by Lucy Clark
‘So this is their very first time?’ He nodded, feeling proud that he was here for such a momentous occasion.
‘Yes.’
‘Then you have every right to be silly or nervous or whatever other maternal emotions you feel.’ He winked at her as he pushed the pram along and Sheena felt sparkly inside from his attention. It had always been that way with Will. He just needed to look at her, smile at her and her body came alive with tingles.
She quickly looked away and focused on the girls, making sure they were comfortable. Due to the bandages, the girls were unable to sit up properly but they’d angled both babies so that they could see quite clearly the world around them.
Sheena held open the gate to the gardens as Will pushed the pram through and as they walked around she couldn’t help but feel as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
‘I’ve been so scared,’ she confessed to Will as they found a nice place to spread a rug and sit down, the girls content to remain in the pram. They faced the pram towards them and as Sheena talked, Will pulled faces at the girls, making them giggle. ‘Trying to imagine my life outside the hospital gave me nightmares.’
‘That’s understandable.’
‘It is?’
‘Of course.’ Will handed the girls a soft toy each and turned to face Sheena. ‘Your life has been in a state of flux for the past year. Now that the girls have come through the surgery, your life with them can begin. Coming out today was the first step towards looking to the future, and you’ve accomplished it with ease.’ He leaned over and took her hand in his, raising it to his lips. ‘You’re a strong, incredible woman, Sheena Woodcombe, and you’ll be able to handle anything life throws at you.’
Sheena nodded, tingling from his touch, loving the attention but well aware that in the way he spoke he wasn’t including himself in any scenario. Did that mean he wasn’t going to stay in Australia? Was he going to return to the States but didn’t know how to break it to her? They’d agreed to be friends and even though there was a high level of tension buzzing between them whenever they were in the same room, both had been conscious of not following through on it. Re-establishing their friendship had been the most important thing but Sheena had been well aware that with every moment she’d spent with him, whether it was bathing and changing or feeding the girls, she was coming to rely on him more and more. So much so that when he left, when he exited her life, she’d be left with a gaping hole of sheer emptiness that she doubted she’d ever be able to fill.
Even thinking about it now made a lump form in her throat and she looked away from him, over into the trees around them. She sat up straighter, her attention captured by a person hiding behind one of the trees. Her eyes widened when she realised he had a camera and that a large telephoto lens was pointed in their direction.
‘The media.’
‘What about them?’ Will asked, noting the change in her demeanour.
‘They’re over there.’ Sheena shook her head, annoyed that the very first time she’d brought the girls out of the hospital, they’d been followed. Her first instinct was to pack everything up and return to the sanctuary of the hospital as fast as possible but she’d learned through her PR briefings that it was better to face the music and give the photojournalists the scoop they were after.
‘Relax,’ Will said softly. ‘We’ll invite him over. He can take his pictures and then we’ll be left alone.’
Sheena nodded. ‘Agreed, but I don’t like it. My daughters aren’t a sideshow.’
‘No. They’re two little girls who have captured the hearts of many,’ Will said. ‘Including me.’ He pulled Sheena to her feet and embraced her in a protective hug, not caring who saw them. ‘I’ll be right by your side,’ he reassured her. ‘No one’s going to hurt my girls.’
Within another minute Sheena found herself standing behind the pram with Will by her side as they smiled for the camera, the photojournalist as pleased as punch to be allowed to take his photographs. The whole time she smiled, Will’s last words were running around in her head. ‘No one’s going to hurt my girls.’ Did that mean that he’d accepted them? That he wanted them? All three of them? Hope began to increase deep within her.
‘Make sure you send us a copy,’ Will said as he started to wheel the pram back towards the hospital. By the time they arrived back in the paediatric unit, Sheena was mentally exhausted and so were the girls. With Will’s help, she settled them in their cribs, singing a lullaby to help them drift off to sleep.
