EXPECTANT BRIDE-TO-BE

by Nikki Benjamin

  "Well, what do you think?" Jan asked, joining them again as they returned to the large, L-shaped living area at the house's center.

  "I really like it," Abby said, sounding not only surprised, but a little wistful, as well. "It needs paint and wallpaper, of course, and new appliances in the kitchen, but otherwise…" She paused, glanced at Jack, then quickly away again. "I can see why you chose it. Even with the sky so overcast, there's a lot of light in here, and the rooms are so open and inviting. It would be fun to entertain here."

  "It will be fun," Jack amended. "We should have the place presentable long before the baby comes. We can have an open house then, and invite all of our family and friends."

  "So, you want me to go ahead with the loan application?" Jan asked.

  "Abby?" Jack deferred to her with an encouraging smile.

  She eyed him with sudden panic, obviously unwilling to have to cast the deciding vote about a house she wasn't really planning to inhabit.

  "You will be happy here, won't you?" Jack pressed. "That matters more than anything, you know."

  "Yes," Abby said, looking away. "Yes, I'd be happy here."

  "Well, then, that's all settled," Jan chirped. "Now, we'd best be going or we'll never beat the rain back to town. Unless you want to stay a little longer, maybe talk about the paint and wallpaper changes you'd like to make. I'll be happy to leave the keys with you. You can lock up whenever you're ready…"

  "Oh, no," Abby replied so adamantly that Jan gave her a curious look.

  "Not today," Jack added, smoothly distracting the agent. "I'd like to get back to town, too. We have plans for later."

  Abby shot him a "what plans?" glance, but he ignored her as they walked to the entryway with Jan. They had just stepped onto the front porch when a streak of lightning lit up the sky, followed almost immediately by a crash of thunder. Jan quickly locked the door, then waved a hand at them.

  "I'm out of here. Talk to you again in a few days," she said, hurrying to her car as the first powerful wave of rain swept across the lawn.

  "Thanks for coming out here with us," Jack called after her as he took Abby by the arm and headed for his car.

  Since they were parked farther away, and Jack walked more slowly with Abby so she wouldn't trip on the uneven ground, the two of them were all but drenched by the time they reached his car. Inside at last, he grabbed an old blanket off the back seat that he kept handy for emergencies and put it around Abby's shoulders. Using a roll of paper towels, he mopped off his face and arms as best he could, then started the engine.

  "That was wicked of you, Jack Randall," Abby said once they were under way.

  "What was?" he asked, peering through the foggy windshield as a gust of wind buffeted the car.

  "Asking me if I'd be happy in the house with Jan standing there."

  "She would have been surprised if I hadn't. After all, we were there to get your opinion of the house, and I wanted to know, too."

  "Why? I'm not going to actually be living there."

  "Oops," Jack muttered, momentarily distracted as the car hit a patch of water pooling in a low spot on the road and swerved a bit.

  "I'm sorry," Abby said. "With the weather so bad, I should let you concentrate on driving, shouldn't I?"

  "Right. We'll talk more once we're back at your mother's house."

  "Part of our plans for the evening?" she couldn't seem to help but ask, her tone sardonic.

  "Not the talking, no. But we can do that too, if you'd like."

  From the corner of his eye, Jack saw Abby looking at him somewhat askance, and smiled to himself. Then he focused his full attention on the road, determined to get Abby home safely so he could have his wicked way with her, at last.

  * * *

  Chapter 19

  « ^ »

  The storm had brought with it a drop in air temperature. Even wrapped in the old blanket with the car's heater blasting hot air in her face, Abby couldn't seem to get warm on the drive back to her mother's house. Her braid hung wet and heavy against the back of her neck, her T-shirt and shorts clung to her skin, and her sodden sneakers squished uncomfortably on her icy feet. No matter how she tried, she couldn't stop the shivers running up and down her spine.

