Morning brought with it a sharp need to pee and a level of embarrassment Bailey hadn’t felt in…well, ever.But then again, she’d never masturbated herself to screaming orgasm while the former love of her life watched.
She’d fallen asleep so fast she hadn’t put her sleep shorts back on, or even pulled her tank top down over her tits, adding to her embarrassment.But when she glanced down she was covered neatly by the sheet, and her cheeks burned when she realized Nash must have tucked her in.
“Fuck,” she muttered, and darted a quick look at his bedroom door.Firmly closed, and she could hear no stirring within, so she scrambled up.Gathering her shorts and her phone, she hurried as quietly and as quickly as she could to the stairs and up.
Her shower was fast—thank God she’d washed her hair the night before—and she dressed quickly in a short cotton tank dress in red, forgoing her usual dithering over which outfit to wear and how to style it in favor of speed.She left her hair in the braid she’d slept in—she could rework that at the salon—and grabbed a pair of black Chucks.She tucked her phone between her boobs, dug some socks out of her drawer to go with the shoes, and snuck back downstairs.
Her bag was still by the front door, so she stuffed the shoes and socks inside and prepared to escape.Then she stopped with a mental curse and went to open the first window.
It slid up smoothly but not silently, creaking and groaning and screeching as the ropes and weights shifted to move the pane up, and she darted a look over her shoulder.Nash’s door remained firmly shut, so she moved to the second window.It went up as noisy as the first, and when she finally closed the front door carefully behind her and headed for her car, it was at a dead run.
Barefoot, she tossed her bag into the passenger seat and started the engine, fastening her seatbelt while she backed out of the driveway.Halfway down the road, she let out the breath she was holding, then a short scream when her phone jangled.
Seeing Chloe’s name and number on the dash screen, she tapped it to accept the call.“You scared the crap out of me.”
“Why?”
“Never mind,” Bailey said, wincing.That was not a can of worms she was willing to open.“Why are you up this early?”
“I had to puke.”
Bailey winced again, this time in sympathy.Early pregnancy symptoms sucked.“Ugh, I’m sorry.”
“It sucks, but it’s short, and I feel fine when it’s over.”
“Silver linings.”Bailey flipped on her blinker, made her turn.“Are you still with the guys?”
Chloe hummed an affirmative.“Jesse’s cooking breakfast, then I’m going to go home to get some work done.Lou wants more stock for the holidays.”
Bailey tooted her horn at the car in front of her that apparently didn’t know a green light meant go.“The holidays that are six months away?”
“That’s retail,” Chloe said cheerfully.“Are you in the car?”
“I wanted coffee that I didn’t have to make,” Bailey improvised.“Can you tell me how it went last night, or are the boys listening?”
“Jesse’s downstairs, and Knox had to finish something up in the office, so I’m alone.”
Bailey started to drive past the coffee shop, then pulled into the drive through behind an enormous truck.Might as well make the lie true.“So, spill.”
“It was hard,” Chloe confessed.“But we talked it through, and I think we’re in a good place.”
“They’re both on board with your decision?”
“Yeah, they are.They’re being really supportive.But…”
“But?”Bailey prompted.
“I can tell they’re struggling with it, especially Jesse.”
Bailey inched her car forward as the line moved.“With the decision to terminate?”
“No, I just think he’s just having a hard time getting a handle on all of it.”
“Well, it’s a lot.”
“I know.I think it might help him to talk to someone.Knox, too, but I’m less worried about him.”
“Therapy is always a good idea,” Bailey said.“Just make sure you find someone who’s pro-choice.”