He cleared his throat. “I hate to be a party pooper, but we really need to get going. I’ve got a lot to take care of after being gone the last month.”
Patrick nodded. “I understand, son. I’m just so glad you came by.” He smiled at Emma. “That you both came by.”
It took Aidan a moment before he was able to say, “So am I.”
Emma clutched the Christening gown to her chest as she trailed Patrick out of the bedroom. Aidan followed close on their heels. “Now that we’re acquainted, there’s no reason for you to be a stranger. You know where I live, so you don’t have to rely on Aidan to bring you by.”
Jesus, two hours with the girl, and his father was already giving Emma full access to come over whenever she felt like it. For all he knew, his father would get down all the family photo albums or his old high school yearbooks to entertain Emma with. What a nightmare.
Patrick gave Emma a final hug before turning to Aidan. “Don’t be a stranger.”
“I’ll try.”
As Emma started down the porch steps, Patrick grabbed Aidan’s arm. “Will you at least try to consider some of the things we talked about?” he asked, in a hushed whisper.
“I’ll try, Pop. I really will.”
Patrick smiled. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
Emma slipped into the passenger seat as Aidan jogged down the front walk. When he slid inside the car, he exhaled a long, ragged breath. Emma turned and gave him a tentative smile. “That was…interesting.”
“You could say that,” he replied, cranking up.
After he pulled out of the driveway, he glanced over to see Emma running her fingers over the fabric of the Christening gown. “I bet you were adorable wearing this,” she remarked.
“No, I’ve seen the pictures. I look like a chubby little pansy wearing a dress.”
“You could never look like a pansy,” she teased.
Aidan grunted in response. Staring ahead, he gripped the steering wheel tighter, desperately trying to keep control of the feelings raging within him. They didn’t speak for a few minutes.
When Emma finally did, her voice was strained. “I’m sorry for today.”
Aidan tore his gaze off the road to stare at her. “What are you talking about?”
“Meeting your father. It was too much pressure and commitment for you. I can tell.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Oh please. You were about to hyperventilate under the stress when we were in your parent’s bedroom.” Emma shook her head. “I seriously started to worry you were going to have a stroke or something.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
The skin on his cheek singed from the glare Emma was giving him. “At least be honest about the situation, Aidan.”
A low growl erupted from the back of his throat. “Fine. That was a total and complete mind fuck for me, okay?”
“That’s better.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I’m serious. I always want you to be honest with me, especially about how you feel.”
“Women always say that, and then the moment you tell them how things are, you get verbally or physically bitch slapped.”
Silence echoed through the car for a few minutes. Finally, Emma spoke. “Look, I don’t have to keep the gown. You can give it back to Patrick and explain to him you only agreed to give your DNA, not yourself.”
He banged his fist into the steering wheel. “Dammit, Em, that’s not what I want!”
Cutting across two lanes, he wheeled into a supermarket parking lot. After screeching to a stop, he killed the engine. When he turned to face Emma, her eyes were wide, and she had pressed herself up against the door as far away from him as possible. “When I said today was a mind-fuck, it was in more ways than one. Seeing you with my father—the way he reacted to you—it’s made me come unhinged. But not in the way you think.”
“Oh?”
He shook his head. “When I met you, my life was exactly like I wanted it to be. Then I was only thinking with my dick when I thought I could get you pregnant and walk away. And now…it’s all so fucking complicated I don’t know which way is up anymore.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause problems for you or to be a burden.”
Aidan rolled his eyes. “Jesus, Em, how can you even think that?”
Her brows furrowed. “Because you said—”
With a frustrated grunt, he raked his hands through his hair. “Dammit, I’m no good at this. I’m saying and doing everything wrong.”
“I don’t understand,” she murmured.
“Deep down, I’m still the same person I was when we first started all this—no marriage, no major commitment, no long-term relationships.” He sighed. “But…I want to try to have more with you.”