The Twenty-Four-Hour Bride

by Day Leclaire

  “Yes.”

  “Then why the hell have I had to remember all those damn numbers?”

  “I thought you wanted Gem to operate that way.”

  It was the first time she’d ever seen Nick lie. He didn’t even bother to hide it. He just stood there, stared right into her eyes and handed her a line of bull. “Oh! I could kill you for that! I’ve spent five- miserable years trying to remember all those numbers you’ve given me and now you’re standing here telling me it wasn’t even necessary?”

  “No.”

  “And the monthly code changes?” She fought to keep her voice down so she wouldn’t frighten Abigail. But it wasn’t easy. “That wasn’t necessary, either?”

  “It was necessary, though perhaps not as often as every month.” She barely noticed when he slipped the baby from her trembling grasp. “Voice imprints would have been your best bet, since they’re unique. Or you could have used a fingerprint analysis.”

  “I’m going to murder you. You did it on purpose, didn’t you? You deliberately had us jumping through electronic hoops for your own amusement.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. That would require a sense of humor. And as you’ve taken great pains to point out, I don’t have any more emotions than Gem. So how could I possibly derive any pleasure from your problems with my computer?”

  “I don’t. believe this!”

  “Believe it. Peter made absolutely no effort to understand the mechanics of operating Gem. He requested—No, check that. He demanded I install Gem in his house and demanded his own personal set of codes. So I gave him precisely that.”

  “And by giving it to Peter, you also gave it to me.”

  He smiled at her sarcasm. “Yes.”

  “You son of a—”

  “Wrong. Peter was the SOB. He was arrogant and careless. He assumed his father’s throne at SSI and expected everything to be handed to him as his right, instead of learning the business. His primary concern was the bottom line. How much money could he pull in as a partner? Not that he felt it necessary to work for that money.” Nick’s eyes darkened, filled with stormy threat. “He was a fool. He never bothered to ask about voice access or finger imprints, and yet, if he’d taken five minutes away from his golf lessons to read the sales literature, he’d have seen those options spelled out in black and white.”

  “I read the literature,” she said indignantly. “I assumed those features weren’t available with this model.”

  “Well, you were wrong. You could have come to me and asked, Dani. If either of you had done even that much, I’d have made the change.”

  She didn’t doubt the truth of his statement. By forcing them to question Gem’s abilities, and thereby admit their ignorance, he’d have made his point painfully—not to mention cleverly—clear.

  The co-owners of SSI were clueless.

  Peter wouldn’t have been amused by the deception. As for her reaction... It stung. Though she was forced to admit if Nick had played this trick on anyone else, she’d have found it wickedly amusing.

  Not that that let him off the hook. Before she could tell him as much, Abigail awoke. She opened her eyes and looked around. Then her tiny face screwed up and she let out a wail that would have done a two-year-old proud.

  “This kid must be ninety percent lungs,” Nick commented.

  Dani took the baby. “Try half lungs and half stomach. She’s probably hungry, so if you don’t mind, I’ll let you see yourself out.” She made the request with amazing civility, considering she was still mad as hell. “I’m going to feed the baby.”

  At least she was going to try. She hadn’t quite gotten the knack of this particular aspect of motherhood, not that she’d confess such a failing to her husband. Not after what he’d pulled. Clutching Abigail close, she stalked down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

  “MR. COLTER?”

  Nick sighed. “What is it, Gem?”

  “IDENTIFY NOISE.” There was a brief pause and then he heard a playback of Abigail’s cry.

  “That’s my daughter. Her name’s Abigail.”

  Again there was a pause, and Nick knew Gem was searching her computer banks for the term daughter. An instant later she came back online. “YOU HAVE PRODUCED A FEMALE OFFSPRING UNIT?”

  “Yes, Gem. I have. And just so you know, Mrs. Sheraton is now Mrs. Colter. She’s my wife and Abigail’s mother.”

  “ONE MOMENT. ACCESSING. YOU HAVE FORMED A MARITAL BOND WITH MRS. SHERATON-COLTER?”

  “It’s just Mrs. Colter now, Gem. Feel free to wipe the name Sheraton from your memory banks.” He took far too much pleasure in saying that. “And yes. I’ve formed a marital bond with her. At least, I’m trying.”

