“Oh,” Teeny gasped. I scooted around in front of her and dropped down to my knees lifting her shirt up and placing a kiss right where Junior’s little foot had pushed out. Awe and wonder filled me as I watched Junior moving around under her skin. I could honestly say I’d never seen anything so magical in my entire life.

“He’s strong,” I murmured completely enthralled by his movements.

“She, she’s strong. Junior might be a girl. We’ve talked about this.” My head snapped up to look at her smiling face.

“Nope, it’s a boy. There’s testosterone. I can sense these things you know.” My brows scrunched; it better be a boy. I would be pretty screwed if I had a girl who looked like her mother. I’d be beating up ten-year-olds and decapitating teenage boys before I knew it.

“I’m still betting on a girl. You need to be kept on your toes.” Teeny reached out and cupped my face in her hands. An insanely terrifying thought punched through my chest.

“What if I’m no good at it,” I worried aloud.

“No good at what, honey?” she asked confused by my sudden outburst.

“Being a dad. What if I’m no good at it and mess it all up. What if it—” My eyes went saucer-wide as I locked eyes with her. “What if Junior turns out like me?”

“Trip, hear me now. I’m only going to say this once. There is nothing wrong with being you; you’re sweet and kind. You’re funny and fiercely loyal. Don’t be ashamed of who you are. I know the real you and I love you for it. If our child turns out anything like you, that would be a blessing,” she gently reassured me. My mind was blown. Teeny wasn’t often the type to get all deep and meaningful, but right there, me on my knees, she meant it. I could see it shining from her eyes. She really meant every damn word she’d said.

If I wasn’t sure I loved her before, I would have known with every part of me in that moment. She was it. She was my everything.

Chapter Twenty–One

Teeny

“I feel like a whale,” I pouted unnecessarily flopping back on the bed. “I’m not going.”

“Do I need to show you again how fucking hot you are?” Trip smirked standing in the bathroom doorway, one hand extended above his head touching the top of the doorframe. I licked my lips. My body warmed up as I watched a drop of water slowly travel down the tattoos on his defined chest. It gently trickled over his ripped abs, down one side of that awesome V muscle and soaked into the low slung towel that barely held on to his waist.

“Huh?” I asked completely distracted by the muscles that were stretched under his inked skin. The metal ring in his nipple caught the last rays of light streaming in from the window. He chuckled and smacked out a beat with his hands on the doorframe before pushing off and stepping in front of me. “You look sexy. Don’t doubt it.” A blush crept up my face as his eyes locked on mine daring me to argue back. He leaned down, cupped my face and kissed me hard. “You. Are. Fucking. Hot.” I sat flushed and speechless as he wandered off and got dressed like he was completely unaffected.

“Humph,” I muttered pushing myself up from the bed and waddling to my cute flat sandals; my dress swished with each step. “You could go ahead and get fat with me; it’d make me feel better.”

“Princess, you aren’t fat. I’d tell you if you were fat. Your tits are fucking awesome. I’m actually thinking about making sure you stay knocked up. Those bad boys rock,” he snickered and dodged the ballet slipper flat I threw at him. I didn’t miss the suggestion of more kids, even if it was only him joking around. Rather than over analyzing it, I grabbed my purse and took myself downstairs ready for our first official date complete with a belly full of butterflies, arms and legs.

“I need to go again,” I sighed. “It’s your fault I need to use the bathroom so much. Your kid is heavy and pressing on my bladder.”

“You only went before we left the house,” Trip complained as he opened the restaurant door for me. I walked through choosing to ignore his comment. Instead, I just toddled up to the maitre’d stand. I opened my mouth to speak but was abruptly cut off when the young woman behind it locked her eyes on Trip and all but humped his leg.

“How can I help you tonight?” The tall brunette waitress cooed up at Trip batting her eyelashes and poking her very fake chest out. Unbelievably, she ignored my presence all together.

“Table for two, please. Somewhere quiet if you can,” he drawled smoothly while I glared at the flirty girl in front of him. Then he went and pulled out sweet Trip again and put an arm around my waist. My lips tipped up at the corners.

“Sure,” she sulked looking like she’d just sucked on a lemon. “If you’d like to take a seat at the bar over there, I’ll have somebody come and get you when it’s ready.”

“I’ll get us a drink while you go to the bathroom.” He dropped a kiss on my forehead and I shuffled off in the direction of the ladies’ room.

I stepped back out of the ladies’ room with a giant smile on my face. As far as first dates went, this one was a little late, as in thirty-six weeks late, but so far nothing short of wonderful. Trip had been thoughtful and cute. Never complaining about how slowly I was teetering about on my heavy legs, opening doors and dismissing the waitress. I knew he wouldn't change.

Ten steps in and my smile died as fast as it had appeared, “You’ve gotta be shitting me,” I grumbled, a sick feeling swirling around my stomach. Trip leaned against the bar his back to me, a stunning woman leaning into him with her hand on his bicep giggling and flirting. I should have known better; it was too good to be true and I was an idiot for thinking otherwise. Once a player, always a player.

