Unexpected Romance (14 page)

"Sit
down, you're making me nervous."

"Sorry."
She sat on the armchair.

"You
don't have to be nervous. I'm the same as Chris from before." He
glanced from the TV to her. "You okay?"

"Thinking."

"Worrying."

"I
have a touch of anxiety." She crossed her arms over her chest.

He
returned his attention to the TV. "It was an observation. We
agreed to be honest and forthcoming with each other. Start listing
those thoughts, and I can tell why you shouldn't worry."

"We've
already talked about everything. But it's all in the future, six
months, after this happens." She gestured at the slight hill of
her belly where she'd begun to stretch.

"You
raise the baby for a year, then we talk about you returning to
school. Or work." His gaze flickered between the football game
and her profile. "If that's what you want."

The
next play had started and Tonya chewed on her fingernail. She watched
Chris out of her peripheral vision. He was so beautiful and she liked
him so much, her chest ached with it. Was that achy feeling love? Or
merely intense attraction?

What
were they? Dating? Roommates? He'd said previously he'd like to pick
up their relationship where they left off. But that was before they
moved into the two bedroom. She had her bed here now. The couch
wasn't a necessary option.

What
if he met someone next week or next month he liked more? Someone who
hadn't trapped him? What if he tired of her? What if he tired of
supporting her? She would be forced to crawl back to Corey and beg
him for help. He'd gladly do it, but it would kill her pride to have
to do so.

"I
can hear the gears turning from here," Chris said, dryly.

"Nothing,
just… nothing. I need to lay down. I'm exhausted."

He
didn't say anything as she left the room. She closed the bedroom door
and lay down on the bed. She put one hand on her belly, the other she
flicked open her phone and connected to the Internet. She opened her
browser to see what was going on with her body this week.

She
should be feeling the baby move soon. Little flutters at first. She
might have been feeling them already. But with the anxiety of moving,
her stomach had felt as if it was constantly fluttering.

She
put down her phone next to her head and closed her eyes.

She
could imagine herself with her big belly in front, being unable to
lay any way but on her side. Chris laying behind her, his hand on her
stomach, while they laughed about the baby's kicks and punches.

She
rolled over, hoping to erase the thought. Chris felt obligated to
support her while she was carrying his child.

The
door opened and he stood there, looking like some dark angel come to
give her hope or steal her soul. She wasn't sure which. He had
skipped a day or two of shaving and his chin and cheeks were covered
with light whiskers.

"I
keep promising myself I'll give you space. And I see you biting your
bottom lip and all my good intentions go out the damn window."
He pulled his shirt off over his head with one fluid movement.

Tony
tried to move to sitting up. No, no, no, no. She couldn't sleep with
him because he couldn't help himself. She hadn't agreed to his
celibacy choices in her interest. As far as she was concerned, he
could go fuck whomever he wanted. "Chris-" She held up a
hand.

"Tonya,"
he mimicked. "I have to touch you. Just a little. Hold you
close. Breath in your scent. Taste your lips, if you'll let me."

"Chris,
we know if we do that, we'll have sex."

"We
only have a few condoms left. We'll have to ration." He smiled.
He skimmed his hand down her arm. "At least until we get more."

"Fat
lot of good those fuckers did us. We don't need protection, I can't
get pregnant again."

"I
didn't think you'd want to go bareback. If you trusted me." He
changed to gently massaging her shoulders and neck.

"You
were my first and only, to ever touch me there. Do you believe me on
that?" She groaned as he hit a sore spot on her shoulder.

He
worked the spot. "I believe you. After I left you, I got
tested." She started to say something but he cut her off. "Wait,
wait. I got tested because in case something else had happened, I
wanted to inform you. I'm very diligent, but no one ever made me lose
control like you. Of course, no one told me to stand there and watch
her touch herself."

"And
the results?"

"Totally
clean."

"I
guess then, we've solved that problem. except that we won't be having
sex."

"It's
still safe for you to lay on your belly?" he asked.

"Yes,
I think so."

"Then
lay down and let me massage you. And I will tell you some things."

She
had no argument for that offer. She rolled and he straddled her hips.
He dug his fingers into her back through her shirt, seeking the
tender spots.

"I
wanted to wait until tomorrow to talk about this. I talked to my
agent and he'll have the papers done up for me. Basically, an
agreement between us. It will say that I will support you
financially, rent, food, bills until a year after you have the baby.
We have to give thirty days notice before living arrangements can be
changed, if one us wants to move out. or whatever might happen."

"Okay,
why didn't I think of this? Why did no one mention this?"

"I
have no idea. If we decide to live apart, I will provide money for
the baby's necessities. I can't recall off the top of my head how
much money you'll get each month. There were a lot of numbers thrown
around. My agent mentioned most of this stuff. It's not the first
he's done. Anyway, I won't leave you out in the cold. Even if you
decide to run from me. Or I get traded and you decide not to come."
He seemed distressed by the idea. His face curled back into a
disgusted look.

She
whimpered and kicked her leg when he pushed his finger into her lower
back. He did slow circles there. The motion reminded Tony of him
rubbing circles on other parts of her body, with his fingers, his
tongue, his cock.

"Okay,
I guess I'll get Corey to look at it. Or I'll find lawyer to make
sure."

"Sure,
if you want. It should be here in a few days. You are insanely
tense." He worked on her shoulders again.

