Tempting Fate

by Lisa Mondello

  Jonah wouldn't let them have their field day. It wasn't just that some backers may not open their check books quite as far, or not at all, when they learned the coordinator for the Haven House project had a shotgun wedding. Her pregnancy would become known eventually, but it was nobody's business the reason he married Maggie. There was no need to broadcast the pregnancy or that the baby was not his biologically. And he certainly wouldn't tolerate anyone slamming Maggie or spreading rumors that may end up hurting her feelings.

  He glanced at his watch again and tugged at his black bow tie with his other hand, sure he'd never get use to wearing this monkey suit if he'd attended a thousand fundraising dinners. Of course, if they could raise the money for the Foundation's new youth center, it would be worth his discomfort.

  “I'm sorry, I know I'm making us late.”

  Jonah snapped his gaze up to the top of the staircase, toward the sound of Maggie's frantic voice. Regardless of his impatience, he was just about to tell her not to worry about the time, that most everyone would be fashionably late anyway, but his breath suddenly caught in his throat. One look at Maggie and he'd forgotten how to speak.

  Maggie slowly stepped down each step. He couldn't take his eyes off her if he tried. And he didn't want to, either. Jonah didn't know exactly what he'd expected when she'd come home grinning the other night, carrying a large box from an exclusive dress shop in Boston. He certainly didn't think she'd be wearing an oversized college T-shirt like she'd preferred wearing around the house in the evenings and weekends. But he most definitely didn't expect this.

  Her rich brown hair was swept up in a tight wrap except for the little rivulets that curled down the sides, framing her high cheekbones. She had a light touch of makeup kissing the delicate features of her face, like she had the day of their wedding. Her creamy skin glowed against her ruby red lips. His eyes were drawn there and lingered, tempted to take a taste.

  And that dress. While the dress she'd chosen to wear to City Hall was a simple classic design, by contrast the gown she wore tonight was a provocative red, with snug fitting bodice, accentuating the swells of her breast and ample cleavage Jonah hadn't realized she possessed. It flared out slightly just below her chest where her belly was beginning to show its roundness and flowed like silk on air down to her matching red pumps.

  Where on God's green earth had this incredibly sexy woman been hiding these past few weeks? He'd always thought she was beautiful. Maggie had that way about her naturally. But this was definitely not what he'd expected his pregnant wife to look like tonight.

  She reached the bottom of the stairs and stood in front of him. His mouth suddenly went cotton dry. “Perfect.”

  “You like it?” she asked, nervously brushing her hand down the front of her dress. “I didn't know if you'd told anyone I was pregnant. I didn't want to embarrass you if people started to talk. It does hide things a bit. At least no one will stare.”

  She thought he was talking about the dress, when in fact he'd meant her. She looked exquisitely perfect tonight, something right out of a fairy tale. With one exception. None of the fairy tales he'd ever read in his youth had a woman who looked so incredibly sexy!

  Jonah rubbed his chin with his thumb and index finger. “You're wrong about that. People are definitely going to stare.”

  A look of panic flashed across her face and her sapphire eyes grew impossibly wide. “Oh, no. I thought for sure this dress would hide-”

  “Everyone is going to think I'm the luckiest man on earth to have a woman as beautiful as you on my arm.”

  She dipped her head, color instantly staining her cheeks. “If you sweet-talked all your dates like this, you wouldn't have needed to ask a perfect stranger to be your temporary wife.”

  “I only say what I mean. And you do look simply breathtaking.”

  She tossed him a wry grin, unconvinced. “Keep that up, Sir Jonah, and I might just decide to keep you.”

  * * *

  It was like Cinderella's pumpkin ride to the ball, Maggie thought, as she stepped out of the limousine at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Except this Cinderella was already on the arm of her handsome prince.

  Jonah led her into the grand ballroom, which was already filled with people mingling in groups. White linen table clothes, crystal glasses and fine silverware gleamed like diamonds on each and every table. As she moved around the room, she felt all eyes zero in on her.

