by Kristi Gold
Maybe Ash was right. Did she really want to bring a baby into the world not knowing its heritage, considering she’d grown up not knowing the truth about hers? Could she really trust that the sperm donors were being completely honest? After all, she had recently learned that much of what she’d believed about her family lineage had been skewed by dishonesty.
Feeling emotionally drained, Karen set her wineglass on a coaster on the end table and stretched out on the sofa on her back. She’d eaten a light supper of pasta and vegetables but hadn’t tasted much of anything. Too much to think about, too little time. If she decided to go through with the insemination, she needed to make the arrangements in less than three days since that would be right before the most fertile time during her cycle. The same held true if she decided to accept the sheikh’s arrangement.
Just thinking about making love with Ash brought about a round of chills mixed with a flash-fire heat. She couldn’t deny that the idea held some appeal. She also couldn’t deny that his kiss had left its mark on her libido. Both kisses.
The doorbell buzzed, sending Karen off the sofa in a rush. She experienced a prickly surge of panic thinking Ash might have decided to pay her a visit expecting an answer she wasn’t quite ready to give. It would be just like him to show up, unannounced, and come upon her wearing a threadbare gray sweatshirt and equally ragged black leggings. She would send him on his way—as long as he kept his mouth to himself.
As she looked through the peephole and saw Maria at her threshold, Karen was relieved and maybe just a teeny bit disappointed that Ash hadn’t come by to convince her with more kisses. Absolutely ridiculous.
Karen opened the door to her cousin and smiled. “Hey, you. What brings you to the top floor this time of night?”
“Just wanted to visit,” Maria said, her shoulders slumped as if she carried the obligations of the universe.
Karen was immediately concerned, considering Maria had looked incredibly tired of late. The gelateria required long hours and hard work, especially for Maria, its manager. A lot of responsibility for a young woman, yet Maria, even at the tender age of twenty-three, handled it remarkably well. Or so Karen had believed until tonight.
“Come on in,” Karen said and gestured toward the sofa. “Take a load off. I was having a glass of wine. Join me.”
Maria dropped onto the sofa and tipped her head back. “No wine for me.”
“Maybe something else, then? I could fix us some tea.”
“No thanks.”
“Are you okay? You look exhausted.” And she sounded depressed.
She shrugged. “I took the stairs from my apartment instead of the elevator. I’m a little winded, but otherwise I’m fine.”
Maria always climbed the two flights to visit Karen on the fourth floor and she’d never even broken a minor sweat. Something was seriously wrong, and Karen aimed to get to the bottom of Maria’s distress.
Karen sat on the wing chair facing the sofa. “Okay, so what’s up?”
Maria managed a faint smile. “You go first. I want to hear about your baby-making appointment.”
“Not that much to tell, really. I had an interview, discussed financial terms, then I got a sneak preview of perspective sperm donors.”
“That must have been interesting.”
Not as interesting as Ash’s suggestion. Karen wasn’t sure she needed to burden Maria with her dilemma, but she had no one else to turn to. Maria had become a good friend to Karen, a confidante, and she always seemed so wise.
“I have another offer on the table,” Karen began. “In terms of a father for my child.”
Maria instantly perked up. “Really? That wouldn’t happen to have come from a handsome Arabian prince, would it?”
She eyed Maria suspiciously. “Did he tell you?”
“I promise he didn’t tell me anything. I only knew that he was bent on returning your purse to you.”
“So that’s how he knew where to find me.”
“I’m sorry, Karen.” Maria looked more than a tad contrite. “Actually, Mimi gave him the directions and I gave him the purse. He’s very persuasive.”
“No kidding,” Karen muttered.
“He’s also absolutely head over heels for you.”
“Good heavens, Maria. I barely know the man.” But if the sheikh had his way, that would be remedied shortly on a very intimate level.
“Exactly what did his offer entail?” Maria asked.
“He’s willing to father my child. The natural way.”
Laying a hand on her chest, Maria said, “Oh, my. That could be great fun.”
Exactly Karen’s current thought, and her quandary. “Fun, yes. Wise, I doubt it.”
“And he was serious?”
“Very serious. But he won’t do it unless we’re married. He did say that we could make it a conditional marriage and if I decide to end it, I can after the baby’s born.”
“Are you going to do it?”
Was she? The terms of the arrangement didn’t seem as absurd once she’d voiced them to Maria. “I don’t know. Part of me thinks that I would be a total fool to do it. Another part of me…well, that part—”
“Thinks you’d be a fool not to know the father considering the blank spaces in your own family. Not to mention, the sheikh probably has incredible genes and making a baby with him would be an out-of-this-world experience.”
Karen couldn’t hold back her smile. “Yes, that’s basically what that part of me is saying. The feminine part.” She turned serious again. “But he’s got that whole macho thing going. That was very apparent when he took it upon himself to come to my rescue today at the shop. I could have handled that guy myself.”
“He was only concerned for your welfare.”
“I understand that, to a point. But he’s too in control and I couldn’t tolerate living with someone who tries to keep a tight rein on me all the time.”
