“He’s ridiculous. Sorry if we were too loud, I didn’t know who was at the door and when I saw it was him I figured I’d let you keep sleeping.”
“You didn’t wake me up, my stomach did. I haven’t eaten since you left.”
“Brandon!”
“I couldn’t. I couldn’t do anything Harper. All I could do or think about was finding you and hating myself for pushing you away.”
“I was being rash,” I whispered into his chest, “I shouldn’t have left, it was immature and hateful. I just thought if you would put yourself in a position where we could lose you, I wanted you to know what it felt like to have us gone.”
His breath caught in his throat and his arms tightened around me.
“I’m so sorry baby, but I also needed you to have time to figure out if you would rather have a life without us. Because that’s what it felt like you wanted when you made your mind up. And so, of course, I made it worse by trying to hurt you back, instead of talking it out with you.”
“Don’t apologize. Don’t leave me again, but don’t apologize.”
“I’m –”
“Nope.” He pressed his lips against my own, and spoke around our kiss, “No more sorrys.”
I grumbled but leaned up onto the balls of my feet to deepen the kiss until his stomach growled, “Okay. Food. What do you want?”
“Uh –” He raised his hands above his head to stretch and my eyes hungrily raked over his long toned body, “you if you keep looking at me like that.”
Grinning, I placed a soft kiss right below his chest, but pulled away before I got lost in his body, “You need actual food first, how does Chinese sound?”
His stomach growled again in response and he led me into the kitchen to find the take out menu. I scowled at Brandon when he sat me back on the counter, but ordered our food and handed him the phone when I was done.
“They’ll be here within thirty minutes.”
“Half an hour?” He mused and his eyes heated as he scooted me forward so my bottom was barely on the edge of the counter. My breaths came quicker when he pressed himself against me and moved the collar of his shirt I was wearing to nibble his way from my neck to shoulder. Catching the band of his boxer briefs with my toe, I pushed down and a sound that warmed my body escaped his chest, “That should be enough time.”
22
“Did you get that?” I asked Aubrey as Liam smashed his cake onto his face.
“Oh yeah.” She brought her expensive camera back to her face and leaned her body back as she continued to take shots of him.
Aubrey really was amazing with that camera. Brandon, Liam and I had visited his mom yesterday and Aubrey had been over for dinner. She showed me a lot of her pictures and when I sent a couple dozen to Bree she called and begged Aubrey to shoot her wedding. It was the first time she was going to get paid for what she loved to do, and with all her shyness she just blushed fiercely with a huge smile on her face. When I’d gotten a minute alone with her, I asked if she would take pregnancy photos when I got big again and she looked like I’d just offered her the moon. She is so sweet, and I hope she and Jeremy stay together. They’re absolutely perfect for each other.
Brandon wrapped his arm around me and discreetly brushed his hand over my stomach. I was only twelve weeks and I was already showing enough to know my bump was a baby…not a big meal. Hell, it wasn’t even a bump, my whole stomach was already rounding. We’d seen Dr. Lowdry yesterday, and she said it was normal to show quickly after your first pregnancy. Apparently something about your body already knowing what was going to happen, so it responded quicker. All that did was make me frown, I’d been massive by the time Liam was born, if I already had a ridiculously defined baby bump that decided to pop up out of nowhere this last Thursday, I could only imagine what I would look like by the time I delivered this one. So I’d worn a loose shirt last night and today since the parents were still in the dark. We could have told them Monday, but everyone’s emotions were so all over the place with Brandon’s fight and my disappearing act, that we decided it was best to continue with our plan to wait until today.
“Girl.” He whispered softly in my ear as he caressed my belly again.
I turned to plant a kiss on his cheek and whispered back, “Boy.”
Liam screeched and spoke gibberish before shoving more cake in his mouth and hair. Everyone laughed with him and Brandon kissed my neck before going to pick Liam up out of his high chair and bring him over to the sink. That boy was covered in cake and frosting. I took his onesie off and rinsed it off in the sink so all the food was go down the drain instead of the washer, then helped Brandon attempt to wipe him down. We gave up not even two minutes later and Brandon rushed to give him a bath and put him in new clothes. I smiled at my guys when they walked back out, Brandon with a huge smile taking small steps behind Liam who was speed crawling back toward me.
“How’s my birthday boy?” I scrunched my nose at him when he did the same with his somewhat toothy grin.
“Not taking a nap anytime soon, that’s for sure.” Brandon grumbled, but with his dimpled smile and bright eyes I knew he was anything but frustrated. He’d let Liam get away with no naps if he could.
Liam turned and dipped all the way to the side as he reached for someone else, making me almost lose my hold on him and I rolled my eyes as I gave him over to Carter. Of course Liam would be in love with Carter. Since he’d shown up this afternoon, it was the only person he wanted to be with. If I had any doubt that Carter wouldn’t give Kate a chance, that was quickly demolished when they each saw the other hold Liam. Kate had swooned and an hour later Carter’s eyes had taken on a dazed heat when Kate had scooped him up and kissed Liam resulting in a fit of laughter from my son. It wasn’t ten minutes later that Carter asked if he could take Kate on a date this evening.
Opening presents was the cutest, and longest process of the day. Each present took about three minutes to open and then we’d go through the process of getting him to stop eating the wrapping and tissue paper so he could start on the next present. By the end I was exhausted but blissfully happy, and getting more excited by the second now that the extended family was starting to head out. We’d been picking up and cleaning as the party went, so thankfully we were ready to relax with our family by the time Carter and Kate left together.
“What’d he say?” I asked Brandon as I watched Liam play with a big dump truck.
“He asked if I would be okay with him dating my cousin.”
My eyes widened, “He asked you that?”
“Right? I told him it wasn’t my place to say whether or not he could and that she could make her own decisions. So he says, ‘I know, but I know you’re not my biggest fan. And I don’t want to piss you off more than I already have.’”
“Oh. That’s thoughtful, I guess. What’d you say?”
Brandon shrugged and laughed when Liam didn’t understand how the truck had gotten away from him, “I said as long as he treats her well, I didn’t have a problem with it.”
Huh. Brandon really is too nice and forgiving of people.
“I may have also said that if it kept him from going after you...” he trailed off.
I hugged his waist and smiled into his chest. “That sounds more like you, but that’s why I love you. I’m all grimy and covered in cake, I’m going to change really quick.”
“Put on a tight shirt.”
“Is that how you want to tell them? Just show them?”
He smiled and looked back to make sure no one was near us, “Just act like nothing’s different, see how long it takes them. I think it’d be fun Mrs. Taylor, don’t you?”
“I have to agree with you Mr. Taylor. I’ll be right back.”
Changing into a bright blue racer-back stretchy tank, and a clean pair of jeans, I made my way back to the living room and tried to wipe the smile off my face.