TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 85

Eighty-Five

Lisa POV

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I stood in the bathroom with the door closed, staring at my reflection. The light above the mirror showed the tiredness under my eyes and the faint crease between my brows that had not been there a few months ago. I leaned forward and splashed water on my face. The water felt cool against my skin.

Evangeline’s face kept coming back to me.

The way she held Cameron’s arm during the ceremony. The way she kissed him in front of everyone. The way she kept saying our child. It should not have bothered me.

It was her child. At the end of the day, I was carrying a baby that would belong to her and Cameron. That was the agreement from the beginning. Still, something about the way she acted made me uncomfortable.

She was afraid I would run away with the baby. Fear that I would take something from her. The insecurity was so obvious that it almost felt painful to watch.

I dried my face with a towel and pressed it against my cheeks for a second.She was recovering from surgery. She was supposed to be focused on healing. Instead, she was clinging to Cameron like I was some threat waiting to happen.

I let out a breath.

I did not want Cameron. Not like that. Yes, I liked the way he touched me. I liked the way his body responded to mine. I liked how he made me feel when we were alone. But that did not mean I wanted to steal someone’s life.

This was a contract. A temporary situation that would end the moment the baby was born. The fact that Evangeline seemed to believe otherwise made me uneasy. It also reminded me that I needed to be careful.

I left the bathroom and walked into my room. Dinner had already been delivered. A tray sat on the table near the window. A bowl of vegetable salad with slices of grilled chicken on top. A glass of water beside it.

I sat down and pulled the bowl closer. The lettuce was cold and crisp. The dressing tasted slightly sour with a hint of sweetness. The chicken was warm and soft, seasoned enough that I could taste salt and pepper clearly. I had not realized how hungry I was until that moment.

I ate slowly, chewing longer than usual, paying attention to how my stomach felt. Every small sensation made me aware that there was something growing inside me now.

I reached for my phone between bites. No messages from Sasha. A small knot formed in my chest. I stabbed another piece of lettuce with my fork, irritation creeping in. Right as I lifted it to my mouth, my phone rang.

Sasha.

I swallowed quickly and picked up.

“Finally. Are you alive?”

She groaned dramatically. “Wow. No hello. No how are you. Straight to accusations.”

“You were supposed to visit todaym I thought something happened.”

“Sorry. I got… busy.”

“Busy doing what?”

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anty w

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Silence.

“Sasha.”

She sighed. “Okay. Don’t judge me. I met someone.”

I paused.

“What do you mean you met someone?”

“I mean I met someone yesterday. We started talking, and then we kept talking, and then… I don’t know. I like her.”

A smile spread across my face before I could stop it.

“That’s amazing. Who is she?”

“I’m not telling you yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want you analyzing everything and scaring me. You overthink for sport.”

I could not even argue with that.

“So what are you doing tonight?”

“Eating,” I said. “Resting. Being pregnant.”

“Come to the club with us. Cora is here too. You need fresh air.”

“I’m pregnant,” I said slowly, like she might have forgotten.

“So? Who told you pregnant women don’t go to clubs?”

“I don’t know. Common sense?”

“You’re not drinking. You’re not dancing on tables. You’re sitting, listening to music, and keeping me company. That’s it.”

I pushed my salad around with my fork, thinking.

Part of me wanted to say no immediately. Another part wanted to get out of this house.

“I don’t know,” I said. “What if I feel tired?”

“Then you

leave. Lisa, you’ve been stuck in that place all day thinking about serious things. Come out for two hours. Please.”

I hesitated.

“You need a distraction,” she added gently. “And I want you here.”

Sasha did not stop convincing me until I finally said yes.

By the time I hung up the phone, I was already halfway committed. I found Franklin downstairs near the entrance.

“I’m going out with Sasha and Cora,” I said. “To a club.”

His eyes moved over me slowly, like he was measuring risk. “You want me to take you?”

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Exty five

“I was going to ask.”

“I’ll drive.”

That was the end of the discussion.

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I went upstairs to change. I chose a pair of light blue denim shorts, the faded kind with small silver chains hanging from one belt loop. They sat low on my hips. I pulled on a black tank top after that. It clung to my waist but my stomach was still flat. No visible change. If I did not know I was pregnant, I would not have noticed anything.

I stood in front of the mirror for a second.

You’re carrying a baby, I thought.

And you’re going to a club.

I shook my head and grabbed my small bag.

I stopped by my mother’s room before leaving. The lights were off. She was asleep, breathing slow and even. I did not wake her. I closed the door quietly and went back downstairs.

Franklin was waiting near the front door.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Yes.”

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