  “MRS. COLTER ASSISTED IN PRODUCING THE FEMALE OFFSPRING UNIT?”

  “She gave birth to the baby, yes.” He frowned as a sudden thought occurred. “Gem, set your systems to listen for that sound you recorded. If it continues for longer than three minutes, alert Dani.”

  “EXPLANATION?”

  “That noise means the, er, female offspring unit needs immediate attention. Considering how huge this place is, Dani might not hear.”

  “AFFIRMATIVE, MR. COLTER.”

  “And Gem?” He hesitated, knowing his wife wouldn’t like his next directive. But what the hell. She didn’t like anything else he’d done these past five years. Why break a perfect record? “Activate the monitoring system. Contact me if anything unusual happens.”

  “DEFINE UNUSUAL.”

  “Unusual is an event that deviates from Dani’s normal routine. The reports are to have security alert status one. Understood?”

  “UNDERSTOOD.”

  “Reset system after I’ve left.”

  “AFFIRMATIVE. HAVE A GOOD DAY, MR. COLTER.”

  “Not.bloody likely,” he muttered.

  And with that he forced himself to walk away from his brand-new family.

  “MRS. COLTER?”

  Dani came awake with a jerk, staring in bewilderment around the darkened room. “Gem? Is that you?”

  “AFFIRMATIVE, MRS. COLTER.”

  “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “FEMALE OFFSPRING UNIT ABIGAIL HAS BEEN EMITTING A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE FOR THREE POINT TWO MINUTES. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO ALERT YOU TO THAT FACT.”

  “Abigail’s crying?”

  “ONE MOMENT.” An instant later the sound of infant wails filled the room. “PLEASE CONFIRM HIGH-PITCHED NOISE IS CRYING.”

  Dani was out of bed like a shot. “Confirmed!”

  She raced through the open doorway between Abigail’s bedroom and her own and lifted the baby from her crib, horrified that she hadn’t heard the telltale squall. There was no mistaking this particular cry. Her daughter was hungry. Taking a seat in the rocker stationed nearby, Dani awkwardly unbuttoned the front of her nightgown.

  This would be her fifth attempt to breast-feed the baby. One of those times had been in the hospital with a nurse in attendance giving her detailed instructions on what Dani had always assumed to be a simple—not to mention instinctive—procedure. Apparently, it wasn’t any more simple or instinctive than programming Gem. She’d discovered that dismaying fact the three times she’d tried to nurse since returning home. Which reminded her...

  “Gem, did you say you were instructed to alert me whenever Abigail cries?”

  “AFFIRMATIVE. WHEN INFANT DAUGHTER UNIT EMITS HIGH-PITCHED NOISE FOR LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES, I’M INSTRUCTED TO INFORM YOU. LEVEL-ONE SECURITY ALERT.”

  “Nick! He told you to do that, didn’t he?”

  “AFFIRMATIVE.”

  As much as she wanted to countermand Nick’s orders, she was sensible enough to realize his interference stemmed from concern. She let it go, focusing instead on her daughter’s need for food. To her dismay, Abigail shook her head, refusing the proffered sustenance.

  “Come on, sweetheart,” Dani pleaded softly. “You have to eat.”

  Apparently, Abigail didn’t agree. She cried—tong, pitiful wails. Then she lat
ched onto the nipple again, suckling hungrily for a few seconds, before letting go with a frustrated cry.

  Dani rocked frantically, not knowing what to do. Why wouldn’t the baby eat? What was wrong? Tears of despair filled her eyes, and she drew a weepy breath. She’d wanted a child so desperately, had always thought she’d prove to be a natural mother. And what could be more natural than breast-feeding her baby? Her breasts were achingly full, and yet as far as she could tell, no milk came in response to Abigail’s sucking.

  “MRS. COLTER?”

  “Yes?” Her voice came out shrill and tearful.

  “IS SOMETHING UNUSUAL IN PROGRESS?”

  “What?”

  “ARE YOU DEVIATING FROM YOUR NORMAL ROUTINE?”

