He looks at me. 揑 don抰 think they抣l have a dairy-free version.?
I almost smile. 揑 know.?
He drops the keys in the cupholder. 揙kay. I抣l be right back.?
I stare out at the passing cars as his door opens and shuts. Plastic crinkles as my foot brushes the bag in the footwell, taunting me. I抦 ninety-eight percent certain I抦 pregnant. Now that I have the tests, it seems silly to say anything until I know for sure. On the two percent chance I抦 not, it will complicate things between us unnecessarily. Complicate things more than the mess my confusing behavior has already caused.
Crew抯 return comes with the mouth-watering aroma of fried chicken. He hands me a container and sets a to-go cup in the cupholder. 揑 got it with maple butter. I hope that抯厰 He trails off when he realizes I抦 already devouring it. 搮okay.?
I don抰 know if it抯 because I抦 starving or because I抦 probably pregnant or because I抦 craving comfort food, but the fried chicken tastes like the best thing I抳e ever eaten. The coating is salty and crisp, and the maple butter is sweet and smoky. I inhale three pieces without breathing and then wash it down with a sip of chocolatey heaven.
揋ood??
I groan and he smiles.
The drive back to the penthouse is silent. Crew parks in the garage and we walk toward the elevator side by side. It feels like days since we left, not hours.
Once we抮e inside the elevator, I step forward to swipe the card for the penthouse. When I glance at Crew, he抯 looking down. I follow his gaze. The thin white plastic I抦 holding does nothing to hide the purple letters spelling out Pregnancy Test.
揧ou抮e pregnant??Crew抯 voice is quiet. Calm. Unreadable. I didn抰 expect excitement, but I expected some emotion. Instead, the question sounds like it was spoken by a robot. Smooth and unfeeling.
揑 don抰 know,?I reply. I overcompensate for his lack of emotion with some snark. 揟hat抯 what the test is for.?
揧ou think you抮e pregnant??
揥ell, I抦 not taking them for fun,?I snap. His fingers tighten around the car keys he抯 holding. I soften my tone, trying to act like apathy and rational questions were the response I was hoping for. 揗y period is late and I keep throwing up my breakfast. So yeah, I think I抦 pregnant.?
He releases a long exhale. 揥ow.?
That word lingers in the air between us for the rest of the ride up. The doors slide open, revealing the familiar entryway. I don抰 make it more than a few steps inside before he says my name. It抯 followed by a warm palm that wraps around my forearm and pulls me around to face him. All I can see is blue, his gaze is that intense.
揝carlett.?
揥hat??
He closes his eyes, then opens them, probably praying for patience. I know I抦 being short and unreasonable, but he doesn抰 get to be the one freaking out about this. I抦 the one whose body will change. 揧ou can抰 tell me you might be pregnant and walk off. That抯 not the way this marriage works.?
揌ow does it work then, Crew? If I am pregnant, what do you want me to do? Do you want me to wrap up a stick I peed on like a Christmas present? Wait and see if you notice in a few months? I made nice with all of your fans tonight and you抮e getting laid and I抣l probably be popping out an heir for you soon. What else do you want from me??
The line of his jaw turns taut. 揑 want you to take the test, Scarlett. And then show me what it says, so I don抰 spend all night wondering.?
I抦 in the mood for a fight, but he抯 being annoyingly easy-going all of a sudden. 揊ine.?I spin and stalk in the direction of our bedroom, the sharp corners of the boxes swinging against my legs with each step.
The plastic handle digs into my palm. I thought it would be a relief, Crew knowing. Thought it would save me the dilemma of telling him a definitive answer if he knew and asked. I didn抰 consider it would mean he抎 be here when I found out. That there would be no chance to absorb the news myself before seeing his reaction.
The thud of his footsteps stays a steady trail behind me as I reach the stairs and climb to the second floor. The bedroom door is slightly ajar. I push it all the way open, dropping the plastic bag on the floor before kicking my heels off by the chaise lounge and stretching my toes.
Best feeling ever.
My feet sink into the soft rug as I find the zipper of my dress and pull it down. Silk pools around my ankles.
Crew抯 footfalls have stopped. I can feel his eyes on me, sweeping my bare skin with silent awareness.
I walk over, barefoot, in my bra and thong. I grab one test from the floor before heading for the bathroom. When I turn to close the door, he抯 standing in the doorway.
揘o.?
He looks amused. 揑抳e seen you naked before, you know.?