Expecting His Child: The Pregnancy Plot / Staking His Claim / A Tricky Proposition

“You’re welcome.”

She knew she was grinning like a crazy woman but she couldn’t help it. Joy welled up, overwhelming her, propelling her forward.

A second later she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

His arms automatically went around her, pulling her deep into his warmth, and when she eased back, the kiss was inevitable. A breathless, hot kiss that AJ wasn’t sure she’d initiated. Either way, she welcomed it, welcomed his mouth, his hands, his chest pressed up against hers. And when he finally broke away with a soft groan, her disappointment echoed his.

“Take your time,” he said thickly, taking a step back and shoving his hands in his pockets. “We have two hours.”

She nodded, unable to speak, then quickly turned to the journal she’d left on the leather lounge. She fumbled with the pencil box, but she finally managed to get one out. He’d not only bought her art supplies, but he’d also had the freaking art gallery open just for her.

Whoa, hold on a second. She suddenly panicked.

This was just Matt being thoughtful. She’d mentioned it days ago and he’d remembered. That was all. Yet she still couldn’t stop a thread of delight spreading through her belly. Something that felt this good couldn’t possibly be bad, right?

Right.

She pressed her lips together and opened the journal, smoothed out the unlined pristine page and switched her focus to the amazing art before her.

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur, and by the time Saturday rolled around again, AJ felt like she was about to explode from the anticipation.

After the art gallery, they’d eaten a late dinner at the Quay, then he’d dropped her off at Zac’s apartment. His gentle good-night kiss seared her lips, and she’d practically floated to the top floor.

The routine was set for the next few days: Matt would call in the morning to let her know what time he’d be by, then when the time rolled around, he’d pick her up and they’d go out to dinner. AJ asked about his travels and his job, listening with single-minded attention, determined not to stare at his mouth, those expressive hands. A couple of times she must’ve lapsed because he’d suddenly stop midsentence and give her such a heated look that it made her skin go all prickly.

The first few days they’d been the picture of restraint. He’d taken her back to Zac’s apartment, kissed her on the cheek and left. But after the third night, his patience had obviously worn thin. She’d turned to say good-night and found herself caught up in a rush of lips, eager fingers and panting breath. When Matt finally stepped back with a groan, his frustrated expression echoed her own.

“A suggestion, not an unbreakable rule,” AJ muttered in the cool silence now, staring at the shadowed bedroom ceiling. Dr. Adams had confirmed it today. She was due for her first procedure in two weeks’ time and a lapse beforehand certainly wouldn’t ruin her chances.

So what was the problem?

With a grunt, she rolled over on her side and punched the pillow.

She liked spending time with him. Liked holding his hand. Liked ending the evening with a kiss that left her wanting more. This time, their relationship wasn’t just about sex, even if the desperate need for it was killing her.

And he hadn’t pushed.

Now here she was, about to spend a week with him, and suddenly all she could think about was his slow smile as he pushed her hair behind one ear. His warm mouth as he kissed her.

“Damn it!” She groaned and pressed her thighs together.

Five days. It’d probably kill her. And after her first procedure, her opportunities to make love would be zero.

She sighed. She’d drawn a line and unless she crossed it herself, she was pretty sure Matt wouldn’t.

It was up to her.

* * *

They boarded the plane an hour before takeoff. AJ was introduced to Carly, Matt’s assistant, then his head of security, James Decker, a brash American dressed all in black with a charming grin and biceps the size of an off-season bodybuilder’s.

“Nice to meet you, AJ,” he said before glancing past her to his boss. “So...” He waggled a finger between her and Matt. “How’d you two meet?”

“I—”

“We need to board so the pilot can do his checks,” Matt interrupted, picking up AJ’s suitcase. “You have everything?”

Decker’s grin lingered. “I do. Do you?”

“Yep.”

A cold wind screamed over the tarmac, and AJ shoved her hands deep in her pockets. There was subtext there, but she couldn’t work out exactly what.

“So let’s go.” Matt nodded for her to head up the steps first and she eagerly ascended, the brand-new Australian passport burning a hole in her jeans pocket.

