Chapter Eleven

A s Ledger navigated the narrow lane winding through the pines that circled the foothills, he took it slow and easy. Demi's stomach was so easily upset, and he really wanted to make sure she had a great time on their date.

Their first date.

That sounded odd considering the place they were at in their relationship. They were going to be parents.

If anybody had told him this months ago, he would have called them a lunatic and walked away.

Demi was nestled in the seat, no longer looking like she might be sick. She drank in their surroundings, from the tall pines to the steep mountain that hovered over the location where they were going to swim.

He waited for her to see the pond. The pool fed by mountain springs wasn't easy to spot, being tucked behind trees, the surface reflecting the mountain and sky.

When she saw it, she latched on to his arm. "Ledger! This is where we're swimming?"

"Pretty, isn't it?"

"Pretty? It's amazing!"

He stared at her profile—her smiling lips and the pleased flush cresting her cheeks. "Yes, you are."

She whipped her head around, jaw agape.

Unable to stop himself, he cupped her cheek in his hand, leaned in and kissed her.

At the first brush of his lips, she moaned out and melted into the caress. Damn, she was so responsive.

And bare underneath that cute little sundress. He'd hardly been able to keep his hands off her. The hem rode up her toned thighs. Another inch or two and he'd get a peek at that gorgeous pussy he wanted to spend more time on his knees worshipping.

By the time he climbed out of the vehicle, his cock was so stiff it made moving difficult. Demi jumped out and opened the back door.

She stopped. "What is that?"

He knew what she was referring to. He just hoped she didn't see it until their date was over.

She swung her gaze from the back seat to him, and then back again. "Is that my bag?" She snatched it up and unzipped it. Her head snapped up. "It is! Why did you pack a bag for me?"

"Because you're not going back home tonight. You're coming to the she-shed with me."

Setting a hand on her hip, she gaped at him.

"We only got one wolf. More can come back tonight. It's best to be prepared."

She shook her head as if she couldn't believe his audacity. Surprisingly, she zipped the bag and grabbed the one with towels.

"You can wipe that smug smile off your face. You didn't win. I didn't agree to come to the she-shed."

"But you will."

She narrowed her eyes in the cutest display of anger and walked away, bag slung over her shoulder and her ass swaying in a way that told him that she was turned on. Really turned on.

When they reached the shore of the pond, she turned to him, eyes dancing with delight. "It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen. I didn't even know this pond existed."

"I found it during one of my drives. I like to explore."

That translated to taking off on his own to think and try to silence the screams of the past.

The bag he carried contained the takeout he'd ordered from Badlands. When he set up a blanket and placed the food in the center, he waved a hand. "Want to have a bite before we…" He waggled his brows in invitation.

She giggled. "We'll have to wait half an hour before we swim."

"I'm a SEAL. I can hold my breath for four minutes. You're in good hands." He held out a palm to her, and she placed hers in it.

"Let's see what you brought to eat." She opened a takeout box and then closed it again. Looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

"How do you pick my favorites every time?"

"I asked Livia at the bar. She told me what you order."

Demi stared down at the closed container for so long that he started to worry she was angry with him.

Using his knuckle under her chin, he lifted her gaze to his. Tears sparkled in the depths of her brown eyes.

"Fuck! Demi, what did I do?"

"You…c-care."

His mouth fell open in astonishment. "Of course I care, baby."

You don't even know the half of it.

She waved her hands in front of her face to dry up the tears. "So silly. Stupid emotions. I don't want to ruin our date by crying."

He stroked his thumb across her plump bottom lip and watched her eyes clear to make way for desire.

He dropped his hand and pulled his food container closer. Crossing his ankles, he picked up his sandwich and took a bite. He groaned at the mouthful of exceptional food.

Demi bobbed her head. "Delicious, right?"

"Damn good."

"It's a specialty at Badlands. Livia has it perfected."

While they ate, they gazed at the rugged beauty of the landscape. The mountain backdrop felt like coming home to a man who'd spent months in similar surroundings. But having Demi at his side really made it perfect.

"I'm ready to discuss the baby."

Her statement, spoken so out of the blue, took him by surprise.

"All right." He set the remaining crust of his sandwich in the container and closed the lid.

She brushed the crumbs off her fingers and took a deep breath. "If you're serious about being in the baby's life, we should see if our values align. Our beliefs about raising kids."

"To be fair, I never gave it any thought. Never thought I'd live to have any."

Sadness seeped into her eyes. "Oh, Ledger."

"It was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. I'm ready to take responsibility in any way I can."

She nodded. "How do you feel about our child having electronics?"

