight.

He didn’t want it either.

Turning his palm over, he held out his hand. When she balked, he shook his head. “If you think I’m going to take you up against this wall, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“But I want—”

He brushed his lips over her cheek to her ear, pausing to give the lobe a sharp bite. “And I want you in my bed.”

Her shudder moved through him like lava, hot and all-encompassing. She shifted her head and met his eyes. “Yes.”

“Yes what?” He was testing them both. They’d stumbled into a new world together, and just because she’d explored before didn’t mean she wouldn’t need help learning to traverse it with him. Softly, he sucked on her neck. “Angelina.”

His usage of her full name seemed to snap her up straight even as her lids sagged. “Yes. Please.”