“Well, I need you to come around here tomorrow to dress me nice. Can you do that? And I’m not talking about wedding dresses because I’m not getting ahead of myself. I’m talking normal date outfit. Well, normal pregnant lady date outfit if that’s even a real thing. Do people normally go on dates when pregnant?”

  “You don’t need my help. You have a thousand things to wear. I’m sure this happens all the time . . . actually, no, I’m not sure of that at all. This is a very weird situation, but I’m sure it’ll have a good ending.”

  “I have clothes for my pre-pregnant body, but now I don’t have a clue. And this is the most important date of my life.”

  “Alright, alright, I’ll be there for you. You already know I will. What time is he picking you up?”

  “Seven. Will you come a couple of hours before so I don’t freak out?”

  “Sure, I’ll see you at five. Love you, girl. This is going to be awesome.”

  “I love you too. See you then. And thank you again, Millie. You really are the best.”

  * * *

  “You look absolutely beautiful, Jodi. You’re going to blow him away tonight.”

  I twirl around, seeing my outfit from every angle. I have on a black dress that I wouldn’t normally pick out. Millie practically had to force me into it, but it actually looks surprisingly okay. Especially with the nice curls she’s put in my hair and the way she’s made up my face. I actually look radiant.

  “I hope so. I’m just all worked up about it all. I don’t know how it’ll go.”

  “As long as you’re open and honest, as long as you answer any questions he wants answering, however hard it might be, and as long as you communicate effectively, then you’ll be building a solid foundation.” She rests her hands on my shoulders reassuringly. “This is your chance to have a proper relationship, as long as you trust.”

  “Trust. That’s a hard word for me. It’s hard for him too. What if we’re too far gone?”

  “Then it will become obvious, won’t it? You’ll figure it out. But if you don’t try, then you’ll never know.”

  “It’s weird, isn’t it? For me to be so nervous? I already know him. We’ve spent a lot of time together already. We told each other that we loved each other once upon a time . . .”

  “Yes, and it all backfired, so no wonder you’re nervous. But that was then, and this is now. Things have changed. Don’t you forget that. It isn’t just a sexy office fling anymore. It’s real.”

  I suck in a few deep breaths and glimpse my reflection once more. “At least I look ready for it.”

  “You sure do. You look ready to kick some serious ass, girl. Not that I think you’re going to need to. I have a feeling that this will be the most wonderful night ever. The start of your love story.”

  The start of my love story . . . that makes me feel incredible. I want a true love story, a fairy tale ending, a happily ever after. I can see it, in the distance. All I need to do is reach out and grab it for it to be mine.

  “What time is it? How long until he gets here?”

  “It’s almost seven o’clock. You don’t need to wait too much longer.”

  I put a hand over my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. If I don’t, it might burst out of my chest. A bloody mess, that’s all I need to be on this wonderful date. My thoughts are interrupted by the knocking at the door.

  “Oh my God.” I grab Millie hard. “He’s here.”

  21

  Brock

  I suck in a deep breath as the door swings open and I see a true vision of beauty in front of me. Jodi is breathtaking. She’s gorgeous, especially today, with her hair all styled like that and her lovely dress on.

  “Wow, you look amazing.” I run my eyes up and down her body, pausing to focus on her bump. God, I love that bump. I can’t wait until the time when she finally lets me touch it, to feel our baby in there.

  “Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself. I like your suit. You’re very fancy. What do you have planned?”

  “I’m taking you to Caesar’s Palace, to the restaurant there if that’s okay with you?”

  “But it’s so expensive! You can’t take me there! That’s far too posh for me. Plus, isn’t that the enemy?”

  “Okay, that’s fine. Do you want to go somewhere else? I’m good with whatever you want to do. Also, there is no enemy. Competition, maybe, but I want to take you somewhere other than my place for a treat.”

  She breathes in sharply a couple of times before nodding. “No, it’s okay. That sounds good to me.”

