And Baby Makes Three Read Free Page A

Rafe asked quietly, his fingers caressing the skin of her shoulder. “Marie being pregnant and all doesn’t mean that you won’t get pregnant, sweetheart.”
    She looked up and kissed his chin. “I know that, and I am honestly happy for her. Yes, I am a little sad it’s not my news, but we’ll keep trying.”
    Rafe rolled over and pinned her beneath his large body. “Let’s practice right now. This may be the perfect moment to make a baby with the woman I love.”
    “That sounds great to me,” Ivy said with a sigh as he trailed kisses down her neck. “Absolutely perfect.” 
    “Say what now?” Brody felt like white noise started in his head. Rafe was on the phone giving him news he never expected to hear.
    “Marie is pregnant. She didn’t want you to know, but Ivy told me and now I’m telling you,” Rafe repeated.
    “Okay, um, why didn’t she want me to know?” Brody asked. He was trying his best to sound neutral, but inside he was literally jumping with excitement. A baby. Marie is having my baby!
    “Seems she thinks you’re a playboy and something about obligation and not wanting you to be with her because of a child,” Rafe answered.
    “You have to admit, Brody, the party never stops when you’re around.”
    “Didn’t you notice that when we left on mission for those three weeks I was not talking about parties?” Brody said. “We came back and I went straight to her place. I’m feeling her, man. She’s the one pushing me away.” He thought back to when they had about a week together before he left on mission and then he came back for another week or so then he left for Pendleton. “This must have happened that first time.”
    “Weren’t thinking about protection, huh?” Rafe said. “It’s truly a blessing it’s Marie and not some other woman. Look what happened with Bonnie’s mother.”
    Brody sighed. “Neither of us was thinking about protection. We went after each other like…never mind. The thing is, I’m happy about this. I should call her or I’ll try to leave jump school early.”
    “No,” Rafe said. “You need this accreditation. Plus, Ivy tells me she won’t get a doctor’s appointment until she is around ten to twelve weeks.
    You’ll be back home by then. Don’t call her and scare her off right now.
    She just found out. We will keep you in the loop and tell you when the first appointment is scheduled. Both of you need a few weeks to wrap your minds around being a parent. I almost lost it when I found Bonnie on my doorstep.”
    Rafe’s reasoning seemed on point, though everything in him was screaming to go to Marie. But God knows she looked like she was ready to rabbit if he did something as subtle as bring her flowers. If he just showed up or called with the news that he knew, she might skip town. He had to play it smooth and easy with her. He really liked her, couldn’t stop thinking about her. Whatever relationship she had been in in the past really screwed her over. That made him angry as hell, but Brody made a firm decision to breach those walls she’d built up long before he found out she was pregnant. A slow smile spread across his face. Oh, yeah, he was about to start a family.
    “You’ve gone silent, Brody,” Rafe said. “What are you thinking?”
    “That Ivy is right, Rafe. Please tell her to keep me in the loop,” Brody pleaded. These next weeks couldn’t go by fast enough in his opinion.
    “She will. Focus on the training. We’ll be seeing you soon,” Rafe replied. 
    “Bye, dude, and thanks.” Brody hung up and the excited feeling in his stomach overtook him. He wanted to scream his impending fatherhood from the rooftops. Impulsively, he dialed a number familiar to him. As the phone rang, he hoped his mother answered and not his father. It amazed him how he could be so close to his mother and yet his father filled him with anger and revulsion. How did she stay married to that evil… He heard someone pick up and then her gentle voice