Minutes ticked by as he sat in the kitchen. His drink remained untouched as his fingers drummed thickly on the counter and he tried to be patient. Frustration drove him to his feet and he paced around the small room, trying not to think about the fact that his whole world was in another part of the house. He had to find them.
Walking quietly to her bedroom, Ruben guessed correctly that
Ruben didn’t know he’d moved to stand over them until Beth looked up, forcing his gaze from the baby to her. The love and pride evident on her face brought tears to his eyes and he let them fall freely. He sank to his knees, drawn closer to the strange little person he’d never met. Reaching out with his fingertip, he traced a feather light path across the back of his baby’s fat knuckles, smiling through his tears as her hand flexed open at his touch.
caressed his cheek, bringing his attention back to her. She was crying too, looking at him with such gratitude that he broke down. Dropping his head forward onto her chest, he fought to control the tears overwhelming him. The hand in his hair was comforting as he let go of months of frustration and loneliness. The baby began to fuss, causing him to pull back. The tiny bundle opened her eyes, gazing at him sleepily before her lids drifted shut almost instantly.
‘She’s got your eyes,’ he whispered to Beth in amazement. He’d only seen them briefly, but the piercing green shade was exactly the same.
Beth smiled. ‘I know. I’d hoped she would have yours…’ She fell silent as he shook his head at the notion. ‘I named her Tiana,’ she said, unaware that he already knew.
He tested it out loud for the first time.
Tiana
. It suited her. The beautiful dark haired girl looked like a Tiana. About to ask her last name, he thought better of it, unsure he could control his reaction if Beth had chosen to use her own. The thought was sobering, reminding him that there was much to talk about.
Moving away to sit on the bed, he was happy to watch as
Directing him into the living room, she retrieved the bottle of wine and an extra glass for herself from the kitchen. He watched her move around the room, avoiding his eyes. He understood her nerves totally. No more prepared than her to start a conversation that would undoubtedly prove to be a very emotional one, he took a long sip of his wine.
Watching her silently as she settled into the leather recliner opposite, he became aware, with a flush of heat to his groin, that she was naked under the robe. The brief flash of inner thigh he’d seen as she leaned forward to retrieve her glass made that obvious. He guessed now wasn’t the time or place for these feelings, but he couldn’t feel ashamed of the way he was reacting to her nearness. The woman he had loved for the past year, and fantasized endlessly about for many months, was in front of him, looking adorable despite her attire. In the other room, his baby daughter slept soundly. If there was a more potent combination in this world he didn’t know what it was. He felt masculine, strong and protective…and charged to the hilt with sexual energy.
The doorbell rang then.
‘What on earth…’
‘You’d better let me in, Sis,’ Donna said, pushing her daughter through the entrance before her.
Ruben caught Tyla’s eye. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked quietly, concerned that he’d gotten her into trouble.
‘She’s fine,’ Donna interrupted, ‘but I think she owes her aunt an apology.’
’s eyes flew from one face to the other in bemusement. ‘I think somebody better tell me what’s going on.’
‘Well,’ Donna began, sending a scathing look in her daughter’s direction, ‘somebody decided to go see Ruben tonight.’ He looked down at his feet, not wanting to add to the bonfire the poor kid had burning under her. ‘I wouldn’t have known anything about it either, except I was going through her pockets when she got home and found a wad of autographs. So I asked her what had happened.’ Donna placed an arm around her daughter, supportive despite her anger. ‘Anyway, long story short, she has never been able to lie to me. It didn’t take long to find out she’d let slip about Tiana.’
‘I forced it out of her,’ he was compelled to say. ‘She mentioned about Beth having sleepless nights and I wouldn’t drop it until she told me what she meant.’ It wasn’t entirely true, but it was good enough.
Donna waved a dismissive hand at him. ‘It’s nice of you to try and protect her, Ruben, but she should never have been there. She was banned from going to your concert tonight.’
Tyla burst into tears, rushing into
‘Darling, its okay.’
Donna cleared her throat. ‘Well, I wouldn’t have rushed over if I’d known you had company,’ she said, cocking her head comically in Ruben’s direction.
‘Oh yes, we’ll look after her,’ Tyla enthused, looking up into her aunt’s face. Ruben could tell she was about to refuse.
‘Beth? We do need to talk,’ he said, turning instinctively towards her sister for backup.
Donna was less tactful. ‘Bethany Shaw, can you for once in your life stop being so stubborn?’ Closing the gap between them, she clasped her sister’s hand. ‘You owe him this, Beth.’
nodded. ‘You are right. We do need to talk.’ Her eyes bore into his.
