“What? And you didn’t go running in the opposite direction when you met her?”
“Well, yeah, that would’ve been logical. You’ll have to meet her, though, and then you’ll understand. She’s smart and funny, gorgeous, and of course, pregnant with my child.”
Robert laughed. “I can see why you’d marry this woman. What did Dad say? Is he cool with you marrying the enemy?”
“That’s the thing. He’s liked her all along. To him, selling off confections frees up resources for the divisions he really cares about. He and Yvette get along like two peas in a pod, and of course he loves the idea of being a grandfather, so he’s over the moon.”
“Me too, bro. I think I’ll make a great uncle.”
“Well, as long as you’re happy.” Richard teased.
“I can’t wait to meet her, but I don’t know when I’ll be in town again. We’ll have to figure something out.”
“You can’t come to the benefit?”
“I don’t think that’s going to work out. I’ll check my schedule and pick a weekend or something soon. It’s been too long.”
“It has. Just let me know.”
They ended the call, and Richard hummed to himself as he wandered around the house making room for Yvette’s things. Now that he’d told his dad and brother, it was real. Their enthusiasm was further proof that this was the right move, and he couldn’t wait to get started on their engagement.
• • •
A few days later, Yvette sat cross-legged on her bed, smoothing her hand over the thick comforter, as she watched Richard tape a box closed. “Are you sure you don’t want some help?”
He looked up at her with a sly grin on his face. “What are you saying? You don’t enjoy the view?”
She laughed and tossed a tiny throw pillow at him. “I’m enjoying the view just fine. I just thought you might want some help packing my things.” The truth was that she really did enjoy watching him from her vantage point. Richard looked positively edible in his soft black shorts and fitted grey t-shirt, the faintest hint of sweat popping up along his spine. Taut muscles moved beneath the bronzed skin of his forearms as he packed boxes and stacked them on top of one another. His toned, powerful legs begged for her touch, and her fingertips tingled at the thought of sliding her hands up his thighs. Those pregnancy hormones were working overtime again.
“I don’t want you lifting a finger today. Just sit there and look beautiful.” His sweet, genuine smile gave life to the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
“Richard, I’m pregnant, not disabled.” She allowed herself a moment to appreciate his compliment. She was wary of his new attitude towards her, waiting for him to put up his wall of resistance, but his charm hadn’t slipped once since the day he proposed. He’d been open, friendly, and enthusiastic about the future, until she finally relented and started letting herself enjoy their developing relationship. Their easy chemistry was so genuine that she had almost decided to let herself give the engagement a real chance. Almost.
She’d promised herself to try to keep her wits about her, but it was growing more difficult the more time they spent together. Everything about him appealed to her lately, even more so since he had softened towards her, and everything he said was just right. It might be unwise to surrender to the relationship, but she was running out of reasons to stop herself. He hadn’t given her any reason to mistrust him. There’d been no early declarations of love, no hint of anything less than genuine, and no sign of his earlier wariness.
“I know that, sweetheart. Let me do this for you. I want to.” His voice was soft, and she warmed in reaction. The pet name, the sweetness—it was a lot to take in. “Save your energy for when we move your furniture.”
“You mean if we move my furniture,” she teased. Yvette wasn’t ready to move out of her house completely. The only thing worse than calling off the engagement would be if she had to move everything she owned back home with her. Until she was sure, her house would be standing ready for her.
He stood and stretched, revealing a sliver of bronzed skin between the top of his shorts and the bottom of his shirt. “No, I mean when. I’m making it my mission to win you over within the month. By the time the trial period is over, you won’t want an out.” He walked over to the bed and leaned over her, warmth from his body surrounding her.
Her voice was shaky with desire and nerves when she spoke. “Oh, really?”
“Yes, really. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of marrying you and building our family together. I’m happy to do whatever it takes to convince you as well.” He put an arm on either side of her and got close enough so that his lips almost touched hers. “How am I doing so far?” He whispered against her lips.
