One-Click Buy: November Harlequin Presents

by Susan Stephens

  ‘You’re telling me I’ve got an ear infection?’ A laugh shot out of his lips, but it changed midway, and Lily glimpsed the burden he’d been carrying.

  ‘Hey,’ Lily said gently, reaching out and taking his hand, feeling the tight grip of his fingers as he held on, as he struggled to stay afloat. She held on, held on to him for just a little bit longer before she regretfully let go, before he took her under, too. ‘You’re not the only one to let your imagination run wild—I had you pegged as an alcoholic or drug addict.’ She tried to keep her voice light, only she wasn’t smiling. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she stared down at him. ‘What did you think was wrong with you?’

  ‘The same as my father…’ Cold with shock, she glimpsed his fear then, his very real, very genuine fear—the burden he had been carrying since the moment they had met. ‘I thought I was going to end up doing to you what he did to her. I kept getting dizzy…’

  ‘The infection caused the unsteadiness and the headaches,’ Lily explained, ‘but it’s not just that. The doctor said you’re exhausted, Hunter. You’re not just tired or a bit run down, you’re completely and utterly exhausted. The doctor said he had no idea how you managed to fly in your condition, that it would have been agony. Why didn’t you say something? Why didn’t you just tell me?’

  ‘Because it’s not your job to worry.’

  He said it again, only this time, instead of running off, she faced him, answered him with his own words. ‘It’s not that easy, though, is it?’

  ‘You’d have stayed, wouldn’t you?’ He fixed her with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen or would see, his powerful question the most intense she’d ever confronted.

  ‘Not for the reasons you’re thinking.’

  ‘I’m not talking about money, Lily.’ He wasn’t—that much at least he didn’t have to tell her. Even if it had been a marriage of convenience, money had long since ceased to be the issue. ‘You’d have stayed because you felt you had to, out of duty, because, morally or legally, you considered yourself my wife.’

  ‘No.’ She shook her head, closed her eyes on his piercing glare, terrified of revealing the true depth of her feelings, scared of revealing the truth.

  ‘Lily.’ His hand released hers, cupping her face now, daring her to look at him, but still she refused. ‘I’d rather have died alone than have someone looking after me out of duty.’

  ‘Promise?’ She shuddered the question out, forced her eyes open to take in his confused reaction. ‘Promise me that you’ll remember that feeling, promise me that you’ll be honest with me now.’

  Confused, he nodded

  ‘I’m pregnant.’ Hunter’s face was absolutely still. Not by a flicker did he divulge his reaction. ‘And, like you, I’d rather be alone than have you stay out of duty—I couldn’t stand it.’

  ‘You wouldn’t have to.’ He took her hand, sat up a bit in the bed, and even if he was sick, he was still the strong one. ‘Lily, a baby isn’t going to make us work, a baby isn’t enough reason to be together.’

  ‘I know,’ she gulped, hating the truth but grateful for his honesty.

  ‘Unless that’s what we both want.’ She felt her heart stop in her chest, honesty a breath away, and she was scared to take it, so Hunter did it for them. ‘Unless we both actually want to be together.’

  It was the worst moment to think of her appearance, but good old vanity attempted to prevail, reminding her of her puffy eyes and running nose, reminding her that even on a hospital bed with a thousand tubes attached she was still facing the most beautiful man she had ever seen and showing him the most fragile, vulnerable part of her heart.

  ‘You don’t believe in love,’ Lily pointed out.

  ‘Neither do you.’ Hunter smiled. ‘Philistine.’

  ‘And you’re way too controlling.’ Lily clutched at straws as he dragged her back in. ‘I don’t know if I want to spend my life—’

  ‘I was scared of losing you.’ His simple admission stopped her in her tracks, his honesty the revelation she needed. ‘I was scared of you balancing on a chair at that bloody house, scared of you driving around, scared of anything that might take you away from me. I know I was very wrong. I just didn’t want anything to happen to you.’

  ‘The way it did to them?’ Lily offered, because she knew what he must have been feeling, just had never considered it might have been related to her.

