Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
I smirked, abashed. Leaning down, I murmured, “How about the sexiest?”
Her blue eyes glittered with laughter and flirt. “That too.”
There had been a lot of flirting these past three weeks. Some kissing, hand-holding, hugging. But nothing else because we were taking it slow. And fuck, was it killing me slowly.
We checked in for our appointment and as soon as we sat down in the waiting area, Callie grumbled, “From avoiding you in the corridor to practically panting all over you.”
I asked her what she meant as I rested our clasped hands on my thigh.
“The receptionist,” she murmured under her breath. “She was undressing you with her eyes. Totally inappropriate. You’re here with your pregnant girlfriend.”
I didn’t hear anything else but “pregnant girlfriend.” I grinned.
Callie glowered. “Oh, you like that?”
“The pregnant girlfriend part, aye. Didn’t know we were calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend.”
Her eyes widened as she realized what she’d let slip. “Well, I mean, we’re d-dating—”
I cut her off with a quick kiss. “I’m your boyfriend.”
“Aye?”
“Aye.”
A smile tugged at her lips, giving her away even as she shrugged casually. “Cool.”
I chuckled. “Cool.”
Our appointment slot came and went as we waited, so we passed the time chatting quietly about the new house. It came partially furnished, but Callie reckoned I needed to switch some pieces for softer, plusher furnishings to add coziness. She was right. As it was, the house was very masculine, and I loved it, but I hadn’t only bought it for me. Even if it took me the entire pregnancy to convince Callie to move in with me, I wanted the place as inviting as possible to her. So I was subtly trying to get her to put her stamp on it.
“Maybe we could go sofa shopping,” I suggested. “I need your help to pick something.”
“Sure.” She shrugged happily.
“And mattress shopping.” The bed in the primary suite was built into the design, but I didn’t like the current mattress. “Something sturdy so I can give it to you how you like it.”
Callie’s eyes practically popped out of her head as she smacked my arm with her free hand and glanced quickly around to make sure no one was listening. “Lewis!” she hissed.
My shoulders shook with quiet laughter as our eyes met. I’m sure mine were reminding her of how hard she wanted it the last time we had sex because her cheeks bloomed an uncharacteristic shade of pink.
Fuck, she was adorable. I stole another quick kiss.
“Callie Ironside,” a voice called from our right, and we turned to see a woman in a dark blue smock.
We stood up, and her eyes fell on us.
Callie’s hand tightened around mine in a way I knew she wasn’t even aware of, and I pulled her into my side.
The woman moved toward us, a friendly smile on her face. “Hi, Callie, I’m Verity. I’ll be your midwife.”
“Nice to meet you. This is my … boyfriend. Lewis.”
Boyfriend. That hurt in a really good way. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too. Come this way.”
She settled us into a private room. I saw the midwife note Callie’s tight grip on my hand, and she gave her an understanding smile. Verity was warm and kind, and I was relieved to observe Callie relax. The first few questions were easy. Where Callie lived and who she lived with. I was hoping the latter answer would change sooner rather than later.
“Do you have friends and family nearby?”
Callie nodded. “I’m hardly ever alone.”
Her gaze flicked between us. “And I do have to ask if Lewis is the father?”
“He is.”
“I am.”
Verity gave me a smile. “Congrats to you, too, then.”
“Thanks.”
She asked me for my full name, date of birth, and all that stuff, and then asked Callie if she’d ever been pregnant before, if she smoked, how much alcohol she drank, about her mental and physical health.
“And do you have a job, Callie?”
“I run a bakery with my mum.”
The midwife paused and looked up from her iPad. “Not Callie’s Wee Cakery?”
Callie smiled. “That’s the one.”
“Oh my goodness.” Verity beamed. “I am in love with your bakery. My wife and I make a trip into Ardnoch once a month just so I can get my fix. The new pastries are to die for. I could swim in a vat of those Ardnoch Saint Honorés.”
“Thank you so much. That means a lot.”
“I knew you looked familiar and now I know why. I’m sorry if I’m fangirling, but I always tell my wife how lucky we are to have a bakery like the cakery so close when you could be working in a top restaurant.”
Joy lit Callie’s eyes and pride filled mine as I lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. I could have kissed Verity, too, because she had no idea how much my girlfriend needed to hear such kindness about her talent.