comes out?” she asked, her voice going a little high, a little borderline hysterical.
Ethan moved to her side and picked up her hand. “Are you okay?”
“Needles,” she squeezed out through her tightening throat. “I don’t do so well with them.”
“You can take a home pregnancy test,” the doctor said, “but sometimes they aren’t as accurate this early. A blood test will tell you for sure.”
She glanced over at Ethan. He looked a little pale but his grip was warm and firm. Solid. “It’s up to you Harper. Whatever you want to do. I’ll be right here next to you if you decide you want to.”
She squeezed his hand and swallowed. “Okay, I can do it now.”
“I got you.” He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and kept holding her hand while the doctor pulled what he needed from his bag and sat on her other side. The rubber tightened around her bicep and she cringed.
Ethan ran his thumb up and down the side of her neck. She leaned into his touch as the doctor wiped the cold swab across the inside of her elbow.
“You’re going to feel a little prick,” the doctor murmured quietly.
“That’s what she said.” Ethan’s warm breath washed over her ear and she laughed.
“Not that little,” she answered with a grin. “Don't sell yourself short.”
Ethan chuckled and the deep rich sound seeped into her veins. She glanced up at him from under her eyelashes and saw that he was watching her too. Her pulse leapt at the warmth she saw in his eyes.
This was crazy. One night. They’d spent one unprotected night together and now there was a chance she might be pregnant? And why wasn’t he freaking out more? Most guys would have run screaming for the hills by now.
You don’t know for sure. It could be nothing.
But what if it’s not.
“All set,” the doctor said, pulling the rubber band loose.
Harper blinked. “You’re done?”
Ethan rubbed his fingers over the back of her neck. She leaned into his touch. This was the first time she’d had blood taken that she hadn’t felt like she was going to pass out. Once the doctor sat back, Ethan removed his hand but stayed at her side.
“I’ll get this rushed and call as soon as I have the results,” the doctor said.
Ethan walked the doctor to the door, and then after the man had left, Ethan disappeared into the kitchen. He came back with a sparkling water and a beer. She really wished that the beer was for her because she needed something to dull the flare of panic crawling through her veins.
“So,” he said, handing her the water.
“So,” Harper answered.
“I, ahhh...have no idea how long that will take.” He scratched the back of his neck before taking a long swallow from the bottle. He looked at her expectantly and she shrugged.
“I have no idea either.”
They sat in silence as the elephant danced around the room in a bright pink tutu.
“Can I get you…”
“Maybe we should…”
They both stopped and she wheezed out a laugh. Not awkward at all. She set the water on the coffee table and stood. “I’ll just get dressed and go.”
He didn’t say anything and she went back into the bedroom, keeping her eyes off the bed where they’d been having sex only a couple of hours ago. Her clothes were strewn all over and it took looking under a chair to find her panties.
It’s nothing. Right? Harper groaned as she finished getting her clothes on. Fiery fingers of dread started seeping back through her veins and she shook them off. There was a simple way to know right now, to not have to wait for the blood test results. All she had to do was buy a pregnancy test and they wouldn’t need to wait for the doctor to call. Yes, a home pregnancy test might not be as accurate, but at least it would tell her something. And more than that, it would give her something to do, would make her feel like she had some control over what was happening.
She’d leave, stop by the drugstore and take a cab home. When the test came back, she would call Ethan. With a plan in place, Harper felt slightly better. She twisted her hair into a side braid.
Ethan was still sitting on the couch with his legs spread wide and his hands clasped and hanging between them. He looked up when she came out, and his face was blank, his bright blue eyes duller now. His hair