Chapter Fourteen
Ruth Eden Glass
The first time I was pregnant, my hormones were pretty calm. But, the second time they were anything but. Perhaps it was the fact I was having twins, or maybe it was just Quinn. But, I seemed to wake up one day and not be able to think of anything but how sexy he looked. Consciously, I knew that it was just the hormones and most pregnant women went through this stage mid-pregnancy, but that still didn't mean it was easy to ignore.
"So, yes, Eden is pregnant" Quinn kept explaining, his voice deep and dominant â commanding the attention of everyone in the Pack. Since we'd just found out we were having twins, and it was getting very obvious I was pregnant, Quinn decided it was time to officially tell the Pack.
He stood at the front of the clearing, everyone else standing around. I stood slightly off the left â still in the crowd but a little outside, much like my general standing in the Pack. I watched Quinn command his people. He was strong but gentle and seemed to ooze charisma...yet I could only think about ripping his clothes off and fucking him senseless.
Because it was fucking I was thinking of. I didn't want to start anything up, or make love on a bed of rose petals â I wanted to fuck him, no strings attached hot sex. And I knew that I wouldn't get that from Quinn, I got it the first time and look how that turned out. But, I wouldn't have sex with another man, not while I had Quinn's daughters inside me â that just wasn't fair on him.
"But, just because Eden and I are having a baby it doesn't mean that she is the Luna now" Quinn continued, "please do not address her as so or treat her any differently than you do the other Pack members". Those parts were added because I asked him to add them.
Quinn said a few more things, but I was pretty sure that no one else in the Pack were listening as intently as they had been. A buzz of excitement was in the air â finally they had a potential heir to the Pack. Quinn hadn't told them it was twins or girls, we wanted to keep that to ourselves for a little while longer.
"Everything alright?" Quinn asked, as he walked over to me â I knew he was asking about his speech, which he had already run past me.
"Perfect" I replied. As he put his arm around my shoulders; my hormones rocked as his addictive scent filled my senses. People instantly came over and began to congratulate us, I thanked them and smiled â but I let Quinn do most of the talking, this was what he was good at.
"Ready to go home?" I asked, when the last people had spoken to us.
"Sure" he nodded. We walked for a few minutes and Quinn was quiet, awkward even, so I knew something was up. So, it didn't shock me when he spoke up a few minutes later. "I have a date tonight, that's alright with you, yeah?" he questioned nervously.
I swallowed deeply, "sure it is. With that sales assistant from last week?"
"Yeah we've been texting and...well...she seems nice".
"Yeah, sure, go for it" I replied, hoping I sounded breezy. "I'm just going to spend the night with my feet up, eating ice cream and bingeing the new season of the bachelor".
"Okay" he said softly.
When Quinn had first shown interest in the woman at the baby shop, I hadn't really thought about. I even encouraged him to get her number. Yet, that night I hardly slept. Every part of me was terrified of the idea of Quinn going on a date, falling in love and marrying her. Which was stupid, because I was never going to be able to give him any of that, so I had no right to stop him getting it from elsewhere.
But, even as Quinn readied for his date that night, my stomach was churning. I wanted to tell him not to go, to sit on the couch with me and rub my feet â but that was selfish and stupid. My eyes watered as I tried not to cry. "Stupid hormones" I muttered to myself, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.
"You alright?" Quinn asked worriedly, as he came into the room. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at him. He wore a pair of dark blue, almost black, jeans which were paired with a crisp white shirt. His dark hair was gelled back, and I noticed a diamond earring glistening on one of his ears.
I was staring at him, my heart racing, when I remember that he had said something. "Ruth, darlin', are you alright?" he prompted, as he perched next to me.
"Just hormones" I waved dismissively. "You look nice. I didn't know you had your ear pierced" I reached up and touched the twinkling diamond stud.
Quinn blushed a scarlet red, "does it look stupid? I haven't worn once since I was in my twenties. Am I too old for it?"
"No it's..." I paused, swallowing another wave of tears, "it looks really nice". He self-consciously touched his ear. "You really like this girl, huh?"
"I just can't fuck about anymore" he admitted, I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I'm thirty-five, I have two children on the way, if I'm dating then I'm dating for keeps. I'm not looking for something casual or slow, I want marriage and love and everything I missed out on".
"What brought on this epiphany?"
"You did, Ruth. You told me that you couldn't be a mate to me because you had already done all of that, and it made me realise how badly I want to get married and have a family. So, yeah, I guess you made me realise that I need to start getting more serious about the women I date, my mate has been gone for almost ten years â it's time to move on".
"I see" I said slowly, "well I'm glad that I made you realise that". Inside I was calling myself all sorts of names, because I really didn't want him to have this epiphany while I was so full of lustful hormones. I knew that I was being selfish and stupid, and in a few weeks I'd be over it, but I couldn't think that clearly anymore.
Quinn checked his watch, "I should get going. I don't want to leave Tessa waiting".
"Where are you taking her?"
"I booked a table at Mario's".
"God, I love Mario's. They do the best gnocchi around". My stomach grumbled as I said that. I laughed and rubbed my stomach, "babies are hungry". I turned to Quinn, trying not to focus on how hot he looked and smiled softly, "have fun".
"Call me if you need anything". He pressed a platonic kiss on the top of my head, before grabbing his jacket and heading out. The stupid tears started the moment the door shut.
By the time I'd eaten half the food in the fridge, the crying had stopped, and the nausea began. Not nausea from eating so much, but from the realisation that I could have just fucked up my future.
I had been given a second chance with Quinn. I'd could be with someone who not only cared for me and would look after me, but I could have someone who would never hurt me. Because I knew that Quinn would never do anything to intentionally hurt any other person. He'd be an amazing father. And, he'd be an amazing partner...if I let him.
Because, as I sat there â pregnant, red eyed and chocolate on my shirt â I realised that I had been given another opportunity at a happy ending. Yes, Drew was my soulmate and I would never find that connection again, but that didn't mean that I couldn't love again, couldn't trust again, couldn't be happy again.
I looked up at the clock, biting my bottom lip as I considered doing the craziest thing I had ever done. I'd always played it safe, I'd never found any need for recklessness in the life I had had with Drew. But, maybe a little recklessness was just what I needed in my life with Quinn.
"Fuck it" I whispered to myself, before jumping up and grabbing my car keys. I raced to my car before driving towards the city, and towards the restaurant where Quinn was having his date.
Once I got to the restaurant, I parked up and headed to the entrance. I looked through the windows, but couldn't see either Quinn or Tessa. Mario's was only a small Italian restaurant and I could all the tables from the windows.
Deflated, I turned to leave and saw Quinn further up the road, putting Tessa in a cab. He shut the door on her, waved awkwardly, before stepping back and sighing heavily. He ran a hand down his face as he turned back around â looking straight at me.
"Ruth? Darlin? What are you doing here?"
"I-I-I" I stuttered. I want to be the one to go on a date with you. That was what I wanted to say...but it wasn't what came out. "I wanted some of the gnocchi from Mario's after we were talking about it".
Quinn raised a small takeaway box, "I already picked you some up".
My heart almost burst, as I blinked up at him. "Of course you did".
And, then, I grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him senseless. Because he was mine and was damned if I was sharing him with any other woman.
A/N - I know everyone is getting a little impatient with updates (which I get as I've been all over the place lately) but I am trying! I promise!