Undone by Her Tender Touch (Pregnancy & Passion #4)(15)

Maybe it was the coldness of the arrangement that had put her off. Maybe she wanted…more. He cringed even as he thought it, but marriage? Maybe it was the best solution. A practical solution. She’d certainly benefit and he’d get what he most wanted. Peace of mind.

“I’m just tired. And worried,” she admitted. “It will be better now, regardless. It’s just a relief to finally know so that decisions can be made.”

Alarm skittered up his neck, prickling every one of the hairs. “Decisions? What kind of decisions?”

She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. He really wished she’d take that damn coat off but he wasn’t certain he wanted her to stay. He damn sure knew he didn’t want her to leave. What a mess this entire situation was.

Deciding to take charge, he took a step back from his desk and turned sideways, keeping her in sight. “We have a lot to work out. I will have a lawyer draw up papers. We should think about living arrangements.”

She held up a hand to stop the flow of conversation. Her other hand went to her temple and rubbed even as she shook her head.

“I refuse to have any sort of a conversation about my future or your future or the baby’s future in some damn office where who knows what can be overheard. I’m still struggling to come to terms with this. I just thought you should know, so that maybe you’d have time to come to grips with this, as well. I thought we could talk later. After we’ve both had time to think. I just… I just needed to tell you. I couldn’t wait.”

“I don’t think—”

She raised her gaze to meet his and her eyes sparked with quick anger. “I don’t care what you think. I’m going now. If you’d like to discuss this later, you can come to my apartment. Right now I’m going to have lunch. Alone. I’ll be home by six.”

If she’d just been snappish and churlish he probably would have wanted to wring her neck. But what he saw was a woman valiantly trying to maintain control. She was rattled—every bit as rattled as he was—and it looked as if she would shatter at any moment.

He couldn’t push her. It would be unconscionable. Even as the thought of allowing her to walk out without having anything settled made his stomach knot. It was all he could do to slowly nod his agreement.

“All right,” he said quietly. “I’ll be at your apartment at six. Don’t worry about dinner. I’ll bring something.”

Seven

It shouldn’t have surprised Pippa to find Cam waiting for her on the stoop of her apartment, but when she looked up and saw him there, her eyes widened in shock. Then she checked her watch, wondering if she’d lost more time than she’d thought on the walk home. But nope, he was just really damn early.

He was wearing a long coat, but no hat or scarf, and his hair was damp from the drizzle that still couldn’t decide on whether it wanted to be snow or not. His mouth was drawn into a grim line, but his expression softened when he saw her. She could swear she saw relief glimmering in his eyes.

She quickly dug into her pocket for her keys and mounted the steps. He moved to the side, frowning as she fumbled with the lock.

“Did you walk all this way?”

She pushed open the door, welcoming the instant warmth. Cam came in behind her and helped her with her coat before removing his. She started to take them, but he shook his head and asked, “Where do you want them?”

She gestured toward the closet door. “There is fine.”

She waited until he’d finished and then led him into the living room.

“You didn’t answer my question. Did you walk all the way home in the rain? It’s frigid out there.”

“Just the last ten blocks. I rode with Ashley to your office and then hopped a cab to the restaurant where I had lunch. There was little sense in getting one home since it’s so close.”

His frown didn’t go away but he eased his large frame into one of her too-small chairs. He looked enormous in her tiny living room. His presence overpowered everything else and she had the instant sensation of not being able to breathe.

He seemed nervous and on edge. Guilt for her earlier unreasonableness ate at her. She’d been a bitch with the way she’d dumped the news on him at his office and then left in a snit.

He dragged a hand through his hair, then glanced her way again. “I know I’m here early, but perhaps you’ll understand my impatience to get this matter settled.”

“Settled?” she echoed. She eased down onto the edge of the couch. She should be offering him a drink or…something…but somehow it seemed silly because neither of them cared for observing social niceties at the moment. “I don’t see that this will ever quite be settled. It’s not something to be settled.”

He sat forward, his body language tense and impatient. He dragged a hand through his hair several more times as he seemed to be trying to figure out what to say next.

“I’d like to know your plans.”

She gave a jerky laugh, then closed her eyes because she was teetering on full-on bitch mode again. “You and me both. You have to give me a break, Cam. I only just found out this morning.”

“Do you want the baby?”

“Yes!” she said fiercely. “Yes,” she said again, calmer this time. “I’ve battled that question constantly over the past weeks, and no matter how stressed, worried, panicky or dismayed I may currently be, I do want this baby.”