Page 10 of His Valentine
“Any other shopping you want to do?” I ask, looking over at her in the passenger seat.
Lena shakes her head. “No. That’s plenty for today. Thanks for coming with me, Magnus.”
“You’re welcome. Should we go set this up at your place?”
“Oh…no, that’s okay. You really don’t have to do that. Besides, I need to rearrange some stuff in my apartment first. But…” She smiles carefully over at me. “Do you feel like hanging out for a while longer? Maybe at my place?”
“Absolutely,” I say.
As I heftthe crib box into Lena’s apartment, she pulls drinks out from her fridge and sets out a half-empty sleeve of cookies. We lose track of time as we hang out and talk, sitting side by side on her kitchen stools.
Lena’s in the middle of a sentence when she suddenly stops and places a hand on her stomach.
“She’s kicking,” she says. “Here, give me your hand. You should feel it.”
When I place my broad hand over the spot that Lena guides me to, it feels like the whole fuckinguniverseexpands. I can feel our little girl’s feet kicking, thudding against my palm. It’s incredible. It’s unreal.
“It’s so crazy, right?” Lena says.
I nod. Jesus. I even feel a little choked up.
“Magnus?”
I look up and meet her eyes. “Yes?”
“I’m so sorry I ran away from you,” Lena says. “And I’m alsososorry I didn’t try harder to get ahold of you. I feel awful about it. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would.”
“I don’t want you to feel bad about it,” I say. “It is what it is.”
“Yeah, but if I hadn’t…” Her voice breaks off.
“It doesn’t matter what could have happened, Lena,” I say. “It only matters what’s happening right now.”
She worries her lip between her teeth, then lets out the breath she’s holding.
“Whatishappening right now?” she asks, her voice practically a whisper.
“Something good,” I say. “Somethingreallygood.”
Electricity crackles between us. She draws in a breath, and when she lets it out, the faintest little moan escapes her lips. I lean in to kiss her. But Lena puts a hand on my chest, making me stop.
“I need to know you’re not just here because of the baby.”
I nod. “I’m here for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, Lena. I want you. I want you like I’ve never wanted anyone else.”
Lena’s hand grips my shirt, pulling me toward her as I lean in.
But just as our lips come into contact, Lena’s phone rings.
“Shit,” Lena murmurs, pulling back. “Sorry. One sec. I’ll put my phone on silent.”
I lean back, letting her go. As Lena steps away, I quickly adjust my pants, the erection beneath huge and trapped. But the hardness and heat immediately vanishes the second I hear Lena’s tone on the phone.
“Oh myGod,” she’s saying. “Are you okay, Mom?”