  Beside her, Jack wasn't in much better shape. He was just as wet despite the blotting he'd given himself with the paper towels, and he didn't have the benefit of a blanket to huddle under. Goose bumps covered his arms and legs where they stuck out from the short sleeves of his shirt and the hem of his shorts. Only the tight grip of his hands on the steering wheel eased his own shivers, and then, just the tiniest bit.

  Since they had pulled onto the main highway into town, he hadn't said anything, keeping his attention focused on the road ahead. He drove slowly, in deference to the pouring rain and gusty wind, avoiding as best he could the puddles of water already standing on the pavement.

  They rarely had such heavy rain in Promise, but when they did, it wasn't unusual for the roads to flood temporarily. Fortunately, there weren't many other vehicles out in the storm, and the drivers of those that were seemed to be moving along as cautiously as Jack.

  "Not too much longer and I'll have you home," he said as they passed the Promise city limit sign, barely discernible in the continuing downpour.

  "G-g-good," she stuttered through chattering teeth.

  "You've caught a chill, haven't you?" He took a hand from the steering wheel and gave her arm a quick squeeze.

  "Y-y-you, t-t-too," she replied, feeling the tremor in his touch.

  "A hot shower should warm you up fast."

  "Mmm." Just the thought made Abby groan with anticipation. "Y-y-you, t-t-too," she said again.

  "Oh, yeah, me, definitely, too," Jack agreed, his voice dropping into the same sexy tonal range he had used when he'd commented on his plans for the evening at the start of their drive home.

  As Abby's heartbeat quickened noticeably, she warned herself not to let her imagination run wild. Whatever Jack might have in mind for them tonight, it wasn't going to involve anything … intimate. At least, not if she had any say in the matter.

  She knew how easily Jack could lure her into doing something she'd end up regretting. He had done just that in December. She fully intended to say a firm and uncompromising no to anything that even seemed likely to go beyond the chaste kisses he'd been giving her the past week. Regardless of how bereft she would feel.

  She had made a big mistake kissing him back earlier—especially with such obviously wanton enthusiasm. She had led him on in a way she now rued.

  They were not really engaged, they were not getting married, and they most certainly were not going to live happily ever after in the house she had absolutely, positively fallen in love with that afternoon. She was going back to San Francisco in ten days, and she wasn't going to let Jack do anything more than he already had to tempt her to change her mind.

  "Here we are," he said, drawing her back to the present moment as he pulled into the driveway. "Looks like we're going to have to make a run for the front door. Do you have your key handy?"

  Abby wanted to tell him there was no need for him to see her to the door and get even wetter himself, only to have to continue on to his apartment. She was perfectly capable of letting herself into the house on her own.

  But she couldn't do that to Jack. He was obviously chilled to the bone already. Refusing to allow him to stay with her until he'd had a chance to dry off would be too cruel, especially when he was so concerned about her. The least she could do was invite him inside and offer him the use of her shower, her terry-cloth robe, and a hot cup of tea while his clothes tumbled in the dryer.

  "Right here," she said, making up her mind as she fished her door key from her purse and handed it to him.

  "I want you to stay put until I unlock the door and come back for you, okay? I don't want you to risk slipping on a patch of wet grass and landing on your bottom."

  "Okay," Abby agreed.

  By the time they w
ere both safely inside the house, they were also wetter than ever. Even using the old blanket as a partial shield from the torrential downpour had done them little good.

  Dropping her end of the blanket in the entryway, Abby scraped the dripping tendrils of hair away from her face, then tried to wipe the moisture from her eyes with her fingertips. Jack, too, let go of the blanket, allowing it to drop in a sodden heap on the floor, then shook his head like a shaggy dog in a seemingly futile attempt to get the water out of his eyes, as well.

  Though it was warmer in the house than it had been outside—thanks to Abby's thrifty habit of raising the thermostat on the air conditioner before she left—it wasn't by much. She couldn't seem to stop shivering even when she ran her hands briskly up and down her arms.

  Jack noticed at once. Putting an arm around her shoulders, he started walking her toward the hallway that led to the house's only bathroom.

