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He shakes his head at me and purses his lips. Sincerity shines in his eyes when he looks at me. “That’s what I came here to tell you. I should’ve believed you about the baby. I know better than to think you’d lie about that. I’m sorry for what I said.”
Wow, Ethan Anders apologizing not once, but several times on the same day and also committing to helping with the baby? I never thought I’d see the day.
“Are you sure? If you have doubts . . .”
“I don’t have doubts. I believe you. And I want to make things right between us.” His eyes narrow as he looks at me. “You look exhausted. Why don’t you sit down?”
“Is that your way of telling me I look like crap?”
He grins at me and begins arranging my small decorative pillows on the couch. “You’re beautiful as always, but you’ve had a long day, and I didn’t help the situation. Let me make it up to you.”
I’m hesitant to acknowledge how tired I’m feeling, yet the soft cushions beckon me.
As I get comfortable on the couch, Ethan gets me some water and scrounges in my fridge for a snack. He insists that I put my feet up and rest. My eyes follow him as he moves around, adjusting pillows and cleaning up dishes from the table. This domestic side is something I never thought I’d see from him.
And who’d have ever thought I’d find domesticity attractive in a man? Yet, he looks more attractive to me than ever. I would’ve thought eight months wouldn’t make much difference in his appearance, but I could swear his body got leaner, stronger, and more toned. And when he flashes his blue eyes at me, I swear they got bluer.
It should be a sin how good this man looks.
Grrrr. That kind of thinking is what got me in the trouble I’m in. I need to remember that.
What I need is someone dependable, caring, compassionate; someone who respects and loves me. Ethan is capable of those qualities, but he’ll never open himself up in that way.
Ethan and I are going to raise this baby, but love and romance aren’t going to be a part of the bargain. We will co-parent, and maybe we’ll go back to being friends. I won’t hope or wish for anything more than that.
“Why don’t you come sit with me?” I suggest to him, patting the spot beside me.
He flashes a smile at me. “Actually, I was just thinking about dinner. Did the doctor give you some ideas of what you can eat to control your blood sugar? I think we should hire a cook and a nutritionist. That way, you don’t have to worry about food.”
“That’s unnecessary, Ethan. I could put that money to better use. I still need a lot of things for the baby.”
“Liz, look at me. I’m providing everything you need for the baby. I’m providing the nutritionist.”
“You can help with the costs for the baby, but you’re not paying for everything. I have a job. I make enough money to provide for my baby.”
“It’s our baby, not yours. You’re doing the hard job and growing the little one. The cook and the nutritionist are just for my peace of mind. Please, I don’t want any more hospital visits. Better yet, I already have a cook at my place. Why don’t you just stay with me for a few months?”
My eyebrows raise in surprise. That’s not an offer I expected. It’s also not an offer I’d ever accept. Having Ethan with me all the time—nope. We’re already going to be spending enough time together as it is.
“No, that’s not a good solution.”
“Sure it is,” he responds quickly. “I’m sure the cook can adjust to your needs. It just makes sense. Not just because of that, but let’s think about the stairs to get to your apartment. Three flights! Even I get winded climbing your stairs. How are you going to navigate that in another month? Or what if you get dizzy? It’s dangerous.”
He’s really heating up to his idea. I almost hate to burst his bubble.
“I appreciate the offer, but I need my own place and space. I can’t move in with you.”
He looks like he wants to keep insisting. He opens his mouth to respond but then quickly closes it. For the sake of the peace we just struck, I hope he lets it drop.
He gets a sly look on his face, and I wonder what he’s up to. “Tell you what. I won’t say another word about you moving in if you allow me to hire a cook and a nutritionist to come to your place.”
If the big smile on his face is any indication, he thinks he’s won this round.
I sigh loudly. “Fine. I agree to having the nutritionist, but I’m cooking for myself.”
“No deal,” he says quickly. “It’s both, or I’ll hire a moving van to come get all of your things tomorrow while you’re at work.”
It’s almost criminal how cute he looks right now with his cocky grin. I should be pissed off that he’s trying to back me into a corner. But when he looks at me like that, I kind of forget I’m being manipulated.
