Hazardous Husband

by Christine Scott

  She closed her eyes and squeezed out his caring image. “I don’t want to put my head between my legs. I’m fine just the way I am.”

  “Jeez, you’re cranky when you’re sick.”

  “I’m not sick,” she said. “I’m just a little light-headed.”

  “Light-headed? You were about to kiss the floor when I walked in.”

  Slowly she opened her eyes. Her head still felt fuzzy, but at least the room had stopped spinning. “Kiss the floor?”

  “It’s too damn hot in that kitchen. And I bet you were trying to do ten things at once.” He released a terse breath. “You’re pregnant, Lily. Your body’s trying to tell you to slow down.”

  No one but Eric knew of her pregnancy. She shot a wary glance toward the showroom and kitchen. “Why don’t you just announce it to the world, Eric?”

  He lowered his voice, but his frustration rang loud and clear. “You need a watchdog. Someone who’ll make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

  Lily groaned. She wasn’t feeling up to this argument. “I can take care of myself.”

  Ann breezed in, carrying a glass of water. She glanced from one to the other, taking in their stormy expressions. With a thin smile, she handed Eric the water. “I’ll go tell everyone you’re all right, Lily.”

  Ann backed out of the alcove.

  Eric gave the glass to Lily, his handsome face drawn into stern lines.

  She took a sip. The fuzziness was subsiding. Along with a clearer head came the realization that maybe she was being a bit ungracious. “Look, Eric, I’m glad you were here to catch me when I got a little off-balance. Thank you for your concern.”

  “You scared ten years off my life, and all you can say is thanks for my concern?” He narrowed his eyes. “Until this baby is born, I’m going to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. Consider this your first and only warning. For the rest of your pregnancy, I’m going to be your guilty conscience and guardian angel all rolled up in one.”

  Her worries of sounding ungrateful disappeared. A slow burn of irritation took their place. “You want to be my guardian angel?”

  He nodded.

  “Guardian angels are for children, Eric,” she said, holding a loose rein on her growing anger.

  “Children and adults who obviously can’t take care of themselves,” he retorted, his tone matter-of-fact.

  She tightened her grip around the glass. It took all of her willpower not to throw its contents into Eric’s smug face. To think she’d wasted all that time worrying about being rude. “You feel I can’t take care of myself? That I’m worse than a child?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “But you’re implying—”

  He raised a brow. “Well, if the image fits...”

  Her control snapped. “Of all the macho, arrogant—”

  “Now, Lily.”

  His placating tone proved to be the final straw. Anger kicked in. Lily placed the glass on the wicker table, moving it away from temptation. She folded her hands in her lap, took a deep breath and told Eric exactly what he could do with his guilty conscience and aspirations of being an angel.

  Chapter Four

  Six o’clock that evening the doorbell rang. Lily glanced out the living-room window. A four-foot stuffed panda and Eric stood on her front step.

  Lily groaned.

  Earlier that afternoon, Eric had stormed out of the bakery. In a show of anger, he’d slammed the glass door behind him and knocked the door chime from its perch. Her immediate reaction to his hotheaded antics had been self-righteous indignation. But once her light-headedness had passed and she’d had the entire afternoon to mull over their conversation, her temper had cooled.

  She realized she’d been a bit harsh. After all, Eric was her friend. It was only natural for him to worry about her. She peered out her window again and frowned. However, his concern did border on high-handed male chauvinism.

  “You might as well open up, Lily.” Eric’s voice fil tered through the door’s oak panels. “You know I won’t leave until you do.”

  His remark conjured memories of another time, another confrontation. After David had died, she’d holed up in her house and refused to see anyone. Eric had given her seven days of self-imposed isolation. Then he’d had enough. On that bright-and-sunny seventh day, he’d camped out on her doorstep. For more than two hours, he’d carried on a one-sided conversation through a closed door, refusing to budge until she finally let him in. He hadn’t let her push him away then, and he wouldn’t allow her to do it now.

