Played By Riggs

Epilogue

6  Months Later

***

"This so ruins my plan," Tina grumbled. "I was hoping you would get with Jordan, so, you know, all three of us could be dating the Branson brothers."

I tried to roll my eyes, but I couldn't help the laughter. Claire laughed along, too. "How are things with Jay, anyway? James and I saw him at the mall yesterday. He said he's meeting your parents this weekend?"

"Oo, the big introduction," Claire teased. Her face soon sobered. "I'm not going to get to do that, because I'm not even with him."

I frowned. "Something might happen, you never know. Have you told him?"

Claire sniffled. "I can't."

"Course you can," Tina said, reaching over in the hot tub for her glass of champagne. "You tell him he can be as involved as he wants. Whether he wants in or not, you've got us."

"Yeah," I said. "We're no day care, but we'll sure help out."

Claire wiped her under eyes and sighed. "Thanks. I really don't know what I would do without you two."

I smiled and reached for my champagne glass. Since I hired Claire to work the opening, she has been working alongside Tina ever since, and the three of us had become quite close. We had put the past behind us. 

"Right," I said. "Enough tears. Grab your glass of water, and let's toast to doing new, adult things."

"To new, adult things," they both chimed.

"And hot sex," Tina added, winking as we clinked our glasses together.

 "Do you hear that?"

I raised my eyebrows as I sipped the rest of my champagne. "Hear what?"

"Someone's shouting," Claire said, shifting in the hot tub to glance at the door. "We're shut, so who could be here?"

"Well, whoever it is, they're shouting your name," Tina said, chugging back the rest of hers.

As soon as I glanced at the door, it burst open. I smiled when James entered, however it was soon gone due to the stressed out, angry look on his face. He stormed over to the hot tub, mumbled a quick greeting to Tina and Claire, and then turned to me with his fiery eye. "Can I talk to you? Alone?"

I frowned. "Uh, sure. Just... pass me my towel?" Once I wrapped the towel around my waist, I quickly glanced at the girls. They shrugged.

James shut the door after me when I joined him in the staff room. "You got something to tell me?" he asked./

"I don't know..." I shook my head. "Do I?"

"You really going to play dumb with me? You won't be able to hide it. At least, not for very long. Why didn't you just tell me?"

"James," I laughed nervously. "You're kind of scaring me. What's going on?"

He exhaled a slow breath before he spoke. "I found the test in our bathroom bin," he croaked. "It's positive. You're pregnant, cause that's what the plus sign means isn't it? And I'm just wondering when you were gonna tell me?"

I pursed my lips to bite back my grin. 

"You think this is funny?" he glares at me. "You were drinking champagne in there. Shit, Kels, you're drinking and you're pregnant and I'm freaking the hell out here."

'James,' I snorted. 'The test isn't mine. It's Claire's. She's the pregnant one."

It didn't digest for a while, but when it did, he threw his head back with a loud laugh. "You're not pregnant?"

"No," I laughed with him. "You think I would be this calm if I was?"

He pulled me into his chest and kissed my forehead. "Shit, Kels. I was really convinced you were. We haven't been using any condoms and I just figured... well, I don't know what I figured, but I freaked the hell out."

Hearing that made me sigh of relief. I loved James, I was physically obsessed with him and emotionally attached in every crazy way, but the thought of having a baby made me want to run a thousand miles.

'You had to have her take the test at ours? Or you couldn't have thrown the test in the bin outside?"

"I didn't even think your mind would go there," I admitted with a grin. 

"But Claire..." he said, nodding slowly. "That's nice. I didn't know she was with someone.'

"She's not," I winced. "Not really, anyway. She hooked up with a good friend of hers and the condom broke. He doesn't know yet."

James puffed out a breath. "Ouch," he said.

"Yeah."

He leaned down to kiss me. Softly. I blushed when he pulled away, which sent him laughing. "I know that we're nowhere near ready yet, but you... you do like the thought of having kids, right?"

My heart thudded in my chest. "I'm warming to the idea," I admitted quietly. "I'm not saying I want us to try for one or anything, but if my pill didn't work or something like that... it wouldn't be the end of the world, you know?"

There was that gorgeous grin again. "Slow and steady wins the race," he hummed. "I'll let you get back to the girls. I'll be at home waiting for you in bed."

I moaned into the kiss. "Take me with you."

"I don't wait to steal you from the girls."

"It's not stealing if I go willingly," I said.

"It's up to you,' he shrugged.

But I could read him so well. 

He leaned down for another kiss. This time is was softer, and hotter and...

"Girls?" I called as I pulled away. 'I'm leaving with James!'

He grinned cheekily.

The girls broke out in laughter. 

"It didn't even take you five minutes to ditch us!"

"We see how it is!"

But I knew they were okay with me going.

Because I was with this man for good. 

He had me fully Rigged. 

***

The End

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