"No kid of mine is having his own iPad at age three."

"Agreed. I like the idea of raising him outdoors."

A grin slashed across his face. "Him."

"Or her ."

His smile didn't fade. "Playing outside is great."

"What about spanking?"

He let his gaze dip from her face to her curves. "Only if it's on you…"

She batted him in the arm, but he caught her hand and dragged her into his lap. Her round ass plunked over his groin. Right where she belonged.

"Ledger!"

He pinched her chin lightly between his thumb and forefinger, then swooped in and claimed her mouth.

* * * * *

When Demi added skinny-dipping to her bucket list, she never envisioned a man doing it with her. Or a stunning spring-fed pond in the mountains.

She eyed the scorching hot man who stripped off his jeans and stood in the buff, palm out, urging her into the water with him.

Her insides clenched with a thrill that seemed to send ripples all the way up to her heart.

"C'mon, baby. I got you."

There wasn't a single doubt in her mind that she was safe with Ledger. He could protect her body and arouse her to the breaking point with a wink of one of his gray eyes.

She slipped her hand into his, and together, they stepped into the water.

She squealed. "It's freezing!"

"Water's much colder coming off that mountain. Breathe, Demi. Try to relax."

They moved a few steps deeper until the water lapped at her calves. Then her knees. Slowly, they made their way into the water, with him leading the way and feeling for drop-offs.

When she reached her waist, she steeled herself, held her breath and dunked underneath the water.

He held her by the hands, bobbing into the depths with her. When they broke the surface, she threw her head back and laughed in exhilaration.

"It's not so cold once you're in."

"Typically how it goes," he agreed.

His lashes were spiked with wetness, his hair slicked off his forehead. Her heart gave a stutter even as desire took control.

She threw her arms around his neck. He clasped her ass and lifted her to straddle him. His stiff cock skimmed over her pussy and rode between their bodies.

Breathless from more than the cold swim, she kissed him. In seconds, the kiss turned carnal. With plundering sweeps of his tongue, he devoured her, and she kissed him back with abandon. The need throbbing between them sent ripples through the pond to lap at the shore.

Tearing from the kiss, he gave her a smoldering look. "Demi. I'm clean. Let me have you. No barriers."

She swallowed hard. Never before had she let a man touch her without protection. The intimacy of having nothing between them made her heart beat faster.

Then she felt herself nod.

Groaning, he took her mouth again. The searing kiss ratcheted her up higher and higher. When the mushroomed head of his stiff cock probed at her pussy, she rocked her hips and took him.

To the hilt.

She cried out. He groaned.

With her arms and legs locked around him, she began to move, taking what she needed from him. The man gave and gave and gave until she'd come twice.

Only when the shudders of her second release faded away did he carry her onto the bank and lay her down on the blanket.

The breeze teased at the water droplets on her body, but soon he warmed her with strokes of his tongue and cock sliding through her inner walls.

Staring up at his face silhouetted by the vast sky dotted with clouds, she felt her heart shift.

It started to beat in a new rhythm. It beat for him.

The stark planes of his face stood out with the deep pleasure he gained with every thrust of his hard cock. She dug her heels into his backside, drawing him deeper and deeper. Their mouths fused.

When he stiffened in her hold and let out a low groan, she lost her heart even more. First, she'd lost it to the baby they shared. From the moment she saw that little heartbeat on the screen, she fell head over heels in love with her child.

Now…she was falling for its daddy.

"Demi! Demi. Baby, I'm—" He broke off, neck cords straining as he churned his hips and exploded. Hot cum showered her inner walls, and she moaned at how right it felt to have him this way.

Just them.

Nothing else seemed to matter in that moment. Not the worry about caring for a child and having a career. The attack on her at the Gracey faded to the background. The problem with the wolves quieted beneath the sound of her lover's raspy breathing as he came down from his high.

She slipped her fingers into his thick hair, pulling his head into the crook of her neck. He dropped a tender kiss to the place where her pulse still hammered.

"I'd say skinny-dipping was a successful date."

She giggled and tucked him closer, not wanting to let him go. "Imagine how much fun we'd have skydiving. Or ziplining."

"Not happening."

"Not even after the baby's born?"

He lifted his head. The blaze in his eyes scorched her to the heart. "There's going to be an after for us?"

Her heart trilled. "Maybe there will be. If I decide that I like you."

"You like my cock just fine." To prove the very stiff point, he sank inside her once again.

A soft moan broke from her throat, and then she was moving with him again. After her third orgasm, she caught her breath enough to form words.

"Ledger?"

"Mm."

"We're going to need a bigger bed in the she-shed."