by Lori Wilde
She was aware of his gaze roaming over her body and, for some strange reason that she couldn’t explain, it excited her.
“They definitely have,” he concurred.
The same could be said for him. But standing this close to the bed, she thought it would be wiser not to focus on the way the soft curly hairs peeked out the top of his shirt.
Or the way he looked at her with those light-brown eyes that sometimes seemed to hold a touch of green. Or the way she could feel both the strength and the gentleness in his hands.
“You’re right,” she said. “I’m being silly. There’s no reason we can’t both sleep in this big bed.”
While Colton pulled off his shirt, she distracted herself by going to the closet for an extra blanket, which she rolled into a long tube and placed in the center of the bed as a divider. He kicked off his pants, exposing the new scar above his knee, and April had a devil of a time keeping her eyes above his waist. His very lean, very firm waist.
Her resolve weakened, and she took a quick peek. Boxers. Navy blue with tiny red squiggles on them. Cotton, probably. She wasn’t surprised. If she’d given it any thought, she would have figured him for a boxers type of guy. Comfortable, nothing fancy … the type you keep around for a long time. Just like him.
When he moved to get into bed, he lifted the top end of the rolled blanket. His eyebrows drew together as he met her gaze. “Are you afraid of me, April?”
“No, um, of course not.”
“Then why do you need this?”
She wasn’t sure she knew the answer. Could it be that she was afraid of herself? Afraid that she’d wake up in the morning, her body entwined with his, and find that she liked it? Afraid that she’d go back on her vow not to mess up another friendship by throwing romance into the relationship?
She picked up the blanket from the bed and tossed it to the floor. This pretend marriage was going to be harder than she thought. “I guess we can get by without it.”
It would be awkward, but she’d manage.
Undoing the latch on her suitcase, April reached for her own nightwear. Loose shorts and a baggy, oversize T-shirt.
There were the tailored shorts she’d packed and a couple of tops, but nothing suitable for sleeping in. Although she knew she had set them on top, she checked the side pockets just to make sure. No luck.
“What’s the matter?”
“I can’t find my pajamas.”
“Did you check all of the compartments?”
“No, of course not. That’s why I’m standing here wondering where my pajamas are.” Immediately, April regretted taking out her frustration on Colton. He’d only been trying to help, and she’d practically snapped his head off. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”
“It’s okay. I hear a lot of brides get cranky on their wedding night.”
Throwing the covers back, he rose to his knees and fumbled through the clothes in her suitcase. Clad only in the boxers, his body was a sight to behold. April said a silent prayer of thanks that he hadn’t decided to sleep in the nude. Something crinkled in his hands, and he pulled out a small folded object wrapped in tissue paper.
“What’s this?” he asked, pulling away the tissue paper.
The room filled with the scent of roses—Stella’s favorite perfume—and the white negligee fell onto the bed. A slip of paper landed beside it. April reached for it, but Colton got it first.
“Happy baby making,” he read out loud. “Love, Stella.”
He grinned, and April felt her face grow warm.
“You told her.”
“She’s the only one. I know she’ll keep our arrangement a secret.”
He said nothing … just nodded as he rubbed the slick fabric of the nightgown between his fingers.
“I—I don’t know where she got the idea that we’d—” She paused, wondering how to phrase this tactfully. “I mean, I explained to her that it would all be taken care of at the clinic.”
Colton hesitated. He was tempted to just say what was on his mind, but considering how skittish she was tonight, he knew he’d best phrase his words carefully.
“Why bother with the middleman?” he said at last, attempting to keep his tone casual. “I know the procedure. And I’m sure you do, too, since you’ve been married before.”
Of course, he tried not to focus on the latter part of his statement. He considered the time of her marriage to Eddie to be his “dark years.” But now, at long last, things were starting to look up.
He just hoped they stayed that way … especially after she found out what he’d done. He’d tried everything else, but April had steadfastly refused to see him as anything other than a friend. But now… Colton gave a mental shrug. He wouldn’t think about how she might react to the news he’d eventually have to break to her. There would be time to worry about that problem later.
Right now, however, her eyes looked as large as tractor tires. “But that wasn’t our arrangement,” she said in a tight voice. “You said you would be willing to, you know, donate. But we agreed—”
“It’s totally up to you,” he said, trying to act as if it didn’t matter a whit to him. “I just thought you could put the money aside for the kid’s college fund. I hear fertility treatments can get very expensive, especially if you have to give it several tries.”
Yes, indeedy, he’d be willing to give it as many tries as it took, and then some more for good measure.
She backed away from the bed, and Colton tried not to smile at her action. “You don’t have to decide right now,” he told her, putting his pants back on. “Why don’t you think about it while you get dressed for bed? Meanwhile, I’ll run down the hall and get some ice for your bee sting.”
When he was gone from the room, April stumbled to the bathroom and splashed water on her face.
Nothing in their setup was going the way she’d planned. All she wanted was one little baby, for crying out loud, and everything was blowing up in her face.