  Lily sighed. Damn, but the man was stubborn.

  She glanced at her oversize yellow T-shirt, the white cotton leggings and her bare feet. She was dressed for comfort, not for receiving guests. She narrowed her eyes. But, then again, Eric was an un-invited guest.

  She swung open the door.

  Eric shot her a wary glance. “You aren’t going to cuss at me again, are you?”

  Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Are you here to provoke me?”

  “No, ma’am. I learned my lesson this afternoon.” He grinned. “The hard way.”

  Her resolve to send him and his bear packing melted under a pair of warm brown eyes. She collapsed against the doorframe. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she stay mad at him?

  She tore her eyes away from Eric and glanced at the panda. “Who’s your friend?”

  “He doesn’t have a name yet,” Eric said. “Since he’s yours, I thought you’d like to have the honors.”

  “Mine?”

  “Well, the baby’s.” His grin was sheepish. “I wanted to be the first to give him a gift.”

  “Her,” she murmured, bracing herself against the warm fuzzy feeling that threatened to envelop her. She was dangerously close to falling under Eric’s charm.

  “Excuse me?”

  “The baby—it’s a girl.”

  He frowned. “How do you know?”

  “I just do.” She gave herself a mental shake. Don’t let him distract you with talk about the baby. Concentrate, she told herself. Eric had to leave. “Eric, this was sweet of you. But I’m very tired. I’m not up to a visit.”

  “I won’t stay long,” he persisted. “We need to talk.”

  Her gaze was wary. “About what?”

  He shifted his grip around the panda’s neck. “It’s hot out here. Couldn’t we talk inside?”

  “About what, Eric?”

  He sighed. “About us. About the baby. Avoiding each other isn’t going to make the problem go away.”

  She raised her chin defiantly. “I didn’t realize we had a problem.”

  He gave her an incredulous look. “How can you say that after what happened this afternoon?”

  “Nothing happened,” she lied.

  His mouth curved into a grin. “Watch it, Lily. Keep lying and your nose is going to start growing.”

  She glared at him.

  “Are you going to let me in or not?”

  Reluctantly, she stepped aside, allowing him to enter. A jumble of arms and elbows passed her in the tiny foyer, one pair soft and fuzzy, one pair hard and strong. A hand grazed her breasts as the duo slipped by. Lily sucked in a surprised breath. No doubt about it. Those fingers belonged to a man. There was nothing soft or fuzzy about the tingling sensation the accidental touch set off in her body.

  “Where do you want him?” he asked, indicating the bear.

  “Leave him at the door.” Lily’s gaze traveled from the panda to Eric. “I’m not sure if he’s staying.”

  Eric chuckled as he dropped the bear at her feet. He wore a tropical shirt, khaki shorts and Docksiders without socks. He looked flushed. Perspiration dampened his forehead.

  “It sure is hot outside.” He heaved a sigh. “Yep, wrestling with a teddy bear works up a thirst.” He raised a brow. “I guess asking for a drink would be out of the question?”

  She gave a long-suffering sigh, turned on her heel and headed for the kitchen. “I have orange juice, wat
er or cola.”

  “Water’s fine.”

  His voice sounded close. Too close.

  She grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with ice and water from a pitcher in the refrigerator. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Eric settled himself at her kitchen table. The massive bleached-oak table and chairs matched the tall, lean proportions of his body. He slouched low in his seat, stretching his long legs and making himself comfortable. With one arm resting on the tabletop, the other on the back of his chair, he looked like a man at ease with his surroundings.

  A man who felt at home.

  The image sent butterflies dancing in her stomach. She and David bought this house when they’d first married. David had lived there only a few months, not nearly long enough to call it home. Now Eric was settling himself in as though he belonged, painting a disturbing picture of history about to repeat itself.

  A shiver of apprehension traveled down her spine. No man belonged in her home, she told herself sternly, especially not Eric.

  “What do you want, Eric?” she demanded. She handed him the glass, their fingers brushing. His touch felt warm, strong and anything but reassuring. She hoped he wouldn’t notice the way her hand shook.

