Dance With Me, Baby: A Yeah, Baby Novella (3 page)

I
felt a little bit of déjà vu as my eyes swept a room full of dancers once again. I’d kept my night with Juliette to myself, not ready to share her with anyone else yet. Unfortunately, it led to my best friend’s matchmaking wife harassing me constantly about meeting her friend. It probably made me a complete asshole, but when her last attempt to nag me included the information that the event was a party for the returning dancers, I finally agreed to ‘attend’ it. I made it clear I was not going on a blind date though. It looked like she’d ignored me, because she and Kevin were nowhere to be found.

I’d waited four months, as patiently as I could, but I was done. Living without Juliette any longer was not an option, and it was time she knew it too. My eyes landed on a pretty, blonde woman, working her way towards me through the crowd, an eager look on her face.
Shit.
Nancy clearly hadn’t told her friend about my adamant refusal for a date. I needed to figure out how to handle this without being a complete douche. All considerations on that front went flying out the window when I spotted the woman she’d been talking to.

I would recognize those beautiful violet pools anywhere, but she was different. She’d filled out a little bit, her skin was practically glowing, and her eyes . . . were filled with tears. She turned and headed in the opposite direction and before I could take a step forward, I was faced with the evidence of Nancy’s meddling.

“Declan?” she asked, her eyes bright and a wide smile on her face. I tried not to scowl at her interference.

“You must be Lisa. It’s nice to meet you. Listen, I’m sorry Nancy gave you the wrong impression, but I’m actually seeing someone, so it would be ungentlemanly of me to lead you on in any way,” I rambled.

Her face fell and I felt like a jerk.
I’m going to kick your ass, Kevin
. But, I didn’t have time to dwell on it, Juliette was fast disappearing. “I really am very sorry, Lisa, but you’ll have to excuse me.” I stepped around her and started after my woman. She turned a corner and I plowed through the crowd, determined to get to her.

I found myself in a darkened hallway and exploring a little farther in, I discovered the doors for the restrooms. Two women were just exiting and both stopped whispering as they walked by me. I ignored them and slammed through the door they’d just exited. Juliette was standing at the counter, her hands under the faucet, her eyes shocked and wide as she stared at me. A woman at the other end was in much the same position, and I glared at her. “Out.”

She frowned at me, but she must have seen the murderous look in my eyes, because she grabbed a stack of paper towels, along with her purse, and scurried out of the room. Once she was gone, and it was clear the other stalls were empty, I flipped the lock on the door and stalked towards my sweet Juliette.

The room was plush and fancy, gold wall paper and fixtures, red carpet, and the thing I was most interested in, a red, velvet couch. I casually walked over and took a seat. “Juliette,” I greeted.

She patted her face with water, then dried it and her hands before turning to face me. “Declan, how nice to see you.” Her words were stiff and she wouldn’t look me in the eyes. “You’re being awfully rude to your date; don’t you think?” She finally looked at me and I was temporarily lost in the turbulent purple orbs.

I raised a single eyebrow. “Date?”

She huffed, “Yes, your blind date with one of the other dancers. Holing up in the women’s powder room seems quite the poor date etiquette.”

I grinned when I realized what her attitude was all about. “You’re so cute when you’re jealous, Jules.”

Her jaw dropped in surprise, but her cheeks tinged with pink. I stood and prowled over to her, cupping her face and brushing my lips along hers. “You look fucking incredible, Juliette. How did you get more beautiful?”

Her face flamed, the pink deepening to a red flush over her upper body. The off the shoulder, silky peasant blouse she was wearing showed off a great deal of skin, and I was mesmerized by the color stealing over it. My eyes dropped to her cleavage, and I growled at the low cut of her top. But that was an argument for another time.

“Why were you running from me, baby?” I asked softly.

She shook her head and her shoulder jumped in a little shrug. “I didn’t want to interrupt your date and I didn’t know if”—she paused and looked everywhere but at me, until I forced her face back to mine, so close our gazes where locked—“if you’d be happy to see me again. I mean, we were a one-night stand and—”

I cut her off with my mouth crashing down over hers. I took advantage of her stunned state and pushed my tongue into her mouth. A ragged groan reverberated from deep in my chest. I felt as though those four months had been an eternity, and though I’d never doubted my decision, it was still a confirmation that she was made for me. That I couldn’t live without her.

