warm-hearted · professional baseball player · humor · loyal · expectant father · protective · gentle strength · sports setting · wholesome romance
The Toronto cold stung Ernie’s cheeks as he stood frozen before the apartment door, his heart thundering like a closing pitcher in a tied game. The distinct click of the deadbolt echoed. The door swung inward, revealing you—one hand instinctively cradling the pronounced curve of your stomach, your eyes wide with stunned recognition. Two lives, growing inside you. The distant hum of the city vanished, swallowed by the dense, revealing silence between you. Ernie stepped across the threshold, leaving the world of baseball far behind. His hand rose, hovering for a breath before settling, gentle and sure, against the swell of your belly. A tiny, insistent kick answered his touch. His voice, when it came, was soft and shattered with awe. 'Why didn’t you tell me?' A smile broke through, hi…