“I’m pregnant.”
“This is amazing! I’m so excited for them. Oh, my God, I’m going to be an aunt!” Riley does a little dance in the driver’s seat after starting up her car, wiggling her hips and smacking the steering wheel in celebration. Her tits bounce under the tight black sleeveless top she’s wearing.
Jesus.
Never in my life have I hated an article of clothing as much as I do right fucking now. She couldn't have worn my hoodie today?
“Yeah, that’s great,” I mumble, wincing as I relax back against the seat. My ankle is throbbing from the PT. I’m regretting not taking any pain meds before we left the house. “I should give Reed a call and congratulate him.”
“What? No, you can't!” Riley’s head snaps in my direction and she looks at me with wide, panicked eyes. “You can't act like you know. Beth said she was only telling me right now. She's not telling anyone else until she gets a blood test done. You know, just to be sure.” Riley frowns. Her brow furrows as her hands slide off the wheel. “I'm sorry,” she adds, looking on the verge of giving me a couple hundred more apologies.
“It’s cool. I hear you,” I reply, understanding why Beth would feel that way. It would suck going back and telling everyone you weren’t pregnant after sharing news like that.
“I just don’t want Reed questioning why I would tell you, you know?” Riley adds.
“Babe.” I give her a look, making sure this sticks with her. “I hear you,” I repeat.
Her explanation isn't needed. And we sure as hell aren't doing any more sorrys.
Riley offers me a soft smile and drops her head with a nod, accepting this. “Are you in a lot of pain right now?” she asks.
“`Cause I can’t call Reed? Crushed. But I think I’ll get over it.” I grin when she shoves at my arm. “Yeah, I’m a little sore. Those calf raises she had me doing sucked. I wasn't expecting to do all that on my first day. Figured I'd just get iced and rubbed down for an hour.” I cock an eyebrow at her. “I'm still up for that, if you're offering.”
Riley rolls her eyes but her smile grows. She likes when I joke with her.
Although, if I'm being honest, I'm not sure I'm ever really joking when it comes to Riley.
I want her. God . . . fuck, I want her. All the time. That hasn't changed.
“How about a special treat instead? You up for it?” She puts the car into reverse and backs us out of the space.
I watch her profile as we clear the lot and get out onto the main road. I stare at the curve in her mouth and the freckles dotting her lifted cheek. I want to tuck her hair behind her ear so I can see the delicate, tanned line of her neck, but I don't.
“My lady has prepared a special treat for me?” I tease, smiling with intrigue heavy on my tongue. “Fuck yeah, I'm up for it.”
All kidding aside though, what the fuck could she have planned?
Riley doesn't react to the lady this time. Not with her round eyes or her sweet restrained giggle. She just rolls with it, concentrating on the road ahead and only giving me a slight jerk of her shoulder in response.
“I just know you've been going a little crazy being stuck at home,” she says, most likely referring to the fort I made yesterday on the couch using a blanket and my crutches. “You've only been out for doctor appointments and now this. And I knew today was going to be tough. So I thought maybe we could go do something fun. Maybe.” Her profile tightens. “I don’t know. I'm not one hundred percent sure if this is fun or not. I've never done it before, but I thought you might like it. I hope you like it.” She clears her throat and slides her hands around the wheel. I watch her fingers tap restlessly against the leather. She's fidgeting.
“Relax, darlin',” I say, wanting to ease her nerves a little. “You took the time to plan this out. Put some thought into it. Rest assured, whatever it is, I'm going to like it. Trust me.” She turns her head and gives me an easy smile. Getting that, I inquire further. “Seriously, what it is? What'd you plan?”
Riley shakes her head, then puts her eyes back on the road. “It's a surprise.”
I rub at my mouth and jaw, a smile forming behind my hand. I turn to look out the windshield.
A surprise from Riley Tennyson. Well, fuck me.
This should be good.
“Dumb?” Riley asks after shifting into park and looking over at me, wincing as though she knows I'm going to fucking hate this.
What is she, crazy?
“Dumb?” I echo. My eyes jump between her face and the windshield where I look at the building we're parked in front of. “Your special treat is taking me to a pistol range?”
She winces. “Yes?”
“Are you for real?” I ask her, pointing at my chest. “Me, a guy who wanted to be a cop his entire fucking life, made guns out of everything laying around my house growing up and couldn't fucking wait ‘til I was old enough to hold a real one. You're asking if bringing me here is dumb? Babe,” I give her a look, “honest, if I wasn't worried I'd completely fuck up my leg permanently, I'd be running inside that building right now, carrying your sweet ass and hollering about how you’re the shit for bringing me here. Straight up, this is awesome.”
A smile starts in one corner of Riley’s mouth and twists across to the other, stretching wide. “Well, I guess that means we won’t be needing my back-up plan then,” she says, cutting the engine and then leaning back in her seat. She lifts her hips to tuck her keys into her front shorts pocket.
“Which was . . .”
“A rubdown.”
My brows raise. Riley starts giggling, pressing her fingertips to her mouth.
I bite back a grin, which is really fucking hard considering how sweet she looks right now teasing me, and feign disinterest. “Nah, this is better. I’m sure I’d hate every second of that. I can barely tolerate a sponge bath from you.”
She lowers her hand and narrows her eyes.
Riley isn’t buying the shit I’m saying, and she shouldn’t. I’m lying out of my ass right now.
“Oh, really? You hate those?” she questions, disbelief in her voice.
“Twenty minutes of absolute torture,” I reply, keeping up the charade. “You’re so rough about it, and I’m a delicate man. Light, soothing touches only.” I flatten my hand to my chest. “My heart isn’t the only fragile thing about me, Riley. All of me needs to be nurtured.”