Читать книгу One-Amazing-Night Baby! - Heidi Rice - Страница 13

SOPHIE was still reeling when she and Cooper arrived at the restaurant half an hour later.

On one level she took in the rustic brick front, with its green, white and red flag flapping from a mast, the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked bread and tasty Italian herbs. But on a far deeper plane she was still experiencing that bone-melting kiss, his will wrapping around and attempting to crush hers in the most pleasurable way possible.

She was having this man’s baby. Consequently he was determined to marry her. She couldn’t think of anything more thrilling—or more self-destructive.

At the restaurant’s entrance, a young male maître d’, dressed all in black, moved forward. With a broad smile, he nodded in welcome. ‘Would you prefer a table inside or out today?’

Cooper said, ‘Out’, at the same time she said, ‘In.’

Sophie shot Cooper an incredulous look. ‘That southerly wind is icy.’

Evaluating the sky and the rustling sidewalk trees, he inhaled deeply. ‘It’s refreshing.’

Sophie studied the grey clouds churning overhead. Hunching her shoulders, she clutched each side of her cardigan and wrapped it more securely around her.

Cooper served her one of the persuasive looks she remembered so well. ‘They have the patio heaters going.’ He ran a finger down her arm. ‘If that’s not enough, I could keep you warm.’

Her body screamed at her to say yes, to give in. For so long she’d quietly dreamed of him overwhelming her with his unique brand of passion, as he’d done back in his garden when they’d kissed. But she meant what she’d said.

Cooper was indeed dangerous. If she was to keep her pledge to remain strong and assertive, rather than endlessly compliant, he was precisely the kind of dominant proud male she must avoid. A little late now, granted, but damage control was still available. She would not fall for his smooth talk and smoother ways, then submit to marriage.

In this day and age women had options and opportunities. No one needed to tie themselves to a loveless marriage for security’s sake or anything else. Her baby would do better living alone with her than growing up in a house with two parents who couldn’t agree on what day it was. She simply wouldn’t put her child through the same ordeal she’d endured long ago. She would never forget how she’d tried to shut her ears to the quarrels that had risen up the stairs late at night, when her parents had thought she was asleep.

So why was she even considering Cooper’s suggestion of a three-month trial?

A cold breeze blasted her face. She addressed the maître d’. ‘Inside table, thank you.’

The young man hesitated, but when Cooper nodded, he collected two menus from a lectern and showed them through the wooden beamed archway into an area that exuded an authentic old-world charm.

A casual dark timber bar occupied the far corner of the low-ceilinged cosy room. Fresh flowers adorned settings dressed with green and red chequered tablecloths. But the ochre back wall caught her eye. It was dedicated to family photographs—black and white formal shots that might have dated back to the turn of last century, as well as recent colour snaps.

She knew the advantages of being an only child—no sharing bedrooms or televisions or parents. But at times it could also be lonely. What would it be like to grow up in a large, boisterous family? Like the one celebrating a toddler’s birthday in the photograph that took pride of place in the centre of that wall. They all looked so happy.

Sophie thanked the maître d’ as he retracted her carved wooden chair. Settling in, she set down her bag and, hands on the table, absently played with her bracelet’s three-leaf clover charm.

After Cooper had removed his jacket, he shunted in his chair. The light reflected off one of Sophie’s charms and hit his eyes. He blinked down at her wrist. ‘Who gave you the lucky bracelet? A favourite kooky aunt?’

Sophie bristled at ‘kooky’.

She leant back as the maître d’ laid a napkin on her lap. ‘I bought it myself, just before the wedding.’

With a self-satisfied grin, he reached for the water carafe and filled her glass. ‘And you haven’t taken it off since?’

Oh, yeah. He was confident all right.

She lifted her water. ‘Actually, the clasp is stuck.’

The carafe hovered a moment before he filled his own glass. ‘I see.’

Carafe back in place, Cooper waved away the maître d’s effort to place his napkin, then collected his leatherbound menu and fanned himself several times as he took in his surrounds. When his attention dropped to focus on the listed appetisers, Sophie rearranged the curls blown around her face by the breeze, pulled her cardigan closer, and found her own menu.