"Do
you blame me for being tense? It's been a tense week." Had it
only been a week since this all went sideways? It seemed longer, as
if a lifetime had passed since her secret came to light.

Chris
lowered himself to lay beside her. He looked into her eyes. He lifted
his hand and she moved back. He placed it on her head and stroked her
hair. "I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered. "I'd
never hurt you on purpose."

Physically,
Tony assumed he meant. Emotionally, he had power over her. The
potential to fall in love with him was sudden and unique. Loving him
would mean she would be heartbroken and alone someday. At least she
would have a contract saying he wouldn't leave her wholly destitute.
And she’d have the good memories.

He
wanted her. She could feel his erection against her back. She wanted
him, but she had to be the voice of reason. It was an unsettling job
for her.

"If
you want to get that nap in, I will lay here beside you and wrap my
arms around your body."

She
nodded, her heart stretching toward him. "That would be nice,"
she said.

He
wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his body. Her eyes
drifted closed as she snuggled into him. He kissed the top of her
head. "Sleep well, love."

She
let the even rise and fall of his chest, soothe her to sleep.

Chris
tapped his feet on the blue-gray carpeting of the clinic floor. Tonya
looked up from her magazine and met his eyes. She folded the cover
over so she could hold it in one hand and reached toward him with her
other.

He
tried to push down the thrill that happened every time she
voluntarily reached for him. Those moments were increasing in
frequency. It was a miracle that she sought comfort from him.

He
wound his fingers between hers.

An
unlikely couple they were, but he wasn’t going to let her go
without a fight. He’d do whatever it took. For her and for
their child.

Last
night when he got in late, he found her sleeping in his bed. When he
crawled into bed, she wound herself around him and murmured his name.
He kissed her. She kissed him back. He thought about touching her
intimately to see if she’d respond; and because he felt like
he’d go insane if he didn’t make love to her soon. His
chivalrous promise to her made him unable to follow through. He
needed her to initiate.

"Tonya
Foster."

She
pulled her hand from his and closed her magazine. "That's us,"
she said, pushing to her feet. She let the magazine fall back into
the rack and followed the nurse down the hall.

Chris
gripped the arms of his chair for a moment, unsure if his legs would
hold him. He managed to stand and follow her to the small, darkened
room, but was grateful for the chair offered to him beside the
stretcher.

The
technician introduced herself, but Chris couldn't hear her over the
wooshing of the blood in his ears. This was it, the moment when he
would see his child growing inside Tonya. After much debate, they
decided not to learn the sex today.

He
gripped Tonya’s hand as the tech pressed her wand against
Tonya’s barely distended belly. His eyes bounced between
Tonya's face, the tech's face and the screen. The tech pointed out
the features of the baby. He couldn't make out anything recognizable.

The
technician printed off a few photos for them then said, "I have
to go talk with the doctor before I can clear you to go, but it looks
like your little one is growing fine."

"Thank
you," Tonya said.

"Oh
you can grab some tissues for your wife and cleanup her belly."

"He's
not…" but the woman left the room, closing the door
behind her. Tonya’s words trailed off and she looked up at
Chris.

He
smiled at her as he grabbed the tissue box from the counter. He
pulled a few from the box and started wiping the gel from her belly.

She
giggled. "You must be poking at him, he's trying to kick back.
Well, I assume so, all I can feel is a flutter."

Chris
put his hand over her belly. She guided him to move it a little
downward. He shook his head and tried to pull away. "Nothing
yet."

"The
doctor said it would be a few more weeks before you could feel
anything."

"I
know. I'm being impatient. I feel as though I'm competing with your
brother. He's been feeling Nicole's tummy move for several weeks. He
likes to make a point of asking me."

Tonya
sighed and put her hand over his, still on her tiny bump. "I'll
talk to him."

"And
then he'll accuse me of needing you to fight my battles."

Tonya
started to say more, but he cut her off with a kiss.

"It's
okay. He doesn't like me, and I probably wouldn't like me either if I
were in his position." Once Chris proved to his future
brother-in-law that he was a stand-up guy and he would stick around,
Corey would stop being a jackass. At least Chris hoped so.

He
was getting impatient for a physical sign his baby was inside. He
looked at the picture he’d been given. He had proof.

The
ultrasound technician knocked on the door before she came back in.
They jumped apart. "All right, great. All is well in there.
Congratulations."

She
exited again. Tonya and Chris stared at each other. She pulled down
her shirt. He took her hand and helped her sit up. "Come on,
let's go out for lunch. Celebrate little dude."

"Or
dudette."

"Or
dudette." He smiled and slipped his hand into hers. In the month
since she moved in, she cuddled with him, let him kiss her, and he
discovered when he was away, she slept in his bed. Other than their
nap together the first day, she stayed away and she never initiated
contact.

He
opened her door and watched her get inside the car. Her hair was
half-dyed, half her natural dark-brown. She stopped dyeing it when
she realized she was pregnant, she wasn't sure if it could hurt the
baby.

"If
you're feeling up to it, we could go look at vehicles," he said,
reversing out of the parking spot.

She
pulled her phone out. "I hadn't called any of those used vehicle
places."

"I'll
buy the car." He clenched his teeth. This battle was getting too
familiar, too tiresome. He offered money, she refused.

"I
have some savings."

He
sighed. "I want to buy you something. I want to make sure you
are safe and my baby, our baby, has a proper car to drive in. I don't
want to worry about you breaking down on the side of the road while
I'm out of town."