  Scowling, he shifted his grip, allowing her to drop her hand. “I want you to stop acting as prickly as a cactus and start acting like my friend again.”

  Lily sat in a chair opposite Eric. “Are you sure that’s all you want to be? Just a friend?”

  He looked confused. “I don’t understand.”

  “Don’t you?” She hesitated, searching for the right words. “Bringing the baby a gift was kind of you. But I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

  “What idea might that be?” A tiny vein on the side of his neck pulsed a warning.

  Taking a deep breath of determination, she said, “Eric, I don’t need a father for this child.”

  “Who said I wanted to be a father?”

  Lily squirmed in her chair. “No one, but I need—”

  “You need...” The glass hit the table with a thump. Water splattered onto the tabletop.

  Startled, Lily looked at Eric. Fiery anger lit his eyes. In all the years she’d known him, she’d never seen Eric lose his temper. Until today, that is. Today he’d lost his temper twice.

  “Since I agreed to be a sperm donor, all I’ve been hearing about is what you need. Have you ever once considered what I might need?”

  Lily opened her mouth to answer. Then closed it with a click, too stunned to speak.

  He continued, “Or maybe my needs are last on your list of concerns. After all, you got what you wanted from me—my donation. Now that you’re pregnant, I’m expendable.” He narrowed his eyes. “There are terms for the way I feel, Lily. Used is just one of them.”

  “Used?” Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “I’ve never used a man in my life.”

  “Oh, yeah?” His frown deepening, he leaned back in his chair. “Well, it sure feels like it to me.”

  The weight of guilt pressed against her heart as she considered his accusation. She’d never viewed herself as a selfish person. But after listening to Eric, she felt greedy and opportunistic. “I’m sorry, Eric. I never expected you to feel so strongly about this,” she said, wincing inwardly at the weak-sounding apology.

  “What did you expect, Lily? As soon as I found out you were pregnant I’d start avoiding you? You know me better than that.” He took a deep breath, the lines of tension easing from his face. “Look, I’m not saying I want to be your baby’s father.”

  She raised her chin a notch, meeting his gaze. “That’s the way it sounds to me.”

  A look of pure frustration crossed his face. “I just want to be your friend. You’re alone in Phoenix, Lily. I want to be someone you can rely on. Someone to help you through the next nine months.”

  His offer was tempting. When she’d called with the news of her pregnancy, her mother had insisted on moving back to Phoenix for the winter months, until after the baby was born. Though she’d been grateful for the offer, Lily had refused. Her mother and grandmother hated living in the city. They thrived in the quiet beauty of Sedona’s Oak Creek Canyon. She couldn’t allow them to uproot their lives for her sake. Now Eric was offering his friendship; he was someone she could rely on if she needed help.

  She pushed the thought away, remembering her resolve to keep Eric safely out of her life. “Don’t you think I’d like that, too?”

  He gave a growl of impatience. “Then why are we arguing about this? Let me help you.”

  “I wish I could, but I can’t.” She shook her head. “I don’t have a choice. Believe me, it’s for your own good.”

  Like a light, understanding dawned on his face. “Wait a minute. Are you talking about that curse?”

  “Of course I am. What did you think?”

  Eric stared at her for a full minute. Then he grinned, chuckling softly. “The last excuse I expected to hear from you was that crazy curse of yours.”

  “Crazy curse?”

  He sobered, trying to appear innocent. “Did I say crazy? I meant curious.”

  “Eric, it’s time for you to go.” She scrambled to her feet.

  The chair rasped against the tiled floor as he stood. His hands gripped her shoulders, turning her to face him. The smile had faded, but amusement still lit his eyes.

  “Let’s try to reason through this problem, Lily. I’m sure if we put our heads together we can come up with a solution. Now, this alleged curse of yours—”

  She stepped back, forcing him to release her. “Alleged?”

