Adam and Mimi waited. The pregnancy test rested on the sink. From where he sat on the edge of the tub, he asked, "How long does it take?"
"Five minutes."
He grumbled, "Five insanely long minutes."
"A second line will happen in the little square." She pointed at the first red line that was clearly visible. Mimi had made him stand in the hall while she'd peed on the stick.
He blinked and had to look again when he saw a second pink line form. "Like that one there." He stood up to see better.
She leaned forward, looking with him. "Yeah. That's it. The doctor confirmed the results. I can't tell you how many of these things I peed on before my appointment."
A wave of warmth swept through him. A son? A daughter? He reached over and took her hand. "Do you want to know the crazy thing?"
"What?"
"My grandfather knew how I felt about the traditional nuclear family and how jaded I was as a teen. He wanted to force my hand about getting married. The old man wanted me to have a family. It's why he set up the trust like he did. When he was dying, he tried to tell me not to miss out on the things that he had, like spending time with your children." He looked down into Mimi's tender, trusting face.
"What do you want to do, Mimi girl?"
"I want to have this baby."
He nodded. "Our bargain keeps getting more layered."
"Love is complicated."
Her use of the word startled him. "Is that what we are doing?"
She touched his cheek with a feathery fingertip. "I think so. It's what I'm doing."
"I'm going to fuck this up, Mimi."
"Probably." She leaned up and gently pulled his face down to hers. Her mouth was sweet, wild strawberries, and he kissed her. Fools that they were, the pizza grew cold. There was no way to curb the wanting of her. There was nothing to do but give into it. He lifted her up, startling a gasp out of her, and carried her to the bedroom.
He lay her down on the big bed and began unfastening his shirt.
"But Sarah?"
"Is with your family." He pulled his shirt off over his head and reached for his belt.
"Are you sure?"
He dropped his belt to the floor and sank a knee into the bed next to her hip. Adam lay his body on top of hers, crushing her into the mattress. He slid his thigh between her legs, settling against her.
She whispered, "Are you sure?"
He bent and kissed the curve of her neck up to the tender place behind her earlobe. A daisy earing danced against his jaw. "Do you want me to stop?"
She took a deep, steadying breath, ribs flaring under him, and whispered, "No."
He slid one hand down to her thigh and pushed up her dress. For now, she was his. In this moment, he could pretend that he was the kind of man who could have a family, who could be loved. He slid his hand under her and cupped her bottom over the lace of her underwear, underwear he had chosen for her. Her arms snaked around him, and she tangled her hands in his hair. Shifting restlessly under him, she parted her thighs wider. He wanted to be inside her, joined to her. Adam claimed her mouth, easing his weight to his elbow, giving her more room to breathe as he drew her thigh up along his hip.
"I should be slow with you." He whispered between kisses.
"But I don't want slow." Her hands stroked down his chest and belly, and he lifted back to give her room. Her fingers trembled as she unfastened his pants. His cock ached at her inadvertent touches. He pushed her pretty panties to the side and slid into her hot, wet body. A painful groan rattled through him. As he held still, she began to tremble under him. Her lovely, thick thighs wrapped around him. They moved together, riding the need and longing. She fit to him like a puzzle piece. She was everything he had thought he would never have.
***
They got home late. Mimi and he hadn't picked up his little sister until almost eleven. He didn't regret the time they had taken to make love. Mimi was getting ready for bed, and Adam swung into the kitchen to get a drink. Sarah was at the table, white as a ghost, with the divorce paperwork spread out on the table before her. "What is this?
