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He gave a half smile. “We were in the middle of a chess game, and it was your move. I’m a completer finisher.”
Despite everything, it made her smile. “You came all this way for me to beat you?”
“What can I say? I’m also a masochist.”
Her smile faded. “I was rude.”
“No.” He walked across to her but kept his hands in his pockets. He didn’t hug her or touch her. “I don’t know what possessed me to fly here without calling first. I’m not normally so impulsive. Or insensitive.”
“Posy possessed you. She suggested it.”
He shook his head. “Don’t blame her. I was the one who acted on the suggestion.”
“You told her about the pizza and the dancing.”
He rubbed his fingers across his forehead. “She answered the phone. I assumed it was you because I’ve never known you to be separated from your phone. I was halfway through the conversation before I realized it wasn’t you on the other end. It’s my fault, not hers. And I should have asked you before I flew over here, but I was afraid that if I called you, you’d stop me and I badly wanted to see you.”
“Why?”
“Because I missed you.” This time he did touch her, but gently. Tentatively. He smoothed her hair back from her face and studied her. “Have you been crying? Dammit, Hannah!” He let his hands drop and stepped back. “I’ve never seen you cry. I don’t ever want to make you cry.”
“I’m not crying.”
“Don’t lie to me. I’ll leave, right now. Just promise me you’ll stop crying.”
She’d never seen him so unsure of himself. “I don’t want that.”
What did she want? She had no idea.
This was the perfect time to tell him she was pregnant.
But how should she say it?
She’d planned on doing some research on how best to tell a man he was going to be a father. In her head was a complicated playbook full of different alternatives. What she’d do if he freaked out, if he wanted nothing more to do with her, if he happened to think it was the best news ever—
She hadn’t planned on him showing up here unannounced before she’d firmed up her strategy.
“Don’t leave.” She’d take it a stage at a time. If he wasn’t leaving right away, then there was no hurry.
“Are you sure?” He stood still, not taking a step toward her. “I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
“I want you to stay.”
This time he did step forward and he pulled her into his arms. He kissed her, hugged her tightly and then glanced around the room, his gaze settling on the Christmas tree. “This is a great room. I like the tree.”
“That’s Eric,” Hannah said. “Posy named it. My sister names everything, from pigs to chickens to Christmas trees.”
Adam tensed. “Eric? The tree is called Eric?”
She nodded and he swore under his breath.
“She told me you were doing fine because you had Eric. I thought—I assumed Eric was a man.”
Hannah gaped at him. “That’s why you flew all the way here?”
“It played a part.” There was a livid flush across his cheekbones. “Embarrassed though I am to admit it, I may have been a teeny bit jealous. Of a fir tree. If it’s all right with you, I’d rather that didn’t leave this room.”
She couldn’t help it. She started to laugh. “Oh, Adam—”
