My head jerks back. “Say that again?” I’m pretty sure I heard her wrong because I could swear she said she’s pregnant.
She points at me. “You knocked me up.”
“Holy shit. You’re really pregnant?” My mind is fuzzy, and I’m rocked backward. I’m still not sure I heard her right because my heart’s pounding so hard and fast I can barely hear my own thoughts. “You’re sure I’m the father?”
I’m not trying to be an asshole. We’ve slept with each other twice, and the last time was only yesterday. That leaves the plane—where we were so caught up in the moment, we didn’t use protection.
She reaches over and hits my chest with the palm of her hand. “It’s yours, dammit.”
“Mine?” I repeat.
I still can’t process the news.
I’m going to be a father.
There will be a little Leo or maybe a tiny Daphne running around the house, squealing with delight.
“Yeah. I’m pregnant with your kid.”
The news finally starts to sink in.
“We’re having a baby.”
“I’m having a baby,” she tells me and pulls the pillow tighter against her stomach. “Unless you want to…”
“Don’t say it.” I hold up my hand, refusing to let her finish the sentence. “I want it.” There’s no way I’d even think about giving my baby away, or worse, putting an end to the pregnancy. While I’d try to support her if that’s what she decided, I want this baby. Our baby.
She sighs. “How’s this going to work, Leo? Our families hate each other.”
“Our fathers,” I correct her. “That has nothing to do with us. They’ll have to figure out their own shit.” I move closer and pull the pillow away from her. “You’re carrying my child.” Placing my hand over her stomach, I stare into her brown eyes. “Our baby.”
Tears start to stream down her face, and I slide my hands under her legs and pull her into my lap. “I can’t believe this is happening.” She wipes her tears with the back of her hand as she rests her head against my chest.
“We’ll figure it out. We’ll get married and raise the baby right.”
She sits straight up and blinks a few times. “Married? Are you fucking crazy?”
“Listen,” I say, stroking her arms softly, trying to get her to relax. “It makes sense.”
“How does anything make sense?” she snaps.
I pull her back against my chest and stroke her hair. “I can’t have you and my child living somewhere else, and I most certainly don’t want another man to raise my kid as his own.”
“Your asshole is showing, Leo.”
“Stop, Daphne. I’m being serious. Do you like me, at least?”
She peers up at me. “I’ve been falling in love with you, but I’m not ready to talk about marriage. This isn’t the 1950s.”
I place my fingers under her chin, holding her gaze. “I’m falling for you, Daphne Gallo.”
“This is all too soon. Too crazy,” she says and bites her lip as she closes her eyes. “I’m not ready for this.”
“I don’t think anyone’s ever really ready, but we will be.”
“Leo,” she whispers. “We can never get married. We can’t even be seen in public together.”
I lean forward and press my lips to her forehead. “Let me worry about that,bella.”