  I hold out my arm for her to take it. “You don’t have to worry—there’s still no pressure. Just a casual date.”

  “You can’t have a casual date where you’re taking me, but we’ll give it a go.”

  She waves behind her, which is when I notice Millie there. I shoot her a grateful smile, knowing that none of this would be possible if it hadn’t been for her. She came to yell at me, not knowing how I’d react, and if she hadn’t have done that, I wouldn’t have ever pulled my head out of my ass. I’ll have to find a way to thank her properly someday.

  But now isn’t the time. I let the girls say their farewells, and we head outside toward the car.

  “A limousine?” She cocks an eyebrow at me. “Are you serious? This isn’t casual, is it?”

  “I know. But I want to spoil you. I want to make up for everything I’ve done wrong.”

  “You don’t need to. I’m not going to punish you. This is a fresh start for me and you.”

  “And what better way to start it than in style?” I open the door for her and wait for her to slide inside. My heart flutters as I catch a glimpse of leg. “Here we go. Driver, please take us to our destination.”

  I extend my arm across the back of the seat, and Jodi curls into me without hesitation. It’s so natural between us. Life is so much better with her next to me. I feel a warmth emanating from her that’s from inside, not from her body heat. This has taken me back to how it used to be before I fucked it up.

  I need this, I remind myself. I need to make this right again. She’s my one.

  “Oh my goodness. There are drinks, and actually nonalcoholic ones. That’s so rare.”

  “Of course.” I lean forward and grab a couple of glasses. “I thought of you.”

  “You can have a drink anyway. You don’t have to stay away from the booze because of me.”

  “I don’t mind. I want to have a clear head for tonight anyway. We have a lot to discuss.”

  “Ooh, that sounds heavy. I thought this was casual and carefree.”

  “It is. Don’t worry. I would just rather not drink tonight. This stuff tastes nice anyway.”

  We clink our now full glasses together and take a swig. I can see the tension rolling off her shoulders as she starts to relax. Good . . . the more time that passes, the more I want to get back to just me and her.

  “I always love the strip at night,” Jodi muses as she stares out the window. “It’s so beautiful.”

  “Some people call it tacky, but I know what you mean. I love it too. I love the flickering lights and the idea that the city never sleeps. There’s always someone awake doing something.”

  “Usually gambling,” she teases. “The people up at two in the morning are usually gambling.”

  “I guess so, but it isn’t just that, is it? Remember, I run a casino, and during the early days I was always up at two in the morning watching what was going on. Sometimes there’s magical things going on at that time. People meeting, reconnecting, weeping over lost love, finding someone new . . . amazing things can happen at that time.”

  “Yeah, I suppose that’s a much nicer way to look at it. Magic at two a.m.”

  We pull up outside Caesar’s Palace, and I guide her inside. The wonderful Roman-themed casino surrounds us, filling us both with the sensation that anything is possible. We go to the restaurant with the deep orange lighting. Candles sit on every table, causing shadows to dot the walls. Jodi sidles closer to me, almost as if she’s nervous to be here. I rub her arm, hopefully reassuring her as the waiter takes us to our table.

  “Are you okay?” I ask with a smile as we take a seat. “You seem really anxious?”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to. I’m just trying to wrap my head around all of this. A couple of days ago, I had all the worries in the world resting on my shoulders, and now I’m here with you.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s my fault. Again, I’m very sorry about that.”

  She rests her hand on top of mine and smiles. “I don’t want you to say sorry again. We’ve done the apology thing. Now it’s time for us to focus on moving forward. I wouldn’t be with you if I didn’t forgive you.”

  I nod, trying to drink that in. It’s nice to hear it, to know that we’re both on the same page.

  “Yeah, okay. I’ll stop saying sorry then. I don’t want to focus on the past either.”

