Читать книгу A Pregnancy, a Party & a Proposal - Teresa Carpenter - Страница 9
ОглавлениеLAUREN ACCEPTED RAY’S suggestion to rest as an opportunity to avoid conversation for the rest of their trip to the airport. She shrugged out of the brown cropped jacket she wore over a cream sweater and jeans, then settled back against the seat and watched the road through the veil of her lashes.
Thank goodness seeing where they were headed had helped to calm her queasy stomach.
One thing was for certain. She needed to get this morning sickness under control or she’d be making explanations before she was ready. Ray was too intelligent not to put the pieces together with them living in each other’s pockets.
And then there was his grandmother, aunt and cousin. Hopefully they’d be too caught up in Ray’s visit and Mamó’s birthday to pay much attention to her.
At the airport they departed from the commuter terminal. Expedited VIP service streamlined their boarding process and within minutes she climbed the steps to a mid-sized jet. The scent of fine leather hit her as soon as she entered the plane. Fortunately the baby had no objection to the smell.
Lauren made her way down the aisle between half a dozen armchair-style seats in creamy beige. The second half of the cabin contained two face-to-face couches of the same color in a soft ultra-suede fabric. At the end a door stood open on a full-sized restroom.
Just wow. This was totally going to spoil her for flying coach.
Pretending a sophistication she didn’t feel, she turned to Ray. “Where do I sit?”
“Wherever you want.” He indicated two armchairs facing each other. “Why don’t we start here? I asked the attendant to bring you some tea once we’re in the air. She’ll also bring you something to eat. Do you want eggs and bacon? Bagels or muffins? Fruit?”
“I don’t care for anything right now.” She sank into the chair next to the window.
“A few bites of protein bar aren’t much,” he protested. “You need something more.”
“Welcome aboard.” The attendant, an attractive brunette in a gray pantsuit, appeared at her elbow. “My name is Julie. I’ll be serving you today. If you need anything you can call me via the remote, or just push this button.” She showed Lauren on her armrest. “I’ll bring tea when we’ve reached cruising altitude. What more would you like?”
“Nothing for—”
“Thank you, Julie.” Ray cut Lauren off. “Please bring a selection of bagels, fruit, and yogurt.”
Lauren slammed him with a glare at his arrogant disregard for her wishes. She should know if she was hungry.
“May I take your things?” Julie offered. “There’s a closet at the front of the cabin. You’ll have full access during the flight.”
Lauren handed off her purse and coat. She waited until the other woman had disappeared before addressing Ray.
“If you hope to get along on this trip you will refrain from treating me like a child.”
“Then don’t behave like one.”
His gaze roved over her. She felt the weight of it everywhere it touched.
“You’re still pale. Food helped in the car. I can only assume it would be better if you had something more. It would please me if you ate. But the choice is yours.”
She gritted her teeth. To argue further would only make her sound petty.
Luckily the pilot’s voice filled the cabin. “Please fasten your seatbelts. We’ll be departing momentarily.”
Avoiding Ray’s gaze, she glanced out the window as the plane began to move. His reasonableness did nothing to appease her. In fact it only annoyed her, putting her in the position of being unreasonable—an intolerable situation, which was totally his fault.
It would please him if she ate? Seriously?
Right this minute she felt fine. She hoped to stay that way through takeoff. And the thought of food...? Not helping.
As a view of the airport, planes, and air traffic personnel flowed by the porthole window she marveled once again at her current circumstances. The only explanation she could come up with was she must have royally ticked off Lady Karma in another life, because she should not be pregnant.
She’d started on the pill. Ray had worn condoms. Yeah, they’d been frantic for each other, but they’d also been responsible. Okay, there had been that once when the condom broke. Yet—hello?—still on the pill. Sure, her doctor had warned her that it took time for the body to adjust, but it had been a month. Well, almost.
The force of takeoff pushed her back in her seat as the plane began to rise. Her fingers curled into fists on the armrests, her nails digging into the soft leather. She closed her eyes, willed her stomach to behave.
“Are you okay?”
Ray’s voice sounded next to her ear at the same time as a warm hand settled over her clenched fingers.
Her eyes flew open. When had he moved next to her?
More to the point, when had his touch become an instant soother?
It had to be the distraction, her logical mind asserted, but she didn’t care. She turned her hand over, threaded her fingers through his and accepted the warmth and comfort he freely offered.
Tension eased away, taking the rising nausea with it.