  ‘I’ve lost or damaged everyone I’ve ever loved and I couldn’t bear to it to happen to you. Couldn’t bear the thought of you getting hurt. Couldn’t bear the thought of you leaving, but at the same time I couldn’t cope with the thought of you staying, only to end up looking after me.

  ‘I love you.’ Hunter said it very slowly and very clearly so there was absolutely no room for doubt. ‘I love you because you’re funny and kind and good. I love you because, whether or not you love me, you’d have looked after me even though that truly terrified me. I love you because for the first time in my life I actually wanted to come home…’ He was staring right at her as he spoke. ‘For the first time in my life I actually felt as if I had a home.’

  ‘You really love me?’ she checked, and he laughed.

  ‘I love you because even when I’m saying it over and over, you still don’t believe it. God, Lily.’ Exasperation crept into his voice. ‘I’m lying here telling you all this like some blubbering idiot and I don’t even know how you feel. Isn’t that proof enough?’

  ‘You know how I feel,’ Lily shot back. ‘Why else would I have put up with you?’

  ‘Oh, I can think of a few reasons—because I’m loaded, because I’m brilliant in bed, because you’re pregnant and feel that you have no choice…’ He was joking, sort of, but he was also letting her in, allowing her to glimpse his fears. Both of them were being honest for the very first time, and it felt wonderful.

  ‘They’re not reasons to stay, Hunter, they’re excuses.’ Lily smiled, treated him to a short, sharp lecture just as she had the night they’d met.

  And he confronted her, just as he had the night they’d met.

  ‘Stop evading the issue.’

  ‘I’m not.’

  ‘So what’s the real reason you’d be staying?’

  She took a deep breath, held it for a moment before diving into the giddy world of being Hunter Myles’ s real wife, before saying the words she truly thought she never would.

  ‘I’m staying because I love you.’

  EPILOGUE

  ‘I THINK Cory’s getting a tooth!’

  Emma’s voice carried from the lounge to the kitchen where both Hunter and Lily were frantically trying to prepare a gourmet meal in a matter of minutes while Emma nursed her nephew. Somehow they had to cover up the fact that they’d forgotten that they had asked Jim and Emma to come over for dinner tonight.

  Chaos was the norm these days—delightfully so. This was home now. No catered dinners. No working to the housekeeper’s schedule. It was chaotic bliss.

  Hunter, thanks to finally mastering the art of delegation, was home far more often, only Lily was working now. Her studies were complete, she had a small but steady stream of patients. Just another busy couple juggling the demands of one small baby and two careers—and it was wonderful.

  ‘Is he sleeping through the night yet?’ Emma called.

  ‘Is she referring to you or the baby?’ Lily grinned before cheekily calling back the answer to both questions. ‘If I’m lucky I manage four, maybe five hours!

  ‘Open this,’ she added, handing a jar of sauce to Hunter, who was pretending to be offended. ‘There’s some garlic bread in the freezer.’

  ‘I hope you haven’t gone to too much trouble…’ Both women’s voices trailed off as Emma wheeled into the kitchen and surveyed the chaos, clearly realising they hadn’t gone to any trouble at all.

  ‘Em, we forgot.’ Hunter actually winced. ‘Sorry! You know, new baby and everything…’

  ‘That’s OK.’ Emma attempted a martyred expression but it dissolved into a b
urst of giggles. ‘Actually, we both forgot, too. We only remembered we were supposed to be coming over for dinner half an hour ago!’

  ‘Why don’t we ring for Chinese?’ Hunter suggested, but Emma wrinkled up her nose. ‘Or Indian.’

  ‘Pasta would be great,’ Emma broke in. ‘Actually, I’m a bit off my food—were you like that, Lily?’ Emma’s cheeks were flaming. ‘When you were pregnant?’

