Friends to Lovers: A Secret Pregnancy Romance (Heart of Hope Book 6) Read online

  Friends to Lovers

  A Secret Pregnancy Romance (Heart of Hope Book 6)

  Ajme Williams

  Copyright © 2020 by Ajme Williams

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of authors imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The following story contains mature themes, strong language and sexual situations. It is intended for mature readers only.

  All characters are 18+ years of age and all sexual acts are consensual.

  Contents

  Also by Ajme Williams

  Description

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Epilogue

  Excerpt: Accidental Love

  The Heart of Hope Series

  Want more Ajme Williams?

  Also by Ajme Williams

  All books are FREE in Kindle Unlimited and can be read as standalone romances.

  Heart of Hope Series (this series)

  Our Last Chance | An Irish Affair | So Wrong | Imperfect Love | Eight Long Years | Friends to Lovers

  Fake Marriage Series

  Accidental Love | Accidental Baby | Accidental Affair | Accidental Meeting

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  Description

  I knew this “friends with benefits” arrangement wouldn’t work.

  How could it?

  I’m madly in love with Cyrus!

  I’ve been friends with him for a while.

  Being in this situation is not ideal.

  But that one Halloween night changed everything.

  We couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

  A relationship meant ruining our friendship.

  So we chose the next best option.

  We fell into bed together with zero expectations.

  But then…

  I started expecting.

  Got pregnant.

  And that’s when life got really crazy.

  Cyrus was emotionally unavailable.

  There was no point telling him the truth.

  But it’s only a matter of time until he finds out for himself… right?

  Prologue

  Petal

  I was so glad I went with sexy witch instead of Strawberry Shortcake or Little Orphan Annie to April and Jude’s Halloween party. As a short redhead, I normally went with the cuter costume options, but after spending a year lusting over a man who has become one of my best friends, I decided maybe it was time to broaden my dating opportunities. Cutesy children’s doll costumes didn’t scream dating material. For a minute, I considered Jessica Rabbit. I had the boobs and big ass, but my waist wasn’t quite narrow enough to pull off her type of voluptuousness, and I worried I’d look ridiculous. So sexy witch it was. But not the black outfit with the pointed hat. Mine was more like Sarah Sanderson’s dress from Hocus Pocus, except shorter and tighter along the hips. I wore my hair down in long curls like the blonde Sarah did instead of up in the strange doo that redheaded Winifred wore in the movie. I wanted to look sexy, after all.

  The costume worked, as several men watched me, and few chatted with me.

  “I had fun,” I said to Cyrus, my friend-zone date for the night as he took me home. He was dressed as Zorro and by all accounts was the sexiest man at the party. In fact, he was probably the sexiest man alive. I really should call People Magazine and let it know.

  “Me too.”

  His voice didn’t sound like he had fun. I looked over at him, his mask and hat were off, yet he still looked lethal as he walked me to the entrance of my building. I lived above my cupcake shop, Petal’s Cupcakes, and had an entrance to the apartment inside my shop as well as on the street.

  “Did something happen?” I asked him as I unlocked the door to the building.

  He grunted a response. Cyrus was a great guy. He could be funny and so generous. But it could be hard to find all that sweetness because of the wall he kept up. I wondered if it was his time as a Navy SEAL that made him so closed off.

  “Do you want a drink?” I asked him. “Then Don Diego can tell me what’s got his mask all in a twist.”

  He frowned, his eyes cruising down my face to my chest. Then, like someone had tossed water on him, his gaze jerked back up. “I’m Zorro.”

  “Not with your mask off, buddy,” I said. I’d been drinking and felt fairly toasty. Too much so to drive, but since Cyrus and I had gone as friend-zone dates, he drove. I couldn’t imagine he’d ever drink enough to get drunk. At least not silly fun drunk. He was too in control for that. Pity, it would be fun to see.

  I opened the door and started inside to the stairs. “You coming Zorro or not?”

  He followed me, shutting the door behind him. I often had a secret fantasy that he’d come to my place, we’d talk, and then he’d ravish me. He often came to my place, but usually it was the shop for coffee and a cupcake. And he never ravished me. Hence, the attempt to attract another man.

  Up the stairs, I opened my apartment door and let him in. Cyrus was huge and my apartment was small, so it always felt like he was everywhere the few times he’d been up to my place.

  “Wine, beer or something stronger?” I asked him as he made his way to the couch.

  “Beer is good.”

