Escalation - Tessa Teevan Page 0,18

was still thrilling. It was still terrifying. As I waited for the nurse to come in with the equipment, I wondered what I was going to do. What could I even do?

The baby was a product of one of two men.

Was it the one who’d tried to kill me even though he’d claimed he was protecting me?

Or was it the one who’s been lying to me since the day we met? The one who still makes my heart flutter regardless of the truth. Whatever that may be.

It was overwhelming, the wondering, and as thoughts of paternity tests swirled in my head, I was nearly dizzy with the confliction of elation and anguish.

The nurse, however, estimated that I was six weeks along, which meant only one thing.

Rafe is definitely the father.

His reaction was stunning. We’d never talked about children. Hell, we’d barely even talked about a future, and now, we are connected for life. I’d half expected him to freak out. And still, I wasn’t surprised at his joy. It was almost as if he were welcoming our forever connection. If I’m honest with myself, I’m completely welcoming of it as well.

With a smile on my lips, I rest my head back on the pillow. It’s all I can do to keep my heavy eyelids open. Eventually, I give up the fight, ready for exhaustion to take me. Sleep is all I want right now.

Well, that and him.

But how can I still want him when I don’t even know who he really is? This emotional flip-flop is already driving me crazy. I want to be angry. I want to hate him. I want to push him away and make him promise to never come back because I’ll never be able to trust him again.

And yet, I want him near. I want him to take me home, hold me close and tell me that everything be okay. That we’re going to be a family, the three of us, and he’ll cherish and protect me forever. So yes, in my heart I still want Rafe, even though I know I shouldn’t.

As if my heart has some kind of beacon, it quickens when the door opens.

“What’s that smile for?” His soft voice fills my ears.

Then he takes advantage of my lethargy and steals a kiss. His lips are a delicate contrast to the scratchiness of his stubble that sweeps across my chin. The all-encompassing kiss is slow and sweet. It’s all Rafe. And with my eyes closed, I allow this tiny reprieve. Everything else fades away. Right now, it’s just the two of us, and that’s all that matters.

Correction.

It’s the three of us, and the thought causes my heart to swell with a vast array of emotion.

We could be a family.

I could finally have a family again.

My eyes flutter open, and his gaze startles me. I gasp against his mouth, and he answers with a slow grin as he pulls back.

“I believe I asked you a question,” he whispers, bringing his hand up to cup my cheek. His thumb rubs along my lower lip, and I have the sudden urge to bite it. “Why were you smiling? Not that I’m complaining. You’re never more beautiful than when you smile.”

“I’m pregnant,” I whisper. There’s no point in hiding it from him. I want him to know that, despite everything, I’m deliriously happy about the pregnancy. “That’s more than enough of a reason to smile if you ask me.”

“Correction,” he murmurs, and my brow furrows. “You’ve never been more beautiful than you are now. Carrying my child.”

My heart leaps and twirls and twists at his words. It’s my weakness, this man, and even though I shouldn’t let him further ingrain himself in my heart, it’s too late. He’s already buried so deep that he’ll never leave.

Hell, he doesn’t just have my heart. He has my soul. He has every little piece of me.

Not that I’ll let him know. Not yet, anyway. I may be a goner, but it’s my secret and I’m keeping it until I have answers to all of my questions. That doesn’t mean I won’t silently relish every word, every touch, every kiss I can elicit from him in the time being.

“Brie.” It’s barely a whisper on his lips as his eyes search mine. Even though I told him to forget it, that he’d lost the right to call me that, I’m glad he refuses to accept it.

“Rafe,” I sigh. It’s all I can say. It’s all I need to say. In this