* * *

Whatever she was expecting was nothing compared to the reality of Faro. Bustling, colorful Faro with its outdoor markets, cobblestoned streets and friendly locals. Sure, the five-star eighteenth-century Monte Do Casal country house with its pristine walls, sparkling pool and expansive gardens had all sorts of indulgent offerings, from poolside service to massages and facials. But she was more interested in what was going on outside, eager to experience the sights and sounds and smells of the town. Dressed in a loose knee-length skirt and tank top, she managed to secure a table at a café on a busy main road and spent a few hours sketching before she decided to explore.

Discovering a new city alone was a familiar routine, one she’d done since she was seventeen. Yet as she wandered the streets, soaking up every little detail, a niggling thought struck. Matt should be here to see this.

She paused at a bodega, peering into the smoky darkness with a frown. That was silly—he’d probably seen this city a dozen times before. Probably not alone, either. Her frown deepened, only to freeze a second later.

Was she jealous? But she wasn’t the jealous type. Because that would mean...

“Senhorita would like to see our pretty gold rings?”

Her train of thought broken by the swarthy street vendor, she politely declined, shaking her head with an apologetic smile.

No. Getting attached was not part of the plan.

Not ever.

* * *

On the second day Matt declared his business concluded, gave Decker and Carly the rest of the week off and they moved out of their hotel.

They drove out of the city in a hired car and headed west on the A25 toward Lagos. The road hugged the coastline, and the view was nothing short of spectacular, with sheer cliff faces, sparkling blue water and lush vegetation. AJ practically hung out the window, engrossed in the breathless beauty of it all.

They got to Lagos in less than two hours. To her surprise, Matt had booked them into a pensione instead of a flashy hotel. They took the top floor while the owners occupied the ground level.

The house was clean, with a private bathroom and a balcony with stunning rooftop views and a view of the main marketplace a couple of streets away. And just like the expensive Faro hotel, it had separate beds.

When AJ saw this, she was both relieved and disappointed. He’d booked both places and couldn’t have sent a clearer message than separate beds.

Matt hired a motorbike and they spent the next four days sightseeing. They drove up into the mountains to a small church high in the hills. They explored the street sellers, visited the local Lagos museum. On their fourth day, they spent hours on the beach in comfortable silence, where she sketched the glorious sunset while he lazed on a blanket next to her. When the light finally waned, she glanced up to find him studying her so intensely that her mouth suddenly went dry.

The streetlights flickered on, casting them in a hazy glow as AJ slowly replaced her pencils in her case and snapped the lid shut with a sigh. “That’s it. Light’s gone.”

Matt nodded and stood, brushing off his pants, then offering his hand. Without hesitation she took it, and his warm fingers wrapped around hers, an intimacy that never failed to make her blood quicken.

“Angel...”

“Hmm?” She looked up, waiting, but he said nothing, just devoured her with those dark eyes until finally he glanced away.

“We should go and eat. Our flight’s early and you still haven’t packed.”

When they got back to the pensione, she changed into a strapless white cotton dress with buttons from neck to the knee-length hem. She paired it with an azure cardigan, knowing the color made her eyes pop. Her hair was up this time, casually messy and drawn back at the nape. A pair of dangly blue stones—a birthday present from Emily—hung from her ears and her butterfly necklace rested at her throat.

From the look in Matt’s eyes, she’d made the right choice.

He offered his hand and she automatically took it, taking pleasure in that small contact as they walked to a restaurant on the corner. The place was decorated as a rustic street, with cobbled floors, skillfully painted stone hacienda walls and overarching olive trees in huge earthenware pots. Tables were scattered throughout, circular booths ringed the outer edges, and at the far end, a fully stocked bar was seeing a brisk trade.

They were led to a secluded booth, their only light two candles on the table. She slid in first and Matt followed until they were hip to hip. His warmth scorched her thigh, and despite her hunger, she wanted nothing more than to touch him, run her fingers over that long smooth forearm, knead the muscle beneath his skin.

“Does the butterfly mean something?”

She blinked. “Hmm?”

