Doctor Linton came in a moment later and introduced himself.
“Code Landon, Sarah’s husband,” he said. It dawned on him that was the first time he’d actually said those words aloud. They sounded strange to his ears. He was Sarah’s husband, and she didn’t want anyone to know about him.
“But, for obvious reasons, no one is to know she’s married or that she’s with child. I hope you’ll comply with our wishes.”
“Certainly,” the doctor stated. “It goes no further than this room.”
Sarah’s celebrity ensured many people’s understanding of the situation. Though Code did Sarah’s bidding, it irked him that she’d wanted to keep the baby and their marriage a secret. Code recognized his irritation for what it was—his ego bruising, and he didn’t like it. Not one bit. Yet as the examination progressed and the doctor explained to both of them what to expect in the upcoming months, reality hit him with striking force.
They, he and Sarah, would bring a child into this world. Hearing the beating of the baby’s heart brought it all home.
For those few unfettered minutes, Code forgot about the terms of their marriage arrangement. He weighed in on every word of the doctor’s instructions. He listened intently to Sarah’s questions. He asked questions of his own. He fell into the role of husband and father-to-be and gauged a cautious look at the awe and love in Sarah’s eyes as the doctor spoke of their baby.
“So the baby is due by summer?” she asked.
“Yes, at your next appointment we’ll do a sonogram to give us a more accurate accounting of time. In the meantime, continue with your regular activities. Just be more aware of your body signals. Get the rest you need.”
“I plan to,” she said, bobbing her head up and down. “I don’t have much planned after this series of Christmas concerts. The baby is the most important thing in my life.”
Code noted the sincere look on her face. Did he believe her? He wasn’t sure what to believe, other than she carried a new life inside and both of their lives would change forever.
Code walked Sarah back to the car after the appointment and glanced at his watch. It was late in the afternoon, and he wasn’t ready to take her back to the hotel yet, where each one would go into their separate rooms for the evening.
“Are you tired?” he asked.
“Not at all. Hearing the baby’s heartbeat perked me up.” She set her hand on her stomach in a protective manner. “I can’t believe it, but it’s really happening, Code.”
He inhaled sharply and nodded. “Pretty daunting, isn’t it?”
She peered into his eyes and a genuine look of joy crossed her features. “Yes, in a good way.”
He kept his expression steady, but inside, he warmed up considerably. He had no doubt Sarah would love the child she carried, but would she give the baby higher priority than her career?
“I know this out-of-the-way place in the Quarter. Mellow jazz and good eats.”
“If you’re inviting me, I’m accepting.”
“I’m inviting.”
“Then I’d love to.”
Code made a phone call then drove from the heart of the city into the French Quarter, just a few miles from Tempest New Orleans. He parked the car and came around to get Sarah.
“Just a minute,” she said, dipping into a big black leather handbag and coming up with a curly brown wig. “For emergencies,” she said with a big grin, tucking her hair under the short wig and plopping wide-rimmed glasses onto her face. “My red hair is a dead giveaway.”
Code frowned for a second then once the transformation was in place, he chuckled. Even with his security background, he doubted he’d recognize her from a distance. “Gotta admire your ingenuity.”
“Comes from necessity. Hazards of the job.”
“Are you saying you don’t like the attention?”
“Code,” she said, batting her eyelashes, adjusting to the glasses. “I’m a singer. I love to perform. Unfortunately, that means being scrutinized in my private life. And no, I’ve never liked that.”
He took that comment at face value and helped her out of the car. They walked behind a restaurant, followed an old brick path and entered Smooth Tones, a small crowded club sandwiched between the restaurant and a voodoo magic shop. “This is out of the way,” she said. Gentle jazz sounds rose above the hum of conversations from the packed tables and dance floor and flowed softly. “I love it.”
“Let’s have a seat,” he said, taking her arm.
Sarah darted her gaze around. “Where? Doesn’t seem to be any available.”
When an empty corner table magically appeared, Code gestured to the trumpet player his thanks. “My table.”
“Your table?”
Code offered Sarah a seat and then he sat down next to her. “Do you own this place?” Sarah asked quizzically.
“Not really. Let’s just say, the place had some trouble with robberies a while back. My company stepped in, took care of the problem, but not before they’d accrued a lot of debt. The place was ready to close down, and I saw it as a good investment. I loaned them the money they needed to get back on their feet.”
“And they pay you back with dinners and hard-to-get corner tables.”
“Something like that. They have the best gumbo in the city. “
Sarah smiled. “I feel like a different person, being here in this place, completely out of the limelight.”
Code had to smile his agreement. “You look like a different person.” No matter what Sarah Rose did to disguise herself, she still was beautiful. Those frumpy glasses and that curly wig only made her appear more appealing to him. She went from wholesome gorgeous to cute and adorable within a matter of seconds.
There was something so irresistible about her tonight. Maybe it was that damn disguise and her resourcefulness, or the closeness he felt with her earlier, hearing the beating of their baby’s heart. Whatever the reason he’d forget all about his differences with Sarah.
Just for tonight.
