Page 26 of The Sacrifice
“Let’s hope she’s not yours.”
Pain shoots through my chest. He’ll never understand it, but I want Hadley to be mine. I don’t want a forever connection with Roxanne but wishing she’s not mine is out of the question. “We’ll know soon enough. When I find out the results, I’ll tell mom and dad. Until then, I expect you to keep this between us.”
“I can’t. Mom and dad have the right to know.”
“Why?”
“Why, what?” His face squishes together in question. “Why do they have a right to know?”
“It’s my life. I’m an adult. I have money. Lots of money. I have a home, a job, and a nanny. I’m taking responsibility for caring for her. How is that their business? I’m not fifteen, asking to bring a baby into their home to raise for me while I go out partying. I don’t need their help.”
“Fine,” Tate sighs. “You’re right. When will you know?”
“Within a couple of weeks at the most.”
“Good.” He walks to the door, and I follow behind him. After he grabs the doorknob, he stops. “I almost forgot to ask you what I came to ask you in the first place before you sprung this baby thing on me.”
“What?”
“Madison wanted to invite you to dinner sometime.” He drags his attention to the kitchen. “Obviously, you’d have to bring the baby with you and possibly Mia.”
“I’ll think about it. I’m busy with work and waiting on a shipment of baby furniture. Once I get those, I’ll be swamped putting them together.”
Tate grabs my shoulder. “I’m sorry I handled this all wrong. I wasn’t expecting to see a baby when I walked into your place. That’s not to say I’m pleased about what you let happen due to negligence, but I’m proud of you for stepping up and doing what was right.”
“Thank you.” We step outside, and the warm afternoon sun washes over us, warming my skin. I let the door snap behind me. “She’s a good baby. If she’s not mine, I’m going to be shocked.”
“Yeah.” He nods. “Me, too. She looks like Jessa and Jacob when they were babies. And us when we were kids.”
“I know. I’m not going to lie. A small piece of me is worried that she’s not mine. Roxanne got around, and under normal circumstances, I’d be shocked she’s mine considering how many people she screwed at that bar.”
“She has the birthmark and your dimples.” His nose wrinkles as he shakes his head. He hates that I have dimples, and he didn’t.
As a delivery truck turns on my street, I wipe my hands on my sweatpants.
“So, what’s up with you and Mia?”
I arch my eyebrows. “I thought you said you couldn’t see us together.”
“I couldn’t until I walked into your living room.” He smirks as the truck pulls in front of the house, and the driver looks down at something in the cab. “I was busting your balls. She would be a great catch for you.”
“You aren’t wrong about that. She’s incredible with Hadley.”
“Not that, dumbass. She’s gorgeous.”
Heat rolls through me, and it has nothing to do with the temperature outside. “And uptight.”
He winks. “That makes unwinding her that much more exciting.”
A shudder flutters along my back. I wish he was right. The delivery driver nods in my direction and backs into the driveway.
My dreams have been filled with nothing but her lips, mouth, hands, and that hot, tight body of hers. And those legs.God, I’m losing my mind.I’ve taken three cold showers today, and two of them were before 6:00 a.m.
I wake up drenched in sweat with a throbbing dick and aching balls. And her scent swirling around my head. Vanilla and flowers. Knowing she’s sleeping only twenty feet away from my bed is about to kill me, and my right forearm will double in size in a week.
The vehicle’s exhaust tickles my nose, and the driver’s head pokes out. “Here, okay, man?”
“Perfect.” I nod and raise my hand in the air to stop his progress. “You’re right. She’s not interested in me.”