  ‘God, no.’ Hunter answered for her. ‘She ate like a…’ He didn’t finish, realisation hitting at the same time Jim joined Emma at the kitchen door and handed him his son. ‘You mean…’

  ‘That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you since we got here, but you were too busy rushing around, fixing dinner. We’re having a baby!’ Emma’s face was shining. ‘It was confirmed this afternoon. I’ve had a scan and everything and it turns out that I’m ten weeks pregnant!’

  ‘And you’ll be OK?’ Hunter checked. ‘I mean, with…’ He took a breath then forced the words out. ‘What with your injuries and everything?’

  ‘I’ll need a Caesarean section,’ Emma explained softly, ‘and I might not quite make it to term, but apart from that the doctor’s pretty confident it will be a normal pregnancy.’

  He hugged her, held little Cory in between them and hugged his sister. And Lily knew how big this was for him, knew because he’d told her that he was scared it might never happen for her—knew that with this wonderful news they were moving ever further on. And when Emma and Jim drifted out to the lounge, Hunter confirmed what she was thinking, stared down at his son for the longest time before looking over at Lily.

  ‘I wanted this for her.’ Hunter attempted to voice what he was thinking. ‘When we had Cory…’ His voice thickened with emotion. ‘I just wanted her to know some of the joy.’ And this time Lily didn’t drag it out of him, just helped him along, guilt a visitor rather than a companion in his life now.

  ‘She’s doing great, Hunter. Both of you are doing fine. Your parents would be really proud.’

  ‘Do you reckon?’ Normally he’d have waved her words away—his parents and their appalling relationship, still a minefield where they rarely ventured—but, staring down at Corey, it was Hunter prolonging the conversation. ‘I really don’t know how they’d feel if they were alive, but this much I do know…’ Blue eyes looked up from his son to her, the three of them locked in an endless circle of love. ‘I’m proud. Proud of you, proud of me…proud of us.’

  Jed Hunter’s Reluctant Bride

  By Susanne James

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER ONE

  CRYSSIE TORE UP THE final flight of stairs which led to the toy department on the top floor of the large store. She’d spotted a queue of people waiting for the lift, so, with her slight frame and the flat, sensible shoes she always wore, she thought she’d beat them all to it, use her feet, and get there first!

  Christmas Eve…the usual frantic nightmare, she thought ruefully. This was her final chance to do the rest of her shopping and, at last, to get what she’d come for. She’d rung earlier to make sure they had some of the much sought-after Runaway Rascals—dolls based on children’s TV characters that Milo, her four-year-old nephew, adored. He never missed the programme, which featured the Rascals, and he desperately wanted one of them for himself. And Cryssie would do her utmost to get it for him. It had been out of stock everywhere for some time—surprise, surprise—but she knew that Latimer’s had received a delivery yesterday, and she prayed that they hadn’t all been snapped up.

  Weaving her way frantically among the dozens of last-minute shoppers, she arrived at the appropriate counter and ran her eye quickly along the shelves. Yes! There were four there, on the top, grinning out from their cellophane-fronted boxes, and she heaved a sigh of relief. At last she’d made it!

  Deftly, she was able to sneak in past the two or three customers there who were casually examining some other merchandise, and was already framing her request when out of nowhere a masculine voice spoke imperiously.

  ‘Yes…thanks…I’ll take the four.’ And, after a pause, ‘Put them on the account.’

  ‘Certainly, Mr Hunter,’ the assistant murmured, lowering her eyes coquettishly.

  Cryssie stopped, open-mouthed in utter amazement, and a genuine feeling of desperation swept over her as the girl began to remove the boxes from the shelf and place them, one by one, on the counter in front of her. In her haste and anxiety Cryssie had not even noticed the man, who must have been standing there all the time, right beside her—and who had staked his claim in no uncertain terms! She stared up at the owner of that commanding voice, having to tilt her head back to take in this tall and pushy individual who’d got in before her.

  He was an obvious business type, dressed in a sharp suit and immaculate shirt and tie, and from his lofty height had the distinct advantage over her five foot three. His richly dark hair fell carelessly around his ears, enhancing the line of his firm jaw…and his eyes! Black and glittering in their pools of startling white. They were calculating, even dangerous eyes, Cryssie thought instinctively.

