Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
It didn’t surprise her that he’d always intended to marry at some point. He was warm, affectionate…the kind of man who would relish having a family.
Kenny, meanwhile, had never really believed that she would marry. And hadn’t even considered the possibility of children. And yet, when she discovered her pregnancy, she’d immediately known she was keeping her baby.
She now felt horribly guilty that Smith believed that this pregnancy had stripped him of his choice of bride. He shouldn’t be offering his grandmother’s engagement ring to her. Not when it was clearly meant for the woman he would one day love and with whom he’d want to start a family.
“You don’t have to marry me, Smith,” she told him, and this time the smile faded from his eyes.
“I know I don’t have to,” he said, shrugging. “I want to.”
“Because of the pregnancy?”
His head tilted, and his jaw tightened as he stared at her for a long, long moment.
“Sure,” he said, his voice had dropped, and the tone he now used sounded like something one would implement when taming a particularly skittish horse. “Let’s have a seat and talk this through, yeah?”
Kenny blinked and glanced around, suddenly realizing that they were both standing in the middle of her living room.
“Oh, yes,” she nodded, happy to focus on something so mundane. “Of course. That makes sense.”
He pocketed the little blue box in a move that would have been discreet, if Kenny hadn’t been so damned hyperaware of the thing’s existence since the moment he’d produced it. She heaved a silent sigh of relief at its disappearance. Something he didn’t miss, if the thinning of his lips was any indication.
She sank down onto the sofa. Then instantly regretted her seating choice when he carefully placed the bear on the wingback chair to her left, and sat down on the couch beside her.
“Marriage isn’t necessary,” she said, keeping her eyes trained on the bear’s comically serious face.
“I want to be a part of this child’s life, Kenny.”
“You can be. You will be, but you don’t have to marry me to do that.”
“I want to be there for both of you. I think we could really make a decent go of this.”
She stared at him, taking in every detail of that handsome face, as she considered his words.
She opened her mouth to speak but he raised his hand, effectively halting her words.
“Just…just hear me out, okay?”
She tucked her lower lip between her teeth for an uncertain moment before nodding.
“You like to list pros and cons,” he reminded her and she dipped her chin again, acknowledging the fact. “So why don’t we do that?”
He cleared his throat and began to run through his list of pros, ticking off each item on his fingers.
“One, we respect each other. Two, we have sexual chemistry that’s off the charts. Three, we get along pretty well and I think we’d be good life partners. Four, I don’t know about you, but I don’t relish the prospect of informing my family that this kid is the result of an oopsie. I’d prefer it if nobody knew that. I never want anyone to doubt that this baby is wanted and loved.”
Kenny finally found her voice, interrupting him before he proceeded to his next paper-thin pro. “Nobody would doubt that. Whether we’re together or not, nobody would ever doubt that we love our child.”
His eyes softened and he smiled. A gentle, devastatingly beautiful smile as he nodded, conceding the point.
He held up four fingers, before uncurling his thumb to display his open hand.
“Five, I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather do this with, Kenna.”
“You barely know me,” she said, the words whisper soft.
He lowered his hand and he shrugged. “You don’t always have to know everything about someone to recognize when something feels right.”
“What if you meet someone else?”
“I would never cheat on you.”
“That wasn’t my question, Smith. What if you fall in love?”
“I’m thirty-three years old, Kenna. I know what I want. And I want you. I want this. I want to raise that child—and possibly one or two more—with you.” His eyes darkened and for the first time he looked uncertain, doubt clouding his features. “Do you… Are you afraid you might fall in love with someone else?”
“No. Of course not. I told you, I’m not—um—I’m not looking for anything like that.” Kenny didn’t think she had it in her to fall in love. To be that open and vulnerable with someone. To give anyone else that much power over her was simply unthinkable. It could only lead to pain and heartache.
Maybe marrying Smith was the right move.
He was right, they did respect each other. She liked him. They were physically compatible. Maybe this was as good as it was ever going to get. With the added bonus of not having to admit to her overprotective father and brothers that her pregnancy was unplanned. Yes, it was none of their business, and while she knew she would likely be fine as a single mother, it would be really nice to share the load.