Unable to help myself, I stepped up a little closer, just enough to be within hearing distance. My heart stopped when Trip reached up and grabbed the girl’s hand that was running up and down his arm. My stomach dropped to my feet as I realized I was being played a fool. I was on a date with him and he was hitting on some chick the first chance he got.

My body locked up when he began speaking. I waited for that final blow where he got her number or organized a hook-up.

"Listen, I get what you're trying to do and you look like a nice girl and all, but my woman will be back in a minute. And I wouldn't trade her for anyone, doll."

Wait, what? I did a double take, my stiff posture relaxing when his words sunk in. He wasn’t picking her up; he was dismissing her. For me. His words washed over me like magic. I watched as the girl turned her nose up at being rejected and stomped off in a snit. Trip simply shook his head and scoffed.

I quickly decided I didn’t want him to know I had witnessed the whole thing or had momentarily doubted him, so I ducked back around the other side of the wall and waited a beat. Smoothing my dress down, I watched him pull out his wallet and pay for our drinks before I walked back around the corner and straight up to him.

He’d just shown me that all his focus was on me. His simple words and easy gesture had soothed my thoughts as simply as if he’d flicked a switch. I stopped in front of him. Trip slid my drink over looking relaxed; he obviously didn’t realize I had witnessed the whole thing, so I decided I would act like it hadn’t happened. Rather, I would simply bask in the knowledge that he had validated me, us, without knowing it.

“Everything okay?” he asked noticing my wide smile.

"Everything’s perfect," I replied meaning those words more than he’d ever know.

Chapter Twenty–Two

Trip

“Keep ‘em closed till I say,” I whispered in her ear shuffling her forward. I couldn’t help but lean in and run my nose up her throat.

“Oh,” she gasped. “Will there be sex? I can do sex. I like sex,” she rambled confirming she was the most perfect woman ever created. The last few weeks, she’d been insatiable. I was pretty sure my dick was close to shriveling up and running away; still, I wasn’t complaining. I didn’t think I’d ever get enough of her. She claimed it was just hormones and it’d stop once the baby was born. Me, I was hoping at least some of her over-excited appetite would stay.

I barked out a short laugh at her one-track mind. “No, no sex. Yet.”

“Damn,” she pouted making me smile even bigger.

“Okay, we’re going up a step now, ready?” I asked.

“Where are we going?” she asked sounding slightly giddy from the excitement of being surprised. I had woken her up in the most toe-curling way. I’d been as discreet as possible, even going so far as to blindfold her after helping her up into the truck.

“You’ll see in a minute. Be patient, baby.” Once I guided her up the step and pressed myself to her back, my arms curled around her very big belly. I couldn’t not touch it; it was a pretty special thing, and every time I did Junior would roll or kick, almost like it knew I was there.

“Congratulations!” Everyone yelled when Teeny stepped inside the tattoo parlor. The entire place was decked out in balloons and streamers. Mace and I had snuck off after dinner the previous night leaving Teeny and Scarlett to their girls’ night in while we slaved over the decorations. Well, maybe not slaved, but close enough.

Teeny’s eyes watered with unshed tears as she smiled shakily holding a hand to her chest in surprise. “What? I don’t…who did this? What’s it for? I mean…”

Damn, it was adorable when she babbled.

“You graduated, Princess. You are a fully qualified tattoo artist.” I rested my chin on her shoulder.

“You did this for me?” she asked sounding a little choked up. I reached into to my pocket and pulled out the tissues I’d had the good sense to grab. I was getting the hang of this crying thing. I just had to have provisions all the damn time.

I handed her off to Scarlett and pushed the tissues into Teeny’s hand. “I’ll be right back. I just have to take care of something,” I assured her before nodding to Mace and ducking into the backroom of the parlor.

“You all set?” Mace asked walking in behind me and shutting the door.

“Yes, no. I don’t know.” I ran a hand over my face and took a deep breath. “Fuck me.”

“Yeah, you’re ready,” Mace laughed and slapped me on the back.

“Have you got it?” I asked shifting from foot-to-foot nervously. Mace reached over and passed me the box I was after.

“She’s going to skin you alive when she finds out what you’ve done.” Mace laughed when I nodded.

“I know, but it had to be done.” I hid the box and moved to the refrigerator pulling out the cake Scarlett had picked up that morning. “I feel kinda sick,” I regrettably told Mace.

His answer was to laugh and head back out to the party with me following not far behind. As soon as I stepped back into the crowd of our family and a few close friends, Teeny’s eyes locked on me and she waddled over.

“This isn’t just for my graduation.” Obviously while I was in the back, she’d noticed the decorations that all said baby shower. I shook my head smiling, placed the cake on the table and cupped her face in my hands.