Forever With You
by Jennifer L Armentrout
Published by Avon Books
Book 5 in the Wait for You Series
Some things you just believe in, even if you've never experienced them.
For Stephanie, that list includes love. It's out there. Somewhere. Eventually. Meanwhile she's got her job at the mixed martial arts training center and hot flings with gorgeous, temporary guys like Nick. Then a secret brings them closer, opening Steph's eyes to a future she never knew she wanted—until tragedy rips it away.
Nick's self-assured surface shields a past no one needs to know about. His mind-blowing connection with Steph changes all that. As fast as he's knocking down the walls that have kept him commitment-free, she's building them up again, determined to keep the hurt—and Nick—out. But he can't walk away. Not when she's the only one who's ever made him wish for forever .
RATED: 18+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Steamy #NewAdult Bittersweet
Trigger* #Romance
Trigger Warning (and spoiler, sorry!): Forever With You deals with unexpected pregnancy and miscarriage. Please be advised.
Forever With You by Jennifer L Armentrout is the fifth book in the Wait for You series, and we are still in Plymouth Crossing, centering around Steph, (Cam's and Jase's casual fling back before they were with Avery and Teresa) who has recently moved to Plymouth Crossing after graduating college, taking on a job in the offices at a mixed martial arts gym, and Nick, the surly, quiet bartender at Mona's. After a one night stand between the two, they chemistry with on another heats up, despite them both not looking for a relationship. As things heat up, and they both talk of their dreams of the future, tragedy happens, taking it all away. Nick won't give up though. Not on the only woman who he has ever had a connection with like this.
First of all, I can't do this review with spoilers. I try hard not to, and usually do well, but this one, is just impossible to do. So if you DON'T want to be spoiled, just skip ahead to my star rating. Okay. You ready for it?
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Okay. I warned you. It's been a while since a book had me emotionally hung over. Forever With You did just that though. I bawled. Ugly tears. I am one of the lucky women who have never gone through a miscarriage. It happens way more often then you think though. As a mother, I know the connection between a mother and baby starts the moment the shock wears off. The love you feel for something that is so small is intense. To have that suddenly taken from you, would be nothing short of tragic. Jennifer did an amazing job writing out what a woman goes through after that happens. It's real, and raw, and you can't help but cry tears, not just for these fictional characters, but the very real pain that is felt every day by hopeful parents all around the world.
I was very hesitant going into this book, because ... it's Steph. Her hovering around Cam, and Teresa walking in on Jase and her way back when, left me with the feelings Avery and Tess had of her way back when. After this book, though, I love her! She is a no bullshit person, and believes to her core that a woman should be able to find sexual fulfillment without being in a relationship, and without the stigma that men seem to get away with, but get women labeled as a slut. There is a slight inconsistency with character here, which bothered me enough to remember it. In Wait For You, Steph seemed to be interested in more with Cam. Take the UFC match. Jase brought Steph with him, and she was all over Cam. Yet in this book, this is not mentioned. She just saw Cam as a friend who she sometimes slept with when the need arose. Forgetting those moments back in Wait For You, I truly liked Steph. She is a shining example of a strong, independent woman.
Nick went through quite an arc from the moment we meet him back in Stay With Me, to the end of this book. Quiet, observant, and yet an obvious playboy, I always wondered what was up with him. Why he wasn't into relationships. His rules when it came to women were ... well, a bit dickish. Although after learning why, I got it. Hell, it even made me like him. When Steph verbally took him down a peg in the bar, and he jumped over the bar to go apologize ... hell. Swoon. Once they talked, he apologized, Nick became ... wonderful. His reaction to the pregnancy was amazing, and his obvious growing affection for Steph (even before the pregnancy ... I mean ... he made her homemade chicken noodle soup) is, I'm going to use the word again, swoonworthy. *Sigh* Nick, underneath the tough exterior he built around himself, is a big old teddy bear, and Steph and Nick together ... oh man. Great character combination.