“Thank you.” She gave him a feeble smile.
“Nervous flyer?” he sympathized.
“Mmm...” She made a noncommittal sound. Poor guy. Her hormones were all over the place, her emotions likewise. Talk about mixed signals. She didn’t know how she felt—how could he begin to guess?
“Not usually.” She made an effort to participate in the conversation, hoping the resulting distraction would continue to work on her mind and stomach. “I guess I’m nervous about the whole trip. We haven’t truly discussed how we’re going to handle things. I’m not comfortable lying to your grandmother.”
“Me neither,” he said. “So we don’t lie.”
Eying his stoic expression, she felt the muscles in her shoulders begin to tense again. “If you’re suggesting—”
“I’m not.” He squeezed her fingers. “We’re friends. At least I hope you consider me a friend. That’s what we put out there.”
Because his touch felt too good, she pulled her hand free of his. On another level she noticed the plane had leveled out. “But everyone has an expectation there’s more between us.”
“Exactly. We’ll just be ourselves and they’ll see what they want to see.”
She tapped her fingers on the armrest as she considered his approach. “Still seems a little artificial.”
“The power of illusion comes from a collective awareness. People believe what they want to believe. Directors use viewer expectations as a tool to manipulate the audience’s emotions all the time. It doesn’t make what they feel any less real.”
“Do you hear the words you’re using? Manipulate...audience. This is your family we’re talking about, not a theater full of moviegoers.”
She understood the concept he presented, and, yes, she expected it would work as well as he stated. The truth worked for her. Leaving his family with preconceived notions that went well beyond reality was more iffy.
“Look.” His gaze earnest, he picked up her hand, swept his thumb over the pulse at her wrist. “I know the girlfriend front isn’t ideal. Ordinarily I wouldn’t even consider it. But you have no idea how upset my grandmother sounded.” Concern darkened his eyes to a soft azure. “If this plan lifts her spirits, it’s worth a little discomfort on my part.”
“Okay,” she agreed. And again removed her hand from under his. Bottom line: his concern was genuine. And, if she were honest, it wasn’t as if she and Tori hadn’t occasionally manufactured events to gain their mother’s cooperation to get something they wanted.
His family—his call. She’d agreed to come, so she’d do as he wished.
“Teatime.”
Julie had arrived with a cart. She reached past them to pull a table from a wall slot, trapping Lauren next to Ray. The sudden intimacy suffocated her. She wanted to protest. Of course she didn’t.
She was too strong to give in to weakness, too smart to reveal it to the opposition.
Onto the table Julie slid a tray, artfully displaying an array of bagels, both toasted and non-toasted, along with a healthy heaping of cream cheese, butter, and jellies. There were containers of yogurt and a lovely selection of fresh fruit. Next came steaming pots of hot water and a small basket of teas.
A midsized plate and linen-wrapped silverware were placed in front of each of them. “May I serve you?” Julie asked.
“We’ll help ourselves, thank you.” Ray’s charming smile caused the poised woman to blush.
“Please buzz me if you require anything more,” she bade them, and then disappeared to her niche in the front of the plane.
Lauren waited for her stomach to revolt. When it didn’t she reached for the basket of teas, chose a soothing decaffeinated blend and steeped it in one of the pots. When it looked the right color, she poured the brew into a delicate teacup.
Ray slathered cream cheese on a cinnamon bagel and slid melon, pineapple chunks and a few blackberries on his plate.
“Can I fix you anything?” he asked, after she’d taken her first sip.
“Perhaps half a plain bagel, with a light spread of cream cheese.”
He nodded and a moment later placed it on her plate. She cut it into quarters and picked up a corner to nibble on.
“You know, I’m all for sticking to the truth and all...” She set her cup back in its saucer. “But the details are still going to be a bit sketchy. You do realize we’ve never been on an actual date?” She stabbed at a plump berry on his plate and ate it.
His eyes narrowed in thought. He reached for a carton of peach yogurt, opened it and scooped in a few berries. He took a couple of bites before pointing his spoon at her.
“We’ve kept a low profile.”
Her brows lifted. “You’re a little too good at this.”
He grinned and offered her the yogurt carton. “I’m a director. It’s my job to invent and interpret.”
“Convenient.” Not even thinking about it, she accepted the yogurt.
