Free Bad Boy's Kiss (Firemen in Love Book 2) by Amy Starling Page A

returned her attention to me. I couldn't help but gawk at her slightly rounded tummy. Pregnant women had always freaked me out, but this wasn't just any woman. Somehow, with Anna, it didn't bother me so much.
    “So, is this why you resisted when I put the moves on you? I wish you'd have just told me. After what you went through, man... It makes me feel like an asshole.”
    “Don't. I needed it.”
    My hard-on stiffened even more. That one was her fault, though.
    “I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I hope you can understand why.”
    “Yeah. I just thought... When I saw that email, I figured you already had a boyfriend or something.”
    She cocked her head. “What difference would that have made to you? I'm sure you would have pursued me anyway.”
    It shouldn't have made any. When it came to her, though, the thought of another man's hands on her made my skin crawl. I wasn't known for being possessive over girls – it was easy enough to find one anywhere I looked – but this time, the only person I wanted touching her was me.
    Luckily, I didn't have to answer her question. She started down the hill without me. I followed behind, trying in vain to make sense of these weird feelings.
    She paused at the bottom and gazed up at me. “Hey, you won't tell anyone about this, will you?”
    “Of course not. I ain't a gossip. But regardless, folks will find out on their own soon enough.”
    “What do you think I should do?”
    People rarely asked my advice because they didn't like to hear the truth. I told it like it was, being honest with them no matter how hard it might be to hear.
    If a girl squeezes into a too-tight pair of jeans then asks “Does this make my butt look fat?” Guess what I'm gonna say?
    Yep. No filter on my mouth whatsoever.
    “Well, let's see. Your folks live thousands of miles away, don't they? I imagine they don't come and visit real often.”
    She hung her head. “No. They're quite busy, and with my animals on the farm, leaving here to see them in San Diego's nearly impossible.”
    “Then you could carry the baby without them ever knowing it. Soon as the kid's born, give it up for adoption. They'll never have a clue you even gave birth.”
    Her eyes widened. “Give it up? To who?”
    “Hell, I don't know. Anybody who can give the kid a good home. Surely there's lots of people out there wanting to adopt.”
    “I don't know if I could handle that. Just.. giving away the child I carried in my body for nine months? I'd feel like the most horrible mother on the planet.”
    “There's nothing wrong with doing what has to be done, if you got a good reason for it.” We stopped just outside of the market entrance. “Or, y'know, there's a way to make the problem go away altogether.”
    “What way?”
    I had to stare at her for a while to see if she was kidding. She just stared back.
    “You could get rid of it.”
    She clutched her stomach. “Get rid of... it?”
    “An abortion. It's not too late, I don't think – not that I have any experience with such things. It'd be easy, and then no one would ever find out. Not anyone in town, and especially not your folks.”
    Her jaw clenched and her brow furrowed. Something wasn't right. Should have shut my mouth right then and there, but idiot me kept onward.
    “I mean, be honest. Do you really want to keep a baby from this guy? He has a secret family already he was hiding from you. He bailed on you, forcing you to deal on your own. If you have this child, it's just gonna be a reminder of him every day for the rest of your life.”
    She uttered a furious growl and pushed me back so hard, I nearly fell into the cactus on the roadside.
    “You're an asshole,” she sputtered. “Don't call me again. Don't come near me.”
    Oh, great. This was why I never bothered with women. They got so emotional over the craziest things. What did I do wrong this time?
    “I don't understand why you're so mad. It was just a suggestion, and a smart one too. You asked me what you