Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Drake’s face flushes and he deflects. “He’s not long-term material, Kiera. That’s why I don’t want you to mess with my mates. They’re not the settling-down type.”
“I wasn’t looking for a settling-down type, Drake.” My brother frowns at me. “Bain gave me exactly what I needed, which was a casual fling with no commitment.”
“You don’t want monogamy?” he asks, brows knitting even tighter.
“We have monogamy, but that’s it. It’s fun, it’s casual and up until today, it was most likely temporary.”
Drake sits forward, rests his elbows on his knees. “What’s Bain going to do?”
I smile at my brother. “I note you don’t ask what I’m going to do.”
Drake waves his hand. “You’ll keep the baby. Never a doubt about that.” I don’t disabuse him of that sweet idea, but I had serious doubts. It wasn’t until I saw that Bain wasn’t overly freaked out and was supportive of whatever I wanted that it became clear to me what I’d do. “So I ask again, what’s Bain going to do?”
I shrug. “We haven’t discussed details, but he’s going to support me, the pregnancy. He’ll co-parent. That’s about as far as we got before you interrupted us.”
“Sorry about that,” he mutters. “I’ll knock from now on.”
I smile. It’s wan, but it’s the best I’ve got right now. “I didn’t want to hide this thing with Bain from you. I knew you’d be mad and I didn’t want to argue. And really… it’s none of your business.”
“Your life is always my business,” Drake growls. “And that includes your love life.”
“Hypocrite much?”
Drake’s eyebrows shoot up. “Pardon?”
“Pardon?” I mimic sarcastically and point at the kitchen table. “It wasn’t but five months ago we sat over there and I tried to ask about your love life and you told me it was none of my business.”
“That’s because I’m a man and can take care of myself—”
I whip a pillow at him and it smacks him in the face.
Drake grins at me and tosses the pillow back to the couch. “Fine. I understand your reasoning. But Bain? Why him?”
“Can you explain your attraction to Brienne?”
“Got about ten hours?” he quips.
“Exactly,” I say with an emphatic nod. “It’s more than what you see as a teammate.”
“So, you’re serious about him?” he queries.
“No,” I say, way too fast. I’ve been programmed to deny my feelings for Bain. But this is Drake, the one person I can be fully honest with. I take in a breath and let it out. “Actually… I’m not sure what it is. It was supposed to be casual, no strings. But little by little, we’ve committed to each other in small ways.”
“Monogamy,” Drake points out.
“That… and we’re spending time together outside the bedroom.” Drake grimaces, but I push on. “I like him as a person. He’s funny and smart. He’s a good guy. I like being around him. He’s just… easy and solid.”
“Are you going to get married?” he asks.
I’m faster in this denial and it’s accurate beyond measure. “No way. Neither of us is interested in that.”
“Good,” Drake says. “You get married if there’s love and I’m not hearing that’s what this is.”
If you had asked me ten seconds ago, I would have laughed at the notion of loving Bain, but the minute Drake dismisses it as plausible, there’s an ache in my heart.
I shove it away, not willing to be worried about those things.
“Are we good?” I ask him.
“Yeah… we’re good. But Brienne’s not. She’s going to get a piece of my mind for not telling me.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” I snap at him. “You leave her alone. I asked her to keep a confidence and she agreed. You don’t get to interfere with that.”
Drake glares at me, but he knows I’m right. I also know he’ll probably still give her shit about it, but I know Brienne will put him in his place.
Finally, he sighs and settles back in his chair, propping one ankle on the opposite knee. His fingers pick at the piping that runs along the armrest. When his gaze rises to meet mine, he asks, “Your life is about to change in a big way. I don’t need to tell you how hard parenting is because you’ve helped me with the boys. You’ve been more of a mom to them than their own mom.”
“I think I’m pretty qualified on what to do once it comes out, but I’m a little freaked about pregnancy.”
Drake grins. “I don’t envy you that.” But then his expression sobers. “However, I’m worried about what this means for your future.”
I scowl in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“You had big plans,” he says softly, and I note a bit of guilt in his tone. “You put your dreams to go back to school on hold to help me with the boys. Don’t think I don’t appreciate that sacrifice because I have guilt about it every day.” I start to protest, but he holds up a hand to shut me down. “Brienne and I had been working on a solid plan to alleviate you of that. She’ll stay back with the boys when the team travels, and we can use a sitter for other times we need coverage. I honestly thought you might go back to Minnesota.”