  Her hand instinctively moved to cover her stomach, although Maggie was sure her condition was well hidden beneath the flow of her evening dress. If she wasn't already in her second trimester she'd blame the sudden nausea that made her stomach lurch on morning sickness.

  “You don't have to be so nervous.” Jonah's warm breath tickled her skin as he bent down to whisper in her ear.

  She inhaled deeply, suddenly needing more oxygen than this crowded room provided. “I'm not nervous.”

  He just smiled down at her and wordlessly peeled open her clenched fist, slipping her hand into his and giving it a comforting squeeze.

  They made a direct line to a group of people standing by the mile long head table. A tall man on the end showed a particular interest in her as they approached. His gaze rested on her for a long moment, then flitted to Jonah.

  He cleared his throat. “This is an unexpected surprise.”

  Jonah chuckled. “There was a sudden change of plans.”

  “So it seems.” The man turned to Maggie. He wasn't quite as tall as Jonah, but filled out his tuxedo all the same. His hair was a soft brown with golden streaks, a stark contrast to Jonah's rich dark color. “Jonah has been a bit of a clod hiding a woman as beautiful as you. Where have you been keeping her, Jonah?”

  “Where you can keep your eyes off her. Cam, I'd like you to meet Maggie,” Jonah said. He placed his hand on the small of her back in what felt like a possessive gesture. She was his wife. But Maggie knew her presence here was all just a formality. Still, she couldn't help but revel in the feeling of Jonah's strong arm around her. “Maggie, this is Cameron Seaborn.”

  Cameron reached out and took Maggie's hand in his. She thought he would simple shake her hand in a cordial greeting, but he surprised her by bending his head and brushing a kiss across the back of her hand.

  “That'll be enough,” Jonah grumbled, teasingly. But his arm around her waist held fast.

  Cameron eyed Jonah with a devilish grin. “Afraid of a little competition, are you?”

  “Not in this case.”

  “Really? I'll bet you haven't even mentioned me to Maggie yet.”

  Jonah chuckled and pulled Maggie to his side. This time the gesture was unmistakable. He was claiming what was his. “I'm not sorry to inform you that this lovely lady is already spoken for. We were married a few weeks ago.”

  Cameron's eyes widened, his competitive stance vanished. “Married? But I thought... You never mentioned a word about it to me when we spoke on the phone the other evening.”

  “I was saving my surprise for this evening.”

  “Indeed! Congratulations.” He bent his head, and this time, Cameron kissed Maggie on the cheek. “Married. I'm thrilled for you. For you both.”

  “Thank you,” she said.

  Although there were no exchanges of affection other than a brief handshake from the two men, the warm glint in their eyes showed there was a special friendship between them. Maggie wondered why Jonah had chosen tonight to reveal to his friend that they'd married when it was so clear they weren't merely colleagues. And if they were such good friends, why he didn't just confide that theirs was a marriage just for show.

  It was none of her business, she told herself as Jonah led her through the crowd to her seat at the long head table. If Jonah chose to tell anyone at all that they were married, it wouldn't change the fact that they only planned to be married for a year. Maggie wondered what he would say, if anything, when people found out she was pregnant.

  The evening dragged on. Jonah had warned her that charity events such as thi
s could be tiresome and this one proved to be so. As Jonah stood at the podium, introducing Cameron to the crowd, Maggie fought to keep her eyes open. She'd already worked a full day at the coffee shop and was starting to wilt like a sunflower starving for a drink of water.

  “As most of you know, I've been waiting to make an important personal announcement.”

  Maggie perked up, knowing what was coming next.

  “I'd like to introduce you all to my lovely wife, Margaret Wallace.”