“Your necklace.” Her hand went to the pendant. “You always wear it. Is it special?”

“Yes.” She stroked the edge of one wing with her finger. “Emily gave it to me for my thirtieth birthday.” She paused. “It means reinvention. Regeneration.”

“The metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly.”

She nodded.

“I like it.” He reached out and gently ran his thumb over the mother-of-pearl wings. “Did you reinvent yourself often?”

“A few times. I—” She stopped.

“Let me guess,” he said softly, finally releasing the necklace. “Your past is off-limits, right?”

She nodded, feeling foolish even though she knew that wasn’t Matt’s intention.

Tell him.

She glanced away, skin prickling under his silent scrutiny. “My mother was sixteen and pregnant with me when she was kicked out of her home. We lived off welfare until she hooked up with my stepfather, a delightful man who got her addicted to booze and drugs.” She stopped, face flaming. Too much. Way too much. Yet something in his face, in that open, nonjudgmental expression, made her forge on. “Parents are supposed to look after their kids, not make them lie and steal and dread every knock on the door. But we survived.” She managed a shaky smile. “Well, I guess Emily’s doing better than just surviving. She always was the big believer in the glorious fairy-tale of love.”

He arched an eyebrow. “You don’t believe in love?”

“Of course I do. Just not the whole Prince-Charming-riding-in-to-sweep-me-off-my-feet thing.” When he remained silent, she added a little defiantly, “I spent a lot of years on my own. It tend to makes you a realist.”

He studied her for an age, almost as if he were waiting for something more. She met his scrutiny head-on, and as the seconds passed, an uncomfortable panic began to leech in. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re sad for me. I don’t need it. I don’t—” Need you. No, that felt wrong and she managed to stop the words before they formed.

She heard him sigh and the mood suddenly changed. “Look, AJ, I understand your need for control, I really do. But closing yourself off to possibilities isn’t the right way to go about it.”

She scowled and leaned back in the seat. “Why are we even talking about this again?”

“Because talking is what people do.”

She huffed out a breath. “I knew this would happen. I’d mention my past and you’d...”

“I’d what?” Matt’s expression was a mix of sadness and understanding. Not disgust. Not pity. Yet somehow, his sympathy did something to her insides and she had to glance away. “You can let your past define you, let it keep chipping away at who you are, or you can make a decision and take control.”

“Like you did after your brother’s accident?”

His mouth tightened for one second. “Yeah.”

AJ flushed and clamped her mouth shut. Where on earth had that cheap shot come from? Yet as she studied him, she sensed something behind that smooth expression. What would it take to relieve him of that burden?

More than she could offer. Certainly nothing she could say because hadn’t she already stuck her foot in it?

So instead, she placed a hand over his, leaned in and kissed him.

It was a gentle kiss, devoid of ulterior motive. It wasn’t a precursor to passion. It was a kiss with the full brunt of her emotional state behind it, and for one second she felt him go still beneath her mouth, almost as if she’d shocked him and he was unsure of what to do.

She let her eyes close, moving slowly, testing the swell of his full bottom lip between hers. His sigh, when it came, shuddered into her and that’s when she knew she’d done the right thing.

They kissed for ages, leisurely exploring each other in the dim restaurant light, pressed together from shoulder to thigh. When they finally broke apart, Matt glanced down at the table, then laughed.

AJ followed his gaze. While they’d been lip locked, their waiter had discreetly left their meals, topped up their glasses and added some cutlery.

“This place has excellent service,” AJ got out.

Matt nodded, his smile matching hers. “I agree.”

By unspoken agreement, they sought each other again, but this time AJ felt the urgency behind his kiss. The pressure had changed, going from sweet to insistent. Then his hand slipped under the table to gently rest on her knee.

She momentarily broke the kiss. “Matt?”

“Mmm?” His hand left her knee, stroking as it eased higher to her thigh.

“We can’t.”

“Why not?”

Her head swam. Why not indeed? “For starters, we’re in a public place.”

“So we are.” AJ felt a tremor of excitement as his fingers crept under the hem of her dress, making their way teasingly up. She held her breath, desperate to see how far he would actually go before one of them put a stop to it.