‘I think that’s enough excitement for one day,’ she murmured, delighted when Will brought her a soothing cup of herbal tea. ‘You remembered.’
‘Of course I remembered. Whenever we were working nights, you used to complain that you never got to have your soothing cup of herbal tea.’
‘I never complained,’ she said, going to the window to look out at the sunny afternoon. Will came to stand beside her, sipping his own cup of tea.
‘I beg to differ.’ He chuckled, the warm sound washing over her. She turned slightly, putting her cup on the thick window ledge between the vases of flowers still blooming brightly.
‘Will?’
‘Yes?’
‘What’s happening between us?’
He smiled at her words. ‘We’re being friends.’
‘I know, and I like it very much, but …’ She didn’t have to say another word as he put his cup down and pulled her into his arms. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
‘We’re at a crossroads, Sheena.’ She felt him shake his head. ‘Not just as a possible couple but as singles as well. I have big decisions to make. You have big decisions to make, and in some ways, until those decisions are made, we won’t know how to move forward.’
Sheena opened her eyes and looked up at him. ‘How about you make my decisions and I’ll make yours? That way, the pressure can be off,’ she suggested with a crazy smile.
He looked at her and returned her smile. ‘If only it was that simple.’
‘Seriously, though, is there anything I can help with? Any questions you want answered? We weren’t too good at communicating properly all those years ago, so let’s make sure we don’t take that road again.’
Will thought about things for a while before nodding. ‘OK. Well, I do have a few questions. The first one being about your endometriosis. Are you in any pain? Will you need further surgery?’
Sheena eased out of his arms and saw the concern on his face. ‘The pain isn’t too bad, nowhere near as bad as it used to be, and, yes, there’s a high probability that I’ll require an oophorectomy, possibly a bilateral one, which will mean definitely no more children for little ol’ me.’
‘Oh, Sheenie.’ There was anguish in his eyes. ‘How do you put up with it? Always to be in pain and knowing that with surgical intervention the pain can be removed? You’re so brave, so strong.’ And he wanted to hold her for ever and take away all her pain. He wanted to protect her and her girls for the rest of his life.
‘I put up with it because now that I’ve had the girls, I’m incredibly hopeful. I want more children, Will. I feel incredibly greedy saying that, especially as I’ve already been blessed with two gorgeous girls, but …’ She trailed off. She wanted more children, almost desperately so, and she wanted them to be Will’s. Hers and his. Just as she’d dreamed about all those years ago. ‘The doctors were wrong about me before and perhaps … just perhaps they’re still wrong when they say there’s an incredibly small chance of me conceiving again. So I put up with the pain and I’ll continue to do so if it means that there’s a tiny chance.’
‘So long as your health isn’t at risk.’ They both knew the risks. ‘The chance of conceiving is irrelevant if it means you become sick.’ He shook his head. ‘The thought of you—’ He broke off, unable to say the words out loud. Instead, he put his hands on her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. ‘You’re too important, Sheena. To your girls,
to Janessa and Miles … and to me.’ He swallowed the lump in his throat. ‘Promise me you’ll look after yourself.’
Sheena met his gaze, unable to believe the intenseness of his blue eyes. ‘I promise.’
‘Good.’ He breathed out in relief before crushing her to him. ‘You are so special to me, Sheena. So incredibly special.’
‘As a friend?’ she asked, and he eased her back to look down into her upturned face.
‘Not just as a friend, and I think we both know that.’ A small smile tugged at his mouth. ‘I’ve found it difficult to keep my hands off you ever since I returned to Australia, but I knew I had to.’
‘We needed to talk.’
‘And we did. I want us to stay on the same page, Sheena, to be constantly communicating with each other.’
‘I want that, too, Will. I’m still so sorry for what happened all those years ago and for the way I handled things, but—’
Will didn’t want to hear her apologies so silenced her the best way he knew how and covered her mouth with his own. Sheena gasped in surprise then leaned into him, relaxing against his body, winding her arms about his neck. Closing her eyes, she knew this was the place she’d longed to be for such an incredibly long time. In Will’s arms once more. Being kissed with more than a brief brush of his lips against hers. This was real. This was what she’d dreamed about.