Although her first-trimester tummy was growling for nourishment, she couldn’t concentrate on food. This pregnancy would change her and Cooper’s lives for ever, but it would also affect Cooper’s sister—who happened to be one of Sophie’s best students.

She set the menu aside. ‘How do you think Paige will react when she hears the news?’

But she could answer her own question: with great interest, no doubt.

When Paige had first broached the subject of sex and her boyfriend one day after English class, Sophie had advised she speak with her mother. After the options had been whittled down to no one being at home other than an overly protective big brother, Sophie had recommended the school counsellor. But Paige had been adamant; she trusted no one with her confidence but her favourite teacher.

Cooper had already flipped the menu over to peruse the dessert and coffee choices. His lazy gaze flicked up to stroke her. ‘I’ve only heard her speak in glowing terms of Ms Gruebella. Seems you have fans everywhere.’

Even as Sophie melted at his suggestive look, she shuddered. How that title grated outside of school. ‘What say we go back to pretending I don’t have a last name?’

Cooper’s approving nod seemed to convey a deeper meaning, and for the first time Sophie wondered about her first and his last names.

Sophie Smith?

Sophie bit her lip at the absurd impulse to find a pen and sample that signature on the napkin folded upon Cooper’s bread plate. That urge hadn’t been fully pushed aside before another question blinked in her mind. Her stomach dipped.

Whose surname would their baby bear?

Cooper set down his menu. ‘Paige will most likely throw a party when she hears she’s soon to be an aunt. She’s always loved babies.’

Sophie knew that well enough. Paige had often said how much she wanted one of her own one day. Hopefully a big dose of babysitting would satisfy the yearning for a few years yet. Plenty of time.

Sophie paused.

Over the years she’d often wondered when or if she’d get the chance to be a mother. It was still difficult to believe it was happening now … this way.

Elbows on the tabletop, Cooper thatched his hands and brought them to his chin. ‘So … what was Paige so concerned about you telling me?’

Thank heaven he couldn’t read minds. She zipped her lips. ‘Privileged information—sorry.’

‘Teacher and student? Similar to sinner and priest?’

‘Possibly more sacred.’

He broke eye contact to call the waiter over. ‘Paige wouldn’t be the young girl you mentioned had a boy hounding her?’

Sophie willed the hothouses from her cheeks and lied as she laughed at the suggestion. ‘No.’

She trusted Paige to consider all the ramifications of taking ‘the next big step’. After all, Cooper’s sister was sixteen going on seventeen—a naturally curious young woman, not a tot. Still, Sophie was thankful Paige would be away overseas for a couple of months. Seeing how big the world truly was might help put into perspective the adolescent fires of love.

Which brought to mind her and Cooper’s flames.

They hadn’t discussed what intimacies would be involved should she agree to a trial. Sex or no sex? That was a doozy of a question. Did living together include sleeping together?

In her mind she relived the captivating hours they’d spent enjoying each other, and a familiar warm compression kicked off a delicious pulse low and deep inside. The simple truth was, she wanted to experience those thrills again—what sane woman wouldn’t? But if she allowed Cooper to make love to her, he wouldn’t hesitate to use that power to manipulate her. Their kiss today had almost knocked her senseless. What defence would she have against him if a kiss turned into a night, a week, or months of mind-blowing sex?

She crossed her legs. As much as she adored the idea of getting naked with Cooper again, it simply was not wise. She’d feel continually drugged. In zero time she wouldn’t know what the heck she was agreeing to.

A trial wouldn’t make a fig of difference to how they fundamentally felt about each other. He would still be insufferably autocratic, and she would continue to tell him so—which in turn would make him more insufferable. But if she should decide to live three months under his roof—if only to prove irreversibly that his marriage suggestion was madness—she would need to keep both her head together and her clothes firmly on.

Best get that straight now.

She filled her lungs. ‘Cooper, I was thinking—’

The muffled sound of a cellphone rang out. Cooper held up a finger, found the phone on his belt and inspected the screen. ‘I need to get this. Excuse me.’

