"I love you too, Kitten," he whispered back, our foreheads pressed against each other.

We stayed like that for a couple more seconds and then Trevor pulled away. "I have to go before the driver tacks on more charges," he said.

"Okay. Call me."

"Oh, you know I will."

After he left, I called my mother, who was at the shop, to let her know I was back.

"How was it?" she asked.

"Like I told you yesterday, it was amazing," I said, unbuttoning my jacket. "We can't wait to go back."

"So, you're already planning on more trips with him," she said, sounding less than thrilled.

"Yes. Mom, why can't you just lighten up? Trevor is a great guy. He loves me and I love him," I said, wanting her to understand how important he was to me.

"Oh, now it's love?"

I groaned. "Yes, it is. Why can't you just be happy for us?"

"I will once he grows up and gets away from that gang."

"They're nice people and you just don't understand," I said, giving up. "Look, I'm tired from the flight and I don't have the energy to do this right now. What time are you getting home?"

"We're open later, because of Christmas, remember? I should be home after ten. Can you work tomorrow?"

"Yes. Of course."

"Oh good. What about your classes?"

"They don't resume until January," I told her.

"Okay. Do you want me to bring you home something to eat?"

My stomach rumbled at the mention of food. "Sure."

"What would you like? Tacos? Burgers?"

"Both?" I said, chuckling. "There wasn't much to eat on the flight."

"There is some leftover lasagna in the refrigerator," she said. "I had Jim over for dinner, yesterday."

"Oh, great. I'll just eat that," I said, my mouth already watering.

"You sure you don't want me to pick up anything?"

"I'm sure. Don't bother with the fast food. Just get home. The roads are bad, so be careful," I said, looking outside at the snow, which was falling harder than when we'd left the airport. "Our driver had a difficult time keeping it on the road, and it's starting to snow even harder than before."

"I will be careful," she said.

After we hung up, I went into the kitchen and warmed up a large plate of lasagna. When I was finished with that, I heated up a bag of popcorn in the microwave because I was still hungry. As I waited for it to pop, I touched my thickening stomach and sighed. If I kept stuffing my face, I'd have to move up to the next pant size.

It's just your period, I told myself. You're just getting bloated.

I hadn't had it yet, but I'd just ended another cycle of birth control pills and knew that it was due any day. I thought about the pregnancy test I'd purchased, when I'd been so sick the month before, and was glad that I hadn't opened it. Whatever had been ailing me seemed to have disappeared around the time of my kidnapping. Now I could return it and get my money back. Twelve bucks was twelve bucks.

I poured the bag of popcorn into a large bowl and grabbed a bottle of water. Taking it up to my bedroom, I set it on the dresser and changed my clothes. When I was comfortable and in my pajamas, I turned on the television and started flipping through the channels. A few minutes later, my cell phone rang.

"Hi, Kitten. Miss me yet?"

"Yes," I told Trevor. "I've been drowning my sorrow in food. I just had a large plate of lasagna and now I'm eating popcorn."

He laughed. "Did I mention that I loved the fact that you have such a hearty appetite?"

"Yes, a few times." I shoved another piece of popcorn into my mouth. "I never used to eat like this, though. It's kind of weird, actually." I sighed dramatically. "It must be that I'm in love. My feelings for you are going to ruin my figure. Thanks a lot."

"I doubt that anything could ruin your figure."

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" I replied between bites of popcorn.

He chuckled. "Are you still eating?"

"Yes. I told you. I made some popcorn. I keep getting the munchies."

"Have you been smoking something illegal that you want to tell me about?"

I laughed. "Gosh, no."

He was silent for a few seconds.

"Hello? You still there?"

"Do you think that you could be pregnant?" he asked quietly.

There was no laughter in his voice, this time, and I could almost hear the crickets chirping in the background.

"Don't even go there," I said, feeling suddenly anxious. "Anyway, I'm on the pill. I've told you that."

"It's not one-hundred percent affective, you do realize that."

