Page 40 of Tangled Desires

“The sonographer will be with you shortly. You can go ahead and get ready—lie down on the bed, lift your shirt over your belly, and lower your pants just a bit at the waistband.”

Harrison shoves a hand into his pocket, smirking. “You didn’t tell me there’d be a strip show.”

“God, you’re impossible,” I mutter, already yanking my shirt up.

He drops into the chair beside the bed. “Is the sonographer a woman? I hope she is.”

I scowl at him, tugging my pants down just enough. “Relax, you neanderthal, or they’ll kick you out.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he mutters under his breath, settling deeper into his seat, arms crossed.

The door swings open, and a cheery woman walks in. Harrison’s shoulders drop immediately. Lame. He’s always more fun when he’s worked up. “Hi, Imogen. I’m Kasey,” she says brightly, turning to Harrison. “You must be Dad.”

Harrison smirks, sitting up straighter. “Mhm. Uh, that’s me.”

Kasey rolls the machine closer. “Alrighty, let’s take a look at that baby. Ready?”

The gel touches my stomach, and I brace for the chill—but it’s warm, catching me off guard. Before I can process that, Harrison’s hand slides over mine, steady and sure. I don’t expect it, and the weight of it steadies me—I hadn’t realised it was shaking until it stops. The screen flickers, and a small, fuzzy bean-like shape fills it. The sonographer smiles, her voice soft.

“Ah, there’s your little baby.”

I blink, my throat tightening. Harrison leans in, his face closer to the screen than mine, his focus unshakable. She presses afew buttons, shifts the wand slightly, and then—it happens. The room fills with the sound of a heartbeat. Our baby’s heartbeat.

It’s steady, strong, and impossibly real.

Harrison’s hand squeezes mine, and his eyes widen. That cocky grin of his? Gone. What’s left is something raw, almost vulnerable, and it punches straight through me. For once, he’s not just Harrison Price, the annoying, smirking bastard. Sitting there, completely floored, he’s just Dad.

The father of my child.

This is hisfirst time,too. His first real moment of grasping what’s happening. The way his hand tightens around mine, the tension in his jaw—it hits me. He’s just as terrified as I am. Maybe even more. It’s weirdly unsettling but also grounding. We’re both stumbling through the same unknown.

“Look at that,” Kasey says, pointing to the screen. “There’s the head, the little hands...”

Harrison leans in, squinting. “That’s the head? No way. It’s… it looks like a jelly bean.”

“They look like that at this stage. Trust me, they’ll get cuter.”

“You’re sure it’s not two heads? Like, twins?”

“Jesus Christ, Harrison,” I mutter, shooting him a sharp side-eye.

Kasey chuckles. “Nope, just one baby. You’re safe from double trouble.”

“Alright, good.” Harrison shifts in his seat, clearly relieved. “I mean, I could handle it, but... you know, one’s enough for now.”

“Right,” Kasey says, throwing me a knowing grin. “You’re doing great.”

I let out a slow breath, watching Harrison. He’s all awkward questions and over-the-top reactions, but there’s something in the way he’s watching the screen—intense, almost reverent. For once, his effort doesn’t piss me off. He’strying.

“Everything looks perfect,” Kasey says, clicking through the screen. “Strong heartbeat, great movement, and the baby’s measuring exactly on track.”

“Just one healthy baby,” Kasey adds, smirking. “And honestly? You two make a beautiful couple. That baby’s going to be adorable.”

I’m halfway to correcting her. “Oh no, we’re not—”

Harrison jumps in, cutting me off. “What she means is, thank you, Kasey.” His hand tightens around mine again, and before I can yank it away, he brings it to his lips with that infuriating smirk.

“Can younot?” I snap, yanking my hand back, heat rushing up my neck.