Surprise Baby, Second Chance

by Therese Beharrie

  Reunited for one night...

  Bound forever by the consequence!

  Determined never to become a burden on the person she loves most, Rosa walked away from her husband, Aaron. Now she’s back on his island home for a family party, and they end up stranded together during a storm! Forced to confront the past and their infinite attraction, a kiss leads to one more night... And when she discovers she’s pregnant, Rosa knows it’s time to fight for their future.

  “You’re not helping me feel any less trapped than I already do, Aaron.”

  Again, he shrugged. Again, Rosa took a step forward.

  “And you’re not as unaffected by all this as you’re pretending.”

  “What are you doing?” he asked, clasping her wrist just before her hand reached his face. Somehow she’d closed the distance between them as she’d said her last words without him noticing.

  “I’m trying to show you that you’re not as aloof as you believe,” she said, and dropped her hand with a triumphant smile. “I told you.”

  He didn’t reply. He couldn’t do so without telling her that she was right, and unaffected was the last thing he felt. But he showed her. Slid an arm around her waist and hauled her against him.

  “Maybe you’re right,” he said, his voice slightly breathless. “Maybe I was thinking about the first time we kissed.” He dipped his head lower. “You remember.”

  It wasn’t a question. And the way her breath quickened—the way her hand shook as she wiped the rain from her brow—confirmed it to him.

  Dear Reader,

  In my 2017 release, A Marriage Worth Saving, I wrote my first second-chance romance. I enjoyed it so much that I revisited that theme for Surprise Baby, Second Chance. Rosa and Aaron’s bond was created during a difficult time in their lives, but their love helped them through it. Now, faced with new challenges, they must allow their love to help them through once again...

  Rosa and Aaron are characters I hope you can relate to. I wrote them that way because I want you, my readers, to know that your struggles are universal. And that, like Rosa and Aaron do, you can overcome—or at least face them—too. I’m proud to be able to write about mental health in this book, and I hope that resonates with you as much as it has with me.

  If you’d like to get in touch with me, you can find me on Twitter and Facebook. You can also catch up with me on my blog.

  Now I’ll leave you to enjoy Rosa and Aaron’s story in peace. :)

  Love,

  Therese

  Surprise Baby, Second Chance

  Therese Beharrie

  Being an author has always been Therese Beharrie’s dream. But it was only when the corporate world loomed during her final year at university that she realized how soon she wanted that dream to become a reality. So she got serious about her writing, and now writes books she wants to see in the world featuring people who look like her for a living. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her husband and dogs in Cape Town, South Africa. She admits that this is a perfect life, and is grateful for it.

  Books by Therese Beharrie

  Harlequin Romance

  Conveniently Wed, Royally Bound

  United by Their Royal Baby

  Falling for His Convenient Queen

  The Tycoon’s Reluctant Cinderella

  A Marriage Worth Saving

  The Millionaire’s Redemption

  Tempted by the Billionaire Next Door

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.

  Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!

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  Grant.

  Thank you for keeping me steady through my anxieties.

  My ROSA Typewriter Club.

  I’m so lucky to have found you both. Thank you for believing in me. Always remember how much I believe in you.

  And Megan.

  Thank you for your patience with me. You’ve taught me so much. I can’t wait for the rest of our books together—sorry, I couldn’t resist!

  Praise for

  Therese Beharrie

  “I really enjoyed this book. It had a gutsy, sympathetic heroine, a moody hero, and the South African setting was vividly drawn. A great debut novel. I’ll definitely be reading this author again.”

  —Goodreads on The Tycoon’s Reluctant Cinderella

  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 FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  EXCERPT FROM CAPTIVATED BY HER ITALIAN BOSS BY ROSANNA BATTIGELLI

  CHAPTER ONE

  ROSA SPENCER HAD two options.

  One: she could get back into the taxi that had brought her to the house she was currently standing in front of.

  Two: she could walk into that house and face the man she’d left four months ago without any explanation.

  Her husband.

  When the purr of the car grew distant behind her she took a deep breath. Her chance of escape now gone, she straightened her shoulders and walked down the pathway that led to the front door of the Spencers’ holiday home.

  It could have been worse, she considered. She could have bumped into Aaron somewhere in Cape Town, where she’d been staying since she’d left him. And since they’d lived together over a thousand kilometres away in Johannesburg, Rosa would have been unprepared to see him.

  Since she worked from home most days, she would have probably been wearing the not-quite-pyjamas-but-might-as-well-be outfit she usually wore when she ventured out of the house during the week. Her hair would have been a mess, curls spiralling everywhere—or piled on top of her head—and her face would have been clear of make-up.

  Exposed, she thought. Vulnerable.

  At least now she was prepared to see him.