The flavors, peach and blackberry, exploded in her mouth. A few more bites finished it off. She sighed. A glance at her plate revealed he’d gotten his wish. She’d eaten all her bagel plus fruit and his yogurt. And she felt great. More energized than she had in forever.
“Finally you’ve a little color in your cheeks.”
She gave him a cool glance. “Saying I told you so is unbecoming.”
He shook his sandy head. “I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”
“Thanks.” What else could she say without sounding petty? To his credit, he appeared sincere.
To break the moment she pushed the button on her armrest. Julie appeared within moments to clear the table. But all too soon she and Ray were alone again. It was all she could do not to twitch in her seat. How to get him to move away?
Turned out she didn’t have to do anything. Phone in hand, he stood up.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have some calls to make?”
She nodded and he moved across the aisle and up to another row of seats. Able to breathe freely, she refused to acknowledge she missed the heat and comfort of his proximity. Some alone time to think was exactly what she needed. She felt the best she had in days—make that weeks.
Maybe she’d actually be able to concentrate and come up with a course of action for this abrupt change in her carefully crafted life plan. So far she hadn’t quite been able to wrap her mind around the enormity of the fact she carried a child within her. And that kept her from making sense out of the chaos in her head.
Which left her feeling out of control and desperate to get her life back.
Panicked, really.
The last time she’d given up control, she’d lost a part of her soul.
Lauren couldn’t go through that again—especially when she had a child to think of. She required her lists, her goals, her plans. She craved order, needed to be in charge. Only then could she cope.
She stared unseeing out the window.
Some things were obvious. Once Tori returned Lauren would tell her family. She would continue to work. She would tell Ray. It all sounded simple and straightforward. It couldn’t be more complex.
Even telling her family. Sure, they would love and support her. She had no doubt of that. But there’d also be disappointment and concern. And questions. Personal questions, not easy to answer.
Continuing to work would require compromise and sacrifice. Deciding between daycare and a nanny was only one decision to be made requiring careful research. She also needed to consider housing—whether to sell the duplex and move to a bigger place in a family-friendly area. It didn’t need to be done now, but it was already on her mind. A part of the mix keeping her from finding the necessary peace to deal with everything.
Telling Ray. Yeah, she’d been playing ostrich there. She knew she had to give him the news. Yet the where and when were still questions. She had no idea how to approach him, but she did know it wouldn’t be before this deal with his grandmother played out.
It wouldn’t be fair to distract him at this time.
And, truly, everything else hinged on his reaction. Any plans she conceived were contingent on how involved he’d want to be.
Her stomach roiled. The realization threatened the scant control she’d managed to muster.
She drew out her phone and powered it up. She had a couple of her own calls to make.
* * *
About forty minutes before they were scheduled to land Ray roused Lauren. Halfway through the trip she’d stretched out on one of the couches and slid into a solid sleep. She hadn’t moved an eyelash when he’d dropped a blanket over her and stuffed a pillow under her head.
She was slow to awaken. He had no idea if that was natural or not, as they’d never actually slept together. He tended not to sleep with the women in his life. Too messy.
How fragile she looked. He traced the shadows under the fan of her lashes. She said she wasn’t sick, yet she was tired and pale and a couple of times he’d caught an expression on her face that made him think she might be fighting off nausea. Perhaps it was the aftereffects of stress. Handling her sister’s wedding during Hollywood’s biggest party season must have been a challenge, even for a pro like her.
She was such a strong woman—quick and intelligent and in control—he tended to overlook the fact she was quite delicate.
“Lauren.” He ran his hand up her arm, gave her shoulder a gentle shake. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”
“Hmm?” She sighed and shifted onto her side. “Ga-way.”
He grinned. “No, I’m not going away.” Leaning over her, he pressed his lips to hers. “But I’ll join you if you’d like.” That ought to wake her up.
“Ray...” Her lips opened under his and an arm snaked around his neck, pulling him close.
The action put him off balance. He went down on one knee to keep from tumbling on top of her. He’d happily follow up on his offer to join her on the couch as soon as he knew her mind was as engaged as her body.
Meantime, he sank into the kiss.
Instantly the chemistry ignited between them. Angling his head, he slid his tongue past her lips to taste the honey of her mouth. Her sleepy response seduced him into a slow, deep exploration. The meandering journey pulled them down a path not yet taken. The softness of the moment was different but every bit as hot as their bolder encounters.