As for Colton, she didn’t know what had gotten into him. He was actually serious about his suggestion. What was he thinking? They’d known each other for so long, they were almost like brother and sister.
“That’s sick,” April said out loud to her reflection in the mirror. On the other hand, if they really were like brother and sister, then why had she enjoyed his kisses so much? And why had she noticed that the hairs on his chest whorled in a counterclockwise direction? Worse, why had she wanted to brush her hand over them and feel their softness?
Her libido was in overdrive. Yes, that must be it. She was sex-crazed. For the past several years, she’d thrown all her energy into working at the campground, and now that she was alone with a handsome man, her hormones had mutinied and taken control of her brain.
Of course, if that were the case, then why hadn’t she reacted like this with other men? She’d had dates, and they weren’t all losers. There’d been two or three who had plenty in the looks and intelligence departments, and they’d certainly shown an interest in dancing the horizontal mambo with her. But for some reason, April had never worked up any enthusiasm over any of her dates.
She slipped her clothes off and pulled the white nightgown over her head. Putting her hands on her hips, she turned and examined herself in the mirror. It was a good color for her and served to play up the varying shades of blonde streaks in her hair. As for the cut, it couldn’t have fit better. The simple design even managed to make her look a whole cup size larger.
Not that it mattered, April hastily reminded herself. It was just for sleeping in.
The shimmery fabric seemed to caress her body where it flowed over dips and curves. It still smelled of roses. Her sister had overanticipated April’s and Colton’s fondness for one another, she decided. But that wasn’t reason enough for her to get all worked up tonight. Even so, April impulsively slid a peach gloss lipstick over her lips.
“Sunburn,” she said, as if trying to convince herself there was no other reason for doing so. B
ut she had to admit, the overall effect really looked good.
Colton had looked good, too. April brushed her hair into its usual loose, swingy style. And he’d made an excellent point about setting up a college fund for the baby.
Maybe, she thought, she ought to consider all aspects of his suggestion before deciding it was not an option. And perhaps if she took advantage of his offer, she could get this unexpected case of passion out of her system.
She opened the bathroom door as he was returning with a bucket of ice. He hadn’t bothered to put a shirt on, and April wondered how many female heads he’d turned as he walked down the long hall and back.
He closed the door, never bothering to take his eyes off her. His gaze slowly traveled the length of her, lingering at her face, her waist, her legs, and then traveling back up to her eyes. April suddenly felt self-conscious, a feeling she wasn’t accustomed to having with her best friend.
“It, uh, fits well,” he said at last. He turned away from her to set the ice bucket on the bench in the entryway, but April could have sworn that he held the cold container to his bare chest first.
When he faced her again, he held a chip of ice in his hand.
“Does your face still hurt?”
She’d forgotten all about the bee sting, but she found herself nodding yes.
He brushed her hair aside and touched the ice to her cheek, holding it in place by bracing his fingers against her skin.
Unable to meet his gaze, April looked straight ahead, her eyes level with the top of his chest. Small beads of moisture, presumably from the ice bucket, clung to his torso and the strands of brown that covered it.
After a moment, he removed the ice and wiped a thumb across the affected area. “That should be enough for now,” he said. “Too much of the cure can be worse than the ailment.”
A naughty thought came to mind as April imagined the cure for what else had been ailing her. She gave herself a mental shake. Enough of that!
“It’s been a long day,” she said, stepping away from the deadly cure in front of her. “I think I’ll go to sleep now.”
Like a frightened rabbit, she hopped into the bed, switched off the light, and hid under the covers. The mattress jostled as he slid in on the other side and adjusted the covers around him.
“Good night, Buddy,” she whispered.
She heard him sigh, and then he scooted closer. April held her breath, wondering whether he was just hogging the bed or had something else in mind.
“April?”
“What, Buddy?”
“I enjoyed our wedding today.”
She smiled at the memory of their special day. Despite some minor inconveniences, it had gone very well. “Me, too.”
“And I’d never seen Clyde grin so wide as he did when you asked him to dance with you.”
April remembered their friend’s pleased response when she sat on the arm of his wheelchair and danced a slow one with him. It hadn’t even ruined their fun when her gown got caught in the wheel spokes. Thinking of all the others she’d danced with today, she flexed the stiffness from her tired calf muscles.
“Did you see Steven teaching me some of the newest steps?”
She was aware of Colton nodding in response.
Under the sheet, he laced his fingers with hers. He cleared his throat. “There’s something I want to ask you.”
She forced herself to breathe. Most likely he was going to press her for an answer on his earlier suggestion, and she still hadn’t come to a decision. “Yes?”
“I want to kiss you good night.”
“You do?” she squeaked.
He chuckled. The sound of it was deep and, for the first time, a little bit unnerving.
“I do.” He paused. “Is this deja vu, or haven’t I already said this once today?”
He leaned closer, fumbling for her in the dark, then touched her chin to turn her face toward him.
