Christmas Secrets Collection. Laura Iding

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      “Thanks,” she murmured. She dug into the omelet and French toast meal he’d created with obvious enthusiasm. “Hmm. This is fantastic.”

      “I’m glad you like it.” He sat beside her with his own plate, eating mechanically but not tasting a thing as he kept darting worried glances at Alyssa. When he realized his plate was clean yet he didn’t remember tasting any of it, he set it aside with a grimace. “Alyssa, having contractions isn’t good.”

      “It’s not that bad. I’ve been timing them,” she said defensively. “They’re not regular and they don’t last long.”

      He wanted to shake some sense into her. “You were on your feet the entire night—don’t you think you might have overdone things just a bit?”

      “Maybe,” she said, avoiding his gaze.

      He stifled a sigh. “Are you going to call Kim? She should be the final judge as to whether or not you should continue working.”

      Alyssa was silent for a long moment, before she finally looked at him. “I already called off work for tonight. I just don’t think I can do another night shift like the one we had last night and I wanted to give them plenty of time to find someone to replace me.”

      “Thank heavens,” he said, overwhelmed with relief. Finally she’d come to her senses. Now, if only he could convince her to stay here at his house where he could watch over her. “Your health, along with the babies’, are your two main concerns. I’m sure they’ll find someone to work your shift.”

      “I hope so.” She frowned. “I don’t like to leave them short-staffed. Look how busy we were being fully staffed.”

      “I know, but they’re going to be working without you soon enough,” he pointed out. “Especially if you deliver early. So pushing yourself isn’t going to help.”

      She simply nodded as she ate the last bit of eggs and toast on her plate. When she was finished, he stood and took the tray from her lap.

      She frowned a little. “You cooked, so I should clean up.”

      Yeah, over his dead body she would. “Are you still having contractions?” he asked warily.

      “Not in the last fifteen minutes,” she said dryly. “Stop hovering, Jadon. The only thing Kim would tell me to do right now is go back on bed rest, which I can do on my own. I know my body well enough, and these few contractions aren’t anything to worry about.”

      Maybe, but he didn’t like it. He preferred having control of the situation, not waiting to see what might happen. He carried the dirty dishes back to the kitchen.

      When he returned to the living room a few minutes later, she was lying back against the cushions with her eyes closed. He didn’t want to disturb her but suddenly she opened her eyes.

      “Jadon, this isn’t going to work. You keep acting as if I’m going to fall apart. I think it’s time you took me home.”

      “No.” He stared at her for a long moment. “I’m happy to go to your apartment to pick up your things, but I’m not taking you home and leaving you alone.”

      Her eyes widened in surprise at his blunt response. “Excuse me?”

      “You heard me. Don’t ask me to do it, Alyssa, because I can’t. Look at you! You’re exhausted. You need to rest and you can’t do that if you have to do everything for yourself.” He rubbed the back of his neck, wishing he knew what to say to convince her. “Please. Stay here with me. At least until you deliver.”

      “Because you want to take care of me,” she said, her tone laced with a hint of bitterness.

      He didn’t understand why that made her mad, but knew he had to step carefully. “No, it’s not just that. I’ve missed you. And we have a lot to work through before the babies are born, don’t you think?”

      He sensed she liked that answer a little better, because she didn’t immediately jump into another argument.

      After what seemed like a lifetime, she slowly nodded. “All right, Jadon. I’ll stay for a short time.” His relief must have been obvious, because she hastily added, “But only if you bring my bedroom set here so that we both have a place to sleep. I refuse to kick you out of your bed.”

      Logically, he knew sharing his bed with her was out of the question. Still, that common-sense thought didn’t stop his body from reacting at the possibility.

      This move was for Alyssa and the twins, not for him.

      “It’s a deal,” he said quickly, before she could change her mind.

      Alyssa had truckloads of doubts regarding the wisdom of her decision to stay with Jadon, especially the way he sprung into action, calling Simon Carter for help and making a list of everything he needed to bring over from her apartment. He left so quickly when Simon arrived to pick him up she didn’t have time to voice her concerns.

      He’d said he’d missed her. And unfortunately he was right when he’d said they had a lot of details to work through before the twins were born. No matter how much she wanted to remain independent, she couldn’t be foolish about it. And despite how she’d reassured him, the contractions worried her. What if she couldn’t work anymore? She didn’t want to end up like her mother, obsessed with making ends meet. Hadn’t that been the real reason she’d insisted on going back to work so soon?

      And now look at her. She’d overdone it, big-time. With slow, deep breaths she performed the relaxation techniques she’d learned in Lamaze class. The contractions came and went, but were much less now that she was resting quietly.

      She’d missed her last session thanks to her hospitalization. It wasn’t that big a deal, the last class being to watch a video of a birth, and she’d seen one during her nurse’s training. Kylie, too, had not only had Ben but as a paramedic had also seen a birth. Kylie would be a great birthing coach.

      Would Jadon mind knowing Kylie was her birthing coach? Maybe, although it wasn’t as if he’d been around to attend classes with her. She remembered Megan, the birthing instructor, telling them there was a DVD version of the class available, too. Jadon would probably be more than willing to watch it.

      Wait a minute, was she seriously thinking of asking Jadon to be her birthing coach?

      Yes. She was.

      She closed her eyes with a weary sigh. Moving in with him was definitely a mistake. They were soon-to-be parents without the benefit of a loving relationship. And she was beginning to care about him, too much. And what did he want from her? Nothing. He’d been the one to break off their kiss. He’d been clear about how much he wanted her to stay here with him, but only because she needed help. Not because he was interested in pursuing an intimate relationship. That much was obvious.

      Her cheeks flushed and her breath shortened as she relived the kiss. For some strange reason—maybe an excess of hormones—she was burning with pent-up sexual frustration. She’d never realized how easy it was to get sexually stimulated while pregnant.

      She’d wanted Jadon.

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