She sighed and shifted fully onto her back. The drag of her fingers through his hair was a dreamy caress, a subtle demand for more, for longer, for slow and sensual. He willingly set the pace, lingering over each touch, each taste, each smell, satiating all his senses. Her breath sighed over his cheek and he took satisfaction in each little moue and gasp.
Never had he burned for a woman like he did for her. And she was right there with him, her responsiveness inspiring him to new depths.
The gradual, sultry building of passion urged him to tenderness, to lengthy kisses and gentle insistence. He worked his hand under her sweater and glided up her silky skin, seeking the bounty of her breast.
She suddenly went very still and her hand came down on his, effectively pushing the stop button on his attempt to move their embrace to the next step.
“Not a good idea,” she mumbled in a sleep-husky voice.
He groaned and tested her resolve, sweeping his thumb across the warm flesh of her stomach. She gasped and tightened her hold, but the knit of her sweater separating her grasp from his was a thin barrier to his persistence.
“Shh, Dynamite,” he whispered against her lips, “you’re dreaming.”
“Liar.” Her lips lifted in a smile under his and then she turned her head aside. “My body is too alive for me to be asleep.” She pulled his hand free of her clothes. “We agreed no touching.”
“You started it, wrapping yourself all around me.” He kissed a path up her jawline to whisper in her ear. “Let me finish it. We can start the no touching when we get to New York.”
She moaned deep in her throat—a sound he took to mean she was tempted, if the look in her golden eyes meant anything.
“Uh-uh.” She planted both hands on his chest and pushed. “I did not start it. You kissed me first. When I had no resistance. Unfair, Ray.”
He let her up, slid onto the couch next to her when she pushed into a sitting position. “Spoilsport.”
An arch glare came his way. “Really?”
The show of ire along with her mussed hair and just-kissed lips was too sexy for words. Made him want to take up where they had left off. Forget about apologizing. Besides, he still maintained she’d started it. His had been a mere peck on the lips; she had taken it to the next level.
Not waiting for a response, she rolled her eyes, then glanced back at him. “Why did you wake me?”
He checked his watch—much safer than contemplating her. “In ten minutes we begin our descent. I thought you’d like to freshen up before we buckle up.”
“Oh. I would, thanks.” She made her escape.
While she did her thing he went through his email and texts. The car service he used in New York advised that a driver was waiting. His meeting with the mayor was confirmed. And Mamó couldn’t wait to see him.
With a sigh he slipped the phone into his pocket. This trip was long overdue. Sure, he saw his family regularly, stopping off in New York or flying them to him two or three times a year. But he rarely went back to the old neighborhood. Certainly not for any length of time. Too many memories he’d rather not deal with.
Lauren came back, looking as calm and fresh as when she’d first boarded the plane. Something he envied, considering he still ached from their recent bout of passion. He earned another glare when he settled in the seat next to hers, and those luscious lips opened ready to protest, but the pilot came on, demanding they buckle up.
The landing went well and soon Ray saw Lauren seated into a sleek black town car. She promptly slid to the far side of the bench seat, leaving at least a foot between them, and pulled out her tablet, effectively shutting him out. Within a few minutes they were swallowed by the late-afternoon traffic headed through the borough of Queens to Queens Village.
His grandmother lived in a two-family, two-story pitched-roof house on a postage-stamp-sized lot. He’d tried to upgrade her to a bigger house on a larger lot in a better area, but she refused to move. She’d lived in her house since she’d moved in as a bride and intended to stay until the day she died. Rather than argue, he’d paid off the mortgage, bought out the neighbors so his aunt could move in, and made sure the house remained sound and safe.
“We’re here,” he said as the pale gray building with its white filigree fence came into view.
Lauren leaned close to look out the window. “Quaint house.”
He explained his attempt to relocate her. “I told you she was stubborn.”
Cars overflowed the driveway and street, forcing the driver to double park. Ray stepped out and turned to help Lauren. Leaving the driver to bring their bags, Ray threaded their fingers together, more for his benefit than hers, and climbed the brick stairs to the front door. It flew open before his knuckles connected with the wood.
“Ray!” Aunt Ellie pushed open the screen and pulled him into a big hug. “It’s so good to see you. Come inside.” She stepped back, dragging him with her, and by extension Lauren. “Everyone—Ray is here.”
Pandemonium broke out. Women of all ages launched themselves at him. He barely recognized most of them but he hugged them anyway, one-armed. Because he was not letting go of Lauren. Behind him he heard her fielding greetings.
