Cheeky girl. “We’ve got seven months,” Aria reminded her. “Be patient.”

They drove back to Eli’s apartment, and the girls went to their respective bedrooms. Aria slipped out of her dress and into a pretty silk robe. When there was a knock on the door, she drew the robe tightly around herself and opened it a crack.

“I’m so sorry,” Eli said through the sliver of space between the door and the doorframe. “I expected them to behave better.”

“It’s all right,” she assured him, opening the door wider. But really, it wasn’t. The entire ordeal had been mortifying. Even now, her stomach was churning painfully, and the memory of the conversations earlier made her skin flush with humiliation. For a few brief minutes at the beginning of the night, the glamour had stunned her, but her anticipation had withered when it was confronted with reality.

Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood believed she wasn’t good enough for their son, and although she recognized their snobbery for what it was, she couldn’t resign herself to a lifetime of scathing comments and bitterness. She didn’t deserve their censure, and she wouldn’t expose herself or her child to it any more than necessary.

“It’s not all right,” he growled, edging into the room. “You shouldn’t have had to tolerate such rudeness. My parents’ manners seem to have deserted them. I’m just so damn sorry.”

Aria took a step back, disconcerted by an unfamiliar emotion shining in his eyes. What is it? His hair was tousled as though he’d been running his hands through it, and the top three buttons of his shirt were undone, exposing a delicious strip of chest. No, don’t get distracted.

“It’s not your fault,” she reminded him. “You don’t have to apologize for them. The truth is, I should have been more careful. We shouldn’t be in this situation—they’re right about that.”

“I wouldn’t take it back.” The words ripped from his throat, and he looked startled by them. “Not for anything.” He stepped closer, cornering her against the wall. “We have something, Ri. I don’t know what you see in me, or why you think I’m qualified to be a dad, but I trust you, and I’m ready to try.”

Of all the things she had hoped would happen tonight, this was so far outside the realm of possibility that it hadn’t even featured on the list.

“What do you mean?” she asked, in case she was reading too much into his statement.

“You said you wanted us to have a proper relationship,” he reminded her. “I’m ready for that now. I admire you and desire you, and I’m not ready to give you up.” He bent to kiss her, but she darted out of the way. “What’s the matter?”