Don’t You Dare Talk About My Child As If You Care
BLAINE
We almost kissed if Ben didn’t save me from a serious humiliation. I couldn’t blame myself for being drawn to him because I knew how it felt like to be kissed by Xandry. On the other hand, I wanted to hit myself in the head for thinking of kissing in front of my child. My heart shrank as I pressed my lips tight, ducking my chin against my knees as I continued berating myself in my mind.
And friends don’t kiss, do they?
A soft knock got me back from frowning. I composed myself. “Come in, B.”
Bianca emerged from the door and let herself in. She looked like hiding her life-size Peppa pig plush doll under her silky light pink nighties. She locked the door softly behind her. Ben was already sleeping in the other room.
“Why are you still up, hot mamma?” I eyed her quizzically as she sat on my bed like we used to do back in our home when we talked about boys.
“Kyland has a night out with Pyke and Levi,” she answered shortly and it contradicted the way she looked at me.
“Ask away, B.” I leaned my back against the headboard because this was going to be a long night.
“Fine, so how was your date?” A meaningful grin was plastered on her face.
“That wasn’t a date, silly. We had dinner and watched Arlo.” I rolled my eyes at my idiocy.
She kept grinning maliciously and pressed, “A dinner and a movie together, are you insane? It was a date and don’t pull that excuse on me now, sis. We used to do this when it came to boys, and we don’t keep secrets.”
I shrugged. “Maybe it was, and we almost kissed—”
“What?” she shrieked.
“Omigod, B. Calm down, I don’t want to take you to the hospital if your water breaks.”
Her eyes widened just like her smile. “So you’ll let me give birth here instead? Don’t answer that. Then what happened?”
“I totally forgot Ben was with us.” A laugh erupted first from me. We grasped our hands together as we continued laughing like teenagers. God, I missed this.
“I know Xandry is hot and all. I can’t blame you if you can’t keep your hands off of him. You should be proud of him, Blaine, he changed a lot, you know.”
I pursed my lips and nodded.
“So are you two back together?”
Looking down at our hands, I took a deep breath. My stomach knotted to how our relationship was going to work out, now we both had kids. Was he worth a sacrifice?
I shook my head, lifting my gaze to Bianca. “He asked to have a little patience for him until his baby is out of the hospital. Should I…”
“Should you wait, you mean? Isheworth it? Ask yourself, Blaine.”Is he?
My brows met together.
I liked Xandry a lot. I loved him. Our situation made it hard for us to start a relationship together. We tried once and it worked, but things had changed when he got someone pregnant and now he had another priority, yet, he still wanted to be with me. But until when? When we both realized we were just wasting our time? Would I ever sacrifice my time with my family and my job to move here near him?
Flutters spread in my stomach as I got my answer. I nodded. “He is, B. He is worth a wait.”
Bianca’s lips curved into a genuine smile. “Good to know.”
Bianca left after we talked for another hour. She wanted me to be with her when she had irregular contractions. After the ultrasound, her baby was safe. I was just like her when I was pregnant—tend to panic about a small thing.
I lied down, staring up at the plain cream ceiling when my phone buzzed. My heartbeat quickened. A grin spread across my face as I blindly searched for my phone.
“Hi,” I answered.
“Well, hi to you too, sweetheart. Waiting for my call, huh?” I could feel the teasing smile on his lips.
God, how I missed those lips on me. My muscles tensed everywhere.
“Don’t let it get into your big head, Xandry,” I retorted, and he rewarded me with a laugh.
“You called me baby, Blaine. Come on, I wanna hear it again.”
Heat flushed my face. “Not happening, I used to call Ben baby when I got worried, so that was not meant for you.” I bit my lip.
“But you were worried about me, weren’t you?”
“Yeah, I was.”
“Not so hard to admit, it is, sweetheart?”
“What will you get with this, Xandry?” It was irrational but I wanted to know his point.
“You, Blaine. I want you to be open and honest with me, show me how you feel when you’re worried about me, and if you care. We don’t have to lie to one another.”
“So, are you saying that I was lying to you?”
“No, sweetheart, you denied.”
My mouth fell open. He was right. I cared about him. I was worried when he didn’t call. “Fine.”
“Good. Anyway, I miss you and I wanna hear your voice before I get some sleep. I declined when Pyke invited me to go out with them.” His voice was relaxed and slow. He could be in bed already.
“Get some sleep. We talked every night, Xandry. And I was just with you earlier tonight.”
“I know, sweetheart. Can you blame me for dreaming of you being here beside me?” He must be grinning.
“Shut up and sleep.” I rolled my eyes.
“Haven’t you ever thought of me being naked on top of you, pressed against you, hot and hard inside you while I’m in ragged breathing trying to control my orgasm? Haven’t you ever thought of me between your thighs savoring every drop of your sweetness?” His voice turned raspy and deep. I could hear his breath hissing over the earpiece.
My eyelids instantly dropped as heat flooded between my thighs. I pressed them together. My nipples tightened into peaks. My body burned, making me feel hot under my blanket. Sweat formed on my skin, making me damper.