Nine
S arah enjoyed the spicy gumbo, a warm mug of cider and the atmosphere at Smooth Tones. But more than that, she enjoyed feeling free…her celebrity going unnoticed. Being incognito was liberating, and only once in a while had she really worn her disguise to get out of her hotel when on tour.
She smiled at Code, and he smiled back.
He seemed to enjoy her anonymity, too. He was a man used to being behind the scenes, accustomed to secrets and security. So different from her life that was open to the whole world, not as much by choice but by situation.
Sarah leaned back and sipped her drink, the saxophone’s sexy tunes drifting through the club setting a tempting mood of seduction.
“Dance with me,” Code said, suddenly standing behind her and taking her hand.
Sarah rose and they walked hand in hand to the dance floor. Code held her waist and she roped her arms around his neck. They touched and swayed slowly with the indulgent music. She laid her head in the crook of his neck and breathed in his musky scent. Her senses reeled.
“I could get used to you being a brunette,” he whispered.
A rippling chuckle escaped her throat. “Me, too. If it means that no one recognizes me.”
“Maybe that’s what I like the most,” Code said, drawing her closer into his arms.
“Hmm,” she mumbled, closing her eyes and letting the soft tones and her handsome husband sway her.
Code nibbled on her throat, tiny kisses that were the slightest feather touches. Goose bumps rose up and down her arms.
If only it could always be like this.
She moved her head slightly to gaze at him. He slanted his head at the same time, his eyes like sparkling deep blue flames, mesmerizing and enticing.
Her heart surged.
She loved this man.
She’d probably always known, but fear kept her from admitting it. Fear that he wasn’t Cody any longer, but Code Landon, a shell of a man—hardened, cold and callous. Fear that he’d
reject her and toss her aside. Fear that she’d broken his trust and she’d never regain it.
Tonight, he’d shown her his charming side to prevent her further sobbing, most likely. They’d chatted and laughed and truly seemed to enjoy each other’s company.
He would tread lightly and walk on eggshells around her, she presumed, to keep the mother of his child healthy. She’d seen the look of pure awe and, yes, delight in his eyes when he’d heard their child’s heart beating. She’d felt the same way, and love poured out of her.
That moment had been devastatingly sweet between them.
Sarah wanted Code to fall back in love with her. She wanted to smooth his rough edges and love him with all of her heart.
Did she dare?
What do you have to lose, Sarah?
They would end their marriage in divorce after the baby arrived. So all she really had to lose was her pride and her heart all over again.
Then and there, perhaps because she felt carefree and she loved being in Code’s gentle arms, she decided, why not? Why not try to repair years of damage. Their child had everything to gain.
And so did she.
Sarah inched closer to him and tightened her arms around his neck. She looked up and spoke with a breathless whisper, “You’re a great dancer.”
He laughed. “You’re lying.”
She smiled and shook her head. “You haven’t stepped on my toes once.”
“Is that all it takes?”
“I remember you having two left feet in high school, Code. But now, you’re darn—”
“I wasn’t as bad as I made out to be. I wanted to get close to you.”
“So you pretended to be a klutz at dancing?”
“Yeah, it was a ploy to get to know you.”
Sarah stared straight into his eyes. “We did that, didn’t we? We got to know one another?”
“I thought we did.” Doubt crept into his eyes and his shoulders stiffened. “But I didn’t really know yo—”
Sarah put a stopping finger to his lips. “Shh, don’t spoil the night, Code. Please.” Then she lifted up on tiptoes and brushed her lips to his.
She felt him relax, his mouth accepting hers and then he took complete control, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her up against him fully. He deepened the kiss, slanting his lips over hers and pressed her mouth open.
They danced and kissed this way, bumping into other couples on the jam-packed twelve by twelve parquet flooring until the music stopped.
Breathless, Sarah turned away from Code to applaud the band, trying to keep her wits about her, tapping down her complete joy at breaching his hard exterior.
Her nerves tingled with awareness.
Code stood behind her and she leaned against him as they listened to the bandleader. “We’re taking a break. Be back in twenty. Drink, eat up, no reason you can’t have fun until we return,” he said in a deep Barry White voice.
Code whispered in her ear. “Let’s go home.”
Home.
Sarah never considered a hotel room her home, until now.
She nodded, and they exited the club quickly. The ride home was silent but for a few pleasured sighs that escaped Sarah’s lips. Code held her hand throughout, and when they entered the suite, Sarah removed her wig and glasses, fluffing out her hair.
Code watched every move she made and the nearly tangible hunger in his eyes prompted her to take the steps to stand before him, open and vulnerable.
He took her breath away every time she looked at him. Dressed immaculately, in a black shirt and trousers, his skin tanned and healthy, his eyes rich blue and so steady, Sarah wanted him. Her husband. The man she had always loved.
He reached out to catch a strand of her hair, curled it around his finger and stared at it a long time. Contemplative, his brows drew together. “The real thing is prettier than the wig.”
She hoped so. “I thought you liked the wig?” she said softly.
“I liked what it represented, babe.”
“What was that?”
“The girl I once knew.”
“She’s here, Cody. Standing right in front of you.”