Forever With You in the end being very bittersweet for me. We get a couple with INTENSE chemistry happily together in the end, but the child they were so excited for, and loved deeply already, was gone. As a mother, it was hard to read Steph's agony and confusion over the why of it all. Jennifer continues to write stories that are emotionally very real. I highly recommend Forever With You (as well as the whole series), but be warned. It's emotional.
Where to Buy
Paperback (amazon)
Paperback (Chapter/Indigo)
Nick: "By the way, I'm Nick."
I took his hand. His grasp was warm and firm.
Steph: "I'm Stephanie, but almost everyone calls me Steph."
Nick: "It's nice to meet you."
His hand still held mine as his lashes lowered, his gaze dipping again.
Nick: "It's very nice to meet you, Stephanie."
Steph: "Mutual. After all, if you hadn't happened along, I'd probably still be out there cussing."
Nick chuckled
Nick: "Probably not the greatest way to meet new people."
Steph: "Seemed to work just fine with you."
Nick: "I'll let you in on a little secret. It wouldn't take much for you to make it work for me."
Steph: "Am I that transparent?"
Nick: "In the best possible way."
Steph: "Apple ale? I like that. How'd you guess?"
Nick: "I figured you'd like something sweet."
Steph: "I also like it hard ..."
His gaze cut to me, and I grinned.
Steph: "My drinks, that is."
Nick chuckled
Nick: "You seriously just said that?"
Steph: "I seriously did."
Nick: "I think I like you."
Steph: "You need to remove 'think' from that statement. For it to be accurate."
Another rough chuckle rolled out of him.
Nick: "Well, since we're being completely honest with one another, I wasn't really hopeful when it came to you showing up at the bar."
I raised a brow as I lowered my bottle.
Steph: "Oh, really?"
Nick: "Yep. I knew you'd show up. It was inevitable."
Steph: "Inevitable? That's a pretty powerful word."
Nick: "It's the truth."
Steph: "You're a cocky bastard, aren't you?"
Nick: "And you're a cocky chick?"
I laughed as I leaned against the counter, across from him.
Steph: "Maybe."
Nick: "I like it."
Steph: "What's your favorite hobby?"
Nick: "Besides fucking?"
Steph: "Yeah, besides that?"
Nick: "Hmm ...If I had to pick one, I'd have to go with working with my hands."
Steph: "For some reason, I think that has a double meaning."
Nick: "What about you? Favorite hobby?"
Steph: "Besides fucking?"
Nick's laugh was deep, but his stare was no longer lazy.
Steph: "You're not the kind of guy to beat around the bush, are you?"
Nick: "Nope. And neither are you. You're done with thee questions, too."
Steph: "I am?"
Nick: "Yeah, you are."
He lowered his head o that his mouth was near my ear.
Nick: "Want to know how I know that? You started to get hot from the moment I said fucking was my hobby."
Nick: 'It's late."
Steph: "It is. You good to drive?"
Nick: "I think I got just enough brain cells left to make it home,"
Steph: "Fucking your brains out can be dangerous. I'm sure there's an operating machinery and driving warning involved."
Nick tipped his head back and laughed as he reached for his jacket, shrugging it on.
Nick: "God, I really do like you."
Steph: "Of course."
Still grinning, he shook his head as he grabbed his helmet.
Nick: "You're welcome to what's left of the beer. Tonight was ..."
Steph: "Just tonight. I had fun."
Nick: "Of course."
I laughed.
Roxy: "Shut up, Reece."
A mile broke out across his face s his gaze shifted toward her.
Reece: "Oh, I love it when you get bossy with me."
Roxy: "You're ridiculous."
Reece: "You love me."
Roxy: "I don't know why. But I do."
Roxy: "You're terrible. And you make a horrible first impression."
Reece: "I think I make an awesome first impression."
He sent a grin in my direction
Reece: "I'm Reece Anders - the love of Roxy's life."
Steph: "I'm Steph Keith."
Reece: "Ah, the infamous Steph. Where is -"
Roxy: "On break. Sorry about his rude interruption. He's socially damaged."
Reece: "I'm also very thirsty."
Roxy: "You see Jax over there? Why don't you get him to serve you?"
