Читать книгу The By Request Collection - Kate Hardy - Страница 20

Ten

Graham didn’t give a damn about the slipup. And he could care even less if Nora was shocked. When Eve swayed and caught herself on the barstool, his protective instincts took over.

Scooping her up in his arms, Graham ignored her weak plea to put her down as he carted her over to the living area off the kitchen. Once he laid her on the sofa, he noticed her pallor and the sheen of sweat that dotted her forehead. He eased himself onto the sofa beside her and lifted her legs onto his lap.

“Get her a cold cloth,” he ordered Nora without taking his eyes from Eve. What if something was wrong? Why did she look so damn pale?

Eve laid one hand on her stomach and the other over her forehead. “I’m fine. Just give me a minute.”

Seconds later, Nora waved a washcloth in Graham’s face. He used it to wipe Eve’s forehead, her neck. He didn’t like this helpless feeling one bit. He’d seen his grandmother and his mother grow weak and pass. Not that Eve was dying, but the thought that there was nothing he could do for her right now really pissed him off.

“Eve.” Nora stood over the back of the couch and reached down to smooth a damp strand of hair from her sister’s face. “Are you pregnant again?”

Eve groaned, muttering something Graham didn’t comprehend because he’d homed in on the key word in Nora’s question.

Again?

What the hell did Nora mean by that? When had Eve been pregnant before?

“I’m pregnant,” Eve mumbled. “Don’t tell Grace. I’ll tell her.”

“Oh, honey.” Now Nora’s voice took on a compassionate tone, one that Graham instinctively knew had everything to do with this former pregnancy. He was almost afraid to find out the details, but he would. “How far along are you?”

“Seven weeks now.”

Graham listened to the sisters, but his mind was overloaded. A spear of unexpected jealousy hit him square in the chest. He had no right to be jealous of a faceless man who’d created a baby with Eve. Clearly they weren’t together anymore. But still, Graham didn’t want to think of her experiencing this with anyone else.

“Promise me,” Eve was saying, her eyes pleading with Nora. “Don’t say anything. Let Graham and me handle this. We want what’s best for the baby, and our families have to come to some sort of peace.”

Nora glanced at Graham before looking back down at Eve. “I promise. I know what it’s like to be pregnant and unsure of what to do next.”

Nora had been a single mother before she and Reid had fallen in love. Graham didn’t know much about Nora’s circumstances, but it sounded as though she’d been alone and scared. Fortunately, Eve wouldn’t be alone. Ever, if he had any say.

Eve started to sit up, waving her hand when Graham tried to ease her back down. “It passed. I’m fine. I’m just going to sit here for a bit.” Looking over her shoulder, she asked, “What did you need this morning, Nora?”

“What? Oh, it’s not important.” Nora smiled, then wrapped her arms around her sister. “I thought we might go shopping for party costumes for Halloween, but we can go another day.”

Again, Graham didn’t like being left out of this little shopping trip. Didn’t like being so easily dismissed as though he was replaceable.

“I’ll feel fine in the afternoon if you want to wait.”

Nora stood straight up and nodded. “Sounds good. Text me later. Reid doesn’t want to go, so I’ll just pick something up for him. But I was given a list of things he refuses to wear. Tights being at the top of the list.”

“No Robin Hood for him, then.” Eve smiled. “Thanks for understanding and keeping this to yourself. I know you have questions, but I’ll address them. Just not now.”

Graham watched the younger Winchester sister as she adjusted her cardigan and smoothed her hair back. “I promise to keep this all to myself, but if you need any help with doctor’s appointments or someone to—”

“She’s got someone,” Graham stated. “Just be sure to keep that promise.”

Nora pulled in a breath as if she wanted to let him have it, but Graham flashed her what he hoped was a charming smile. No way in hell was he letting anyone else care for Eve and his child. They may not be a couple, but she belonged to him now.

Closing her mouth without saying anything, Nora turned on her heel and left out the front door. Silence filled the spacious room. Eve’s legs were still in Graham’s lap, but she sat up with her arm stretched across the back of the sofa.

“We’re going to have to tell your brothers now,” she said, rubbing her head. “I’ll have to talk to Grace and...this is just going to be a mess.”

“This isn’t a mess. If our families can’t see that a child is more important than our rivalry, then—”

“Tell me more about Gerty.” Eve’s eyes held his. She reached down and took his hand.

“Excuse me?”

Eve glanced down, traced a pattern over his palm. “You seemed so happy when you were talking about her. You seemed nostalgic and that’s a side of you I don’t know.”

Graham swallowed. She didn’t know this side because it was the one that was most vulnerable. But he wanted her to fully know him, to gain her affection so that his plan would be flawless. In order for that to happen, he’d have to bare all his emotions where his past was concerned.

“Gerty was amazing.” Because he couldn’t sit still, he shifted from beneath her and went to the kitchen for her plate. After putting it on her lap, he set her juice on the side table. “She’d swat our hands with a wooden spoon if we cursed, then just as lovingly show us how to bake homemade bread. I’ve never known anyone like her.”

Eve continued to hold on to her plate. Graham picked up the fork and got a small bite for her. When he lifted it to her lips, she kept her gaze on his as he fed her.