“Are you wet, sweetheart?” he whispered.
“Yeah. I mean no! T-the air condition is off, I need to turn it on,” I stammered, reaching for the remote on the nightstand.
He laughed softly, clearly amused while I cursed silently. I squeezed my eyes shut as heat flushed all over my face.
“That’s what I was talking about, sweetheart. We don’t hide our feelings. Let’s be honest, okay? Confession, I’m harder than rock right now just thinking of you beneath me. What I said earlier, it had been my wet dreams since I had not been buried deep inside you for weeks. Can’t wait to feel you again, Blaine.”
My chest heaved. “Well, blame it on my lack of experience. Since when the last time I’ve been in a relationship and a man actually made me horny like this? I can’t even remember I fingered myself when I had phone sex with Ethan because he can’t turn me on the way you did. So, cut me some slacks if I’m kind of keeping my feelings to myself!” I breathed hard when it dropped to my final word.
“I’m glad he’s an ass because he just gave me the privilege of fulfilling what he didn’t make you feel. You’re a wonderful woman, Blaine. You need to be treated like a goddess.”
“Get some sleep, Xandry,” I dismissed though my heart thundered in my chest with his promises.
“Okay, sweetheart. Are you sure you don’t need my help?”
I groaned, “I’m fine.”
He laughed. “Sure you are, but I might need—”
“Xandry, we’re not gonna do this over the phone.” With wide eyes, I covered my face with my free hand.
“So, I’ll come instead?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“I know, I know. I’m just teasing you.”
***
I ended up saying yes just to shut off Xandry. Knots twisted in my stomach as we got out of his car with flowers in my hand. My knees wobbled as I walked with Xandry toward the hospital lobby. He wanted me to see his baby before I and Ben will go back home. I refused to take Ben with us because I had this feeling that my child could get something from the hospital. Call me a freak, but I knew how stressful it was when your child got sick.
“Relax, Blaine.” He looked down at me, squeezing my hand. “We can go to the exit door and kiss the hell your nerves away.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m fine.”
“We talked about this last night, sweetheart. It’s just my baby and you met Sunshine. She is a good person.”
First, we went to see Sammer. She was so cute inside the incubator. I’ve seen premature babies lived normally once they got out of the hospital. I hoped for Sammer as well.
Xandry squeezed my hand again before knocking softly on the private room 402.
I instantly recognized her voice and said to come in. Xandry didn’t let go of my hand, making my gut flip. We were not in a relationship and yet, here we were, holding hands together.
“Hey, you look better, Shine!” Xandry greeted. “Remember Blaine?”
I swallowed, unknowingly gripping the bouquet of flowers tighter.
She sat on the bed wearing a white and blue hospital gown. Her hair was messily tied into a bun. She didn’t look paler than before, but she still had a patient aura.
I reluctantly walked closer to her bed. “Congratulations, Sunshine! I met your baby, and she’s beautiful,” I said shyly.
“Thanks!” She gave me a small smile.
“Flowers for you.” I offered, and she took it, muttering thank you.
The tension suddenly thickened in the room when none of us talk. Xandry tapped on his phone with knitted brows.
The silence was nerve-wracking.
The talkative Sunshine I met before had turned speechless. She placed the flowers beside her and just stared down at the bouquet like they might grow into vines and magically crawl all over the room.
Finally, Xandry cleared his throat. “I’ll go get some drinks. Do you need anything, Shine?”
“No, thanks. I’m good,” she replied softly.
“Sweetheart, a cup of coffee?” His hand touched my spine, and I nodded.
“Have a seat. I’ll be right back, okay?” He kissed the side of my head.
I sat beside Sunshine’s bed. A slight chill ran down my spine as I sided-glance at Sunshine who was now shooting me a glare. Before I could protest to Xandry, the door already shut behind him.
“Do you think I will let you get in between us?” I froze to her voice as sharp as a blade.
Slowly, I turned my head to meet her gaze. “I’m not getting in between you two, Sunshine,” I defended.
“That’s not what I saw a moment ago. I am trying to have a family if you haven’t figured it out. How did you feel when you raised your son without a father by his side? Did it hurt? I don’t want Xandry to raise our child alone. I know he is far ready for this, and I can’t let him do that when he brings different women every night to his apartment while our child is with him,” she spat out, and I thought she had no strength to raise her voice. I was wrong.
I was terribly wrong and completely blindsided by her fake kindness. I thought she was this kind, innocent, and fragile. I gave up nine weeks of my life away from Xandry and sulked at the corner because I thought I was hurting her.
I stood quickly from the chair, causing it to screech against the floor. “Xandry is not like that! He is the most responsible person I’ve ever met. I thought you both arranged who will take care of Sammer.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my child as if you care!” she fumed, guarding her lower abdomen as she spoke. “And you don’t know anything about Xandry. I want him to change while we are raising our child together, so you better go back to your town and don’t show your face ever again because I and Xandry are still living together!”