Well Suited (Red Lipstick Coalition #4)(8)

She took my hands, her lips smiling. “Oh, Katherine. I’m just…I’m so happy for you.”

I smiled back, a cursory flicker of my lips. “Thank you,” I said like I was supposed to. Because the truth was, I didn’t know how I felt. I just was. It just was, when a few hours ago, it wasn’t.

I wondered briefly if some emotional fallout would come from the decision. It was likely. And the when and how of it would probably be out of my control. I shifted against my discomfort.

Theo’s dark eyes appeared black, the pupil and iris a meld of color so deep, there was no discerning their bounds. His lips, which were wide and lusciously full, frowned.

“Who’s staying with you?” he asked with the direct authority of a man about to get something done.

“No one,” I answered. “Not anymore. Occasionally, my roommates will stay over, but that’s become infrequent now that they’re in relationships.”

His frown deepened. “I think you should reconsider my suggestion. In fact, I think it should become effective immediately.”

“Suggestion?” Tommy asked, a looming column of darkness. The same black eyes, the imposing dark hair, the inky color of his leather jacket, which squeaked as he crossed his arms.

“Theodore suggested that we cohabitate. That it would be easier if we’re living in the same space once the baby is born.”

At that, Tommy shared another look with his brother. This one held an edge of amusement, judging by the uptick of those devilish lips of theirs.

But it was Amelia who spoke. “I have so many questions, but we’re going to talk about that later.” It was as close to a warning as Amelia ever gave.

I sighed, already dreading the full focus of her attention when we were alone.

It seemed I had quite a bit of explaining to do.

Theo’s jaw was set, his eyes sparking with determination. “You just fainted. What if you’d been alone? What if you’d hit your head or fainted in the shower? I don’t think you should be alone, Kate.”

Amelia’s face swiveled to Theo, her brows arched in surprise.

Another sigh, this one resigned. “I’m not infirmed. I’m pregnant. I doubt I’ll faint again.”

“There’s no way you can know that,” he countered deftly.

Amelia nibbled on her lip.

Tommy watched the whole thing with the gears in his brain whirring.

They were all looking at me. And I found myself struggling to argue.

“I appreciate your concern, but really, I’m fine. I should have eaten some crackers after throwing up. As long as I keep my blood sugar in a healthy range, I won’t faint again.”

Theo ignored my protest completely. “Upstairs are two full master bedrooms and a living area. There’s an office, which we can convert to the baby’s room. I’m here. My mother is here. Amelia and Tommy are right upstairs. You won’t be alone if something happens.”

Now it was my turn to frown. The expression felt mighty on my face, though it was little more than a fractional downturn of my lips. “That’s a lot of people in one place.”

“It’s not really one place,” Amelia said, instantly excited. “We’re in a separate apartment, and Sarah is down here. Really, you should see Theo’s floor. You’ll have privacy. It’s quiet here. You won’t be bothered. And I’ll be right here, all the time. I hate the idea of you being all alone in the house. You don’t even have Claudius anymore.”

A single chuckle huffed from my nose. “I was thinking about going by a shelter on my way home.”

“A cat won’t push a Life Alert button for you,” Tommy pointed out. “If you’re here, we can all help.”

My frown deepened. “I don’t need help.”

Amelia squeezed my hand. “No, you don’t. You can do anything. But wouldn’t it be easier—safer—if you weren’t alone?”

I had no argument beyond not wanting to live with strangers. The idea of so much change made me uncomfortable. But I considered the embryo. And the fact that I had just fainted. Had Theo not been there, I would have hit my head on the coffee table.

The thought gave me pause.

“I…need more time to consider it,” I finally said.

A flash of triumph shot across his face before it smoothed, though his smile remained intact. It was small, higher on one side, cocksure and infallible.

I wondered briefly what his percentage of the time he was right, and estimated by his confidence that it was extraordinarily high.

“I’ll take that answer as enough,” he said as he stood. When our eyes met, he added, “For now.”

I ignored the implication that he’d press me. I didn’t like to be pressed. Or coerced. Or told what to do. I appreciated order and rules, but beyond that, I was as steadfast and stubborn as anyone, including Theodore Bane.

“Well, I’m coming home with you,” Amelia insisted.

I couldn’t even pretend to argue. My relief was instant. “All right,” I said, shifting to stand.

All three of them moved to help me at once. But Theo made it first, taking my arm, slipping a hand around my waist. Something in his touch relayed his thoughts—tenderness, affection, protection. And although I rankled at the feeling of being treated as an invalid, there was something deeply comforting about the gesture.