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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.’
CHAPTER SIX
TWO weeks later, Sophie smiled into Paige’s wide crystal-blue eyes and held tight to the teenager’s finely boned hands. ‘Don’t look so worried. We’re only a phone call away.’
Paige swallowed, then spoke over the noisy international airport bustle. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited or frightened in my whole life.’
More appealingly masculine than ever, big brother Cooper stepped into their circle. ‘Two months in France will be an adventure you’ll never forget.’
Sophie dragged her gaze away from the strong planes of Cooper’s face to Paige, who was dressed in soft blue jeans and a comfortable yellow jersey knit for the long flight to Paris. She looked younger and more vulnerable than Sophie had ever seen her. Weird, but she even smelled like baby powder—although Sophie knew darn well Paige only wore fashionable fragrances, like the majority of seniors at Unity.
Hormones. They were playing havoc with her mind and her body. Her breasts had already jumped from a C to a D, and suddenly everywhere she went she saw people pushing prams.
Cooper cupped Paige’s shoulder. ‘If you have any problems with your host family, you know Madame Laurent will sort it out in no time.’
Sophie added, ‘You must feel good, knowing your French teacher is chaperoning?’
When other duties allowed, Sophie and Madame sometimes lunched together in the staffroom. To avoid questions or awkward moments today, she’d let Madame Laurent know in advance that she and Paige’s brother were on the verge of dating. Sophie had been a little anxious about letting the cat out of the bag, but Madame had seemed delighted.
Of course lifting the lid on her pregnancy would be something else again, and it seemed people were already talking.
Paige chewed her lip. ‘It’ll go quickly, right?’
With a fond glimmer in his eye, Cooper grazed a knuckle down his sister’s cheek. ‘We’ve travelled abroad before. Believe me, those weeks will fly.’
Sophie considered Paige’s hands nested in hers, then relaxed slightly against Cooper’s palm, which had come to rest low on her back. She had to concentrate to stop her eyes from drifting shut, the immediate heat of arousal was so intense.
As agreed, she and Cooper hadn’t seen each other over the previous fourteen days. This morning, when he’d collected her from her apartment, as arranged via a phone conversation the previous week, the overwhelming sense of attraction and temptation had been so strong she’d imagined seeing sparks fly when they’d accidentally touched.
However, although the warmth infusing her body now was mostly due to serious sexual chemistry, the other reason for her pleasure buzz was the feeling of being included in this family—a feeling she could no doubt get used to alarmingly fast.
From a group of parents and their soon to be departed girls, Madame Laurent called over to Cooper. ‘Mr Smith, could I see you before we go through?’
Cooper nodded, then assured Paige, ‘I’ll be right back.’
Paige eyed the gate she would soon pass through. She sighed so hard she visibly shuddered. ‘I wouldn’t feel so bad if I wasn’t leaving Hallam for so long.’
Hallam Gregson: first-year university student, Paige’s boyfriend, and, at her tender age of sixteen, the love of her young life.
Sophie put on a brave face. ‘He’ll be here when you get back.’
‘I know you think it won’t last,’ Paige said earnestly, ‘but Hallam and I really are in love. Like Romeo and Juliet.’
A shiver skated down Sophie’s spine. They’d studied that Shakespearean play last term. Such a tragic ending.
Perhaps she should offer a suggestion. ‘Maybe you could invite Hallam over for a Sunday barbecue when you get back?’
Paige had talked with the same passion about her secret boyfriend for months, but seeing her student out of school put a different spin on how Sophie interpreted the situation—and how involved she believed she should become. Time away from each other might defuse their feelings. However, if Paige felt this deeply when she returned, it might be time to introduce Hallam to the family.
Sophie smiled softly. ‘I could even speak to Cooper beforehand, if you like. To lay a little groundwork.’
Paige blanched. ‘Please don’t do that. He’d freak. When Cooper found out I kissed a boy two years ago he went ballistic.’
Sophie could imagine. Still … ‘I’m sure he’ll understand that you’re older now.’
Given Cooper was a lawyer who helped couples sort out messy family issues, and given how protective he was of his sister, no doubt he would react strongly to Paige branching out towards this next phase in life—dating. But putting on blinkers wouldn’t make Paige’s feelings go away, or stop her growing up.
Unconvinced, Paige shook her head. ‘I’m not any older in his mind. He’s great as far as big brothers are concerned, but he doesn’t understand the first thing about how a girl thinks. His biggest motto is: I make the rules; you just have to follow them.’
Cooper reappeared, raking a hand through his clean, dark hair.
Each time she laid eyes on him Sophie felt her heartbeat set off at a gallop, and a profound craving which had nothing to do with food gripped her stomach. She’d signed up for three whole months of this sweet torture, while making a vow never to succumb to his transparent plans for seduction. Refusing any and all invitations to his bed was the only way to arrive at a responsible decision regarding the possibility of matrimony. Unfortunately, as much as she couldn’t see herself married to Cooper with his dominating nature, she could clearly see them making love. In fact, since their last meeting, that and their baby had been pretty much all she’d thought about.
Cooper spoke to Paige. ‘They’re ready to go through.’
Paige bounced up on tiptoe, kissed Sophie’s cheek and whispered in her ear. ‘Thanks for coming today—and for listening.’
While Sophie acknowledged a heart-warming rush of affection, Paige threw her arms around Cooper’s waist. Kissing her blonde crown, Cooper hugged his sister back. ‘Remember to eat a decent breakfast. And watch out for those French boys.’
Paige broke away. Eyes glistening like stars, she waved as she joined the other girls moving through the gate which led to the waiting lounge. ‘I’ll send you a postcard from the Louvre.’