Reece: "That's mean. I'll be back"
He wheeled around, heading toward Jax, who stood further down the bar. As he rounded me, he tapped my shoulder with his fingers.
Reece: "I like it when she's feisty."
Katie: "I've texted Roxy and me from your phone. So now you have our numbers and we have yours. There's no escaping us. We're going to adopt you as our new best-est friend-est in the world-est. You're going to get breakfast with us on Sunday. Of course, you're probably thinking 'Oh hell no,' but you're totally going to come."
I was still gaping at her.
Katie: "There is so much we need to tell you."
Turning back to Roxy, Katie started to speak, but stopped, clapping her hands together.
Katie: "I have the best timing. Ever."
Nick: "Stephanie. What are you doing here?"
Steph: "Excuse me?"
Roxy: "Oh no."
Katie: "You're a dumbass."
She twirled toward me.
Katie: "Give him hell. The payoff is so much better in the end. See you on Sunday. Tootles!"
Nick: "You haven't been back since the night we hooked up. So I figured we were on the same page."
Steph: "Obviously, we're not."
Nick: "That night was just that night. One time. There's no reason for you to come back here, especially you."
Steph: "Let me get this straight. You though that I would not come back to the bar, because we'd hooked up?"
Nick: "That's how it's always been. One night. You said so yourself."
Steph: "And just to make sure we're completely on the same page, you think I cme back here solely to see you?"
One side of his lips curled up.
Nick: "Well, why else would you come here? Someone like you is much better suited for the bars and clubs in the city."
Steph: "Someone like me?"
Nick: "You know you're gorgeous. You know -"
Steph: "Stop right there. We are not and obviously never have been on the same page, Nick. You don't know me. I don't know you. And frankly, how I look has absolutely nothing to do with what bars I go to."
Nick blinked as surprise crowded his features again.
Nick: "Hey, I'm -"
Steph: "You're unbelievable."
I pushed to my feet, grabbing my purse off the counter.
Steph: "The last time I checked, this bar wasn't your oyster and you sure as shell aren't the pearl in it. You may get to tell other people - other women - what they can and cannot do, but that will never, ever, work with me."
Nick: "We need to talk."
Steph: "I think that's the very last thing we need to do."
Nick: "I'm going to have to disagree. Let's talk. Please"
A huge part of me still wanted to whack him with my purse, or better yet, introduce my knee to a sensitive part of him, but most, if not all, of the bar was staring at us. We - actually, Nick - was already causing a major scene. Eyes were fastened on us. Heat crept up my neck.
Nick: "Are you going to make me get down on me knees and beg? Because I will. Right here."
Steph: "You wouldn't."
Nick: "I would."
Steph: "Fine. We can talk."
Nick: "Perfect."
Nick winked, and turned around, leading me.
Steph: "We don't need to hold hands."
Nick: "But we do. I'm afraid you'll change your mind and run off on me, then I'll be all kinds of sad."
I shot him a dirty look as he guided me out.
Jax: "Nick. Don't make me have to clean down the office later."
My jaw snapped open.
Steph: "Yeah, that won't be necessary."
Jax: "I like her. A lot."
Nick: "Of course you do."
Nick: "I'm going to be brutally honest right now."
Steph: "Like you haven't been already?"
Nick smiled
Nick: "See, it's that."
Steph: "The attitude. When you throw it at me, all I can think about is getting deep inside you again."
Steph: "Are you for real?"
Nick: "The last time I checked I was."
Steph: "Then you have got to be the dumbest son of a bitchy bastard.
The lines around his mouth twitched and he looked away, compressing his lips.
Steph: "You think this is funny? What's funny is the fact you think you're going to 'get deep in me' again. I'd rather pluck each stray hair on my body one by one instead."
Nick: "You sure as hell didn't have a problem getting naked with me two weeks ago."
Steph: "I didn't. Then you opened your mouth with your chauvinistic pig shit and ruined all the warm and fuzzies."
Nick: "Chauvinistic pig? Okay. I know I'm a dick. Trust me, but you and I -"
Steph: "We had one night. You're right. We hooked up. You left my place without an ounce of expectations between us, and I was cool with that. That's what I wanted. But you obviously thing the whole damn world revolves around you. I enjoyed what we did, but just because I like sex doesn't mean I'm desperate, a whore, or stupid."