“Of course I’m happy to see you. And, I’m not on a date, so I don’t have to feel guilty for this.” I kissed her again and my hands found their way to her ass, lifting her so her legs wrapped around my waist, then stumbling back to drop onto the couch. She straddled my lap and her skirt bunched around her upper thighs. All that separated us was my pants and the thin layer of her panties.

“You taste every bit as amazing as I remember,” I mumbled against her lips. “I bet you’re just as wet for me too.” I slid my hands up her sides and she tensed for a moment, but relaxed when I cupped her tits. I pulled back and looked down at the globes, something was different. Using my index fingers, I tugged down her top and stared. Juliette’s modest breasts were a delicious mouthful, but small enough that she could easily go braless. So, I was taken aback to see them spilling out of the lacy cups.

“I’m not seeing things, right?” I queried absently. “Your tits are bigger.” She froze, and I worried that she thought I had a problem with it. “Not that I’m complaining,” I hurried to assure her. “You’ve filled out a little and it’s sexy as fuck, baby.”

“You—um—you’re not so bad yourself,” she said, her pink blush returning.

“I love the way you blush, Jules. It’s like pouring strawberry syrup over my favorite dessert. All I want to do is eat you.”

She moaned and my already hard cock grew, threatening to rip through my pants to reach her heated pussy. I could already feel the pre-come leaking from the manly instinct to breed my woman.

I reached around her to unhook her bra, but she pushed my hands away, making me growl in frustration. Four months. Four fucking months I had waited for her and my ability to go slow was slim to none.

“I think we should talk before this goes any further.”

“After.” My mouth chased hers, seeking a taste, but she played a mean game of keep away. I sighed and sat back. “What would you like to talk about?”

She cleared her throat and squirmed a little, rubbing her pussy over my erection. I grabbed her hips to keep her from moving any more. If she wanted any chance to keep my attention while she ‘talked,’ I needed her to remain still.

“Go ahead, baby. I’m listening,” I murmured. Leaning in, I placed my lips on her collarbone, nibbling, licking, and leaving little bites all over her neck.

“Well, I found out—um—that’s very distracting, Declan. This is important.”

“So is this, Jules.” I kissed my way down her cleavage while she sputtered for a response. Tugging down her bra, I kissed each rosy nipple, encouraged to take one in my mouth when she moaned again.

My hands drifted down, intent on touching her everywhere. They landed on her stomach and it was my turn to freeze. I felt all around the area, finding it odd she would gain weight in such a concentrated area. Except, I knew that wasn’t what I was feeling. Pride and an abundance of love burst through me, hoping I was right.

I glanced up and she had her hands over her mouth, her eyes filled with frightened tears. Was she not happy about this? I gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it off over her head. Then I dropped my eyes to her belly and sure enough, there was a little bump. The most beautiful little bump in the world.

I met her violet gaze and there was wonder in my voice when I asked, “We’re having a baby?”

W
as this really how Declan was going to find out I was pregnant? In the women’s restroom of a restaurant while I was topless and sitting on his lap? This was even worse than I’d imagined when I pictured myself surprising him at his apartment to tell him the news.

I started to scramble off his lap, but when I glanced down, my eyes were riveted by the sight of his hands on my belly. I never thought I’d feel his hands on me again. Not during any of the months I’d been gone. Not even after I found out I was expecting his baby from our one night of passion. And certainly not when I saw him at the door and knew he was the blind date Lisa had been prattling on about—something I’d managed to forget when his lips had landed on mine.

