Page 20 of Used By the Unicorn

“No, I won’t fucking leave it.”

“Jade, you said you need this appointment. If you start a confrontation, you’ll get kicked out. Do you want that?”

I pause. He’s probably right. I don’t have to like it though. “I don’t care.”

“Yes, you do. And besides, you think you’re going to change her mind by shouting at her?”

This makes me sink into his hold with resignation. “No.” I try to get off his lap, but he holds me there.

“Stay.”

Now I’m squirming for a different reason. “They’ll probably kick me out for being a monster fucker. Look, everyone’s staring at us.”

His hand slides higher until it’s almost touching my boob. “I thought you liked being watched, Jade.”

My nipples instantly harden.

“Besides, just because you can’t start something, doesn’t mean you can’t make them feel uncomfortable.”

I twist so I can stare down at him. “Oh, you’re bad!”

I’m laughing, though, and I like his thinking. I also really like the way his hands are all over me, skirting the bounds of what would be acceptable in a darkened bar or club, yet highly scandalous in a waiting room.

The woman across the room gives us an outraged look and tries to concentrate on the magazine, but I see every time her gaze flicks up.

I’m broken out of my wicked enjoyment when a young man in blue scrubs opens the doors to the medical suites. “Jade?”

I clear my throat, scrambling out of Stirling’s lap and adjusting my dress. “Yeah. That’s me.”

For a minute there, I forgot to worry about the appointment and the baby. With Stirling’s solid presence at my back, I follow the young technician into a small room. “Please make yourself comfortable. Dad can sit over there.”

He points to a chair beside the couch I have to lay on, and I don’t bother correcting him. Stirling doesn’t either, just goes and sits down, giving me a pat on the shoulder as he goes. I get myself onto the couch and pull up my dress. I know what happens next.

My heart is thudding loudly as the technician squirts lube onto the instrument. Then he touches it to my belly. It’s cold and slimy and I jump a little at the contact. It cuts through a little of my tension.

He smiles. “Sorry. Not very nice, I know. Bear with me.”

I try to keep still as he switches on the machine and a whooshing, rushing sound fills the room. The sound of a tiny thumping noise cuts in as he moves the scanner over my belly. I hold my breath. Was that?

“That’s your baby.” The technician confirms. My eyes snap to the screen. It’s all black. Pale white blotches and lines form indecipherable squiggles on the image and I squint in frustration, trying to make out what the hell it is.

The young man swishes the instrument around again and pauses. "Ahhh, I hate to tell you this..." He looks awkwardly between me and Stirling and I realize what's going through his mind.

"He's not the father," I say quickly.

The technician's eyes widen and he lets out a relieved breath. "Oh, good. You don’t know how relieved I am not to have to break the news to you that this baby is all human."

I laugh.

He goes back to work, moving the instrument around over my belly. Then he stops again. “That’s the head.”

“It is?” I stare. Looks like a blob to me. I guess I can kind of see it. If I squint.

I didn't realize until now how much I want this. I need to see there's a real little person in there.

The technician moves the instrument again. “And the chest. Can you see the little hands?”

“No!” Suddenly, I’m angry. Hot tears well in my eyes as I frown at the screen and make out nothing that looks like hands. “It’s just a blob. Where is it?”

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