  Jodi picks up a menu, and I do the same, taking the lead from her. In moments, the waiter comes over, and we both order nonalcoholic drinks. I’m not touching alcohol tonight, just as I promised her.

  “Have you ever eaten here before? Do you have anything you can recommend?”

  “I haven’t ever been here, but it has a good reputation. I’m sure it’s all good.”

  She peers over the top of the menu and smirks at me. “So you haven’t been here with girls?”

  “I don’t usually take anyone out on a date, if that’s what you’re referring to.”

  “I thought you were a playboy back in the day? You can’t tell me you haven’t dated.”

  “Not so much, but remember, that’s the past me. And I’m honestly not that bad.”

  I catch a glimpse of something in her eyes, a dark desire floating there in her gaze. It leaves me wondering what she’s thinking about. Is she remembering all the awesome times in the office? God, I wish I could hire her again so we could relive all of that. But I suppose we’re long past that now. This is another time.

  “Okay, so I have the honor of being a very rare date of yours. That’s interesting . . .”

  “You do, and I’m hoping that you’ll be the very last date I go on in my life.”

  The sizzling increases between us, buzzing so loudly I’m sure the whole room must be able to hear it. My heart hammers loudly against my rib cage as I look at her. Intensity encompasses me.

  “So this is very serious then. You’re telling me you want something serious.”

  Screw being casual. I need to tell her how it is. “Of course I want it to be serious. I love you.”

  She freezes for a moment, and I wonder if I’ve gone a step too far. “I love you too.”

  Before we can go any deeper into that, the waiter returns to take our order. I barely know what I’m saying as I make my choice, and I don’t think Jodi is focused on food either. We’re back to being so wrapped up in one another that the rest of the world doesn’t exist. I love being in our little bubble. It’s the happiest place in the world.

  “This was a really nice idea,” Jodi tells me seriously. “Thank you for this. It’s amazing.”

  “Well, like I said, I want this to be a fresh start, and you deserve to be spoiled.”

  “Some fresh start. We’ve already skipped along too far . . . since I’m having our baby.”

  “Yeah, that’s true. Maybe this was all a mistake. It’s a bit heavy for me. I think I might need to skip out of here before I get sucked in too deep.”

  She bursts into a peal of laughter, expanding my heart even more. God, I love this woman—she’s everything. I hope this will be the first day of the rest of our lives.

  * * *

  “Do you want dessert?” I ask her, leaning across to grab the menu before I wait her answer.

  “Of course I do! Have you seen the chocolaty thing? It looks amazing.”

  “Do you want it here?” I cock an eyebrow at her. “Or shall we eat it in the limo?”

  “Can we do that? Will they let us take it away?”

  “I’m sure they will. I’ll ask. I don’t see why they wouldn’t let us.”

  I think she can see what I mean. I want to eat it in the limo so we can have some alone time. There’s been a connection growing between us all night long, and it’s grown the more open we become with one another. I can feel a shift. This is definitely a more grown-up version of us.

  It takes me only a few minutes to arrange for us to take our desserts in a box, and I take Jodi back outside to the car which has been waiting in the parking lot for us the whole time.

  “Where’s the driver?” She chuckles. “We aren’t going anywhere without him here.”

  “That’s okay. We can just sit in the back and eat these. I’ll message him and get him to come back.”

  “Yeah, alright. Sounds good. The car is almost as luxurious as the restaurant anyway.”

  Just before she steps into the car, I feel compelled to seal the deal. I spin her around and lightly press her back against the car. I rest my forehead against hers so I can stare deeply into her eyes. She breathes raggedly, her eyes glazing over with what I’m sure is love.

  “You’re everything to me. I hope you know that,” I murmur. “I can’t express how much you mean to me.”

  She grabs hold of my hands and rests them against her belly, causing me to stop breathing. My baby is in there. I can almost feel the life blooming inside, and it feels wonderful. There’s even a little stirring, almost as if my child knows I’m here and is reacting to me. I really hope this bond is growing already.

