Authors: Vivian Arend
This time, barely three months later, was an entirely different experience. He kissed her, loving how she leaned forward to meet him. How she responded to his caresses as eagerly as he remembered.
He slipped his hand over her hip, gliding gently up to her waist.
Even though her body hadn’t changed much yet, this was where everything was different. This is what set tonight apart from what had happened before.
This was no longer a simple relationship between the two of them. There was the baby. Even if he didn’t know for sure the baby was his—and
God
, how that tore his soul—the truth still stood. Katy was having a baby. If he went into a relationship with her, he got instant family.
But right now his thoughts were far more on Katy the lover, than Katy the mother-to-be. How far was too far?
His body screamed for him to let a lot more happen. To explore the soft curves under his hands. To use his tongue and lips to see if his memories matched up with the reality he now held.
His mind told him to take it slower.
The sounds she made were not helping. Little gasps of pleasure. Long, low moans that traveled down his spine and reverberated in his balls.
Katy lifted herself, swinging her leg across him to resettle in his lap. She was basically straddling him, and his imagination went wild on all the things the position would allow them to do.
Bright eyes gazed into his as she rested her forearms on his shoulders. She smiled, a dimple appearing in one cheek. “Maybe we should find a better show to watch. This one doesn’t seem to be keeping our attention.”
He laughed. “I’m trying really hard not to get carried away,” he admitted.
“I know.” Katy leaned in and grabbed on tight, giving him a huge bear hug. “And I really appreciate it.”
They sat like that for a moment, Gage drawing his fingers over her back as he planned the next best move.
A knock on the door jerked their attention upward. She crawled off his lap, and he reluctantly rose to his feet.
“You want to grab us new drinks?” she asked. “I’ll get this, then we can watch something else if you want.”
Gage had just stepped through the doorway into the kitchen when he heard Katy’s quick indrawn breath. He swung around in time to see exactly who was on the other side of the door. All thought of refreshment vanished as he stomped his way back to her side.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.
Simon’s smile vanished as he took in Gage. “I could ask you the same thing.”
Katy thrust a hand between the two of them, literally cutting them off from each other.
“Guys, put your dicks back in your pants.” She faced Simon, her upper body stiff. “So. Haven’t seen you for a couple of weeks. That was quite the appointment you had to run off to.”
The dark-haired man on the porch had the grace to look sheepish. “Yeah, sorry about that. Can I come in? I wanted to talk to you…” his gaze shot up to take in Gage as he added, “…privately.”
Hell, no. “In your dreams, dickwad.”
At his side, Katy sighed heavily. “It would be really nice if I got to be in charge of what happens, since this is my house and all.”
She gave Gage a disappointed look, and he backed off only far enough to allow Simon to step into the entranceway.
Simon ignored Gage completely. Instead he took a package from behind his back and offered it to Katy. “I know I was out of line. I shouldn’t have taken off on you, or I should have at least phoned. But I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and I wanted you to know that I’m there for you. One hundred percent.”
The sincerity in Simon’s voice seemed real. In fact, Gage had never heard the other man speak so kindly before.
And the Oscar goes to…
Katy twisted the package in her hands. “What is it?”
“Open it and see,” Simon teased.
She paced back into the living room, her fingers busily ripping the paper away. Simon’s gaze met Gage’s, his lips curling in a soundless snarl. That was it—the rivalry was clear. The battle had barely even begun.
“Oh, Simon.” She held a fancy baby book in her lap. “It’s beautiful.”
Simon slipped off his boots and padded across the floor to kneel at her side. “All us kids have one like it that my mom did up for us. I thought you might like to have it while you’re pregnant.” He turned a few pages in the book. “There are places for you to write things starting now if you want. I hope you like it.”
Well, hell. Gage had to admit the other man had more than stepped up to the plate this time. He still didn’t trust Simon any farther than he could throw him, but this attentive, caring pretense changed everything.
She ran her fingers over the scrolled gold lettering embossed on the front cover. “Thank you. It’s a very considerate gift.”
