The light mood instantly changed. A sizzle of electricity spanned the small gap between them, and Gwen could feel the beat of her heart thumping wildly in her chest.
Darkness had blanketed them, but she could still see the lights of the harbor reflecting in his eyes and the silver glow the moonlight cast across one side of his face. He was a beautiful man. Gwen would never say so—it wasn’t the kind of thing he would want to hear—but it was true. Something about the lines and angles of his face drew her interest. His wide, disarming smile and mischievous eyes pulled her in. The shaggy, loose strands of his golden hair made her palms itch to run through them.
Alex was like some rogue angel in a painting that should be hanging in a museum somewhere. Perfect, alluring and untouchable.
He was so close. A part of Gwen wanted to lean in and kiss him. To take Sabine’s advice and use Alex for all he was worth. The other part of her knew it would just mess with her mind.
Instead, Gwen rested her head on his shoulder, indulging in the comfortable cocoon of being in his arms again and making it impossible for her to kiss him. “And on top of everything,” she said, pointedly ignoring his words, “I told you earlier I’ve sworn off men until after the baby is born. Being with you was my one last hoorah before all this,” she said, rubbing her stomach. “I needed some time to myself.”
* * *
Alex had watched the moonlight and shadows accentuate the battle going on inside Gwen’s head until she finally hid from view. Unlike the Botoxed beauties he was usually bombarded with, she was the kind of woman whose every thought or feeling was plastered across her face. She didn’t even try to disguise it, which made him wonder if she even knew. He wasn’t going to let her hide from him. Not tonight.
“Stop,” he whispered.
She sat up and frowned, a pout thrusting her full lower lip out to tease him. “What do you mean, ‘stop’?”
“Stop using this pregnancy as an excuse to push people away. It won’t work on me.”
Gwen swallowed hard, her dark eyes widening slightly as she searched for meaning in his face. Apparently she was clueless about how transparent she was. Or how much attention he’d really paid to her when they were together before. “I don’t know what you’re—”
“You want me,” he interrupted. “And I want you just as badly as I did all those months ago. There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s no reason to try to defuse the attraction between us just because of some artificial barrier you’ve put in place. If you want me, give in to your feelings.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but his words seemed to have struck her temporarily mute. Alex thought this might be his opportunity to finally kiss her again the way he ached to, but she recovered more quickly than he’d hoped.
“What’s your angle, Alex?”
He eased back a little, an eyebrow arching suspiciously at her. “Angle?”
“Yes. We both know I’m not the type of woman you usually go for. I’m not some tall, thin, surgically enhanced glamazon with aspirations of marrying well. Last time I was looking pretty good, but now I’m pregnant and celibate. Both are adjectives that fly in the face of everything you hold dear. I haven’t been to a salon in months or splurged on a new outfit that wasn’t from a maternity store. What are you getting out of this?”
Alex smiled his most mischievous grin and gazed into her eyes in the way that sent most women melting into his arms. “It hasn’t been that long since we spent those fantastic few weeks together. Unless the hormones have scrambled your memory, I think we both know full well what benefit I’d be getting out of this.”
Gwen’s cheeks flushed red, her gaze breaking from his to look down at her hand as it rested on her stomach. “What we had last year was great, but I don’t understand why you’re putting the moves on me. Again. Especially considering everything else going on. Have you alienated every woman of consenting age in Manhattan? Are you that hard up?”
Alex snorted. “Hardly.” There were plenty to choose from, in New York and New Orleans. He just hadn’t found any that caught his attention as Gwen did.
“Then why me?” She looked up at him, a challenge in her dark brown eyes.
She honestly didn’t think she was his type. Fortunately, Alex had a very broad and adventurous palate where women were concerned. But even then, Gwen was a beautiful, smart, funny, caring woman. What about that was unappealing to a secure and confident man? It sounded as though her experiences with less than worthy men had planted unwarranted doubts in her mind. She wouldn’t need a break from men if she’d been involved with decent ones.
