Page 59 of Island Whispers

“Why?”

“Because you stopped coming to me.”

“I just…” Her voice trailed off and heat suffused her face. “Needed time,” she finished. “You should’ve called.”

“As if you or anyone in your circle would take my calls,” he groused. “Blame Jess if you want. She would only talk business with me.”

“So?”

“She’s marrying your brother in a couple of months. If you’d told Nash about the test results, he would’ve told her. Probably after he came to the hospital to punch me.”

She pressed her fingers to her lips. “Sit down before you fall.” Not the words he’d been expecting. “Where’s your sister?”

“The Inn.” He had to pause to catch his breath. Sucked to be winded from such a small effort. “I wanted to talk to you alone.”

“And if I hadn’t been here?” she demanded. “You were not going to walk back to town.” She plopped down on her knees beside him, her back to the ocean and her gaze intent on his face.

“No.”

“Well, that’s something.”

“You were here,” he pointed out after a soft silence. “I found you, Nina. I like to think I always will.”

Her eyes glistened with emotion. “Is that your way of reminding me I walked out on you in Charleston?”

With a sigh, he reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “No. It’s my way of saying you’re in here.” He tapped his chest, then his temple. “These days with you have become part of me, Nina. When you weren’t at the shop, I only had to stop panicking for a minute and I knew where you’d be. That must count for something.”

“You panicked?”

Did she have to sound so delighted by the prospect? Maybe he shouldn’t have taken his sister’s advice. “Yes,” he replied, sticking with honesty. “We need to talk about us. About what we both need and want. My sister found the pregnancy test you left behind in the hospital.”

She cringed. “Sorry.”

“It wasn’t a false positive, was it?”

“No.” She gave a short laugh. “I went to the clinic to verify it. There’s stress, but my stomach issues can all be blamed on the baby.”

Their baby. His heart soared. The proposal was right there on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t want her to hear it as a reflexive solution. He needed her to know his heart was hers. That she was the catalyst for becoming a family sooner rather than later.

She scooted closer, her thigh warm against his hip. He breathed her in. Her hands sandwiched one of his. “I planned to tell you. I just.” She bit her lip. “I didn’t go back to the hospital because I didn’t want to interfere.” She swallowed. “I didn’t want you or your sister to think I was making demands.”

“Nina. Make all the demands you want,” he encouraged. “I’m yours. I love you.”

She gaped at him. “No. No. You don’t have to say that.”

“I do.” he insisted. “It’s the truth. I love you.” He reached for her and missed. “Do not make me chase you.” He would do it. She must’ve seen that in his gaze. “Stay here and talk with me.”

“I don’t want that.” She was wringing her hands. “I don’t need grandiose declarations. This is just a situation.” She shoved her hair back from her face. “We should slow this down.”

“All right.” He didn’t move, just held out a hand. “Come here. Please. Just sit with me.” He patted the soft sand.

After a small, heart-squeezing eternity, she sat down again, this time facing the water as he did. He left his hand within her reach, hoping that she would take it, take him. “Most of this is within your control and I’ll respect your decisions.”

“Most?”

“You can’t control my feelings,” he said, quietly and firmly. “But if you don’t want to hear the words, I’ll keep them to myself.” Now, for the tricky part. “Legally, I have rights and responsibilities to our baby. I want to be an involved father, Nina.” He wanted to be her husband, to love her and cherish her and build a family with her.

He could see it so clearly. How did he share that vision with her? How did he share it so that she could accept him and want to be part of that?

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