Would she? Would he?

And still his hand went higher.

She met his gaze and held it. He was at her inner thigh now, his fingers creating a warm path ever upward. Then...

She held her breath as he gently stroked her through the thin cotton of her knickers.

“Matt...”

Slowly, regretfully it seemed, he withdrew. “You don’t think we should do this.” Her nod, when it came, was a little too reluctant. “But do you want to?”

She clamped off a groan and murmured something under her breath.

“What?”

She shook her head. “Let’s just eat, okay?”

He stared at her for the longest time, until her eyes darted away to her plate. With infinite care, she silently drew it across the table, picked up her fork then proceeded to eat.

“Fine, Angel. We’ll eat.”

Thirteen

They walked back to the pensione, only this time he didn’t take her hand, and it made AJ’s heart ache.

No, it was bigger than that. Everything inside ached, like someone had come along and stolen a vital part of herself, and that loss only exacerbated the chaos.

“Matt?”

“Yeah?” He pushed the front door open and let her go in first. She mounted the narrow staircase, more than aware of his presence close behind. When they reached the top of the stairs, she turned to face him. “Back at the beach. You were going to ask me something but didn’t.” His brows dipped but he said nothing. “What was it?”

“Nothing.”

He made a move to go past her but she grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. “Just say it. I want to know.”

He huffed out a sigh. “I was going to ask you about the night we broke up.”

She dropped his arm and took a step back. “Why do you want to talk about that?”

“How long did it take for you to forgive me?”

“I just—” Wow, what could she say to that? “I didn’t blame you.” It was true. She’d blamed herself.

“Not even after the way I just dropped it on you?”

“No.” She turned and walked down the short corridor toward their bedroom door. Matt followed. “Why are you asking now? The past is past. Going over it won’t change anything.” She shoved the door open, went straight to the wardrobe and grabbed her suitcase.

“You don’t like talking about the past, do you?”

She snapped her gaze up, irritated by his brusqueness. “Just because I don’t blurt out every tiny detail about my life doesn’t mean it’s wrong.” She turned to the bureau, grabbed a handful of underwear and tossed them into the open case.

“I’m not saying that. But you need to give a little, AJ. You can’t expect someone to open up to you if you don’t do the same.”

I don’t want to open up. Not to you. “This isn’t part of our deal, Matt,” she said softly.

He studied her in cool silence before saying, “That night we broke up? I’d just come off a twelve-hour shift. My tardiness and distraction hadn’t gone unnoticed those past six months. I’d had ‘the talk’ from my parents, then my senior resident—”

“Matt...”

“And the second time, I had to step up and make a choice.”

She glared at him as he tried to make his point. The teeny, tiny point. “Your career came first.” When it came, his slow nod only confirmed what she’d thought all along. “And I wasn’t Matthew Cooper girlfriend material.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t need to. You never once introduced me to your family or took me out where someone from your social circle might see us. Or...or...even invited me to your Christmas party,” she added tightly.

If he’d really wanted her, he would’ve found a way to work it out, right? AJ thought.

He gave a short, exasperated sigh. “I thought you were okay with things being casual. I didn’t know you wanted to—”

“Well, you never asked!” Her hands went to her hips, irritation surging through her.

He mirrored her stance. “Nor did you!”

She stood there in silence until she couldn’t take it anymore. “Fine. You want to know? I’ll tell you. I was planning on staying in town and I was trying to work out the best way to tell you.”

The shock on his face was almost laughable. Almost. But instead of laughter, a deep burning embarrassment welled up in her throat, scalding her neck, then her cheeks.

“AJ...”

“Please don’t, Matt.” She whirled and grabbed a dress from the wardrobe, folding it with sharp precision. “It was a long time ago. I got over it.” Oh, you are such a liar. “I moved on. So let’s just—”

The shrill sound of a phone splintered the air and with a soft curse, Matt whirled and grabbed the offending gadget from the dresser.

“Yes, Mum?”

