Breathe Again Read Online Free Page A

This was happening for real. Yes, she’d wanted this to happen—three freakin’ months ago, when there was a chance for her marriage. Not now.
    “Do you want to do the scan now or wait for Doctor Delaney?” he asked.
    Skylar looked around for a small throw-able object. Was this doctor the only one around unaware of the dynamics between her and Nick?
    Sensing her mood, the doctor was quick to make his exit.
    She leaned back on the bed of the empty consult room as she contemplated her next steps.
    Step one: Get the hell out of dodge before Nick finds out.
    Step two: Quit wasting time and complete step one.
    After a soft knock on the door, Nick walked in. Skylar’s shoulders slumped.
    Step three: You’re an ass for being such a bad planner.
    “You look tired.” He came to sit beside her and handed her a cup of coffee. “I was thinking about the tension between us, and it’s not good for us or the team. I think I should move out of the house. What do you think?”
    She stared at Nick, who looked as perky as an ex-Marine with issues could look. He knew, and he was testing her. That was the only explanation she could come up with.
    His eyebrows came together as he frowned. “You look a little pale. Did that doctor get your results back?” He moved his hand toward her head, and she ducked, causing him to look at her with concern.
    “I am sorry about the other day. I really am. I think having any kind of relationship, even if it’s only a physical one, can get messy, and I respect you too much for that.”
    She sighed. He didn’t know. If he did, he would tell her.
    Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
    “It’s not like you to be this quiet,” he prompted.
    She swallowed her guilt. Maybe she could get away with not telling him. If he moved out, he wouldn’t notice her being pregnant. Then he’d be gone on tour, and he wouldn’t need to know.
    “Everybody seems to be asking me strange questions and talking about babies a lot. You don’t know what that’s about, do you?” He sipped his coffee and let out a sigh.
    “Grapevine,” she said.
    He nodded as if he understood before turning to her.
    “I’m pregnant.”
    Skye watched him for a reaction. There wasn’t any. He sat there, looking at her, as though he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. Maybe he hadn’t heard. Maybe he didn’t want to hear. She wasn’t sure, and she sure as hell was too scared to ask. She looked away, trying to remember their life together. What she’d done was stupid. She knew that, but it was too late to do anything about it.
     “It’s not possible, right?” he asked after an endless moment.
    They’d discussed babies briefly, and his stance was always no. He used to say he didn’t need to become a father to prove his incompetence. He pressed down on the small round scar on his hand. She watched him and wondered why he never wanted to discuss his life before or during the Marine Corps.
    His gaze hardened as he clenched his jaw shut. “How could this have happened?”
    “I—”
    She looked down at her hands, linking her fingers together. Tell him the truth. Tell him you didn’t mean to . The tears burned her eyes, fell. She rubbed at the wetness on her cheeks.
    He curled his hands into fists. She was too scared to take his hands in hers. Too scared to touch him.
     “We weren’t a happy couple. I know the last thing we should be doing is having a baby.” She didn’t meet his gaze.
     “No.” The word might have been a lot harsher than he’d meant it to be. “I’m sorry.”
     “So how did we end up pregnant when we took every precaution?” he asked.
     She avoided his gaze. She’d tell him. Just not now. She couldn’t handle having to tell him now. The accusation. He wouldn’t shout. He’d go silent. It was worse than shouting. She’d prefer to have a ripping argument, but the silence— “I know you never wanted to be a father.”
    He shook his head. “It was a deal-breaker when we married. You know how I feel.