Authors: Angie Daniels
Bianca watched as the two shook hands. Even her mother had tears in her eyes. All along she had thought her parents would disapprove of her marrying a man outside their social class.
Instead, they genuinely looked pleased.
Who are these people and what have they done with my parents?
Her mother folded her hands in her lap and Bianca could already see the wheels turning in her head. “Well, we definitely need to plan a wedding. How about September, or a winter wedding like the one Jabarie and Brenna had?”
London’s gaze confronted Bianca’s. She opened her mouth to speak when he reached for her hand underneath the table and laced his fingers with hers. “Mrs. Beaumont, we were thinking more of getting married right away.”
She looked from one to the other, frowning. “Why so soon?
If you want a nice wedding, I need time to plan.”
Bianca took a deep breath.
“Mother, Dad…I’m pregnant.”
“Preg—” Jessica’s voice trailed off as Bianca’s words sank in. Surprise registered on her mother’s face a split second before she concealed it and shot her husband a warning look. Despite her attempt to smile, her lips thinned.
“We haven’t decided on a date yet,” Bianca said quickly, trying to think of something. “Mother, I was hoping you could help with that.”
Her father cleared his throat. “I agree. Considering the circumstances, I think the sooner you two get married the better.”
In other words, before she started showing.
Her mother’s eyes fell to her stomach.
“I’m fifteen weeks’ pregnant,” Bianca replied to her silent question.
“Then that doesn’t leave us much time.”
London squeezed her hand and she was thankful for his support. “I would agree,” he said.
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“Good.” Jessica looked pleased by London’s answer. “What date do you have in mind?”
Bianca swallowed. “The weekend before Memorial Day.”
Her mother mistook the saddened look on her face for something else. “Sweetheart, time is of the essence considering…”
She purposely allowed her voice to trail off and at the look on her face she tossed a hand in the air. “Don’t worry. I’ll make all the arrangements,” she announced.
“Nothing fancy,” Bianca warned. She knew her mother too well.
“Okay,” she said with a sigh of despair. “I’ll keep it simple.”
Leaning back in the chair, she rested her hands on her stomach. “I want to get married at home in the garden.”
Her mother smiled, pleased by her request. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
Bianca glanced over at London for confirmation and he nodded. She was relieved. She had always dreamed of being married in a church, but there was no way she could do that when she knew her marriage was a fake.
Her father reached across the table and patted her hand. “Well, then, it’s settled. You and your mother have a wedding to plan.”
“Do you mind if we stop at the bookstore?” London asked after they left the country club and made their way to his car. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the car door.
“My sister’s birthday is this weekend and I know she’s been waiting for this new romance novel to come out.”
Bianca nodded as she pulled the seat belt across her body and secured it.
London waited until he pulled away from the parking lot, then asked, “How do you think things went in there with your parents?”
“I think you won them over. Mother is easy. Just knowing that I’m getting married and not running around having illegiti-mate children is enough to ease her mind. All she ever cares about is looking good in front of people and planning the social event of the year.”
He frowned. “You’re being kind of hard on her.”
“Oh, really? Here,” she began as she shoved her cell phone in front of his face. “Call my mother and inform her that
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Clarence’s Infamous Chicken & Fish House is catering the reception dinner.”
He looked from the stubborn tilt of her chin down to her phone and back again. “I see your point.” He hadn’t been gone that long that he didn’t remember her mother’s need for only the finest things in life.
“I’m surprised she thinks I’m good enough for you.”
“I’m pregnant. Of course she’s going to accept you.” He made a turn at the corner. Bianca stared out the window and gave a simple shrug. “Now, my father is another different story. Five years ago, he would have had you thrown out of the country club and had you up on rape charges. But ever since Jabarie and Brenna got married and gave birth to Arianna, he has done a total 360-degree turn around.”
“That’s a good thing. Jaden used to mention all the time that his father worked too hard and never spent much time with the four of you.”