  Clearing her throat, she spoke to the assistant, her voice ringing out with all the authority she could manage. ‘I hope those aren’t the only ones—the only Runaway Rascals you’ve got there,’ she said hotly. ‘I only want one,’ she added, as if to imply that anyone wanting four was greedy and thoughtless!

  The girl glanced briefly at Cryssie. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, as she wedged the boxes into two large carrier bags. ‘These actually are the last. We’ve never known such a manic demand for anything, and—’

  ‘But I rang this morning and you promised…you assured me you had plenty,’ Cryssie protested.

  ‘We did—and they’ve all gone…like hot cakes! And the management decided that we weren’t to reserve any over the phone—as I told you when we spoke. First come, first served seemed fairest.’ She finished packing, and pushed the bags across the counter. ‘We will be getting a delivery at the end of January.’ she added helpfully. ‘Not that that’s much good now, of course. You can leave your address and phone number with us for when the dolls are next in, but you’ll have to explain that the Runaway Rascals have all run away from Santa’s sleigh!’

  Oh, very funny, Cryssie thought angrily. She glared up at the man, who glanced back down at her casually and without apparent interest. As if she didn’t exist—as if he couldn’t care less about what anyone else wanted! He could at least have made some sort of apology, she thought.

  Then, with one lean and sunburnt hand, he took hold of the bags and turned to go. Not apparently even having to sign anything, or produce any cash, Cryssie noticed. That somehow made it worse, because the dolls were terribly expensive for what they were. She was the only consistent earner in their household, and had learned to be thrifty and save for things like Christmas and birthdays. She wouldn’t have dared have an account at Latimer’s, or anywhere else for that matter. Pay as you go was the safest, she’d always been taught.

  As they both moved away from the counter he hesitated and looked down at her properly at last. ‘That was…unfortunate,’ he drawled. ‘The ordering department obviously got it wrong this time, didn’t they…Or perhaps we should all shop earlier?’ he added pointedly. And, with a barely perceptible tilt of his arrogant mouth, he turned abruptly and walked away, leaving Cryssie standing there feeling utterly defeated.

  So…she shouldn’t have left it until the last minute, should she? But then—so had he! Except that he’d arrived at the store just a few seconds before her!

  She looked around vaguely for a minu
te or two, wondering what to do next. She knew Milo would be so disappointed to wake up and not find the precious toy in his stocking. It was true there would be plenty of other gifts to unwrap—but this was the one he really wanted, and had been keeping on about for months.

  Her face still flushed with annoyance, she picked up a pair of football boots, examining them for size and wondering whether she should buy them. Milo was football mad, and hadn’t yet had a proper pair, always kicking around in his trainers—which were expensive enough, heaven only knew. Maybe these, together with a new ball, would ease his disappointment.

  Cryssie leaned against a counter for a minute, feeling stressed and irritated. At the age of twenty-five, she sometimes felt the responsibilities that life had placed on her were almost too much to put up with. Since the death of their parents ten years earlier in a car accident, she and her sister Polly—younger by two years—had lived with Great-Aunt Josie, until she, too, had died. Luckily that had been before they’d known that Polly was expecting Milo, or that the man in question had done a convenient runner. So now the two women and the little boy lived in a small rented terraced house in the town, with Cryssie the only one bringing in any real money.

  After a few minutes she began to calm down, accepting ruefully that the self-satisfied owner of the four dolls obviously had four kids, and it would be no good giving to three and the fourth going without. A soft voice by her side made her turn around to see the assistant standing there, obviously concerned.

  ‘Are you okay?’ the woman enquired. ‘You look shattered…’

  ‘Oh, I’m fine,’ Cryssie said forlornly. ‘Just tired…’

  ‘Tell me about it.’ The assistant paused. ‘I’m really sorry about just now—but there wasn’t anything I could do. I’d have loved to keep a doll back for you, because I know how many times you’ve been in asking for one. Look, do leave your address and phone number with us.’