by Opal Carew
And … last night she’d asked him what-ifs about her being pregnant again. He’d thought it was odd she’d choose a scenario that would never happen, but he’d assumed it was because she’d needed to think about that situation so she could exorcise some of the intense emotions around what had happened.
Now he was beginning to wonder if …
His chest constricted.
“Fuck, Abi. You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Abi’s gaze jerked to Liam in shock. He frowned, the expression on her face clearly giving him his answer.
“Fuck. When were you going to tell me?” he demanded.
She couldn’t hide the guilt from her face and his frown deepened.
“Or weren’t you going to tell me at all?”
“Oh, Liam, of course I was.”
His eyes narrowed, his gaze boring through her. His teeth gritted and his hands balled into fists. He strode out of the kitchen. She followed him, stepping around the broken ceramic shards still on the floor.
He was pacing around the living room, steam practically shooting out his ears.
“So Del got you pregnant. No wonder he asked you to marry him.”
Her stomach tightened. She should tell him that Del wasn’t the father, despite the fact it would be so convenient to let him believe it.
And she wanted to tell him Del proposed simply because he was in love with her. But the pregnancy had been the trigger, so she wouldn’t go there.
“Fuck. You’re still bleeding.”
Liam grabbed her wrist and led her to the bathroom down the hall. He pulled out a first-aid kit and swabbed antiseptic on her wound, then applied a bandage. He strode from the bathroom.
“Go sit down in the living room and I’ll clean up the broken mug,” he said as she followed him down the hall.
She sat in one of the armchairs, listening to the clinking in the kitchen as he swept up the pieces and tossed them in the garbage.
* * *
Liam stared at the shards of ceramic lying in the garbage. Like the shattered remnants of his marriage.
His heart pounded. He loved Abi so much and … God, he should be happy for her that she was able to conceive after being told it would never happen … but all he could feel was the pain of losing her all over again.
Because how could he keep her from marrying Del now that she carried his child? He could never do that. He couldn’t keep a father from being with his son or daughter. The three of them should be together as a family.
He put away the broom and walked back to the living room, his feet leaden. He sat down across from Abi, knowing he had to sign the divorce papers so she could marry Del.
It was the right thing to do.
“Liam, there’s something you don’t understand.”
“Really? And what’s that?” What new bombshell would she throw at him now?
She stared at her entwined fingers.
“The baby … it’s not Del’s.”
“It’s not?”
She lifted her gaze, her eyes glittering with anguish.
For the first time, his thoughts shifted to a possibility that he barely dared to consider. Hope flickered in him.
“It’s yours,” she said.
He froze, his breath caught in his lungs.
Then his heart exploded with joy. This was everything he’d ever wanted. He was going to be a father after all. He was going to be part of a happy, loving family.
Abi was carrying his child.
* * *
Abi watched the changing emotions wash across Liam’s face. From despair, to awe, to full-blown joy.
“Liam, nothing’s changed. I still want the divorce.”
His gaze jerked to hers. The sparkle in his eyes dimmed.
“But everything’s changed. I’m the baby’s father. The three of us should be together.”
“I’m sorry, Liam. But I love Del. I want to marry Del. We’ll figure something out so you can be part of the baby’s life, too, but—”
“I don’t want to just be a part of it sometimes. I want to be there all the time. Every day. Not some part-time father on the sidelines.” He put on his stubborn face. “Abi, we’re married. You’re carrying my baby. You’ll move back in with me so we can be together. I’ll take care of you and ensure you get the best care so this baby is safe.”
She locked gazes with him.
“No. That’s not going to happen,” she said forcefully, knowing she had to show strength. “Liam, I know this is a shock, and I’m sorry this is so difficult for you, but you can’t force me to live with you. If you won’t give me the divorce, then I’ll live with Del without being married.” She shook her head. “But no matter how this unfolds, I’m not coming back to you.”
* * *
Liam watched as she stood up and strode down the hallway and into the guest bedroom, then closed the door behind her.
He ached as a chaotic mélange of emotions—anger, pain, and even sparks of joy—swirled through him.
He and Abi were having a baby and that was the greatest gift he could ever imagine. He would not let his chance at finally having the happiness they both deserved slip away.
Whatever it took, he would find a way to convince her to stay with him.
* * *
Liam went out for a walk along the beach to mull things over, trying to settle his raging emotions. If he was feeling this disoriented by the whole thing, how must it be affecting Abi, with her turbulent hormones and all?
But despite everything, joy kept bubbling up through it all.
He was going to be a father!
When he got back, Abi was still in her room.
He made some lunch, then tapped on her door.
“Abi, it’s a beautiful day. Come out and let’s enjoy it together.” At her silence, he tapped again. “Come on, sweetheart. We don’t have to talk about the baby. We can have a nice lunch by the pool. Enjoy the sun and the water. You must be getting hungry.”
Finally, he heard footsteps, then the door opened.
He smiled. “I made some chicken wraps. I put in walnuts just the way you like them. There’s also homemade coleslaw and Waldorf salad. Hopefully, there’s something that your stomach will be okay with.”
