Page 16 of Harry

“No.” She shook her head and decided that she was too weak to stand. “I just want you to bear in mind that I never planned this. That I listened to you and accepted or tried to accept your decision.”

A frown touched his brow. “Planned what?”

Her fingers interlaced, and she stared at them for a few seconds before looking at him. She was trying to convince herself that when he heard the news, he would take it well. He would be in shock of course, but that was to be expected, but eventually, he would be happy.

You didn’t use anything. That time when were in the kitchen, we just couldn’t wait and we- you- we made love without any protection. So, I didn’t plan it. I just want to make that clear.”

“What are you…?” Then it hit him with such force that it sent him staggering back as if hit by a boulder and his blue eyes tracked over her face and he realized why she looked different. And she did. Her cheeks were rounder, nose a little larger and not to mention her breasts.

“Good Christ!” He whispered. “Good bloody Christ! You’re pregnant?”

She swallowed the lump that had formed and lodged somewhere inside her throat. “Yes.”

Getting to her feet, she untied the string under her breast and took off the robe. She had not bothered to put anything on except the old t-shirt and her nipples, which had grown more rounded, stood out against the material prominently.

In spite of the situation, he found himself hardening and then his eyes fell to her stomach and the evidence was there and it was glaring.

Wheeling around, he strode to the window to stare out at the encroaching darkness. When he received the call from her, something had shattered inside him, giving him hope. Hope that she has changed her mind about them.

Seeing her at the opera, had been disturbing and he had simply dropped Minerva off at her place and gone to his own place to mope and curse fate for doing this to him. Her call had him running to her as always.

“Please say something.” Her sultry voice cut through his musings.

“I confided in you.” He was trying his best to tamp down the rage fighting with the shock. “I never did that before. I told you the horrors I went through with my old man and why I never wanted to be a dad.” He whipped around to stare at her and wished to God she would put that bloody robe back on. His body was betraying him.

All he wanted to do was to whip the shirt off her and drive himself deep inside her and never come back out. Damn her to bloody hell! “It’s on me.’ He added bitterly, the anger boiling into fury. “I let my guard down with you, something I never didin the past. I broke my own bloody rule with you, by not using anything that one time…”

“Twice.”

“What?”

“That time at the restaurant in the parking lot too. We…, it started inside and we…,”

“Yes.” He clipped, the memories assailing him. The foreplay had started when he started feeding her from his plate. She had placed a hand on his thigh and worked her way up to his…, he shook his head angrily. “Now we’re facing the consequences.” His eyes flared as if something occurred to him. “How far along?”

“Almost four months.” She felt a quiver of fear at the murderous look on his handsome face.

“You are only just telling me now because there is nothing I can do about it. You kept this from me and…,” he turned back to the window and tried to tamp down his temper. He wanted to hit something. “Why now, I wonder?” He asked carefully, his voice icy. “What do you hope to accomplish?”

“I want you to try and be happy about….”

She stumbled back as he whipped around. “Happy? And then what? Do we get married and build a home, a family? Is that the plan?”

“Something like that.” She tried to smile but failed dismally.

“All three of us.” He saw the expression on her face. “What?”

Placing a hand over her bump, she took a deep breath. “It’s four.”

“Four what?”

“I’m having twins.”

Shock rippled across his face and at first he could just stare at her. “Twins?” He croaked. “Not one, but two. Where – How? It has to be genetics…!” he stopped as something clocked inside him. He had heard whispers about a twin brother his father had and was never talked about.

“Jesus!” Leaning back against the wall, he closed his eyes. When he opened them, she was standing right in front of him. He stood there silently and let her take his hand, not reacting until she lifted the shirt and placed his hand on her belly. It was warm, the heat seeping through his fingers and spreading throughout his body.

Desire swept like a raging storm through him and had him going weak, that was until he felt the stirring of movements against his hand. His eyes flew to hers and she smiled at the expression on his face.