Hell, the only man he’d ever had unprotected sex with wasSterling.
And it wasn’t like he’d been with anyone else since Gabrielcamehome.
It was ludicrous to think that he was pregnant. Early heats did happen—even omegas with the most regular schedules could find themselves fertile earlier or later than anticipated under the right circumstances—but the likelihood of that happening wasminuscule.
Adrian set the test down on the lid of the toilet tank. A second test rattled around in the box, and for a second, he considered pitching it directly into the garbage. Why was he so worried about being pregnant? If anything, his heat was delayed because of stress. Since Gabriel had come home, Adrian was faced with responsibilities he wasn’t prepared to embrace. Pressure like that was enough to shut hisbodydown.
Right?
But the unused test on the toilet tank taunted him. Itworriedhim. Wouldn’t it be better to have peace of mind? If he was going to throw the tests out, what did it matter if he used one and it came back negative? At least then he could get the notion that he was pregnant out of his head and move on withhislife.
Adrian tossed the box onto the ledge of the sink near the taps and picked up the test resting on the top of the toilet tank. He pulled off the clear plastic cover that kept the tester strip sterile, then unceremoniously undid his fly and worked his briefs down far enough that he could take hold of his dick. With a grounding sigh, Adrian lowered the test over the toilet and put it to use. When the tester strip was saturated, he put the plastic cover back on and placed it back on the lid of the toilet tank, finished emptying his bladder, then tugged his pants back into place. While he waited for the test to develop, he washed his hands and worried his hair in the mirror, pushing it this way and that as he tried not to think about the results developing afootaway.
Maybe tonight, after Gabriel was asleep, he’d go to The Shepherd. The last time he’d been was to see Sterling on the night Gabriel had come home, after all. It was time to get back into the scene. He’d have some drinks, cut loose, meet a man who thought it was kinky he wanted to play at Dom, and the night would unfold from there. The pregnancy test to his right? It didn’t matter. It would come back negative and he’d go on with his life likeusual.
There was nothing to worryabout.
Adrian pushed his hair to the side one last time, then took a step back and looked at himself from the shoulders up. The more he studied his features, the more confident he became that he was getting upset about nothing. His skin was clear and glowing, like it was before every heat. His eyes were bright, and the dull gray color Adrian hated looked a little more blue than usual, although that might have been because of the color of the shirt he was wearing. Either way, he looked better than usual, and most times, that meant his heat was on its way within the nextfewdays.
Worrying was ridiculous. If anything, worrying was going to delay his heat even more. All he needed was to calm down and get back to himself—and get back to The Shepherd. Staying in his parents’ house was a surefire way to drivehimselfmad.
A gentle knock stirred Adrian from his thoughts. He recognized the timid sound, and knew it wasGabriel.
“I’m almost done.” Adrian flushed the toilet and shoved the remaining pregnancy test on top of the medicine cabinet behind the fake decorative plant. “Gimme just a second,Gabriel.”
“You’re fine.” Gabriel didn’t sound so sure about it. “Takeyourtime.”
Adrian snatched the test from the toilet lid, and was about to chuck it directly into the garbage when a flash of blue brought him to a sudden stop. Heart pounding, he turned the test around so the result window faced himdirectly.
A second blue line ran parallel to thecontrolline.
Adrian’s hand trembled. He set the test down on the edge of the sink and ripped the box out from its hiding place. On the back of the box, in easy to understand pictures, was the rundown of what a positive testlookedlike.
Two solid bluelines.
“No.” Adrian glanced at the bathroom door, then back down at the box. It couldn’t be right. Itcouldn’tbe.
“Adrian?” Gabriel inquired, voice uncertain. “Areyou…okay?”
It was a faulty batch of tests. A mix-up. That was all it was. There was no way he was pregnant. It wasimpossible.
Except for the fact that he’d let Sterling come inside of him. Except for the fact that his heat had failed to manifest thismonth.
“Adrian?” Gabriel asked again, more franticthistime.
“I’m here.” Adrian slid the test out from inside the box, then returned the empty box to its hiding place above the medicine cabinet. “I, um… I need you to… do somethingforme.”
Gabriel hesitated before he replied. “Okay? Can I come into thebathroom?”
“Yeah.” Adrian stepped forward and undid the lock, then opened the door. Gabriel, mouth worried and brows knitted together suspiciously, stepped into the room. “It’s just… I need you not to question what I’m asking you todo,okay?”
“Okay…”
“Can you pee on this for me?” Adrian handed the unused pregnancy test to Gabriel. “All you have to do is pull off the plastic cap and pee on thestrip.”
If the batch was defective, Gabriel’s test would come up positive, too. The clinic had checked his blood for pregnancy and he’d come back negative, so Adrian knew for certain that he could use Gabriel as a control. If it developed with two lines instead of one, Adrian had nothing to worryabout.
“A pregnancy test?” Gabriel turned the test in his fingers. “I’m not… Ihaven’tbeen…”