  “Wow,” I gush. “Wow, that’s my baby. My baby is in there.”

  “Yep. Amazing, isn’t it? It won’t be long until we can see our child.”

  I move my lips toward her and kiss her softly, claiming her gently as my own. This right here is my family, the be-all and end-all as far as I’m concerned.

  “We’re going to make this work, Jodi,” I reassure her. “I love you so much, and we’ll be happy.”

  She wraps her arms tightly around my waist and holds me to her. “I love you too, Brock. I really do.”

  “Come on then. Let’s eat this chocolate before it melts. It’s too delicious for that.”

  We slip into the car and hide ourselves behind the tinted windows, alone at last.

  22

  Jodi

  I’m all giddy and carefree, like a teenager with absolutely no responsibilities, as I sit opposite Brock. I keep giggling randomly because the happiness is so desperate to break free, and he joins in like it’s infectious.

  “How’s your food?” he says teasingly. “I only ask because it’s all around your mouth.”

  “It is?” I frantically try to brush it away. “Is it gone? God, this is so embarrassing.”

  “Come here.” He slides along the seat and crashes his butt into mine. “Let me get it.”

  His fingers send electrical jolts from my mouth straight to my core. There’s a fluttering in my panties that threatens to make me do something crazy. I’ve always been very wild around Brock, and he’s often dragged me out of my comfort zone, but now I should at least try and be sensible. But that thought immediately flies out the window as he replaces his fingers with his tongue, licking the remaining chocolate from me. “Oh wow.” My heart bursts, my head spins, I lose my freaking mind. “Brock.”

  I knot my fingers up in his hair as his tongue glides down to my neck. Pinpricks of desire prickle all over me, and all of my organs spring back to life. I didn’t even realize it, but it’s as if my insides died the moment he left me, and his every stroke brings them back to where they need to be.

  His hand grips my thigh and then slowly rakes up and down. My legs part for him automatically, unable to behave in any kind of acceptable way. My core throbs and pulses for him. I’m desperate. There’s no rationality anymore—that flew out the window the moment he touched my hypersensitive mouth.

  “Oh fuck, Brock. That feels so good.” I let my head loll back as desire screams through me.

  “Jodi, I need you so badly.” There’s a tremble in his voice. “I know I shouldn’t. We’re supposed to be taking things slow, but you’re driving me crazy. I can hardly control myself around you.”

  His thumb brushes against the cotton of my underwear, nearly tipping me over the edge.

  “I need you too, Brock. Oh fuck, you have no idea.”

  I don’t even care that we’re in the back of a car, that the driver could come back at any moment. Brock and I are used to semi-dangerous sex, and we’ve nearly been caught every single time, so this is familiar territory.

  He pushes me backward onto the seat, and I fall willingly, wanting to do whatever he needs of me. As long as I get to feel him everywhere, I honestly don’t give a damn. My body clearly recalls the sensation of his thick, throbbing cock inside of me, and I can’t wait to have that again.

  Brock tugs my panties to one side, not quite pulling them down yet, and he trails his finger up and down my soaking wet slit. I buck my hips, lifting upward to give him all the access he needs. He caresses me, massaging my clit, not enough to send me flying over the edge, but just enough to have my head spinning . . .

  “Hello, sir. Sorry I’m late, I just got your message as I was—”

  We leap apart as the driver’s voice shatters through the thick, heady, lustful atmosphere. I push myself into a sitting position and try to smooth my hair and clothing, but it's too obvious what’s been happening. It rings all through the car. The driver averts his eyes rapidly and tactfully climbs into his seat. He then slides the partition between us closed, blocking us from his view. I giggle hysterically, fully knowing that we haven’t gotten away with it but actually not minding as much as I should, stopping only when his voice comes back through on speaker.

  “Where would you like to go now?” He sounds about as sheepish as Brock looks, which is even funnier.