  The room erupted into applause and once again all eyes were focused on her. Jonah extended his hand and motioned for her to join him at the podium. Flash bulbs exploded in the room as she took Jonah's side and then again when he bent his head and kissed her cheek. On the ride to the hotel, he'd warned her that the press would make a fuss. She wasn't used to so much attention. But now that she was married to Sir Jonah Wallace, a man who managed to garner much attention from the press because of his work, she'd have to get used to it. People were bound to be curious about the woman who'd managed to catch the most eligible bachelor in Boston.

  The press could have their photo ops. She'd get used to it. At least for the next year, she told herself as she blinked away the white dots the blinding flashbulbs left in her vision. After the year was up, her life could easily fall back into obscurity again.

  When the applause died down, she returned to her seat at the head table. The mayor's wife and the head of the Boston Police Dept. congratulated her.

  “Now that the hotel as sufficiently stuffed us all with their fine food, I'll introduce my right hand man, the person responsible for helping me found the Haven for Young Wanderers in England, Sir Cameron Seaborn.”

  The room erupted once again in applause, this time directed at Cam. The only thing she could think of when he started to speak was how much she wanted to crawl into her bed and sleep.

  It was hours later when Maggie finally was able to sink deep into the soft black leather seat in the back of the limousine. The air conditioning was like a salve to her skin after being stuck inside. Outside the car door, Jonah shook Cameron's hand, and she heard him make Cameron promise to drop by the house on Sunday for dinner.

  “How do you think it went?” Maggie asked as Jonah slid in the seat next to her.

  “I'd say very well. Cameron has a way of charming money out of the stingiest of supporters. He'll work hard to raise the necessary funds for the Haven House.”

  “You don't enjoy these things very much.”

  His eyebrows slid up on his forehead. “It shows?”

  She nodded. “Cameron was in full form though.”

  “That's why he's in charge of raising the funds. I'm better at organizing the logistics.”

  “I'm surprised you never mentioned him before. You make a good team.”

  Jonah nodded, fatigue pulling his features down. He shut his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose as if it would better help clear his vision.

  “We didn't exactly have the time to spin all our childhood tales.”

  No, they hadn't had enough time to get to know all the ins and outs of their lives. That only made distance between them massive, both figuratively and literally. The back limousine seat was enormous and although Maggie knew Jonah wasn't purposefully trying to keep his distance, a train could run between them with plenty of room to spare. She turned sideways in the seat, resting her head against the cool leather. It helped bridge the gap between them just a little.

  She waited until he opened his eyes to ask the question.

  “How did you become knighted by the Queen?”

  He chuckled quietly. “I wondered when you would ask.”

  “Does it embarrass you?”

  He hesitated a moment as if weighing his answer. No, he wasn't embarrassed, she realized. He seemed to take in stride the fact that he'd been given the high honor of knighthood.

  “It's a long, very boring story.”

  “Tell me anyway. I love stories.”

  The subtle hum of the tires rolling over pavement lulled her. Jonah stretched his arm across the back of the seat until it was laying just over where her head was pressed against the leather seat. His fingers dangled down, playing with a lock of her hair and doing unmerciful things to her senses.

  “It was quite by accident, really. My life would be very different if it weren't for the fact that I hated school.”

  Her eyebrows stretched high on her forehead. “That surprises me.”

  “Why?”

  “You look so...studious.” She giggled softly. “You're always working or looking over paperwork. Doesn't conjure up images of a rebel kid who hated school. What'd they do? Make you wear knickers?”

  He tossed her a wry grin. “It wasn't so much my studies. I hated being at boarding school. When all the other kids were there it wasn't so awful. I got along. But holidays were rough. Especially this one holiday when everyone had gone home except for me.”

  “Why did you stay?”

  His expression grew tight. “Mother and Dad were traveling. I don't remember where they were. I just remember that they weren't coming home, so they saw no reason for me to either.”

  He stopped playing with the lock of hair and delicately stroked the stray hairs away from her forehead that had pulled down from her upsweep style. She found it increasingly hard to concentrate on his words instead of the wonderful sensation of his fingers.

  “Anyway, I decided I had a reason for leaving. I wanted to go home. So I ran away. I was thirteen at the time, I believe.”