“That’s true. Now he calls so much that sometimes I wonder which is worse,” she replied with a chuckle. “Sheyna mentioned that sometimes she and Jace are in the middle of getting it on and here comes Daddy pulling up in the driveway.”
London shared a laugh. “I see what you mean.” Then he reached over and grabbed her hand. “I guess that while I’m busy making love to my wife I can expect her father to magically appear.”
His words caused her to shift on her seat and stare up at him.
When London called her
his wife,
it sounded so right, so natural.
Obeying the twenty-five-mile-an-hour speed limit, London pulled onto Main Street. Bianca’s eyes traveled along the wide cobblestone street. He pulled up at the bookstore, came around to her side and helped her out.
“Thank you.”
“Hey, look at me.” He tilted her chin and she raised her eyes and met the serious expression on his face. “It’s going to be okay. You’ll see.” He lowered his mouth to hers, planted a quick kiss on her mouth and released her. Quick or not, she felt the sensation down to her toes.
They moved across the sidewalk and London opened the door and stepped into the quaint little bookstore behind her. They had
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barely entered the building when Brenna came rushing over to greet them.
“Bianca!” Her big hazel eyes lit up with excitement as they met. “Jabarie told me the news.”
“Jabarie told me
your
good news. Twins! I’m so happy for you.” Bianca gave her sister-in-law a kiss on the cheek. “Okay, I need your bathroom.” She scooted off, leaving her sister-in-law and her fiancé together.
“London, you get over here right now and give me a hug!”
Her grin was as welcoming as a cool breeze on a sweltering summer night.
Before London had a chance to prepare himself, Brenna had reached over and pulled him to her. When she finally released him, London stepped back and looked down at her smiling face.
Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.
“Oh, my goodness! You and Bianca are getting married,”
she went on, not giving him a chance to speak. “I’m so happy for you both.”
London gave her a slight nod and a grin. “Thanks” was all he could manage to say. He and Bianca still had a lot to discuss and he wasn’t sure what he should be saying.
“What brings the two of you to my little store?”
“I need to pick up a book for my sister, Mona.” London told Brenna what book he was looking for.
“Oh, yeah, she is one of our most popular romance authors.
Follow me.” He went with her to the romance section.
“Wonderful. You’re going to make my sister very happy.”
She plucked the book from the shelf and they were moving over to the counter when Brianna, Brenna’s ten-month-old daughter came into view. The child had been sitting quietly in a playpen.
The next thing he knew, Brianna was holding her arms up in the air, wanting to be picked up. Automatically, he bent down and picked her up. She placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him on the lips.
London kissed her back. “Thanks, sunshine.”
Bianca came around the corner and smiled when she saw the two of them together. “My niece is already a flirt. Wait until I tell her daddy.”
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“Don’t even go there,” Brenna warned as she rang up the purchase. “Jabarie’s already staring down every little boy at day care. He laid down the law—no boys at her birthday party.”
They laughed. Brianna held out her arms for her aunt, and Bianca took her and kissed the baby on the top of her head.
London stared intently at the two of them together.
Bianca looked his way and he swallowed. She had a life growing inside her and he was going to play a major part in that child’s life. He couldn’t begin to explain the overwhelming feeling that swelled up inside him.
“Look at you two lovebirds staring at each other! Everybody is talking about your news. It is going to be the event of the year.
I am so excited,” Brenna remarked, taking her daughter and kissing her cheek. Their resemblance was uncanny. They had the same hazel eyes, light brown hair and small nose. Brianna was going to be a heartbreaker, London thought.
“Thanks,” he muttered, as he studied Brianna’s smiling face.
As he looked at the baby, he thought about Bianca. She could be carrying a little girl. His heart jumped at the thought.
“To tell you the truth, I thought something was going on between the two of you,” Brenna commented, interrupting his thoughts.
London’s head whipped around and his eyes connected with hers. “What?” he couldn’t possibly have heard right. What would have made Brenna think that?