It wasn’t something I could ignore any longer, though. I jerked away from Declan, grabbing my top from the floor and pulling it back on. After a couple deep breaths, I turned around and faced him. “Yes, I’m pregnant with your baby.” His eyes jumped from my belly to my face, and I could have sworn they were filled with happiness, but it had to be wishful thinking on my part. I tended to babble when I was nervous, and this was no exception. “I literally just found out, barely more than an hour ago. I swear I was going to come see you tomorrow and try to explain how this all happened. After I figured out what to say, that is. I wasn’t going to keep the news from you, but I’m not sure I’m ready to talk to you about it yet. Not here. Not right now. I really wasn’t prepared to see you tonight, let alone on a date with another woman.”

“I already told you I wasn’t on a date,” he growled, uncoiling from where he sat on the red velvet couch and stalking towards me. “I’m not going to let you use a stupid misunderstanding as an excuse to avoid talking to me tonight. I’ve waited four long months for you to come home, and my patience has officially run out.”

He waited, what?

“I’m sorry Lisa was mistaken about my reason for being here tonight. I didn’t come for her. I came for you.” He yanked me towards him, tilting my chin up with one long finger.

“How is that possible?” I whispered. “
I
didn’t even know I was going to be here until this morning.”

“My best friend’s wife is friends with Lisa. She’s been trying to set us up for months. I wasn’t the least bit interested in her matchmaking efforts and barely paid any attention to her, but when she mentioned the reason behind the party tonight, there wasn’t anything that was going to keep me away.”

“Lisa seemed to have missed that memo,” I grumbled.

“She’s clued in now. Before I hunted you down in here, I made it extremely clear to her that I’m already seeing someone and have no interest in dating anyone else.”

“You’re seeing someone?” I croaked, feeling sick to my stomach at the thought.

“Fuck, baby. Have you not heard a word I’ve been saying?” His hands gripped me around my waist and tugged until I was flush against his body, his hardened length pressed against my stomach. “Yes, I’m fucking seeing someone—
you
, the woman who’s carrying my child.”

Ah, right, the baby.
I guessed it made sense that Declan would want to attempt to build a relationship with me now that he was aware I was pregnant with his baby. I only wished he’d been this keen to try for one before letting me go four months earlier. The logical side of me knew it had been a long-shot, considering I hadn’t even known him a full day before I left for Europe, but my heart had yearned for him to ask if we could try the long-term thing while I’d been away. Only he hadn’t, and this was the first time I’d heard the word ‘relationship’ from his delicious lips. Although, he had said I was the only reason he’d come to the party in the first place, so that had to be a good sign.

Seriously, I was going to drive myself crazy over him. Right about now, I really wished I’d spent a little less time focused on ballet and a little more time interacting with guys who weren’t my dance partners. Straightening my spine, hoping to find the strength to resist him, at least for the moment, I tried to step away but he didn’t let me go far. Strong hands gripped my waist and held me in place.

“Now that we’ve gotten that ridiculousness out of the way, I’d like to focus on what’s truly important—you being pregnant with my baby.” I dropped my head against his chest as tears filled my eyes. Stupid hormones. “I know you’re probably scared, but I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

If he kept up with this sweetness, I was never going to be able to resist falling into his bed again. Even if he’d been an ass about the pregnancy, I still probably wouldn’t have been able to hold out for long. Sniffling, I breathed in the masculine scent I’d missed while I’d been gone. Part of me wanted to kick myself for falling into his bed so easily, but I couldn’t truly regret the most magical night of my life. All it took was one touch, one kiss, one smell and I wanted him. So much so that I had no idea how I’d ever be able to protect my heart when we were going to be connected for the rest of our lives because of the baby.

“Hey!” a feminine voice shouted through the door, interrupting my musings and startling me. “This is a public restroom, you know. The only one for women in this place, and some of us have to go. Like right now.”

“Maybe we should take this conversation to somewhere a little more appropriate,” I mumbled into his shirt.

“It’s probably a good idea, since the last thing I need is to be arrested for indecent exposure from being caught in here with you,” he chuckled. “The hospital would not approve and it wouldn’t exactly be a story I’d want to share with our children later on.”

“You look pretty decent to me,” I sighed, stepping away from him and sweeping my gaze up his body.

“If you keep looking at me like that for much longer, there’s no way in hell either of us will make it out of here with all of our clothes intact.”