Page 59 of River Wild

I cough, clearing my throat, which turns into a bit of a choke when I breathe back my own spit.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Yep.” I cough again, banging my hand to my chest to clear it.

I’m definitely not thinking about him naked at all. Nope.

“Is the baby okay?”

“What?”

“Your baby.” His eyes go down to my stomach.

I’m still not showing. But then I am only ten weeks. I figure I’ll pop anytime soon.

I instinctively press my hand to my stomach. “Oh, yes. All fine. No problems at all.” So far, no morning sickness, and I think, if I were going to get it, I would’ve by now.

An awkward silence ensues between us. You know, the type where you have no idea what to say next but no idea how to end the conversation either.

And, for some inexplicable reason, I don’t want the conversation to end just yet.

Weirdly, I do actually like talking with him. Well, verbally sparring with him. When I’m not making an ass out of myself in front of him, and he’s not being a mean jerk to me.

But a part of me also wants him to do his River thing and just turn and walk away without another word.

Confusing, to say the least.

I guess one of us should say something. And it looks like that someone is going to be me.

“So, uh … thanks for bringing this back.” I lift the fork in gesture. “I, um … I guess I’ll see you around.”

“You and the mutt going somewhere?” he asks, stopping me before I get a chance to leave.

I smile, ignoring the mutt comment. I know he only does it to get a rise out of me. And that oddly makes me happy, too.

I bite down on the smile and turn back to him. “Yes. Buddy and I are going to buy a Christmas tree.”

“Where are you getting it from?”

“The hardware store in town.”

“The trees are shit. They don’t last a week.”

“Oh.” My built excitement at my Christmas tree shopping sinks down into the ground.

“You need to go to Thistleberry Farm. They have the best Christmas trees,” he tells me.

That has me perking up a little. “Where is Thistleberry Farm?”

“New Braunfels.”

“And where’s New Braunfels?”

A smile touches the edge of his lips. Not a full-on smile, but still the first time that I’ve seen his mouth resemble anything close.

He did laugh last night. Not that I saw that. Only heard it. And it was at my expense.

I notice he has nice lips. Lower lip is slightly fuller than the top.