“Why not?” he retorted. “The two weeks we spent together were fun. Neither of us had any overly romantic ideas about what was going on. It was a perfect fling from start to finish. One of the many things I like about you, Gwen, is that you don’t want more from me. So many women think they’re going to change me, somehow. But I’m not about to tie myself down and be miserable for the rest of my life. With you, I feel like I can put my defensive walls down, relax and have a good time. To me, there’s nothing sexier.”
“Well, hell.” Gwen looked as though she had a smart retort ready, but his explanation put all of it aside. “Alex, I—”
He charged in, capturing her mouth with his own and smothering any words. Gwen was stiff against him for just a moment of surprise, then her reservations were silenced and she gave in to the kiss. She softened, leaning forward to mold against him and bring her hand up to gently caress his face.
She tasted just like Christmas. She’d told him once that she kept handfuls of hard peppermint candies in the pockets of her scrubs at work. Gwen almost always had one in her mouth. He’d nearly forgotten until the spice assaulted his tongue and lured him to explore further.
Alex placed his hand on her hip and allowed it to slide up her side, pulling her as close to him as their position on the pier would allow. His fingertips stroked her heated skin through the thin, cotton fabric of her sundress. The touch coaxed a soft moan from her mouth.
Her encouragement made him bolder. His right hand glided up higher to cup the full swell of her breast. This time, his own groan of pleasure muffled hers. She was so much fuller and rounder than the last time he’d touched her. She was like a juicy, ripe peach in his hands, ready to be devoured. He couldn’t wait to taste every inch of her and remind himself of anything he may have forgotten about Gwen in the last few months.
“Stop.”
It was the word no man wanted to hear when he was caressing a woman’s breast, but the soft whisper couldn’t be ignored. Alex reluctantly pulled away, their warm breath still lingering in the space between them. He expected Gwen to distance herself, since she had called the cease-fire, but even she seemed hesitant to let the moment between them pass just yet.
“Why?” he asked, leaning his forehead against hers and closing his eyes.
“I just… I can’t do this, Alex.”
With a sigh, Alex moved away and unfolded his legs to stand on the pier. He reached down and took Gwen’s hands in his own. The touch of her skin sent a tingle across his palms and up his arms, tightening every muscle in his body with anticipation. Gwen eased her feet out of the water and planted them firmly on the wooden planks as he pulled her up.
Instead of letting go, he tugged the full length of her body against him for one last touch, one last kiss, in the hope she might change her mind.
He’d forgotten she was pregnant until the only part of her body to make contact was the press of her breasts and the round curve of her belly. Their positioning was suddenly awkward, both of them pausing to see what had halted the progress of their physical connection.
The heated moment between them suddenly disintegrated as Gwen looked down and started giggling. “See, I told you. It is quite literally man-repellant.” She brought a hand up to cover her mouth, but there was no stopping her contagious laughter once she got started.
What she didn’t know was that her laughter was as big a turn-on
as anything else about her. Gripping her face with both hands, he leaned down and kissed her again.
The laughter silenced immediately as she stiffened in his arms. She didn’t pull away, but she didn’t give in to the kiss the way she had the first time, either. There was a hesitation in her touch, even as the smashed orbs of her breasts against the hard wall of his chest made him wild with arousal.
When she refused to give in, Alex pulled away and shook his head. He didn’t understand how she could deny herself something they both wanted. This situation didn’t need to be as complicated as she was making it. But he wasn’t giving up on this seduction. Eventually he would convince her that he was right. This time Gwen took her own step back, looking up at him with confused black eyes that twinkled with the lights of the house. Her breath was ragged, every rise and fall of her chest tempting him with her out of his reach.
“I’m sorry. I just can’t. Good night, Alex,” she said. At that, she turned and walked back down the pier alone, disappearing into the night.
