by Maya Banks
“Nah, I just didn’t picture you as the type to be caught dead in an office with a bunch of pregnant women.”
“I’m doing it for Toni,” he said evenly.
“Maybe you ought to consider hooking up with her.”
Simon threw a dishtowel at him. “Get real.”
“I can think of worse things. Starla comes to mind.”
“Point taken, but Toni isn’t like that. She deserves someone who can do a lot more for her than I can. Besides, she’s Toni.”
“Yeah, she is, but she’s also one gorgeous chick, or hadn’t you ever noticed? And she happens to be the most genuine woman I’ve ever met. When do you ever find those combined qualities in a girl?”
“What are you guys talking about?” Matt asked, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
“How hot your sister is,” A.J said in an innocent voice.
Matt’s eyes came open. “What?”
“Correction, A.J. is dithering on about how gorgeous she is.”
“And you don’t think she is?” Matt shot back.
“I am not having this conversation,” Simon replied. Had they all lost their minds? Sure Toni was pretty, smart, fun. She had more integrity in her little finger than most people would ever have. She was loving, caring and loyal. Everything you want in a woman. And she’d never betray him like Starla had. But she was Toni. Kid sister Toni. Toni who trusted him.
Never mind how she’d felt in his arms. Or how he’d caught a glimpse of her small breasts through her thin T-shirt. The perfect size. Not too big, not too small, just enough to fill his hand. Any more was a waste.
He shook his head. Man, he needed to snap out of it. It wouldn’t work. The timing sucked. Besides, she was pregnant with another man’s child.
It shouldn’t bother him that another man had made love to Toni, but it did. The urge to smash something suddenly became appealing.
“You gonna call Doc Johnson, or should I?” A.J’s voice filtered through his thoughts.
“Why are you calling him?” Matt demanded.
“Be quiet or you’ll wake Toni up,” Simon said, pointing to the couch. “I’m calling to tell him she won’t be in. She needs the rest.”
“She’s not going to like it,” Matt advised. “She’s never missed a day of work.”
“Precisely why she needs to take one off,” Simon replied. “She didn’t sleep at all last night, and she’s exhausted. I don’t think she ought to go into work today.”
“Suit yourself, but I’m not taking responsibility,” Matt said with a grin.
After making the call, Simon started clearing away the dishes, but not before leaving enough stuff out to cook an omelet for Toni when she woke up. She’d already slept later than he’d ever known her to sleep.
On cue he saw her stir then stretch sleepily.
Slowly, Toni surfaced from the loveliest dream. She blinked lazily and snuggled back into the couch. The couch?
“Shit!” She scrambled up, nearly falling as she struggled to get out of the couch.
She hit the floor at a dead run, but Simon stuck out his arm and caught her as she dashed by.
“Slow it down and park it back on the couch. You’re resting today.”
“I’m late for work,” she said struggling to get out of his grasp.
“You don’t work today.”
“Huh?”
“I called Doc Johnson and told him you wouldn’t be in.”
“You did what?” Her foggy brain fought to comprehend what he was saying.
“You needed the rest.”
“You called and told them I wasn’t coming in?”
“Ahh the birds finally pecked you on the head,” he teased.
“Why didn’t you wake me up so I could go in on time?”
“You were tired,” he said quietly. “You need to rest. Take a day to figure things out.”
Damn him and his logic. Simon the Serious struck again. Only he had a good point. It would feel good to take a day to rest. Maybe she’d feel better and not so unbelievably tired all the time.
“Want something to eat?” he asked, letting her go.
She wrinkled her nose. “Toast and juice?”
“I live to serve.”
She glanced down at her tattered T-shirt and gym shorts. “Do I have time for a shower and change?”
“I’ll dish it up in fifteen. Sound good?”
“Thanks,” she said, stretching up to kiss him on the cheek.
She hurried to shower, eager to start her day of doing nothing. As much as she loved her job, a day off sounded next to Heaven. And Simon was right. She needed time to think about what she was going to do.
Minutes later, she pulled on a pair of shorts and an oversize T-shirt. She secured her hair in a clip at the base of her neck and went back into the kitchen to eat.
“Mornin’ Toni,” A.J. called from the living room.
“Hey, A.J. How was the date last night?”
He scowled at her, and she stifled a giggle. “That bad huh?”
“Hmm only if you consider a blind date with Attila the Hun’s twin sister bad.”
“Ouch. That’s bad.”
Simon set a plate of toast in front of her, and poured a tall glass of juice. “Eat up.”
She ate with gusto. She was on her second piece when she suddenly regretted eating at all. Her stomach curled into a tight knot, and a fine sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead. Cautiously, she sipped at the juice, trying desperately to control the wave of nausea.
“You okay, Toni?” Simon’s concerned voice echoed beside her.
She lunged from the stool and barreled into her bathroom. She just made it to the toilet before heaves racked her body. Placing her hands on the toilet seat, she leaned heavily on it for support as she rid her stomach of its contents.
A cool cloth pressed to her forehead, and a comforting hand rubbed her back as her body shuddered. “Take it easy,” Simon murmured. “Deep breaths.”
“Go away,” she wailed. All she needed was Simon to witness her puking her guts up.
Strong arms held her up, smoothed her hair from her face. “I’m not going anywhere.”