She swallowed, unable to find her voice. She nodded and squeaked out, “So far so good.” As a young girl, she had entertained plenty of fantasies of her future husband. He’d be someone strong, powerful, and brave. Once she fought cancer and learned that she didn’t need a man to rescue her, she figured out that she’d rather have someone smart and kind, maybe handsome, but definitely loving. Richard was smart and handsome, and he was becoming kind and loving. Could he eventually become her ideal man? He certainly met all the qualifications. The only thing missing was the mutual love she knew she’d need in a marriage. Maybe that could even come in time. For now, she could enjoy their developing relationship knowing that her family was satisfied and she had time to figure out what she wanted.
He gave her a rakish grin and captured her lips with his own. His kiss was soft at first, as he smiled against her lips and murmured. “Now that’s what I like to hear.”
He ran his fingers through her hair, coaxing her lips open with his. Surrounded by his warm masculine scent, she breathed deeply and returned the kiss. With an arm snaked around her back, he slid her towards the headboard until she lay on her pillow and joined her on the bed. Her heart beat faster, head spinning, as he straddled her hips and lightly ran his fingers up her sides until he reached her face. Bending over her, he supported his weight on his elbows and buried his face against her neck. Shivers ran down her spine as his breath whispered across her skin. She felt her body respond to his touch, her hips arching to meet him without conscious thought.
Richard unbuttoned her blouse, slowly, as he kissed her. She thrust her fingers through his dark hair and wriggled beneath him. Gone was the man who had sneered when he saw her, the man who spent a night with her merely to rid himself of his desire for her. He was gentle now, caring and tender. He had changed. She ran her fingers through his hair, luxuriating in the soft dark locks as his kiss opened up feelings she was tired of suppressing.
Having the trial engagement’s clear one month deadline in place made it so much easier to open up and enjoy everything their relationship had to offer. No more worries about giving up power or losing control of the situation, no winners or losers, just two people. Two people who enjoyed one another immensely.
Chapter Seven
The following Friday morning, Richard accompanied Yvette to her prenatal visit. They’d lived together a week, but nothing brought home the reality of the pregnancy like sitting in the obstetrician’s waiting room. She was serene, flipping through a fashion magazine as they waited. Richard, on the other hand couldn’t still his bouncing knee to save his life.
“Our appointment is at ten, right? What’s the hold up?” He whispered.
She laid a hand on his knee. “Relax. He’s not even fifteen minutes late yet. As long as he’s here and not stuck at the hospital with a delivery, we’ll go back any minute now.”
“If you say so.”
A nurse in pink scrubs poked her head through the doorway. “Ms. Cruz? We’re ready for you.”
“See? That wasn’t too bad.” She stood and he joined her, unsure for the first time since they’d arrived what he was supposed to do. “You can come back with me if you want.”
Of course he wanted to. Feeling an odd mixture of excitement and
fear, he followed Yvette and the nurse down a short hallway, past closed doors and bustling nurses. They stopped in a small lab area where the nurse checked her weight, temperature, and vital signs before directing her to the restroom for another test. He was led to an empty exam room to wait, and he dropped onto the generic office chair beside a plastic model of the human uterus, complete with baby. Yvette returned with the nurse and settled onto the paper-covered table to answer more basic questions, and within moments, they were alone in the tiny room.
“They really check everything, huh?” Richard shifted in the chair and clasped and unclasped his hands.
“Yes, and I think it gets more involved the further on in the pregnancy I get.”
The doctor knocked and entered, greeting Yvette as he washed his hands in the tiny sink. Richard sat, feeling like an interloper, as the doctor and Yvette talked about the pregnancy. When she laid back on the exam table, the doctor invited Richard to listen as he positioned the Doppler wand over her abdomen.
“Will we see the baby? Can you tell if it’s a boy or a girl?” Richard leaned over the table to see what was happening.
