Seth

 

I’m awoken in the morning by Olivia diving over me, making the mattress bounce as she makes a break for the bathroom, clutching her stomach and covering her mouth. If that isn’t enough to wake me up, I’m wide awake the second she slams the bathroom door.

 

Running a hand over my face, I turn over and look at the clock. 8:00 A.M. I guess I missed training… Olivia and I stayed up late last night talking, and then having sex, and then talking some more. Yesterday I was so certain she’d never want to see me again—especially after I all but demanded she abort our child. She forgave me… she said she understood where I was coming from, and then left me lying here, wondering what great deed I did in my life for destiny to throw me such a fucking amazing girl. She even agreed to wait the fifteen days until after the fight… what kind of woman willingly waits fifteen days to find out a secret from their spouse? A crazy one? Try one that’s crazy in love with you and trusts you, idiot.

 

I shake my head and kick back the sheets. Faintly, I hear Olivia groan and then spit before the bathroom tap turns on. I’ll make her some breakfast. If she’s going to be throwing up for the next couple of weeks, the least I can do is keep her belly full.

 

Rubbing sleep from my eyes, I stagger over discarded clothing and over to the door. When I pull the door open, I pause as the distinct smell of freshly blended juice and eggs assaults my senses. Closing the door behind me, I descend the stairs and walk into the kitchen.

 

“Morning,” Darryl cheers, raising a glass of orange juice.

 

I take in the scene before me—Jackson is preparing bacon to fry on the pan and Selena is putting celery through a juicer. What the hell is going on?

 

“Uh… morning.”

 

“We’re making breakfast,” Selena tells me, stating the obvious.

 

“Shit,” I swear, stepping toward Darryl, who sits on a bar stool by the bench. “Did I forget someone’s birthday?”

 

“No, it’s for…” Selena’s brows furrow. “It’s for… I don’t know what it’s for, but it was Jackson’s idea.”

 

I look at Jackson, who glances at me and quickly shrugs his shoulders. “It’s nothing, just a nice family breakfast.”

 

A family breakfast… I like the sound of that.

 

“Seth? Are you cooking?” Olivia shouts from the top of the stairs, making Selena jump. She gives me a questioning look over shoulder that asks ‘did you tell her?’ I really wish she’d stop freaking out and looking at me with those large, worried eyes. It’s not like we’re having a secret affair. It was a kiss—two kisses—and I haven’t thought about it since. I shake my head.

 

“You didn’t tell her?” Darryl snaps under his breath.

 

Selena turns the juicer up, drowning out the sound of Olivia coming down the stairs.

 

“No, I didn’t. I told her I’ll tell her after the fight. Thanks for your little input last night, by the way.”

 

“You need to—morning!” Darryl cheers over my shoulder, falling back into his happy, cheery persona. “How are you feeling?”

 

“I’m all right,” she replies, slipping her hands around my bare waist and pressing her warm face to my back. She kisses me twice before slipping away and sliding onto the bar stool.

 

“No more food poisoning?” Selena asks, switching off the juicer and pouring Olivia a fresh juice.

 

An awkward silence falls and Olivia, Jackson, Darryl and I exchange glances. Selena is the only one who doesn’t know O’s pregnant.

 

“Nope. No more food poisoning.”

 

She hands Olivia the glass and we curiously watch the exchange between the two. “I thought so. You’re glowing this morning.”

 

I noticed too, and I have to admit I wonder if it’s because she’s pregnant or my bedroom skills are just that good. I lost count how many times I made her break apart in my hands and I snort, setting off a chain reaction with Darryl and Jackson.

 

Selena scrunches up her nose. “Oh, ew.”

 

With a blush as red as cherry, Olivia brings the glass to her lips and drinks the juice, all while shaking her head at me.

 

“What?” I laugh. “I didn’t mean to.”

 

“Get over yourself, Seth.” Jackson chuckles, throwing rashers of bacon down on the pan.

