Dirty Sexy Alphas (Twenty Book Box Set) - Hannah Ford Page 0,324

was her new reality and if she wanted any chance of pulling it off, she had to get over her feelings for Ethan. Which meant she had to take a shower, alone, and then change the sheets in case they smelled like his cologne, and go to sleep. Also alone.

That’s exactly what she tried to do after a quick dinner of a grilled cheese sandwich and a few Tums, but sleep eluded her even though exhaustion made her limbs feel as if they weighed a ton. Her body remembered lying in her bed with Ethan, and no amount of deep breaths and counting sheep helped her forget.

She picked up and set down her phone a hundred times, her finger hovering over Ethan’s name. There were no missed calls from him, but it took her a little longer to move her finger away from his name each time she was tempted. It wasn’t until much later, when her eyes finally drifted closed that she was able to find a fitful sleep with dreams that were full of the man she couldn’t have.

Chapter 2

Sneaking out was easier since it was early and there were only a few tenacious reporters hanging around, plastic coffee cups in hand.

When they lowered their heads, talking and facing her front door, Harper slipped from her small patio and moved along in the opposite direction. When she reached the street, her Uber car was waiting, exactly where she told it to be.

The clinic was across the city. The drive took twenty minutes in the early morning traffic and she couldn’t help but check her phone a dozen times.

Still no call from Ethan or her parents. Apparently Ethan had gotten the message loud and clear. It was what she wanted, what was for the best, and yet it hurt even worse today.

Going to the doctor alone made her reality that much clearer.

She knew they’d talk to her about options and she had contemplated all of them for about three seconds. Without Ethan it would be harder, but she was still going to have this baby.

So this appointment wasn’t so much about her options, but to find out what she needed to do to prepare. The cab pulled up just outside the clinic, and she paid and exited. Another sunny day spread out overhead with blue sky for miles.

It helped ease some of the tension from her shoulders. A quick look around showed that as far as she could see, no one had followed her. Her sandals flopped on the sidewalk and at least today, she had worn something a little more presentable. A cute dark blue sundress that whispered against her knees to help her mood.

She’d even pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail and put on a few swipes of mascara. At least on the outside she appeared to have it together.

With a determined set to her shoulders, she walked the last few steps to the door of the clinic. The metal handle was cool under her fingers.

“Harper.”

She froze at the sound of Ethan’s voice. Every part of her still except for her racing heart. He was there, behind her. All she had to do was turn around and she could see him, but if she did, she’d never be able to walk away from him again. Her eyes slid closed and she inhaled a ragged breath.

“What are you doing here?’ she asked.

“I think a better question is what you’re doing here Harper. I can’t let you do anything to our baby.” His voice cracked and any bit of self-preservation she had seeped away. She knew what he thought and she didn’t want him to think it. Still, she didn’t look at him.

“It’s just a doctors appointment,” she said. “I’m keeping the baby, that was never in question.”

“Look at me.” His voice was tight and there was frustration lining his words. “Please.

“I can’t,” she all but whispered.

“Why the hell not?”

God it felt so good to hear his voice. The familiar deep baritone, the barely restrained demand that always sent her pulse racing. It had been a damned day and she missed him so much. In the reflection of the glass door she could see that he had on a dark t-shirt and jeans and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes.

“If I turn around, then I’ll look into your eyes and then I’ll want you to kiss me and if you kiss me, I won’t be able to stop.” Her admission earned her a sharp intake