Page 174 of Chasing Sparks

Heat flushes through me, my breath catching at the raw honesty in his tone.

“Damn, that was good.”

“True, too,” he replies, his lips curling into his infamous cocky grin.

“Even better.”

“Okay, finish getting dressed, and I’ll meet you outside,” Ash says, stepping back, his hand lingering on the door handle. His grin widens. “Otherwise, I can’t be held responsible for my actions.”

Ash is chatting with Kiki, a friend and local realtor, when I walk out of the exam room.

She smiles as I approach. “Hey, Ori. Hope your head is feeling better.”

My what?

Ash pivots to me, his smile tight. “Kiki was worried about you, but I told her your migraine is better now. You get them from time to time.”

I nod, clutching my bag tightly against my body. “Right. My … head.”

The nurse passes us, pushing the ultrasound machine out of the exam room.

Now, I might have limited medical knowledge, but I’m pretty sure ultrasounds aren’t used to diagnose migraines.

Judging by Kiki’s raised brow at the machine, she’s clued in to that fact, too.

“Well, migraines are the devil,” Kiki says, patting my hand. Her gaze flicks to the machine again before returning to me, her lips quirking. “Didn’t realize they used those for migraines these days.”

It seems Kiki has decided to let it slide and go along with Ash’s story—at least for now.

She walks off, and I whip around to Ash with a sharp glare. “A migraine?”

He drags a hand through his hair, his sheepish expression doing nothing to quell my irritation. “I didn’t know what to tell her. She cornered me and wanted to know if we were okay. I had to make something up on the fly.”

Instead of telling the truth, I guess.

Ash falls into step beside me, his voice dropping. “I love Kiki, but the woman is a terrible gossip. We don’t need everyone in Sparkwood knowing our business.”

“Oh, yes, that’s right. You preferdiscretion.” My words drip with sarcasm as the memory of our first night together flashes through my mind. Ash used the same term when his brother walked in on us, and it sits just as well with me now as it did then.

Like a thumbtack in my ass.

“Ori—” Ash grabs my arm, but I pull it free, quickening my pace.

“Let’s go. Although I certainly don’t require care and tending at your house for a migraine. I’ll just head home.”

“Hey.” Ash steps in front of me, cutting off my escape. “It’s early, okay? I’m just being careful.”

“Careful about what? Us?”

“No. About you.” He rests his hand on my stomach, his eyes locking with mine. “About our baby. Random people don’t need to know yet.”

I exhale, my frustration ebbing as his words sink in. Damn it all, but he’s right. “Sorry. My hormones are out of whack.”

“Maybe spending some time together will help,” he says, his voice warm and coaxing.

I can’t help but giggle, shaking my head at his persistence. “I suppose we can give it a shot.”

Ash slips an arm around my shoulder and pulls me close. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

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