Her mouth was smooth and warm and, oh, so ready for him. It was as though her lips had been made specifically for him to kiss, and he was relishing every second. Their scents mingled together as he slowly slid his hands up her back, drawing her as close as he possibly could. When she groaned, he took that as an invitation to increase the intensity of the kiss.
Her mouth opened beneath his and they went on a mutual journey of becoming reacquainted. It was exciting, enthralling and exhilarating, and she couldn’t get enough. Never before had his kisses made her feel like this, and she realised that there was definitely something different. Was it maturity? They’d both been through a lot in the past ten years and that had to change a person. He felt so familiar and yet so different, and it was that difference that made her eager to explore, to know more of this new Will who had once again captured her heart.
His kisses continued to turn her entire body to mush and she leaned closer into him, not only wanting his firm body pressed against her own but to find more stability to keep her from sliding to the floor in a boneless mess.
It was Will’s turn to groan as he continued to hold her close, still giving and receiving in equal portions, feeding his need. She was everything he remembered and more, and finally, when he thought his lungs would burst if he didn’t drag oxygen into them, he reluctantly lifted his head from hers but didn’t relinquish his hold on her delectable body.
With their breathing slowly returning to normal, Sheena looked up at him. ‘Wow!’
‘Yeah. Wow. I mean, it was always good between us but that was.’
‘Different.’
‘But good different,’ he confirmed, and she nodded in agreement.
‘Wh-what are we supposed to do now? Where does that incredibly sexy, incredibly passionate kiss leave us?’
‘Shaken,’ he replied with a laugh, but let her go to pace the room, pleased the girls were still sleeping soundly. ‘I have to decide whether to accept Charisma’s job offer or to continue with my work and research in the States. You have to decide where you want to live, where you want to put down roots with your girls. We need to decide whether to pursue this undeniable attraction or to pull back and just remain friends.’
Sheena covered her face with her hands. ‘Why can’t anything in my life be simple?’ she asked rhetorically, before lowering her hands and stepping forward into his pacing path.
‘What do you think about … dating?’
‘Dating?’
‘Sure. For the rest of the time you’re here in Australia, we still work on our friendship but we date as well. There’s no point in denying the attraction between us any more, Will, and it might possibly lead to more confusion, which is the last thing we both want.’
‘So we date.’ He nodded as though the idea had merit. Where the girls were concerned, they both knew they worked well together, but if they had plans to solidify their relationship, to lead towards marriage, they needed to make sure they were definitely on the same page.
Was it possible he would be able to have the fairy-tale family after all? Himself, Sheena and the girls? Could they make this work? It wasn’t the fairy-tale family he’d envisaged all those years ago but did it really matter? Dating might help them both to be sure. He’d rushed into things ten years ago and it had ended in disaster. He wasn’t going to be that foolish this time around.
‘You’re a good catch, Will Beckman.’
He smiled at her words, almost relieved to hear her say them. ‘Is that so?’
‘Yeah.’ She returned his smile, her earlier annoyance and frustration with the media being replaced by a calm, serene sigh that only Will’s relaxing presence could evoke. He reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand, his thumb tenderly caressing her soft skin. She leaned into his touch and relaxed.
‘So … if we’re serious about this dating thing, how do you feel about meeting my family?’
At his words, Sheena jerked her head upright and stared at him.
‘Uh … that’s a little … uh … quick, isn’t it?’
‘Sheena?’ He spread his arms wide. ‘I have to return to the States before Christmas. That’s not that far away.’
‘True. True.’ She took a few calming breaths, then nodded. ‘I guess it’s only fair that I meet your family. Especially as you’ve already met mine. The girls, Janessa and Miles,’ she said by way of explanation.
