Page 191 of Sins & Secrets

“I’ll be the best damn father I can be.”Thump,thump. My heartbeat slows as what she’s saying settles in.

“You said that about being a husband too and?—”

“And we’re going to be fine,” I say, cutting her off. “Better than fine. We’re having a baby.”

I finally look at her stomach. I wrap one of my hands around her hip while the other splays against Kat’s belly.

“I love you, and that’s what matters.”

“It’s not the only thing that matters,” she tells me back.

Her emerald eyes swirl with so much emotion, I can’t stand it. “I’m telling you right now, Kat. Me loving you is the only thing that matters.”

CHAPTER 5

Kat

Idon’t know what to think or do.

I don’t know what’s right and wrong.

But I’m so aware of how I feel.

Every inch of my skin burns with need against Evan’s touch. He’s got a hold over me that’s like a spell. It must be some kind of dark magic because he makes me forget reason. He makes me forget how angry I am at him.

I melt into him as if I was meant to be held by him from the very start.

The worst part is that I don’t want him to ever let me go. Because the second he does, I’ll remember. Reality will intrude, and the moment will be ruined.

One of these times, I’ll let him go and never be held again. I can feel it down in my very soul.

His hot breath tickles my neck as he whispers, “I love you, Kat.”

My soul quiets, the pain soothed. For the moment, I grip him just as tightly as he holds me.

My heart clenches in my chest as I swallow the lump in my throat.

“I’m so happy,” he murmurs as he brushes his hand against my belly. “We’re going to have a baby,” he says reverently.

How can I not fall back into his arms when I know he loves me? How can I not cling to him when he talks to me like this?

I’m exhausted and wretchedly weak. Nothing feels better than this.

Every reason this is a bad idea comes to me one by one, the truth too real to ignore. I don’t know if the extreme swings of my emotions are from the pregnancy, or from the craziness of Evan’s life.

My nails scrape against his shirt as I push away from him. “We need to talk.” I push out the words as he reluctantly watches me move away.

“If we do this, we’re moving forward together?”

He nods and says, “I promise.”

“I just want to be with you, Evan,” I speak from the bottom of my heart and I know it’s the bottom because it’s all I have left.

“I promise,” he says again but his eyes are glossy.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t the man I should have been for you.” He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles one by one before turning it over to kiss my wrist. “I’m sorry I fucked things up so badly.” He doesn’t meet my gaze and I can’t stand the look in his eyes.

“It’s okay,” I tell him, desperate to take the hurt away from his expression.

---