My Ex's Baby (Crescent Cove 8)

“Yeah.” Kinleigh blew out a sigh. “I haven’t gotten my period.”

“What?”

She surprised me by smiling. “You know how babies are born, right?”

I almost said what again then decided I’d just sag against the wall and hope this dick-deflating conversation would help the blood flow reroute north again.

“Okay, catch me up. Slowly.”

Her lips twitched. “We had sex.”

“Amazing, life-changing sex, yes.”

Her smile grew, lighting up the fire behind her blue eyes. I was addicted to her expression. Intoxicated by it. So much so that I almost forgot what we were talking about.

Until she spoke again.

“Might really be life-changing.” She gripped the box. “I should probably take this.”

“It hasn’t been that long, right? So maybe you’re just late.”

“Maybe. Sometimes I am.” She frowned. “Where’s the baby?”

“I sold her for some extra wood. Figured Ivy wouldn’t mind, since she’s always on the hunt for romance.” Which I wasn’t thinking about, especially not now.

Kinleigh’s cheeks turned pink. “Seems like you have plenty right now.”

“Smart ass. And that’s even when you scared half a decade off my life.”

Her humor vanished as she turned away.

“Kin, c’mon. I’m just kidding.” I touched her shoulder. “Let’s take the test before we panic.”

“You think you’re scared? What about me? I’m the one who has to do this alone.”

I hated being repetitive, but in this case, it couldn’t be helped. “What? Why would you be alone?”

“August, be real. We had sex.”

“Yeah, I was there.”

“It was just—”

“Don’t.” I cupped her shoulder and shifted her toward me again, but she held her ground and stubbornly remained facing the other direction. “It wasn’t ‘just’ anything. I care about you. You care about me. Right?”

When she didn’t answer, I let my hand fall away. I’d been chasing this woman around both of our stores for weeks. I’d thought it was just because she was weirded out about Ivy and would get over it. “Hell of a way to tell me, Kin.”

“I’m not trying to tell you anything. We burned off some steam, and we’re friends.”

“Good friends. Friends who got naked once. I would love it if we got naked again, assuming you want the same thing.”

She didn’t respond.

I pushed a hand through my hair. Why did I keep trying to beat my head—and other parts of my anatomy—against the brick wall of this woman? She was sweet and creative and sexy as hell, but there were other women who rang those bells. Other ones who wouldn’t make me feel as clumsy as an outcast high school kid trying to win a date with the homecoming queen.

I wasn’t that guy. I had a great business. Supportive family and friends. A full life with, yes, women who would’ve been happy to go out with me. Or stay in.

I’d even come close to wondering what life would be like with someone more permanent. The only problem was none of them were Kinleigh Scott. And now there could be a baby.