Sarah reached for him and planted a long, urging kiss to his lips. Code responded with a groan of desire, kissing her back and taking the lead.
His embrace brought her up against him, her thighs against his thighs, her desire pressed to his. She closed her eyes tighter when his erection strained between them.
“Oh, God,” she breathed out.
Code gripped her derriere and positioned her into the juncture of his legs. They rubbed together erotically and Code bent his head to mouth her breast through the silky material of her blouse. Her nipple strained toward him, and he caught it with his teeth.
Her legs went weak. Her breaths huffed out rapidly. Her body burned for him. “I still love you, Cody,” she whispered in a rush.
Instantly, Code’s hands froze on her body and Sarah silently cursed her impulsive declaration. He stopped his seductive assault and lifted up, straightening his form to catch her heavy-lidded gaze and search her eyes. Then he set her away from him and shook his head. “No.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he continued to stare at her. A tick worked the left side of his jaw. He stood stone still.
Dread entered her heart. What did he mean by no?
Didn’t he believe her? Or was he warning her off?
His expression grim, Sarah’s courage wilted fast.
“No,” he repeated, then on an exasperated sigh, he commanded, “You should get to bed. It’s late.”
He walked out of the suite and left her standing there in the middle of the room, the Christmas lights sparkling vibrant colors against the penthouse windows, as Sarah’s bright hopes faded quickly away.
Code sat at the Tempest bar nursing his second dirty martini, staring at the holiday greenery swooping down along the crown molding, an occasional ornament twinkling and catching his eye.
“You look like you could use some company.” Betsy McKnight, Sarah’s backup singer sat down next to him.
“Hi,” he said, reluctantly. Code didn’t want any company. He planned on getting royally drunk all by himself. He’d had to get out of that suite tonight and away from Sarah. She’d thrown him off-kilter with her pronouncement of love. The words reverberated in his head.
I still love you.
She hadn’t spoken from the heart, he told himself.
They’d been swept up in the moment. The entire night had been leading to their making love again.
He didn’t want her love. That would complicate matters. He had a hard enough time keeping his hands off her. Believing she loved him would only spell disaster. Besides, lately her moods shifted like the wind due to her pregnancy.
But niggling thoughts kept entering his head. The conversation he had with Lenora had been an eye-opener. He’d had no idea Lenora’s health had deteriorated to the point of losing her job when they lived in Barker. Seeing her in the wheelchair had been another eye-opener. Without the expert health and nursing care Sarah now provided for her mother, Lenora’s life would have been a nightmare.
Code gestured for the bartender to come over then turned to Betsy. “What are you drinking?”
“Bailey’s coffee,” she replied to the man behind the bar. He nodded and walked off.
“I just spoke with Sarah,” Betsy said. “A few minutes ago. She’s confused.”
“Yeah, well.” He was about to say, that made two of them, but refrained.
“She told me you’re married now.”
“She must trust you.” Code stared straight ahead. Frankly, he was surprised that Sarah told one of her band members their secret.
“I know about the baby, too, and I think it’s fantastic. Congratulations.”
He nodded and sipped his drink.
Betsy shifted in her seat to face him. “Sarah will make a great mother.”
“Are you here to plead her case?”
“She’s my friend, and I love her.” The coffee was delivered and Betsy blew on it before taking a sip. “Actually, I think she’s had a rough life.”
Code grunted. Sarah was a huge success. She’d provided for her mother and sisters. She was loved by millions.
“Gillespie was a jerk. Brilliant in the business, but not good for Sarah.” Betsy confessed, “I’m not sentimental. He needed to go.”
“Amen to that.” Code took a swallow of his martini, feeling somewhat justified in his aversion for the man. “Why do you feel so strongly about him?”
“He manipulated Sarah, and it took her ten years to see it.”
“How?”
“He made things happen. I have my suspicions, but I’m keeping them to myself. All I came down here to say is that Sarah deserves a good life. And if you’re the one to provide it for her, don’t blow it.”
Code’s brows rose in surprise. He liked Betsy. She had spunk and audacity. “You don’t hold anything back, do you?”
“Not my style.” Betsy gulped down her coffee quickly and got up from the barstool. “I’m exhausted. These late nights and early rehearsals are getting to me. I’d better turn in. Thanks for the drink.”
Code watched her leave, her words ringing in his ears.
He made things happen.
Code lifted out his cell phone and dialed a number. Before, Gillespie had just been a nuisance and none of his business, but now that he was married to Sarah, it was his duty to protect her and find out the truth.
He called the best man he knew for the job. “Hey, Johnson. I need you to drop what you’re doing. I’m sending you to Nashville.”
Sarah nibbled on her lip, pacing in the parlor, dressed in a sheer, flimsy white negligee.
“Go for it,” Betsy told her just minutes ago, after her conversation with Code at the bar.
Sarah wanted a wedding night with her husband. She wanted to satisfy that hungry look in his eyes. She’d blurted out her love for him without thinking of the consequences. Code wasn’t ready to hear her declaration without the explanations and apologies that went with it.
Do Not Disturb Until Christmas Page 10