Page 90 of Burn for You

She leans her head on my shoulder. “When?”

“To the baby?”This is dangerous territory, asking her to let me in on another part of her life when I should be staying far away from her, but I can’t help but want to know more.

She tenses up beside me. I should say sorry, that was rude, it’s none of my business,but I don’t. I just breathe evenly and wait until her body relaxes into mine.

“It was a false positive.”

What?

“There’s something like a one percent chance that it can happen, and it happened to me.” She laughs, but it lacks any humor. “The two little lines that blew my life up weren’t even valid.”

My mind is reeling. I can only imagine the way hers would’ve been when she found out.

“After everything, I went back to the dorm and did another test. I wished for it to be negative. After everything with Owen, I prayed that it was all just one big mistake…and I got what I wished for.”

“May, I’m so sorry.”

She shrugs against me. “It’s fine. It worked out for the best in the end.”

“Did it?”

She nods. “He would’ve hurt me somehow in the long run. I guess then was a good enough time as any to break my heart and remind me exactly why I should’ve never trusted him.”

I feel like I’m overstepping, but I can’t stop. “Do you want kids?”

“I second guessed it back then. The swirl of emotions that I had that night was like some sick rollercoaster. I was so confused, from Owen ending things and thinking I’d have to do it all alone, to not having to do it at all. It felt like I’d lost everything in a second.”

I reach over and intertwine my dusty fingers with hers. “And now?”

She hesitates, and I squeeze my fingers around hers in encouragement. “I’m not sure. I’d need to trust someone enough to believe that I wouldn’t go through that again. That I wouldn’t end up just like my mom.” She snorts. “I’d need to be in a relationship first, but I honestly don’t know if I’m capable of that.”

“I hope one day you can. You’d be an amazing mother.”

She looks up at me. “You think so?”

I notice the tear leaking down her cheek. “Any kid would be lucky to have a mom who can kick some serious ass when necessary.” That makes her laugh. A sad, watery laugh, but I lap it up anyway as I swipe the tear from her cheek, leaving a smudge of dust on her cheek.

“Do you?” she asks.

“Why do you think I have such a big house?”

She snorts another laugh. “I never would’ve thought that’s why.”

“What else did you think those bedrooms were for?”

“I’d say you were running a brothel, but we both know you don’t like hearing people moan.”

“Merda,” I groan, running a hand over my face.

“Or maybe it’s just my moans you don’t like hearing.”

I snap and pull her onto my lap to straddle me, holding her head in my hands. “Don’t play dumb. It doesn’t suit you. I dream of the perfect sounds that come out of your mouth, just not when they’re for anyone but me.”

She raises her brows in challenge. “That’s a little possessive, don’t you think?”

“Outrageously. But if you think you’re anything but mine, you’re kidding yourself.”

She just blinks at me as heat blooms on the apples of her cheeks, her skin hot under my touch. “I’m not keeping my hands to myself so you can go get it somewhere else. I’m waiting for you, however long it takes. I’m not going anywhere. Understand?”

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