Pushing the test closer to her, I caught her eye. “What do you need me to do? Where do you need me to be?”
“I have to pee on the stick. But you can do the waiting patiently thing with me. I’m nervous.”
I swung my legs from the bed, and shuffled to the edge of the mattress, pulling her to me carefully. I held her face in between my hands and dropped my forehead against hers.
“I’ve never been so scared in all my fucking life.”
“Did you mean what you said last night? Old and gray?”
“You’ve got me until I’m a wrinkled silver fox, darlin’.”
“Then I’ll be right back.” Tipping her head, she pressed her lips against mine and reached for the box, pulling it against her chest as she slipped from my grip and rose to her feet. She took a moment to run her hands through my hair beforepadding to the bathroom, doing her best not to rush.
I didn’t release a breath until I watched her disappear inside the bathroom, but once she was out of sight, I planted my elbows on my knees and dropped my face into the palms of my hand.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Was I about to be a father?
Was this it?
Could I be what any child of Ayda’s would deserve?
Goosebumps trailed up my body from my toes to the back of my neck until they invaded my head and made me feel cold. Yet my heart beat harder and harder, a flood of warmth preparing to flow out to contradict it. There were so many emotions floating around, and I was worried about Ayda feeling disappointed if it turned out to be negative after all. But among the chaos of my thoughts and the mixed reactions of my body, one thing above all else stood out.
And I dragged my hands down my face, resting my fingertips on the edge of my open mouth as I realized what that one thing was.
I wanted this, too.
I wanted this to be real.
I wanted a son or daughter. I wanted a chance to prove I could do it. I wanted something to love from the very beginning, something that was mine, something that was both of us.
I wanted this so badly that I was scared I was about to be crushed with a negative.
I wanted a forever.
For her…
And for me.