Nick: "I never said you were those three things."
Steph: "You didn't? You might not have said those three words exactly, but the fact that you think I came here looking for just you insinuates that I'm desperate. The fact that you think you can get with me after speaking to me the way you did tells me you don't think very highly of me. And after one night with me you think you can dictate to me where I can go and what I cannot do? You must think I'm stupid."
His brows flew up
Nick: "Steph -"
Steph: "Don't."
I lifted my hand, stopping him. My middle finger might have been extended as I stepped around him and snatched up my purse.
Steph: "This conversation ends with a - how about you go fuck yourself."
Steph: "What are you? The grammar police?"
Nick: "I am that person who silently corrects everyone's grammar."
Steph: "Oh. Wow. So not only are you a dick, but you're also an annoying dick."
Steph: "When I went to Mona's tonight, I honestly wasn't going there just because you worked there."
Nick: "I know."
Steph: "But you were an added bonus of going there."
His gaze cut to mine.
Steph: "Not a huge bonus. A small one."
Nick: "A little bonus, huh? I'll take what I can get."
Steph: "I haven't had a boyfriend in a long time."
Nick: "Bullshit."
I laughed
Steph: "totally by choice."
Nick: "Explain. I need more details on this."
Steph: "Why is it so surprising? You don't have a girlfriend and you're hot. Granted, you are a dick, but a lot of chicks will overlook that for a nice set of abs."
Nick: "You think I have nice abs?"
I rolled my eyes
Steph: "You know you have a great stomach."
Nick: "It's really a shame."
Steph: "What is?"
Nick: "Us. That you and I are the way we are. It's a damn shame."
Katie: "You're surrounded by hot guys from nine to five, right? Especially Brock. Mmm. Goodness. Brock can get all beastie with me anytime he wants. My vagina would have its own personal landing strip for him."
Roxy: "Oh my God. The imagery. I'll never get it out of my head now."
Katie: "You know what? Fuck 'em. That's my motto. Because here's the deal. they hate on you because you had mutual, consensual humping with some guys who weren't even involved with anyone, while they worship the dirty-ass ground the guy walks on, like they slipped and fell into your vagina, for doing the same thing? That's what we like to call dumb double standards, and what we in the business like to also call 'Mind your own business.' No matter how many times i's explained to those kind of people, they aren't going to understand. Never. Dude, that's their problem. Not yours."
Roxy: "True."
Katie: "Women are each other's worst enemy, you know? Wives and girlfriends all the time come into the club, pissed off at me, because their husband or boyfriend came there on his own free will. Like, just because I strip, I want to get with their goofy ass husbands. And if doing that and having safe and fun times with available dude makes me a slut, I have no problem getting that tattooed on my middle finger."
Roxy: "You'd be surprised by how many chicks he's hooked up with who're totally okay with it. But as long as they're cool with it, too, whatever, but man, when you told him off at the bar, it was freaking priceless. Don't get me wrong. I consider Nick a friend, and we get along because we're just friends, but I wished I had thought to record that."
Katie: "I'm so disappointed I missed that. But you gave him hell. He needs that. Hell, most people need that every now and then."
Roxy: "Oh man, and when he jumped over the bar to stop you from leaving?"
Roxy fanned her face with her hand.
Roxy: "I need to get Reece to do that at least once a week for me."
I coughed out a laugh.
Steph: "Yeah, that was kind of impressive."
Katie: "And I also missed that. Such bullshit."
Nick: "Don't look at me like that."
Steph: "I'm not looking at you."
Nick: "Besides the fact you're looking right at me, you're looking at me in that way."
Steph: "In what way am I looking at you?"
Nick: "Like you want a repeat of that night."
Damn. He freaking nailed it right on the head. I didn't say anything as I crossed by arms under my chest, but I stiffened as he took a step forward. A half foot separated us.
Nick: "And you really need to stop. Because I'm trying to be cool over here. I'm trying something different."
Steph: "What are you trying?"
