Jenalyn: Crossing Lines (#4) [Complete]

Chapter 8: Gage

Friday, 8:43 P.M. PST

We were expecting Ty to be here after leaving Hayden at the party, so I was only going to stay here long enough to hash out any arguing that broke out between them as a result of what happened with Zain.

Ty must have gone back to our place though, so Hayden has been finding every excuse to get me to stay here longer and longer.

“Do you want to watch the docu-series they did on me and Harlee when I first got out here?” she asks, throwing herself onto her massive bed and reaching for her TV remote. “I think it comes on at 9! Surprisingly, I’ve never had a chance to watch it.”

I know I shouldn’t, but I also know Hayden too well to say no.

If leave, I’m sure she’ll run off looking for somebody else to spite fuck since Ty put a wrench in her works earlier. 

As odd as it may be, my brother’s words when we finally got a chance to sit down and talk about our situation with Hayden come to mind. He told me he knew there was a fine line separating my relationship with her from his, and that as long as it never got shady, I could continue it. 

I’m sure he’d rather that she spend tonight with me rather than anybody else…

Nodding my head, I lower myself onto the edge of her bed checking my phone for any messages from him. Nothing.

He had to have known I’d give her a ride home after he left her at that party.

“Don’t be such a stranger, cuddle bunny!” Hayden calls out after a moment, eyeballing the distance between us with dissatisfaction clear on her face. She pats the fluffy down blanket beside where she lay in the middle of her bed. “Take your shoes off! Turn off the light! Stop acting weird!”

I let out a small laugh, fighting off the nervous feeling I notice always sparks in my stomach when we do this. 

It’s never gone further than cuddling, but things do get pretty intense between us. I don’t ask for it, but she always tells me that’s the reason she can’t have sex with me.

I kick off my shoes and turn off the light before making my way to the center of the bed with her, and allowing her to cuddle up to me.

We’re silent, mindlessly watching the commercials that dance around the screen. I wonder if she can hear my heart pounding in my chest?

“This baby is going to kill me,” she says after a moment, shifting uncomfortably. “Whenever I’m up, she wants to chill out. Whenever I want to chill, she wants to freak out. I don’t know what to do with this girl already!”

She rolls over on her back and lifts up her loose T-shirt to reveal a small but prominent bulge in her abdomen.

Is it weird that I think she’s so much more beautiful while she’s pregnant? So much more sexy? 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask after a moment, watching her rub her belly with probably a little too much interest.

She asks me to talk to the baby and rub her belly. “It’ll relax her,” she tells me. “Me too, honestly.”

My heart pounds in my chest, but I know I’m not going to say no. 

I’ve never done this before…

Hayden must notice the hesitation that passes over my face, because a few small giggles bubble from her lips. “Don’t be nervous!” she tells me, choking down laughter as she notices me growing embarrassed. “She’ll love it! Just… rub my belly! It’s easy! Nothing to be nervous about!”

I reposition myself to where I sit cross-legged beside her and then go about rubbing her belly as if it were a crystal ball. She laughs.

The stretched skin on her belly is so soft. It’s an interesting feeling, and for a moment I think I can feel the freak out she mentioned earlier.

“Wow… she’s really in there,” I can’t help but gasp, allowing my hand to slide down the side of the bulge as I feel more movement.

Hayden laughs. I can feel it reverberate through her belly. 

“She’s really in there!” she repeats, watching as I rub her belly in amazement. 

I’ve got butterflies in my fucking stomach. I feel like a pansy, but I can’t help a wave of emotions from washing over me as I lean down close to her belly. “Hey little human!” I coo, my lips gently brushing against her skin. “I need you to calm down in there! Your mommy is trying to relax!”

Hayden laughs, but doesn’t interrupt the silly conversation I can’t help myself from having with her belly as I rub it. 

“You calm down for mommy now, and we’ll do all the partying you want once we get you out of there!” I say.

Hayden falls into a fit of laughter and playfully pulls her shirt down insisting that I’m a bad influence. By the time we settle down, I find myself in awe over the experience. 

“Do you know what you’re going to name her yet? I ask as she cuddles back up to me. 

She smiles, looking up at me with her eyes wide in excitement. “I haven't told anybody yet…” she says, pausing to pick up on rubbing her belly. “But I think I’m going to name her McKaiden.”