“Not today. I’m just checking for the heartbeat. We’ll be able to determine the baby’s sex around the twentieth week.” The doctor moved the wand until it picked up a light sound. “There it is.”
It was fast, maybe too fast, and strong. Richard grabbed Yvette’s hand and squeezed as he looked into her eyes. “Oh my God, that’s our baby.”
“It’s hard to believe.” She smiled up at him, the moment stretching out between them.
He knew there was a baby, and he knew it was his. As much as Richard thought he’d come to terms with the fact, it wasn’t real until he heard the heartbeat. There in the tiny exam room, strumming along like a little bird, was his son or daughter. And the woman who would make him a father.
“It’s incredible.” He managed to choke the words out, his throat thick as he let the enormity of the truth fall over him.
“A miracle.” Her eyes shone in the room’s fluorescent light, holding his future and everything he’d ever wanted.
“All right, Mrs. Cruz,” the doctor began as he turned off the Doppler wand and she pulled her shirt back down. “Everything looks great, so we’ll see you again in a couple of weeks.”
“Thank you,” Richard answered for them both, though he didn’t look up from Yvette’s face.
She sat up, using his arm to help her. “Thanks for coming with me.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Anything you need, anything I can do, just say the word.”
“Right now all I need is lunch and maybe a warm bath. I have the rest of the afternoon off.”
For a man used to handling every aspect of his life and career, watching the pregnancy unfold with nothing he could do to help was torture. “Then I also have the rest of the afternoon off. Let’s get you something to eat.”
• • •
After a leisurely late lunch, they returned home to an empty house. Richard dropped his keys on the table in the foyer and followed Yvette into the living room, still elated from hearing his baby’s heartbeat for the first time.
“Let’s get you into a warm bath.” His hand landed at the perfect spot between her shoulder blades, and he rubbed in small circles. “I’ll make you some herbal tea and run the water while you get out of those shoes.”
“That sounds like heaven.”
He didn’t know how she managed to spend the day in shoes like that, but he had to admit that she looked good doing it. With a pat on her butt, he gently pushed her towards the hallway. “I’ll be there in a second.”
Before going to the kitchen for her tea, he allowed himself a long look as she walked away. He was a lucky man, and he thanked God he was smart enough to realize it before he did something stupid. He’d proposed for almost purely selfish reasons, but the more time he spent with Yvette, the more he knew it was real. That steady, strong little heartbeat was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard, the best gift he’d ever been given. And it was all because of her, because she was willing to overlook his flaws while he got his head straight, because she was willing to extend grace when he didn’t deserve it.
Careful not to spill the steaming mug of tea, he wandered down the hallway towards their bedroom. Her stilettos lay on the floor between the door and the bed, and instead of finding Yvette in her dressing room getting ready for her bath, she was curled up in a ball on the bed, still wearing the silky robe she must have changed into, already asleep. He set the cup down and, as carefully as he could, he eased the blankets back and tucked her into bed. She stirred, murmuring and pulling the pillow tighter under her head. The pregnancy was exhausting her, and she needed her rest so badly. Glad to have a chance to care for her again, he kissed her forehead and turned out the lights so she could sleep.
When he came back to bed that night, her deep, even breaths were the only sound in the dark room. As he slipped in beside her, she didn’t fully wake, but curled herself against him. With her head tucked under his chin, her body perfectly matched against his, he wrapped his arms around her. Her lips brushed against his chest, sending the familiar attraction through him, but squeezing his heart as well. Things were different now, more real, more important. Knowing that Yvette was going to be the mother of his child and actually hearing that child’s heartbeat were worlds apart. With a light touch, he ran his fingertips over her back, gliding across the silky fabric of her robe.
“You’re here,” she murmured against his chest.
“I’m here.” She moved against him, her body gliding across his and giving rise to a hunger for her.
