Page 25 of Chasing Christmas

She's pregnant.

Holy shit. My little star is carrying my baby.

"You're pregnant." My knees cease functioning. I land on my ass on the bed beside her.

"I don't know." Her bottom lip quivers as her big, watery eyes meet mine. "I should have started last week. I didn't even realize I was late until you told me the date. I've been so focused on other things; it never even crossed my mind. I swear I didn't realize, Kaiden. I would have said something if I had."

"Fuck," I whisper, my mind reeling. She could be carrying my kid right now. My star…pregnant with my baby. Goddamn, I like the sound of that. A whole helluva lot.

"You're mad." Her expression crumbles.

"Mad?" I shake my head, shocked that she could think that. "Never," I growl, cupping her cheeks in my hands to brush away her tears. "Christ, princess. I don't know how I feel right now, but mad isn't even close."

"Upset? Afraid? Annoyed? Outraged? Crushed?"

"Hopeful," I whisper, making her sob my name. "Awed. Elated. Overjoyed. Humbled. Grateful." Emotion swells in my throat, threatening to choke me. "So fucking grateful."

She throws herself into my lap, sobbing. I catch her, wrapping her up in my arms. My hand goes to the back of her head, cradling her to me. She presses her face to my throat, her hot tears soaking my skin as she cries.

"I want it so bad," she says, her words muffled. "I didn't know how much until I realized it was possible." She pulls back to look at me, her face wet with tears, still so fucking perfect it hurts. "I want your baby, Kaiden. I want so many of your babies."

My dick turns to steel at the thought.

"Then I need you to stop crying so I can go buy a test, princess."

"Okay," she sniffles.

"Wait!"Lauracriesanhour later, spinning around so fast she bumps into me.

I grab her before she bounces off and lands on her ass in the middle of the bathroom floor. She's carrying my kid. Falling could hurt both of them. We can't have that.

"You know you aren't watching me pee, right?" she asks, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Fuck, I know," I mutter, blowing out a breath. I'm not sure which of us is most nervous. I think I bought every damn test in the drugstore. The clerk looked at me like I was crazy. I wanted to growl at him that he'd understand one day, but then I thought about all the people who never get to experience this and kept my damn mouth shut.

My little star is turning me soft. Before her, I don't think that thought would have ever crossed my mind. But now? I think about shit like that now. I think about what she would say and how I would want people to treat her.

"You're nervous," she says.

"So are you."

"I'm scared it'll be negative."

"Me too."

"Really?"

I nod, reaching out to stroke her cheek. "Now that I've thought about you carrying my kid, I want it, princess. But if you aren't pregnant this time, that doesn't mean you won't be next time. I'll keep you stuffed full of my cock and cum until you're good and bred."

"Kaiden," she moans, her eyes darkening.

"Go pee on the stick so we can both see that you're already carrying my kid."

"Okay," she whispers. And then she hesitates and reaches for my hand. "Maybe you should wait outside the door. Just in case I need you."

"I can do that," I murmur, grateful as hell she's not kicking me out of the room entirely.

She takes a deep breath and then marches into the bathroom with the test in her hand. I pace in restless circles outside the door, my heart in my throat. It takes an eternity before she finally pulls the door open.