The Ties That Bind

chapter twelve

o l i v i a

Our legs are intertwined, arms wrapped around each other, naked bodies touching. One word to describe my current state is perfect. I'm still visualizing Parker's face as he gently caressed my cheek before slowly pushing into me. He handled me with such tenderness. Even now, as he strokes my hair with a light, almost ticklish touch, his affection make me feel all tingly inside.

Outside my bedroom window, the sky is pitch black. The clock on my nightstand reads 2:00am, but I'm not tired at all. The adrenaline is still coursing through my body.

Did I expect to end up lying in bed naked with Parker? Absolutely not. Do I regret it? Nope. When Bianca showed up at the bar, I was worried about where my relationship with Parker stood. The fact that I was worried about losing him was definitely a wake up call that I want him. The thought of him not being in our baby's life and mine is unimaginable. In a matter of a few weeks, he's become such an integral person in my life that him being absent from it is unbearable.

"What's your biggest fear?" Parker blurts out.

My hand on his chest forms into a first, so I can rest my chin on it. "Biggest fear, eh?" I ask in an attempt to stall.

"C'mon, you're telling me." He smirks. Gosh, those dimples!

I think about my answer for a moment. "Being a failure." Parker waits for me to continue. "I've always been criticized, by my parents, my agency, even random people I don't even know.  I have an image and reputation to uphold twenty-four-seven. I've already failed my family. You've seen their disappointment." I look into Parker's ocean blue eyes. "I'm scared to be a mother. I don't want to fail our child."

He swallows and then places a comforting hand on the side of my face. "You're not a failure, Olivia. You're too hard on yourself. You may not have become a doctor, so what? You followed your heart and that's something you should never view as defeat. I can already tell from your wit and drive that you will make the best mother a child could have."

A tear runs down the side of my face. "I don't know about the best." We both laugh.

Parker gently wipes the tear off my cheek. "The best," he reaffirms.

I bury my head into the crook of his neck. "I don't deserve you."

"I don't deserve you," he corrects. That is so far from the truth.

"What's your biggest fear?" I mumble into his neck.

I feel him take a deep breath. "Like you, I'm scared of becoming a father."

I lift my head to look at him. "That's hard to believe. You're so calm and handle everything with ease."

Parker laughs at my statement. "Don't let me fool you. When you first told me you were pregnant, I was scared shitless. I was only calm because I didn't want to freak you out. Overtime, I realized how great of a team we make. But, I also realized that I'm not going to be as good at parenting as you."

He strokes my hair. "You set the expectations pretty high, you know."

Now, it's my turn to laugh. "Parker Baylor, you are going to be an amazing father. We have a lot of work cut out for us these next few months, but I know that you're going to love our child with all of your heart. That's all that truly matters."

He places a soft kiss on my forehead, then both of my eyelids, and finally meeting my lips. "Did I ever tell you how much I like you. Like really like you, Olivia Windsor?"

I feel my cheeks warm. "I like you, too. Like really like you," I imitate.

I nestle back on the side of his body, my eyes growing heavier by the second. I'm comforted by Parker's protective hold on me. The sound of our beating hearts sync together. I love my life.