“Hungry?” he teased.

  “All the time,” I said.

  “Let’s eat then. Are we eating in or out?”

  “Let’s go out.”

  “Just tell me where to go.”

  “I thought we could go to the brewery and burger place nearby. They have great food, and we can walk.”

  “Ah, I've gotten beer from here although I've never eaten there. How's the food?”

  “Excellent. They have a good variety from basic pub stuff to fancier things. Since I didn't know what you liked, I figured that would give us options.”

  “I am a fan of options,” he replied with a grin.

  As we walked out of my building, he rested his hand on my lower back, gesturing me through the door. I didn't want his touch to leave.

  He stopped on the sidewalk, glancing down. “How are you?”

  I looked up, puzzled. “Good,” I said slowly.

  “How are you with this? I should say.”

  My heart started to beat faster, my body’s response tangling within the fact that it couldn't forget that night with him. It didn’t help that he was so damned sexy. Oh. My. God. Just looking up into his dark eyes sent heat rushing through me.

  “By this, you mean having dinner?”

  “This meaning having dinner, meaning we had a hot night, and now you're having a baby.”

  “Um, it’s a lot, but I think it’s good.” My belly spun in flips.

  His eyes searched mine. “I'm going to kiss you,” he said, his voice low and deliberate.

  I felt breathless as I nodded. Then his hand was sliding into my hair. It felt as if he was going slow, almost as if to give me a chance to say no. I couldn't, and I didn't want to. I knew what Chase’s kisses were like, and they were toe-curling and meltingly good.

  The second his lips brushed over mine, my entire body sizzled with anticipation. I felt the press of his fingers against the back of my scalp and his thumb brushing along the side of my neck. I let out something like a gasp just before he fit his mouth over mine, his tongue sweeping in. Once again, I forgot everything, just as I had the night we made a baby, the very baby I was now carrying.

  By the time he broke away, I was breathless and feeling hot, needy, and restless. I had one arm clutched around his waist and the other clinging to his shoulder as I stared up at him. He held me fast against him.

  His fingers loosened in my hair, and his hand slid down, his thumb brushing along the side of my jaw. “Fuck, Hallie,” he murmured.

  “What?” I rasped.

  “You make me crazy.”

  “I know the feeling,” I managed to tease in return. I laughed a little, almost in shock, almost in awe, and tied up with a need that only he could unravel.

  Chapter Eleven

  Chase

  Hallie cleared her throat and looked over at me before pushing her glasses up on her nose. I loved her glasses. She was beautiful in a quiet way, the kind of woman who didn't draw too much attention.

  All I had to do was look into her eyes, the swirl of green and gold, let my eyes trail over the freckles dusting her cheeks and the way her hair caught glimmers of light, and my heart pounded harder. Her lips were a little fuller on the bottom and a hint of lopsided. I loved how whenever she smiled, it started on one corner and spread to the next with a subtle dimple. So much of her was subtle. The more time I spent with her, the more I noticed new details. Yet I couldn't forget our night together, which had been anything but subtle. That night with her had been like trying to hold a living flame in my arms.

  There was a boldness to her that I sensed she rarely showed. “What did you want that night?” I surprised myself by asking.

  She blinked, and that very smile spread from one corner to the other. My cells tightened in anticipation—not for her answer, although I did want to know the answer—but for what might happen, hopefully sometime in our future.

  “Like I told you, it's a fluke that I got pregnant. Not impossible.”

  “Clearly not,” I interjected dryly.

  “I think I told you this, but I had just left an appointment with my doctor. I was supposed to schedule surgery. That same day, an ex who I'm friends with—” She paused, adding, “He's married.”

  “Does that matter?” I prompted.

  “No. We’ve been best friends since middle school. We tried to date. We joke that I was the one who helped him figure out he preferred men.”

  “How is that?”

  “Well, we were friends. He figured if he would fall for anybody, it would be me. But nothing. We tried kissing once.” She rolled her eyes. “We couldn’t even go through it. For me, it felt like I was about to kiss my brother. Anyway, he and his husband are having a baby via surrogate, and she's already pregnant.”

  “That's great, right?”

  “Yes, of course. It is great. I know this might sound selfish and weird, but it was hard to realize I didn’t think I could have a baby and wonder why it was so easy for someone else. Or that's what I thought.” She paused, her lips pressing together as she shook her head. “It just feels really selfish. But anyway, I heard that news within a day of learning that I probably needed to make this decision.”

  “But you got pregnant,” I couldn't help but interject.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t know that might happen, and the chances were incredibly slim. Even this pregnancy won’t change the state of my reproductive organs. It's a mess in there.”

  “Really? I admit I don’t understand all of it.”

  She nodded. “I've already had surgery twice. I have stage four endometriosis. To make a long story short, I was in a weird mood, and I was feeling reckless. I just decided I was going to do something crazy.”

  “Having a one-night stand with me is crazy?” I prompted lightly.

  Pink bloomed on her cheeks. She smiled slightly again, fiddling with a bracelet on her wrist. “For me, yes. Not that you're crazy, but just I'm not usually that reckless. Look where it got me. We were careful. I’ve definitely learned nothing is 100 percent.”

