Page 70 of The Pilot

“I just need to make sure to protect you, that there are no accidental pregnancies. Condoms can fail, and I don’t want either of us to go through extreme stress or heartache. I’m a man of action. If I can mitigate a problem before it happens, that’s what I’m going to do. Thus calling my doctor and setting up an appointment.”

Harper thought her heart was going to burst. Some women wanted roses. Wanted extravagant presents or gestures from their boyfriends. Not her. The fact that Linc was putting her and Kash first was the biggest gesture she could ever imagine.

“I love you,” she said almost fiercely as she hugged him.

Linc picked her up and walked toward his bedroom, holding her in his arms. “And I love you too. You need a snack or anything before we hit the hay?”

She chuckled, her legs bouncing against his as he walked. “What am I, three? A snack before bedtime? You’re my snack, Linc.”

She felt his dick lengthen against her as he walked, and grinned.

“I’m feeling hungry myself,” he said, as he kicked his door shut.

Harper had no idea how she’d gotten so lucky, but she’d do whatever she could to hold on to this man with everything she had. He was her world, and she’d fight like hell to keep him.

Chapter Fifteen

“Are you really waiting to find out if it’s a boy or a girl?” Marit asked Britt as they sat outside on the deck at Lobster Cove. Evelyn was in town with a friend, having lunch. Kash was at school, and Harper had the day off, after working four ten-hour shifts in a row. She was more than ready to put her feet up and relax for a hot second.

Linc had asked if she wanted to go with him to Lobster Cove, as he had something he needed to do. She’d agreed immediately. It was the last week of March, and they had a fluke “warm”-weather day in the upper forties. This weekend it would get cold again, back down below freezing, as was the norm for this time of year. Kash had his robotics competition in Portland, and Harper was looking forward to snuggling in the house with Linc. She worked Saturday morning but had Sunday off.

So while Linc did whatever it was he came over here to do, she, Britt, and Marit, who’d also come over to visit—claiming Zach was working like a maniac in their kitchen and she needed a break from his grumpiness as he perfected a new recipe—sat on the deck in the sun and enjoyed each other’s company.

Britt was due to give birth in another month, and claimed she was more than ready. Marit wasn’t as far along, about four months behind Britt, but she looked just as pregnant, probably because of her small size.

“Yeah, we decided it would be fun to be surprised on his or her birthday.”

“How’s Evelyn feel about that?” Harper asked.

Britt chuckled. “She’s not thrilled. But honestly, that’s kind of why we’re waiting. Not to torture Chad’s mom, but because we know if she finds out, she’ll go overboard buying all blue or pink stuff for the baby. As it is, our baby room is already full of green and yellow.”

Both Marit and Harper laughed.

“Yeah, she’s a little excited,” Marit said with a knowing nod. “She keeps asking Zach and me if we know the gender of our little one yet.” She had one hand on her belly and a soft smile on her face. “I keep putting her off, but the truth is . . .” She leaned forward and looked right, then left, before whispering, “We already know.”

“You do?” Harper asked with wide eyes.

“Yup. My ob-gyn gave it away accidentally during a routine sonogram. She felt awful afterward, but Zach and I wanted to know anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal.”

“And?” Britt asked with a huge grin.

“You want to know?” Marit asked.

“Duh!” Harper exclaimed. “Yes!”

“Promise not to spill the beans to Evelyn?”

Harper and Britt both crossed their hearts and hoped to die.

“It’s a boy,” Marit said, with a happy grin on her face.

“A boy!” Britt exclaimed. “I bet Zach is thrilled!”

“He is, but I don’t think it mattered if we were having a boy or a girl. He just wants kids.”

“I get that. Chad’s the same way. He’s already talking about our next one . . . how long we want to wait and all that,” Britt agreed.

“What about you? Is Linc baby-crazy too? You should know the Young brothers apparently have very potent sperm,” Marit warned Harper with a grin.