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“Never in a million years.”
Molly bit her lip to keep from letting loose a curse word. This was at least the nine hundredth shop for baby items they’d been to, or so it felt. Sherlock had adamantly refused to set foot in a department store even though she had told him about some lovely things she had seen at Harrod’s. And he was barely glancing at anything! His face was practically glued to his mobile. How on earth he was getting a good look at any of the items she was holding up for Rosie she had no idea.
“Then fine,” she said, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice as she made her way around the cluttered shop. She honestly thought when Sherlock suggested they go shopping for gifts for the little one who was supposed to be their goddaughter together it would be at places that weren’t crammed wall to wall with...well, half the things in the store she had no idea what they were really for, to be honest. More for expectant mothers than babies who had already been born.
Not that she would ever be an expectant mother at this rate. She’d had a chance, and let it go, and not without some unwanted help from the man to her left. But she couldn’t blame him too much, he supposed. Sherlock had simply seen what she hadn’t wanted to admit: underneath it all, Tom thought there was something between her and Sherlock. Even though she had seen Sherlock prancing around in just his pants he’d always made sure to be fully clothed in the mornings.
And it wasn’t as though Tom couldn’t plainly see it was Sherlock in the bed before he climbed in. Or he would have, if he hadn’t been drunk off his gourd. But one stupid comment about “better than the stripper” and Sherlock had let him have it so loudly it had woken her up in the guest bedroom and she knew that even if Tom hadn't cheated, even if she hadn’t cheated, there wasn’t enough trust between them to make it work. She could forgive him drunkenly pawing up a stripper at a stag night, but he would never forgive her allowing Sherlock to sleep half-naked in her bed even if she wasn’t with him.
Funny thing, though. Even with no attention from the opposite sex, things were better. She was better. It was all in a different perspective now, her life. Her job, her hobbies, her friendships…
Well, most of them.
This was the one she was still having trouble with.
A saleswoman came up to them, the fake cheery smile most retail people wore on their face. “Hi! Can I help you find anything?”
“Oh now, we’re just browsing,” Molly said, shaking her head.
“How far along are you?” the saleswoman asked, leaning in, her smile turning knowing.
Molly’s eyes grew wide and she took a step back into Sherlock. “I...I’m not...”
“We’re shopping for our goddaughter,” Sherlock said coldly, finally looking up from his phone. “Hasn’t been christened yet, need something appropriate, and do pay attention. My gi-- my friend is quite thin and not showing in the slightest.”
Molly whipped her head to look at him. “What did you almost call me?” she asked.
He waved his hand. “Nothing,” he said before turning to the salesperson. “I think we’ll be off. Good day.” He took his hand down and grabbed Molly’s hand, nearly yanking her out of the store. They had walked past three more stores before Molly dug in her heels and settled all of her weight to be stationary. Sherlock tugged but found he couldn’t move her. “We have three more shops to visit.”
“You almost called me your girlfriend,” she said.
“It would have made a sticky situation less sticky,” he said quietly. “The saleswoman already assumed you were pregnant with my child. She didn’t need to know we weren’t a couple.”
“But why did it matter?” she asked, tugging at his arm. He wasn’t prepared for that and stumbled a bit as he came closer to her. “She’s a stranger. Who cares whether we’re a couple or shagging or whatever? You never have before.”
She could see him turn red at just the tips of his ears. “I...imagined you pregnant for a moment. It was a rather enticing image.”
Her lips formed a small O shape and she looked at him. “Do you fancy me a bit, Sherlock?”
“Perhaps,” he said, shifting the position of his hand so he could run his thumb on her palm. “I do know if you are to be pregnant with anyone’s child I rather it be mine than someone like Meat Dagger’s.”
She smiled, stepping closer. “You did a very good job scaring Tom out of my life, and there aren’t many more men lurking in the shadows. In fact,” she said, standing in front of him, “there aren’t any at all.”
He swallowed. “So I have a very good chance at wooing you, if I so choose?”
She nodded and then leaned in, gently kissing his cheek, just hitting the corner of his mouth. “Yes, you do. But don’t take too long, Sherlock. I’d like to have that baby before I’m too old to enjoy her.” And with that, she walked away and he fell in step, still holding hands.