  “So I recall from sex ed in high school,” I quipped with a somber nod and a wink.

  Hallie burst out laughing when a server arrived to take our order.

  “What can I get you two to drink?” the server asked.

  “No, thanks. Just water for me,” Hallie said.

  “I'll stick with water too.” Normally, I would get a beer, but Hallie couldn't drink.

  The server told us he'd be back with those and left the specials menu with us. As soon as he was out of earshot, she looked over at me. “You can have a beer, you know.”

  “I know. Solidarity, you know?”

  “Chase, you hardly know me.”

  “Hmm, I might argue the point on that,” I teased.

  Her blush deepened, and she rolled her eyes.

  We moved on to lighter topics. Among other things, she offered to send me a link to her website so I could see her photography. She shared she'd gotten a few lucky breaks.

  “You have to be good enough to take advantage of a lucky break, though,” I commented.

  The moment I said that, my heart twisted a little. That was something my dad said all the time. He would always be my dad in every way that mattered, but it still stung that I hadn’t known until recently that he wasn't, biologically speaking, my father. Now was not the time to dwell on that.

  “True, but you know what I mean?” she insisted.

  “I get it. I do.”

  “So how'd you become a firefighter?”

  “I love doing stuff outdoors, simple as that. I did some volunteer work at the fire station in high school. I loved it, so I got a job there cleaning the place when I was younger. I kept doing that during summers while I was in college. After that, I got trained and took a job as a hotshot firefighter. I freaking love it.”

  “I bet it's thrilling,” she offered.

  I smiled over at her. “Thrilling is the way to put it. Some might say risky.”

  “It's hard for something to be thrilling if it's not risky,” she said matter-of-factly.

  “True.”

  “How often do you travel during the winter?”

  “Not as much, unless we're called out of state, which we are on occasion. Three hotshot crews, plus the town crew, are based in Willow Brook, and we rotate the calls in Alaska. Unfortunately, Alaska is a hot spot, no pun intended, for fires in the wilderness.”

  She nodded. “So you stay busy then?”

  “Yeah, usually we travel for three-week stints. You can only stay out for so long without needing a break physically.” I paused, considering something. “Are you worried I won't be around much for the baby?”

  She quickly shook her head. “This is Alaska, Chase. Lots of people travel for work here. It’s not that unusual.”

  A tension I hadn't even noticed spun inside. I’d only had a short time to adjust to the fact that I was going to be a father. Since learning the news, I hadn't dwelled much on my job, so I was profoundly relieved to discover Hallie was practical.

  She carried a sweetness, a softness undergirded by simple practicality.

  “I'm glad you found me that night.”

  She stared at me for a long moment before cocking her head to the side. “Are you really?”

  I nodded slowly but definitively. “Yes, I told you I wanted to find you after that night. But we had an agreement, and it didn't involve me looking for you.”

  “Yeah, but I'm pregnant. I don't think that was part of our plans.”

  I shrugged, adding quickly, “I'm not making light of it, but lots of things happen in life that aren't planned. It was a really good night. Unforgettable.”

  We stared at each other, and I could feel the electricity humming in the air, snapping and crackling.

  Hallie took a quick breath and nodded.

  “What if you didn't find me?” I had wondered about that a few times.

  “I don't know. I would’ve asked my brother to track you down.”

  “The police chief?”

  She nodded. “Lots of children don't know both of their parents, but I felt like it was my responsibility to try to find you.”

  I thought about my sister’s comments about my half siblings who wanted to get to know me.

  “Are you really comfortable having me come to your doctor's appointment?”

  She laughed softly. “Doctor's appointments are kind of boring and personal.”

  “I don't have to come in the room.”

  “It’s fine. I mean…” Her cheeks tinged with pink. “I don't—” she began and then paused. “I don't know how to do this.”

  “We’re going to have to figure it out on the fly. We don't really have any choice.”

  “No, I suppose not.”

  We fell quiet when the server arrived to bring our check. After he left, Hallie looked up.

  “Thank you,” she said softly.

  “For what?” I slipped my credit card out.

  She reached for her purse. “I'll pay half.”

  “I'll get it tonight. You can get it next time if you insist.”

  “Okay.”

  “But what are you thanking me for?”

  “You could have been mad when I came to find you and told you what happened. You might not want to have a baby, but you're being a really good sport about it.”

  “Look, I'm mature enough to know birth control isn’t a guarantee. I also believe in being accountable. That's not the only reason I'm trying to be there for you, though. I'm really grateful you found me.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Chase

  I tried to tell myself I needed to take things slow with Hallie, but my body wasn't having it. The entire time I sat through dinner with her, I felt tied up in knots. Need thrummed through me, making me restless.

  My thoughts were hazed by the time we left. Moments later, we were standing outside the door to her apartment. She peered up at me, her eyes searching mine. “Would you like to come in?”

  Hell. Fucking. Yes, I thought. In action, I simply nodded, and we walked into her apartment. She glanced around, commenting, “I wish I could have a pet here.”

  She turned to face me. “I have a dog.”

  “You do?”