Maria shifted on the couch, looking unquestionably uncomfortable. “That could be a problem only if you’re not clear on what you expect from him. Who knows? It might even lead to a permanent relationship.”
“Not likely. We’re from two entirely different worlds.”
Maria murmured, “Stranger things have happened.” She pushed her dark, shoulder-length hair back with one hand. “Regardless, every child should know both its mother and father if at all possible. Family is everything.”
Karen understood that all too well having recently lost the only family she’d ever known. And she also surmised that something was terribly wrong with Maria considering the hint of sadness in her voice. Feeling totally selfish, she said, “Your turn now, cousin dear. Tell me what’s bothering you.”
A steady stream of tears rolled down Maria’s face, catching Karen off guard, inciting her concern. “Maria, what’s wrong?”
“It’s a long, painful story, Karen.”
Karen moved from the chair and seated herself beside Maria on the sofa. “I have all night. Please tell me what’s going on. I’m really worried about you.”
Maria lifted her plain white blouse and rested a hand on her abdomen. “This is what’s going on.”
Karen noticed a prominent belly bulge beneath the waistband of Maria’s black slacks. Realization suddenly dawned and it had nothing to do with her cousin putting on a few extra pounds from sneaking too much gelato. “Are you—”
“Pregnant? Yes. And no one knows. No one can know. At least no one except you.”
More confused than ever, Karen let a few moments of silence pass between them while she allowed the shock to subside. “Who is he?”
Maria sighed. “Someone I’ve been secretly seeing since January.”
“Secretly? Is he married, Maria?”
“Worse. He’s a Conti.”
Shock came calling again as Karen tried to assimilate the information. Her cousin had just told her that she was pregnant by a man who belonged to a family that had been sworn enemies of the Barones for decades. Both families—the Co
ntis and the Barones—seemed determined to hang on to old recriminations. No wonder Maria didn’t want anyone to know.
“His name is Steven,” Maria continued. “He’s beautiful and caring and I’m totally in love with him.”
“He sounds wonderful, Maria. Other than the family thing, what’s the problem?”
“The family thing is the problem. With so much going on of late—the gelato sabotage that happened right before you came, the warehouse fire—everything’s in an uproar because some of the family think the Contis are behind it. They would never accept our relationship. It would only tear us and the families farther apart if they found out about us.”
“Maybe your relationship and this baby will help settle the rift.”
“I can’t imagine that happening, at least not now. In fact, I’m not even up to dealing with it. I want to get away for a while, somewhere out of town. Think things through. And that’s what I intend to do, right away, since I’m already starting to show.”
“How far along are you?” Karen asked.
“Four months.”
Another surprise to Karen. But come to think of it, Maria had started wearing her blouse over her slacks, something Karen hadn’t given much thought until now. “If I can do something, just name it.”
“I’ll need you to handle the shop in my absence.”
“Of course.” Karen would do anything for Maria considering what Maria had done for her—made her feel welcome and wanted, as if she were a sister, not a long-lost cousin. “Does Steven know about your plans to leave?”
“He doesn’t even know about the baby.”
Stunned, Karen asked, “Why not?”
“It wouldn’t be fair to lay this on him now. Not until I decide what I’m going to do.”
“You’re not considering giving up the baby, are you?”
Maria looked mortified. “No! I love this baby and even if it doesn’t work out between Steven and me, I’ll at least have a part of him with me always.”
“Do you really have so little hope that you and Steven can make this work?”
“I want to hope, Karen. Really, I do, but I’m afraid the relationship is doomed. We have too many obstacles to overcome.”
Karen’s heart went out to Maria. Hopefully a little time away would clear her mind. “Where do you plan to go?”
“That’s why I’m here. Do you still own your old house in Montana?”
“I’ve recently sold it to a friend of the family.”
“Then I guess that’s out.”
Karen thought a moment and considered another option. The perfect place for a sabbatical. “I have two dear friends in Silver Valley, the Calderones. They have a wonderful ranch and I’m sure they would love to have you as a guest for as long as you’d like.”
Maria’s expression brightened. “Do you really think so?”
“I’m almost positive but I’ll give them a call in the morning and run it past them.”
Maria grasped Karen’s hand. “You’re a lifesaver, Karen. I’m so happy to have you in the family.”
“I’m happy to be in the family.” And Karen was. Only a few months before she had felt totally alone. Now she had her understanding cousin to lean on as well as other new friends. She also had…Ash? The sneaky sheikh once again had wriggled his way into her psyche.
Coming to her feet, Maria stretched with her hands on the small of her back. “Lately every muscle in my body protests if I stand or sit too long.”
Karen rose. “You need to try and get some rest.”
“I haven’t been able to sleep well.”
Karen doubted she would sleep all that well tonight either with so much weighing on her mind. “Take a hot bath and relax. Works for me. I’ll let you know what the Calderones say, but you can probably consider it a done deal.”
Maria gave Karen a quick, heartfelt hug. “Thanks for making the arrangements. I owe you one.”