Resigned, Sophie sat back. ‘Of course.’

The maître d’ showed up again. ‘The gentleman and yourself are our only patrons as yet. Are you warm enough? Would you like the fire lit?’

Sophie sized up Cooper—head down, finger in his ear. She smiled over. ‘A fire would be lovely.’

As the maître d’ breezed off, Cooper disconnected. ‘Did I miss anything?’

She eased off her cardigan. ‘Nothing important.’

He settled the phone on the table. He nodded. ‘I’m all ears.’

‘Just for argument’s sake, say I do agree to a trial live-in.’ She ignored the assured gleam in his eye. ‘We’d need to work out sleeping arrange—’

The phone buzzed and vibrated. Cooper peeked at the screen. He thumbed the answer button. ‘Do you mind?’

Sophie lifted her chin to the phone and outwardly acquiesced. ‘Go ahead.’

Was this a taste of what life with Cooper would be like? Dynamic men were busy men, oftentimes with lonely wives. Wendy was already finding that out. Noah had cut short their honeymoon in Singapore due to urgent business. Wendy said she understood; when a woman was married to a diligent and successful businessman, she more or less had to.

Cooper disconnected. His eyes roamed over her. ‘You were saying?’

About to answer, Sophie held back as his gaze drifted over her shoulder and his brows buckled with enquiring surprise. His smile, a moment later, was close to reverent. ‘Look who the cat’s dragged in.’

Wondering, Sophie swung around in her seat. Her heart jack-knifed to her throat as a rush of disbelief and panic hurtled through her nervous system.

‘What’s she doing here?’ she hissed, spinning back. Her eyes narrowed. ‘Did you set this up?’

He kept his attention on the new arrival. ‘No, but I wish I had. This is going to be fun.’

Pushing back his chair, he stood to address pretty Penny Newly, who had spotted them from the entrance. Finger and thumb to his temple, Cooper feigned a poor memory.

‘Do we know each other?’ He snapped his fingers. ‘Of course. The wedding.’ He spoke to Sophie. ‘You know each other, don’t you, sweetheart?’

Sophie’s felt each corner of herself fold in on the other. This was an important, never to be repeated moment in her life, in which Penny Newly and her tactless remarks could play no part. She could throttle Mr Theatrical for instigating an encore to their exit that night.

But, to be fair, she couldn’t snub Penny in this barely populated condensed setting. Perhaps taking the advantage and facing her insecurities head-on wasn’t such a bad idea.

Finding her new, less mousy self, Sophie rotated towards her sometimes friend.

‘Penny!’ she exclaimed. ‘I didn’t know you visited this side of town.’

Her expression a study in curiosity, Penny glided over. She smelled great. Looked great. That white designer dress looked sensational against her spray tan and glossy, ash-blonde, perfectly ironed mane.

Penny barely acknowledged Sophie before offering her hand to Cooper. An admiring smile graced her full lips. ‘I remember your departure very well, but I don’t believe we’ve actually met.’

Cooper accepted Penny’s hand. ‘Time we did.’

Sophie held her breath.

Don’t you dare say too much.

‘Cooper Smith.’ He gazed down at Sophie. ‘Sophie and I were just about to enjoy a leisurely lunch. We missed breakfast.’ His grin exuded charm. ‘You know how it is.’

Penny arched a brow and considered Sophie. A beat too late she laughed, as if she understood perfectly. ‘You met for the first time at the wedding?’

Cooper leant in to Penny. ‘Do you believe in fate?’

Penny’s perfect bosom rose and fell as he held her with his best bedroom-eyes gaze. ‘I think so … yes,’ she said, a little breathlessly.

‘So do I.’ He looked at Sophie with adoring eyes and she rolled hers. What a ham. He winked just for her, then spoke to the attentive Penny. ‘Care to join us?’

Penny chewed her lip, as if considering, but shook her head. ‘I’m meeting someone. But we can catch up at my party next month.’

She slid a considering look Sophie’s way. Sophie grinned. Penny’s pink lip-liner was too dark.

‘I’m sure I put your invitation in the mail …’ Penny said.

