Page 397 of The Sinner: James

He studies me for a moment, my heart filling with hope.

“Are you jealous of Thea?” he asks, a faint grin flickering through his gaze.

“Yes,” I say in a breath.

If I want to pull out of the hole I dug myself into, I need to be upfront with him.

“Because of me or Preston?”

“Both.”

“Explain.”

He must know the answer. He wouldn’t have asked me otherwise, but he likes to see me squirm.

I carefully weigh my words.

“I am jealous of them because Ed opted to dedicate his time to her.”

“She’s expecting a baby.”

“I know,” I say softly, my gaze dropping to the wet tiles as I find myself unable to hold his eyes.

His hand comes to my chin, gently nudging it up. My gaze swings up.

“Are you jealous of her because she’s having a baby?”

“I don’t know,” I say, quietly uttering the truth.

His eyes fall deep into mine, so deep, my heart hurts, filled with panic.

“Would you like us to have a baby, Rain?”

My heart turns into a mad bird flapping her wings inside my chest. I can hear the throbbing pulse in my ears.

My brain doesn't know the answer to his question, but something inside me does, so my eyes fill with misty tears in response.

“I don’t know.”

His expression changes, his eyes softening.

“You want a baby, Rain...” he says, stroking my face tenderly.

“But it’s not possible...” I murmur, not denying what he just said.

He brings his other hand to my face.

“Not now, but soon...” he says, his lips tinged with a smile. “When the time is right.”

He searches my eyes.

“How did I make you jealous?”

“The attention that you gave her...”

He flashes a soft grin.

“The woman is an emotional mess.”

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