“Just come back soon. I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too. But you have to promise me that no matter what, you can’t tell Steven anything. Or the family. I don’t want anyone to know why I’ve left.”
“Won’t everyone be worried about you?”
“I’ll leave the family a note explaining I need some time away. Steven, too. And now that that’s settled, what are you going to do about Ash’s offer?”
“I have no idea. I have a lot to consider.”
Maria walked to the door then faced Karen. “No matter what you decide, you know I’ll support you. But I do hope you give the proposal some serious consideration. It would be so wonderful for your baby to have a relationship with its father.”
Karen’s heart ached for Maria who hadn’t been able to openly share her joy with the father of her child or her family. Recalling the missing links to her own family chain, Karen could no longer deny the importance of having both parents actively involved. She also couldn’t deny that Sheikh Ashraf Saalem would probably be a prime candidate for producing top-notch offspring. And she definitely couldn’t deny that he would be the prime candidate for providing the utmost in pleasure, either. Annoyingly, that thought excited her.
Too much to think about, too little time.
“I’ve always known you to be a man of few words, Ash, but today you’re quieter than usual.”
Ash looked up from his half-eaten room service fare to find Daniel Barone scrutinizing him with unconcealed curiosity. “I have much on my mind at present.” So much that food had lost all appeal.
“This mood of yours doesn’t have anything to do with my investments, does it?”
His current state had nothing to do with monetary measures and everything to do with one particular woman. “I asked you here today solely for the sake of camaraderie, not business.”
“Good. I was beginning to assume you were about to tell me I’m destined for poverty, the reason why we’re eating in privacy instead of a restaurant.”
Ash had asked Daniel to join him for lunch in his penthouse suite to make certain he was accessible should Karen call. To this point, it had yet to happen. The later the hour, the more concerned Ash had become that perhaps Karen had decided to utilize the fertility clinic. For all he knew, she could be there now, becoming impregnated by some stranger.
“As always, your investments are thriving,” Ash assured his friend. “You will continue to be a very wealthy man.”
Pushing back from the dining table, Daniel tossed his napkin aside, looking pleased. “That’s great to know even though I have everything a man could need with my new wife.”
Ash felt a little twinge of envy over his friend’s good fortune in finding a suitable mate. “Then I can presume your honeymoon went well?”
Daniel presented a roguish grin. “Oh, yeah. Very well. But it’s far from over. Just ask Phoebe. For such a quiet lady, she’s certainly full of surprises.”
Ash predicted that the not-so-quiet Karen could be full of pleasant surprises as well. If only he would be afforded the opportunity to find out. “I’m happy that you are pleased with your choice.”
“And to think I tried to fix you and Phoebe up at Karen’s party,” Daniel said. “Good thing you didn’t hit it off.”
A very good thing, Ash decided, not that Phoebe wasn’t an attractive woman. But that night Karen had garnered his complete attention. Admittedly, he had wanted her in a very elemental way. He still wanted her. Yet with each passing moment he saw his opportunity to have her dwindling.
“I am still surprised that you’ve married, considering your former habits,” Ash said.
Daniel frowned. “If you’re referring to previous women, you’re a fine one to talk. You’ve had more than your share.”
“True, but I have met someone who could possibly put that to an end.”
“Someone special?”
“Your cousin Karen.”
Daniel slapped his palm on the table, effectively rattling the silverware. “You know, Phoebe swore this was going to
happen but I never thought it would go beyond the night you met. Karen didn’t seem too happy when you kissed her in the reception line.”
“It was a simple show of welcome.”
“It was a simple come-on, if you ask me. So how long have you and Karen been an item?”
“I’m not certain I understand your meaning.”
“How long have you been seeing each other?”
Ash was unsure how to respond. “We’ve been negotiating.”
“Negotiating? That’s a weird term for dating.”
“Actually, we have gone beyond the dating phase.”
Daniel released a wry chuckle. “I have to hand it to you, Ash. You work fast.”
“I’ve asked her to be my wife.”
“Make that from zero to sixty in a matter of seconds. When did this all come about?”
“I’ve intended to marry for some time now. Karen is the perfect prospect.”
“Yeah, Karen’s a nice woman. Not too shabby in the looks department, either.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“She’s very attractive.”
“I would have to agree with you in that respect.”
“So when’s the wedding?”
As far as Ash was concerned, today would not be soon enough. “Unfortunately she has yet to give me her answer. I’m not certain that she sees the mutual benefits that marriage will bring.”
Daniel scowled. “Well, hell, Ash, if that’s the way you proposed, it’s not surprising she hasn’t bothered to answer you.”
“It’s a bit more complex than a simple proposal. Karen and I have both expressed our desire to have a child. We’ve discussed having one together. I have insisted that we marry for the sake of that child.”
“Then this doesn’t have anything to do with love?”
Ash didn’t expect Daniel to fully understand. Why would he when he was so obviously in love with his wife? “I am very fond of Karen, and I have every intention of making a comfortable life for her and our child in a secure, permanent relationship.”
“You make it sound like a retirement fund.” Daniel shook his head. “I’m not sure how well this is going to work, putting the cart before the horse.”