Fire and Desire (Arabesque) (23 page)

Trevor looked at Corinthians, totally lacking an understanding of where she was coming from. “Go? And just where do you expect me to go? You heard your father. He wants to see the both of us in his study.”

“Let me handle Dad. I’ll—”

“I’m not letting you handle anything. There’s a lot your father and I have to talk about and it’s best we do it now. I want him to know that I plan on upholding my responsibility as your baby’s father.”

“What! Are you nuts? Dad doesn’t even know I might be pregnant. Even with these symptoms I’ve been having lately, there’s a chance something else might be wrong with me. Let’s not get carried away and blow things out of proportion. Just leave and let me handle things with my father.”

Trevor gave Corinthians a hard look. “I’m not leaving. If you don’t tell your father you’re pregnant, then I will. I won’t let him think I’m not man enough to take responsibility for what I did.”

Corinthians sucked in a furious breath. She had heard what he’d said earlier, before they had fallen asleep on her bed. The only reason he had come was because he’d had a gut feeling she was pregnant. He had not come because he loved her and wanted to be with her. The last thing she wanted was Trevor in her life because of any sense of responsibility he felt.

“I don’t need for you to take responsibility for anything, Trevor Grant. Even if I am pregnant, I won’t need your help. I will raise my child alone. I’ll be fair and allow you visitation rights, but—”

“Don’t even go there, Corinthians. I won’t be just some visitor in my child’s life. I refuse to be a part-time dad. So you may as well get used to the idea that we’re getting married.”

“Married?”

“Yeah, married. I suggest you go ahead and take that pregnancy test because if you are carrying my child, we will be getting married.”

Corinthians gave him a look that told him just what she thought, but for good measure and to make sure there wasn’t any misunderstanding, she stated it anyway as she glared up at him. “I am
not
marrying you.”

Trevor’s eyes narrowed and he glared back at her. “Yes, you are.”

Corinthians was completely livid. She tipped her head to look up at him, with hands on both of her hips and her dark brown eyes flashing. “I am not!”

“We’ll see, won’t we? If you’re pregnant, we get married.” He walked toward the door.

“Don’t hold your breath.”

Trevor turned to her and smiled. “I remember having a similar conversation with you about two years ago when you told me not to hold my breath about something else.”

Corinthians turned a darker shade of brown when she also remembered that conversation.

“I suggest we not keep your father waiting. And I also suggest that you use that kit in there to find out for certain if you’re pregnant. I’d hate to jump the gun and give your parents false information.”

Without giving Corinthians a chance to respond, Trevor opened the door and closed it behind him.

Colonel Ashton Sinclair waited for the man to finally show his face. He had known that he was being followed from the time he had left the embassy. He continued to sit in his car in a semidarkened area of the parking garage of his apartment complex, waiting. It shouldn’t be long now. He would just wait it out.

Although he didn’t see anything, he heard a faint sound of movement. His ears sharpened, his vision keened, he scanned the area, and still he didn’t see anything.

Ashton’s eyes narrowed. So he wants to play games, does he? he thought, as he reached up and disconnected the light in the ceiling of his car. Then, easing the car door open, he slipped outside.

The hunted was about to become the hunter.

Crouching down, he made his way around his car and several others parked nearby. His Indian instincts, those of a fierce hunter, alerted him his prey was nearby, waiting for Ashton just like Ashton was waiting for him.

The standoff had begun. But Ashton was not in the mood. He had missed lunch and his stomach was growling. Deciding that he no longer wanted to play games, he stood to his full height of six feet three inches and looked around, still not seeing anything. He leaned against the vehicle he was standing next to.

“All right, Sir Drake. Playtime is over. I’m hungry.”

A mellow chuckle filled the air just moments before Drake Warren materialized like a beam of light in front of him.

“You’re getting rusty, my friend.”

Ashton frowned. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but
your
words will never faze me.” He smiled when he heard Drake’s laughter. He knew his friend had very little to laugh about these days. Drake Carswell Warren was the best weapons and explosives expert around. He knew it, the military knew it and, most important, the United States government knew it. It was also a known fact that he could be a walking piece of dynamite when he chose to be, highly explosive. A special mission three years ago had changed Drake’s life. With all his knowledge, know-how and expertise, he had not been able to save the woman he loved.

“I got your message, Ash. What’s up?”

“Does the name Santini mean anything to you?”

“No. It’s a fairly common last name in South America. Why?”

Ashton gave Drake the details of what had gone down with Trevor.

“Is Trev okay?” Drake asked. There would always be feelings of brotherhood among the men who served in the Force Recon.

