He stepped aside automatically, letting her into his office. The second the door shut behind her, the room suddenly felt too small, too warm, and too fucking tense. Dani stayed standing near the door—Jonnas noticed everything immediately. The dark circles under her eyes, the oversized cardigan swallowing her tiny frame, and the way one of her hands rested protectively over her stomach without her seeming to realize she was doing it. Jesus Christ. That gesture did something to him—something dangerous.
“You got the results,” he said carefully. She nodded. “And?”
Her fingers tightened around the envelope, and Jonnas realized he was holding his breath. “You were right,” she said quietly. His stomach dropped straight to the floor.
“Right about what?” he asked. He wasn’t sure what she was referring to. Was he right about her lying? Or about him not being the father? He was surprised that both relief and disappointment twisted together so violently inside him that he couldn’t separate the two.
“Dani—” he started.
“The baby is yours,” she whispered. Everything stopped around him. Every sound, every thought, every goddamn thing. Jonnas just stared at her. The baby is yours. He was going to be somebody’s father. A strange rush slammed into his chest so hard it almost hurt—fear, panic, and even possessiveness. Mine. The thought came out of nowhere and nearly knocked him on his ass. Dani must’ve seen something shift in his expression because she swallowed hard and looked away from him.
“I told you the truth.” Guilt hit him like a punch to the throat.
“Dani—” he breathed.
“No.” Her voice cracked slightly. “No, you don’t get to smooth this over because a piece of paper proved I wasn’t lying. You humiliated me.” He flinched. “You looked at me like I was some stupid little girl trying to baby-trap you.”
“I never said that,” he insisted.
“You didn’t have to.” The disappointment in her voice was worse than if she’d screamed at him.
Jonnas dragged a hand through his hair. “I was blindsided.”
“So was I!” she snapped. Silence crashed between them. Her breathing was shaky now. “I found out I was pregnant and completely alone,” she whispered. “I spent weeks terrified before I even worked up the courage to tell you.” Tears filled her eyes, making his chest tighten painfully. “And then you looked at me like I disgusted you.”
“I did not—” he said.
“You asked if I was sleeping around,” she reminded. He closed his eyes briefly because, yeah, he had done that, and hearing it back now made him sound exactly like the asshole he’d been. When he looked at her again, she looked wrecked, and somehow still standing there trying to hold herself together while carrying his child. Something deep in his chest shifted hard. He felt protective—dangerously protective of not only the baby, but of her, too.
He moved closer slowly, careful not to crowd her. “Look at me, baby girl.” The second the word slipped out, both of them froze, and Dani’s eyes widened slightly. Jonnas felt the mistake instantly—but strangely, he didn’t regret it.
Her breathing changed, just slightly, but enough that he noticed because he noticed everything about her now. “I shouldn’t have questioned you,” he said quietly. “I should’ve handled this differently.”
“You think?” she whispered.
“Yes.” His voice roughened. “I do.” She stared at him for a long moment like she was trying to decide whether or not to believe him.
“I’ve never done this before,” he admitted.
A watery laugh escaped her. “You’ve never gotten someone pregnant before?”
“No.” He paused. “I’ve never mattered to someone this much before.” That clearly caught her off guard. Hell, it caught him off guard, too, because the truth was sitting heavy in his chest now. This wasn’t some fling anymore. This wasn’t a one-night stand. This woman was carrying his child, and suddenly, nothing about Dani Hart felt temporary.
“You said you wouldn’t walk away,” she whispered. Jonnas stepped even closer to her—close enough to smell her perfume. And close enough to see the fear she was trying to hide.
“I meant it,” he said.
“You barely know me,” she reminded.
“Then I’ll fix that,” Jonnas promised. Her lips parted slightly. “I’m not disappearing, Dani.” His voice lowered. He sounded steadier now, even though he felt anything but. “You’re carrying my baby. That makes you mine to take care of.” The second the words left his mouth, heat flooded her cheeks. There it was again—that shift between them. It was something deeper than attraction—something heavier. Jonnas saw the way her thighs pressed together subtly, and realization hit him fast enough to make his pulse jump. Fuck. He remembered now. He didn’t remember everything from that night, but he knew enough. Like the way that she melted when he took control, and the way she’d looked up at him with those big eyes while he told her exactly what to do. But he especially remembered the way she’d trembled when he praised her.
His cock twitched painfully behind his zipper, and Dani seemed to notice. The tension in the room thickened instantly. “You can’t just say things like that,” she whispered.
“Like what?” he asked.
“That I’m yours,” she whispered.
His eyes darkened. “Did it upset you when I said it?” She didn’t answer, and that was answer enough. Jonnas took another step forward until she was backed lightly against the door.