"I said I'm pregnant."
"Yeah. Sure."
Vixen had a hard time repressing her smile as Christopher tried getting her to rub her sex against his cock. There was just something so strangely refreshing about Christopher's single-minded focus on sex, and she loved it even more, knowing that he had been like this even before he had her in his bed.
Men often pretended to be one thing around her, but their eyes just as often revealed the truth about them. Christopher, however, was wonderfully different. She hadn't sensed any dishonesty in him from the very start, and maybe it was why she, too, couldn't help but open up to him.
Even though they had only known each other for mere hours, something about them just clicked, and it was why...
Christopher bit back a groan when Vixen suddenly pulled away from him and took herself to the other side of the bed. "Come back here."
"But I want to talk first."
"We'll talk," he said so quickly that Vixen could only laugh and shake her head at him.
"Seriously, just give me two minutes of your time, and then we can have sex."
His gaze narrowed at her as if doubting her word, and Vixen's lips trembled in barely suppressed mirth. "It's just two minutes," she cajoled.
"In my world," Christopher grumbled as he forced himself to a sitting position, "two minutes can be life-changing."
"Then give me fifteen seconds—-"
What the hell could she do with fifteen seconds? Christopher was even more suspicious now, but he nevertheless made himself say, "Fine then. I'll bloody bite. What's the fifteen seconds for?"
"To thank you."
Christopher started. Thank him?
"I didn't realize how much I've isolated myself," Vixen confessed, "until...this."
Fuck.
"I just feel so wonderful and safe with you, it's like..." She bit her lip. "You see, I was almost raped once—-" She saw Christopher whiten, and Vixen said quickly, "There's no need to worry. I did say almost—-"
A startled gasp escaped her as Christopher leaned forward and scooped her back into his lap.
"Tell me everything."
The tautness in his voice made Vixen's heart squeeze. "It's really okay—-"
"It's not fucking okay," Christopher gritted out. "I wish I had been there—-"
She shook her head to cut him off and laid a placating hand on his chest. "I was able to protect myself," she told him simply, "and I was never seriously hurt either."
"And the asshole?"
"Locked behind bars."
"And you are truly okay?" he demanded.
"I am. I promise. But...that's what I've been trying to tell you, too. The only thing it changed in my life was how I've been with...men. For a long time, I was even afraid to smile—-" She stopped speaking when she saw his jaw clench.
"I've seen you smile plenty of times, Vixen." It pained Christopher to point this out, but he felt he had to, and when he saw the way Vixen's lips curved...
"Exactly, Kit. You saw me smiling," she said softly, "because you are the only one who's been able to make me smile."
Christopher struggled to keep his face expressionless. She thought too much of him, dammit, and while he knew there was no better time than now to come clean...
"There was just something different from you about the start, and I couldn't help smiling and laughing around you—-" Her shoulders lifted helplessly. "And that's why I think I've been reborn."
Fuck.
"I used to worry about every little thing, but now I know I don't have to—-"
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
"Because of you."
Christopher groaned. How the fuck could he tell her the truth now, when she was being so damn sweet?
"So—-"
The rest of Vixen's words disappeared into his kiss, and she forgot whatever she had to say as Christopher grabbed her by the ass and impaled her with his cock.
Ah!
Another bout of wild and torrid lovemaking followed, and by the time they were done, Vixen could feel rarely used muscles in her body aching and protesting as she hurriedly slipped back into her clothes.
"Come back to bed," Christopher groaned.
"I have to go meet the ship's P.T.," she told him, "but I'll be back soon—-"
"Don't go."
Vixen couldn't help laughing even as she had to dance out of reach when Christopher made a sudden grab for her. "Stop it!"
"Then come back to bed," he growled.
She blew him a kiss. "See you later."
Once outside, Vixen finally remembered to check her phone for messages and was startled when she saw several missed calls from Cassidy. She called the other girl back right away, and Cassidy answered at the first ring.
"Vixen, thank God."
Alerted by the trepidation in Cassidy's voice, she asked right away, "Is something wrong?"
"I'm not sure, but..." Cassidy took a deep breath. "Eve told me you called her."
"Um, yes, but...I'm sorry. What is this about again?"
There was a long moment of silence, and then Cassidy said slowly, "I really hope I'm overthinking this, but...are you free to talk? I have something to tell you."
"I THINK YOU'RE FUCKED." These were the first words William spoke as soon as Christopher answered his call, and it was enough to have the athlete wide awake and springing up to a sitting position in mere seconds.
Since the moment he had claimed Vixen's virginity, there had been a sick feeling in the pit of Christopher's stomach, and it had him feeling like the sky was about to fall over him any moment.
It was almost a relief now that it had finally happened, and with all secrets out, he could finally work his damnedest to keep Vixen in his life.
"Do you know Eve, Konstantin Manolis' girlfriend?" William went on to ask.
"I do. Why?"
"Ms. Greene apparently confessed her feelings to Eve," William said in a clipped tone.
"What kind of feelings?" Christopher asked unevenly.
"She told Eve she might be in love with you."
Fuck.
"But since Eve's aware of your reputation, she then told Cassidy about Ms. Greene's feelings—-"
"Who then told you, I presume?"
"She also asked what I knew," William told him, "and I had to tell Cassidy what you asked for."
Christopher could feel himself whitening at the implications of William's words. He remembered all too well what he had asked for, albeit jokingly at that time. A woman who was "loose as a goose"...with dollar signs in her eyes.
"I did my best to convince Cassidy she likely had nothing to worry about—-"
"Unfortunately," Christopher interrupted tautly, "you'd be wrong."
There was a moment of silence...just before Christopher heard William curse under his breath.
VIXEN'S HEART REMAINED in shambles while meeting with the ship's P.T. Their discussion was brief to the point, with the other woman taking only minutes to explain the rotation system for using any of the ship's rehabilitation facilities.