Page 91 of The Baby Bargain
She nods. "Unless… I mean, I'd like to start today. Not just because I'm fertile." Her nose scrunches. "Sorry, I know that's kind of clinical."
"I'm used to it."
"Still, it's like we said." Her cheeks flush. "It's not just that I'm—"
"Primed?" I offer.
Her laugh is nervous. "Yeah. I also… I want to have sex with you." Her blush deepens. "Is that too blunt?"
"It's perfect." I motion to the couch. "You want a drink?"
"Just water. I'm—"
"I know."
"I don't mind if you have something." She moves to the couch. Sits next to the armchair on the right, the one closest to me.
I store the food in the fridge, pour two glasses of water, bring them to the couch.
Her fingers brush mine as she takes it. "Thank you." Her throat quivers as she swallows. "We don't have to—"
I nod. "I know."
"It's… uh… this is kind of awkward, huh?"
I sit on the middle cushion. A foot away from her. So she can come to me. Or maybe so I can breathe. It's hard to say.
"Like…" Ariel turns toward me. "All of a sudden everything is loaded." She takes a long sip. "Before we were just—"
"Here to talk about the possibility of me getting you pregnant?"
"Yeah, I guess, that's… A good point. And that brings me to something else." She leans forward. Sets her glass on the table. "Have you been tested?"
I can't help but chuckle.
"What?" She stammers. "How was I supposed to ask that?"
"No, that was perfect." I drop my glass next to hers. "Hold on—"
"Then why?"
"I was just thinking." I stand. Move toward the bedroom. "This is the first time I've been accused of fucking someone post-Grace."
"I trust you, but—"
"You don't have to justify anything." I turn. Go straight to the dresser. Find my last test results. They're buried deep, under several pairs of jeans.
It means something, that I kept these, that I got tested every six months despite abstinence.
I move into the main room. Hand Ariel the stack.
"Oh." She riffles through the tests. "There are a lot of these."
"Every six months, right?"
"Yeah." She sets the papers on the coffee table. "But, um, if you didn't sleep with anyone since Grace, then why…"
"Habit, I guess." Or maybe some part of me was ready for this.