"Don't worry. I'm not pregnant," I repeated, remembering the conversation we'd had on Maui. He'd told me that he wanted to have at least three children, but not until he was in his thirties. "I wouldn't do that to you."

"Kitten, I want you to do that to me. Someday, when we're both ready. You know how I feel about kids."

"I know."

"I want a big family and believe it when I say that I want you to have my babies. I want to grow old with you and spoil the hell out of our grandchildren. You feel me?"

"Yes."

"But, if you were to get pregnant at any time, I'd man up and take care of you both. I love you, Adriana. More than anything."

Tears sprang to my eyes. "I love you, too," I said, my voice hoarse.

He chuckled. "You crying?"

"No," I replied, reaching over to my nightstand. I grabbed a tissue and wiped my eyes. "Of course not. It's allergies."

"Jesus, yes you are. Do us a favor and buy a pregnancy test," he said. "So I know whether or not I need to start saving for a college fund."

"I'm not pregnant," I reassured him. "Really."

"Glad you're confident about it but you should take one of those tests, though. Just in case."

"As a matter of fact, I have one."

"You do?"

I explained how I'd been throwing up a few weeks ago and had considered the possibility.

"And you never bothered to let me know that you were worried enough that you went to the drugstore and purchased a pregnancy test?"

"There was so much going on at the time. There was that thing with Brandy, and then I was kidnapped and held hostage by the Devil's Rangers," I replied. "It's not like it was on the top of my head at the time."

"Do me a favor and take the test. We'll both feel better."

"I'm not pregnant," I said. "You'll see."

An hour later, I stared at the pregnancy stick in horror. There was a blue plus-sign. Per the pamphlet on the box, it was an indication that I was indeed pregnant.

"I am not pregnant," I growled, grabbing another test stick to try again. Less than three minutes later, after peeing on the damn thing and almost dropping it into the toilet because my hand was shaking so badly, I tested positive again.

I called Trevor back.

"Well?" he asked.

I started to cry.

"Oh, Kitten."

Chapter Thirty-three.

"It's going to be okay," I told her, feeling a mixture of fear and pride that the woman I loved was carrying my child.

"No," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry. Maybe we should have it terminated."

"What? No. No fucking way," I told her, horrified that she'd even suggested it. "How can you even say that?"

"I didn't mean it," she said, sniffling. "I just wanted to see how you'd respond."

I groaned. Women and their fucking mind games.

"I'm sorry," she repeated again. "I was on the pill. I really was. I mean I tried, you know?"

"It's going to be okay," I said, reassuring both of us. "It's going to work out. We'll get hitched, you can move in with me, and we'll take care of the baby together. You'll quit school and be a fulltime mom."

"Quit school?!" she shrieked. "I can't quit school."

"Okay, that's fine, too. Don't quit school. We'll figure this shit out. Just, calm down."

"I can't believe this," she mumbled, blowing her nose. "I'm too young to have a kid. Twenty-one?"

"Doesn't your friend have one?" I asked, remembering her telling me about it. "She might be able to give you some advice."

"Yeah, Monica." She started crying again. "What are we going to do? We can't afford this right now. You even said "

"Fuck what I said. Guys always say that because they know how much kids cost and it cuts into their play money. Don't worry, Kitten, we've got this."

"We do?"

"We do," I insisted.

After I hung up with Adriana, I called Tank and told him the news.

"No fucking way. You were just starting to adjust to the fact that you weren't going to be a father. Jesus, you must be pissed."

"I'm not... pissed," I said. "I love Adriana. You know that. So, we're having a baby earlier than we wanted. It is what it is."

"You actually want kids?" asked Tank, surprised.

"Yeah, of course I do. Don't you?"

"Maybe when I'm sixty," he said, laughing. "I'll need to start thinking about who's going to take care of me when I hit those golden years. Until then, I'm wearing a rain suit when I'm in the trenches."

"Rain suits can get holes."

"Then maybe I'll start doubling-up," he said. "Or stay in back, where it's safe."