‘I guess I have.’ He reached for her again, taking her hands in his. ‘It’ll be fine. My parents will adore you.’
‘Are you sure?’ Now that he’d suggested the meeting, she couldn’t help the nervous butterflies that were zinging around her stomach. ‘I’ve never met anyone’s parents before. Jonas’s had both died and I hardly knew mine. What am I supposed to do?’
Will smiled at her, surprised at her nervousness yet unable to believe how adorable she looked. ‘You be yourself.’
‘Do I need to get them a gift? Isn’t it customary to bring a gift when you meet parents for the first time?’
Will shrugged. ‘Bring the girls. My parents love children and will definitely consider spending some time with Adelaide’s star twins a very special gift.’
Sheena nodded and tried once more to calm her breathing. ‘Are you sure about this?’
‘Positive. If we want to move forward, Sheena, we need to do this.’ He leaned forward and brushed one of those rich and tantalising kisses over her mouth. ‘Trust me.’
She breathed out slowly, her entire body trembling as she nodded. ‘OK.’
CHAPTER NINE
‘I’M TERRIFIED!’
Sheena paced around the girls’ room before stopping to check that the baby bag was packed with everything she might need. She’d expressed milk, and the bottles were stored in the special milk compartment. There were enough nappies for her to stay away for a week—at least, that was what Janessa had said.
‘Relax. You’ll be fine,’ Janessa soothed.
‘I don’t know how to meet parents, Ness. I’ve never met anyone’s parents before … well, except for your dad.’
‘You know Miles’s parents. You met them at the wedding.’
‘That’s hardly the same. I wasn’t in love with their son.’
‘I should hope not,’ Janessa retorted, then stopped. ‘Wait a second. You said …’
‘I know what I said and I can’t dwell on it right now. Weren’t you nervous when you met Miles’s parents? What did you do? What did you say? Maybe I can learn something to say.’
Janessa waved her friend’s words away. ‘You’re taking the babies, Sheena. No offence, honey, but no one’s going to be interested in you. Bab
ies have that effect on people, especially your two little darlings.’
‘Will’s hiring a car and the hospital is providing child car seats. This is the first time the girls have travelled in a car. What if we have an accident?’
Janessa walked to her friend and put her hands on her shoulders. ‘Will you calm down? Will’s parents don’t live too far away. It’s about a ten-minute drive from the hospital. Everything is going to be fine.’
‘Is she still in a flap?’ Will asked as he walked into the room.
‘Yes. Come and silence her in a way only you know how. I’ll take the baby bag down to the car. You two can bring the girls.’ Janessa turned and left them alone, Ellie and Sarah were all dressed up in a pair of matching floral dresses, their dark hair tied up with red bows in little fountains on top of their heads. They looked adorable, as did their mother, apart from the flap she was in.
‘I have something for you,’ Will said, and it was only then Sheena realised he had one hand behind his back. ‘Another loofah? This is hardly the time for a bath.’ He laughed. ‘That stopped you from stressing for a moment. Here.’ He shifted and pulled, from behind his back, a beautiful bouquet of brightly coloured flowers.
‘Freesias.’ Sheena gasped. ‘The biggest bunch I’ve ever seen. Oh, Will.’ She accepted the flowers and bent her head to sniff them appreciatively. ‘They’re gorgeous. Thank you. Thank you so much.’
Will beamed. ‘I know you already have a room full of flowers but these aren’t for the girls—these are for you.’
‘And I love freesias. They’re my favourite.’
‘I remember.’
They stood there. Oblivious to anything or anyone else. Absorbed in each other for what felt like minutes but in reality was only a few seconds. His intense blue gaze was like a visual caress as he took in her comfortable shoes, three quarter-length designer jeans and a blue shirt that clung to her feminine curves. She looked incredible, her short dark hair framing her face, her blue eyes, her pink cheeks, her plump, kissable lips.