Page 123 of My Fiancé's Brother
“Can I get you something to drink?” his voice sounded low.
I shook my head. I wanted to ask him to get in and hold me, but I was afraid that he would say no.
He nodded and stepped back.
I lifted my head, my voice full of fear. “Are you leaving?”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
I relaxed again. I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open. “I feel so tired.”
“You’re coming off adrenaline. Just try and sleep. You'll feel better once you sleep.”
“Don’t leave me,” the words sounded jumbled to my ears.
His voice sounded so far away. “I couldn’t if I tried.”
I jerked awake.The room was black. I sat up, disoriented. My eyes adjusted to the lack of light. Jackson sat on a chair, his long legs crossed, his feet up on the edge of the bed. His arms were crossed,and he stared back at me. His features looked dark and angular in the dim light.
“How long have I been asleep?” my voice croaked.
He checked his military watch. “About six hours.”
I swallowed, my mouth dry. “Have you been sitting here with me the entire time?”
“Pretty much.”
I flopped back on my pillow and stared up at the ceiling. He had sat and guarded me while I slept. How was I not supposed to love this man? He made the task impossible.
I was pregnant. The thought jarred through my mind.
I sat straight back up, my heart pounding hard. Holy fuck. Had that been a dream? Had the doctor told me that I was having a baby?
I looked over at Jackson. “Was I at the hospital?”
He stood up abruptly and walked over to put his big, warm, hand on my forehead. “You don’t remember?”
It wasn’t a dream. I had visited the emergency room. I peed in a cup. And the woman doctor had told me that I was pregnant.
“I do remember. I'm just fuzzy on the details.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at me. “You were in shock.”
I swallowed hard and stared at this huge man. A part of him was growing inside of me in the version of a tiny baby. I felt my heart start to pound. A cold wave washed over my skin, and I felt a bit light-headed.
I dropped my face into my hands and struggled not to blurt out my news. His warm hand wrapped around the back of my neck. I was in love with Jackson. He didn’t want children. And I was engaged to Matt who was lying in the hospital recovering from a brain injury. My wedding, which I had yet to cancel, charged towards me at an alarming rate. Jackson would leave in a few short weeks. And I was pregnant with the wrong man’s child.
“I feel sick,” I said, my voice muffled.
“Emily, we need to feed you. Your blood sugar levels are probably really low.”
“It’s not that,” I said from beneath my hands.
“What is it?”
I shook my head.
He got off the bed, and then he sorted through my dresser drawers. He returned with a big sweater and a pair of soft yoga pants. I stood up, and under his watchful eye, I pulled them on.
