He’d walk through fire for them. He just needed the chance.

That was all.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Wren leaned on her elbows as the door shut and her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

“What in the fuck just happened?”

Sitting up, she looked around her empty office and still couldn’t believe what had occurred. She’d thought it would be easy. He’d say yes, they’d get married, and play along until the end. But no, Jensen came out of left field with a real marriage proposal, and he wanted to be the father of her child. What in the fucking world? That was the last thing she thought he’d ever want.

Since it was the last thing she wanted.

She had gotten used to the idea of being Mom and Dad to the kid. He’d have uncles, he’d be fine. But now…now, Jensen had gotten into her head. Wells was nowhere near her to help, and Vaughn was about to have a baby of his own. It would leave Jensen as the main uncle anyway, but that didn’t mean he had to be the daddy! Did it? Shit. Also, what happened if Bradley decided he wanted to be a daddy. What would she do then?

Man, all she’d wanted was a fake husband.

That was all.

Instead, she got Jensen fucking Monroe ready to make an honest woman out of her. Be her child’s daddy—and make love to her.

Holy shit, he wanted to make love to her.

“’Cause Jensen doesn’t fuck, he makes love, you dumbass!”

What the hell was she going to do? How in the world was she going to make this kind of decision? When he said he’d give her the world, she didn’t doubt that. Jensen was just that guy. He was good, he was kind, and he had a heart of gold. The problem was, while he was fully in, ready to love her and her kid, she was standing there saying, “Whoa, buddy, not even what I wanted.” She didn’t want a husband. She hadn’t even wanted a kid until kiddo popped up. She thought she’d suck at being a mom—she still could—but she knew damn well she’d suck as a wife.

She never grew up playing house and doing that sort of thing. She was too busy running around with the boys and doing boy stuff. She was one hundred percent girl and loved girl things, but she always loved boy things too. Like having sex with lots of people. It was awesome, and she never got hurt. There was no reason that she couldn’t live that life just because she was a girl. No one ever wanted her for long, which was fine because she was always moving on anyway. But it would kill her if she went all in with Jensen and he decided he didn’t want her either.

Was that why she was stalling?

Was she scared?

Fuck, she was.

Soon, she was moving. She dialed Vaughn’s number, even though, really, he was the last fucking person she wanted to speak to. But he was all she had because Brie would be all lovey-dovey. She really wanted to call her mom, Wells, or even her dad, but that would pose a bit of a problem. So, Vaughn it was.

“What do you want?” he answered gruffly, and she rolled her eyes.

“Oh, shut up. Brie isn’t mad at you, no one is mad, so it doesn’t matter. Get over yourself. I need you.”

“You’re lucky I love you. What’s wrong?” he asked, tone gruff and completely overdramatic.

“Jensen just left here.”

“Okay? And by the way, I thought I said don’t ask him.”

“You said I shouldn’t.”

“I said don’t.”

“No, you said shouldn’t, and it doesn’t matter because I fucking did.”

“Now who’s dramatic?”

“I hate you so much, and I don’t even know why I call you.”

“Because I’m filled with such amazing relationship advice.”

“Yes, Vaughn, that’s completely it,” she said dryly, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, Jensen just came at me with a real proposal and wants to be the dad to my kid.”

“Ugh, Jenny.” Vaughn clucked his tongue. “I told you not to ask him. Ha. I bet you thought he was gonna lie down and do what you wanted, huh?”

“Whoa, not lie down, I’m not a dick. I just thought he’d be game.”

“Oh, no. If he’s gonna do it, he’s gonna do it right.”

“I don’t want right, I want easy!”

“Well, sweetheart, better get that gigolo on the line.”

“You are being no help,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “Jo, I don’t want to hurt him. He’s ready to be all in, and I’m over here thinking about who I should fuck tomorrow.”

He scoffed. “You’re a damn liar. You’re over there freaking out because you know if you go all in with him, you won’t be able to control yourself. Especially with Jenny. He’s so cute and shit. Girls would die for the guy.”

“You don’t know my life,” she snapped, and he laughed some more.

“No, but I know you. And I know you think he’s hot, which is step one to getting into bed with him. I, for one, know he’s hung, and that’s step two to getting you hooked. Next thing you know, you’ll be riding him, screaming that you never want anyone but him.”

Wren couldn’t help but squint at his stupidity. “There is something mentally wrong with you. You need help. I can schedule that.”

“No, you need help. You know I’m right.”

“You’re not.”

“I am.”

“Not.”

“Am,” he said simply, and then he sighed. “Wren, either take it or leave it, but I can promise you, no man will do the job better than Jenny. That’s him, he’s made for this shit. He’s wanted to be a dad since like forever, and with all that shit that went down with that bitch, it broke him. He was good to that whore he loved. He’s a good dude, he just keeps getting shitted on. So don’t shit on my boy, or I’ll take you out.”

She knew that. And that was the problem. “You couldn’t take out a dog, you loser.”

“Your insults can’t mask the fact that you know I’m right.”

“Vaughn, I would never admit to the fact that you’re right.”

“It’s okay. We both know.”

“We don’t.”

“We do, just do me a favor.”

Annoyed, she asked, “What?”

“Don’t hurt him. If you do this, do it for real. Go into it with an open mind. I’m not saying you’ll fall for him right off the bat, he’s a little awkward, but try. Because he—”