I smother my scowl.
Yet, he wasn’t wrong when he said that. Leo saw—and licked and kissed and touched—pretty much every part of me.
But there’s something about him being here in this moment that feels beyond vulnerable.
Yeah, genius, I think. Because he hurt you.
He did.
I exhale, focus back on Dr. Harlow as she picks up the ultrasound wand, squirting some lube on the top.
“I know you’ve had one of these before, but I’ll talk you through each step, okay?”
I nod.
She brings the wand under the drape, positions it against me. “You’ll feel a little pressure?—”
Leo chokes and we both freeze, glance over.
I lift my brows in question.
He looks from me to Dr. Harlow. “That thing is going inside her?”
She chuckles and I smother a giggle. Men. I swear.
“I’ll be gentle,” Dr. Harlow says solemnly. “I promise.”
Leo’s gone pale, worry creeping into the edges of his expression. Then he shifts his focus back to me, question in his eyes.
Checking in to make sure I’m good.
My damned dumb heart squeezes again.
First the candy, and now this? I don’t know what to do with that, with the glimpses he keeps giving me of the Leo from that night.
Is he that Leo? The sweet, thoughtful, caring one? Or is he the one who stomped on my heart without a single regret?
“I’m okay,” I find myself murmuring.
“Swear?”
“Swear,” I whisper.
He nods, and though he’s clearly still nervous, he doesn’t comment further, just keeps his eyes deliberately on mine, as though searching my face for the barest hint of discomfort.
But even though the wand isn’t exactly fun, it doesn’t hurt.
“Okay?” Dr. Harlow asks once it’s positioned.
“Yes,” I say and she reaches forward, presses some buttons on the machine and?—
All of my breath flows out of me.
“There’s your baby,” she murmurs softly, as though she knows exactly how beautiful this moment is.
And it is.
She points to the bean-shaped blob on the screen. “Right there in the center is its heartbeat.”
