by Lauren Bach
Instead Grey unbuttoned his damp shirt and stripped it off, not trusting himself enough to remove his pants. He looked at her. “It’s not what you think.” He grabbed the cover she had knotted in her fists. “Move over and I’ll share my body heat.”
She looked ready to cry. “The last time we shared body heat I got pregnant.”
“At least you don’t have to worry about that this time.”
Tess shoved his hand away. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Grey caught her wrists gently, feeling very much like the bull in a china shop. He apologized. “That’s not what I meant. I promise to be a perfect gentleman. See? My jeans are staying on.”
Scrunching the pillows behind him, Grey climbed onto the bed. She hesitated only a moment before snuggling as close to him as possible, too cold to argue.
Grey drew his arm around her, pressing her tightly to his side. She was his perfect fit. “Better?” he asked.
“Much,” she whispered. She burrowed her cold nose into his side, willing the heat to leave his body and enter hers. “Thank you.”
For someone shivering, Grey thought she felt too warm. He pressed his lips against her forehead, testing her skin temperature. She was burning up.
“Tess, I think you’re running a fever. I need to call a doctor.”
She moaned. “The last thing I want to do is go out again. I just need sleep. I’ll be fine.”
Grey hugged her close, rocking her gently, while he fought his own internal monsters. He didn’t blame her for not wanting to go out. She didn’t feel well.
But he didn’t want to take any chances where she or the baby were concerned.
Besides, the doctor he was going to call was a person he trusted explicitly. In fact, she was the obstetrician Grey was going to recommend Tess see while they were in the Chapel Hill area.
His ex-wife.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Grey looked down at Tess, noticing she’d drifted off to sleep, which made his decision easier. He’d feel better if Elise saw Tess, but how would Tess feel about seeing the woman Grey had once been married to?
He thought about Geoffrey Hurst, Tess’ ex-fiancé. Grey wouldn’t want to see him, even if he were dying and Geoffrey held the cure. But that was him.
Right now, with her sick and them in hiding...well, calling Elise seemed the best option. Of course, that assumed Grey could reach her.
Slipping from the bed, he reached for his wallet and withdrew a creased business card.
Her answering service gave him the number of a local hospital, where Elise was on call. She sounded harried when she answered the page.
“Grey! Kevin and I watched the reports on the trial. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine Elise, but I’ve got a big favor to ask.”
Briefly he explained the situation.
“So it’s true,” she said. “The Marsh woman is pregnant. There’s speculation you’re the father--”
“I am.”
“Well, congratulations! Now tell me more of her symptoms. How high is her fever?”
“I don’t have a thermometer, and I’m hesitant to leave her to go find one.”
“I’m off duty in thirty minutes. I can come there.”
Grey breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks Elise.”
“You can thank me when I get there. What’s the address?”
Grey gave her directions and their room number. “We’re registered under an alias, Elise, you--”
“Yeah, I know. It’s top secret. You’d tell me more, but then you’d have to kill me. Blah, blah, blah. I remember the drill from when we were married.”
“You probably got the same lines from Kevin.” After Grey and Elise divorced she married his best friend, a fellow FBI agent. Kevin had only stayed with the Bureau a few months after that though. He’d been smart enough to realize undercover work didn’t mix well with a marriage and family.
“There’s not many people I can call right now,” Grey admitted.
“Say no more. I figure if you didn’t trust me, you wouldn’t have called.” Elise paused, but only to draw another breath. “And, by the way, those tired old lines about stuff being top secret don’t work anymore, so be prepared to tell me everything, Grey.”
* * *
“Your ex-wife is an obstetrician?” Tess shoved her still-damp hair off her forehead. She was wide-awake. “And she’s coming here? Now?”
Grey nodded. “You need a doctor, Tess. You’re running a fever, and I know I can trust Elise.”
Trust wasn’t the issue. For now at least.
She was still reeling over the news Grey had been married before. To a woman who was en route this instant to see Tess...who carried the woman’s ex-husband’s child.