“Yeah, other than a woman problem, he’s fine.”

Drake nodded. “I’ll find out what I can. I’ll do a few profile searches to see if I can get any type of link to Armond Thetas. But I doubt that I will. While hanging around Thetas I got to know the people in his inner circle pretty well, and the name Santini doesn’t ring a bell. But I’ll check it out.” He turned to walk away.

“Drake, wait! When will we make contact again?”

Drake gave his friend a cool smile. “When I think you’re ready to play another game.
Adios, amigo.
”

He then disappeared as quickly as he had materialized.

The smile vanished from Trevor’s lips the moment he stepped in the study and gazed into Reverend Nathan Avery’s face. It was evident the man saw no amusement in having discovered him in bed with his daughter. He gave Trevor a look that clearly said he had a lot of explaining to do.

“Come in, Mr. Grant and take a seat. Where’s Corinthians?”

“I think she wanted to use the bathroom first, sir,” he said, taking one of the chairs that sat across from the huge desk in the room. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

He was glad when Corinthians walked into the room. Without looking at him or her father, she took the chair next to Trevor. She then looked up at her father, waiting. Evidently she had been party to one of these “study talks” before.

The Reverend Nathan Avery took his place behind the huge desk and settled into what he considered a comfortable position. He then gazed thoughtfully at the young man and woman sitting across from him. He decided not to make things easy on them. From the little bit he could gather, they had some heavy-duty problems between them, problems they definitely needed to work out. He would do whatever he could to help set them on the right course.

“Now then,” he began in his most imposing oratorical voice. “Do you mind telling me what the two of you were doing in bed together…in my house?”

Before Corinthians could open her mouth, Trevor began speaking. “Yes, sir, I’ll be glad to explain things. Corinthians was not feeling well and when she went into her bedroom to lie down, I followed her to comfort her by lying down beside her. I guess we both fell asleep.”

Reverend Avery gave Trevor a look that said his story sounded too pat. “That’s the truth, sir.”

“That’s right, Dad,” Corinthians added quickly in an attempt to validate Trevor’s story.

The Reverend leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. The look on his face indicated he still wasn’t buying it. He turned his full attention to his daughter. “What does he mean you weren’t feeling well? You seemed fine when I left this morning. Did you suddenly become ill? If you did, you certainly look fine now. Just what kind of sickness was this that lasted a few hours and caused Mr. Grant so much concern that he had to lie down with you in bed?”

Now they were down to the meat of the meal, Trevor though, slanting a glance in Corinthians’s direction. He wondered how she would answer her father’s question. He saw her hands tighten into fists in her lap. She quickly darted a nervous look at him. He knew from the gesture that she had taken the pregnancy test before coming into the room. And the uneasy look in her eyes and the way she nervously nibbled on her bottom lip immediately told him the results. She was having his baby.

“Corinthians, I asked you a question.”

Corinthians clasped her hands together and took a long, deep breath before answering. She met her father’s gaze. “Morning sickness. I’m pregnant, Daddy.”

R
everend Avery leaned across the desk toward his daughter, certain he had misunderstood what she’d said. “Did you just say you’re pregnant?”

Corinthians drew in another deep breath and dropped her gaze to her lap. During her thirty years, she had never done anything to hurt or disappoint her parents. A depression settled over her in realizing that now she had. She was pregnant with the child of a man who didn’t love her.

“Corinthians, I asked you a question.”

Trevor glanced from Corinthians to her father. A part of him wanted to draw her into his arms and spare her this, to protect her. It was his fault she was in this predicament. The least he could do was verbally acknowledge that to Reverend Avery.

“She’s pregnant with my child and I take full responsibility for it. I forced her into a situation she didn’t want to be in.”

Corinthians twisted around to look at Trevor, too numb to speak. Why was he trying to take full blame for her condition? The one thing he had not done was force her. Drawing herself up straight in her chair, she stared at him coldly. “You did not force me to do anything, and I don’t need you to take responsibility for my actions in this,” she snapped.

“That’s tough because I
will
take responsibility.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Watch me.”

“I’ll watch you try,” Corinthians said, tossing her head haughtily.

Reverend Avery frowned, barely holding himself in check as he sat listening to Corinthians and Trevor snap back and forth at each other. He wondered how they had stopped bickering long enough to conceive a child. He had never seen his daughter behave in such an uncivil manner with anyone. Not even in her confrontations with Joshua. She’d always remained an even-tempered, genteel person.

He rose slowly to his feet. “If the two of you don’t mind, I have a question I’d like answered.”