She gazed up at him.
“That’s why you didn’t eat the lasagna last night, isn’t it? Because you were feeling nauseous.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, go put on the bathing suit you wore last night—it’s hanging in the bathroom—and I’ll take the food out to the table by the pool.”
She sighed, then nodded.
Ten minutes later, they sat down at the teak table by the pool together. He was happy to see that she ate a good amount of lunch. Finally, she pushed her plate away and sipped her lemonade, then sat back and stared out over the lake.
“It really is a beautiful house,” she said.
“I always knew you’d like it here.”
She drew in a deep breath and turned to him.
“Liam, we need to move forward. Being stuck like this isn’t good for either one of us. Will you please sign the papers?”
He frowned. “No,” he said simply.
“Okay, I think we both agree that the two of us talking isn’t going to get us anywhere. Will you agree to meet with Del and me so the three of us can discuss it?”
“I’m afraid I leave on an extended business trip on Monday. Further discussion will have to wait until I get back.”
“How long?” she asked.
“Three weeks.”
* * *
Abi’s heart sank.
“I don’t want to wait that long before we settle this.”
She wanted to tell her family about the baby, but not until the issue of the divorce was settled. She knew they would pressure her about which man she should be with, each of her family members with their own preference, and she couldn’t face that on top of everything else.
“All right.
You want to tie this up as soon as possible? Then come on my trip with me. I’ll be staying at one of the resorts in the chain I’m buying. It’ll be an idyllic setting—clear, blue ocean, sandy beaches—you can relax and de-stress.”
“I doubt that.”
He sent her a charming half grin that made her knees weak.
“Am I really so hard to get along with?” he asked.
“No, of course not.”
He took her hands. “Abi, my hope had been that the two of us being together here at the house would remind you what it was like when we were married. That spending the weekend together, away from the rest of the world—including spending the nights together—would remind you of how happy we’d been.”
“Is that why you’re suggesting that I accompany you on this trip? Because I’m not going to agree to that.”
“What about this? If you agree to spend the three weeks with me truly living as husband and wife, and giving it a real shot … then at the end of the three weeks, if you aren’t convinced, I’ll sign the papers.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Abi’s heart stuttered as shock gripped her. “Are you serious?”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
“And by living as husband and wife, you mean sleeping together? Having sex?”
“Of course. I want you to give this a real chance.”
Except she wouldn’t have a chance in hell of being rational if she was in his bed, with him making love to her.
But she wanted this to be over. “What if I agree to sleep in your bed … but no sex?”
“No.”
“But a lot of married couples don’t—”
“No. Sex is part of the deal.”
She frowned. “But I’m pregnant. You remember last time how I felt nauseous for weeks early in the pregnancy?” She hadn’t felt well enough to be intimate, even though she’d wanted to. “The morning sickness will probably start kicking in any time now. What if I don’t feel up to it?”
His jaw twitched. “Baby, I’m not going to force myself on you. But if we shut out that side of the relationship, then we’re not giving this a real chance.”
He ran his fingers along her hair, then stroked it behind her ear, sending tingles through her.
“Abi, this won’t work if you’re spending all your energy trying to keep me at a distance. If I sense that’s what you’re doing, then the deal’s off. I’m asking you to give this an honest try. I think our future happiness … and the baby’s … is worth it.”
He tipped up her chin and she was drawn into the depths of his chocolate-brown eyes.
“So will you go into this with a sincere intent to make it work?”
She drew in a breath.
“I’ll need to talk to Del. He understood why I came here to spend the weekend, but he wasn’t happy about it. Obviously, he’ll be against this idea. I’ll talk to him, though. He and I both want this to be settled as soon as possible.”
Liam frowned. “And if he demands you don’t go?”
She pursed her lips. “I’ll tell him how important it is to me.”
* * *
“I can’t believe Liam agreed to let me come along,” Del said as he settled into the town car Liam had sent to meet them at the airport. “But I still don’t like it.”
The thought of Abi in bed with Liam for the next three weeks … touching her … making love to her … drove him crazy.
But it was the only way to end this thing.
When she’d told him about Liam’s proposition, he’d tried to talk her out of it, but she was highly stressed and just wanted this to be over. The fact Liam had promised he’d sign the divorce papers if she did this was huge.
So Del had agreed. On one condition.
That he came along, too.
Not that he wanted to be in the next room knowing Abi was in Liam’s bed. It was a horribly awkward and gut-wrenching situation. But if he was there, Abi wouldn’t sink totally into a fantasy world and forget what they shared. He knew Abi loved him and he planned to be there to remind her of that every day.
“I know you don’t.” She snuggled against him and he tucked his arm around her. “But after this is over, we’ll be free to get married and we’ll have a lifetime of happiness together.”
“Abi, you don’t know how much I want that.”
She gazed up at him and smiled. When she rested her soft hand on his cheek and stroked, his heart swelled with joy.