  “Yes, I’m deviating from my normal routine,” Dani snapped, the tears spilling down her cheeks. “I’m a failure as a mother. Is that enough of a deviation for you?”

  “AFFIRMATIVE.”

  “MR. COLTER?”

  The light in Nick’s bedroom turned on automatically, and he rolled over, instantly awake. “What is it, Gem?”

  “SECURITY ALERT ONE. MRS. COLTER IS DEVIATING.”

  “What?”

  “THERE IS A DEVIATION IN PROGRESS AT MRS. COLTER’S RESIDENCE.”

  “What’s happening?”

  “ONE MOMENT.”

  The sound of Abigail’s cries filled the room, along with a second muffled sob. Dani! He rolled out of bed and into a pair of jeans folded neatly at the ready. “Relay picture. Now.”

  The TV screen flickered to life. At Nick’s brusque command, the camera zeroed in on Dani sitting in a rocking chair with the baby clasped close to her breast. For some reason the pair of them were crying for all they were worth. He snatched his keys off the dresser and was out the door in two seconds flat.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “DANI?”

  She swiveled toward the bedroom door, her breath catching mid-sob. Nick stood there, clad in a pair of jeans—and nothing else. “Nick? What are you doing here?”

  “Gem told me you were in trouble. What’s wrong? What happened? Why are you crying?”

  Distracted, she glanced at the baby. “It’s Abigail. She won’t eat.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know! If I did I wouldn’t be crying.”

  “Okay, okay.” He hunkered down beside her and lifted Abigail into his arms. “What’s wrong, sweet pea? You sound pretty hungry for someone who won’t eat.”

  “It’s my fault! I don’t think she’s getting any milk “Didn’t the nurse say it needed to come in or something?”

  “Come in, let down, who knows? But it’s not working. I think it must be stuck.” She drew a shaky breath. “Maybe I have a clogged pipe.”

  “I seem to remember her saying you had to be relaxed for everything to work properly.” He gave a wry smile. “You don’t look very relaxed.”

  “I see your powers of observation are as keen as ever.” He didn’t react to her waspish comment, just continued to regard her with a calm, reassuring gaze. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, overcome with remorse. “I’m trying so hard to get this right. And it’s just not working.”

  “Didn’t the nurse suggest you take a warm shower the first few times?”

  “I’d forgotten,” Dani confessed.

  “Okay. You hop in the shower and I’ll hang on to the little squeaker, here. Then climb into bed, and we’ll give it a try there. That should be a little more relaxing, don’t you think?”

  She didn’t need a second bidding. She was willing to try anything. Closeting herself in the bathroom, she stripped off her nightgown and adjusted the spray to a warm, relaxing temperature. Her breasts felt painfully full and burning hot. Considering her condition, nursing should be a snap. Tears welled in her eyes. Maybe she was an exception. Maybe she’d been plumbed wrong. She allowed herself a quick cry, then, after a few minutes, shut off the water. The towel hurt, abrading her sensitive skin, but she gritted her teeth and persevered. Slipping on her nightgown, she walked into the bedroom and stopped in her tracks.

  Nick occupied the middle of her bed, and he wasn’t alone.

  Looking as though he’d been born to the role of fatherhood, he held Abigail in the crook of his arm, the knuckle of his pinkie lodged firmly in the baby’s sucking mouth. He’d piled a half dozen pillows behind him, and when he spotted her, he spread his jeans-clad legs, patting the narrow space between them.

  “Ready to give it another try?”

  She moistened her lips apprehensively. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Making room for you.”

  “I mean... Why are you here? In my bed?”

  “Come on, Dani. You need help, and I’m the only one available. Sit with me, and let’s see if we can’t figure this out together.”

  She didn’t want to join him. She really didn’t want to. It was too intimate, too suggestive—too reminiscent of nine months ago. “Nick—”

  “We weren’t here that night, remember? We were at my place.”

  “Stop reading my mind!” She caught her lip between her teeth. “How do you always know?”

  He shrugged. “I’m psychic.”

  “I’m serious. How do you know?”

  “You want the truth?”

  “Please.”

  “You blush.”

  She gave it a moment’s thought. “That’s it? I blush?”

  His mouth twisted. “And you do this...this thing with your eyes.”

