PRINCE CHARMING: A Stepbrother Secret Baby Romance(56)

“Sir? Have you eaten anything today? You look a bit pale.”

Quincy wasn’t sure what made him decide, but he saw the painting he’d forgotten to tuck away last night. His eyes stared at the couple on the beach, the image of him and Olivia, so deeply in love, captured in that moment in time.

“No, I haven’t. I think I’ll head to the kitchens and get something. How many hours until the ceremony?”

Pascal hung his clothes up on the door of the wardrobe and turned to face Quincy with a suspicious glint in his eyes. “Sunset. Are you planning on eating a feast before then?”

Quincy laughed as he grabbed jeans and a t-shirt from his dresser and changed quickly out of his sweats. “No, course not. Just need to take care of something, that’s all.”

“As long as you’re not late. Your father will kill you.”

“Don’t worry, Pascal, I know exactly what I’m doing,” he said as his mind hurried through his new plan. Get to the Jeep, book it to the airport, and get the hell off the isle. He couldn’t get married, not yet. Not until he knew why she’d left like that. Why she couldn’t say goodbye.

And why she left him behind instead of letting him fight for them… for her. No one made decisions for Prince Quincy.

***

Olivia got out of the car, noting the size of her stomach. She was about three months, according to her doctor, and everything looked good as far as they could tell. The baby was healthy, she was healthy, and the only person who knew she cried herself to sleep most nights was Helen. She’d moved into the house with Olivia when they returned to Nebraska, and Olivia knew one of these days, she’d have to do something really nice for her friend.

Leaving Quincy behind had been the hardest decision of her life, but her mom had reported during their last phone call that his wedding was today. Everything worked out the way it should, and he would be a great king for his people. She tried not to think about him being in Gigi’s arms that night and focused on moving forward. It was all she could do.

That, and she was starving. The baby had certainly doubled her appetite these past few weeks.

“Helen,” she said after she unlocked the front door. “What do you want for dinner tonight? I’m craving Chinese right now. Helen?”

Olivia felt the floor rush up to meet her. Strong arms caught her before she hit, cursing about her fainting. He hoisted her up into his arms and laid her gently down on the couch.

“That’s not the reaction I was hoping for,” Quincy murmured as he kissed her forehead. He stared down at her, a smile warring on his face with worry and anger. “Olivia? Can you hear me?” She vaguely noticed him glance down the length of her and frown when he saw her stomach. Suddenly, his face went blank, and he sucked in a breath.

“Quincy? Why are you here?” she asked as her heart hammered in her chest, but he didn’t seem to hear. “Quincy?”

Very softly, he laid his hands on her stomach that was clearly a pregnant belly. A smile twitched at his lips, showing his left dimple as his gaze met hers. “You’re pregnant… Why…why didn’t you tell me?”

She saw the sheen of tears in his eyes, and she couldn’t hold hers back. Her hands covered his, and they held her belly together. “I couldn’t,” she whispered. “You had to get married, and I had to leave. It would ruin you… It still will. Quincy, what are you doing here?” God, how she just wanted to kiss him and make love again. His touch set her on fire, and it took everything she had not to pull him down to her and have her way with him.

He helped her sit up and sat on the edge of the couch beside her. “I couldn’t do it.”

“Get married? Oh God, you didn’t just leave, did you?”

“I did, actually,” he said with a laugh. “I couldn’t do it. Every night, I missed you, and I was mad at you for leaving me, but… God, Olivia, I can’t do this, especially not now. You’re pregnant with our child.”

He got up and paced around her living room and looked for all the world like a normal guy in jeans and a t-shirt. Olivia watched him run a hand through his hair and laugh nervously. She knew exactly how he felt. Her heart hadn’t stopped fluttering since she saw him, and she hadn’t even kissed the damn man yet.

Olivia got to her feet and grabbed his arm. He started to say something, but she stood on her toes and pulled his mouth down to hers. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she shouldn’t, but seeing him, having him hold her, was too much. She needed to feel his arms around her again, her and their baby. Her prince had come back for her, and even if they couldn’t find a way to be together, she was not going to waste this stolen moment.

Her hands tangled in his hair, and she sighed at the feel of his body pressed against hers. It was a dream, it had to be a dream, but he stood before her, solid and still madly in love with her.

“Quincy,” she whispered against his lips, “how did you leave? Do they know where you are?”

“I ran away,” he told her. “I got up this morning and knew I was going to be married to Gigi before the day was over, so I just… I couldn’t do it until I knew why you left. I thought for a minute that maybe you stopped loving me.” He stared at her and his eyes moved lower to her belly. “But I can see now that isn’t the case. I love you, Olivia, and our child, and I don’t give a damn what happens. I’m not leaving you again.”