 

They sizzle and pop, filling the room with the most delicious smell. I rest against the bench beside Olivia, leaning most of my weight onto my elbows. She shifts uncomfortably and takes a long, nervous sip of her juice. She leans forward on the counter, leaning her mouth against the side of her hand. I feel my eyes widen in realization that she’s about to puke, and sure enough, Olivia twists on the stool and makes a run for the stairs. We watch until she’s slammed the bedroom door and we hear the second slam of the bathroom. Selena looks at me and Jackson drops his stare to the pan, pretending that he’s tending to the bacon. If I look closely, I’m sure I can see his ears straining to hear who’s going to be the one to tell Selena. Darryl scoops up a nearby magazine and pulls it up to cover his face. Pussies. Of course they’re going to make me do it. I reach for Olivia’s glass and take a long sip. Celery, apple, lemon and ginger tickle my taste buds. I lick my lips and set the glass back down.

 

“I don’t think your juice tastes that bad. She’s just over-exaggerating.”

 

Selena crosses her arms tightly over her chest as hidden snickers come from Jackson and Darryl. I bite my lip, trying hard not to join them.

 

“Did you re-heat the chicken stir-fry?”

 

“What?” I laugh so hard—until my stomach burns and I’m certain I’m going to die. Jackson and Darryl do, too. “Olivia has been throwing up in the morning for the last few days, she’s glowing, she can’t handle the smell of bacon, and you assume I reheated some of your stir-fry and fed it to her?” I laugh again. “Holy shit, Selena, you’re lucky you decided against a career in law. You can’t put clues together for shit.”

 

She pouts her glossed lips, growing more frustrated. “I don’t get it…”

 

Jesus. I don’t think she’d get it even if I wrote it all down for her. Jackson must’ve come to the same conclusion as me too, because he groans, “Seth knocked Olivia up.”

 

“Seth and Olivia are starting a family together.” Darryl corrects him with stern eyes, making the entire thing sound a hell of a lot more classy than the way Jackson put it.

 

Selena’s eyes widen and she covers her mouth with her hand. “Are you serious?”

 

I nod, unable to help a small smile.

 

“With yours?”

 

Well, there goes my smile. “Of course with mine. Who else’s would it be?”

 

Her cheeks blush pink and she shakes her head quickly, making her curls bounce. “Right, sorry.” She falls against the cupboard, staring at me in disbelief. “I can’t believe it. Is she all right?”

 

“Did she look okay to you?”

 

“Yes…”

 

“Then she’s fine.”

 

As I finish, Olivia strolls back into the room, drawing everyone’s attention. She moves slowly as she takes it all in. “Well… this is kind of creepy,” she mutters.

 

“You didn’t tell me?” Selena demands, pushing off of the cupboard.

 

I clench my jaw. Selena has no right demanding anything from Olivia, considering she’s keeping her own secrets.

 

“Don’t be mad,” Olivia pleads with Selena. I tug on the belt to Olivia’s dressing gown and pull her in close, tucking her under my arm. Even over the bacon, I can smell the mint on her breath. “I only found out yesterday and Seth and I had some things to sort out first.”

 

“If anyone has the right to be mad, it’s Seth. Now he has to stop buying bacon,” Jackson interrupts, flipping the first crunchy piece of bacon onto a plate. I laugh, but quickly stop when Selena’s perfectly shaped eyebrows furrow. Swiftly, her angry features smooth out into worry—genuine worry for her best friend and it kind of irks me.

 

“Are you all right?” She steps forward and touches Olivia’s forehead, like a mother does when her child is sick. Beside me, Darryl swears under his breath. Is Selena always this dramatic?

 

“She’s pregnant,” I tell her, feeling a surge of pride in my chest. “Not dying.”

 

Selena drops her hand, cradling it to her chest. A look of sympathy crosses her features and I squeeze Olivia even tighter.