All the fight drained from AJ with those two little words and she left him to his call, walking into the bathroom to gather her toiletries. As she packed her shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste, she couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that she’d put her foot right in it.

You’re smarter than this.

She couldn’t change the past and there was no point arguing with Matt about it. He didn’t need to know how much that rejection had hurt, how it had shaped every relationship since him.

The past had no bearing on the here and now. They both understood this was a physical arrangement, not a romantic one. God, what would he do if he knew she’d been fantasizing about their relationship these past few weeks? That sometimes, in the lonely early-morning light when she imagined them being a real couple, it made everything ache like she’d already lost something she’d never get back?

She was so caught up in her turbulent thoughts she didn’t realize he was standing in the doorway until she caught his reflection in the mirror.

He was staring at her with an odd, intense look, as if he wanted to say something yet wasn’t sure she’d want to hear it. A look so unlike Matt that it gave her pause.

She took a deep breath and turned around. “Look, this is stupid, us arguing. I made some silly choices the past ten years.” Not to mention reckless and downright dangerous ones, too. She’d been crazy, eager to push boundaries, eager to forget. “But they were my choices, and I don’t regret them.” She’d also learned some hard lessons about life and love and for that she’d always be grateful. “You also made a choice and did what you thought was right. Let’s just drop it, shall we?”

She hated it when he said nothing. His scrutiny was so focused, as if he was trying to figure out all the dark marks on her heart. “My parents have some spare tickets for a benefit on Tuesday. Do you want to come with me?”

She frowned. “What?”

“You, me, a Saint Cat’s fund-raiser. Will you be my date?”

Yes! No! No, wait...

Confusion warred inside her, her resolution to keep Matt at a distance battling with other, deeper desires. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

Her hands went to her hips. “Oh, only about a dozen reasons. Me and your parents, for one.”

“They don’t bite.”

She snorted. “That’s not what I meant. You’re the one who still has to work with the hospital.”

“It’s the twenty-first century, AJ. We’re allowed to go out in public without a chaperone.”

“Don’t be obtuse. You know what I mean.”

“Oh, I’m sure they’re already talking about us.” He crossed his arms and fixed her with a direct look. “We went to see Saint Cat’s top fertility specialist together. Our names are on forms, computer systems and now tests. You can’t keep secrets in a hospital for long.”

Of course, he was right. It didn’t matter to her, but... “Does it bother you? The fact that people are probably talking about you?”

He shrugged. “They’ve been doing that all my life.”

“I see.”

A beat passed. “So you never did answer. Are you afraid of being seen with me?”

“No.” She turned and shoved her moisturizer into her toiletries bag.

He stepped inside the bathroom and crossed his arms, eyes glinting as he blocked her exit. She glared back and let her unimpressed expression do all the talking.

He wasn’t buying it. “I don’t believe it. AJ Reynolds is afraid of meeting my parents?”

“Now, listen here—”

“That’s just not possible.” He advanced slowly, his mouth slanted into a mocking grin. “Not the same woman who shared my bed last week.”

No, don’t talk about that! “Matt—” She backed up into the vanity, her butt resting on the cool marble as her heart quickened.

“Not the same AJ who kissed me so hard I couldn’t breathe.” His hands went out, trapping her against the vanity as he leaned in. “The same one who squirmed beneath me,” he whispered. “Writhing and panting as I kissed every inch of her skin—”

AJ’s eyes drifted closed, the hot memory washing over her, bathing her in desire. A second later his lips went to her neck and she sighed, welcoming, wanting.

“—then demanded I take her hard and fast on my office desk.”

Her hands went to his nape and she dragged his mouth to hers with a soft groan. Yet he held back, the muscles in his neck straining under her grip, eyes liquid pools of chocolate. “What are you afraid of, Angel?”

“Nothing.” Everything. You. Me. This.

“Then come with me.”

How much had she wanted this all those years ago? To be the one on his arm, introduced and included in his life. And now the desperate need flared in her yet again. She wanted to see what his life had been like without her, what had shaped him, who he’d been. A life she regretted not fighting harder to be involved with in the first place, if she were brutally honest.

She breathed out slowly. “Okay.”