Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Kim

Food splatters my leggings because…

Is Leo actually talking about buying me a ring?

I'm so glad he thinks of the baby as family. In fact, that alone had my heart thudding in my chest.

But he doesn't have to marry me.

I know that's the least girly thing to say ever, but honestly, the last twenty-four hours have made some things painfully clear to me.

I'm in love with Leo.

It's been there all along, I just refused to acknowledge my feelings. But it's so obvious. It's in the way I can let go of my inhibitions with him. The way he makes my body sing with passion, the way I want to hide behind his very large frame sometimes. The way he makes me feel protected and safe.

And I don't think I could stand it if he married me for the sake of the baby. It makes my heart hurt, just thinking about it.

"Leo."

Mason drops his ice and starts picking up pieces of broken plate from around my feet.

It's a whole different view of the man who has always seemed so cold and distant. There he is, squatted down, shuffling porcelain away from bare feet.

"Yes, baby?"

"We can't get married. I…"

"We can and we will."

"You can't order me to marry you, I'm not some puppet."

"Oh, I know," he steps over the mess, wrapping his arms about me. "I've made some mistakes. Ones that almost really hurt you last night. What I want is to wrap both you and the baby in the protection the Kincaid name gives. Let me do that for you, Kim. Please?"

His words steal my breath. How can I argue with that? But also, I need to think…

Mason stops cleaning, and straightens up, standing next to us before he claps Leo on the shoulder. "I'll have the jeweler come to the house with a wide array. See what Kim thinks of them."

"I haven't agreed to any of this," I say notching my chin, but even I can hear the hesitation in my voice. Despite everything I said, I know there is another part of me that wants to give the baby what I never had. A family with a dad. A father's name.

"Just take a look at the rings, sweetheart. You don't have to promise any more than that."

I swallow down a lump and finally nod. "What time will the jeweler be here? Should I change? I…" I can feel my face heating.

"You look fantastic," Leo says and then kisses me. "Though, you might want pants that don't have eggs benedict on them."

I smile at that. "Right."

"Speaking of, let me fix you another plate. I know you're still hungry." Leo lifts me in his arms to carry me from out of the mess.

"How did you know?"

He smiles at me. "You wake up with an appetite."

I draw in a deep breath as Mason finishes cleaning up the splatters on the cabinet while Leo gets me more food.

Mason takes the dustpan he's found and fills it with debris, dumping it into a trash can. Leo sets another heaping plate in front of me.

"I'll start researching prenatal doctors."

"Roman already recommended one," Leo says as he fills another plate for himself.

"Roman knows already?" I stop chewing my bite of eggs to look at Mason. I can actually hear his hurt feelings. I've always thought of Mason as untouchable. Today is a whole new side of him.

"I wasn't worried he'd take a swing at me," Leo answers, raising his brows.

Mason winces. "I do see the part I play in our dynamic."

Leo gives a nod of acknowledgment. He eats several more bites of his breakfast and then kisses me. "I'm going to go take a shower. You can see Mason out, can't you?"

I nod. Truthfully, I'm glad to have a moment with Mason.

Leo leaves the kitchen and I turn to the head of the Kincaid clan. "Mason?"

"Yeah?"

"I haven't told Charlotte yet and I'd really appreciate it if the news came from me," I start.

He gives me a single nod. "Understood. Though, I have to be honest, Charlotte doesn't let me keep many secrets. Can you tell her soon?"

I smile. "Of course," and then I clear my throat. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"This whole thing about Leo and jail?"

He gives me the warmest smile I've ever seen. "Leo has finally become the man he was always supposed to be, and I think you're a big part of that. Trust me when I say that I won't let him leave you now."

My shoulders slump in relief. "Thank you."

Mason crosses to the trash, scraping the rest of his food into the garbage before he dusts off his hands. "I hope you don't mind if I head out, it's another busy day."

"Not at all, thanks for giving me a minute."

His hands go into his pockets. "So…I'm going to be an uncle?"

I shrug, feeling my cheeks heat. "It looks like it."

"Kim, you should know that whether you marry Leo or you don't, you are our family now. You get the full weight of our protection."

Something inside me unwinds. To know that I don't just have Leo, but I have the whole Kincaid brood of dangerously powerful men to help with this child. For the first time since I realized I was pregnant, I don't feel dread or worry. I'm excited. "That means so much, thank you."

He gives me a quick jerk of his chin. "You're welcome. Now, I'm still going to research doctors. Roman's guy is good in a tight spot but maybe not the best source for quality care. Have you started taking vitamins? Exercise?" His gaze skims down me. "Never mind. I know you've got that last piece worked out."

But my brows are slowly rising. There are going to be a lot of cooks in this kitchen. As a person who came from a family of two, I'm realizing it's going to take some adjusting.

I see Mason to the door and then head upstairs to change, just in time to find Leo coming out of the shower, nothing on but a low-slung towel on his hips.

We just had sex. The sight of him shouldn't make my mouth water, but it does.

The man is just so…

He gives me a one-sided grin, and stalks toward me, the sway of his body hypnotic as he crosses the room and then stops to pull me close.

Instead of kissing my lips, though, he plants his lips on my forehead. "Kim."

"Yeah?"

"I know I forgot to ask, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd think about my offer of marriage. I'd like the baby to have my name, but I want you to have it too, baby. Tell me you'll consider the offer."

I nod.

"And if we buy a ring today," His hands splay out on my back, "you can still say no to the proposal, but in my world, wearing that ring is a statement. It makes you less vulnerable."

"I'll wear it," I answer. I've got no fight today. Between all that happened last night, and the multiple rounds of sex, I'm putty in his hands.

He gives me the best smile. Sexy. Sweet, as he kisses my lips. "I'm going to need to meet with Roman, Jake, and Luke. I'll have them here. You rest up while I'm working."

I nod as he disappears in the closet to dress. The checkbook is still on the floor, and I pick it up, looking at the check for twenty thousand dollars. This is my life now?

What will I do all day?

I'll keep dancing. I'll take that class.

As if Leo heard my thoughts, he comes back. "I've got an iPad. If you're bored, feel free to order some furniture. We could use some."

And then he crosses to the desk, pulling out his wallet, and handing me a credit card.

I stare at it, as the cool plastic slides into my hand. "Is today shopping day?"

"I don't think you're furnishing this place in a week."

"How long will we stay here?"

He gives me an inquisitive stare. "As long as you want. Mason understands now, we'll have the deed transferred to our names as soon as the Italians are neutralized."

I look at the card, the check, the house. Just like that, it's all mine. Why does it feel like this can't be real?