  “Okay, scratch alleged. This curse of yours kills off any man you marry. Do lovers count, too?” He frowned. “Has there been anyone else? I mean, other than David?”

  She let out an impatient breath. “Are you asking me, have I had other lovers? Or have I killed anyone else?”

  “I...umm.”

  It was her turn to smile as he struggled with an answer. Seeing someone as unflappable as Eric lose his composure did wonders to boost her self-confidence. She let him flounder for a few seconds before giving him a break. “The answer is no, to both questions.”

  An unsettling look of relief crossed his face. She wondered what it meant. Was he relieved she hadn’t killed anyone else? Or that she hadn’t had any other lovers?

  “Then I’m in no danger,” he said, breaking into her thoughts.

  She frowned. “How do you figure that?”

  “I’m not your lover, Lily. There’s no way your curse can affect me.”

  “But you did father my child. In my family, fathers don’t last long.”

  “I’m not in your family, Lily.” His expression became serious. “The bottom line is this. I may be the biological father, but that doesn’t make me a parent.” He sighed. “I don’t think I’d even know how to be a parent. All I want is to make sure you and the baby are okay. I just want to be your friend.”

  That warm feeling enveloped her again as Eric’s charms worked their magic. Her resolve to keep him safely out of her life didn’t seem so logical or so important. To tell the truth, she needed a friend.

  She shot him a doubtful gaze. “I guess we could give it a try and see what happens.”

  He nodded, looking satisfied. “Good.” Then he grinned. “So, you’re pregnant, eh?”

  She returned his smile. “Yes, Eric. I’m pregnant.”

  “Told anyone else yet?”

  “Just my mother...and you,” she admitted.

  “Then let me be the first to congratulate you here in Phoenix. You’re going to make a great mom.”

  He scooped her into his arms, surprising her with an impromptu hug.

  A confusing flush of heat warmed her body. In her mind, she assured herself the hug was innocent, a simple display of affection from one friend to another. But her heart seemed to have leaped into her throat. She swallowed hard and wondered why all of a sudden his arms didn’t feel so friendly.

  “I’m goi
ng to take good care of you,” he said without releasing her. “You won’t regret this, Lily.”

  She looked up into his brown eyes and sighed. She already did.

  * * *

  Two weeks later, Lily stepped back and examined the cake on the reception table with a critical eye.

  Months earlier, when the bride had picked out the largest, most expensive cake she made, Lily had been ecstatic. When the bride insisted Lily be there to supervise the delivery and serving of the cake, she’d been reluctant. Taking an entire Saturday out of her busy schedule just to serve a cake seemed impractical.

  But Lily had an unwritten policy in dealing with brides-to-be. On her wedding day, the bride deserved to have her every dream and wish fulfilled. If she wanted the biggest, gaudiest cake money could buy, so be it. If she wanted to pay Lily extra to serve that monstrosity, then so much the better. After all, the client was always right.

  The bride had told her that the wedding and reception were to be held at the groom’s home. Lily assumed the house would be a typical Arizona ranch. When she’d arrived to deliver the cake, she’d realized her mistake. The large multilevel house with its endless number of steps was a caterer’s nightmare. Lily had held her breath the entire way as her workers transferred the cake from the delivery van to the reception table.

  For once in her life, Lady Luck seemed to have been with her. The cake had gone through the transfer without a blemish. She breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to one of her workers. “It looks perfect.”

  He grinned, appearing pleased by the compliment.

  “Now all we need are the lights and fountain,” she told him.

  He motioned to his co-worker. “We’ll go to the van and bring ‘em in.”

  Lily nodded. “I’ll check for the outlets.”

  Lily glanced at the wall behind the table. No outlet. She gritted her teeth. The bride had promised her that an electrical outlet would be within easy reach of the table. Maybe it was on the floor under the table.

  She glanced down at the slender skirt of her apricot dress. She wasn’t exactly dressed for crawling around on the floor. Muttering an unladylike oath, she got down on her knees, picked up one end of the eggshell-pink cloth and poked her head under the table.