Cooper waved back. ‘Bon voyage! Phone when you get there.’
Paige curved a hand around her mouth as she disappeared from view. ‘I think you two look really cool together.’
With Paige gone, Sophie and Cooper each exhaled, then shared a look. Her gaze was drawn to the sexy curve of his lips as he grinned and said, ‘Guess it’s just you and me.’
As they set off down the wide, now less crowded thoroughfare, Sophie trembled inside. Tonight would be the first they would spend together. In Cooper’s house. Alone. Like Paige, she was excited and yet scared to death.
She stepped onto a stretch of motorised walkway. Strolling alongside, Cooper took a few seconds to realise he’d lost his companion. As he stopped in his tracks, Sophie put on a sad face, waved goodbye, and let the walkway carry her further away.
Cooper’s eyes flashed, before he pushed up his sleeves, took a running leap and scissor-jumped over the rail, landing just behind her.
Outrageously surprised, she laughed as he steadied himself, then squealed when he pulled her close and growled, ‘Can’t get rid of me that easily. I was regional high-jump champion three years running.’
His smiling mouth inches from hers, his hot, masculine scent wound out to envelop her, and for one crazy moment she almost succumbed to an overwhelming urge to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him hard. Not a good start to her pledge to reject his charms.
Locking that impulse soundly away, she smoothed back her curls and asked, in a remarkably steady voice, ‘Have you done much travelling?’
He stepped back, but remained close, his broad chest almost brushing her shoulder. ‘Some. What about you?’
‘Not yet. But I’ve decided I really want to see the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben … I want to see it all.’
‘Though you won’t be jumping on a plane any time soon.’ He laid a light hand on her tummy. ‘Risk of premature labour.’
Sophie mulled it over. ‘Isn’t that only from the thirty-sixth week?’ Molly Saunders, a teacher from Unity, had been pregnant last year, and had done the research.
Cooper’s jaw jutted. His tone was low and adamant. ‘Can’t be too careful in your condition.’
When they stepped off the walkway, Cooper linked her arm through his. Given this kind of connection was a long way from kissing or, heaven forbid, making love, Sophie saved her energy and complaints, and instead quietly enjoyed the comforting sense of protection his strength offered.
Ten minutes later they were seated in his black soft-top. Cooper checked over his shoulder, slotted the gearstick into reverse, and backed out of the park. ‘When do I meet your family? They’ll want an introduction to the father of their grandchild.’
A cold wash of dread swept over Sophie’s body. She clutched the tote bag on her lap and stared blindly out of the window. ‘No rush. They’re a couple of hours’ drive from here.’
He stole a curious glance at her as he steered out into the traffic. ‘We have to do it sometime.’ Then he read between her tight-lipped lines. ‘I’d be happy to be there when you break the news about the baby.’
Sophie predicted the scene—her mother unsure whether to be happy or devastated, her father torn between being proud and concerned.
She blew out a resigned breath. ‘They’ll probably jump on what they’ll see as the obvious remedy and want a date set for the wedding.’
His left hand reached to claim hers. ‘Soon we’ll be able to give them one.’
For a heartbeat she thought about disengaging his hand and lopping it back on the steering wheel; she didn’t like feeling crowded by his assumptions. Not one bit. Fortunately for him, she did like the way her toes curled in her boots and her blood sizzled at his touch.
But it wasn’t enough.
She shivered beneath a shower of tingles when his thumb grazed back and forth over her fingers and he settled back into his seat as if they’d been driving together like this for years.
As if he’d won.
She grinned. She really had to admire such incredible confidence. Still … ‘Don’t get excited. I’m not even remotely close to agreeing to marry you. Just because you want this to happen, it doesn’t mean it will.’
Wishing wasn’t getting. Not even when a person was so obviously used to pursuing and attaining exactly what he wanted.
He flicked an unconcerned look into the rearview mirror. ‘I disagree.’
She summed him up, so cool and invincible. ‘Are all lawyers so arrogant?’
‘Are all teachers this hard-headed?’
A rush of ridiculous disappointment fell through her. Alone barely fifteen minutes and the barbs were already out.
She slipped her hand from his. ‘You sure know how to flatter a girl.’
His glance ran the entire length of her body. She gripped the seat. How did he do that? Set her alight with just a look.
‘I meant want I said to Penny the other day,’ he said. ‘I believe in fate. We will marry because it’s obviously meant to be. No use fighting it, either of us.’
She adjusted her seatbelt to turn slightly towards him. ‘That’s a line. You’re not superstitious. You said you don’t believe in luck.’
‘Fate isn’t superstition, and it has nothing to do with luck. It’s science. What happens in our lives was always meant to be.’
She wanted to disagree, but she wasn’t certain that she could.
He expanded. ‘The relativity of time plus a sequenced order of events equals destiny. It’s where planning and possibility collide. Admittedly this isn’t how I envisaged finding my wife and starting my family, but here we are. I won’t run from it. You shouldn’t fight it.’
Sophie took in his summation and her heartbeat tripped. A delicate question that needed an honest answer knocked at her brain. That night when they’d stayed together Cooper had decided he was done wasting time, that he was ready to make a commitment.
She formed a string of words in her mind, then pushed out the first before she could swallow the whole lot back down. ‘I have to ask … you didn’t doctor any of the condoms, did you?’
He slid her a fractious look. ‘You know the answer—but, no, of course not. In fact, I had absolutely no expectation of conceiving.’ He switched on the radio, turned down the volume. ‘It was fate.’
Hmm …
‘Boy and girl having a good time. It happens. Sometimes even with contraception. We’re living proof.’
