Page 79 of Wilde Flame

He looked down, then back out the window as he asked, “Will it be hard on you?”

I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. The memory of Christmas night came flooding back to me, along with the truth of the situation. I might be having Caden Wilde’s baby, but he clearly still wasn’t interested in anything beyond friendship.

“This is a partnership, and I’m pretty sure I can keep my hands off of you.”

Caden softly laughed, then cleared his throat. “I’m sorry that I’m fucked up, Lili. Everything is so confusing, and now we’ve just added a huge element to this story.”

“Caden, I don’t expect anything from you. I’ve made that clear from the very beginning. If you’re worried about me, I can handle my feelings for you. I know where you stand.”

He reached for my hand and gave it a light squeeze. “Should we tell our parents together?”

The last thing I wanted to do was stand in front of Vivianne and Ladd and tell them I was having a child with their son, who wasn’t interested in a relationship, yet was asking me to move in with him.

“Your mother and father are going to hate me.”

“What? Why in the world would you say that?”

I shrugged. “I’m trying to put myself in their shoes. I hope they don’t think I trapped you.”

Caden laughed. “Trapped me? Because I’m such a great catch? I can’t commit to a relationship, I work long hours on our ranch, I’m a…grumpy bug, is what I believe you called me…”

His words trailed off as he shook his head and started to pull out of the parking lot.

“Why do you do that?”

“Do what?” he asked.

“Insist that you’re less than what you are? Caden, you’re an amazing man, and any woman who can’t see that is a freaking idiot.”

He laughed, but it lacked any humor. “I don’t know about amazing.”

“Well, I do. My stomach is feeling a bit off. Do you mind if we skip Anna’s?”

“Are you okay?”

I nodded. “I am. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed.”

“If you’re sure,” he stated with a frown.

We drove in silence for another five minutes before Caden pulled into my parents’ driveway. He put it in park and turned to look at me. “When do you want to move in?”

I shrugged. “I don’t think we have to rush it.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Well, to be honest, I’d rather you move in sooner than later. I don’t want you moving boxes and such. As a matter of fact, don’t lift anything heavy from this point on.”

I raised my brows. “Are you being serious right now? Please tell me you’re not going to start thinking you can tell me what to do?”

He huffed. “Of course not, Lilibeth. But you’re carrying our baby, and I want you to be careful.”

“You know,” I said as I unbuckled and turned to face him, “you’re handling this very well, and a part of me wonders when the truth of it all is going to sink in.”

“Tonight. When I ask Gatlin to take me out and get me drunk.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “At least you’re honest about it. Lucky you. I guess I can sit here with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and fall apart.”

“I’m not falling apart.”

“No, you’re going out and getting drunk.”