“I made an appointment with an obstetrician,” she began, changing the subject. “When I told them about what happened yesterday, they said they could get me in at eleven tomorrow. I know you’re busy. If that doesn’t work for you, I understand.”
“I told you I would be there and I will.”
She nodded, her gaze following the random doodles she was drawing. “Before I called them, I did a little research.”
“On what?”
“When I came to see you yesterday, I knew this baby was yours, and because of that, I hadn’t given any thought to the fact that you might not believe me.”
He could see her disappointment but had no intention of reassuring her. “We can run a DNA test after the child is born.”
“That’s what I thought too.” Her gaze met his. “But then I thought how hard it would be on both of us to wait that long. So, I did an internet search and learned the doctor can pull blood from both of us and run a DNA test that way. It will only take a few days to get the results back. It’s completely safe and noninvasive for the baby, and best of all, it’s ninety-nine percent effective.”
She looked so pleased by her discovery that Oliver found his own mood lifting.
“That’s great news.”
He’d been dreading that agonizing eight-month wait before learning if he was the father of Sammi’s baby. Now he had a path to immediate and definitive proof. That she’d chosen not to drag out the question of paternity made it seem as if she truly believed he was the baby’s father. Otherwise, she could’ve let the mystery drag out for the remainder of the pregnancy and use the time to worm her way into his life in the hopes that she could create some lasting connection between them.
Oliver glanced toward Sammi. Seeing that she appeared to be absorbed in her notebook once more, he took the opportunity to study her. Oblivious to his interest, she’d drawn her lower lip between her teeth and was concentrating on filling a blank page with a new list.
While he might not be open to sharing his life with anyone, he was already keen on the idea that Sammi might stick around. And now that he’d thought about it, Oliver realized this idea had sparked long before he’d awakened to find she’d snuck out before dawn. Maybe he was intrigued only because she’d left before he’d fulfilled his promise to photograph her or because their single night together hadn’t slaked his hunger.
“Of course, you don’t have to be involved if you don’t want to,” she said, possibly interpreting his long silence as resistance to becoming a father. “I’m fully prepared to raise this baby on my own.”
Had she offered him an escape because she questioned his willingness to step up or his worthiness as a father? And could he blame her for the latter, since he was having similar doubts?
“Let’s not discuss the future until we have all the facts,” he suggested, realizing that, in a very short time, he might very well need to readjust his thinking. Because in a few days he’d know whether or not his whole life would soon undergo a massive change.
Or maybe it already had.
Two days following her first appointment with her new obstetrician, Sammi woke up in her own bed and reflected on why her body ached in the absence of a man she barely knew. After one sleepless night in his guest room, where she’d tossed and turned, fighting the temptation to walk down the hall and crawl into his bed, she’d packed up and returned home. Staying at his place was too risky. Her preoccupation with him went beyond his role as the father of her baby. How far beyond was what worried her. She was like a planet revolving around the sun, caught in his gravitational pull, unable to break free. Lust. Joy. Anxiety. Belonging. He inspired more emotions than she knew how to handle.
Although she’d rarely gone without a boyfriend, she’d never thrown herself into a passionate physical relationship nor fallen in love. She’d taken a few lovers, but she preferred companionship over romance. Her mother was needy enough without adding a demanding lover to the mix. The type of men she fell in with liked having a beautiful woman on their arm. To them she was an ornament, a status symbol they could show off to their friends.
In exchange, she had someone who took care of her for a while. Of course, it was all a big illusion. In the end, they either grew frustrated with her indifference and found someone new or pushed her for more than she was willing to give, as in the case of Ty.
Oliver was different. From the beginning he’d shown that he was more interested in her substance than the package it came in. While he wasn’t indifferent to her beauty, it seemed to be of no value to him. It was exciting to have a whole new chance at discovering what could be. He didn’t need her as arm candy. Yet there was no denying that he was interested in her. At least sexually. The chemistry between them couldn’t be denied. The question was whether she should resist.
Until she figured it out, she’d decided it was prudent to move out. As tempting as it had been to continue avoiding her mother and enjoy being fussed over by Oliver’s housekeeper, she recognized that the longer she relied on Oliver, the harder it would be to take the steps to live independently. She’d never been on her own, and even though it was her mother who relied on Sammi
