“That was before…”
Now Emma was certain Amanda had told him something. “Before what, Mike? How come all of a sudden you’ve changed your mind about us?” There was no way she was going to accept him if he was only there because he had a strong sense of doing the right thing. “Has Melissa miraculously skipped the last few years and gone straight to eighteen?”
He appeared surprised over her reaction, a mild frown furrowing his brows. “I was a fool before, and if you want the truth, running scared. I’ve come to my senses…”
“Before or after you talked to Amanda?” she asked, moving away from him. “Look, Mike, this isn’t the Middle Ages. I love you but I don’t need you to take care of me. I raised Amanda…”
“What?”
He looked at Emma as if she were speaking a foreign language.
The look that came over his face should have warned her that he didn’t know what she was talking about, but she continued without taking a breath.
“Just because I’m going to have a baby doesn’t mean you have to do the noble thing. I don’t want you under those conditions.”
“I can’t pretend to know how to make things right between us but…”
They’d spoken at the same time and all at once her words registered with him.
“What?”
His bark sounded like a clap of thunder, clearly revealing the truth that what she said had shocked him to the core.
“You’re pregnant?” he asked softly, a slight tinge of wonder in his voice.
Emma stepped back nervously when she began to realize he was hearing the news for the first time. “Yes,” she answered, watching him carefully. At that moment it occurred to her that Mike had changed his mind about them on his own, but she was careful to keep her emotions in check. It was too soon to get her hopes up.
“How…”
She burst out laughing; she couldn’t help it. “You want a lesson about the birds and the bees, Detective? There were a few times when protection was the last thing on our minds.”
Mike’s answering grin was slow in coming, filling the depths of his eyes with amusement in spite of the gravity of their discussion. “I was going to say, how do you feel about it?”
“Oh.” Emma felt her cheeks grow warm. She was ecstatic over having his baby. She could see in his eyes that her answer mattered to him. How did he feel about becoming a father again, at his age?
As the silence grew between them, she knew she had to say something, they couldn’t go on staring at each other. In the end she decided honesty was the only recourse. “I want this baby, Mike, as much as I want you. I couldn’t be happier.” Her voice caught. She was almost afraid to ask. “How do you feel about it?”
An emotion flared in his eyes, a desperate sound escaping him before he could rein it in, which revealed more than words. Losing control, he crushed Emma against him as though never to let her go. For a moment there was nothing but the soft muted sounds of the party swirling around them.
“You know I love you too, sweetheart,” he finally rasped. “And I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.” He pulled back enough to meet her eyes. “Will you forgive me for hurting you, Emma? Will you put me out of my misery and marry me?”
Marry him? She hadn’t expected that, yet as quick as the elation washed through her, reality hit her like a ton of bricks. “Because of the baby?” She couldn’t bear it if that was the only reason he asked.
“Hell no!” Mike retorted heatedly, quickly putting her at ease again. “I’m happy over having a baby with you. But I want you for my wife for strictly selfish reasons.”
“Are you sure, Mike? Melissa is almost grown up. You’d be starting over again, at an age when…” She couldn’t finish. Not while her mouth was being devoured by his. However, the sweetly passionate kiss was ending all too soon.
“Are you saying I’m not up to it?” he asked with mock ferocity.
The devious gleam in his eyes caused a flutter in Emma’s belly.
“Because if you are, there’s ways of proving my point.”
Emma’s heart sang for joy. “Why, Detective, that sounds like a threat,” she returned, before nipping his chin playfully. She purred like a cat when his hand glided from her neck down the curve of her breast, splaying over her flat belly. His tender touch brought tears to her eyes.
“Well? What’s it going to be, honey? Are you going to make an honest man out of me?” All of a sudden his expression turned to worry. “If you need time to think about it…”
Mike’s words broke through the silken cocoon of euphoria that gripped Emma. As she gazed into his eyes, her heart swelled with love for him. She didn’t want him believing for one moment that she needed to think about anything.
“Yes!” she nearly shouted, before kissing his face wherever she could reach him until her mouth finally settled upon his for a brief kiss. “As long as it’s okay with Melissa,” she continued, after pulling away.
“Oh, I don’t think we have anything to fear,” he responded, with the crooked grin she loved so much.
When his gaze moved past her to the door, Emma swung around, her eyes widening with surprise to see Melissa watching them through the small window in the door. She had a smile on her face that stretched from ear-to-ear. And standing right behind her was an ecstatic Amanda.
Emma turned back to Mike, surprised to see the faint glistening of emotion in his eyes. Her heart overflowing with love, she raised her hand, laying it upon his cheek as her own eyes filled with stinging moisture. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could get a word out, he lowered his head and kissed her, tenderly, passionately, holding nothing back.
It didn’t matter anyway. No other words were necessary. Their fate was sealed now. She wound her arms around Mike’s neck, holding on tightly as they began a journey into forever after.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tory Richards is the alter-ego of Debbie Wallace. Born in Maine but living in Florida, writing has always been in her blood. Since before computers and word processors, she would pen short stories on notebook paper, until receiving her first manual typewriter at the age of thirteen.
Tory likes to travel, loves chocolate, good coffee and sweet iced tea. She lives with her daughter and her family, and shares her mother-in-law quarters with four furry felines.
You can read more about Tory Richards and her books at: www.toryrichards.com
For your reading pleasure, we invite you to visit our web bookstore
TORRID BOOKS
www.torridbooks.com
Table of Contents
T-PASSIONATE ENCOUNTERS - RICHARDS - PRG_1
T-PASSIONATE ENCOUNTERS - RICHARDS - PRG_2
T-PASSIONATE ENCOUNTERS - RICHARDS - PRG_3
PASSIONATE ENCOUNTERS Page 21