Seducing Simon(11)

“Thanks,” she said, stretching up to kiss him on the cheek.

She hurried to shower, eager to start her day of doing nothing. As much as she loved her job, a day off sounded next to Heaven. And Simon was right. She needed time to think about what she was going to do.

Minutes later, she pulled on a pair of shorts and an oversize T-shirt.

She secured her hair in a clip at the base of her neck and went back into the kitchen to eat.

“Mornin’ Toni,” A.J. called from the living room.

“Hey, A.J. How was the date last night?” He scowled at her, and she stifled a giggle. “That bad huh?”

“Hmm only if you consider a blind date with Attila the Hun’s twin sister bad.”

“Ouch. That’s bad.”

Simon set a plate of toast in front of her, and poured a tall glass of juice. “Eat up.”

She ate with gusto. She was on her second piece when she suddenly regretted eating at all. Her stomach curled into a tight knot, and a fine sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead. Cautiously, she sipped at the juice, trying desperately to control the wave of nausea.

“You okay, Toni?” Simon’s concerned voice echoed beside her.

She lunged from the stool and barreled into her bathroom. She just made it to the toilet before heaves racked her body. Placing her hands on the toilet seat, she leaned heavily on it for support as she rid her stomach of its contents.

A cool cloth pressed to her forehead, and a comforting hand rubbed her back as her body shuddered. “Take it easy,” Simon murmured. “Deep breaths.”

“Go away,” she wailed. All she needed was Simon to witness her puking her guts up.

Strong arms held her up, smoothed her hair from her face. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She leaned weakly against him, taking deep, steadying breaths. This sucked. Plain and simple. How mortifying to be puking all over a guy she wanted to notice her. Yeah he’d noticed all right.

“Better?”

She nodded and walked shakily over to the sink to wash her mouth out.

“I’ll be in the kitchen. You want something to drink? Some hot tea maybe?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I don’t think I could stomach it.” He squeezed her shoulder and walked out.

She splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth once more. Picking up the book Simon had bought for her, she walked back out of the bedroom and settled onto the couch beside A.J.

“You look like hell,” he said sympathetically.

“Gee thanks.” She punched him in the arm.

“I’ll see you guys later,” Matt called from the door. “I’m headed over to Stephanie’s.”

Toni waved. “Tell her I said hello.”

Simon finished cleaning the kitchen then headed to the bathroom for a shower. Toni leaned back and opened the pregnancy book, but her eyes followed Simon’s progress across the room.

A.J. put down the magazine he had been reading when Simon disappeared into his room. Feeling his gaze, she peered over at him. He was watching her intently. “Something wrong?” she asked.

“No, not at all. I was just wondering how long you’ve had a thing for Simon and why I’ve never seen it before now.”

Chapter Four

Her heart nearly stopped. “W-what?” She quickly recovered and managed a look of scorn. “You’ve spent too much time in the sun, A.J.” He smiled knowingly. “Deny it all you want, but I’ve seen the way you look at him. And hey, if it’s any consolation, I think you guys would be great together. He’d be a fool not to realize that.”

“Your bias is appreciated, but c’mon, A.J., I’m not Simon’s type.”

“But maybe you should be.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re forgetting one important aspect. I’m pregnant. I don’t know of too many guys who want to date a girl who’s pregnant.”

His eyes softened. “Don’t sell yourself short, Toni. Sure, there are guys who’d run screaming in the other direction, but there are a lot who’d care for you and your baby.”

“You’re sweet, A.J.,” she said with a smile.

He gave her a troubled look. “What about the father? Does he know?

Does he care?”

Her smile froze, and she looked down at her lap, avoiding his probing stare. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Did he hurt you, Toni?” His voice became steely, a thread of anger infusing his words.

“It’s complicated,” she mumbled. “Quit flexing your muscles, A.J. He doesn’t know, and I plan to keep it that way.”

His voice moved closer as he scooted across the sofa to sit next to her. “I’m so not understanding this. I know you well enough to know it isn’t like you to just hop into bed with a guy. You must have cared about him. Problem is, I can’t imagine who it could be. And if he didn’t hurt you, why wouldn’t you tell him? He deserves to know, don’t you think?”

“It’s none of your business,” she said fiercely. She shot up off the couch and made a grab for her keys on the bar. She had to get out. She knew she was acting childishly, irrationally, but A.J.’s arguments were sound, and she knew he would drag it out of her if she stuck around.