Any space between them was torture; he wanted every inch of her touching him and held her close, closer than he’d ever held her or anybody else. He wanted to tell her what she meant to him, to somehow express how full his heart was, but there were no words. How could he tell her that being with her was everything? That she’d given him the one thing he always wanted, the only thing he ever truly cared about? No words were adequate, and he couldn’t push them past the lump in his throat if they were. Without a sound, Richard pushed her robe open and held her in his arms, desperate to hold her, unable to let her go.
• • •
Yvette awoke late on Saturday morning, much later than usual. Since moving in with Richard, she’d quickly become accustomed to taking the time to care for herself, much more than before the pregnancy. She was nearing the third month, and found that few things interested her more than sleep lately. Well, except for sex, and that was becoming increasingly frustrating given the unsure nature of her feelings for both Richard and their relationship. He was all too happy to oblige her ill-advised, and increasingly frequent sexual advances, and after no more than a few days under the same roof, it had started to feel like a real relationship was developing between then. Yvette knew that it would be far wiser to keep her wits about her, to keep her emotions at bay, but it was so much easier and enjoyable to just give in. To finally fall in love for real.
With her stomach rumbling and her need to find him growing, she pulled herself out of bed, stepping over the silk robe she’d fallen asleep wearing. Realizing that she was naked except for a tiny pair of lace panties that could barely cover her growing midsection, she opened her closet door. She pulled on a pair of stretchy black yoga pants and swiftly yanked a soft pink t-shirt over her head. She caught a glimpse of herself in his mirror as she left the closet and smiled at her mussed hair and rosy cheeks. Life with Richard was turning her into a wanton woman, and she was happily going along for the ride.
She padded barefoot down the hallway towards the kitchen, peeking into his office and the other rooms on the way without seeing a trace of him. Bustling noises in the kitchen perked her interest and a slow smile spread across her face. She tiptoed around the corner, eager to see him.
“Good morning, dear.” Mrs. King, the housekeeper, was behind the breakfast bar, drying dishes.
She had
been looking forward to seeing Richard, but Mrs. King was a welcome sight. She was exactly as Yvette had imagined her when he mentioned that he had a full time housekeeper: short, round, and bustling. Her raven hair was streaked with silver and secured at the nape of her neck in a tidy bun, her charcoal grey uniform neatly pressed and free of stains, and she was always ready with an easy smile and a kind word. Her brisk, matter-of-fact manner made it easier for Yvette to accept being cared for by an employee.
The fact that Richard didn’t find it strange to have someone cooking and cleaning for him, moving about his home with complete freedom, amazed her. She’d hired the occasional maid service when work was piling up and her house was a wreck, but never in a million years had she contemplated hiring full-time help. Not that she could afford it on her salary, even if it wasn’t a ludicrous idea. Saffron kept her busy, some weeks working insane hours, but if Richard needed Mrs. King working every day to maintain his household, he must work even more. At least she hoped he employed her because of his crazy work schedule. That he might feel entitled to such pampering was simply too foreign to consider.
“Would you like some tea, dear?” Mrs. King held up the tea kettle in question. She had learned quickly that Mrs. King knew about the baby and wouldn’t be offering coffee, no matter how much she craved the caffeine. The housekeeper was a sweet, motherly woman, but Yvette knew better than to argue with her.
“Sure, thank you.” She settled onto a cushy barstool and watched as Mrs. King prepared her tea. “Have you seen Richard this morning?”
Mrs. King set a steaming mug of tea in front of Yvette and gave her a kind smile. “Mr. Morgan is at the gym, and then he is planning to go to the office for a couple of hours from there. He said he expects to be home for dinner but said that you are not to wait for him if he’s running late.”
“Do you know which gym?” He could be at his office’s fitness center or the gym close to their neighborhood. It wouldn’t hurt her to visit him, maybe share a workout. Between the move, work, and the pregnancy, she was lucky to stay awake through dinner and missed the energy a good workout could provide.
Love Connection Page 9