Four
Gwen awoke the next morning to the sounds of voices in the kitchen. Rolling onto her side, she picked up her watch from the nightstand and groaned. It was after nine. How had she slept so late?
She knew. Tossing and turning until well past three in the morning probably had something to do with it. But she just couldn’t sleep. Her mind was still racing from her kiss with Alex. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see his smile. Every breath she sucked into her lungs was laced with his scent.
There was no getting away from Alex and how badly she wanted him. Break or no break, she couldn’t help her reaction to him. Her body remembered his touch, and the taste she got last night wasn’t nearly enough to soothe the need he easily built inside her.
But last night also brought the memories of their time together back in full Technicolor. As much fun as their fling had been, it had worked then because she was in a different place. An uncomplicated place.
Wanting Alex didn’t change the fact that the kiss on the pier was a mistake. A fantastic, soul-stirring, spine-tingling mistake. She couldn’t take it back, but she could keep things from going any further.
If she was that desperate for sex, she should try throwing herself at Wade or Jack. Or the first guy she could find once she returned to the city. Just not Alex. Giving in to him would be a bad idea. It might not seem like it at first, especially when the rush of his touch surged through her veins, but before the last of the holiday fireworks exploded, so would what they had together.
This time, she just knew it would end badly. The pregnancy had made her more emotional than normal. She didn’t want to make the mistake of letting herself get too attached. Gwen could easily let herself get swept into some kind of fantasy. Out of all her past lovers, Alex was the least likely to stick around. Normally, that would be okay, but at this time in her life, there was no point in even starting something when finishing it would be so difficult.
Gwen ran her hand over her belly, pressing her palm in on one side to feel the baby stirring. “When you grow up, you be sure not to fall for a man like Alex, Peanut. You deserve the kind of man that will stick around and offer more than just sex and some flashy gifts. That’s not enough.”
She felt Peanut roll in response, then drive an elbow or a foot or something squarely into her bladder. Apparently she disagreed. The move sent Gwen leaping out of bed and scurrying into the bathroom. It was just as well. The day needed to begin, and Peanut was ready to go even if she wasn’t.
Last night Will had mentioned something about VIP tickets they’d gotten everyone for a charity polo tournament today. It was supposedly one of the highlights of the trip, and she had no doubt they’d paid a small fortune for it. Both he and Alex had played on the Yale team in college, and everyone was gushing about how great it would be. Adrienne and Helena were putting together a gourmet picnic for dinner at the field. Emma had paraded around in a variety of hats, getting everyone’s opinion on which one she should wear. It seemed like a big deal to the others.
Gwen knew very little about sports outside of college football. She was Southern, after all, so a basic knowledge of college football was provided by her father in her DNA. She occasionally followed the basketball team and even spent a semester as a little sister to the swim team, but that was about it where athletics were concerned.
Polo was up there with croquet and badminton in the “obscure sports for rich people” category. In the last two years of her friendship with Adrienne, they’d both undergone a sort of baptism by fire into Manhattan society. Neither was used to being around these kinds of social situations. Adrienne had adapted fairly well. Gwen still struggled, but she quickly learned there were few things rich people liked more than horses and wine. This polo tournament was sponsored by a large, prestigious winery, so it was the best of both for those who cared. No matter what situation Adrienne dragged her into, a basic knowledge of equestrian activities and how the rainfall was in Napa this year could save her from an awkward night out.
But the polo match should be fun anyway. She missed the energy and roar of excitement of UT football games, although she knew this would hardly come close.
By the time she emerged from her room, showered and dressed, the rest of the house was up and about as well. Several of the ladies were outside on the patio, but Gwen opted to crawl up onto one of the barstools in the kitchen and keep Adrienne company while she straightened up.
“Good morning, mama,” Adrienne said with a smile. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes,” she lied. “Did I miss breakfast?”