  “You were just a child. Where did you go?” she whispered.

  “I wandered about mostly. I had a small stash of money with me, but not enough to last long. No one would give a room to a child, so I slept in the park.”

  She gasped softly. “That's so dangerous. Anything could have happened to you.”

  He shrugged. “Ignorance is bliss when you're thirteen.”

  “Did you ever go back to the boarding school?”

  He flashed her a sleepy smirk that she found delightfully sexy. “Reluctantly. I'd met a boy a few years younger than myself who'd been living on the streets.”

  “Younger than you? All by himself?” Maggie's mind immediately raced with thoughts of Brian. He'd been coming into the Coffee Drop every Tuesday and Thursday since that first day without fail. She couldn't imagine him on the streets alone, taking care of himself and dealing with the kind of danger the streets bring. It was bad enough he had to go home to an empty house and be responsible for feeding his two younger sisters until his mother came home at ten o'clock. But to be on the streets without any shelter? She could only imagine how frightened Jonah must have been.

  “Children living in the streets on their own is a dirty little secret most people don't want to discuss. Like me, the young boy had his reasons. They all do.”

  Jonah pulled off his tuxedo jacket and gently draped it over Maggie's shoulders. She was engulfed immediately by Jonah's radiant warmth, and the scent of his aftershave mixed with the smell of leather.

  “Tell me what happened?”

  Jonah shrugged, as if what he was about to say was of nothing of importance. “When my money ran out I took him to a local shelter to get him a decent meal and inquire about finding him a suitable home.”

  “You took care of him.” Even to her own ears, her voice was breathy, steeped with deep emotion and admiration. It was so like Jonah, even as a child, to take care of someone less fortunate than him.

  “While we were filling our bellies and sleeping in a warm bed for the first time in days, the people running the shelter rifled through my duffel and I was had. The very next day I was shipped back to boarding school by the ears.”

  “By your parents?”

  “Mary. As I suspected, she wasn't too happy about my escaping from school against my parents' order.”

  Maggie couldn't help but chuckle. “I know she must have been frantic, but I can just see her dragging you back by the ears.”

  “I
'm glad you're getting a rise out of it. Mary can give quite a good lashing if you cross her.”

  “You must love her a lot to bring her all the way to America when you moved here.”

  He was quiet. “She’s been with the family a long time and I needed her services.”

  She sat straight up and looked at him in disbelief. The jacket Jonah so carefully placed on her shoulders, slid down her arm and made a heap in her lap.

  “Okay, if that's what you want to go on believing.”

  “Are you implying I had some ulterior motive?”

  “You could have hired a new house maid when you set up your home here. But that's not why Mary's here and you know it. Mary is family and you wanted your family with you.”

  “Mary doesn't have any family of her own in England. She never married and her only sister now lives in Spain.”

  “I'm not talking about Mary's family. She loves you like you were her own son. Even I can see that. I'm talking about you. You pretend she's just a house maid, but deep down you know she's much more. Why do you deny yourself that?”

  He shifted uncomfortably in the seat. “Is that what I'm doing?”

  He looked at her then and the heat in his eyes was unmistakable. Full of life. Full of fire. It was as if she'd just penetrated his soul to the very core and was now allowing her to see a rare glimpse of the man for the first time. It both excited her and frightened her at the same time.

  Maggie cleared her throat, her heart pounding so loud she was sure Jonah could hear. Sinking against the back of the seat, she pulled Jonah's jacket back over her shoulders. The musky scent from his jacket invaded her senses and only fueled the deep longing swelling within her.

  “What happened to the boy?” she asked, purposefully changing the subject.

  But the heat in Jonah's eyes remained fixed on her, searing her straight through. When he began to speak, she noticed his voice was as shaky as hers.

  “He was placed in an orphanage until his father was located. I'd learned later that his mother had recently passed away, and his father spent most of his time grieving with the bottle.”