“Try not to this kill one, okay?” Because her teeth were starting to chatter from the cold, he stepped inside and shut the door. “I hear regular watering and sunlight help, but that could be just a nasty rumor.”
She smiled again and set the ficus on the floor. When she stood up, however, she slid her hand inside his coat and ran her fingers over his butt. “Still there, huh? I guess the chief didn’t chew too much of it off.”
“Nope. In fact, he gave me a promotion of sorts. I’ll be head of covert and deep-ops training for rookies.”
“So it’s true. You can take out the ‘of sorts.’ It’s a definite promotion. One where your penchant for breaking rules won’t cause you to get regular butt chewings from the chief.”
Since she let her touch linger on that particular part of his anatomy, and since she slid her fingers to his stomach, and lingered there, as well, it took Riley a moment to get his eyes uncrossed. “Spoken like a smart-ass in training. A little more time with me, Tessa, and you’ll qualify for full-fledged bad-girl status.”
Her smile faded. “I don’t think I’m the bad-girl type. No tattoo, for one thing. And then there’s my, uh, situation.”
“Badass isn’t all about tattoos,” he quickly informed her. “It’s in the eyes, and I’d say you’ve got that glare thing down pat. Definitely a mission commander’s glare.”
He’d hoped that would make her smile return. It didn’t. “You make me sound so…attractive.”
“You are, and that wasn’t meant to be sarcastic.” He shook his head. “Still, it sounds inadequate. But you are. Besides, who says a pregnant woman can’t be both smart-ass and hot? I think you’re hot, and you’ll continue to be incredibly hot throughout this pregnancy. And afterward.”
Tessa didn’t have quite the reaction he thought she might have to that compliment. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, sighed and sank down onto the bar stool.
“I ran a home pregnancy test this morning. Just to be sure,” she said. She unwound the towel from her head and tossed it onto the bar. Her damp blond hair fell onto her shoulders.
And she didn’t say anything else.
Her silence, coupled with the sigh, caused Riley to start sweating again.
“Well?” he prompted.
She moistened her lips. “The test was positive.”
Riley released the breath that he didn’t even realize he’d been holding. Okay. That got his mind back on track, and he knew their discussion couldn’t wait.
“You seem, uh, relieved.” But Tessa didn’t give him a chance to respond to that. “Look, Riley, I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. Heck, I’ve been practicing what to say to you, and the bottom line is—”
“You practiced?”
She blinked, nodded and dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “Trust me, it didn’t help,” she mumbled under her breath.
He knew exactly what she meant.
“It’s just…I don’t want you to feel obligated,” she continued. “A baby is my version of the white picket fence and a perfect life, but there’s no way I want to drag you into this.” She stared at him. Frowned. “Now, you look upset.”
“Well, hell, maybe because I am. First of all, you didn’t drag me into anything.” He stalled a bit on the second part, since he knew what was at stake here.
Simply put, Tessa didn’t need him.
She was independent. Smart. And had just been made a mission commander in SIU. It was a desk job, but one that would give her a nice cushy income. Unfortunately, Riley wanted her to need him. Not for a paycheck. Heck, not even for sex or moral support.
Okay, maybe for that.
But he wanted Tessa to need him as much as he needed her.
And that was a lot.
“Something happened back at Fletcher’s estate…” he started to say, hoping it made sense. Because it sure didn’t make sense zipping through his head. “Things got clearer.”
Her face relaxed a bit. “Because I’m sure inserting my foot in my mouth wouldn’t be very appetizing, I think I’ll just ask you to explain.”
Riley debated which way to go with this and decided the direct approach with minimal words was the best. “I’m in love with you.”
Every muscle in her face froze and those blue eyes seemed to double in size. “You love me?”
That was it.
Just those softly repeated words and more of that stomach-tightening silence.
“I love you,” Riley confirmed. “And it’s the real thing, Tessa. I’m sure of it.” Mercy, where had the air gone? “I seem to remember you mentioning something at Fletcher’s estate about loving me. Of course, I realize that could have been the heat of the moment, because you thought we were going to die.” He shook his head again. “And I’m really babbling here. Say something, please.”
She didn’t say anything, but she launched herself at him. Fortunately, Riley was right there to catch her because she jumped into his arms. Well, his good arm anyway. “I was afraid this was just sex to you.”
She took the words right out of his mouth. “Not even close.”
And that earned him a kiss. A long, hot, clingy kiss where she wound her arms around him and didn’t let go.
It was better than any white-picket-fence fantasy. It was paradise.
“Until I heard the results of that pregnancy test,” he managed to say, not easily, “I hadn’t known just how much I wanted a child. Or how much I could love. Now, I know.”
When she pulled back, there were tears in her eyes.
“Oh, man. I made you cry.” Riley immediately started to wipe the tears away.
“It’s happy crying. It means you did good. You said just the right thing.”
The tightness in his chest eased up a bit. “Then say it right back to me.”
“I love you.” She kissed him on his cheek. “I want you.” She kissed him again. On his mouth. “I need you.”
And she really kissed him.
“Even better.” Riley fought for his breath and decided he didn’t need it anyway. “There are only two things I want. You and this baby. Okay, maybe four things.” Heck, he might as well go for broke. He slid his hand inside her robe and discovered she was very much naked. “I also want to make love to you all afternoon. Maybe even in bed.” He eyed the sofa. Which was a lot closer. “Or not. That’s negotiable.”
Tessa, who was obviously a mind reader, was already leading him in the direction of the sofa. She was also nibbling on his neck and peeling off his jacket. “And the fourth thing?”
“Marry me.”
Her quest to get him naked stopped. Because he had his hands all over her, he felt her muscles stiffen. “Marry you?” she repeated.
He nodded. “I’m not really comfortable making that a question. Because I don’t want you to say no.”
She smiled. And it was dazzling even with the happy tears. “Then this is your lucky day, McDade. Because you can have all four things. Me, the baby, some great sofa sex, and yes, I’ll marry you.”
She sealed that promise with a kiss. And Riley sealed it right along with her.
It was indeed his lucky day, and Riley would do everything in his power to make sure that luck continued for a lifetime.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8689-8
MOMMY UNDER COVER
Copyright © 2005 Delores Fossen
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author,
and all incidents are pure invention.
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Mommy Under Cover Page 17