Donna moved to leave the room. ‘Okay, come and help me get the baby ready, Tyla.’
‘No—don’t disturb her,’ he said. ‘Beth, wouldn’t it be easier to ask them to stay here with Tiana? We can book into a hotel.’
Beth turned hopeful eyes to her sister. ‘Is that okay?’
Donna looked at Ruben. ‘Not only gorgeous but smart too!’ Her saucy wink made them all laugh. He knew he’d found a new friend and an ally in his fight for Beth. Donna turned her attention to her sister. ‘So, are you wearing that?’
‘Oh God, no,’ Beth laughed, looking down at her robe. She managed to tell him she would be right back just before her sister dragged her from the room.
Chapter
23
The ride over in the limo was easier than she’d hoped. Ruben made it plain that he bore no anger over her deception. She began to explain her reasons for not telling him, reminding him of their last meeting before he stopped her.
‘I remember every word we said to each other, Beth. I played it over and over in my mind a million times.’ He shook his head, as if amazed at his own stupidity. ‘I know I told you I wasn’t ready for children.’
latched onto to his words, grateful for a chance to explain. ‘I was in shock myself. I hadn’t expected to see you at all, and certainly not so soon after finding out I was carrying our child.’ She turned away from him then, shame making her hide. ‘In all honesty, you did me a favor by giving me a reason not to tell you. I was looking for a way out of having to confess.’
‘I understand.’
‘I am glad you know now, but oh my God Ruben, I am so sorry.’ Her voice cracked then as the guilt she had felt for months finally surfaced. ‘I stole something precious from you. You had a right to be involved in Tiana’s life from the minute she was conceived and to share in the experience of her birth. I can never give that back to you,’ she cried.
‘I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, Beth. If I hadn’t acted the way I did over the paternity test, you would never have left. You are not to blame for making the best of a situation that was forced on you.’ She kissed him gratefully, wondering what madness had possessed her to ever let him go.
‘What about Simon?’ Ruben asked quietly, watching her intently for any reaction to the mention of his name. ‘You saw him, didn’t you?’
was stunned. ‘How did you know?’
‘I came to see you a week after you resigned.’ He sighed, obviously finding it hard to talk about. ‘You weren’t home so I waited. When I saw your car pull up and Simon get out of the driving seat, I assumed he was back in your life.’
‘You were there? Oh my God, Ruben. Why didn’t you let me know?’
‘I almost lost my mind when I saw his arms around you. When you went into the house together, I took off.’ He spoke so quietly that she could barely hear him over the noise outside the car. ‘What happened, Beth?’
She placed a hand on either side of his face, making him look at her and take in every word. ‘Nothing happened, Ruben. Absolutely nothing.’ She could see in his eyes that he believed her.
‘He came to the office, trying to talk me into going back to him and I was in the middle of telling him that hell would freeze over first when I got so sick to my stomach.’ She smiled. ‘I guess the baby didn’t like him much either.’ His grin reassured her, but she continued, wanting to tell him everything. ‘He insisted on bringing me home. And I’m glad he did.’
‘Glad?’
‘Yes,’ she smiled quickly to reassure him. ‘We talked. Said the things that needed to be said.’ He nodded to show he understood. ‘Simon is in therapy now. I guess he hoped I would give him another chance now that he was getting help.’
‘What did you tell him?’
‘I didn’t have to tell him anything, Ruben. He could see I was in love with someone else.’
‘I am such an idiot,’ he said, without anger. ‘If only I had stayed that day…made you see me.’
His reaction had unnerved her. She’d expected anger, not this calm maturity he’d developed since the last time they’d been together. He’d changed the subject then, wanting to know everything about the birth.
A short time later,
Walking over to the windows, she waited for him to return in the semi-darkness. The bright lights of The Strip below illuminated the ceiling of the suite, casting an almost ethereal glow. She heard him enter the room and waited for him to appear beside her. Turning when he didn’t, she found him leaning in the doorway, staring at her.
He approached slowly, looking as terrified as she felt. His heart was in his eyes and
Dressed only in her underwear, she closed the gap between them, placing her hands on his face as she kissed him. His welcoming groan echoed her own emotions and she pressed hard against his taut body, marveling that she ever been able to let him go. Her actions were urgent as the desire to have him inside her became overwhelming. Ripping the T-shirt over his head, she grappled with his belt, freeing him quickly from his jeans.
Ruben kicked off his boots as he stepped out of the last of his clothing.