Corinthians’s and Trevor’s gazes swung to Reverend Avery regarding him in a way that indicated they had momentarily forgotten he was in the room.

“What is your question, sir?” Trevor asked.

“When will the wedding take place?”

Corinthians could not believe her father would ask such a thing. Her expression said as much. “There isn’t going to be a wedding,” she answered gruffly, glaring at Trevor.

Reverend Avery looked at his daughter. “Then forgive me, I must have misunderstood. I could have sworn you just told me you and Mr. Grant had made a baby together.”

Corinthians felt the color in her cheeks deepen. “No, you didn’t misunderstand. I am pregnant, but Trevor and I will not be getting married.”

“And why not?”

Corinthians knew exactly why not, especially in her situation. Trevor did not love her, and her pride would not let her admit that to her father in front of him. “A baby is not a good enough reason for two people to marry.”

Reverend Avery’s frown deepened. “It’s not?”

“No, it’s not.”

He looked pointedly at his daughter. “If that’s not a good enough reason, I’d like to know what is.” He then turned his full attention to Trevor. “And just how do you feel about this?”

Trevor met Reverend Avery’s gaze directly. “I asked Corinthians to marry me and she turned me down,” he said, his own anger and frustration escalating. If Corinthians thought for one minute he would let his child be born out of wedlock, she had another thought coming. In the past, he’d always been careful whenever he made love for that very reason. There were too many single mothers raising kids alone because the men responsible did not feel duty-bound beyond obtaining their pleasure in the bedroom. His parents had raised him to be accountable for his actions, and he fully intended to do just that. No matter what their feelings were for each other, he and Corinthians needed to put them aside and think about what would be best for their child. No kid of his would ever doubt that he wanted him.

“Why did you turn down Mr. Grant’s proposal? And don’t you dare tell me a baby is not a good enough reason. Think of the child you’re carrying.”

Corinthians sighed wearily. Entering into a marriage without love would only be a mistake. One day Trevor would resent the situation he’d been placed in. When that happened, both she and her child would be the ones to suffer.

She cleared her throat, hoping the reason she was about to give her father was sufficient and he would leave it at that. “My child will be taken care of, Daddy. I don’t need a husband for that. If Trevor wants to contribute to the baby’s welfare, that’s fine. I have nothing against that.”

Seeing the frown on her father’s face deepen, Corinthians tried to make him understand her position. “Times have changed, Daddy. People don’t get married because of a baby anymore. There has to be more to hold a relationship together than a baby,” she said quietly.

Reverend Avery came to stand in front of his daughter’s chair. “Then you should have thought of that before you gave yourself to this man. You should have considered all the consequences. If he was good enough for you to sleep with, and take the risk of him fathering a child by you, then there should be no question in your mind about him being husband material. By your own words you’ve admitted that he did not force you to do anything you didn’t want to.”

“Dad, you don’t understand.”

“You’re right. I don’t understand. All I know is that the both of you owe it to your child to give it the best future possible while living with both parents.”

Corinthians shook her head. “You want us to enter into a loveless marriage? Just for the sake of our child? What kind of life would he or she have under those conditions?”

Reverend Avery frowned thoughtfully. According to his wife, Corinthians had all but admitted to being in love with Trevor Grant. And no one could convince him that Mr. Grant was not in love with his daughter. That night when the plane had arrived from South America, and Trevor had carried Corinthians off the plane in his arms, then handed her over to him, the expression on his face was like he was giving up something he loved and cherished. How could two people who were undoubtedly in love with each other not know how the other felt? There was definitely a big communication problem between them; one he decided to end rather quickly.

“A loveless marriage? Does that mean the two of you care nothing for each other?” he asked them.

At that moment, Corinthians’s heart felt heavier than it had been in the past three weeks. She could not, she would not, say the words that she cared nothing for Trevor when she loved him deeply. “I care for Trevor, Daddy,” she said quietly.

Oh, now we’re getting somewhere,
Reverend Avery thought before shifting his gaze to Trevor who was sitting next to his daughter tight-lipped.

“And what about you, Mr. Grant? Do you not care anything for my daughter?”

Corinthians lowered her head and closed her eyes, having anticipated what Trevor’s answer would be. She balled her hands into fists at her side, preparing for the pain she knew would come with his words.

“I love your daughter, Reverend Avery. I love her very much.”

Corinthians opened her eyes and turned and looked straight into a pair of unblinking dark ones. Trevor had said the words with so much sincerity, longing and truth. She didn’t want to believe them. She couldn’t believe them. “You don’t love me. You can’t.”

The look in his eyes was starkly intense. “I do and I can.”