Simon rocked back on his heels. “Maybe you and I could talk about some other things as well.”
The tension in her body was clear as she gazed between Gage and Simon. “We do need to talk.”
Gage did not want to leave the room. He wasn’t going to suggest he should leave the room. In fact, he kind of felt like the only way he would leave the room was if he were dragged from it.
Then, hallelujah, rescue came from the least likely place. Simon’s phone went off. He cursed softly as he checked the display before announcing, “Sorry. I have to take this.”
“Not to worry,” she assured him.
Simon stepped toward the front door to answer his call. Gage took advantage of the moment to sit back beside Katy and place his hand gently on her knee. Reconnecting them.
He ignored the droll voice in his head pointing out he was staking his claim. “How are you doing?”
She made a face. “This is not what I expected to happen tonight. Not at all.”
Gage watched Simon as he spoke on his phone. Dammit, he didn’t want to do this, but he had to offer. “What do you want me to do?”
Katy sighed. She leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. “I don’t know what I want anymore.”
Her comment jerked a brief snort of amusement from him. “Right, that was a load of bullshit.”
A snicker escaped her. “Yeah, well, how about I don’t know what I want at this moment.”
He spoke softly. “How about I admit I don’t want to leave you here with him.”
She glanced over the couch then back at Gage. “I can’t kick him out. He has just as much right to be involved as you do.”
There was something wrong with her reasoning, but Gage hadn’t yet figured out the best way to tell her that without sounding like an A-one asshole or a jealous fool. Both of which titles he probably could claim. “You don’t have to do anything tonight.”
She nodded, the heated passion they had shared from earlier rising briefly to her eyes as she stared at him.
“Katy, can I get together with you later?” Simon interrupted the moment. “One of my crew was looking over the material list we have to send to the supplier, and he thinks there are problems. I have to check tonight if we need to make changes, because they’re filling the order tomorrow.”
“You want to meet for coffee at the café tomorrow?” she asked.
Gage wondered if he should stake out one of the neighboring booths.
Simon paused. “I can get away for lunch on Monday. If you can be there at noon?”
When she nodded, Simon slipped his boots back on and placed a hand on the doorknob.
Instant decision time.
“I have to go as well,” Gage announced. He stood and paced past Katy, ignoring the shock on her face.
But hanging around any longer wasn’t going to help, not with the walls she’d slapped up as soon as Simon had appeared bearing gifts. Besides, there was something he had to do.
“Thanks for all your help today.” Katy handed him his toolbox.
“Thanks for dinner.”
They stood awkwardly as Simon looked on. Then Gage figured what the hell, leaned in and kissed her. Right smack-dab on the lips. He pulled back before he could get lost in the act, though, tipping a finger to his forehead and giving her a wink.
He turned toward a very stern-faced Simon who left the house ahead of him at a near run. Asshole probably had an idea what was coming.
Gage had to move quickly to catch up to the man before he got his truck door shut and locked. Gage wrapped his fingers around the doorframe and jerked it all the way open.
“Seems strange you’re that gung-ho all of a sudden about Katy and the baby.”
Simon sneered, all the pleasantness he’d shown earlier vanishing like snow hitting a hot stovepipe. “I don’t give a shit what you think, Jenick, so fuck off.”
He attempted to pull his door shut, but Gage had his arm firmly in place, and nobody was going nowhere until he was done his say. “I promised Katy I wouldn’t go around her decisions, but I’m warning you. Do anything to hurt her, physically or otherwise, and I will take you apart one piece at a time.”
He slammed the door shut with enough force to make Simon’s eardrums ring. Gage didn’t care. He was already halfway across the yard to his own vehicle, fighting to keep the fire inside from flaring even higher.
Handing out a caution was one thing, but actually taking his tire iron to the other man’s vehicle would be pushing it a little far. Especially when he noticed Katy standing in the window watching them both.
The possessive feelings growing inside could tear him apart if he wasn’t careful, but he wasn’t sure he could turn them off anymore.