“Yes, I do. As much as I want it. And that’s saying a lot.”
He couldn’t help himself. He dipped down and kissed her. Her soft lips moved against his, and he tightened his arm around her, pulling her into a deeper kiss. He plundered her mouth with his tongue, driving deep. Exploring. She tasted so sweet.
Her soft sigh drove his need for her higher. She cupped his cheeks as she glided her tongue into his mouth, then her hands glided down his chest. When he felt her hand continue down his stomach, then over his growing cock, he grasped her hand.
“Sweetheart, we can’t do this here,” he whispered against her ear.
She bit her lip, then nodded, her cheeks blossoming red. He didn’t know if it was embarrassment or lingering excitement.
The hormones from the pregnancy seemed to be making her easily aroused.
Liam had suggested they come to the resort a few days after him since he would be tied up in meetings a lot at first. After that, he only had intermittent meetings over the rest of the trip as the business of buying the resort chain progressed. That had given Abi time to tell her family she was going away on vacation for a few weeks, and for both of them to pack. During those few days, her hormones had kicked into high gear and she’d been all over him.
He’d enjoyed every minute of their lovemaking. In bed. On the kitchen table. In the shower. On the stairs. Even in the car.
She’d been insatiable. Which had thrilled him.
Not so much now, though, as they drove to her husband’s resort villa where she’d stay in his bed for the next three weeks.
And here he was getting her aroused right before he delivered her to Liam.
She snuggled against him, then gazed out the window.
The car was gliding along a road skirting the ocean, with a beautiful view of palm trees on one side, white sands and aqua-blue ocean on the other.
It was late afternoon and the sun would be setting soon. So Liam would probably offer her a sumptuous dinner in his undoubtedly luxurious villa overlooking the ocean, with a fabulous view of the sunset reflecting on the water. And Del would be sitting in his room, probably on the other side of the resort, going crazy thinking of Liam seducing her into his bed.
Not that he actually had to seduce her, since she’d agreed to sleep with him. And once she was in bed with him, Del had no doubt of what would happen between them.
The driver turned and followed a winding road lined with palm trees. They arrived at a gate and the driver texted something on his phone and the gate opened. After several minutes continuing along the road, now lined with thick flowering bushes, they arrived at a beautiful cleared area with a large white villa set amidst beautiful landscaping of tropical plants with brightly colored, exotic flowers. Large windows overlooked the ocean view and there were large balconies on the second level.
The driver pulled up to the entrance and opened the passenger door. Del followed Abi out of the car while the driver retrieved the luggage from the trunk. As they walked toward the front door, it opened and Liam stepped out into the warm sunshine.
“Welcome,” he said with a big smile. “Did you have a nice flight?”
The driver disappeared into the house with the suitcases.
“It was very nice,” Abi said. “I’ve never been on a private jet. Your staff treated us very well.”
“Good.”
He held out his hand to Del.
Del hesitated briefly, considering ignoring it and heading into the house, but this situation was awkward enough with
out him being peevish. He wanted to make this as easy on Abi as he could.
He shook Liam’s hand with a firm grip.
Then Liam turned and took Abi’s hand and drew her in for a kiss. It was a light casual kiss, but it still made Del want to drag him away from her. Especially knowing the effect it was probably having on her, given her natural attraction to Liam, augmented by her pregnancy hormones.
Abi glanced at Del, guilt flashing across her face.
Fuck, these three weeks were going to be excruciating.
“Come in,” Liam said. “I think you’ll enjoy the villa.”
As they stepped in the door, the driver returned. “Anything else, sir?” he asked.
“No, that’ll be fine.”
As the driver headed out the door, Abi glanced at Del then back to Liam.
“Del probably wants to get settled in, so shouldn’t he go with the driver? Or is he staying nearby?” Abi asked.
“Yes, very nearby. Instead of staying at the main resort, I decided Del should stay here with us. There’s plenty of room.”
“Really?” Abi asked. “I thought you wanted me all to yourself.”
“Our suite is huge if we want to spend time alone. You said you wanted Del here for support, so I assumed you’d be happy having him stay here in the villa so you can talk to him anytime. If it makes either of you uncomfortable, I can get him a room at the resort.”
“Here will be fine,” Del said. Whatever benefit Liam thought this gave him—and he was sure Liam believed there was one—Del would deal with it.
“Good. Then I suggest you both settle in and we all meet for dinner in an hour. I thought we’d eat on the terrace and watch the sunset.”
“That sounds lovely,” Abi said. “I’d really like to change.”
Del didn’t like the smile playing on Liam’s lips at Abi’s words.
Liam turned to Del.
“You have the room at the end of the hallway there. It overlooks the pool and the ocean.” Liam rested his hand on the small of Abi’s back and guided her to the open spiral stairway. “Abi, the master bedroom is upstairs.”
* * *
The feel of Liam’s hand on her back sent ripples of awareness through Abi. As soon as he’d kissed her at the front door, even though it was only a brief brush of lips, Abi had felt her hormones sparking.