A Royal Baby Surprise (The Sherdana 2)

It was what he’d said to her their first night together. To her amazement, once he’d stopped resisting her flirtatious banter and taken the lead, she’d been overcome by his authoritative manner and had surrendered to his every whim. Her skin tingled, remembering the sweep of his fingers across the sensitized planes of her body. He’d made love to her with a thoroughness she’d never known. Not one inch of her body had gone unclaimed by him and she’d let it all happen. Her smile had blazed undiminished for five months until he’d driven up to San Francisco for the talk.

Natasa returned with their drinks. She gave Brooke a quick once-over, plunked two bottles on the table and shot Nic a hard look he didn’t notice. Brooke grinned as Nic reached for her bottled water and broke the seal without being asked. He didn’t know it, but this was just one of the things that had become a ritual with them. During the past five years, Brooke had repeatedly asked him to do her small favors and Nic had obliged, grumbling all the while about her inability to do the simplest tasks. He’d never figured out that each time he helped her, he became a little more invested in their relationship.

Six months ago all her subtle efforts had brought results. After a successful test firing of the Griffin’s ignition system, the team had been celebrating in Glen’s backyard. Nic had been animated, electrified. She’d been a moth to his flame, basking in his warm smiles and affectionate touches. At the end of the evening he’d meshed their fingers together and drawn her to the privacy of the front porch where he’d kissed her silly.

Lying sleepless in her bed that night she’d relived the mind-blowing kiss over and over and wondered what she’d done to finally break through Nic’s resistance. She hadn’t been able to pinpoint anything, nor did she think that day’s success had been the trigger. The team had enjoyed several triumphs in the previous few months. In the end Brooke had decided her years of flirting had finally begun to reach him.

After that night, she’d noticed a subtle difference in the way Nic behaved toward her and began to hope that he might have finally figured out she was the one for him. Brooke increased the frequency of her weekend visits to the Mojave Air and Space Port, where the Griffin team had their offices. Despite the increased urgency to finish the rocket and get it ready for a test launch, Nic had made time for quiet dinners. Afterward, they’d often talked late into the night. After two months, he’d taken things to the next level. He’d shared not just his body with her, but his dreams and desires, as well. At the time, she’d thought she was getting to know the real Nic. Now she realized how much he’d kept from her.

With fresh eyes, Brooke regarded her brother’s best friend and saw only a stranger. In his stylish clothes and expensive shades he looked every inch a rich European. She contemplated the arrogant tilt of his head, the utter command of his presence as he watched her. Why had she never picked up on it earlier?

Because his English was flawlessly Americanized. Because he went to work every day in ordinary jeans and

T-shirts. Granted, he filled out his commonplace clothes in an extraordinary manner, but nothing about his impressive pecs and washboard abs screamed aristocracy. She’d always assumed he rarely let off steam with his fellow scientists because he was preoccupied with work.

Now she realized he’d been brought up with different expectations placed upon him than people in her orbit. A picture formed in her mind. Nic, tall and proud, his broad shoulders filling out a formfitting tuxedo, a red sash across his chest from shoulder to hip. He looked regal. Larger than life. Completely out of reach.

Brooke had always believed that people didn’t regret the things they did, only the things they didn’t. She liked to believe she was richer for every experience she’d had, good or bad. Would she have given her heart to Nic if she’d known who he was from the beginning? Yes. Brief as it had been, she cherished every moment of their time together.

While logic enabled her to rationalize why she couldn’t marry him, her heart prevented her from walking away without a backward glance. And she suspected he wasn’t thrilled to be sacrificing himself so that his family could continue to reign. As devastating as it was to think she’d have to give up on a future with Nic, wanting to be with him was a yearning she couldn’t shake off.

“I’m going to ask you a question,” she announced abruptly, her gaze drilling through his bland expression. “And I expect the truth this time.”

Nic’s beer bottle hung between the table and his lips. “I suppose I owe you that.”

“You’re darned right you do.” She ignored the brief flare of amusement in his eyes. “I want to know the real reason you broke up with me.”

“I’ve already explained the reason. We have no future. I have to go home and I have to marry.” He stared at the harbor behind her, his expression chiseled in granite.

She’d obviously phrased her question wrong. “And if your brother hadn’t married someone who couldn’t have children? Would you have broken things off?”

What she really wanted to know was if he loved her, but she wasn’t sure he’d pondered how deep his feelings for her ran. Also, a month ago he’d apparently accepted that he had to marry someone else and it wasn’t his nature to dwell on impossibilities.

“It’s a simple question,” she prompted as the silence stretched. He surely hated being put on the spot like this, but she couldn’t move on until she knew.

His chest rose and fell on a huge sigh as he met her gaze with heavy-lidded eyes. Something flickered within those bronze-colored depths. Something that made her stomach contract and her spirits soar.

She’d journeyed to Ithaca to tell him about the baby, but also because she couldn’t bear to let him go. Now she understood that she had to. But not yet. She had two days before she had to return to the States. Two days to say goodbye. All she needed was a sign from Nic that he hadn’t wanted to give her up.

“No.” He spoke the word like a curse. “We’d still be together.”

* * *

The instant the words left his lips, Nic wished he’d maintained the lies. Brooke’s eyes kindled with satisfaction and her body relaxed. She resembled a contented cat. He’d seen the look many times and knew it meant trouble.

“I think we should spend the time between now and when you leave together.” She gave the last word a specific emphasis that he couldn’t misinterpret.

Nic shook his head, vigorously rejecting her suggestion. “That’s not fair to you.” Duty. Honor. Integrity. He repeated the words like a prayer. “I won’t take advantage of you that way.”

Brooke leaned forward, her gaze sharpening. “Has it ever occurred to you that I like it when you take advantage of me?”

The world beyond their table blurred until it was only him and her and the intense emotional connection that had clicked into place the first time they’d made love, a connection that couldn’t be severed.

“I never noticed.” His attempt to banter with her so that she’d adopt a less serious mood fell flat.

Her determination gained momentum. “Tell me you don’t want to spend your last days of freedom with me.”

Every molecule that made up his body screamed at him to agree. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I shouldn’t.” He spoke quickly to prevent her from arguing with him. “Ever since finding out I had to return home and get married, I promised myself I wouldn’t touch you again.”