Christmas Secrets Collection. Laura Iding
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Название: Christmas Secrets Collection
Автор: Laura Iding
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
Серия: Mills & Boon e-Book Collections
isbn: 9780008900588
isbn:
“Alyssa, don’t.” He quickened his pace so he could reach out to grab her arm. “Take my bed. I insist.”
She tugged her arm away as if she couldn’t tolerate his touch and crossed her arms over her chest. “I can’t take your bed.”
“Why not? I can’t let you sleep on the sofa.” He had two spare bedrooms, one he used as an office and the other just a junk room. When he’d invited her to move in with him, he’d intended to buy a bedroom set for the second bedroom. “Please, just this once, humor me.”
She cocked a brow. “Just this once? I thought I’d been humoring you all along.”
He couldn’t disagree. “Maybe you have, but give me a break, will you? What if you tried to roll over on my sofa and fell to the floor, landing on your stomach? I’d never forgive myself.”
Her mouth curved in a reluctant smile but then quickly faded. “Fine. I’ll take your bed. But if you wake up with a sore back, don’t blame me.”
Better him having a sore back than her, but he didn’t say anything. He headed down the hall and gestured to the bedroom, feeling somewhat awkward. “I’m, uh,
sure you remember where everything is, right?”
Avoiding his gaze, she nodded. “Yes.”
He tried not to remember the last time she’d been at his house, the night they’d made love several times, staying awake until dawn.
Pulling his gaze away from his bed, Jadon grabbed a pillow and a blanket from his linen closet. “Goodnight, Alyssa. Sleep well.”
She didn’t answer but closed his bedroom door with a loud click. He stared at it for a long moment before he turned and headed back into the living room to stretch out on his sofa.
The cloudy, snowy day should have made it easier for him to get some rest.
But even though he was dead tired, he couldn’t sleep.
Images of Alyssa, in his bed, tortured him. He’d never made love to a pregnant woman before, but kissing Alyssa had been pure heaven. He found he was enthralled by the changes in her body, especially when he discovered she was still as responsive as ever. There must be something wrong with him to see Alyssa as more sexy than ever while soft and round, carrying his children.
From a medical perspective, he knew sexual intercourse wasn’t dangerous during pregnancy. Alyssa had seemed to be as involved in their kiss as he’d been.
So why had he broken things off? Because sex didn’t solve anything. They couldn’t go back to being the carefree lovers they’d been. He didn’t have a normal family, a normal future to offer her. He couldn’t let himself fall for her. He had responsibilities. Obviously he’d help support her and the twins, but that was all he could do.
Knowing the truth didn’t ease the ache in his groin. If he hadn’t let his conscience get the better of him, they’d be sharing his bed right now.
He had no one to blame for his restlessness but himself.
ABOUT five hours later, Jadon woke up to the sound of his stomach growling. As he struggled upright on the not-so-comfortable-for-sleeping sofa, wincing against the light streaming through the living-room window, he wondered if Alyssa needed something to eat as well.
After all, she was eating for three. And working night shifts really messed up your body’s normal rhythms. If he was hungry, she had to be starved.
Yawning widely, he shuffled down the hall toward the bathroom, pausing outside the closed door to his room and listening intently for any signs that she was up and awake. When after several moments he didn’t hear a thing, he turned away. After spending a few minutes in the bathroom, he headed back to the kitchen.
Pursing his lips, he stared inside his fridge. Cooking wasn’t exactly his strong suit, but he had eggs and milk. He opened a drawer and found cheese and a few green onions. He thought he still had some bacon bits, too. Just enough ingredients to scrape together an omelet. And some French toast if she wanted some.
He’d made both of the breakfasts for her before, he remembered, during those brief months of their steamy affair, and she’d seemed to enjoy them. So which one should he go with now?
Both, he decided. Couldn’t go wrong with a choice.
He made a small pot of coffee, feeling a little guilty for drinking the brew in front of Alyssa but needing some caffeine to help clear his fuzzy, sleep-fogged brain.
He downed two cups of coffee, feeling more human afterward as he set about cracking eggs into a small bowl. He rather liked cooking for Alyssa.
Just as he finished preparing the meal, he heard the bathroom door close. Alyssa was awake, no doubt making one of her all-too-frequent trips to the bathroom.
He grabbed a rather beat-up metal TV tray left over from his college and medical school days, and loaded up the two plates he’d prepared. He added a tall glass of milk for Alyssa and then carried them out to the living room, just in time to catch her coming out of the bathroom.
She wore a pair of his old navy blue sweatpants and a sweatshirt, looking sleepily adorable despite the baggy clothes. He had to clench his teeth against a wave of desire.
“Alyssa? Are you hungry?” He hoped his voice didn’t betray his lustful thoughts and he avoided her gaze by staring down at the food on the tray. “I have French toast and omelets.”
She paused, and then nodded, showing no sign of her earlier ire. “You know, I am hungry. Thanks, it sounds great.”
As she came closer, he noticed her face was pale and drawn, her earlier exhaustion still evident on her features.
Obviously, she needed a few more hours of sleep.
“Sit here on the sofa where it’s more comfortable,” he said, shoving aside the pillow and blanket he’d used. “Put your feet up and relax.”
She walked slowly into the living room, gingerly sitting on one end of the sofa. She rested her feet on top of his coffee table with a muffled sigh.
He frowned in concern. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been having some episodes of contractions,” she admitted. “But they seem to be getting less frequent.”
“Contractions?” His heart clenched and he stared helplessly at her rounded stomach. “Shouldn’t you call Kim Rayborn?”
Alyssa bit her lip. “Yes,” she agreed. “But I’d like to eat first. Last time this happened, they stopped on their own.”
Last time? When? During the night? Or before she’d even gone to work?
Dammit, she had no business going back to work so soon.
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