She placed her hand right over his. It was true. They hadn’t been careful, and they had been having sex a lot.
“You’re right.”Noelle stared at him.
So far, he’d said everything that was sweet, perfect, and exactly what she wanted to hear, apart from one teeny, tiny thing.
Hehadn’t told her that he loved her. Love had to mean something. It had to be real and true. There couldn’t be any falseness to it. She opened her mouth, about to tell him how she felt, but then she stopped. What if it ruined everything?
They were in an amazing place. He had just offered her a dream she had long pushed to one side as a pipe dream.
“Noelle?” he asked.
She lickedher lips. “I’ll need to take a pregnancy test.”
“I can have one here in ten minutes,” he said. He stood up, reached into his pants pocket, and pulled out his cell phone.
She watched him, all commanding, completely in charge. Noelle wanted to tell him that she loved him at that moment, but something stopped her. She didn’t know what.
He hung up. “Arnoldwill have one here in five.”
“Wow,” she said.
“My men know what I want.”
“They’re loyal to you.”
Evil nodded. “Talk to me, Noelle.”
“It’s nothing. I’m… excited. Yes, that’s what this is. This is excitement because of everything that is happening.” She forced a smile to her lips. “It is all good.”
Ten minutes passed way too fast, and before Noelle could even breathe, she was in the bathroom, peeing on astick, waiting for a couple of lines to change, to confirm her pregnancy.
Evilstood beside her. He wasn’t talking. He wasn’t even touching her.
She felt this distance between them, which was unsettling.
The time ticked on by, and she stared at the pregnancy test, waiting, wondering, curious.
Was it going to change?
Nibblingon her lip, she slowly placed her hand on her stomach. Could she be pregnant? The chances were high, seeing as they had been together every single opportunity, and there hadn’t been a single condom used.
Pregnant. The stick had changed color, revealing the truth. Evil had been so distracted by reading the box and the leaflet that came with it. He didn’t even notice.
She carried Evil’s baby.
Turning her head, she looked at him. Her life was bound to his, and at that moment, Noelle knew she didn’t want to hide her feelings from him. She didn’t want to have to pretend.
“I love you,” she said.
Evil dropped the box to the floor and turned toward her.
“This isn’t about the baby. We’re going to be parents together. I wanted you to know that I do love you, and it’s not about the baby. It’s about how I feel toward you. I love you, so very much.” She nodded at him and then took a step away.
He seemedshocked. Evil hadn’t said a word. He didn’t love her.
Noelle didn’t know what hurt more, the fact he didn’t love her or that she loved him so much it hurt.
ChapterTen