  Her gold dress revealed generous cleavage and cinched at her waist with a thin belt. Its skirt was long, loose, though it had a slit up to mid-thigh—stopping just before her shapewear began—to reveal a leg that was strong and toned: one of her best assets.

  Her dress made her feel confident—after all, what was the point of being a designer if she couldn’t make clothes that did?—as did the mass of curls around her face, and the make-up she’d had done before she’d got onto the private plane her mother-in-law had sent for her.

  She hadn’t seen Liana Spencer in the four months since she’d left Aaron either. And perhaps that was part of the reason Rosa had agreed to attend a birthday party that would put her face to face with the man she’d walked away from.

  The other reason was because of her own mother. And the birthday parties Violet Lang would never get to celebrate.

  Rosa took another breath, clinging to the confidence she’d fought for with her dress. It was a pivotal part of the armour she’d created when she’d realise
d she’d be seeing Aaron again.

  She needed the armour to cloak the shivering in the base of her stomach. The erratic beating of her heart. The combination of the two was so familiar that she didn’t think she’d ever truly lived without it. Though that hadn’t stopped her from running from it all her life.

  The door of the house was open when she got there and Rosa slipped inside, thinking that it would be easier than to announce her arrival by ringing the bell. There was nothing to indicate a celebration on the first floor—just the usual tasteful but obviously expensive furniture and décor—though that wasn’t surprising. Liana usually went for lavish, which meant the top floor. The one where the walls were made entirely of glass.

  It offered guests an exceptional view of the sea that surrounded Mariner’s Island just off the coast of Cape Town. Of the waves that crashed against the rocks that were scattered at the beach just a few metres from the Spencer house. And of the small town and airport that stood only a short distance away from the house too.

  Rosa held her breath as she got to the top of the stairs, and then pushed open the door before she lost her nerve.

  And immediately told herself that she should have escaped when she had the chance.

  There was no party on this floor. Instead, it looked like it usually did when there were no events planned. There was a living area and a bed on one side of the room—the bathroom being the only section of the floor with privacy—and a dining area and kitchen on the other side.

  There was an open space between the two sides as if whoever had designed the room had decided to give the Spencers an area to be free in.

  But in that open space stood her husband. Only her husband.

  And the last thing Rosa thought of was freedom.

  His back was to her, and she thought that she still had the chance to escape. He didn’t know that she was there. If she left he wouldn’t ever have to know. What harm would it do?

  Except that when she turned back to the door it was closed. And when she looked over her shoulder to see if he’d noticed her she saw that Aaron was now facing her, an unreadable expression on his face.

  ‘Running?’

  ‘N-no.’ Be confident.

  His mouth lifted into a half-smile. ‘No?’ he asked in a faintly mocking tone.

  Her face went hot. The shivering intensified. Her heart rate rocketed. But, despite that, she was able to offer him a firm, ‘No’.

  ‘Okay,’ he replied in a voice that told her he didn’t believe her. And why would he? Hadn’t she run from him before? Without the decency to explain why? Hadn’t the anxiety of that decision kept her up night after night?

  Guilt shimmered through her.

  She ignored it.

  But ignoring it meant that her brain had to focus on something else. And—as it usually did—it chose his face.

  Her eyes feasted on what her memories hadn’t done justice to over the last four months. His dark hair, dark brows, the not-quite-chocolate colour of his skin. The mixture of his Indian and African heritage had created an arresting face, his features not unlike those Rosa had seen on movie stars.

  But his face had more than just good looks. It spoke of the cool, calm demeanour that had always exasperated her even as it drew her in. He rarely let his emotions out of wherever he kept them, so they seldom claimed the planes of his face.

  Except when he and Rosa were having a conversation about their feelings. Or when they were making love. There’d been nothing but emotion on his face then.

  ‘Where is everybody?’ she asked in a hoarse voice.

  Aaron slid his hands into his pockets, making his biceps bulge slightly under the material of his suit jacket. Her breath taunted her as it slipped out of her lungs. As it reminded her that it wasn’t only Aaron’s face that she was attracted to.

  It was his muscular body. It was how much taller than her he was. It was his broad shoulders, the strength of his legs, of everything in between.

  He’d always been thrilled by the curves of her body. But his hands were large enough, strong enough, that she’d always thought he wouldn’t have wanted her as much if her curves hadn’t been as generous.

  Aaron took a step towards her.

  Which was no reason for her to move back.

  But she did.

  ‘Well, if I’m right—and I probably am—everyone’s here who’s supposed to be.’

  ‘I don’t understand. It’s just you and...’ She trailed off, her heart thudding. ‘Did you—did you do this?’