  "Let's get you into a hot shower or you're going to end up with pneumonia," he said.

  "No, you go first," Abby protested. "Just hand me a couple of towels so I can—"

  "Don't be silly," Jack cut in. "I'm not nearly as chilled as you are, and I'm not pregnant, either. If I end up catching a cold, it's no big deal. But if you do, the baby will be affected, too."

  Aware that arguing with him would not only be ridiculous, but also futile, Abby gratefully kicked off her sneakers while Jack started the water running. She reached for the waistband of her shorts, then hesitated as he glanced back at her.

  "Uh, I can take it from here," she murmured.

  "Okay, I'll go drip all over the living room." He flashed a wry grin as he turned away.

  "Wait … take some towels." Feeling like a thankless wretch, Abby opened the linen cabinet, grabbed several bath towels and handed them to Jack. "You can wrap up in my robe, too, and put your clothes in the dryer." She reached behind the door for her oversize white terry-cloth robe and tossed it atop the pile of towels. "I promise I won't be long."

  "Don't hurry on my account. I'd rather you take your time. Make sure you're good and warm before you get out from under the hot water."

  "I will," Abby assured him as he finally backed out of the bathroom, pulling the door closed as he did.

  Once she heard the latch click, Abby didn't waste a moment peeling off her soaking wet clothes, letting them fall in a pile on the floor, then stepping under the steamy hot spray of the shower. As the moist heat began to chase away the icy chill that had penetrated to her very bones, she sighed blissfully and closed her eyes.

  The rustle of the shower curtain a few moments later, however, had her suddenly staring wide-eyed through the thick mist at a bare, well-muscled chest, a pair of broad shoulders, a square chin, a smiling mouth and teasingly sexy green eyes.

  "Jack … what are you doing?" Abby demanded, backing up against the tile wall, the last word coming out of her mouth as more of a squeak than anything.

  "I thought I could tough it out and wait until you were finished in here, but I was too wet and too cold. Call me a wimp if you want, but here I am." He reached out and touched her cheek. "You don't really mind, do you? There's more than enough room for the two of us."

  Suddenly aware that she was standing there, stark naked, Abby folded her arms over her breasts.

  "Actually, I'm … I'm all done," she said, trying, unsuccessfully, to ease past him.

  "But you've only been in here a couple of minutes. Not even enough time to soap up." Solidly blocking her way out of the shower stall, Jack reached for the bar of soap in the soap dish and started rubbing up a lather in his hands. "Turn around and I'll start with your back."

  Abby could have blustered her way past him … if she had really wanted to. Jack wouldn't have kept her in the shower stall against her will. But standing under the steamy spray, watching his clever hands making glorious wads of bubbles from a simple bar of lavender-scented soap, she felt too weak of body, mind and spirit to do anything but turn obediently and let him do as he'd offered.

  At least she was saved from the temptation of brazenly lowering her gaze, or worse, simply taking a step or two closer to him, putting her arms around him and rubbing up against him invitingly like a sex-starved hussy.

  Which she most certainly was, but oh, well…

  The feel of Jack's hands on her back, slick with soap as they massaged their way from her shoulders to her hips had her arching her neck and sighing deeply in a matter of seconds. And when those same delightfully inventive hands eased around to cover her breasts, she sucked in a deep, audible breath, not of surprise, but of undisguised pleasure.

  Bending close, Jack whispered in her ear as he quickly loosened his grip, "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

  "You didn't." Reaching up, she pressed his hands to her more firmly, once again. "My breasts are just super-sensitive. Apparently it's a normal part of pregnancy."

  "Do you like it?" he asked, nuzzling the side of her neck.

  "I do now," she murmured in reply.

  Using one hand to tease at her nipples, Jack skimmed the other down along her rib cage, then splayed his palm across the growing mound of her belly.

  "Getting bigger," he said, the pride and protectiveness in his voice evident.

  "Mmm, yes. Moving around more and more, too."

  It felt so natural to Abby, standing there with Jack's hands on her body, talking about their baby. As if they had been together for years instead of just a few days.

