When Roses Collide

Chapter Fifty-Five

"We...uh...we didn't use protection."

Her words pounded into his dense skull as if she had hurtled a brick at him. Shit! Tilting his head back, he cussed up to the heavens under his breath. Of all the stupid...he shook his head, scrubbing a palm across his face, wanting to slap himself silly. Glancing down, he noticed he no longer had to worry about turning around.

Slowly, he spun to face her. He could make out Harley sitting up, the covers clutched to her chest with one hand, while the other idly plucked at a loose thread. Her eyes refusing to meet his. Travis's shoulders sagged, and he walked back to the bed. Picking up the discarded quilt, he tossed it over his lap while he sat down on the edge of the mattress, and flicked on the light.

"Harley," he said gently. "Look at me."

Reluctantly, two very wide and worried bright eyes met with his.

"At the hospital, Dr. Archer asked if you might be pregnant, and I told him there might be a possibility you were." He blew out a breath, running an unsteady hand through his hair. "I meant to ask...but one thing lead to another, and...well...dammit. It's no excuse, I should have...I just..." Holy fuck! For an adult male who prided himself on his intelligence, he was bumbling through this like a nervous teenager who just found out the condom broke. He grimaced. Not like he had actually bothered to wear one of those.

"I'm not," she said quietly.

Travis's head snapped up. "What?" Had he heard her right?

"Well...I don't think I am. Not yet anyway."

He narrowed his eyes in confusion, trying to grasp what she was saying. "Yet?"

Now it was her turn to let out a shaky breath, and run her fingers through her silky locks. "I don't know. They drew blood, but it came back inconclusive." Her lower lip quivered, and she bit down on it. "I have to take another test when he removes the stitches. "But...but..." A large tear slipped down her cheek, and she ducked her head away from him as a sob broke from her lips.

The sound crushed him, piercing his heart. Quickly, he gathered her into his arms. "Don't cry, sunshine," he soothed, rocking her gently. "It's going to be okay. I promise." He gently nudged her chin up until he met her watery gaze. His heart lurched painfully in his chest at the sight. "Whether you are or aren't...nothing is going to change how much I love you." He cupped her face in his hands. "Do you hear me? It's always been you, and it will always be only you."

"You won't be upset if I am?" Those lily colored eyes searched his face in surprise.

"Good lord, woman. Is that what all these tears are about?" he asked, holding back a laugh of relief. When she nodded, he leaned in and kissed a salty droplet off her lips. "Harley, if you were pregnant, it would make me the happiest man on the planet." His hand fell lower against the quilt until it rested on her stomach, and an intense feeling of love and protection overtook him. "To think...my baby could be in here." Shaking his head, he fought back a few tears of his own. "There's no words I could use to describe for how pleased and proud I would be." Looking back up, he grinned at her trembling smile. "Besides, if I didn't want to have a baby with you, I would have worn a condom. I've never had sex without protection...until you. With you, none of that seemed to matter. Like I said before, this is it for me. You are all I want. You and whatever babies we are lucky to have together."

Her face turned serene as she gazed up at him. "Do you really mean that?" Her eyes glanced down to where his hand still lingered on her stomach, and she gently placed hers over his. "I know it's really soon...considering we haven't really known each other that long..." her voice trailed off, uncertainty clouding her face.