  At my nod, her eyes lit up. “Jasper. He’s good company.”

  She slipped out of her jacket and hung it up on the coat rack by the door, and I followed suit. Moments later, we were sitting on her small couch, which was the kind that pulled you right into its comfort with plenty of cushions.

  Hallie curled her knees up, tucking her feet under her hips and asking, “What happens to your dog when you go out in the backcountry?”

  “My dad takes care of him.”

  My mind suddenly conjured the image of Hallie at my house, our house, and my dog Jasper there with her and our baby. Fuck. I was getting way ahead of myself here.

  “So do you live in town in Willow Brook?” she asked, oblivious to my domestic train of thought.

  “A few minutes outside of town. I’m staying in a small house on some property I bought a few years back. I'm building a bigger place, but it’s not done yet.”

  “Oh, that's awesome. When will it be done?”

  I let out a sigh. “When I have enough time to finish it.”

  Hallie smiled. “There's never enough time.”

  “Never.”

  We looked at each other quietly, and it felt as if electricity was sparking in the air around us. The couch was small. It didn't take much for me to lean a little closer and dip my head. Palming her cheek, I murmured, “I want to kiss you.”

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  I waited for a beat, and I saw a flash of the fiery and bold woman I'd spent that one night with.

  She pressed her palm lightly on my chest before sliding it up around my neck and tugging me down. One blazing second burned to the next as we kissed while sensations bombarded me—the feel of her lips warm and soft under mine, the glide of her teasing tongue, the sweet hitch of her breath in her throat, and the soft press of her curves against me when she shimmied closer. She felt both familiar and new. Even though that night was seared into my cellular memory, it was just one night. It almost felt like a mirage because of the boundaries we placed around it.

  Our mouths broke apart, and we held fast to each other. I stared into the swirl of her eyes, trying to catch my breath, trying to slow the rush of need coursing through me. I took a steadying breath, and Hallie followed suit.

  After a moment she asked, “What do you want, Chase?”

  “You,” I said bluntly.

  I closed my eyes and took another breath, scrambling for control inside. When I opened them again, her lashes lifted to meet my gaze. “I told myself I wasn't going to rush this.”

  “We skipped a lot of steps,” she whispered.

  “That's one way to put it,” I offered dryly.

  “What if—” She paused, shaking her head quickly.

  “What if, what?” I pressed.

  “I don't know the best way to do this, but I know the only thing we can do is be honest. Obviously, we have chemistry.”

  A wry laugh rustled in my throat. “That's one way to put it,” I repeated.

  “But we're having a baby together. What if things get weird?” She paused. “I know I'm the one who insisted on no last names, no phone numbers, and just one night, but I don't want to have a casual relationship and have a baby together. That's confusing. I'm not saying you have to marry me and declare your undying forever love.”

  “I don't want a casual relationship either.”

  “How do you know?”

  I shrugged. “I don't. I just know we had that one night, and I couldn't forget you. Even if it's startling that you're pregnant and we're doing this together, I wanted to see you again. And it wasn't just because I wanted only another night.” Her lips quirked at the corners. “I liked you that night, and now I like you more.”

  She held up a hand. “We had one night together.” Her thumb rose. “And then I came to tell you I was pregnant.” She lifted her index finger. “Now we've had dinner together.” She was holding three fingers up. “How do you know you want it to be something more? That doesn't seem like much of a foundation.”

  “I know, I know. I'm not crazy. I'm not going to try to pretend I know this will be easy. But I like you, and my gut tells me we should see where this goes. It's not going to be any easier to figure it out later. You’re having a baby. If it seems like it's not going to work out, maybe it's better if we figure that out before the baby comes along, and we can find our way into a friendly co-parenting situation,” I explained, those last words feeling funny in my mouth.

  Hallie giggled. “Co-parenting is such a weird word.”

  “I suppose. There are married people who thought they were going to make it last forever when they had kids, and then they have nasty divorces. I can promise you this: I'm not an asshole. If we try a relationship and it doesn’t work out, I'm a reasonable guy. I promise you. You can ask anybody who knows me. I'm not some jerk, and I trust that you're not either.”

  “You do?” She sounded doubtful.

  “Yeah. I mean, hell, you're friends with your ex. That's always a good sign.”

  “Have you ever had a serious relationship?” she asked.

  “Not since high school. I had a girlfriend then. We were ‘going together,’” I said, complete with air quotes.

  Hallie's lips teased with another smile. She waited for me to elaborate.

  “We broke up because she moved out of town. High school is what it is. I sure thought it was going to last forever at the time, though,” I offered. “Since then, I guess I just haven't settled into anything. In college, I dated here and there and had a lot of fun, but since college, I work a lot. My job doesn't lend itself to meeting someone easily. What about you?”

  She shook her head quickly. “No, I also had a high school boyfriend. We both went to college in different places and grew apart. Then I had a boyfriend in college.” Something dark flickered in her eyes, but it disappeared quickly. “Honestly, my friend who's having the baby with his husband, we barely dated. It's just we were close friends, so we tried to date, and it didn't work out. Probably because he’s into guys, and he felt like my brother.” She rolled her eyes at that.