Page 32 of The Secrets She Keeps

He did it again—lookedat her the way he had. And melted her insides completely. It really was no wonder she was carrying Gunnar spawn here. The man was utterly irresistible.

“I’ll be there.”

21

Powell waitedfor fifteen unending minutes, pacing around her hotel room like a total idiot, trying out different words to tell the man.

She was about to change his life completely.

She didn’t exactly take that lightly.

Heather and Cara were already safely in their room across the hall. Mac and Alex were in rooms to the left of the Colesons, and the bodyguards were on the opposite side of the Colesons. Hers was next door. The Finley Creekians had that end of the hall practically to themselves.

If Gunnar freaked and went through the roof—Powell would do the wimp thing and dart in there with her brothers for a while. She probably wouldn’t tell themwhythe man had freaked, but…

She had an escape plan. Now, she just had to figure out how to say the words. Then he was there, knocking lightly. Powell opened the door—and let the father of her baby into her room. “Hey.”

He just looked at her. “Did you lure me here to seduce me again? I mean, this is one of my favorite fantasies here. Right here. It starts off with me closing this door and…”

He said it like he was joking, but she saw the truth in his eyes. He still wanted her. There was that. An answering thrill went right through her, shocking her at the intensity. No use denying it to herself. Powell wanted the man too.

She suspected she always would.

“We need to talk.” The words came out far blunter than she’d intended. But it was time. Powell pulled in a deep breath. “We really need to talk.”

But exactly how was this something she should say?

22

She was watchinghim like she was afraid he was going to erupt at any minute. She was worried about his reaction to something. He racked his brain, trying to figure out what it could possibly be. Right before his eyes, Powell did that little nervous hop thing she did when something was really bothering her.

He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. She half paced and hopped in a little circle again. “What’s going on in that head of yours, Powell Melissa?”

She stopped pacing and just stood there. Watching him like she was trying to figure him out. Gunnar just watched her back.

He found this woman fascinating. Probably because he couldn’t figure her out. She made a manthink.And she madethisman want to touch her. To hold her. All damned night.

“Powell? What’s wrong?”

She just looked at him, then spun. Walked over to her suitcase and pulled something out. He followed her across the room instinctively.

They were alone. In a hotel room. The same damned hotel where they had done something he would never forget. And he wanted her more than he could breathe.

“This.”

She handed him something. Something small and white and showing two pink lines. Gunnar just stared. He’d seen one of those before, of course. In a different lifetime.

The woman watching him now was different. But the moment was just as impactful now as it had been then. More.

Because he had lost before.

His throat closed. He didn’t know what to say. “You’re pregnant.”

Holy shit.

He never would…

Hell. What was he supposed to think now?

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