 

“Do you know how far?”

 

Olivia shrugs. “I tried working it out, but I don’t know how accurate it is… maybe ten weeks.”

 

She barely absorbs O’s information before asking another invasive question. “But you’re still so young… are you going to keep it?”

 

“Selena!” Jackson and Darryl snap at the same time. I don’t blame them—even my body stiffened at the way she said it. I get that this is going to affect her. She’s going to lose her best friend even more than she already has and that can’t be easy, but Jesus Christ, have some kind of sensitivity.

 

“Of course I’m going to keep it. It makes no sense to get rid of a child I’ve created with Seth. We’re married.”

 

Selena presses forward. “There’s nothing you want to do before children? Like travel or study?”

 

Olivia shakes her head and I peer down at her. She has a small curve to her lips that makes my heart pound. “You’re saying it like I can’t do those things with a child. A baby doesn’t restrict you from doing what you want.”

 

“But there’s so much going on in your life right now. You live in Vegas, Jackson lives at your home back in Portland, and Seth’s career is hardly the kind of caree—”

 

“Fuck my career.” I shrug, straightening my posture and squaring my shoulders.

 

The kitchen falls silent and only Selena and Olivia stare at me. How dare Selena come in here and try to pull this shit right in front of my face.

 

“What did you say?” Selena murmurs.

 

“I said fuck my career and fuck you too, Selena.” My voice comes out louder than I expected.

 

“Seth!” Olivia snaps, stepping away from me and closer to Selena.

 

“Yeah, watch it, Seth,” Jackson warns me, but I’m not afraid of him—or any one of them. I don’t dare pull my stare from Selena’s narrowed slits.

 

“I’m not going to sit here and let you try and push my wife towards an abortion. She’s made up her mind and she’s going to keep it. Don’t try and suck happiness from other people’s lives because you don’t have any in yours.”

 

Selena face contorts in offense. “I’m not trying to push her toward anything. As her best friend, I’m looking out for her, trying to help her make the right choice.”

 

“The right choice? What choice is there to make? It’s happened, she’s pregnant. The deed is done.”

 

“All right!” Darryl interrupts, rising to his feet. “This has gone far enough. Here’s how the rest of this morning is going to go; Selena, you’re going to mind your own business. Seth and Olivia have decided to keep and raise their baby in Portland, with or without your permission. Seth, you’re going to sit your ass down and relax while Jackson keeps cooking that glorious bacon. I’m hungry, which means I’m not in the mood for this. Got it?”

 

Keeping my eyes zeroed in on Selena, I drop onto my stool. “Got it.”

 

I look at Olivia, and seeing her all cute and shit in her robe makes my anger seep from my pores and then disintegrate into nothing but love. I’m just trying to defend her, to defend us. Olivia had to put up with enough abortion talk from me yesterday and I never want to hear the word again. Selena turns back to her juicer and flicks it on, ignoring the rest of the kitchen. To be honest, I really don’t mind it. I twist on my chair, inviting Olivia to come stand between my legs. She does without a word, and I don’t know if it’s because she wants to be here or she doesn’t want to make me mad. Again, I really don’t mind as long as she’s near me… where I can touch her and protect her.

 

Once breakfast is served, and Olivia has thrown up three more times, we move to the dining table to eat. While everyone else loaded up on the eggs, bacon and bread, Olivia filled her plate with fresh fruits and dry toast. It was funny watching her.

 

“Of all the foods it had to be bacon.” She pouted, watching Darryl and Jackson eat strap after strap.

 

“I know the feeling,” I tell her with a smile.

 

The sadistic bastards cooked so much bacon, knowing well and truly that I can’t eat it. My fight is two weeks away and I have to make sure I weigh in at the right weight. One single, miserable piece was my limit and I took it all in one bite.

