I’m all on board for what Hound just called a babymoon. It’s like a honeymoon, something April and I didn’t get, but it’s a vacation for the couple before the baby arrives.
“Second trimester is best because she’ll be over that constant yucky feeling and not quite feeling like a house,” he adds.
“I wonder if she’s ever been to a beach?” I muse more to myself than the guys. I grin as I lift my beer to my lips, my mind on the way she looked in her bathing suit a couple of hours ago. The two piece did nothing to conceal that sexy-as-hell baby bump. It didn’t cover the marks my mouth left on her breasts before we crawled out of bed either. She insisted on covering everything up, and honestly I was fine by that. I didn’t want to have to kick some civilian’s ass when he got an eyeful of what’s mine.
“Apollo.” Legend knocks into me with his elbow.
“What’s up?” I look over at my friend, who comically angles his head to direct my attention.
My smile falters when I notice Nova standing right in front of me, like so close I have to take a step back. I haven’t seen her since that night I went to her apartment.
“Hey,” she says, a coo in her voice that leaves nothing to the imagination, much like the swimsuit she’s wearing.
I make a mental note to talk to Kincaid about proper dresswear. I get that it’s summer and a pool party of sorts, but there are kids running around for fuck’s sake.
“Hey, Nova.”
Legend wraps his arm around her shoulder to keep her from reaching for me. I lift my beer back to my lips, the gold band on my left hand glinting in the sun. I see her eyes dart to it, but that seductive smile I’ve seen on her face many times before doesn’t falter.
“Still married?” she asks, making Hound stiffen beside me.
That man has no issue with telling a woman to fuck off, and I’m torn between wanting him to do it and giving me the opportunity to handle this myself.
“It’s sort of a lifelong commitment.”
Hound grunts in approval, holding his beer out to clink with mine. We’re a united front, and Legend just looks happy to have his arm around a gorgeous woman. Nova is stunning. There’s no denying it. I’m married, not dead, but the sight of her does nothing for me any longer. She’s like ground chuck when I have filet mignon inside the clubhouse.
“Is she here?” Nova asks, a glint in her eyes that tells me she’s looking to cause problems.
“She’s inside,” Hound says, taking a step forward. “With Gigi.”
Nova swallows. She’s been around the club long enough to know that members of the public aren’t allowed inside today. She’s been inside before when we had parties, but only the living room and whatever bedroom she may have ended up in, nothing in between. She also reads Hound’s mention of his wife as the threat it was. Gigi has no problem going head-to-head with someone she feels like is here to start trouble. The warning lands just as intended.
“I just wanted to congratulate her,” Nova answers. She presses her hand to Legend’s chest, her eyes searching mine as if she’s expecting a jealous response. She gets nothing, of course. What she and I had wasn’t like that when we were messing around, and it sure as hell isn’t like that now. She’s not a bad person, but she’s just the type who thinks she’s the best woman that walked the earth and gets a little confused when men don’t return her advances.
“How about we go get in the pool,” Legend suggests.
She nods and lets him lead her away without another word.
“It gets easier,” Hound says.
“What’s that?”
“Dealing with women hitting on you.”
“That wasn’t hard for me. I just don’t understand why some women can’t get it into their heads that we’re taken. Does the wedding band mean nothing to them?”
Hound chuckles. “That ring is your commitment, not theirs. Some women like a challenge. It makes them feel superior when they’re able to get a man to break his vows.”
“It’s disrespectful,” I mutter, frowning when I realize my beer is empty.
“Incredibly,” he agrees.
“I feel disgusting.”
“And getting your arms back around your wife is the only thing that’s going to make that feeling go away.”
I give him a quick nod before walking away in search of my wife. I don’t see her anywhere in the backyard, so that must mean Hound was right. She’s inside. I don’t blame her. It’s hot as hell outside, and she’s so fair-skinned, she doesn’t spend much time in the sun.
“Anyone seen April?” I ask the second I step inside the kitchen and she’s not in there.
“Wasn’t feeling well,” Emmalyn says as she washes her hands in the sink. “She went to lie down for a few minutes.”