Page 87 of The Duke's Virgin
Home.New York.Even the thought of going back there made me want to dive back into bed.
“You can stay here—”
“No.” I cut him off and eased past him, heading into the bedroom. I had a set of clothes left in the closet, and I checked to make sure everything else, save for my underwear and bag, was packed. “Besides, I’ve already decided I’m not going to stay in New York. I want something different for my child. I grew up surrounded by my parents’ expectations, and it made me miserable. My baby is going to have better than that.”
“If you’re not going home, then why not stay here?” Aeric laid a hand on my shoulder.
I shrugged it off, giving him a dark look. Aeric had all but invited me to stay in the henhouse as the fox partied.
That look gave away too much, though.
“Who is the father?” he asked softly.
“Don’t worry about it.”
But when I went to shut the door, he stopped me, wedging his frame in and simply muscling his way inside. The look on his face was intense, practically skewering me.
“You’re hiding something.”
“I’m nothiding,” I said, but the words came out too quick and rushed, and I couldn’t even look him in the eye. “I’m trying to get moving so I don’t miss my flight, Aeric. There’s a difference.”
“If you weren’t hiding, you wouldn’t keep avoiding my eyes.”
With an exasperated sigh, I looked at him. “Happy?”
He took a step forward and leaned in, peering into my eyes. “You don’t want me to know who the father is, do you, Stacia?”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” I huffed out a breath and pushed my hair back.
“Can’t you give me ayesorno?”
“Yes, I can.”
“All right, then tell me…do you want to tell me who the father is? Yes or no?”
He was being insanely obstinate.
And we both knew why. The more I resisted, the more obvious it was that it was exactly what I was doing.
Sighing, I turned away from Aeric and moved to the bed, sitting on the edge. I hugged my clothes to my chest and looked at him. “You’re not going to like it.”
“The way you’re sidestepping already told me as much.” He slid his hands into his pockets and leaned back against the door. “It’s one of the men on my security team, isn’t it?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it with an audible click. A giggle escaped, and I passed a hand over my face. “No. If only it was that simple.”
“I’m so glad I amused you,” he said sardonically. “Now, who is the father?”
I swallowed hard and told him.
His brows dropped low, face going dark.
“Have you told him?” Aeric asked neutrally.
To my horror, tears filled my eyes.
Horror filled his as he realized I was about to start crying.
Before the tears even fell, I was caught up in his arms.