Nick: "I'm trying to be friends with you."
Mom: "No matter what you choose, no matter what option you're going to go with, I will love and support you either way. You decide you're not ready for this, I'll be right there with you if you want me to be. And if you decide you want to go through with this and have that baby, I'm going to be a proud grandmother - a damn good-looking grandmother, too."
I laughed shakily as a tear snuck free and coursed down my cheek.
Mom: "No matter what, I love you and I will always be proud of you."
Nick: "Wait. I'm getting ahead of myself. Do you want this baby? Because I do. We created this baby, didn't we? So I want this baby."
Steph: "I didn't plan on getting pregnant. Obviously. And this couldn't have happened at a worse time, and I feel shitting for even saying that, but I just started a new job and there is so much I want to do - planned to do - before having a child. I wanted to travel. I wanted to be stable ... And I ..."
Nick: "And what?"
Steph: "I didn't plan on this. But I want this ... I want this baby."
Nick: "You didn't have any siblings, right?"
When I shook my head, a wry grin appeared.
Nick: "Neither do I. Any experience with babies?"
Steph: "Nope."
Nick: "Me neither."
Steph: "Oh geez."
Nick laughed
Nick: "It can't be that hard."
Steph: "I'm going to have to thoroughly disagree with that."
Steph: "Well, I might be a wee bit more emotional than normal."
Nick grinned.
Nick: "Nah."
I rolled my eyes
Nick: "I know I can't feel anything yet, but I just wanted to put my hand there."
Steph: "Why?"
Nick: "It makes me feel close to the baby."
Oh gosh.
Oh man.
His hand moved slightly as his fingers brushed the band on my sweats.
Nick: "It's right in there. A part of you. A part of me. No matter how any of this came about, it's pretty amazing."
My ovaries might've just exploded.
Nick: "I know things are ... different right now. And I thought I didn't want to complicate things, but I've got to be real honest with you, I want to get all up in that complication. I want to get all up in you. So are you going to make my morning."
Steph: "I'm going to let you make my morning."
Nick stayed with me, knowing exactly when to slow his fingers, and when he eased them out of me, I watched him, utterly spent and dazed, my muscles nothing more than goo as he lifted those fingers to his mouth.
Holy crap.
Nick: "Best breakfast I've ever had."
Rolling onto my side, I reached for the bulge that had been pressing against my thigh this entire time, but he reached down, catching my wrist. My eyes widened.
Steph: "You're going to stop me?"
Nick: "As much as I'm going to hate myself for this, I'm going to have to."
Steph: "Why? You had your breakfast. I want mine."
Nick's brows rose.
Steph: "Protein shake."
My lips twitched.
A shock of laughter roared out of him.
Nick: "Holy shit. You went there."
Steph: "My ... my breasts are tingly. Like really tingly. It's kind of distracting."
Nick: "Yeah, it's distracting."
Steph: "Sorry?"
Nick: "Do you need help with them? Because I volunteer if you need them inspected or rubbed or petted."
Steph: "You are so helpful."
Nick: "That's me. Mr. Helpful. Willing to take one for the team, even if it means I have to touch them."
Steph: "Real hardship for you."
Nick: "You have no idea."
Steph: "I'm lucky."
Nick: "Of course you are. You were the honorary recipient of my very active sperm."
Nick: "That's why. That right there is why I haven't hooked up with anyone else."
Steph: "A kiss?"
Nick: "Not just a kiss. It's the way you feel against me - the way your body just softens right into mine. It's those tiny sounds you make when you're liking what I'm doing. It's the way I get as hard as baseball bat if I even think your name. And it's been that way since I saw you in those damn little shorts."
Steph: "Those were some little shorts."
Nick: "No shit. I'm going to be honest. After we hooked up, I wanted to get right back inside you, and it was real hard no to accidentally run into you again in those days afterward. I didn't think it would happen again. That's just my practice, but when you tore into my ass in the middle of the bar, you caught my attention, and it isn't going anywhere."
Nick: "What are you doing here?"
Steph: "What?"
Roxy: "Here we go again."
