Page 90 of Wicked Love

He grins and I sit down. He waits until I’m seated and then sits across from me.

“I’m sorry, Poppy. I’m sorry I went quiet on you and left you to deal with this alone.” His voice is earnest and I swallow hard, my eyes filling…which I hate.

I don’t want him to see me cry!

Panic floods his face when he notices, and he reaches out and touches my hand. Sparks fly like they do every time he touches me and I pull away, putting my hand in my lap.

He straightens and his eyes are sad as he looks at me.

“I’ve really blown all this, haven’t I?” he says.

“We just met, remember?” I say, and his expression lightens just a little bit.

“Right. I have a daughter. Her name is Becca and she knows I’ll be out past her bedtime, so I…have plenty of time to talk. If you’re willing.”

I sniff and wipe my face as the waiter comes over. Perfect timing.

When he walks away, I clear my throat. “You don’t need to worry—I know that just because I’m pregnant…it doesn’t mean we’re going to be…anything.” I wave my hand awkwardly. “I hope that you’ll want to be involved in our child’s life because I want that for them, but if you decide not to be, I’m going to be fine.”

My jaw clamps and I give him a steely look.

He leans in. “Poppy, what I said about not planning on having any more kids…that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be involved in our child’s life.”

Hearinghimsayour childhits different. It makes my heart salsa its way out of my chest.

“I’m terrified. For so many reasons,” he adds. “I have a fuck-ton of baggage. But I’m not going anywhere, I promise you that. I’m a bit screwed up, but I’m…dependable and loyal…and I’ll be there for you. If you’ll let me, I want to be at the doctor appointments…I hate that I’ve missed even one.” He takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his hair.

I watch, entranced, as it falls back to his chin, and I wish I could be the skin that it touches.Poppy! Stop lusting over this man and be firm.

“And I know you’re not assuming we’re going to be a couple,” he says.

Are his cheeks coloring slightly? It’s a little hard to tell in The Fairy Hut with all the twinkle lights, but he looks nervous.

“But I like you, Poppy. More than I’ve liked anyone in…almost a decade. And I don’t say that to pressure you in any way,” he rushes, “but I’ve already proven that I can’t resist you.”

I laugh in disbelief. “That’s the way you prove you can’t resist me?”

He makes a face, swiping his hand down his jaw. “Trust me. It may not have been obvious, but I am so into you.”

My face flames and I lift a shoulder, pretending to be oh-so-chill when inside, my heart is shimmying all over the place. “It seems like you’re into me about twenty percent of the time.”

He shakes his head and points at his face. “Resting dick face…it means nothing.”

My lips twitch and I want to laugh, but I’m still trying to maintain my cool. “And your chilly demeanor?”

“Self-preservation.”

“And your bolting when times are hard?”

“Something I will never do with you again, I swear it,” he says.

I gulp. He looks like he means it. His gaze never wavers from mine and it’s intense…sincere. I could get lost in this look.

“Whatever we end up being to each other, I like you, Poppy. I like the person you are. I like the way you are with Becca. I may not have shown it enough, but I think we can be great friends. But, I also like the way you feel, the way you kiss, the way your nose crinkles up when you laugh. I like that you’re athletic but also clumsy. I like your cushiony upper lip and I’d like to park myself on your bottom lip.”

My hands are trembling with the desire to touch him when he says that, but I don’t.

“And despite being fucking terrified, I like that you’re the one having my baby. Because even though I don’t know you the way I hope to, I have a feeling that I can trust you. The list of people that I trust is quite small…and you’ve met every single one of them. They accepted you before I did because they’re smart that way and their hearts are bigger, but…I trust you, and in my book, that means just about everything.”

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