Back at home, he kept his eyes off the pull-out couch, which he’d put away as soon as Mina had gone. He’d gotten her to come out yesterday for a hike in the woods. They’d spotted an elk, and Mina’s face had lit up with delight. “It’s huge,” she’d whispered. “Look at that.” He’d felt his own heart lighten at the joy on her face. Over what? Over an elk. They’d both watched it move through the forest for a few moments before Lucky started barking, ready to chase. The elk took off, and so did they, ending up back here at the cabin.
“I’m impressed,” she’d told him, leaning against the counter in the kitchen. “You know a lot about nature and the mountains. I can tell you really respect it.” Her cheeks had been pink with the cold, her eyes bright from the surprise encounter. He wanted to press his thumb against her chin and kiss her, but he held back.
He’d felt a hundred feet tall—bigger and better than he ever did out on the rodeo circuit. Every single time she looked at him.
Liam shook his head. The sex—yes. The sex was off the charts. But he wanted the movies, and the dinners, and the hikes. He wanted those things so much his chest ached. He needed more movement, so he went to the fridge and scanned the shelves. Out of milk. He’d take the truck to the store. He could pick up some frozen dinners, too. It made less and less sense to cook when he lived alone. He hadn’t thought about it much before Mina stayed with him, but now?
The store, conveniently, was just past Mina’s house. He’d stop in and see how she was doing. That was all, he told himself as he pulled into her driveway and parked next to her car.
Mina answered the door with her lips curved down, something that sent an instant jolt to his nerves. “Hey, Liam.” She stepped back, almost automatically, and let him in. Mina kept her back straight, shoulders squared, and gestured toward the kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink?”
He gave her a big smile. “What’s going on? You never offer me drinks. Not to say you’re a bad hostess—but you’ve never once offered to get me something to drink.”
Liam caught the hint of a smile and a big breath. “I’m—well, I’m pregnant.” Her blue eyes locked on his face. “So that means…”
“You’re pregnant,” he burst out, joy exploding at his core like a whole fireworks show. He threw his arms around her waist and spun her around, Mina’s laugh echoing in his ears. “You did it! We did it.” He set her gently back down on her feet. Mina looked at her hands on his chest, then lifted them slowly away.
“I am.” A slow nod. “So that means…our arrangement can be over now.”
Liam experienced a strange, plummeting sensation. “Right. Of course.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Wow. I’m available,” he went on, unable to stop himself. “I can help you with anything you need while I’m in town. Just let me know. You’ve got my number.”
Mina inched toward the door, and Liam followed, wanting with every cell in his body to take her to bed. “Thanks, Liam. And if there’s anything you need, I’m here too.” She gave him a brave smile and saw him out.
He found himself at the bar fifteen minutes later, not really knowing how he got there. Liam pushed open the heavy wooden door into the noise and warmth and tried to blink this gnawing confusion away. Go back to Mina’s, a voice in the back of his head insisted. He ignored it. Why was it so hard to make a decision these days? Sit at the bar, or get a table? He stopped dead in the middle of the bar, feeling useless. Maybe he’d just go back out. What was he going to do, drink alone and avoid thinking about Mina? No chance of taking his mind off her. She was pregnant with his baby. His mind was going to be on that for a long, long time.
“Liam.” His brother’s voice caught his attention, breaking him out of the loop of thoughts that kept him pinned in place. Cade sat alone at a table by the wall, beer in front of him. “Sit down,” Cade called.
Liam did as he was told. “Where’s Becca? She home with Joey?”
Cade laughed. “No. She and Joey are out doing top-secret girl stuff. They wouldn’t give me any details.”
“Oh, geez. What if it’s a girl?” The words slipped from Liam’s lips before he could stop them.
Cade stared at him across the table. “What if what’s a girl?”
His stomach sank and he leaned back in his chair with a groan. “A few weeks ago I saw Mina Heath at the diner.” Liam brought Cade up to speed on the whole situation in a few sparse sentences. His brother followed along, nodding in all the right places.
“That’s who was at your place the night of the storm?”
“That was her,” Liam said. “And now she’s pregnant. We were successful.”
Cade extended his hand across the table. “Congratulations, man.” He signaled the waitress for another beer. Liam took it and knocked it against Cade’s glass, and the two of them drank. But Liam couldn’t summon his signature carefree attitude. He felt Cade watching him.
“What’s really going on, Liam?”
Honesty burned his throat. What was the point in hiding it? “At first I was into the time we spent together…in bed. But now I miss her. Being with her…” He swallowed hard. “The last couple weeks have been the best weeks of my life. And part of me wants more of it.”
“In what way?”
“I don’t know.” Liam sounded miserable, even to himself. “I can’t really be thinking about a relationship and fatherhood. That