  ‘Oh, no,’ Aaron replied, and took another step towards her. This time she managed to keep her feet in place. ‘Why would I want to see the wife who left me with no explanation?’

  ‘Great. Then I’ll go.’

  She turned to the door again, ignoring her confusion. She’d figure it out when she was off the island that reminded her so much of her husband.

  The island where he’d taken her months after her mother had died. Where he’d got down on one knee. Where he’d told her he couldn’t imagine life without her.

  Where they’d spent time after their wedding. Lounging in the sun at the beach. Lazily enjoying each other’s bodies as only newlyweds could.

  Where they’d taken holidays. When life had become too much for her and Aaron had surprised her with a trip away.

  The island where he’d held her, comforted her, loved her on the bed that stood in the corner, its memories haunting her. Overwhelming her.

  Yes, she’d figure it all out when she was away from the island. And far, far away from her husband.

  A hand pressed against the door before she could open it. She swallowed and then turned back to face him.

  Her heart sprinted now. Her body prickled. The scent of his masculine cologne filled her senses. Memories, sharp and intimate, could no longer be held back.

  Again, she tried to ignore them. But it was becoming harder to do.

  ‘Why are you stopping me from leaving?’ she managed in a steady voice.

  ‘Did you think you were just going to walk in here, see me, and then...leave?’

  ‘I thought I was attending your mother’s sixtieth birthday party.’

  ‘Which I would have been at too.’

  ‘And we would have seen each other there, yes. But you’re the only one here. I’ve seen you. Now I want to leave.’

  ‘Just like that?’

  ‘Just like that.’

  He inched closer. ‘You’re not the slightest bit curious about why you and I are alone here?’

  ‘Sure I am. But I’m also pretty sure I can figure it out on my way to the airport.’

  ‘The airport?’ His lips curved into a smile. ‘Honey, the airport’s closed.’

  ‘No,’ she said after a beat. ‘No, it can’t be. I just got off a plane. Your mother said it would be waiting for me when I was done here.’

  His smile faded. ‘She lied. Your flight is likely to be the last one until Monday. The airport’s closed this weekend.’

  Panic thickened in her throat. ‘All weekend?’

  ‘Don’t sound so surprised, Rosa,’ he said mildly. ‘You know Mariner’s Island doesn’t work the way the rest of the world does.’

  ‘Yes, but...but it was a private plane. Yours.’

  ‘It still needs somewhere to take off from. To land at. And since the airport’s closed we won’t have that until Monday.’

  She ducked under his arm, put distance between them. But it didn’t make breathing any easier. ‘So...what? Your mother just decided to leave her guests stranded here until Monday?’

  ‘Not guests,’ he corrected. ‘Just you and me.’

  ‘Did you know about this?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Then how did you not suspect something was off when the main route off the island would only be viable again on Monday?’
/>
  ‘She told me that the party would be going on for most of the weekend.’

  ‘And you believed her?’

  ‘Yes,’ he said coldly. ‘It’s not unusual for one of my mother’s parties to continue for an entire weekend. You know that.’

  ‘Okay,’ she said, and lifted the curls off her forehead with a shaky hand. ‘Okay, fine.’ Her hand dropped. ‘Then I’ll take a boat home.’

  ‘It’s too late to get one tonight.’

  ‘I know,’ she said through clenched teeth. ‘I’ll take one tomorrow morning.’

  ‘There’s a storm warning for tomorrow. Starting tonight, actually.’

  She looked beyond the glass walls, saw the dark clouds rolling in. Her stomach tumbled. ‘That’s fine.’

  ‘It’ll be a rough storm, Rosa. It’s anticipated to last until tomorrow evening at least. Do you still want to take a boat?’

  ‘Yes.’

  He laughed softly. ‘You’re so determined to get away from me you’ll take an almost two-hour boat ride in a storm? Even though you get sick when the water is calm?’

  She hesitated. ‘I’ll be fine.’

  His half-smile mocked her. ‘I’m sure you will be.’

  He was right, she thought, and hated herself for admitting it. Hated him for being right.

  Except that what she felt in that moment was anything but hate.

  Confusion, yes. How had this happened? Had Liana really orchestrated this on purpose?

  Guilt, of course. She’d walked away from him. From their relationship. She hadn’t even said goodbye.

  Anger, absolutely. She hated feeling trapped. It reminded her of her childhood. Of being caught in her mother’s world.

  But hate? No, she thought, her eyes settling on Aaron again. There was no hate.

  ‘Why are you so calm?’

  ‘I’m not,’ he replied in a tone that gave no indication that he wasn’t. ‘But I know my mother. And I know this scheme is probably well-thought-out. Much like the first time we met. Or don’t you remember?’ His voice was soft, urgent. ‘Have you run away from the memories too, Rosa?’