At first, I’d thought I’d like to have a dad who even cared a little what I did. Then I realized this guy was as much of an asshole as my own father. Maybe, all men were just dicks.
I glanced over at Luke who was ready to go to war for Laura and knew their brother Chase would do the same for Emerson. So maybe I couldn’t count them in that group.
And that’s when I realized, Jamie was shielding me with his body between me and the angry interloper. When the guy left, realizing he’d lost, Luke pulled Laura into his arms while they declared their love. At the same time, they argued over Luke paying her father to get out of her life forever. Jamie moved beside me. His fingers brushed my wrist, sending a shiver through me as he started to take my hand. Apparently thinking better of it, he crossed his arms while we watched his brother and sister-in-law.
“What’s mine is yours, babe,” Luke argued. “But most importantly, you’re mine. All mine. Forever.”
She melted into him. “All I want from you is your love. And maybe babies, one of these days.”
At the mention of babies, I fought the urge to splay my hand over my stomach. Thankfully, the pants and loose, untucked blouse I wore hid the start of my bump, but I knew there’d be no hiding it soon. Especially if Jameson insisted I work at the family firm.
Luke grinned. “I look forward to making as many as you want. And as for my love, you’ve owned that for months. You’re stuck with it.”
Beside me, Jameson made a gagging sound. Infuriated that he’d interrupted the romantic moment, I punched his arm. “Shut up, dick,” I demanded. “Your brother is exactly what women want. Sweet, romantic. He’s the kind of guy I’ll—”
I screeched as Jameson suddenly threw me over his shoulder and stormed from the chapel, interrupting my declaration of the kind of love I desired. We were barely outside the building when he had me around the corner and pressed up against the wall, his mouth devouring mine. And my traitorous body… My arms squeezed around him, my legs wrapped around his hips and I kissed him back with equal hunger and ferocity. Whenever we were apart, I missed him so much, more than I’d ever be willing to admit. His hand wandered over to my breast then down toward…
My eyes went wide, and I shoved him away hard before he touched my stomach. My feet thumped to the ground, and I stumbled a few steps from him. Jameson was dazed for a split second before he came after me and enclosed me in his arms. I tried not to shake, not to sink into him, not to fucking cry, but my over-hormonal body had a mind of its own. It wanted a home. And whether I liked it or not, home had always been him.
Maybe, that’s why I hated him so much. Hated him, loved him… It was a fine line, and I tended to jump back and forth like I was playing Chinese jump rope. I knew if we just surrendered, we’d have the kind of relationship history wrote about. But Jameson would never give in. He said he didn’t love me, and mostly, I believed him. And God knew, I would never show my vulnerability and admit my feelings to this man. That would be completely humiliating.
“Why do you fight this so hard?” he asked into my hair where he’d pressed his lips.
“Because I’m in love. And that means I can’t be with you,” I said, telling the truth and knowing he’d take it differently, knowing he’d believe there was someone else. Did that actually make it a lie?
He flew backward his hands up as if he’d touched lava. His eyes were wide and full of hurt. “W-what?” he gasped. “Since when? Who?”
“None of your business.”
Okay, Willow. Your maturity level is stunning.
My hand went unconsciously to my belly, and Jameson’s eyes followed the movement. If possible they widened even more. “You’re pregnant?” he practically yelled. “Willow…but…”
His shoulders slumped, incredible pain emanating from him. It pricked at my regret, and tears filled my eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. At the moment, I didn’t hate him near as much as I usually did. Far from it. He was reacting as if…he had feelings of some sort. For me. Was it because he was losing his random fuck buddy? He’d said a million times that he’d never love me. I pushed away my own confused feelings. This reaction was nothing other than him realizing he’d lost a plaything or something.
He gave a sharp nod. His gaze fell to my stomach again before he closed his eyes. Had that been longing?
“We should go,” he said.
I sighed quietly. “Yeah, probably. I have things to do.”
“Like what?” he asked, his voice flat, devoid of anything, as he led the way to his car. I’d never heard this from him.
“Well, for one, I need to find a job.”
“You have a job.”
“Last I knew, you got me fired.”
He growled. “Damn it, Willow! You work at my company now, and you fucking know it. Why do you have to be such a pain in the ass?”
“Why do you have to be such a dumbass?” I retorted.
He held the vehicle’s door open for me, silently glaring. It slammed behind me, then he circled to the driver’s side. “We had something good going,” he muttered as he started the car.
“Excuse me!” I exploded. “How is constant fighting and random booty calls a good thing? I’ve never been anything to you but a good fuck—a very good fuck, if I do say so. Beyond that you…you never cared. Pardon the fuck out of me if I want something more than that.”
His mouth opened and closed a few times while
