“You mean, our living arrangements?”

“I mean us.”

It’s the last thing I expected him to say. I stare at him, my heart pounding so hard I can’t speak. I do the only thing I can and choke out a laugh.

His brows go up. I see amusement in his eyes, and I’m glad he has a sense of humor, because I’m sure laughter wasn’t the reaction he was anticipating.

“You know, Kate, I’m kind of putting myself out there.” His words are lighthearted, but his eyes reveal a thread of uncertainty.

“I’m just … surprised. Tomasetti, we haven’t talked about this.”

“We should have.” He shrugs. “Things are different now. I think we need to talk about where we go from here. Figure out where we stand.”

“You sure you’re not just stepping up to the plate because you knocked me up and you’re a stand-up guy?” I say after a moment.

“I’m asking the woman I love if she wants to marry me.”

I reach across the table and take his other hand. I haven’t had so much as a sip of wine, but my head is spinning. “Tomasetti, I don’t want you to propose marriage for the wrong reason. Just two days ago you weren’t happy about my being pregnant. You weren’t happy with me for letting it happen.”

“It caught me off guard. That’s all.”

“I’m not sure I believe you.” I smile, but my cheek quivers, giving away more than I intended. “Marriage is … a huge step. I want to be sure we do it for the right reasons.”

“I know what I want.”

“Contrary to popular belief, you’re also capable of doing something completely selfless if it’s the right thing to do and it involves someone you love.”

“Are you telling me you don’t want to get married?”

“I’m telling you that maybe we need to give this some time. A few days. A few weeks. I don’t think we should rush into anything, especially now.”

“You’re not letting me down easy, are you?”

“Not a chance.”

He nods slowly, holding my gaze. “Just so you know, Kate, I’m not going to change my mind. And I’m not going anywhere. You can count on me.”

“I’m counting on that.” Leaning across the table, I brush my mouth across his. “Let’s go home.”

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

“Kate. Hey. Wake up.”

I startle awake to gray light seeping in through my bedroom window. For an instant, I’m disoriented. Tomasetti is standing next to the bed. It feels like the middle of the night, but he’s dressed. Button-down shirt. Creased trousers. Tie that’s slightly askew. My phone in his hand.

I push myself to a sitting position. “What?” A glance at the alarm clock tells me it’s past 7:00 A.M. “I overslept,” I mutter.