“Oh, come on, you two,” she told him, a teasing smile on her lips. “I’ve seen the two of you out together before, trying to act like you were just friends when all along something else was going on. Boy, you sure had me fooled at first, but the way I saw the two of you looking at each other at Jace’s wedding, I knew there was more to the story.”
He met Bianca’s raised eyebrows and couldn’t pull his eyes away.
Had there really been something more going on back
then that he wasn’t aware of?
Sure, he had been attracted to her, but maybe in the back of his mind he always knew that beneath the surface he wanted to explore the possibilities of a relationship with her.
London gave a nervous laugh. “I guess our secret’s out.”
Coming from behind the counter, Brenna draped an arm
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across Bianca’s shoulders. “Yes, it is, and it couldn’t have happened to a better woman.”
Their gazes met and held. “I definitely have to agree with you there.”
Fifteen minutes later, London pulled in front of Bianca’s town house and left the motor running. As much as he wanted to follow her inside to her bed, he decided that maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. All kinds of crazy thoughts were racing through his brain. And that was not a good thing. He needed to keep his head on straight and remember that this was a marriage of convenience. One friend helping another friend and nothing more. Well…maybe a little more. Staring down at the swell of her breasts, he licked his lips and found himself wanting to take one in his…
“Hey, Earth to London,” Bianca said and snapped her fingers in front of his face, drawing his attention. “I asked if you wanted to come in.”
He stared down at her mouth and was tempted. So very tempted. “No, I’d better not. I have to drive down to New Castle tomorrow and check on the restaurant.”
Bianca looked disappointed, and he almost told her he’d changed his mind. Instead, London leaned over, pressed his lips to hers and gave her a long, searing kiss. The blood in his veins ignited and fierce desire pulsed through his body. He forced himself to pull away. He was held by the brown of her eyes, surrounded by thick lashes. He could drown in her gaze. He was about to change his mind when Bianca climbed out of the car and headed toward the door.
“Good night, Little Mama,” he called after her.
She glanced over her shoulder and grinned, then practically skipped all the way up the steps and into the house. London was already regretting not following her. He was in for a long sleep-less night and a cold shower.
Chapter 17
Bianca opened the door and London took one look at her and felt as if he’d received a hard punch to his gut. He dragged in a deep breath. She was both beautiful and sexy, especially in snug-fitting blue jeans, and a yellow tank top. His gaze strayed to them and stayed there a moment too long, long enough to see that she was wearing a strapless bra. Long enough for him to remember what it felt like to suck her nipples into his mouth.
Quickly, he dragged his eyes to her smiling face.
“Is something wrong?”
He shook his head. “No, sweetheart. Everything is just right.
But if we don’t leave this very second we won’t leave for at least another hour.”
She stared up at him and her lower lip trembled nervously. Obviously, the hunger blazing in his eyes didn’t go unnoticed.
“Then I’d better grab my purse so we can get out of here. You wait out here,” she ordered then shut the door.
London gave a frustrated groan and moved back out to his SUV.
What was happening to him?
He always had an active sex drive,
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but being around Bianca put his libido in overdrive. All he did was think about making love to her. He’d never felt like this before.
London moved behind the wheel at that thought. He was driving himself crazy trying to keep everything in perspective.
But despite how much he tried to deny it, London was starting to enjoy the new role Bianca was playing in his life.
“Bianca, this is my big sister, Mona Lisa.”
Mona rushed forward and hugged Bianca tightly. When she released her, Bianca studied the woman, finding her beautiful.
She was tall and slender with a toasted-pecan skin tone and bril-liant light brown eyes. “Welcome to our home, Bianca. My brother said you were pretty, but I had no idea just how pretty.”
“Thank you.”
She stepped into the foyer of the three-story home where he had grown up and Clarence, London’s father, came around the corner. “Well, well, if it isn’t Ms. Beaumont.” She found herself swept up into a gigantic hug.