 

When breakfast was over, I sent them on their way so Olivia and I could have some alone time before my training session this afternoon. I lay propped up with cushions on the couch just watching the clouds roll by outside of my window. They blow over quickly. It must be a windy day in Vegas.

 

Footsteps draw my attention back into the room and my gaze focuses on two cute little feet with pink toenails. They get closer and closer and I finally lift my eyes to Olivia’s hands and watch them slowly undo the furry belt that holds her robe together. She pulls it open, revealing her pink, see-through babydoll—the one she changed into last night that provoked our second act of passion. My eyes zero in on her flat tummy and slowly rise to her perky, swollen breasts… coincidently—besides the matching underwear—it’s the only fabric that isn’t see through. A woman designed the outfit, obviously. No man would ever tease another man so horribly. They know exactly how uncomfortable it feels to be teased.

 

The robe falls down her arms and she flicks her long, chocolate hair over her shoulders before sliding onto me. Her body feels so fucking good against mine—so warm and perfect. I eye her cautiously, waiting for the catch. She hasn’t really spoken to me since I snapped at Selena and now she’s all over me. There’s something wrong.

 

“You’re happy with this now?” she asks, her voice light and hopeful as she places a hand on her tummy.

 

“Absolutely,” I reply, reaching up and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I mean, I’m not going to be perfect and I’m probably going to mess up a bunch of times, but I’ve got you. Whatever you want, whatever you need, and whatever you crave, I’ve got you covered.”

 

Slowly, she leans forward and sensually kisses my chin, waking all of the cells in my body.

 

“I appreciate what you did for me,” she says, this time kissing my lower lip. I suddenly notice her bare thighs pressing firmly against either side of my hips and I feel my cock stir.

 

“With Selena?” I clarify and she nods.

 

“You do?”

 

She nods again, taking my hands in hers and placing them on her firm ass. She pulls on my wrists, forcing my hands to lift her flimsy babydoll and subtly flexes her hips into me.

 

“I know it came from a good place.” She kisses me again and again. “I love it when you defend me.”

 

O lowers her mouth to my neck, catching a small fraction of skin between her teeth. I groan, pressing her ass down and pushing her right against my arousal. Through my sweatpants, she’ll undoubtedly be feeling it. She shifts her hips, pressing her core against me, and even through the fabric I can feel her warmth radiate from between her legs. I grind my hips into her and she moans, moving against my concealed cock. If I’m not careful, I’m going to ruin my favorite pair of sweatpants. Who am I kidding? Coming to her grinding on my cock isn’t the worst way to lose a pair of pants.

 

“Do you like that?” I moan, pulling her forward, pressing her forehead to mine.

 

“Yes.” Her breath hits my face in a needy burst of air.

 

She closes her eyes and swallows hard, but her hips never stop moving. She grinds them into me, moving them strategically—urgently—and I know what she wants. She wants to come now. She doesn’t want the whole show. She just wants to come selfishly, by herself. I smile. I’ll give it to her. It’s the least I can do, really.

 

Releasing her ass, I tug on her babydoll and pull it off over her head before tossing it to the floor. Her breasts are exposed, bouncing and jiggling right in my face, and I watch, completely mesmerized. There’s no place I’d rather be right now. This is fucking heaven. I pinch one nipple between my thumb and index finger while sucking the other between my lips. Her back arches, her eyes never leaving mine. I watch her closely—from her parted lips to her lust slits. She’s close, I can tell by the way her cheeks turn pink like a late sunset. I thrust hard once as she grinds her hips.

 

“Seth!” she cries in a husky, tired voice before her thighs squeeze my hips and her body moves unevenly against mine.

 

She comes. She comes without me putting anything inside her and without using my fingers to rub her. When she’s come down from her high, she stares at me with her breast still in my mouth and her breath hitches as she fingers the string on my pants.

 

“Take these off.” She orders in a harsh whisper and I let her nipple go with a smirk.

 

Well, shit. I think I’m going to like this pregnancy thing.