Page 20 of Storm's Mistake

She didn’t know why she was listening to him, and tears filled her eyes as she turned toward him.

“You can’t do this alone,” he said.

“The only reason you care right now is because this is your baby. That is all. You’ve not changed your mind about me, about this. I’m still a weak human, remember. I don’t need you.”

“Damn it, Lisa, stop being so stubborn,” he said.

She had started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm, bringing her to a stop.

“You can’t do this,” he said.

“I can do whatever I like. I don’t have to stand and listen to this. I’ve got a job to get to and stuff that needs to happen.” And that dizziness suddenly hit her quite hard, and it helped Shadow as he moved her back into her chair.

“Look, I get that I fucked up, and you know what, I am sorry. I know I fucked up and I know it is going to take a lot more than apologies to make this up to you,” he said. “But, you’re pregnant. Pam’s picking up a test, and she’s bringing it back here, and then we can confirm it. After that, we can come up with some kind of plan for this to work.”

“A plan?” Lisa asked.

“You cannot do this alone.”

“I don’t need you.”

“You’ve got me, because I am the father of your baby, and whether you like it or not, I care about you.”

“So now you care about me?” She hated how her heart skipped a beat.

It wasn’t love, but he cared. Damn, treacherous heart and body. Even as she wanted to hate him, her body liked him being close.

Tears filled her eyes, and that explained the constant fluctuations of emotions that ran riot around her body with no way to stop it. Was it so wrong that at that very second, with how close he was to her, she wanted to pull him in closer, kiss his lips, and feel those hands touching her?

She had a sudden flash of his hands working up her body, holding her in place against him, as he had his wicked way with her. There had been a time when Shadow couldn’t stop touching her.

He cupped her face and forced her to look at him. “Do you understand?” he asked.

“I understand.”

“Good.” He wiped the tears from her eyes, and she didn’t fight him off.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to get herself back in check, to not feel this way, and it was almost impossible. This was insane. Crazy.

She was pregnant.

Lisa had always wanted to be a mother, to have children and a family. Admittedly, it hadn’t been like this. She had hoped to have already been with a man who loved her as much as she loved him. She did love Shadow, so very much.

She didn’t know for certain if life was just plain cruel to her right now.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “You’re not going to make some kind of run for it when I finish our food?”

“I won’t run, at least not until I have some food. I am hungry.” And the food was starting to smell very good.

Shadow gave her a smile, and then he leaned in and kissed her on the head. It was such a sweet action, that it almost brought more tears to her eyes. She didn’t know how she was able to control them, and afterward, she felt like a fucking hero. If crying was going to be part and parcel of being pregnant, she was in for a rocky few months. She hated crying.

She turned her attention back to Shadow, and waited as he tested the pasta and nodded his head. He reserved some of the cooking water before draining it.

To taste the sauce, he cut a meatball in half and took a bite, blowing on it, making her laugh as he pulled a funny face and waved his hand in front of his mouth.

“Funny,” she said.

“That wasn’t even me trying to be funny.”