to comfort her. The truth was that if she wasn’t on doctor-ordered bed rest, he might have carried her to bed and made love to her properly.
Her spirit and courage in the face of adversity were admirable and he should be grateful that she was giving him an out. Every instinct he had urged him to take it and run like hell, but he wouldn’t turn his back on his kid, like his parents had with him. He was determined to be there and make the environment safe for his child.
To do that, he had to first of all not argue with the woman carrying that child. She’d drawn a line in the sand, so he had to find a way around it.
“Okay. We’ll stay here then.”
Some of the bruising left her eyes when suspicion replaced it. “We?”
“You won’t come to my house and I’m not leaving you alone. That means I’m not leaving.”
“You can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t invite you,” she said.
“With all due respect,” he answered, “how are you planning to stop me?”
“Logistics for one thing.” She folded her arms over her chest. “There’s nowhere for you to sleep. Certainly not in my room.”
“Never crossed my mind,” he lied.
“And the other two bedrooms are set up for an office and storage.”
He shrugged. “Don’t worry about me. I’m a big boy. Been taking care of myself for a long time.”
“Nathan, no—”
He shushed her with a finger to her lips, and the touch seemed to shock her into silence. “You’re not supposed to worry. So, forgive my bluntness, but shut up and relax.”
Three days later Cindy wasn’t exactly relaxed, but that was less about pregnancy and more about Nathan invading her space. It was early in the morning and she was still in bed, putting off getting up because she knew he was still there. Nathan had spent every moment he wasn’t at the hospital in her house. Every morning since he’d refused to go away she’d walked out of her bedroom and peeked into the living room expecting him to be gone. And every day he wasn’t.
Yet she knew he couldn’t keep this up. He was a guy. Sooner or later he’d get bored with her as his latest charity case and bail. She wished he would get it over with—before she got used to him. Before it would hurt like crazy when she found out she’d been right, before she was alone again and less prepared to be that way.
Maybe she was borrowing trouble. Maybe today was the day he’d be gone. Today would be okay because she was ready for it, expecting him to disappear.
She threw the sheet off and slid out of the queen-size bed. After stopping in the bathroom, she tiptoed down the hall and through the kitchen. Peeking around the corner, she first saw his feet, then the rest of him dressed only in boxers. There was a sheet on the couch and he was still asleep, but probably that was from complete exhaustion. The sofa wasn’t anywhere big enough to accommodate him, yet there he still was.
He looked a little dangerous, she thought, and a lot dashing with the shadow of stubble on his jaw. He was all rumpled, sleepy, sex appeal, and an unmistakable tug on her heart made her hope this was the last time she would find him here.
His eyelids flickered and he stretched, then suddenly sat up when he saw her. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” In the physical sense that was true because there was no more cramping. But emotionally she was a mess.
“You’re not supposed to be on your feet. Are you hungry?”
“Yes,” she admitted, admiring the expanse of broad male chest covered with a dusting of dark hair.
“I’ll make breakfast. Go back to bed,” he ordered.
After three days she knew resistance was futile, so she went back to bed. Before long the smell of eggs, turkey sausage, potatoes and toast drifted to her. Over her protests he’d grocery shopped and stocked her pantry. She had to admit the delicious aromas made her mouth water.
Then Nathan appeared in her doorway. He’d dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, but his feet were still bare, his hair rumpled and the stubble unshaved. He held a food-filled tray, and she held in an appreciative sigh. Her mouth was watering, but it had nothing to do with the food.
“Breakfast is served.” He set the tray on her legs and started to leave.
“Can I talk to you, Nathan?”
“Sure.” The bed dipped from his weight when he sat on the edge, just inches from her leg. “What’s up?”
“This isn’t working.”
He frowned. “I can make something else for breakfast—”
“No. I mean this arrangement. You have to be exhausted from not having a bed to sleep in.”
“I have to admit I’m not lovin’ the love seat.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Sort of. She had to convince him to go away. “And I don’t need you hovering over me. I haven’t had any more cramping. So, really, you can go back to your place.”
“I’d like that,” he agreed. Much too easily. “On one condition.”
“Anything.”
“You come, too.” He must have seen her start to protest because he held up a hand. “It has more room and everyone would have an actual bed to sleep in.”
“Don’t think I’m not appreciative because I am.” Except for her family and three best friends, no one had ever been there for her like this. “But this is my home.”
“Okay. No problem.” He rubbed a hand across his chin. “Maybe I’ll pick up an air mattress. My mother will understand why I’m not at the house.”
“Your mother?”
“She dropped in unexpectedly. She does that sometimes,” he said.
“You should go be with her. No need to babysit me.”
A gleam slid into his eyes. “Actually, you’d be doing me a big favor if you moved in. Mom and I could use a buffer.”
“You’re not close?”
His mouth pulled tight. “She has her own interests.”
Shouldn’t her interests include being with her son? None of her business, Cindy thought. “I wouldn’t want to intrude. It would be such an inconvenience.”
“Look, Cindy, I’m serious about Mom and me needing someone to take the edge off. But here’s the bottom line. You and I both want the baby to be healthy. That depends on your ability to stay off your feet and reduce your stress level. I intend to make that happen. Where it happens is up to you.”
She
