Audacious//JJ Maybank (Outerbanks)

Chapter 88

{The Cross, Topper & Heist}

The afternoon sun filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room as I lay in bed, exhaustion weighing heavily on me. JJ stood at the edge, watching me with a soft smile, his hand resting gently on the bedpost. He leaned down, brushing a kiss against my forehead, his lips lingering there as if he didn't want to leave.

"I've gotta go meet Pope," he whispered, his voice low but tender. My eyes fluttered open, and I caught his gaze, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Be careful."

"I will," he promised, then leaned lower, his hand moving to rest on my stomach. He kissed me there too, softly, and I felt the warmth of his affection radiating through me. "You two stay safe, okay?"

A lump formed in my throat as I watched him, the love I felt for him and our little one swelling in my chest. "We will," she murmured, her hand moving to rest on top of his.

JJ straightened up, his eyes soft but serious. "I'll be back soon. Just... stay here, rest."

"Don't worry about me," I replied with a tired smile. "Just go handle whatever you need to with Pope. I'll be here when you get back."

He nodded, but before he left, he leaned down one last time, giving me a lingering kiss, as if savouring the moment. "I love you, Jackie," he whispered against my lips, his voice filled with emotion.

"I love you too," she whispered back, her eyes following him as he turned and quietly slipped out of the room. The warmth of his touch and the comfort of his words stayed with me long after he was gone, filling my heart with a quiet peace.

After JJ left, the house fell into a peaceful stillness. I lingered in bed for a few moments, soaking in the calm. But soon enough, the restless energy I'd been holding onto kicked in, and I knew I needed to move around. With a sigh, I pushed myself out of bed and headed toward the bathroom, craving the warmth of a shower.

The water cascaded over me, washing away the exhaustion of the past few days. As I stood there, my mind wandered back to JJ and the way his touch had lingered on my stomach. Our little one. It still felt surreal, but each day, it became more real. And now, the bump was starting to show—a reminder of the life growing inside me.

After the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and padded back to the bedroom. I pulled open the drawer, reaching for a pair of jeans, but when I tried to slide them on, I quickly realized they didn't fit. My stomach had grown more than I realized, and the waistband struggled to reach where it once had.

I sighed, tossing the jeans onto the bed. A quiet laugh escaped my lips as I rifled through JJ's things instead, finally pulling out one of his oversized t-shirts. It smelled like him, and as I slipped it over my head, a sense of comfort washed over me. Paired with some shorts and my old, worn-out Converse, I felt like myself again.

I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and paused. My bump was noticeable now, more than just a slight curve. I turned to the side, gently pressing my hand against it, marvelling at how much had changed. A little life, a little person. It was hard to wrap my head around sometimes, but in that moment, I felt a surge of love, and pride, too.

"Hey there, baby," I whispered softly, giving the bump a gentle rub. "I can't wait to meet you."

With that, I got to work around the Chateau. The house had been a whirlwind of chaos since we'd gotten back, and I needed to clear my head. I swept up dust that had settled over the floors, straightened out the kitchen, and cleared off the table cluttered with maps and papers from our last adventure. The quiet was nice, but part of me missed the usual Pogue madness, missed JJ's constant chatter or Pope's focus.