Page 57 of Sizzling Desire

The exam room is cold. Sterile. I sit on the table wearing nothing more than basically a giant paper towel, my fingers clenched in my lap as the doctor reviews my chart.

“It’s too early to do a normal ultrasound, but we can do a quick vaginal ultrasound to check on the baby,” she says, her tone soothing. “Considering the smoke inhalation you experienced yesterday, we want to make sure everything is progressing as it should be with the baby.”

I nod, my throat tight.

Baby.

The word rattles inside me. I know I’m pregnant but hearing someone else talk about my little peanut is…strange. I don’t know what I expected. I’ve been living in this weird state of denial, where I knew I was pregnant but hadn’t really…feltpregnant.

Until now.

Until this.

Now it’s all real.

The doctor walks me through everything, explaining the process, but I barely hear her.

Then she starts the ultrasound and suddenly, there’s a sound. A faint, rhythmic flutter. A heartbeat.

I blink, my throat closing up.

Holy shit.

That’s my baby. My peanut.

Kane’s baby.

A lump rises in my throat as I stare at the screen, at the tiny shape flickering in and out of focus. This little life, this little person—thistiny human—is real. And it’s mine.

I’m not ready for this but it’s happening anyway.

The doctor continues talking, reassuring me everything looks good, but I barely hear her. I nod in the right places, ask a few questions, but mostly? I justfeel.

When it’s over, she hands me a picture. The first ultrasound of my baby.

I stare at it, overwhelmed. It doesn’t look like much more than static on black shiny paper, but I know what it is it. It’s my new life. My new normal.

By the time I make it back to the waiting room, Kate is on her feet instantly. We don’t speak as we leave, at least not until we’re in the car. Then Kate starts the engine, pulls onto the road, and says, “Okay. Talk.”

I grip the ultrasound picture in my lap. “Kate—” I hesitate not knowing where to even start.

“No. No more vague bullshit. You’re pregnant. I’m assuming you’ve known for a while, judging by hownotshocked you looked when you walked in there.”

I inhale deeply. “A few weeks.”

Her knuckles whiten on the steering wheel. “Tell me Kane’s the father.”

The moment of truth. I swallow hard. “Yes.”

Kate exhales sharply. “Fuck, Grace. Does he know?”

I shake my head. “Only you and the doctor know.” I brace myself, but she doesn’t start yelling. She just keeps driving, gripping the wheel so tight I half expect the leather to tear.

She turns onto Hibiscus Street, heading toward the florist. “So, when were you planning on telling me? Or him?”

I rub my forehead. “I don’t know.”

Kate lets out a laugh—dry, disbelieving. “You don’tknow? You do know that the secret would get out eventually, right?”

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