“I am pregnant, Guy. I know it’s the last thing you want in your life. So I have no expectations of you. You are free. But you need to know I’m going to keep this baby.”
He stared at her. What did she expect him to say to that?
Of course he didn’t want a child—he didn’t even want a wife, or a partner, or a significant other. He was quite happy the way his life was.
But he wasn’t ready to lose Avery from his life either. For days he’d been dreading the idea of her leaving. He was no longer free—nor did he wish to be.
It struck him that the baby would give him a great reason to keep her in his life, without having to define to himself—or to her—exactly what their relationship was.
“Avery—” under the water he placed a hand on her thigh “—this gives even more reason why you should move in with me. You’re pregnant with my child. That’s hardly the kind of thing you can hide for very long. It’s bound to come out.”
Her thigh tensed. “You mean we should set up home together?”
Home? He wriggled like a trout hooked by a particularly attractive lure. “I was thinking we should live together and see how things work out.”
She put her hands over her face. “Guy, a baby is about as lasting an arrangement as anything can be. It brings responsibilities like motherhood…and fatherhood. You don’t have to assume that responsibility if you don’t want to. I absolve you.”
She was deliberately misunderstanding him.
Guy gave a sigh to vent his frustration and increased the pressure of his hand to make sure she didn’t try to bolt. “Dammit—” he hesitated “—it’s hard to take in. I never wanted a family.”
“That’s why I told you I’m not expecting anything of you.” Her hand closed over his. “Please understand I’m not trying to trap you.”
“I know that.” His certainty surprised him. His outburst had been boorish—the situation they were in was as much his fault as hers. He’d acted recklessly that night in the hot tub, and they’d both reaped the consequences. “And it’s no longer about what either of us want. I’m sure this is every bit as much a trap for you as for me. The last thing you must want is a baby—particularly as your work is going so well.”
After the Food and Wine Gala was over Guy had no doubt she’d have more work offers than she could handle.
“Not at all. I’ve always wanted a family…and kids.” That dreamy look was back on her face.
Guy’s heart stood still.
Sliding his hand out from under hers, he wondered if this had been a trap he hadn’t even suspected? Giving her a narrow stare, he said, “Did you deliberately not use protection?”
“No! I stopped taking the Pill when I went back to California. I’d sworn off men.” She gave him a wry smile. “And contrary to popular belief, I didn’t come to Jarrod Ridge expecting to have an affair.” Ouch.
Was this a trap? If it was, hadn’t he deserved to be caught? He hadn’t taken precautions that night in the spa, even though he’d taken great care every time since. But once was all it took…
Avery stood up in the water and said, “I’ll be going back to California in four days. There’s no point in my moving in with you and telling the world that your mistress is pregnant with your baby.”
Before he could temper his reaction, Guy burst out, “That’s insulting to us both. You wouldn’t be my mistress.”
“Scared you couldn’t afford me?”
Beads of water streamed over her curves…curves that Guy knew intimately. But Avery was so much more than a sexy body.
He tore his gaze away. “Don’t demean yourself! You’re far too proper, with too much sense of your self-worth, to ever have accepted such an inequitable relationship—and I have too much respect for you to suggest it.” Avery was far too independent to be any man’s mistress. Although Guy was sure there were men who would’ve loved to have decorated her with diamonds and paid for her upkeep. She was smart, sexy and spirited. What more could any man want?
She looked stunned by his heated defense of her. What could he say? It had startled him, too. He justified it by adding, “My dad would’ve torn a strip off any of his boys for making a decent woman such an offer. He always said that honor was part of the Jarrod name.”
Avery took two towels off a shelf, arranged one at the edge of the pool and sat down.
“A bit of a double standard, hmm? He must’ve kept a mistress, otherwise there would be no Erica.”
“He didn’t keep a mistress—not while my mother was alive.” Guy glared at her for even suggesting that. Then he conceded, “But he did seduce another man’s wife. Not much honor in that, I have to agree.” Which was only one of the reasons he’d so resented Erica’s existence. It went to prove that his father’s high standards were nothing more than hypocrisy.
“Maybe he was lonely,” suggested Avery.
“Lonely?” He shook his head. “That’s stupid. He had a family—maybe we were farflung, but we were his children. He had Jarrod Ridge…the business empire he always wanted.” Had it not been enough? Was Avery right? Had his father been lonely? Guilt pierced him. He shoved it aside, and focused on the woman who had turned his world upside down.
Leaning forward, Avery started to pat herself dry with the second towel. “I think it would be far better for me to stay with Melissa as you’ve arranged, and for no one to be any the wiser about my baby.”
