11. Dixie

CHAPTER 11

Dixie

T his has to be a nightmare. Two of my brothers are here in town and about to beat up my baby's daddy who just found out that he's a future daddy.

At least I hope it's only two.

I whip around as they walk away. "Where are the rest of the guys?"

Troy grins. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Do not embarrass me, assholes. This is my home."

"Don't worry. We're not gonna embarrass you." Harrison looks in a window and spots the curvy bookseller and grins. "Looks like a good place to settle down to me. I might be convinced to move here since my new niece or nephew is gonna call this place home."

He disappears inside with Troy in tow and I huff out a breath. Yep, this is a nightmare!

"Why didn't you tell me?" The hurt in Cord's voice has me closing my eyes and fighting my own pain. I hate that I hurt him.

"I'm sorry, Cord. I didn't know at first and then I didn't know what your last name was." I glare at him. "Now I think you deliberately left this off. So it's all your fault."

"Okay. Maybe that's the case. But dammit! I told you that I wanted kids, Dix. And I want them with you. I want to watch your belly get big and round with my baby. I want to take care of you and hold you all night long. You've been alone through the first half of this and it breaks my heart to know that."

I sigh and lift my head. "I'm fine, Cord. But if you had let me know who you were I would have let you know."

He shrugs and moves closer, his silver gaze bright and curious. "Do you know whether it's a boy or a girl?"

I smile softly and tap my belly. "I think it's a girl. I just have a feeling."

"A little girl that's gonna be a beauty like her mama." His face creases. "I'm gonna need to get a gun."

I roll my eyes. "Oh stop! This little girl is gonna know how to handle her own self."

"I don't care about that. But I'm gonna make sure that she always knows one thing. Her daddy loves her and will always be there for her. And for her mama." He leans in and takes my lips in a slow, sweet kiss.

"I love you, Dixie. I know that you've got some skewed view that because of your past, you're less than anybody else. But the truth is you're more than. More than enough. More than beautiful and more than I ever thought I deserved. Can't you let me woo you properly? Let's see how we will be together. Let's really try and make this work. Because I cannot sleep without my little angel in my arms. I haven't had a good night's sleep in so long. Heal me, angel. And let me heal you back."

Tears trickle down my cheeks when I listen to him argue his case. My whole family is going to have a field day with this story.

But the truth is…I need him just like he needs me.

"I need you, Cord. If I knew how to find you, I would have before this. You are my penguin."

He eyes me like I've lost my mind. But when I step into his arms, he wraps them tight around me. "I cannot believe that I found you. That you love me as much as I love you. And that we're going to have a family soon. I cannot wait, angel. We're gonna take over this fucking town."

He leans down and kisses me and it's the best, most freeing feeling in the world to just give in. To just let myself love him the way he loves me.

His tongue caresses my teeth and both of us explore each other. Until a new woman pops out the door.

"Cord. I'm so happy for you but if you don't get your ass in here, I'm gonna make you mentor one of the romance newbies."

He yanks away and grimaces. "We'll take the rest of this up later. Love you, angel."

"Love you more, Cord. Love you so much more."

And I follow my very famous new boyfriend and future baby daddy inside to rapturous applause.

This is gonna be quite a story to tell our future children. His best story ever.

Our story.