She frowned. Sick, like she’d felt last time, so she’d just known. “You want me to rate my morning sickness experience?”
His features showed he was unimpressed and she sighed impatiently.
“I was queasy. Off food. At first I thought—,” she stopped abruptly, shocked she’d been about to admit how devastated she’d been after breaking up with him.
“You thought?”
“I thought it was food poisoning,” she lied. “But it didn’t go away. And I was so tired. I did a pregnancy test with no expectation it would be positive, but that second line appeared straight away.” She shook her head, reliving that sense of shock now. “An obstetrician confirmed it, and did a scan to check dates.”
He nodded, apparently pleased with the explanation.
“Your obstetrician can provide your health records to the medical team in Al Medina, who’ll be overseeing the pregnancy.”
“My pregnancy,” she corrected quickly, “will continue to be handled bymyobstetrician. I like her.”
Silence sparked in the air between them, then Samir continued. “Are you still nauseous?”
“No. Sometimes. I find it hard to eat certain foods.”
“Like lamb?”
“The smell of meat,” she said with a grimace. “I don’t know why. I’ve never contemplated vegetarianism before.”
He frowned. “Could it mean something is wrong?”
She almost laughed at his over the top concern. “No. It’s quite common in pregnancy. Food aversion is a thing.”
“So what do you do about it?”
“Eat whatever I can. Sometimes that means ice cream for breakfast, or a cupcake for dinner.” She lifted her shoulders. “Hot chips are almost always acceptable.”
“Is that healthy?”
“Healthier that starving to death.”
“Are you sure you aren’t?”
She frowned, not understanding.
“With the exception of your belly, you have lost weight. You cannot be eating enough.”
Her heart twisted into knots. She’d thought he was staring at her because he desired her, but maybe it was revulsion or concern that had glued his eyes to her.
She swallowed, and her voice shook when she spoke. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to comment on a pregnant person’s appearance?”
“You are not a ‘pregnant person’. Not to me.”
“Well, that’s strange, because I am—,”
“You know what I mean. You are pregnant withmychild, that gives me some stake in your health.”
“You’re delusional.”
“No, I am taking responsibility for a situation I caused.”
“A situation?” She repeated hotly, standing up only because her temper was far too enraged to stay sitting. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“What else would you call this?” He asked, matching her action, so they were now toe to toe.