Undone by Her Tender Touch (Pregnancy & Passion #4)(18)

“I wouldn’t just quit because the child was here,” he said in outrage.

“Please just stop,” she begged. “We’re getting nowhere. I’m tired. I’m stressed. I honest to God want to go to bed and cry.”

He looked horrified by the possibility. Instant regret flashed across his face, and she knew, she knew deep down, that they weren’t really the two people who stood here so volatile and on edge. They had been pushed beyond their endurance. The past weeks had put enormous strain on them both. They just needed time. And distance. A better perspective. Anything but standing here in her apartment arguing endlessly.

“I think you should just go now,” she said gently. “We both have a lot to process and we’re both too raw to have a sane, intelligent conversation. We’re going to have a long eight months together. Let’s not start it off by arguing endlessly over details.”

“I’m sorry,” he said gruffly.

To her surprise he pulled her into his arms. She rested her forehead against the hollow of his throat and closed her eyes.

“I didn’t intend this to happen,” he said in a quiet voice. “I would have given anything at all for it not to. But it’s a reality and it’s something we must both come to terms with. Like you, I want this child very much. I have to know you’re both safe. Grant me that at least.”

She nodded against him before pulling away.

He grimaced and checked his watch. “I didn’t bring dinner as I said I would. I was in too big a hurry to get here. I know you’re tired and upset, but perhaps we could order in and have a quiet dinner together.”

“Would it offend you if I only wanted to crawl into bed and go to sleep? Fatigue is killing me so far.”

He looked as though he might argue and then he simply nodded, touching her cheek before he walked past her to the door.

Eight

“So when exactly were you going to tell me the news?” Devon asked in an irritable voice.

Cam turned to find his friend leaning against the door frame of his office.

Even though they shared a suite of offices, Cam hadn’t seen his friend in quite some time. With his other partners, it was understandable—ever since they’d gotten married, Rafe and Ryan spent most of their time overseeing projects on their respective islands where they’d settled with their wives. But Cam had to admit that he’d avoided Devon ever since the night he and Pippa had left Ashley’s housewarming. Pippa was very good friends with Ashley, and Ashley was nothing if not intensely loyal. She’d probably already filled Devon’s head with all the ways in which Cam was a first-rate jerk.

Cam sighed and motioned Devon in with a wave of his hand. Devon ambled forward and dropped into one of the chairs in front of Cam’s desk.

“Well?”

Cam swore under his breath and took a seat in his leather executive’s chair. “Well, what? I’m sure you know the whole bloody story by now. With the way Pippa’s avoiding me, you probably know more than I do at this point.”

Devon raised an eyebrow. “Avoiding you? Don’t tell me that fatalistic charm of yours is an epic fail?”

“Charm has nothing to do with it,” Cam bit out.

“Evidently.”

Cam sighed. “Did you just come to put the screws to me or do you actually need something?”

“More like I was wondering why my best friend doesn’t bother to tell me he knocked up my wife’s best friend.”

Cam winced and closed his eyes. “Christ, Dev, you think I set out to do it on purpose? You of all people should know this is the very last thing I’d ever want.”

Devon slowly nodded. “Yes, I do know. Which is why I found this all a bit strange.”

“It was supposed to be a one-night thing. I was attracted to her. She was attracted to me. Things kind of came to a head the night of your housewarming and we went to my place.”

“You brought a woman back to your cave? I knew you had the hots for her but didn’t think you were serious about taking her back to your place.”

The utter disbelief in Devon’s voice annoyed Cam. It wasn’t as though the decision was earth-shattering.

“It made no sense to drive back into the city and get a hotel or go back to her place when my house was a quarter mile away.”

“Of course,” Devon said mockingly.

“Whatever,” Cam muttered. “The point is, this was not planned. In fact, the effort was made to prevent it. Unfortunately, the damn condom broke and here we are, both about to be parents. She isn’t any more thrilled about it than I am. I mean, with the way it happened. Hell, I’m making it sound like neither of us wants this baby. We do. We just don’t agree… Well, we don’t agree on anything so far.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Devon said sincerely.

Cam waved the sympathy away. It did him no good at this point. “Have you seen her? Has Ashley said anything about her at all? She’s avoiding me and it’s starting to piss me the hell off.”

Devon cleared his throat. “Pippa was out at the house the other night. She’s pretty upset at the moment.”

Cam sat forward. “Upset about the pregnancy? Has she changed her mind about having the baby?”

Devon held up his hand. “Slow down. Nothing like that. As far as I know, she’s taking the pregnancy very well. Things aren’t going so well for her business plans, though. Apparently the lease she’d signed for her shop fell through and she’s not having any luck finding anything else suitable. She’s on a pretty tight budget, and now with a baby on the way, she’s starting to panic.”