Nick slid the key into the lock of his front door, pushing the door open slowly and hauling his tired body across the threshold. It had been a long night, with a triple homicide to cover, but what had made it worse was that he'd had to document the scene alongside Greg, who without even realizing it, made every breath he took remind Nick of Easton and what had happened between them a few weeks ago.
As he threw his keys and wind-breaker onto the bench near the front door he froze when he saw who was sitting a few feet away from him on his couch, a tentative smile on her face.
"East, what are you doing here?"
She stood up, yanking down the hem of her denim shorts. "Hey Nicky, I wanted to talk to you." She walked to him, kissing him on the cheek, her breath feeling hot against his five o'clock shadow,
"Easton, I don't know if that's a good idea," Nick began, dodging around her and into his kitchen. He couldn't be that close to her anymore without wanting to feel every inch of her naked body pressed against his own. He grabbed a beer from the fridge, cracking it open and taking a mouthful. He noticed she had followed him in, but she too seemed to be trying to keep her distance.
"Nick, I'm pregnant."
The beer slipped out of his hand and crashed down onto the linoleum floor, foam spilling over the shards of glass. He stared at her, a million thoughts rushing through his mind, but none of them making it to his vocal chords. "Is it-is it mine?" he managed to stutter.
Easton shrugged, tears streaking her face. "I don't know, Nicky. It could be, but I slept with Greg after I was with you, so it could be his too. He is my fiancé."
"I'm not a fucking idiot, Easton. I know he's your fiancé." He suddenly felt angry at her, angry at himself. When they'd been dating, they'd always used protection, but now the one time, the one time they slept together when they weren't even an item, when she was engaged to one of his best friends, that had to be the time he went and knocked her up.
"Please don't be angry at me," she whimpered.
Nick looked at her, his heart dropping. He forcefully grabbed her and hugged her firmly, feeling her tremble as she sobbed against his chest, her tears leaving wet mascara streaks down his camel coloured pull-over. "It takes two people to make a baby, East. I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at myself, at both of us."
She inhaled sharply, scratching at the clumped make-up under her eyes. "I just hope it wasn't the two of us."
Nick didn't want her to know, but those words stung more then being shot.