But after a few minutes, Jack lifts his mouth from mine and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “Sorry. I know you said you had something you needed to talk to me about, but I just couldn’t resist.”
“No, it’s okay,” I smile tremulously. “You never have to apologize for kissing me.”
“Good.” He gives me one more chaste peck. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
I have to take a step back from him to try and get my thoughts together. I wring my hands and my palms are sweating. My heart is going at a million miles an hour, and the lump in my throat is making yet another appearance. It’s almost as if my body wants to make sure I don’t get the right words out.
“Hey.” Jack starts to rub his hands up and down my upper arms. His touch soothes me, but it also increases my fear because I’m not sure I’ll survive losing this between us. “You can tell me anything. You know that. Right?”
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, trying to calm my erratic pulse, but it does no good. Nothing is going to offer me any true relief until I tell him why I’m here, and finally see his reaction. My best bet is to rip off the band-aid at once and spit it out because it isn’t like this baby is going to wait forever, or disappear. I have to be brave.
I turn around and he pulls me into the comfort of those strong arms. Part of me wants to step away. Part of me wants to put some space between us so I can say what I’m here for, but another part of me wants to hold him closer. I don’t know if this will be the end for us, and if it is, I will at least have this last moment, safe in his embrace.
But I’m here to get things done. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I look up into his eyes and decide to take Libby’s advice.
“I’m pregnant,” I say bluntly. “I just found out. I don’t even know how it happened because I’ve always taken my birth control pills, but you know what they say. Contraception is never one hundred percent perfect.”
For a minute that feels like a lifetime, Jack freezes in place, staring at me. His handsome features are like stone, those blue locked on mine as if he can’t believe his ears. Oh no, is he going to ask me to leave?
But then, after what feels like an eternity, his eyes drop to my belly and I instinctively wrap my arms around my tummy like I’m protecting the baby growing within. The weight of his stare is more than I can take, and I begin to take a step back. I shuffle one foot in reverse, and then the other, before Jack lifts his eyes to meet mine. And then the brightest smile I’ve ever seen spreads across his handsome face and suddenly, I know that everything’s going to be alright.
The tears I’ve been holding in since I pulled into his driveway spring to life, and start flowing down my face like a waterfall. Jack closes the distance between us in one long stride, his hands going to the back of my head with his fingers tangled in my curls. And then his mouth is on mine. Kissing me. Owning me with every brush of his lips.
His tongue teases my bottom lip and I open to him, moaning while his tongue caresses my own. I’m panting when he releases my mouth and rests his forehead against mine. We both stay like that, trying to catch our breath for a few minutes.
“Is it true?” he rasps reverently. “You’re having my baby?”
I nod with tears in my eyes.
“Yes, Jack. I know this is a lot, and I know you’ve already raised one son into adulthood, so if you’re not interested in being a father again, I understand. I’m keeping the baby no matter what, but if you could let me know what you think asap, I’d appreciate it so much. Again, I know it’s a lot to put on you, but I –”
Jack lifts his head and brings his hands around to cup my face, lifting my chin until our eyes meet. He searches my face for a moment before smiling.
“I have wanted another child for longer than I can remember, but I didn’t think it would happen,” he says, his deep voice breaking a bit. “There just wasn’t anyone in my life whom I wanted to experience that joy with, until I met you, Dakota.” He presses a quick kiss to my lips, and to my surprise, I taste the salt of tears on his lips. Is Jack crying? Sure enough, my handsome man has been overtaken with emotion, and he smiles at me. “I love you sweetheart.”