Untamed Passion--A Surprise Pregnancy Romance

the aftermath, Sammi lay on her back, arms splayed, eyes on the ceiling as she sifted through her emotions. To her surprise she was steadier than she’d expected.
“Well, that went okay,” she said, retreating into a place of reflection.
With her pregnancy giving their connection a level of permanence she hadn’t planned for, she worried that the earth-shattering sex she was having with Oliver would leave her physically satisfied but emotionally hollow. She wasn’t sure she could embrace desire without getting caught up in the intense emotion that accompanied the pleasure.
“I think it was better than okay,” he pointed out, eyeing her. “In fact, I thought it was pretty freaking awesome.”
“Definitely okay.”
He rolled onto his side and propped his head on his hand, surveying her features without rancor. Hooking his fingers over her hip, he turned her to face him. “Is there something I missed?” A cocky grin tugged at the corners of his lips. “I know a lot of guys who are clueless when a woman is faking, but I think what you had was what’s known as a screaming—”
She pressed her fingers against his lips to stop his words. “I know what I had.”
“Then why aren’t you happy?”
“Who says I’m not?” In fact, she was too overwhelmed to let it all out.
“You aren’t giving me a satisfied-woman vibe right about now.”
She didn’t like the idea that he knew what that sort of vibe looked like. But he was wrong about her. She was satisfied. Just not comfortable enough to show him how much.
“I am satisfied.” Very satisfied. In fact, she wanted to start all over again with the kissing and sex talk. And ride his big beautiful body into the wee hours.
“But...” he prompted, amusement threading his voice.
“But there’s something else going on.” She paused. “I’m not sure you’ll be happy if I voice it.”
“Let me start,” he offered. “We’re attracted to each other.”
“And we’re having a baby, so that’s complicated.”
“I don’t know what happens next,” Oliver admitted, “but I’d like to keep doing more of this while we figure it out.”
But for how long?
She smiled. “I’d like that too.”
“So, move in with me.”
As tempting as it was to believe that this was a fairy tale come true, Sammi’s instincts warned her that it was all happening too fast and for the wrong reasons. She’d promised herself that for her baby she’d make the right choices. No matter how hard those decisions were, unless she embraced her needs and stuck to her values, she’d continue to drift through life instead of being in charge.
“It’s a big step,” she murmured. And one fraught with all sorts of pitfalls. “I need a little time to think about it.”
“Okay, I get it.”
And that was that. After a casual peck on her cheek, Oliver gathered her body against his. He nuzzled his face into her neck, and before long, his breathing deepened into sleep. Snuggled against his solid frame, Sammi stared at the ceiling and, for this moment only, let herself believe this was exactly where she needed to be.

Eight
Oliver headed across the river and entered New Jersey on his way to lunch with his brother Joshua. He had a lot on his mind. Foremost was the situation with Sammi and his impending fatherhood. Parenting was a lifelong commitment of the sort he’d never contemplated making. Oliver had no illusions about himself or his character. He was a selfish bastard, far more likely to take than to give and no one’s idea of a role model.
And as if all that wouldn’t work against him, his childhood lacked the sort of touching family moments for him to draw on for inspiration. Yet he’d decided to reach out to Josh. To share his news, hoping the soul-searching that Joshua had gone through with his own paternity claim might help Oliver put his fears into perspective.
Until recently the gossipmongers had assumed Josh was the father of a four-year-old girl. DNA results and an anonymous source had pointed the finger straight at Joshua. After an extensive search for the mother and child among his former lovers, Josh denied being the child’s father, a claim that Oliver took at face value. After all, Josh had been the one who’d taken on the role of hero by stepping up and pulling the family back from the brink of ruin.
Oliver was hoping that even though Josh hadn’t turned out to be the father, he could sympathize with the emotional roller coaster that Oliver was on right now. Or maybe Josh would call him out as a self-involved asshole, unfit to be a parent. And maybe that’s what Oliver was hoping to hear. Wouldn’t his brother’s criticism give him the perfect out? A sensible explanation for why he’d never push for partial custody. Sammi and the baby would be better off without him, right? She had enough drama in her life where her mother was concerned and didn’t need the added trouble of Oliver and the chaos currently barging into his world. Surely everyone would be better off if he offered only financial support.
Driving into the town of Falling Brook, Oliver was struck by a mixed bag of emotions. How many of these stately homes with their manicured lawns and luxury cars parked in their driveways concealed dysfunctional families? That everything appeared perfect didn’t mean it was. Look at all that went down with his family. From the outside looking in, no doubt everybody believed the Lowells had perfect lives. All the money they could ever spend. Attractive. Intelligent. Talented. Whatever any of them touched turned to gold. Fool’s gold, maybe. Because the entire family had been made a fool of by Vernon Lowell.
Oliver passed the local prep school, recalling the trouble he’d gotten into there and the teachers that had encouraged him. Shaped by both good and bad experiences, he’d been completely unprepared for the challenges he would face when he left.
Parking his car beside the restaurant where he’d agreed to meet Joshua, with a sick feeling in his