In the next moment, before she could decide whether to register a protest or urge him closer, his mouth covered hers. April braced her hands against his shoulders. Of their own volition, her fingers clutched the rounded muscles of his arms. But instead of pushing him away, they traced the curve upward and explored the line of his collarbones down to the hollow where they met. Once there, she was rewarded with the tickly softness of that enticing counterclockwise swirl.
She arched her neck as his hand slid behind her head and began a slow, steady massage that smoothed away all tightness and dissolved any remaining resistance.
“April, honey,” he murmured against her lips.
“Mmm.”
“Let me give you a baby.” He kissed her again. “Now.”
“I suppose…” She returned his kiss, feeling drugged by his very nearness. “…that would be all right.”
His head dipped as he kissed her neck and trailed down to where the nightgown parted in the front. April rolled to one side, and the movement brought her closer to the length of him.
Colton’s arm went around the small of her back, bringing her so close that she couldn’t move if she wanted to … which she didn’t.
“April, there’s something I have to tell you first,” Colton murmured against her ear.
She nodded, taking great pleasure in the moist warmth of his breath on her neck.
“This baby is going to have a real father.”
“I know, Buddy,” she assured him. “I have no doubt you’ll always be there for this child.”
She knew he would be there for the baby—and for her— long after their arrangement ended. And she thought it was sweet of him to remind her of it at this particular time.
“No, I mean the baby is going to have a legitimate father.”
April could have sworn that the almost imperceptible tightening of his grip on her back had nothing to do with passion.
“What are you trying to say, Buddy?”
He took a slow, deep breath, and April mentally braced herself. This was what he always did when he had bad news for her. “Remember how your college friend’s father couldn’t perform the marriage on the campus grounds because the law only allowed him to marry people in his own district?”
April felt herself tense. Oh, no, please don’t let it be what she thought it might be.
“Well, your cousin Earl happened to mention that the law has changed in the years since then.” He paused a moment, as if waiting for her reaction before telling her the rest. But she was too stunned to react. “He’s now licensed to marry people anywhere in the State of Virginia.”
The tightness in April’s throat threatened to paralyze her voice. “You mean, we’re really married? It wasn’t a mock wedding?”
“Right on both counts.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” she asked and was annoyed by the shrillness in her voice.
“I tried to, but—”
“Why did you wait until now?”
She heard him suck air between his teeth and knew she wouldn’t like this news any better than the last.
“Because then you wouldn’t have married me.”
“You knew before the wedding? You sneaky son of a—” She tried to take a swing at him, but when her arm remained pinned at her side, she suddenly understood why he’d held her so tightly. Thwarted there, she tried to kick him, but her legs were pinned between his.
“April, honey, I told you this because I want you to be my wife … in the fullest sense of the word.”
It was all Colton could do to keep her from hauling off and whacking him. He supposed he deserved it, what with tricking her into a real marriage. She hadn’t taken him seriously when he had given her his heart and asked her out on dates. Now, when he was offering her his body as well as his heart, he had to know that she was accepting him as a wife accepts a husband.
She was small, but the long hours of working outdoors had made her as strong as a hardened athlete. When she quit struggling in his arms, he loosened his hold on her, and she began her attack anew.
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br /> “We made a deal,” she protested, “and you tricked me!”
To protect the freshly healed wound above his knee—as well as other valuable assets—Colton slid out of the bed and felt a pillow hit him upside the head. He flipped the light switch on so he could see her in case she got the notion to throw something heavier.
And it was a good thing he did. First came the notepad from the nightstand. Fortunately, her aim was bad, and it hit the wall behind him. Next was the list of places to visit in the area. Her aim was better this time, but he managed to dodge the travel book.
Considering her reaction, she was taking the news better than he’d anticipated.
Now she picked up the hardback Gideon Bible. That one could hurt.
“Uh, April, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Looking down at the book in her hand, she seemed undecided for a moment before putting it back in the drawer. Colton breathed a sigh of relief. But the cease-fire was short-lived. She picked up the TV remote control and hurled it toward his midsection.
“Why did you lie to me?”
He didn’t say anything. He was wondering how long it would take before she noticed the alarm clock and threw that, too.
It seemed as though her energy was spent. She sat on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands, looking defeated. “Buddy, why did you trick me into marrying you?”
“Uh—” What could he say to that? The obvious thing to say—the truth—was that he was in love with her. He’d tried to get her attention before, but she thought he was joking when he asked her to go out with him. He had considered telling her about the change in the law before the wedding, but at the time it had seemed like the perfect solution to get the two of them together. He’d anticipated that if they were really married, she’d be forced to see him more as a husband and lover than a friend, and that eventually she would come to love him as much as he loved her. In his fantasy, he’d imagined her wanting to stay married to him.
But he couldn’t tell her that. If he did, she’d be out of here quicker than a raccoon could raid a garbage can. So, instead, he told her what she wanted to hear.
He sat down beside her on the bed, taking care not to spook her with an inadvertent touch.