Chapter Eleven
Simon met her at the café, all sincere and contrite for having taken off for weeks without a word.
He’d brought her flowers. Roses. Like a dozen long-stemmed red roses that made her feel uncomfortable, especially when she realized everyone around them had gotten an eyeful and were whispering furiously. This gift wasn’t like the baby book; it was as if he was stamping his mark on her.
And hothouse roses? Not really her thing.
“I needed to get my head straightened out,” he explained. “It was a shock, but I’m ready to face my responsibilities.”
He reached for her hand. Katy grabbed her water glass and curled her fingers around it to remain safely on her side of the table. Might as well get the worst part of the conversation over with early. “I’ve decided to wait with the paternal testing until after the baby is born.”
Disapproval streaked his face so briefly before a smile replaced it she was left wondering if she was imagining things.
Simon shrugged. “If that’s what you want, I’m okay with it.”
He leaned back in his chair and looked her over, and it wasn’t like when Gage did it. No rush of pleasure streamed to any of her body parts. Instead, Katy held herself in control.
“You want to go to a movie tonight?” he asked.
Drat. After his high-class desertion he still expected her to date him? “I’m…seeing Gage.”
This time there was no mistaking his frown. “But I told you we’d gotten back together.”
“It’s been a while since then, and life has changed. Gage and I are dating now.”
“But you might be pregnant with my baby.” He shook his head. “You should be with me, not him.”
If she had to repeat this many more times, she was going to start bouncing off the walls. “Enough. This is not up for debate, Simon. What we need to talk about is if you want to be around, if you are the dad—”
“Then I want to be around,” he snapped. “Of course.”
Dammit. Could nothing go easy? Katy nodded slowly. “If you want to wait until we know for sure…”
He gave her an intent smile. “Hell no. I want to be with you now, Katy. So that means anything you need.”
Right. She tossed out the ultimate test. “Then I’ll let you know when my prenatal classes are, and stuff like that.”
“I’ll be there.” He lowered his voice. “I’m always available to you, sugar. Anytime you need me, you give me a call. And you be careful with Gage.”
Careful? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Simon leaned across the table. “There are things about that man that don’t line up. I’m worried about you being with him.”
Katy laughed. “I think it’s okay. He’s been around for a long time. We pretty much know everything there is to know.”
The waitress showed up and took their order, and in some ways the rest of the meal passed okay. Simon was attentive, and polite, and a touch…unreal. As if he was playing a part.
Or maybe it was her discomfort in finding herself in another out-of-control situation. Two guys paying attention to her. The baby. Dealing with her continued mental changes.
Somewhere along the line she had to get a break.
Katy paid for half the lunch bill, fighting to keep it on a “not date” footing. Simon took off back to the construction site he was working. “I’ll call you later to figure out when we can get together.”
Oh joy.
“Hey, Katy.”
Across the café a group waved her down. She said goodbye to Simon and gratefully escaped.
“Your brother done working on my car yet?” Older fellow. The face was familiar, but the man’s name escaped Katy.
Another annoying byproduct of her accident—names were like ghostly creatures, flitting in and out of her memory at the least convenient times. And she was sick of asking names only to get a huge disappointed frown and be informed she was talking to someone she’d known her entire life.
Screw repeating that embarrassment. Instead, Katy smiled big and faked it. Surely she’d get a clue from his response. “You know what? I’m headed back to the shop right now. I’ll check how it’s going, then give you a call.”
The guy nodded. “My new cell number is on the work order, and you know my home number.”
Drat. Foiled again. She walked into the cold winter air and wrapped her coat a little closer around her. The December sky was clear, and her breath escaped in small puffs of white. It was far too pretty out to stay frustrated, even with Simon and her brain being annoying.
She could deal with this. She’d just describe the guy to Clay, and he’d know who it was.
The bell over the shop door rang as she stepped into the warmth of the Thompson and Sons customer area. The front desk was empty, so she stuck her head through the door to the workshop hangar to shout a warning before anyone rushed to answer the summons.