Tess scrambled from the bed only to be caught -- gently -- around the waist by a strong arm.
“Let me go!” she demanded.
“What are you doing? You belong in bed.”
“I’m going to get dressed and brush my hair.”
“Why?”
“Because I probably look like something a cat tried to bury.”
“So? You’re sick. She knows that.”
Tess smacked his hand, twice, miffed that he hadn’t even tried to contradict her. She must look even worse then she felt. “I suppose she also knows I’m pregnant and you’re the father.”
Damn it, he wished she’d hold still. “The whole blasted country knows that. Remember?”
For a moment she looked stung, and Grey regretted his remark. He loosened his grip, instantly contrite.
“Tess...”
She moved away, ignoring him, pulling open drawers until she found her clothes. Grabbing a soft blue sweater and jeans she stepped into the bathroom. But not before shooting Grey a wounded look. Then she slammed the door and crumpled to the floor, eyes blurry with unshed tears.
Why did the news of Grey’s past seem so upsetting? Of course he’d had a life before meeting her, before the time they spent together. So had she. It was just...
What?
Why did it upset her so to think of Grey loving another?
It didn’t.
The thought that Grey still cared was what rankled.
They obviously still had a bond. Grey trusted her. In his hour of need he’d called his ex-wife.
And, quite simply, Tess was jealous.
Her head snapped up at the thought. She couldn’t be jealous. That meant she had to care about him deeply. And she couldn’t. She didn’t know him well enough...in spite of all that had passed between them.
She thought back to her weeks in Montana. Of the time she’d spent with Grey as a hostage. She’d been a helpless pawn in a frightening game.
And she’d loved him even then.
No.
No.
No!
Grey knocked softly on the door. “Tess? Are you okay?”
Drying her eyes, she straightened and quickly pulled on her clothes. When she opened the door he was casually leaning against the jamb, blocking her way, his arms crossed over his bare chest.
She wished he’d put on a shirt. She stared at his chest, his small brown nipples. The medal that rested between them. She ached to touch him. Except she was still confused.
“I’m fine.” She squeezed past him, avoiding physical contact as if he were covered with leprous sores. No small task considering the size of her breasts and the fact that he obviously wasn’t budging. Picking up a hairbrush she moved toward the couch.
“I owe you an apology.” He followed her, snagging a dry shirt and jamming his arms into the sleeves. “Probably a dozen of them.”
She remained silent.
He ran his hands through his hair, flexing muscles as he moved. “One, I shouldn’t have snapped at you. Two, I should have checked with you before calling a doctor. And three, I need to respect your space and your feelings.”
He knelt in front of her, mesmerized by the hairbrush shimmering through her hair, knowing he’d be lost if he reach
ed out and touched. When she still didn’t speak, he sighed.
“Okay, I also should have told you sooner that I had an ex-wife.”
The hairbrush stopped mid-stroke. His last remark made her realize she was behaving childishly. She looked at him, repentant. “You owe me no explanations on your personal life.”
“I know I don’t owe you one. I would, however, like to share with you.” He reached out, taking the hairbrush from her hand.
When she didn’t resist he eased up to sit beside her and began gently brushing the long golden strands.
“I’d also like it if you shared some of your life with me. I’m tired of the way we tiptoe around each other, like there’s an invisible wall that can’t be breached.” He ran a finger down the hollow of her cheek, tracing the line of her jaw. “There’s so much I don’t know about you. It drives me crazy sometimes.”
She looked away, not wanting him to see that she felt the same. Not until she understood it herself. That wall was there for a reason.
“Ours hasn’t exactly been a normal relationship. We’ve been thrown together under extreme circumstances twice now. First in Montana, now this. My everyday life would probably bore you,” she said.
Tipping her chin back toward him, he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. She was still too warm, her eyes feverish. He hoped Elise would arrive soon.