Corinthians’s mind began whirling. “But you never told me,” she whispered softly.

He had told her twice, Trevor started to say. The first time in Portuguese when they’d made love, and the second time while she’d slept in his arms on the plane. But instead of telling her that, he said, “What good would it have done? You’re in love with someone else.”

“I’m not in love with anyone but you, Trevor. I love you, no one else.”

Trevor’s eyes widened. He gave her a sidelong glance of utter disbelief. “You don’t love me. You can’t.”

“I do and I can,” she said, throwing his words back at him.

“But what about Dex?”

Corinthians sighed. She knew she had to clear up the issue of Dex once and for all. Her insides were still glowing with Trevor’s admission that he loved her. “I haven’t thought of Dex in that way since the night I met you. I feel nothing for Dex but friendship. I realize now that what I felt for him was nothing more than an oversize crush. I fell in love with you the night I slipped into your hotel room looking for Dex.”

“What hotel room?”

Her father’s question reminded them they were not alone, something she planned to remedy right away. “Dad, can Trevor and I have some time alone, please?”

Reverend Avery shrugged. “I guess so. There really isn’t any more trouble the two of you can get into together, is there? However, our talk is far from over.” He walked over to the door, opened it and walked out, closing it behind him.

As soon as the door closed shut behind her father, Corinthians swept out of her chair to stand in front of Trevor. “That night I thought I loved Dex, but since then I’ve only been thinking of you, Trevor. I had convinced myself that I disliked you because of the way you were making me feel whenever I saw you. I didn’t understand the reason for it. When we were in South America together, I came to terms with what I was feeling.”

Trevor slowly stood to face her. “I hurt you when we made love. I took something from you that you had intended to give the man you loved.”

Corinthians smiled. “And that man was you. Even before we made love, I knew I loved you. So you didn’t take anything from me. I gave myself to you. I gave myself to the man I love, Trevor. The physical lovemaking I shared with you did not hurt me. It was special.”

She looked up at him and their gazes locked. She wanted him to see the truth in her eyes. She wanted to finally remove any doubt he had of whom she truly loved.

He reached out and placed his hand on her stomach. For a time they stood in emotion-filled silence. Finally, Trevor spoke. “The baby is not the only reason I want to marry you, Corinthians. I want to marry you because I love you. The baby is an added bonus. I knew that before coming here today. Believe that.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I do now. You don’t know how much it means to me to hear you say that.”

Trevor reached out for her, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He slid his hand up to cradle the back of her head to hold her in place so their mouths could mate with all the fire and desire that was theirs. His tongue tasted the sweetness he had missed, stroking, savoring and delivering the passion that always came to life with them.

It was a kiss that shook them both of them to the core. It was a kiss that wiped away any lingering doubts.

When breathing became a necessity, their mouths separated to draw in air.

“My life’s been so empty these past three weeks,” Trevor said softly, brushing light kisses over her cheeks. “The hardest thing I ever had to do was to turn you over to your father in Key West. Afterward, I felt I’d given away my heart. But never again. I’ll never give you up again.”

Corinthians parted her lips to say something, but Trevor’s tongue shot into her mouth with uncontrolled passion. He pulled her closer into his arms. At that moment, he didn’t care that her parents were just beyond the study’s door. The only thing he could think of was that the woman he loved had admitted to loving him in return.

“Will you marry me, for all the right reasons?” he whispered against her lips. “I know there’s a lot we have to work out with our individual jobs and the issue of where we’ll live, but I want you in my life, Corinthians, for always. Will you become my wife?”

At first, Corinthians’s throat was too tight for her to respond. She expelled a pent-up breath. “Yes.”

The muscles in Trevor’s chest constricted. His heart swelled. “I promise to make you happy.”

Corinthians smiled brightly as tears misted her eyes. “You already have. I love you, Trevor. I love you so much. These past three weeks have been hard on me thinking you didn’t want me.”

Trevor nodded, knowing they had both suffered needlessly over the past three weeks. There had been so much dislike, misunderstanding, miscommunication and mistrust between them from the very beginning. Now that their true feelings were out in the open, they needed time alone. “Come to Houston with me. I want you to meet my family.”

He wanted Corinthians to come to Houston for more than meeting his family. He wanted the complete privacy of spending time with her and making love to her the way he should have in the beginning. “Will you come?”

Corinthians saw the darkened look in Trevor’s eyes. “When?”

“Today.”

She nodded. “Yes, but Dad will want to finish his talk with us. He’ll want to be certain we’ve gotten things straightened out. We can leave after lunch. Is that okay?”

Trevor pulled her into his arms and gave her his answer in a kiss.