What would the newly released Sophie say? She pretended to think. ‘You might have. Can’t remember if I’ve seen it.’

But Penny’s attention had skipped back to Cooper. She all but gushed. ‘No problem. I’ll drop off another.’

Cooper tipped his head. ‘I look forward to seeing you there.’

As Penny moved off, slim hips swaying, Cooper grinned across at Sophie. ‘That should set the tongues wagging.’

‘I’m surprised you didn’t swoop me up and twirl me around your head on one hand.’

He reclaimed his seat. ‘If only I’d thought sooner.’

She tried to frown, but secretly she’d enjoyed the show. Cooper certainly had a serious concrete side, but he could be the best fun, too.

His warm hand folded over hers, and a tingling flash sped up her limbs. ‘Now, talk to me.’

The deep rumble of his words turned that tingling into a potent effervescent swirl that reached and then burrowed into her core. She battled to maintain an ambivalent expression. It would be safer to retract her hand. And she would … in just a minute.

‘I was saying that if I agree to the three-month thing …’

He nodded. Moved closer.

She shivered at his intoxicating proximity and sucked down a breath. ‘No sex will be involved.’

His brow dropped and he searched her eyes. ‘Is there some problem? A complication?’

‘Not the kind you’re thinking. The baby would be fine.’ Nodding, he moved closer still. She hurried on. ‘I want you to know I don’t believe our living together will change my mind that marriage is any kind of option. If we were any other couple you’d agree this is a hopeless cause.’

He dismissed her with a flick of his free hand. ‘No need to go into that. Point is you’re giving us the chance our baby deserves.’ His thumb grazed the back of her hand and the smouldering swirl in her stomach spiralled lower. ‘To give us the very best chance there can be no question. Sex is in.’

Her insides squeezed with longing, but she whipped her hand away. Face flushed with telltale heat, she shook her head. ‘I won’t back down on this. Making love will only muddy the issue.’

‘The issue being whether we can make a decent, happy home for our child.’

Her heart thumped low in her chest. When he said it like that …

Her hands clenched into fists on her lap. Hell, he was a lawyer—a master manipulator. If anyone knew how to work a topic, Cooper did. But she was up to the challenge. A lawyer might think he was omnipotent, but a teacher possessed the power to shape the future.

Recovering her bearings, she shored up her line of defence. ‘You’re just trying to confuse me.’

He undid a cuff and folded his sleeve up the strong bronzed column of one forearm. ‘Think about it,’ he said in a deep, tolerant tone. ‘We’re practically strangers, yet bonded in an irreversible way. Clearly we need to get to know each other better. What better way than to pick up where we left off … where we got along best?’

Gradually she realised she was still looking at his arm, remembering how it had felt to have him tug her close and do exactly what he wanted with her, precisely the way she wanted him to.

As her breasts swelled with awareness and their tips hardened and rubbed, she snapped back to reality. To argue now would do more harm than good. She simply had to remember that, and never allow any hazardous situations to escalate out of control. There were such things as locks on bedroom doors, after all.

Close to okay with that scenario, she laid out her other provisos. ‘Paige is leaving for her trip to France in two weeks. Yesterday after class she asked if I would go to the airport to see her off. That would be a good time to start our “living together” clock. But no contact with each other till then.’ She added in an undertone, ‘I have a lot to organise and get my mind around.’

His mouth slanted in a triumphant smile. ‘Agreed.’ He leant forward to seal their arrangement with a kiss.

She inserted a hand between their mouths. ‘Did you miss the part where we haven’t agreed on the intimacy issue yet?’

He captured her hand and eased it aside. ‘Kiss me—it might jog my memory.’

Before she could find another barrier, he gently cupped her nape and pulled her close. His lips grazed over hers, lingering long enough for her heartbeat to hammer and her resolve to slip. When his mouth parted, and the warm, wet tip of his tongue touched hers, she somehow found the wherewithal to break away.

She tried to tamp down the mesmerising heat drifting through her bloodstream. ‘Never forget that I’m doing this against my better judgement.’

He flicked out his napkin and laid it in his lap. ‘Thank God your better judgement is wrong.’