Bittersweet Passion

‘And here you are roughing it, pregnant and deserted. I can imagine that went down beautifully,’ Dane commented coldly, his bright gaze condemning. ‘I gather you let her think I ditched you.’

‘We didn’t discuss it.’ She straightened her back tiredly, overtly conscious of his hard scrutiny. She felt so ugly that she wanted to curl up and die, and she wished he’d stop staring as if she had sprouted wings. Doubtless he was still trying to adjust to the idea that he was shortly to become a father.

‘I’ll help you pack.’

She frowned. ‘Pack?’

It was an unnecessary question. Dane had self-sacrifice written all over him. He was ready to assume responsibility again. Inwardly she squirmed. He had to hate her for this. ‘I’m sorry … I really am sorry.’

‘I want the baby, Claire.’

‘Once more with conviction,’ she quipped wretchedly.

‘If you say you’re sorry once more, I’ll …’ His roughened drawl cut off mid-sentence as he surveyed the defeated aspect of her strained eyes. ‘Max is out of it, Claire. Isn’t it time you faced up to the fact that the only two people concerned now are you and me?’ he enquired drily.

He still believed she was dumb enough to crave another man when she was carrying his child! However, that was safer than letting him guess the truth when the truth would make him feel uncomfortable.

‘How do you feel?’

Emptied, mortified and as welcome as a snow shower in June! ‘I’m OK, it’s not a sickness, you know!’ she fended waspishly.

‘Does nothing for your temper,’ Dane hazarded unprovoked, something gleaming in his measuring appraisal that she couldn’t interpret. ‘I could say a lot of things you wouldn’t believe but instead I’ll be straight. I’ve reached the end of my patience with you, Claire. You’re coming with me and you’re going to remain my wife. If you don’t, I’ll take that baby from you.’

The blood chilled in her veins. Encountering cool sapphire eyes she trembled. ‘But you don’t want …’

‘How would you know?’ His interruption was crushing. ‘So I once said I had no great desire for kids. The situation’s different when my child is only a few weeks off being born.’

Her curling lashes hid her unhappy eyes. He couldn’t deceive her to that extent. He would prefer to use pressure to convince her that he too wanted the baby. So it was silly of her to be frightened even for a moment by his threat. He was being cruel to be kind. She could have smote him dead for just being what he was. A breathtakingly beautiful male viewing his most unbeautiful and most unwanted and very pregnant wife. Fate was very cruel fishing up Dane now when she was round as a barrel, she reflected bitterly. Women didn’t have unplanned babies in Dane’s world. He had to be thinking about that, grimly wishing he hadn’t let his temper get the better of him, and it was lowering, unbelievably lowering.

‘I didn’t want you to find out like this.’

His scrutiny was cold. ‘You didn’t want me to find out at all.’

‘I thought you’d be happier that way.’

He swore, and in his heart she knew he had to agree with her. He couldn’t want to return to the charade of a marriage which he had already put behind him, over so ignominious a stumbling block as a baby. In some cases, ignorance could be bliss.

Her hands flickered together and finally linked. ‘I’d never have asked you to marry me if I’d known how … what are you laughing at?’

He grinned. ‘I’ve missed having you around.’

Her almost-smile ebbed instantly. ‘You don’t need to say things like that.’

‘All right, I didn’t miss you. I now feel trapped. Is that what you want to hear?’ he raked in exasperation. ‘What makes you think that I’d be trapped by any situation that I didn’t like?’

Very easy to say. His wishes had had no effect on her conception, and with the baby so close to being born, there was very little else he could say. Dane was a positive thinker. He wasn’t the type to groan about what couldn’t be changed. ‘I think it would be better if you left me alone,’ she stated tightly.

‘And I wander off and neglect to recall that I have a child somewhere? What the hell gives you the right to make that kind of demand?’

Startled, she clashed with the warning glitter of his challenging gaze. He tilted his head back and sighed. ?

?Look, this isn’t getting us anywhere fast. Why don’t I take you out to dinner?’

Bewilderment held her fast. ‘I … I don’t think I could face going out tonight.’ She bit her lip. ‘But if you like, you can eat here.’

‘You look beat. I don’t want to put you to any trouble.’

Claire surveyed him wearily. ‘It won’t be any trouble. I’d like to get changed. The lounge,’ she muttered, ‘is at the foot of the hall.’