“They’ll be disappointed in me.”

His grip tightened. “Why would they be disappointed?”

“I’m going to be a single mother,” she said. “I come from a family who specialize in white picket fences and happily-ever-afters. My brothers are the exceptions, but they’ll settle down eventually. Even Coop.” God knew when that would happen, though. It would take a saint to pin down her womanizing brother.

“You don’t have to be a single mother.”

She caught the hoarse tone in his voice and turned toward him to find his chest only inches from her face. Resisting the urge to burrow into him and accept the comfort he offered, she moved back a little.

Eli released her hand. “I care about you. I want to be with you, and I know you want me too. How can you deny it?”

The idea of a life spent with him appealed to her, and there was no pretending otherwise. But a life with his parents as her in-laws, not so much. They hated her. And no doubt he would tire of her eventually. She wasn’t fooling herself into thinking he’d be interested in her forever.

“I thought I made my position clear,” she said. “It would be a disaster.”

“I disagree,” he persisted. “Teri loves you, and it would be better for the baby if we were together.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, and she really was. “But in a couple of years, you’ll be relieved I made this decision.”

She sensed him draw away from her further. “You’ve said that before, but I’m not relieved,” he growled. “And I’m shocked you would think that. I know I took a while to come around to the idea of raising a baby with you, but don’t punish me for it.”

“I’m not,” she said in a small voice. “But we come from different worlds.”

“I don’t care if you come from Jupiter,” he spat. “You’re clever and beautiful and unique. I’ve done everything I can to show you I want you in my life, but you’re too damn scared to take a risk.”

Aria was speechless. She gaped at him as he stormed from the room before she’d had time to gather her thoughts. Her heart protested. Because, this time, she was afraid he wasn’t coming back.

Eli felt like absolute crap. He bought a six-pack of beer on the way home and made a beeline for the couch, where he flopped and buried his face in his hands. What was he going to do now? The gift bag had softened Aria, but only temporarily. He’d made the mistake of pressing his advantage when he should have given her time.

Should he make a strategic retreat? Rethink his campaign?