“Funny, I’ve felt the same way about my life.” His smile was bittersweet. “So does that mean you accept my apology?”
“For being overbearing? Yes.”
He grunted. “What about my calling Elise?”
Tess looked at him squarely not wanting to delve too deeply into feelings that felt too tender right now. “I realize she’s doing a tremendous favor coming here this late. And if you say she’s a good doctor, I’ll believe you.”
At that moment a knock sounded at the door. Picking up his gun, Grey checked the peephole, then opened the door.
A petite redhead rushed into the room and launched herself at Grey. She kissed both his cheeks before stepping back and giving him the once-over. “Nice. The GQ look suits you. The last time I saw you, you had hair down to here.”
She pointed to his gun and rolled her eyes, unimpressed. “Stow that and grab my bags. I set them down outside.” She jabbed at his open shirt. “And button up. It’s nippy.”
Elise whirled around, pinning Tess with a friendly smile as she peeled off her coat. “You must be Tess Marsh. I’m Elise Barnes.”
Tess nodded dumbly, unable to take her eyes off the other woman. Elise was stunning. A riot of rust-colored curls framed the woman’s delicate face, complementing her emerald green eyes. But the most amazing thing to Tess was the woman’s stomach.
Elise Barnes was pregnant.
“Number five and six,” she announced proudly, patting her stomach. She winked at Grey. “Twins. Beat you to it!”
The room grew silent. Elise’s head turned from Grey to Tess, then back to Grey. “Uh, you did tell her twins run rampant in your family, didn’t you?”
Tess’ mouth fell open. Rampant? “He mentioned twin sisters. Is there more?”
Elise laughed, clearly pleased to have gotten Grey in hot water. Until she looked at Tess. Then she started clucking like a mother hen. “Ignore me, hon. I’m just giving him a hard time.”
Somehow Tess didn’t think Elise was kidding about the possibility of twins. A subject she’d pursue with Grey later.
“You’re really having twins?” Tess asked.
Elise nodded. “Kevin, that’s my husband, says we’re naming them The and End. Of course, he said something similar after the last four, and look at me.”
Elise sat next to Tess on the couch. “If you don’t mind me saying so, you look awful, kiddo. May I?” She grasped Tess’ wrist, checking her pulse.
“You look wonderful,” Tess blurted. “I mean, pregnancy obviously agrees with you. It doesn’t me.”
Elise chuckled sympathetically. “We’ll have to see if we can change that.” She motioned for Grey to hand her the black medical bag. She withdrew a digital thermometer and stuck it in Tess’ mouth.
“One-oh-one fever,” she announced a moment later, grabbing a blood-pressure cuff.
The room was silent except for the steady hiss of air from the cuff. “And your blood pressure’s low.”
Removing her stethoscope, Elise started asking Tess questions about her general health while she checked the glands under her jaw.
Tess winced when she hit a tender spot.
“Sore?” Elise asked. “They’re swollen. You’ve had a lot of stress the entire time you’ve been pregnant, haven’t you?”
Grey, who’d been quietly pacing up till now, snorted. “That’s an understatement considering that just today she survived an explosion and a mugging.”
“A strong woman. My favorite kind.” Elise hooked a thumb in his direction. “Bet you love being stuck with him, hmmm?”
Tess had to smile.
“Let me see your hands.” Elise cut away the gauze and examined the cuts. “This might hurt but I need to check for glass and infection,” she warned before pressing on the abrasions.
“Looks like you got it all,” Elise said finally. “I’ll leave an antiseptic ointment to put on that. It’ll help relieve the pain, too.”
Standing, Elise looked at Grey. “I need a few minutes alone to examine Tess.”
Grey grabbed a jacket and the room key. “I’ll go buy a newspaper.”
When they were alone, Elise patted Tess’ hand. “I’d like to check the baby, if that’s okay with you. I just want to feel your tummy.”
Nodding, Tess moved to the bed. Surprisingly, she felt very comfortable with Elise.
