Page 81 of The Best Friend Problem
He took a step, reaching out, hauling her into his arms as his mouth came crashing down on hers. Pru’s hands came up to wrap around the back of his neck. Her mouth opened, tongue swiping against his bottom lip, seeking entrance. Far be it from him to deny her anything. He opened for her, greedily drinking in the rich, heady taste unique to Pru. This kiss was unlike any they’d ever shared. There was a promise in this one. A future. A recognition of love.
His entire body sighed in relief with the knowledge that this was the first of many. He’d taken a risk by revealing his true feelings. Best risk of his life, turned out.
“Hey, Pru?” he whispered against her lips.
“Yeah?”
Her sweet eyes stared up at him, a dreamy, content expression filling their dark brown depths. Made him feel ten feet tall to know he was the one who put it there, he was the one who she felt safe enough with to finally let down all her walls and admit the truth of what she felt. What they both felt. Still, it was them, and he wasn’t letting her get out of this whole situation without poking a bit of fun.
What kind of best friend would he be if he didn’t tease her just a little?
“Can I get it in writing that I was right? I feel like I’m going to need it when you’re cursing my name and blaming me for ‘doing this to you’ in the delivery room.”
“Be more of a cliché, Finn.”
She rolled her eyes, but the smile on her lips grew wider. Bending his head again, he pressed a kiss to that spot on her neck that always caused her to make an adorable sexy squeak.
Yeah, he was a goner. Hook, line, and sinker. For the rest of his life he would do anything for this woman. Anything to make her laugh, smile, moan, and, yes, even squeak.
“Oh good, it looks like they made up,” Ward’s voice carried into the small room from the doorway. “Now maybe Finn can stop being such a grumpy SOB.”
Finn continued to focus on Pru, lifting one hand to flip off his fellow firefighter. He heard a soft chuckle before the sound of footsteps carried the man away and left him alone again with the person who mattered most to him in this world.
“Were you being pouty, Finn?” Pru chuckled as if it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard.
“Watch it, or I won’t give you your surprise later.”
She snorted, staring down at his crotch. “Yeah, pretty sure I’ll get my surprise no matter what I do.”
He placed a hand to his chest, mouth dropping open in faux shock. “Are you implying that I’m easy?”
“For me? Damn right.”
She had him there. For her, he’d do just about anything. But the little minx was wrong about one thing. Her surprise wasn’t sex—okay, that would probably be an added bonus—but for the real treat he planned, he’d talked to his buddy who was a chef at one of Denver’s most popular diners and gotten his famous recipe for chili cheese fries. He figured if he couldn’t win her back with the power of his love, maybe he’d win her over with food. Worth a shot. And now it’d be worth brownie points.
He should make her brownies, too.
His mind buzzed with all the ways he planned on pampering and spoiling Pru. She deserved it. Not only was she one of the most amazing people he’d ever known, she’d given him the greatest gift he could have ever received. Her love.
“Oh!” Her face lit up. She pulled back, the smile stretching her lips until her entire expression reflected pure joy. Reaching out, she grabbed his hand and placed it on her round belly. Confused, Finn obliged, resting his palm on her stomach until—
Holy shit!
Something hit his hand. Like the flex of a stomach muscle, only in one tiny concentrated spot. Not a flex, but a kick. A tiny baby kick. His baby and—there it went again! Another one, or the other baby. He wasn’t sure, but suddenly it became hard to breathe, his eyes watering with the immense and awe-inspiring implication of what he’d just felt.
“Was that…?”
“Yeah,” she nodded, her own eyes welling with tears. “They’re saying hi to their daddy.”
Daddy. He was going to be a daddy with his best friend, the woman he loved, the person who made him feel complete and all that other cliché crap he’d never believed in until one night he made the best worst decision of his life and slept with Pru.
He rubbed her stomach, trying his best to say “hi” back to the two little souls he couldn’t believe he loved so much already. With his free hand, he cupped Pru’s cheek, dipping his head to press a soft, but very thorough, kiss to her lips.
“I love you, Prudence Carlson. Thank you so much for loving me back.”
“Well, it was the least I could do, since you gave me my heart’s wish.”
He glanced down. “The babies?”