  "Boy or girl?" he asked, his thumb toying with the little indent of her belly button.

  "I'm only asking for healthy. Then I'll be happy, no matter what," she admitted.

  "Me, too."

  Drawing her back against his chest so that she could feel the evidence of his desire, he pressed an openmouthed kiss on the back of her neck and moved his hand lower still.

  Gasping, Abby spread her legs, then reached down and guided his fingers right where she wanted them, needed them. With the softest, sexiest, most masculine of chuckles, Jack obliged her quite deftly, delving into her with such masterful strokes that he soon had her writhing in his arms like a wild thing.

  "Jack … oh, Jack … please," she begged, her voice husky as she tipped her head back against his shoulder.

  "Now?" His eyes gleamed mischievously as he feathered a kiss on her lips.

  "Yes, now … now," she wailed, the hard length of his body supporting her, the light dip and rub of his fingertips, the hot, steamy spray of water beating against her all combining to shift her senses into overload.

  Jack increased the pressure of his thumb on her as he took her mouth in a deep, drugging kiss, eating the cry that came from her with her release.

  So weak in the knees that she could barely stand, Abby turned in his arms and sagged against him, holding on to him as she tried to steady her breathing.

  "Better?" he asked, reaching around her to turn off the faucet.

  "Oh, yes. But you … you—"

  "Don't worry, sweetheart. We're far from finished yet."

  Jack's eyes gleamed with such deviltry as he shoved aside the shower curtain that Abby's knees threatened to give out all over again. Steadying her with a hand on her arm, he helped her step onto the bath mat, then took one of the towels he'd left on the counter and quickly dried her off.

  "Now you," she said when he had finished, grabbing a fresh towel so she could return the favor.

  "Mmm, nice. I could get used to this," he muttered as she scrubbed the soft terry cloth down his broad chest and over his belly.

  "Me, too," Abby admitted, moving the towel lower, teasing it along the rigid length of him.

  "Enough," Jack ground out in a tormented voice. He caught her hands in his, took the towel from her and dropped it on the floor, then scooped her into his arms and carried her down the hallway to her bedroom.

  Outside the house, the rain continued to fall, though not with quite so thunderous a roar. Inside, Abby's bedroom was a dimly lit and cozy cave, her narrow bed a place where she a
nd Jack could once again set aside all their inhibitions. As they had that night in December, they came together as equal partners, each giving and taking in the same measure.

  With her guard lowered and her defenses down, Abby reveled in the pleasure of their mating, meeting Jack's thrusts with an urgency that belied her earlier satisfaction. And afterward, lying in his arms as he held her close, so close to his heart, she could almost believe again, as she had in December, that surely he must love her—really, truly love her.

  The tenderness he had shown her when he'd put his mouth to her could not be faked. Nor could the passion with which he had called her name at the moment of his release, or the wonderment when he nuzzled her neck and murmured, "You're everything to me … everything … Abby Summers."

  She wanted those moments to last forever, but unfortunately, her tummy had other ideas, growling so loudly that she couldn't help but giggle self-consciously.

  "Hungry?" Jack chuckled, too, then gave her a comforting hug.

  "Much as I hate to admit it, yes," Abby answered.

  "Well, it is dinnertime." He stretched as best he could in the narrow bed, then splayed his hand across her belly. "And you are eating for two."

  "I'm beginning to wonder if I'm actually eating for three or four," she admitted ruefully.

  "Is it possible? Twins … or even triplets?" Jack levered up on an elbow and looked down at her, his expression such a mixture of panic and delight that she couldn't help but smile.

  "Not this time. I had a sonogram just before I left San Francisco, and the doctor assured me there is only one baby growing inside me."

  "Well, then, maybe next time," Jack teased. "The older we get, the more chance we'll have for a multiple birth."

  He sounded so enthusiastic about the prospect of a future pregnancy that Abby couldn't bring herself to burst his bubble by reminding him that they weren't actually going to live happily ever after as husband and wife.