Nick was oblivious to how close he was to death as he placed a hand on the edge of the bar and leaned in, his face coming dangerously close.
Nick: "What are you doing here, Stephanie?"
Jax: "Oh, man."
Jax spun around and headed toward the other end of the bar
Steph: "Why would I not be here, Nick?"
Reece: "Answer that question carefully, my friend, because I just went down that road. It was curvy."
Roxy: "Yeah, we just had this conversation for you. And Reece didn't fair too well."
His jeans dropped, and he was in a pair of tight black boxer briefs.
Steph: "I can totally get behind this use of time."
Nick: "And that's why I like you."
Nick: "I think I could spend years right here."
Steph: "On your knees?"
Nick: "As long as you're standing above me."
Nick: "So what's your deal? You don't believe in love?"
Steph: "I believe in love. I do. I just ... I was never in love. Not like my parents. They loved each other. I mean, every time you saw them together, heard them talk to one another, even if they were mad, you could hear the love in their voices. That's the kind of love I want. I just didn't settle for less."
Nick: "Hmm..."
His hand made a slow sweep back to my hip.
Nick: "You're using the past tense there, Stephanie."
Nick: "Okay. This is going to sound weird, but I'm picturing you with a belly like that, and I find that kind of hot."
Steph: "Seriously?"
Nick: "Yeah."
He winked.
Nick: "I'm looking forward to it."
Steph: "Why?"
Nick: "Because it will be my baby ..."
He placed his hand on my stomach, over the jacket.
Nick: "...in here, and holy shit, that's a huge turn on."
Nick: "Is this the part where you get naked?"
Steph: "Is this the part where you try to pretend like you weren't about to pass out earlier?"
Nick: "Needles give me the willies."
I shook my head s I began to undress.
Steph: "Willies? Isn't that what little boys call their dicks?"
Nick: "If that's the case, then what I'm seeing right now makes my willy very happy."
Nick: "You find it yet? Or do we need to draw a circle around it with a bunch of arrows?"
Steph: Jerk. I think I see it. Looks like a lima bean, right? that's what is looks like?"
Nick nodded
Steph: "The baby looks like a lima bean."
Nick: "Yeah, but it's our lima bean."
I held out waiting for the perfect guy - the perfect relationship. I never fell for anyone I'd been with. Guys who had no baggage I knew of. guys who were already firmly seated in their careers. Ironically, it was the most imperfect situation and imperfect guy who was capturing my heart.
Who had captured my heart.
Steph: "I need an adult."
Nick: "You need to stop watching those videos."
Nick: "Did you do any research on hormones while pregnant?"
My nose wrinkled
Steph: "Not really."
Nick: "Well, you know what I've always heard? That pregnant women have an increased libido."
I arched a brow
Nick: "It's true."
He moved in, his lips brushing over the sensitive spot below my ear.
Steph: "Do you know what else is true?"
His tongue flicked over my skin, causing me to jerk.
Nick: "What?"
Steph: "Some women lactate automatically when they hear babies cry. Even if it's not your baby. I could be walking in the grocery store and my boob could just start spraying out milk."
Nick lowered his forehead to my shoulder, and I felt his body shake.
Steph: "And the longest pregnancy on record was like a year and ten days - a year, Nick. A mother freaking year."
Nick: "Steph, baby ... as much as your freaking out is adorable, you got to stop watching and reading stuff."
Steph: "You were right."
Nick: "You're going to have to be a little more detailed, because I'm right about a lot of things."
I laughed as i tasted the skin below his jaw, thrilled by the deep breath he drew in.
Steph: "About pregnancy hormones. Because I'm pretty horny right now. Then again, I'm always horny when I'm around you."
Nick: "It's my superpower. Making girls want to drop their panties."
Smiling, I rocked back, watching as he lifted his head.
Steph: "You should be careful with that superpower."
Reaching down, I tugged the sweatshirt off.
Steph: "Use it wisely."
His gaze dropped to my lace-covered breasts.
Nick: "I'm so using it wisely right now."
Nick: "Every time."
Steph: "What?"
Nick: "Every time you see me, I want you to do that. I want the first thing you do is kiss me. I want that kind of hello."
