All Chapters of Backup Plan: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Chapter Thirty-oneSamI drum my fingers against the arm of the chair, anxiously waiting for the next group of passengers to emerge from the escalator. Chloe’s flight got delayed, so instead of landing at seven PM, it’s now after eleven. If I wasn’t so damn excited to see her, I’d be tired, yet the thought of holding her in my arms again sends a jolt of electricity through my veins.But there’s a little bit of dread mixed in there too.I haven’t spoken to Stacey since she dropped the bomb on me, and part of me wants to ignore it and pretend it never happened. I’m a logical person, though, and it’s not like me at all to hope getting something out of sight will also get it out of mind. I have to tell Chloe and hope it’s not a dealbreaker for her.I remind myself what Archer and I discussed: I didn’t do anything wrong, not really. Stacey and I hooked up way before I even saw Chloe again. Our relationship was clear-cut the whole time, and we both slept together knowing it was nothing more

Chapter Thirty-threeSamI fasten my fingers around Chloe’s and steal one more glimpse at her as we walk down the busy sidewalk. She takes my breath away every damn time I look at her. My heart jumps in my chest, and when I blink, I get a flash of her naked in my bed, making me want to rush through dinner just so we can get back to my place and fuck again. It’s more than just feeling good. It’s about forgetting everything else and focusing solely on Chloe.As it should be.As I want it to be.“How late are we?” Chloe asks as we step through the door to the restaurant.I look at my watch. “Twelve minutes.”“That’s not too bad.”“I’m never late,” I tell her. “I like to get places a little early, though burying my cock inside of you is as good a reason as ever to run late for anything.”“Sam!” she whisper-yells. “Someone might hear you.”“I don’t care.”Her cheeks redden as she smiles, eyes glinting with the same lust I’m feeling.“Is this dress too much?” She looks down at her breasts,

Chapter Thirty-fiveSamChloe: You’re never going to believe thisMy heart actually skips a beat, thinking she found out about the baby. I have to tell her when I get home. There’s no getting around it this time.Me: What am I never going to believe?Chloe: I told my dad we’re coming back to Silver Ridge and he and Wendy are out of town again. He really wants to have dinner with us and lecture you about taking care of his daughter.Me: I’d expect nothing less from him.Chloe: He’ll go easy on you, don’t worry ;-) I already told him we’re both able to travel back and forth to see each other so we can make things work.And now I’m back to feeling like a fuck-up. Because I can’t travel, and it’s more than just that. I’ll be co-parenting with someone I don’t love, and when Chloe does come to see me, there’s a good chance Stacey will be around—for the first few months at least.No matter how much I love Chloe, how much I want her and only her, I know this is going to change the course of o

Chapter Thirty-sevenSamWell, fuck. I don’t want to kill Chloe’s streak of inspiration and make her not be able to finish her book. Especially if this kid turns out not to be mine. Maybe I should wait until I get the results of the paternity test back before I drop a bomb on Chloe. No need to burden her prematurely, right?Shit.I’m putting it off again. I can’t tell her tonight, not when she’s sick. Shoving my keys in my pocket, I look back at Chloe, asleep on the couch. As a doctor in a trauma center, I see the worst of the worst. Chloe is going to be okay, yet my chest feels tight thinking of her alone in my apartment while I’m at work tomorrow. I want to take care of her. I want to bring her soup and make sure her fever isn’t going up.I want to comfort her and love her, like I always have.I haven’t allowed myself to think about the baby being mine in detail, but I need to. Because there’s a chance my life will turn upside down in just a few short months, and Stacey and I will n

Chapter Thirty-nineChloe“Hi, Lauren,” I say, offering a polite smile, not that I owe her one.“Wow, I’m so surprised to see you,” Lauren goes on. She’s looking at Sam, working hard to ignore the fact that I was just wrapped in his arms. “What are you doing back here?”“Chloe and I came to visit my family,” Sam says and rests his hand on the curve of my waist. He didn’t seem to have the slightest idea who Lauren was when we ran into her several weeks ago, back when I was trying my best to prove to myself and the world that Sam Harris was nothing more than an asshole…a walking heartbreak…nothing more than a bad idea.“Oh, uh, how sweet.” Lauren’s eyes dart to me for half a second. “I’m surprised to see you back here…with her.”“Chloe’s my girlfriend,” Sam says. “I don’t know why that’s surprising.”Lauren opens her mouth only to snap it shut. “Well, good for you two.” She forces a fake smile and looks at Sam, doing her best to avoid me. “Tell your brother—the vet—I said hi then. That