Page 32 of Lick

“I’m staying.”

“Help yourself then. Tea and coffee are in that cupboard.” I point to the one above his head.

“Mugs are in the one next to your legs.”

“Go sit down. I’ve got this.”

I head to the living room and sigh at the mess. I clean up a little and crack the window open to let the air in. I take a seat on the sofa just as Lick walks in.

He scans the room and frowns. “Did you tidy up?”

I flush and take a sip of my tea.

“Jesus, Emma, the doc said to take it easy.”

“I hardly ran a marathon. I just picked up a little.”

“Still—”

“I’m not planning on overdoing it, but I can’t stop doing everything. I still have to live. I have to work and clean and shop and all the other menial tasks we humans have to do to survive.”

“About that…”

I turn to look at him.

“Let me help.”

“Help how?” I ask warily, not needing another man in my life to suddenly take over and start calling the shots.

“Well, for a start, you can let me get someone to do your shopping for you. That’s one thing less for you to worry about, and I’d feel better knowing I’m taking care of you both.”

It’s the last part that has the protest dying on my tongue.

“How are you coping with the news? If it was a shock to me and I pretty much had my head in the sand about it for weeks, then hell knows what it must have been like for you.”

He reaches over and picks up a lock of my hair that’s fallen free from my messy ponytail. “Like I said, and I know this makes me sound like a dick, but this wasn’t the first time a woman said I got her pregnant. If I’m honest, I shrugged it off until I realized the woman in question was you.”

“Why would I make any difference?”

“You’re the most genuine woman I’ve met. I know we never promised each other anything beyond that night, but if I had to choose anyone to do this with, it would be you. And I know that’s fucked-up, given that this is likely the last thing you want.”

“I can’t say I was jumping for joy. I’ve mostly been veering from fear to reluctant acceptance, at least until puking became my whole identity. I’m honestly surprised I have any internal organs left.”

“If I’d have known…” His voice drifts off. He could have known if his manager and father hadn’t been such dicks. I won’t hold it against him, though, even though I’m angry. He wasn’t the one to act like a shitty human. In fact, he stepped up the second he heard it was me.

“None of that really matters now. I think we have enough to sort out without worrying about things that have already happened.”

“Thank you. Not sure I’d be so gracious if the circumstances were round the other way.”

“I’ll bear that in mind if you fall pregnant,” I tease, making him laugh.

“Smartass. So how about this? You take a soak in the tub, and I’ll sort some food out. Even if you can’t eat it now, you can have it later.”

“Alright. Do I take the anti-sickness pills with food or before it?”

“I’ll go look and find out. I left them on the kitchen counter. Now take your tea and go and relax. You do know how to do that, right?”

I roll my eyes. “Now who’s being a smart ass?”