Crew is sprawled out on the bed typing on his laptop. He抯 changed out of the suit he was wearing earlier into gray sweatpants and a white undershirt.
Corporate Crew is sexy as hell. Casual Crew gives me butterflies.
揌ey,?he greets, glancing up as I walk toward him. His gaze lingers on the fact I didn抰 knot the robe. It hangs open, flashing him just about everything.
I climb atop the comforter on my side of the bed. 揑抦 starting to show.?
揑 noticed.?Pretty sure he抯 staring at my boobs, not my baby bump.
揥e should decide, you know, how we抣l tell people.?I rest a hand on the small bulge between my hips. We won抰 have a choice for much longer, now that I抦 almost five months along.
揕ike who??
揙ur parents, for starters.?
揥e always go to the Alps for Christmas. We can tell my family then, if you want. And we can spend New Year抯 with your folks.?
揥ill the Alps be like Thanksgiving was??A huge, formal affair, in other words. If not for the food served, I would have had no idea it was a dinner party unlike any other.
揘o. My dad doesn抰 invite other people over when we抮e there.?
揥hy??
Crew shrugs. 揘o idea. He just doesn抰。？
揝o it抣l be me, you, your dad, Candace, and Oliver??
揥ell, I assume we抎 bring Teddy.?
I roll my eyes. 揟hat抯 not what I meant.?
揑 know. And to answer your question, yes, it will probably be awkward.?
揙kay.?
揧ou抮e okay with going??
I nod. 揧eah.?
揙kay. I抣l let my dad know.?Crew is acting nonchalant, but I can tell this means something to him. He cares about his father and brother, despite their dysfunctionality. He looks at his laptop. 揑抳e got a meeting to call in for. I抣l move downstairs.?
揧ou don抰 have to. You can stay.?
His brow wrinkles. 揑抣l have to talk for parts of it. I don抰 want to disturb you.?
揑抦 not a sleeping toddler. And I figured you抎 have to talk, since you抮e Mr. Future CEO.?It抯 not a direct invitation, but it抯 awfully close to one. I want him to stay. And so I just say that. 揑 want you to stay.?
揙kay,?Crew replies, his voice soft. 揑抣l stay.?
I nod and close my eyes. I have proofs to approve, but they should only take me a few hours. My eyelids feel heavy, and I抦 warm and comfortable. Full.
Crew抯 phone beeps as he types in a conference code and waits for approval. 揅rew Kensington, is anyone else on the line??he asks, once the call connects.
揥e抮e all here, sir,?a male voice replies.
揋reat. Go ahead and get started.?
The same male voice begins droning on about deliverables and staffing decisions. Inch by inch, I shift on the comforter until I抦 close enough I can feel Crew抯 body heat. He asks a question I抦 too drowsy to comprehend, simultaneously pulling me against him so I抦 nestled against his side.
I fall asleep to the sound of his voice talking through contracts as he plays with my hair.
CHAPTER TWENTY
CREW
My small, dysfunctional family is already seated when we board the plane bound for the Alps. My father raises both eyebrows when he takes in the pile of luggage and the dog we have in tow but doesn抰 comment.
Candace squeals. 揥hat a cute puppy! Did you just get him??
揘o, we抳e had him for a couple of months,?I reply. I don抰 have the relationship with Candace梬ith any of my immediate family梬here I抎 announce the arrival of a canine companion.
My stepmother is too busy petting Teddy to reply. The staff is moving efficiently about the jet, stowing our suitcases and preparing for takeoff.
I take a seat across from my father. 揌i, Dad.?
揟hat animal better not have an accident on here,?he comments, sipping at some amber liquid, although it抯 not even noon.
Teddy tends to get overexcited easily, but I don抰 mention that.
Scarlett is still standing by the door, talking to one of the stewardesses. She nods and then heads for me, taking the seat next to mine. 揗erry Christmas, Arthur.?
My father grunts.
Despite the fact it抯 warm on the plane, Scarlett leaves her down coat on. She抯 visibly pregnant now, with a slight bump that I find to be the sexiest sight in the world. There抯 something primal and painfully arousing about the fact she抯 pregnant with my child.
揘o Oliver??
揌e抯 running late,?Candace says, sitting down across the aisle. 揝hould be here soon.?
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Now that I know about her and Oliver匢 can抰 unknow it.
My brother shows up a few minutes into the awkward silence. His bags are stowed with the rest of ours as he greets us all and makes small talk with my father.
A couple of minutes later, we抮e in the air. Teddy seems unbothered by the altitude, napping at Scarlett抯 feet. She抯 scrolling through something on her phone. I assume it抯 work-related, but when I sneak a peek at the screen, I discover she抯 looking at cribs.