  I got us both a beer, popped the tops and brought them to the couch. I sat next to him, taking the heels that were killing my toes, and tucking my feet under me. I clicked my bottle with his.

  He pointed at me with his beer bottle. “What’s with the witch outfit? I thought you were going as a cartoon character or something?”

  “I was but then decided on sexy witch.” I grinned. “I think I pulled it off. Do you?”

  His jaw clenched as he sipped his beer. “It’s nice.”

  I frowned and tried not to be hurt. I looked down at the cleavage of the girls. Sensual without being skanky, or so I thought.

  “Lyle Simmons and Jacob Donner thought it was more than nice.”

  His dark eyes cut to me. “Is that what you want? Those two fuckwits to be nice to you?”

  My brows shot up. He wasn’t wrong about Lyle and Jacob. They weren’t at the top of the gene pool, and Lyle was a bit of a pervert
, but they were nice. I wasn’t interested in them as dating material, but it was nice to be noticed.

  “Careful Zorro, I might think you were jealous,” I teased, because come on. Cyrus was all beefcake and broody sexy man, with sweetness hidden deep inside. Guys like him choose women who were at least five inches taller and twenty pounds thinner than me.

  He looked away and drank his beer.

  “So, the witch is in session. What’s on Don Diego’s mind?” I asked knowing there was something going on with him.

  He sighed and shrugged, then took another sip of his beer.

  “Seriously Cyrus. You’ve been out of it all evening. Since you picked me up. Did something happen?”

  He sat playing with his beer bottle. “Just some concerns about my mom.”

  “Oh? Is something wrong?” A part of me thought he’d just said that to give me some excuse. But I went with it.

  “I don't know. She just sounds off. Tired. Run down.”

  “Maybe she’s working a lot.”

  “Maybe.” He sipped his drink again glancing at me as he did. Cyrus was hard to read at the best of times, but now he was a true enigma.

  He set his bottle down on the table next to the couch and laid his head back to rub his temples.

  I frowned. “Maybe you should go visit her if you’re this worried?” Wanting to help, I rose on my knees next to him and reached my hands over to rub his temples.

  He jerked slightly as he lifted his head. I leaned back slightly, but kept massaging his temples.

  “Petal.”

  “Yes?” I kept rubbing.

  He made another one of those growls like he did earlier. I glanced down, and was about to get seriously annoyed at him when I realized my boobs were practically in his face. His eyes were dark as they looked at my chest and then up at me.

  “Oh, sorry.” I started to pull away, but his arm banded around me.

  “The fuckwits weren’t the only ones who noticed your sexy witch outfit.” His voice was low and raw. It skittered along my skin making my hairs stand on end, in a good way.

  “Oh?” My own voice sounded breathy and I could feel arousal, not just attraction, pool between my legs.

  His hand gently rubbed my back just above my ass. It was all I could do to keep from moving my hips to guide his hand lower.

  “Do you want to know why I’m so agitated?”

  I swallowed hard. “I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”

  He stared up at me, his dark eyes intense. He took my hand and watched my face as he brought it to the front of his pants. He hesitated a moment, and then pressed my hand down.

  Holy moly. He was so hard. And long. I bent my fingers along the length. And wide. I looked down and then quickly to his face. His expression was daring me to react.

  “That must be uncomfortable,” I said even though my mouth had gone dry.

  It probably wasn’t what he expected based on the light upward twitch of his lips. “Immensely.”

  Did I offer to help him with it? My body fired hot even as I bit my lip wondering if he’d fit. I couldn’t quite bring myself to say the words, so I simply started stroking him through his black slacks.

  He growled again. “Fuck Petal…you’re supposed to be repulsed.”

  “Why?” That didn’t make sense. I squeezed wishing I could see him. Taking a chance, I pulled his belt from the buckle.

  His hand covered mine. “Be sure, Petal. Be very, very sure.”

  It sounded like a warning but for what? I mean, yes, we were only friends. Yes, we both were also friends of April and Jude, but they wouldn’t mind? Would they?

  “If you put your hand on me, you’d know I was very sure,” I said.

  He closed his eyes and groaned again. I thought he was going to leave, but instead in a lightning fast move, he’d gripped my hips, pushed me back on the couch, and was over me, looking down with his dark, dark eyes.

  “Are you saying you’re wet?”

  I swallowed and nodded.

  His gaze held mine as his hand slid up my thigh and under the short dress. His fingers drew over the panel of my soaked panties.

  He pulled his hand out and brought his fingers to his lips. “Mmm.”