“Yes, there’s definitely a baby in there,” Elise remarked when she finished.
“And he’s okay?” Tess asked anxiously.
“He?” Elise smiled. “I knew my first two were girls. He feels fine. However, there are some routine tests that need to be done, like a sonogram and blood work. You need to be taking prenatal vitamins, too. Maybe extra iron and folic acid if you’re anemic.”
Elise helped her sit up. Outside the door, they heard pacing footfalls. “Impatient as ever,” Elise remarked, repacking her gear. “Shall we let him back in or make him suffer?”
“You can let him in. I know he’s worried about the baby.”
Elise winked. “I think he’s worried about more than the baby.”
Grey moved straight to Tess’ side when Elise opened the door. Taking her hand, he sat on the bed. “So what’s the prognosis, doc?”
Elise looked at Tess. “Educated guess? Exhaustion. Aggravated by stress. Which means, Tess, you’re more susceptible to viruses. I suspect that’s what’s causing the fever, but I really need to run some blood tests to confirm that. You’re also slightly dehydrated, so I want you to increase your fluid intake immediately. That means drinking even when you don’t feel thirsty. I’m going to leave you something to take tonight to ease the aches and pains. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe for a pregnant woman. And I’ll call in the morning.”
“I can’t thank you enough,” Tess said. She did feel better knowing the baby was fine.
Elise stood then turned to Grey. “You know, I thought about something on the way over. You obviously need a place to stay. And Tess needs prenatal care. A colleague of mine is teaching in Europe for a year. Kevin and I have free run of his vacation house in the mountains in exchange for me seeing some of his patients. You and Tess can stay there. It’s only two hours from here, and it’s very secluded, but has all the comforts of home.”
Grey rubbed his chin. “I don’t know.”
Elise stuck both hands on her hips, offended. “What’s not to know? It’s a great idea. You’d be close enough I could see Tess myself.”
“We have to keep a low profile, Elise.”
“Fine. I’ll see you after hours at my clinic. You can sneak in the back door after the staff’s left. No one would know. And I
’ve got a full lab and diagnostic center on the premises.”
Tess shook her head. “I don’t want to be a problem.”
Elise gave her an understanding look. “That’s a noble sentiment, Tess, but not the best choice for the baby. I don’t want to alarm you, but under the present circumstances, I’d classify you as a high-risk pregnancy. You need rest, a better diet, and a more thorough physical examination than I can give you here.”
Tess’ hand instinctively went to her abdomen. Grey drew her closer, one arm circling her shoulder, his other hand covering hers.
“Exactly who knows about this guy’s place?” Grey asked. The last thing he wanted was to put Tess and the baby at additional risk. “What about other hospital staff?”
“Nobody knows. He just signed papers on the place. I think he’s paranoid that everyone at the hospital will want to use it once they know he’s got a mountain hideaway,” Elise explained.
She reached in her pocket and handed Grey her cellular phone. “Call Kevin. You know he’ll tell you straight.” She winked at Tess. “My husband wouldn’t hesitate to tell Grey to ignore me if he had the slightest doubt it wasn’t perfectly safe.”
Grey took the phone. Elise’s proposition sounded perfect. He and Tess would have a private place to hide, and Tess could get proper obstetric care.
He looked at Tess, reluctant to give her a choice, but knowing it was the right thing to do. Under the circumstances she might not want Elise to act as her obstetrician. “It sounds like a good solution, providing it’s secure. How do you feel about it?”
The fact that he asked her opinion meant a lot to Tess. “I just want to be someplace I can feel safe. To sleep in peace. And while I hope this will all be over in a day or two, I would like to see Elise if we’re going to be here a while.” It was funny to realize she was thinking more and more of the baby.
After talking with Kevin, Grey promised to let them know something in the morning and walked Elise to her car. When he returned, Tess had changed and was snuggled beneath the blankets.
“Still cold?”
She nodded. “Thanks for calling Elise.”
“She’s a good woman.”