Steph: "Sorry we're late. Traffic."
Calla: "Traffic. Interesting, on Sunday night."
Teresa: "Don't worry. Jase and I ran into ... 'traffic' too. Really heavy 'traffic'.
Jase's eyes widened.
On the other side of Avery, Cam's face contorted with disgust in response to his sisters words.
Cam: "Come on, man. I don't even want to picture that in my head."
Avery: "How heavy was that 'traffic' exactly?"
Teresa opened her mouth, but Jase spoke up.
Jase: "Please, dear God, don't answer that question. I really don't want Cam punching me again."
Teresa: "If he lays one hand on you, that baby is going to be the last Cam can produce."
Calla: "Oh dear."
Steph: "You take one step toward me and I swear to God I will kick your balls so hard they'll end up in your throat."
Nick: "I know you don't want me here. But I'm going to be right here. It took everything in me yesterday to walk out of that door and I don't have it in me anymore to do it again. Not after knowing what you've been going through and seeing you now. I know you're hurting. You shouldn't be alone and it should be me who's here for you."
Nick: "It's all right not to be okay. I'm not okay wither. I'm not."
Steph: "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Nick: "Stephanie, baby, please don't apologize."
His voice did that breaking thing again, killing me.
Nick: "What happened isn't your fault. You know that, right? This wasn't your fault. You're breaking my hear,t Stephanie. Stop apologizing. It's ripping me apart."
He pressed his hand to his chest.
Nick: "I was feeling more for you in here, and it had nothing to do with you being pregnant."
Nick: "Would you like to be my girlfriend? Circle yes or no."
Another hoarse laugh rattled as I lifted my finger, drawing a circle on his chest.
Steph: "That's me circling yes."
Nick: "It's going to be hard. I know it is. For both of us, but you know what?"
Steph: "What?"
Nick: "We got each other. No matter what. There is a you and me. And that is all we need right now."
Nick stepped forward, extending a hand as his one-sided grin grew.
Nick: "Hello, Ms. Keith."
Mom: "And this must be Nick. No I can see why you are so distracted when you're on the phone with me and he's around."
He smiled as his gaze found mine.
Nick: "I like her."
Steph: "Of course you do."
Mom: "Wow. Stephanie, wow. I'm very proud of you."
Steph: "Oh my gosh. Mom."
Steph: "I love you"
Nick: "What?"
Steph: "I love you. I'm in love with you. I fell for you weeks ago - months ago - and I just wanted to tell you that.
He stared at me.
Steph: "And you don't have to say it back. I don't -"
Nick's large hands clasped my cheeks and within a stuttered heartbeat his mouth was on mine.
Nick: "Let me hear is again. Tell me."
Steph: "I love you, Nick."
Nick: "Christ. I never thought I'd hear you say that."
Steph: "What?"
Nick: "Because I never thought I would be lucky enough to hear it - to know that what I felt for you want the same thing you felt for me."
Steph: "What are you saying?"
Nick: "I don't just love you. I'm in love with you. Hell, I have been for a while, and I wanted to tell you that so many time over, but I ... fuck, I couldn't get it out of me. I don't even feel like I deserve this."
Steph: "You deserve that."
Nick: "I'm going to prove it to you, Stephanie. You have no idea. And you're going to get tired of hearing me saying this. I love you. I'm so fucking in love with you, Stephanie."
Steph: "I'll never get tired of hearing that. There's no way. This is what I've been waiting for You're what I've been looking for."
Nick: "You don't have to wait anymore. We don't have to wait anymore."
Steph: "You're so fucking weird.
Nick: "I'm so fucking in love with you."
Shaking my head, I giggled, and then had a huge aw moment, because Cam stopped by his mother before he went to the archway decorated with blue roses and baby's breath, bent down and gave his baby girl a big mushy kiss on her chubby cheek.
Roxy: "Damn. There just went my ovaries."
Reece sent her a long look
Roxy: "What? I can't help it."
Check out the rest of the Wait for You series below!
Cam & Avery Extra Read (takes place between this book, and Fire In You)