  Holy moly cannoli. There was no way Lyle or Jason did anything as erotic as that.

  “I want a treat, Petal. Can I have one?”

  Cyrus, you can have whatever you want. “Can I have a treat too?” I asked. I was still eager to see his massive dick in the flesh.

  “First things first.” He tugged my panties down and I hoped I looked sexy as I helped him get them off my legs. He pushed my skirt up to my hips, his gaze looking over my pussy. I wanted to cross my legs, but his eyes shone with hunger that gave me confidence not to hide myself. He looked up at me then and pulled the top of my dress down. “I want to see your tits.”

  Seriously, I was about to come just from the way he spoke and looked at me. I adjusted my dress so my breasts were free.

  He reached out with one hand and gently massaged my hard nipple making me gasp and my pussy clamp tight. “Cyrus.”

  “Yes, Petal.”

  I didn’t know what to say.

  “Do you want to give me a treat now?” he asked.

  “Yes. Have your treat.” God, I was going to spontaneously combust.

  He moved down my body, his massive shoulders settling between my thighs. He was so big, I had to put one of my legs over the back of the couch and the other on the floor to make room for him.

  He inhaled a breath. “So sweet.”

  My hips rose, unable to stand the anticipation.

  “Petal wants a treat too, doesn’t she?”

  “Yes. Don’t be mean, Cyrus.”

  He laughed. “Never to you, my sweet Petal.” And then his mouth was on me. I let out a long groan as his tongue slid through my pussy lips. It was hot and smooth and felt so, so good.

  “Oh my God.” My hips rocked in time with his mouth, which moved in languid motions at first, and then picked up in speed and intensity as he sucked and licked and then thrust his tongue inside me.

  I cried out and my hips shot up as pleasure swamped my entire body. I felt like I was shimmering, humming with so much pleasure.

  “Mmm…sweeter than cupcakes.”

  As much as I loved that, I wanted more. So much more. I reached for him.

  He chuckled. “Not enough for you?”

  “I want you, Cyrus.”

  He levered back on his knees and finished undoing his belt and his pants, shoving them along with his boxer briefs down. His dick sprang free and it was magnificent.

  I sat up, gripping it and immediately taking the tip in my mouth, wanting to taste the pearl of precum on the tip.

  “Ah fuck, Petal.” His fingers gripped my head. He let me suck him and touch him, and again, I wasn’t sure how he’d fit inside my body, but I was nothing if not game to try.

  “You need to stop.” He groaned. “Unless you want me to come in your mouth.”

  Of course, I wanted him to come in my mouth. And inside me. And on me. And however other many ways he could come with me.

  “What do you want Petal?”

  I lay back. “I want you inside me.” I was already wrapping my legs around him and tugging his dick to my entrance.

  He held back, his fingers sliding along my pussy and then inside. “Are you ready for me again?”

  “Yes.” I was dying I was so ready.

  “You’re tight, honey.”

  “Then it will be extra good for you, right?” I managed to say.

  “Jesus, fuck.” He pushed his tip to my entrance, growling again as he slid in, slow.

  I was whimpering, my body shaking as he filled me. Not because it hurt, but because it wasn’t enough. Nowhere near enough.

  “Cyrus,” I pleaded. I gripped his hips with my hands and pulled with my legs all at once until he sank fully inside, filling me beyond what I could have ever imagined.

  “Aw fuck!” He cried
out. “Petal.” He groaned again. “Fucking sweet Petal.”

  1

  Cyrus – One Week Earlier

  I reviewed the intake file of our newest security client to get the depth and scope of the issue. This one was some sort of bug or hack that our tech team (me) could probably sort out. I put the file in my stack and picked up the next intake file working to review all the recent requests for service we’d had. Normally, my partner, Jude, and I went through these together assigning them as needed, but he was out today on a well-baby visit with his wife, April, and their two-month-old son, Alberte or Bertie as they called him. Jude had been out for nearly six weeks following the birth of their son, devoting all his time to his family, as he should. He came back part time recently, but he wasn’t going to miss doctors’ appointments. It was fascinating to watch a man I’d fought beside as a Navy SEAL become so mushy around his family. Fascinating, but lovely too.

  “All work and no play makes Cyrus—”

  “A successful man,” I said standing as Jude walked in with the tiny bundle in his arms. April walked in behind him. “What a beautiful family,” I said, coming to admire the baby. I was very happy for my friend. He’d reconnected with the woman he’d loved, discovered he had a daughter, and now together they had a new son.