You made me realize that I’d been missing out on a lot.”
His heart surged ahead, beating too quickly, considering the fact that he was sitting motionless in a chair. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, either. Jesus, you were a breath of fresh air after my ex, even if we only had half a night together.” The memory of it crept across his skin now, all heat and thrill.
“I hope so. She had to have been an absolute idiot, to have done what she did.” Abby worked her hand around inside of his, repositioning it so that she could squeeze his fingers. “It’s hard to believe any woman could be so stupid.”
He lowered his head, rubbing the back of his neck, which ached in the wake of so much eye contact, so much confessing. “I can’t say we were a happy couple, but I couldn’t believe she’d done what she had without even telling me. I think she only decided to end the pregnancy because she’d already started seeing someone else.
“By that point, I knew the fact that I’d ever been with her in the first place meant there was something wrong with me. And then, when you came along and told me you were pregnant, I couldn’t help but wonder, what if you didn’t want to go through it with me, either? You were shaking when you told me, and I thought—”
“I was shaking because I was afraid you wouldn’t want our babies.”
He met her eyes again. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re amazing. Being with you is great; having a family with you will be great, too.” Already, he knew he couldn’t have picked a better woman. In fact, if past experience was anything to go by, he had every reason to believe that left to his own devices, he would’ve chosen a terrible woman. He’d dodged a bullet with his ex, Trish, though it had hurt.
She shrugged. “Some people don’t want kids.”
He shrugged too. “Guess I always figured I’d have some, someday.”
“Me too. Only now that I’m pregnant, I realize that it might never have happened if it hadn’t happened by accident. I’m 27, and I’ve never had a boyfriend who was serious or responsible enough to want kids, or get married, or anything like that. Who knows what would’ve happened if we hadn’t…” She smiled. “God, I’m glad it was you I met in that bar that night.”
A surge of jealousy hit him hard. “So am I. Don’t even mention the possibility of this happening with you and someone else. The idea of any other man touching the mother of my children is enough to make me want to break someone’s bones.”
He was only half-teasing.
She rolled her eyes. “There was no one else at that bar sexy enough to lure me home, anyway.”
“So you say. I won’t question it. You ready for something to drink yet, or some dinner?”
“No. Why, are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
“Why don’t you go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat?”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Maybe we can pick up something on the way home, if they let me out of here any time soon.”
Less than five minutes later, a doctor brought good news – the bleeding had been caused by a urinary tract infection, which would clear up under antibiotic treatment. A nurse soon unfastened the fetal monitor and released Abby with a prescription and discharge papers.
As they made their way across the parking lot together, a fresh uneasiness weighed Sam down, urging him to broach yet another sensitive subject. “Maybe this isn’t an ideal time to bring it up, but I need to talk to you about something.”
“What is it?” She climbed into his cruiser. One of her co-workers had driven her to the hospital, so she had no vehicle of her own to worry about getting home.
“This pregnancy has been hard on you, and I don’t think that’s going to change.”
“My doctor said that pregnancy symptoms can be more intense with twins.”
He nodded. “I noticed you’ve been taking on a lot of appointments lately. Trying to fit all your clients in before the babies
His heart surged ahead, beating too quickly, considering the fact that he was sitting motionless in a chair. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, either. Jesus, you were a breath of fresh air after my ex, even if we only had half a night together.” The memory of it crept across his skin now, all heat and thrill.
“I hope so. She had to have been an absolute idiot, to have done what she did.” Abby worked her hand around inside of his, repositioning it so that she could squeeze his fingers. “It’s hard to believe any woman could be so stupid.”
He lowered his head, rubbing the back of his neck, which ached in the wake of so much eye contact, so much confessing. “I can’t say we were a happy couple, but I couldn’t believe she’d done what she had without even telling me. I think she only decided to end the pregnancy because she’d already started seeing someone else.
“By that point, I knew the fact that I’d ever been with her in the first place meant there was something wrong with me. And then, when you came along and told me you were pregnant, I couldn’t help but wonder, what if you didn’t want to go through it with me, either? You were shaking when you told me, and I thought—”
“I was shaking because I was afraid you wouldn’t want our babies.”
He met her eyes again. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re amazing. Being with you is great; having a family with you will be great, too.” Already, he knew he couldn’t have picked a better woman. In fact, if past experience was anything to go by, he had every reason to believe that left to his own devices, he would’ve chosen a terrible woman. He’d dodged a bullet with his ex, Trish, though it had hurt.
She shrugged. “Some people don’t want kids.”
He shrugged too. “Guess I always figured I’d have some, someday.”
“Me too. Only now that I’m pregnant, I realize that it might never have happened if it hadn’t happened by accident. I’m 27, and I’ve never had a boyfriend who was serious or responsible enough to want kids, or get married, or anything like that. Who knows what would’ve happened if we hadn’t…” She smiled. “God, I’m glad it was you I met in that bar that night.”
A surge of jealousy hit him hard. “So am I. Don’t even mention the possibility of this happening with you and someone else. The idea of any other man touching the mother of my children is enough to make me want to break someone’s bones.”
He was only half-teasing.
She rolled her eyes. “There was no one else at that bar sexy enough to lure me home, anyway.”
“So you say. I won’t question it. You ready for something to drink yet, or some dinner?”
“No. Why, are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
“Why don’t you go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat?”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Maybe we can pick up something on the way home, if they let me out of here any time soon.”
Less than five minutes later, a doctor brought good news – the bleeding had been caused by a urinary tract infection, which would clear up under antibiotic treatment. A nurse soon unfastened the fetal monitor and released Abby with a prescription and discharge papers.
As they made their way across the parking lot together, a fresh uneasiness weighed Sam down, urging him to broach yet another sensitive subject. “Maybe this isn’t an ideal time to bring it up, but I need to talk to you about something.”
“What is it?” She climbed into his cruiser. One of her co-workers had driven her to the hospital, so she had no vehicle of her own to worry about getting home.
“This pregnancy has been hard on you, and I don’t think that’s going to change.”
“My doctor said that pregnancy symptoms can be more intense with twins.”
He nodded. “I noticed you’ve been taking on a lot of appointments lately. Trying to fit all your clients in before the babies
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