Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake (A Brush with Love, #2)(69)

“I’ve been meaning to show you this for a few days now,” he said, as the floors dinged past. When they reached their destination, he held his arm against the door, ushering her out. “Now seems as good a time as any.”

He stepped in front of her, moving down the hall to a small door at the end. Rake turned the knob and pushed against it, the noise echoing into the stairwell as it unstuck from its frame.

Rake seemed fully awake now, bounding up the stairs and turning to give Lizzie a wide, boyish smile over his shoulder as he reached another door at the top. He pushed it open, holding it for her as she stepped out onto the roof.

Lizzie’s eyes went wide, and she let out a coo of excitement as she took in the scene. Their building wasn’t the tallest by any means, but also not the shortest, allowing city lights to twinkle above and beside her, giving her the feeling of being surrounded by glowing stars. Real stars strained to compete in the inky summer sky. The energy of the city hummed into her veins, her body starting to relax for the first time all night.

“I had no idea we could get up here!” Lizzie said, turning on Rake, who was leaning lazily against the door, watching her reaction with a smile.

“I’d hoped it would be a surprise,” he said, pushing away and walking toward her. He fluffed out the quilt, allowing it to softly fall to the rooftop. He dropped the pillows onto it and held out a hand to Lizzie to join him.

And then she burst into tears.

Rake’s eyes went wide with fear, and he reached her in two long strides, pulling her into a hug.

“What’s wrong?” he said, placing a palm on the back of her head as she cried into his chest. “Do you want to go back downstairs?”

“No!” she wailed, tightening her arms around his neck.

“Then why are you crying?”

“You’re so damn lovely.”

“What?” he asked, pulling back to give her a confused frown. “You’re sad because I’m lovely?”

Lizzie shook her head, hoping he wouldn’t notice the snot she’d gotten on his shirt. “I don’t actually know why I’m crying,” she choked out between sobs. “I think I might be feeling a tiny bit hormonal.”

Rake was silent for a moment before letting out a soft laugh. “Maybe the tiniest bit,” he confirmed. He placed his hands on her shoulders, steering her to the little nest he’d made. He laid her down on it, making sure she was comfortable before taking up his own pillow next to her.

“This okay?” he asked, turning his head to look at her.

Lizzie sniffed then let out a contented sigh. The night was still hot, but something about the freedom of an open sky cooled her. “This is perfect,” she said.

Lizzie wasn’t sure how long they lay there, staring silently up at the stars, but every second felt divine, a soft peacefulness threading around them in a golden connection. Her brain gave up its somersaults of things she needed to do, things she needed to learn, in preparation for the baby. She didn’t dwell on how she’d fuck things up or all the things out of her control. Instead, she reached out and held Rake’s hand as they watched the night float on around them.

“You know how people always say they feel smaller when they stare up at the stars?” Lizzie said after some time. She heard Rake shift his head to look at her.

“Yeah. I feel that way,” he said, his voice soft.

“I’ve never understood it,” she said, continuing to look up. “I’ve always tried to make sense of it. But, when I stare up at the stars, I feel the exact opposite.”

“What do you mean?” His words were a whisper, curling around her heart.

“I always feel bigger looking up at the stars,” she said, raising her hands, pulling one of his with her, to gesture at the sky as she sought out the words. “It’s like I’m looking up at all the energy that lives inside of me. Like whatever divine being or miracle of science that made all these beautiful stars, also made me. Whatever allows for stars to exist also allows for me to exist. It feels empowering—elevating—to know that I can exist among something so beautiful.”

Rake was silent, and Lizzie could feel the press of his stare. She regretted the words. They had made sense in her head, but she’d never been great at articulating the grand feelings that swamped her. She probably sounded ridiculous. She squirmed on the quilt, letting go of his hand and pushing her hair out from under her neck.

“You never fail to surprise me” was all Rake said.

Lizzie snorted. “Yeah? How’s that?”

“That was quite poetic of you,” he said, a smile in his voice. But, as if sensing Lizzie’s need to break the seriousness, he added, “and not even one dick joke for a full ten minutes. You’ll be a boring, serious mum by the time the little one is ready to come out.”

Lizzie giggled, rubbing her hands over her belly. “Don’t be ridiculous. I was just about to point out how that group of stars over there looks just like an uncircumcised penis blowing a load.”

Rake let out a deep, rumbling laugh that made her smile as their eyes met.

And that’s when she felt it.

Little tiny bubbles low in her belly. Small happy pops that made her body freeze, her eyes go wide.

Rake jolted up at the look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” he said, his hands hovering over her like he was afraid to touch her, but desperately needed to. “Are you okay?”