Page 22 of A Surprise Baby for the Wolf Shifter

Scratch that. I would be lying to myself if I didn’t love the idea of forming a family with her. But a few years down the road. Not after the first night together. A baby wasn’t ideal… especially with the timing of it all. I wasn’t ready and I couldn’t wrap my mind around the bomb she had just dropped on me.

For several minutes I stared blankly at her, wondering if I had misheard her. Then reality set in and, with the way she stared at me expectantly, I realized I had heard her correctly. I ran my fingers through my hair, stormed to my room, and started throwing my clothes back on.

Gemma had followed me, quietly gathering up her clothes and doing the same. She sniffed softly, as though she was trying hard not to cry, or to let me on to the fact she was.

I hated how she was crying. It tore me up inside. But her behavior didn’t excuse her from the repercussions. Didn’t women understand you don’t pull stunts like that with men you want to keep around for longer than just one night?

Never mind I wasn’t supposed to stick around longer than one night.

“Are you going to say anything?” she asked after several moments. “I know it’s a lot to take it, but you could say something.”

I huffed a sigh and stared at the ceiling. I didn’t bother to look at her. My words came out clipped. “What am I supposed to say?”

“Anything at this point,” she said, sounding wounded. “Whatever is on your mind. Whatever you think is best. Anything except nothing at all.”

I’ve been lied to about the pregnancy thing before. Tabitha used it as a way to keep me in her life for months. Up to the point where I learned it was all a lie. A ploy to keep me with her. Once I was let in on the sick and twisted lie, I realized it was best to never trust the things she said. Especially when talking about a baby.

Once bitten, twice shy.

But none of that was easy to talk about. None of that helped me with words to say. None of that would make a second of this situation easier to bare.

Gemma sighed and started walking around my house, and I suddenly became nervous about her being in my home. Why? I didn’t know.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I really needed to get a grip. Make up my mind. Do something for crying out loud. The back and forth was starting to make my own damn head spin. I could imagine what it was doing to Gemma. Or my lack of action and response.

But, perhaps, she was right. She deserved a few minutes to explain herself before I kicked her out completely. And that was exactly what I was going to do. Just like Tabitha. Treat the situation like a bandaid. Rip it off and be done.

“Explain this to me, please,” I said finally. At least my voice came out softer. Calmer to boot.

“Honestly, I’m still trying to figure it all out myself,” she said. “I’ve been very cautious about getting pregnant.”

“Are you sure the baby is mine?” I asked, setting my gaze on her for the first time in minutes. I wanted to see her react. Maybe that would give me a clue as to the truthfulness of her news.

She turned to face me. There was a fire lit in her eyes that wasn’t there before. I was a little turned on.

“Well, considering you have to have sex to get pregnant and you were the last person I slept with… yeah, I’m pretty damn sure. This is not exactly an immaculate conception, you know.”

She finished dressing and stood staring me down.

I leveled my gaze on hers and frowned. “That’s hardly helpful. How am I supposed to know your sex life?”

“Does it matter?” she asked. A crease appeared between her eyebrows. “Do you honestly think I would make something like this up?”

“It’s been done before,” I muttered. “You would be surprise how recently as well.”

“Look, I’m sorry that happened to you. Truly, I am. But whoever had done that to you isn’t me. I’m not like that. I’m not eventhattype of girl,” she added and crossed her arms over her chest. “I thought you knew enough about me to get that.”

“What type of girl are you referring to?” I asked, trying not to get lost in the conversation.

Admittedly, I wanted to fuck her again. There was something about her presence that woke up the most primal instincts in me. And part of that was my undeniable need to make her mine.

“The type to entrap a man?” I added.

“The type that does one-night stands,” she said as though it was supposed to be obvious. Then in a softer voice, she added, “You were my first.”

She turned her back to me and started quietly sniffing again, as though she still didn’t want to give away her struggle with not crying again. I leaned against the doorway to my room with my hands shoved in my pockets and absolutely no idea of what to say or do.

Her words matched my impression of her. Well, part of it. There was also the pesky invisible, magnetic field that still pulled me in. Now almost against my will. Never mind my insistent hard on for her.

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