“I’m a little confused, darling. Are you here to give me shit for making a so-called promise for eggs and bacon? Or, did you just want to tell me that I’m responsible for making a baby?”
Her jaw ached to drop, but she didn’t dare show emotion. She had a feeling he’d enjoy getting a rise from her. “I’m over the make-a-promise-then-run thing.” Waving a hand in the air, she blew off his sarcasm. “I didn’t miss you when you left. What we’d shared in bed was a blip on the radar of a forgotten night.”
One corner of his mouth curved. “Is that so? Then why are you angry?”
“Angry? Maybe I have reason to be. You left me a note like I was nothing more than–”
“A blip, perhaps?” He wiggled his brows. “Maybe it’d be best just to clear the air and admit you were wanting seconds.”
He teased her, or did he really think she wanted him? His eyes glistened and his smile broadened as if he found this entertaining.
“I assure you, Shane Conner, I do not give a hoot about you–or your body parts.” Her gaze automatically dropped to his zipper. “It’s my moral obligation to tell you that during our time together we conceived a child. Just that simple.”
“The paper you gave me says you’re eleven weeks.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you come sooner?”
“Because I just found out myself a short time ago. Then it took me another week and a half to decide if I wanted to share the news with you.”
“Were you hoping I’d jump up and down in glee at the concept of becoming a father?” His eyes narrowed.
“Is this an interrogation?”
“I have a right to ask these questions,” he said.
“Sure you do, but if you’re trying to figure out if I’m truly pregnant, then you should have called the doctor.” She didn’t like being treated like an enemy.
“What makes you think the doctor would have told me anything? Isn’t that against some medical code of law?” he asked.
“In most cases, probably so. But when the doctor is a very good friend of mine, and he knows the circumstances, he’s doing this as a favor. I even left a message on his phone letting him know to expect your call. Does that mean you didn’t call?”
“I did. Doc confirmed your pregnancy.”
“Then you should stop wasting your energy. If you’re not interested in being a father, that’s okay. I can do this alone.”
“Did I say that I didn’t want to be the father to your child?” He blew out a long sigh. “I would never drop the ball on my responsibility.”
* * * *
Shawn had no clue what in the hell he was getting himself into. Shane’s responsibilities had become his. That’s what brothers were for, especially when one brother wasn’t around to handle the situation.
He believed Jasmine. No doubt, she’d had an intimate encounter with Shane. She had no reason to lie. However, he didn’t know why his brother had given her the idea they could spend the following morning together. Shane had orders to ship out for a year. Any soldier knew he couldn’t make plans when he shipped out on deployment.
Jasmine didn’t fit Shane’s usual type. This woman even seemed to have a mind and an idea of what she wanted in life. Shane tended to gravitate toward women who didn’t use brain cells. Shawn had a long mental list of questions he wanted to ask this strange woman who’d popped into his life, especially the conversation she’d had with his brother, because she might be the last person who’d seen him. He had to be careful, though and not disclose to her he wasn’t Shane, at least not until his crash cleared. Shawn had no clue how long the investigation would take. He didn’t want to be deceitful, and didn’t view what he was doing as a lie. And when the time came, he’d tell her who he was.
In the meantime, he’d help her out in any way he could. He’d be a father to her child…his brother’s child.
Smoothing his hand over his hair, he swallowed the nervous tightness in his throat. For now, he had to protect Jasmine. She carried his brother’s child, his family. “I want to be a father.” His lips quivered with the words. They actually didn’t hurt though like he’d expected.
Her eyes rounded. “Huh? You do? That’s a surprise.”
Damn, this woman didn’t have much of an opinion of him, or his brother, or both of them. Feeling guilt because he shared his brother’s gene pool wasn’t fair. Shawn had never been the type to charm a woman into bed, then bounce out at morning light. He wanted to tell Jasmine that he’d grown tired of her pointing her finger at him like he were scum of the earth. “Again, your opinion of me is flattering.”
“During your interview with me, you laughed when I asked about children in the future. You seemed dead set against having any. Last night, you seemed cold when I’d told you. You even mentioned that I should ‘take care of it.’”
“I didn’t say it quite like that.” He swallowed. Maybe he had. Yet, now he wanted the baby. Sure, he wasn’t the father, and eventually he’d have to tell her, but for now he was the closest thing to one.
“Give me some credit. Think of the circumstances. How would most men respond with news of that caliber?” Did he see a glimpse of relief cross her features? Bright eyes stared back at him and he swore she melted his layers of steel.
“Okay, I’ll give you that. I handled it poorly myself. In fact, I wasn’t even sure at first if I wanted to keep it. Feelings change, though, after the truth has time to sink in. But…where do we go from here?” Silence surrounded them.
“You move to Texas,” he blurted. Oh fuck. He’d actually said the words. What the hell? Had he lost his mind? He gave himself a mental ass-kicking. And by her shocked expression, he guessed she thought he’d lost his mind. Perhaps he had.
“Can’t do that. No possible way,” she said.
She was right. He opened his mouth to agree, but the words didn’t come. If she left, how could he keep her safe? Keep the baby safe? She carried his flesh and blood. That made all the difference in the world. “Why not?”
Her jaw tightened. “I have a career. I have–”
He lifted his brow. “You have what? Family? A boyfriend? I guess I didn’t think of that. Something like another man’s baby would be hard to explain.”
Her bright eyes dulled. That faraway expression reminded him of himself. She was alone, just like he’d been for a while. His mother and father were dead. Now Shane too. His throat tightened. He had been alone until now. He had another living being to think about.
“No one is keeping me from moving here.” She cleared her throat. “But asking me to move here is a lot.”
He wondered how he could convince her that moving was right for him. A vibration on his thigh stopped him. He grabbed his cell from his pocket and offered her an apologetic frown. “Damn technology. I should take this.”
“Sure. Should I leave?” She started to get up.
“No, stay.” He hit Talk. “Conner here.”
“Holbert here.”
“Why the hell you calling me, Airman? Today’s my day off.” First day he’d had off in weeks, since the accident. He still couldn’t get away. Shawn grimaced as he listened to the other man complaining about a problem back at the shop. “Shit! I’ll be there in a few. And tell the other boys to keep their grimy hands off my girl or I’ll shoot them.” Punching the off button, he shoved the phone back into his pocket.
“Duty calls?” Jasmine asked.
“Yeah,