  “What thing?”

  “Come on, wife. You’re wasting time. Get over here.”

  Wife. Almost, she retreated. But then Abigail began to fuss, taking the choice out of Dani’s hands. With a tiny groan, she surrendered to the inevitable. Clambering onto the bed, she slid between Nick’s legs, gingerly wriggled her backside into the narrow gap between his thighs.

  He hadn’t left much room, and she suspected it was deliberate. Correction. She knew it was deliberate. He cradled Abigail in his hands, then passed her to Dani. Then he pulled them both into his arms. She could feel his heat through the thin cotton of her nightgown, feel it burning a path the full length of her spine. Worse still was the subtle play of muscle and sinew shifting across her back as he settled against the pillows. How was she supposed to relax when he sat behind her half-naked? Couldn’t he have bothered to drag on a shirt before he came over? It would have taken...what? An extra two seconds?

  She closed her eyes. No, Nick wouldn’t have wasted even that much time. She’d needed him, and he’d come running. She drew an uneven breath, praying he didn’t sense her distress. Why did he have to be so generous and committed? Why couldn’t he be more like Peter and play his assigned role of selfish bastard? Neither of them believed in love. How could they, when they were incapable of feeling? Perhaps if Nick would admit as much she could erase him from her life—and even more importantly from her memories.

  Her memories! Dear heaven, how they haunted her. New Year’s Eve had been a dream, and a bittersweet one, at that. The Nick she’d fallen in love with on that single surreal night didn’t exist. It was too dangerous to think he might. Too risky. It was far better to believe that she’d created the ultimate fantasy lover, given him the characteristics she’d always wanted in a man. She’d pretended he was strong and yet tender. Invented the desperate passion and hunger with which he’d taken her. Only imagined the look in those fierce blue eyes, the took that said he’d been waiting a lifetime to make her his.

  It wasn’t real.

  She had to face the painful truth—no matter how much she might want it otherwise, her husband couldn’t fulfill her needs. He’d kissed her after picking her up from the hospital, knowing full well what her reaction would be, knowing it would be the easiest way to get what he wanted—his daughter. He was as logical and emotionless as the computer program he’d invented, and just as incapable of experiencing love. And though she knew his concern for his brand-new family was genuine, that he truly wanted to be a good
father to his daughter and a good husband to her, she couldn’t allow him to drag her into the barren wasteland of his life. Peter had almost destroyed her with his deceit and emotional capriciousness. She wouldn’t give Nick Colter the opportunity to finish the job. She wouldn’t let him freeze the life from what little remained of her heart and soul.

  His jaw brushed the side of her head. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Give it a try.”

  Painfully self-conscious, Dani opened the front of her nightgown and put Abigail to her breast again. Not that it did any good. The baby instantly began to fuss. “I told you! I can’t do this.”

  “Sure you can. You’re just nervous. The nurse said that was normal in first-time mothers. Close your eyes.”

  “Why?”

  “Not why. Just do it. Close them.”

  It was easier to give in. “Okay, they’re closed.”

  “I’ve been thinking about this problem.”

  “Logically, no doubt.”

  She felt him shrug. “Is there any other way? The point is, it occurred to me that the first time you use a pump, it has to be primed.”

  “How do you prime a pump?”

  “Well, normally you back feed water down the line to force out the air. Once the air bubble is worked free, bingo. The water starts flowing.”

  Her eyes flew open. “Um, Nick? I don’t think you can back feed this particular pump. Let me rephrase that. You’re not going to back feed this particular one.”

  He chuckled, the sound rumbling through her. “Don’t panic. I thought we’d use a slightly different sort of priming method.”

  “Like what?” she asked warily.

  “Well, the reason we can’t prime this pump is that tension has gotten your lines in a kink. Water—or rather, milk—can’t flow down a kinked line.” He cupped her shoulders, massaging gently. “Let’s see if this won’t help.”

  It wouldn’t. No way, no how. If she had the nerve, she’d tell him as much. How could she possibly unkink with his hands all over her. “Nick—”

  “Shh. Keep your eyes closed and let me loosen up these muscles. Gem, how about playing Kenny G? Keep it low, please.”