“Not at all. The guys got up early to play a couple holes of golf, so they ate a long time ago. The rest of us just finished.” Adrienne pulled out a plate and scooped some scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit salad and a biscuit onto it. “Here you go. I used your grandmother’s biscuit recipe, and everyone was raving about them.”
The scent was heavenly. Gwen started eating, washing the tasty bites down with the glass of milk Adrienne poured. Normally she hated milk, but it was just one more sacrifice she was making for Peanut’s welfare.
“When do we leave for the polo match?” she asked.
“It doesn’t start until four, but we have to drive to Bridgehampton for it, and I’m sure the men will want to arrive early. We’ve got plenty of time if there’s something you wanted to do today.”
Gwen shrugged. “Actually, I’m happy to do nothing. I just wasn’t sure when I needed to be ready.”
Adrienne smiled and leaned onto the counter. “I think you should make the most of doing nothing while you can. That’s what this whole week is about. I know polo isn’t your thing. You don’t have to go to the match if you don’t want to.”
“Don’t be silly,” Gwen chided. “Of course I’ll go. I don’t even want to know how much those tickets cost you, so I’m not about to waste one. Anyway, anything we do here is better than working a twelve-hour shift and sitting alone in my apartment.”
“You know, Will and I were talking… .”
“Nope,” Gwen interrupted, immediately recognizing her mistake. They’d had this conversation at least three times, and she wasn’t interested in rehashing it.
“Come stay with us,” Adrienne pressed. “You’d have your own room and bath. You wouldn’t have to climb up all those stairs. Someone would be there at night if there was an emergency with the baby.”
“I’m not living with you two.”
“It’s only temporary. Keep your apartment if you want, or let the lease expire and save up a couple months of rent to take a great trip or something when it’s over. You let me stay with you when I had no place to go. Let me return the favor.”
Gwen appreciated her friend’s generosity, but there was no way she was going to accept the offer. “That was completely different. You were broke and homeless. I am absolutely, one hundred percent not hauling my pregnant hind end into your honeymoon bungalow.”
“We’ve been married eight mo
nths. And a three-thousand-square-foot brownstone hardly qualifies as a bungalow.”
“You’re still newlyweds,” Gwen said with a firm shake of her head. “Single women without elevators have babies all the time. I will be fine. Really, I’ll be better off than most of them, since when it’s over, I won’t have a baby and all its crap to haul up and down the stairs.”
“What about staying with Robert and Susan? It’s their baby, after all.”
“Robert and Susan live in a tiny place in Hoboken. They’d take me in, in a heartbeat, but it wouldn’t be very comfortable for anyone. And I’d have a longer commute to work. No thanks.”
Gwen could see the wheels turning in Adrienne’s brain. Her silence made it appear as if she was backing down, but Gwen knew better.
Fortunately, the conversation was interrupted by the return of the golfing posse. The five guys strolled into the house, dumping their golf bags in the foyer and arguing loudly. Apparently there was some disagreement over Wade’s handicap, the wind helping Jack cheat and whether or not it was illegal to move your ball if it fell in the cart path.
She had no real idea what they were talking about and continued to eat before her eggs got cold.
Will swept into the kitchen and wrapped his arms possessively around Adrienne, pulling her into a kiss that elicited a catcall from one of the other guys. That, precisely, was one reason Gwen wasn’t going to stay with them. She wouldn’t be a lumpy third wheel in their romance. And she was pretty sure she’d get depressed surrounded by all that mushy love stuff.
Alex followed Will into the kitchen and pulled a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. “Get a room,” he challenged, looking at Gwen when he spoke, giving her a wide smile and winking when no one was looking.
The eggs in her mouth were suddenly dry as Styrofoam. Her cheeks were burning. Good lord. How could something as innocent as a flirtatious wink have that kind of effect on her? This man-break was going to backfire. It was supposed to help her get some perspective, but so far, all it had done was make her more vulnerable to the same type of charming man who made her want to take a break from dating in the first place.
More Than He Expected Page 5