Reilly's Wildcard (Blackwater)

She blinked rapidly, dumbfounded he would ask such a question. “She’s the epitome of motherhood. Happy all the time, seeing to her husband’s and kids’ every need, and she does it with every hair in place and a perfectly ironed dress. It’s annoying, if you ask me.”

“She was also a fictional television-show character. And while I wouldn’t mind you waiting on me hand and foot, I don’t need you to be something you’re not.” He kissed her briefly, then whispered, “I like you full of fire and spirit.” He sat next to her on the couch and extended an arm around her shoulders and played with her hair.

“That’s a nice change of pace,” she said as she thought about her failed marriage. “David always wanted me to be gentle and girly and the perfect wife. I’d tried hard to be what he wanted at first, but I quickly learned that nothing I did would ever be good enough.”

“David sounds like an idiot. He didn’t know what a wonderful woman he had.”

The sweet words sent Lucy into orbit. She scrubbed a hand over her face. “I’ll have to check my lease, but I think it’s about up. I’ll start looking for a bigger place tomorrow.”

“I’m not—” The ringing of his cell phone cut off his words. He let it ring a second and third time before sighing and reaching over the back of the couch to pick it up off the table where he’d tossed it. “I’m busy, so this better be good.”

Lucy swatted him in the chest for his rudeness, but he only shrugged. “I meant to get back to you, but I’ve been sort of tied up, Brodix.” Reilly pushed a button on the phone and said, “I hit Mute. Brodix wants to know what’s going on between you and me. The only person I told about the pregnancy is River. I figured we’d tell the family together, but Brodix is asking questions.”

“If Brodix is getting curious, then Sarah is as well.” Reilly’s family? That included Reilly’s mother. What if the woman hates me? Or thinks I got pregnant on purpose to trap her son?

Lucy heard a tinkling sound coming from her purse. She snagged her cell out of the inside pocket and looked at the number on the screen. It was Sarah.

“Hi, sweetie,” Lucy said after she hit Talk.

“What’s going on with you and Reilly? I just heard you came to see him at the restaurant today and that you auditioned too.”

“Uh, it’s a long, complicated story.” She glanced at Reilly for reassurance. At his nod, Lucy said, “So, to narrow it down, I’m pregnant.”

“Lucy’s pregnant,” Reilly told Brodix after he unmuted the phone.

Lucy could all but feel Sarah’s concern. “Why didn’t you say anything? How long have you known?”

“I waited because I wanted to be sure. Also, I needed to tell Reilly first. You were supposed to be my next stop, but Reilly sort of…blindsided me.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a Jennings, all right.” A few seconds went by, then, “Are you happy?”

Lucy thought about that. Was she happy? The answer was a little murky. She only knew that with Reilly, the next seven months would certainly prove to be exciting. When she thought of it like that, her answer was easy. “Yes, I am.”

“Then I’m happy too.”

Lucy could have hugged her at that point, even though she hated all that wimpy crap. And just like that, for the first time since seeing that little plus sign on the pregnancy test, Lucy began to truly get excited. Sarah always did that to her. After divorcing David, Sarah had been there with her through all of it. At a time in her life when she thought she’d never be able to smile again, Sarah had kept her sane.

They talked for about half an hour, and Reilly paced the room the entire time. His call had ended within minutes.

Finally, Sarah was ready to hang up. Lucy still sported a grin when she dropped her phone into her purse and stood. Reilly’s hot gaze wiped the smile right off her face. He stared at her with intense longing. “Did you get Sarah all squared away?”

She tucked her hair behind her ear. “She’s ready to spend an outrageous fortune on the baby. It’s crazy how excited she is.” Lucy walked to the sliding glass doors and opened them. As she stepped out, a gust of cool, evening air hit her. She loved the summer nights. It was her favorite time. She often wondered if she’d been an owl or some other nocturnal creature in a former life. Caught up in her thoughts, Lucy never heard Reilly come up behind her.

“When you were talking to Sarah, you were smiling. It was the first time I have seen you excited about the baby.”

She hadn’t realized that. Did he think she was unhappy about the pregnancy? Lucy turned around, intent on setting him straight on that score. “Don’t get me wrong, I love this baby, and I’m glad I’m going to be a mother. But I’m scared, Reilly. This isn’t how I pictured things. Not even close.”

His arms stole around her waist and he pulled her close. “It’s not my ideal situation either, but I will take care of you. There’s no need for this fear. Let it go and allow yourself to be happy.”

“Reilly,” she warned, “there will be no ‘taking care of me’. I’m my own person, and I’m not about to change.”

“We’ll see,” he promised with a wicked gleam in his eyes. When he began backing her into the r

oom, closing and locking the doors behind him, Lucy’s blood turned to molten lava. He placed her on the couch, then went about unbuttoning her blouse. Lucy had half a mind to stop him, but the other half, the naughtier half, didn’t. The flimsy material fell open, exposing her white satin bra. Reilly made quick work of it. He cupped her breasts in his palms and groaned.

“It feels so good when you touch me,” she admitted, her voice raw with hunger.

“Then I should definitely touch you very often,” he whispered. “Daily, in fact.”