Her baby? What about his rights? The surge of primal possessiveness took him aback. If Avery was planning to deny him access to his own child she was in for a surprise.
But it wasn’t worth fighting now. They both needed time to absorb that they were going to be parents.
Finally he sighed and pushed his damp hair out of his eyes. “If you’d rather stay with Melissa, I’ll take you to Willow Lodge.”
Twelve
Willow Lodge oozed mellow serenity.
It was set away from the main resort complex, in a spot sheltered from the winds. Inside, the walls and floors were crafted from wood the color of honey and dramatic picture windows looked out over the willows for which the lodge was named. The fragrance of lavender and beeswax lingered in the air, and Avery found herself instantly unwinding.
And Melissa did everything to make her feel comfortable.
“Treat Willow Lodge like your home,” Guy’s sister said.
Avery took Melissa at her word. After sleeping under a down comforter and having a leisurely breakfast, Avery propped her leg up on a footrest in front of a window overlooking the willows and showing glimpses of the river beyond.
A constant trickle of visitors kept her entertained. Guy was the first to arrive. Shortly after Melissa departed for Tranquility Spa, he came through the back door.
“How’s the ankle?”
“Much better.” Avery turned her head. Guy wore dark trousers and a black-on-white striped long-sleeved shirt with elegant European panache. The years he’d spent in France showed. She forced herself to stop gawking at the man like a lovelorn teenager.
He came closer and his breath was warm on the top of her leg as he leaned down. “No sign of swelling.”
“Only a little bruising.” With her fingertips Avery found the tender spot.
“It will go all the colors of the rainbow before it fades.”
Avery groaned. “I hope not.” He was so close that she could detect the subtle green notes of moss and musk in his aftershave. “I’m keeping it iced. It’s helping—even though it’s freezing.”
“Good.”
Avery wrinkled her nose at him. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you were the one wearing an ice pack.”
He hunkered down beside her, and put his hand on her ankle. “Probably not.”
A delicious warmth cruised through her at his touch. Avery had thought her ankle too numbed by cold to respond to stimulus. Not so.
When he started to move his fingers in little circular strokes her breath hooked in the back of her throat. His hand stroked up her calf, across the back of her knees, and tantalizing shivers followed. The taunting fingers stopped just below the hemline of her fitted dress, and she knew if she tried to protest her voice would be nothing more than a thin thread of sound. Then Guy would know precisely how much he was rattling her composure.
She glanced away, only to be transfixed by the sight of his long, square-tipped fingers caressing her flesh.
She inhaled a deep, steadying breath, and his heady male scent filled her senses.
How could one man have such an impact on her?
Only him.
Ever.
She feared it would only be Guy for her, all her life. And now she was pregnant with the baby he didn’t want. It was over. He’d made it crystal clear he didn’t want a wife…children…a family.
On Monday she was returning to El Dorado, to her family. Undoubtedly Guy would be amiable, offer support; Christian would be asked to negotiate the terms of any agreement, which she would insist on being kept confidential. Perhaps Guy would even offer to do his duty and see the child on the odd occasion. But Avery fostered no illusions that Guy would want to be actively involved with his child…or with her. She’d likely have more contact with Christian than with Guy.
At least she would have his baby….
She glanced up into his eyes. And stilled. There was an emotion she’d never seen exposed. A mix of tenderness and desire. Or something else?
Slowly he removed his hand from her leg. “I better get going. Otherwise I might not get to work today—and with the charity auction fundraiser tomorrow night, there’s a lot to do.”
Avery’s heart skipped a beat.
For what seemed like a lifetime their eyes held. Then he leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn’t like any of the kisses they’d shared before. It was gentle, tender, with the promise of passion in the way his lips moved on hers. And it left her yearning for more.
Then he pulled away and rose to his feet. “I’ll be back later. Take care of yourself.”
It was only as he walked away that Avery realized that despite his concern for her, he’d never once mentioned their baby….
After Guy had left, Erica dropped off a pile of magazines, and Avery discovered that they both shared a passion for collecting recipes and baking.
“Christian has a meeting in town tonight, so I’ll come by with some ingredients to bake an apple pie,” Erica promised.
Avery agreed in a rush. Guy had said he would return. The more people around to act as a buffer, the better. Guy clearly had no intention of talking about the baby, and nor did she. It would only cause tension and misery between them.
Erica had only just departed when Gavin and Trevor trooped in to see how Avery was getting along.
She was rather touched by the concern the Jarrods were showing her.
Late that afternoon Guy returned with food he’d had Louis rustle up in the kitchens at Chagall’s. So by the time Melissa came home from the spa, the table was laid and candles lit, giving the honey tones of the lodge a cozy warmth.