“When I fell off the monkey bars in the first grade, she came right to the school because she didn’t want to worry my mom or disrupt her shift at the coffee shop. By the time Mom got home, Gerty had bandaged me up, given me ice cream for dinner, and we were watching Casablanca.”

Eve smiled as he lifted another bite to her mouth. “You get your love of old movies from her.”

Graham nodded. “I get many things from her. She would always say how she was just a waitress, but she took pride in her job. She told us to do whatever job we wanted, whether it be a janitor or a doctor. She wanted us to know that every job was important and to make sure we worked hard.”

Graham recalled her harping on how important hard work was time and time again. No matter the career, they had to put 110 percent into it. She was a proud woman and Graham knew his mother had found a real-life angel just when she’d needed her. Or perhaps they’d needed each other, considering that Gerty’s husband had just passed when she took in Cynthia.

Graham continued to feed Eve. He shared random stories about his childhood. Whatever popped into his mind, he shared. For once, he was completely relaxed. Surprisingly, he wanted Eve to be fully aware of where he came from. He didn’t come from money. He’d worked his ass off to get where he was at the law firm.

After her plate was completely clean, he reached for the juice and handed it to her.

“That was amazing,” she told him. “Feel free to cook for me anytime.”

Graham stilled. He wasn’t prepared to play house. He had no road map, no plan here. All he knew was the end result had to be that his child was raised as a Newport.

“I’m sorry,” she told him, glancing away. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“Don’t be sorry.”

Shaking her head, she put her plate and glass on the table before leaning back on the couch. “You may be able to keep those emotions hidden in the courtroom, but I can read you better than you think. I understand you don’t want a relationship with me, or any type of commitment. I wasn’t implying that.”

Graham raked a hand over his face; the stubble on his jawline was itchy and annoying. “Neither of us is at a point in our lives when we can put forth the time and attention a relationship needs.”

Eve nodded. “I agree.”

“But that doesn’t mean everything that happened before I found out you were pregnant is over. I can’t just shut off my desire for you, Eve. If you want to cool it in that area, tell me now. I’ll respect your wishes and I’ll still do everything in my power to keep you and this baby safe and cared for.”

He had to say what she wanted to hear. He couldn’t scare her off this early. He couldn’t even hint at what his true intentions were.

Eve pushed to her feet and started pacing. She stopped in front of the fireplace and turned her back to him. His eyes focused beyond her, on the photos she had arranged across the mantel. Every silver-framed picture showcased her family. The sisters, Eve and her mother, a young Eve on her father’s shoulders. He didn’t want to get into that aspect of her life. Graham couldn’t afford to see Sutton as a loving father. Graham didn’t give a damn about Sutton, save for the fact that he knew who Brooks and Graham’s birth father was. Or he at least knew a name. The old bastard was keeping this information to himself and Graham would do anything to find it out.

But he wouldn’t use Eve or his unborn child to get it.

“I don’t know what I want,” Eve finally said. “This passion clearly isn’t going away anytime soon. But I need some space.”

When she turned around, Graham had to force himself to remain seated. She didn’t need him cutting her off, she needed him to be strong for her. But he wouldn’t stay away long.

“Wanting you has never been a question,” she went on. “But—”

“I know.” And he did. Graham came to his feet, pleased when her eyes raked over his bare chest. Let her look, let her continue to want and need just as he did. If she needed him, then that would play right into his hand. “I’ll give you space, Eve. But you need to understand, I’m not going away. I won’t pressure you or point out that you’re looking at me like you want to take the rest of my clothes off.”

Eve rolled her eyes. “So arrogant.”

“Accurate, not arrogant,” he corrected as he slowly closed the space between them. “I’m going to check on you every day. I’m going to be involved with this pregnancy. But you’re going to come to me on your own.”

He now stood so close to her that his bare chest rubbed against her T-shirt.

She tipped her head back. “You’re sure of that?”

Graham eased closer, his lips within a breath of hers. “Positive.”

He brushed his lips against hers, not quite kissing her, but feeling her warm breath. The slight whimper that escaped her was reassuring, but he stepped back. Fisting his hands at his sides to remain in control, he counted backward from ten.

She wanted space? So be it. She’d see just how difficult ignoring this desire would be.

“I’ll call you later.”

Graham forced himself to walk away. After getting his clothes and letting himself out, he reevaluated the plan in his head. Carson and Brooks needed to know about the baby, but he couldn’t tell them just yet. He needed to formulate a better strategy for dealing with the Winchesters that didn’t involve obliterating Sutton, and in turn hurting Eve. He didn’t want her hurt, he wanted her to be completely and utterly his. But he also wanted Sutton to divulge the name of his father before he died.

Damn it. There had to be a way to get everything he wanted and not hurt Eve in the process.

If Roman could find their birth father soon, Graham knew Brooks would ease off Sutton. Or if Sutton somehow found it in the deepest part of his dark heart to share the information he knew, that would be even better. But Graham feared the man would go to his grave with the secret.

Just like his mother had. Why hadn’t she just told them? All Graham had ever heard was how their father wasn’t in the picture and she didn’t want to talk about him.

So here they were with no answers, other than that Sutton was Carson’s father. But that was it.

Putting thoughts of Sutton out of his mind, Graham pulled away from Eve’s house, already planning on how to gain her attention, to make her come to him. Because he wouldn’t beg for any women...not even the mother of his child.