Surrender (12 page)

“D
id I tell you how good you look tonight, Netherland?” Ashton asked as his eyes shone with appreciation straight into hers. They were just two of the many people who were sitting in the waiting room of the hospital anxiously anticipating word of Trevor and Corinthian’s firstborn.

Netherland shook her head as she chuckled softly. “No, you never got around to that.”

Ashton folded his fingers around hers. “Then that’s another thing I have to make up for when I get you alone later.” His quiet tone carried more than a promise that he would deliver on and a lot more.

She tipped her head back to look up at him. “You make sure you do that.” Her voice was soft, seduc
tive, barely a whisper, and it had that same smoky desire in its intonation as was reflected from the look in her eyes. Her entire body thrummed with sexual tension just from being around him. At the moment, there was nothing that could douse the undeniable desire she felt for the man who was still wearing his marine uniform and who was looking intrinsically male. Deciding to try and concentrate on something else, she glanced across the room at the other occupants. The three Madaris brothers and their wives, their parents, along with Trevor and Corinthians’s parents, and Trask and Felicia. There was a lot of eager anticipation on everyone’s faces. It would be the first grandchild for both the Grants and the Averys, and it was obvious they were overjoyed at the thought of becoming grandparents.

“It’s over, folks.”

Everyone jumped at the sound of Trevor’s deep voice. He stood in the waiting room’s doorway, still dressed in his hospital scrubs; his eyes brimmed with unshed tears, and his face shone with a smile of pure wonder, as if some miracle had just taken place. All the people in the room raced toward him. He held up his hand to halt all the questions coming to him at once.

“We have a son,” he said, grinning proudly. “A beautiful nine-pound-eight-ounce future marine who entered the world screaming orders at the top of his lungs. Corinthians and the baby are doing fine.”

“What’s his name?” Caitlin Madaris inquired as a play of happy emotions darted across her features.
She and Dex would be having another child in seven months and because they had two girls already she was hoping for a boy.

“Rio Maurice Nathan Grant,” Trevor answered, beaming. “He was named Rio because it was in Rio de Janeiro that Corinthians and I started our South American adventure. That episode holds a lot of special memories for us,” he said as his eyes glowed with fond recollections. “And of course Maurice and Nathan are in honor of our son’s two grandfathers,” he added, smiling at his father, Maurice Grant, and Corinthians’s father, Nathan Avery. Both men beamed with delight. It was evident they were proud to have a grandson named after them.

“How soon can we see them?” Corinthians’s mother asked with tears brimming in her eyes.

Trevor smiled. “Is now soon enough? Corinthians can’t wait to see all of you. Even after all she’s been through tonight, I don’t think she’ll be able to settle down until she does.”

Rio Maurice Nathan Grant was indeed a beautiful baby, Netherland thought as she watched him being held in the crook of his mother’s arms. It was a beautiful scene, mother and child. It was so beautiful that Netherland found herself wiping a lone tear away from her eyes with her fingertips.

“There’s nothing quite like the miracle of life, is there?” Ashton asked, looking down at her smiling.

Netherland shook her head and looked away.
Ashton’s words reminded her of the one thing she could not do. Create life. She wondered if he wanted children and if so, would he be satisfied adopting? His next words gave her an answer.

“I can’t wait to see your stomach swollen with my sons one day, Netherland,” he whispered.

A chill raced along her spine, and she shivered. She forced herself to look up at him. “You want a child?”

Ashton saw the play of emotions that darted across her features and wondered about the cause of them. “Yes, and you will be the mother of my child. I saw it in another vision I had,” he said. He still was not ready to tell her about the triplets. That kind of news was meant for another time.

“And I’m supposed to give birth to this child?”

Ashton looked at her, confused by her question. “Yes, of course.”

Netherland took a deep breath and lowered her head when she couldn’t meet his gaze any longer. A sheen of tears suddenly filled her eyes, and her vision blurred. She rubbed one hand over her flat stomach, a stomach that would never expand with the weight of Ashton’s child.

“Netherland? What’s wrong?” Ashton asked, concerned when he saw her tears.

His question got the attention of everyone in the room. She looked up at him, and the tears that were shimmering in her eyes struck him. “Netherland, what is it?”

“That vision is wrong, Ashton,” she whispered,
her words catching on a strangled sob. “We can never make a baby together, and if your vision showed you that, then it was wrong.” Filled to the brim with emotions she couldn’t handle, Netherland turned and ran from the room.

“Netherland!” Ashton was about to race out of the hospital room after her when a firm hand on his arm stopped him. He swiveled his head to look down into Syneda Madaris’s questioning eyes.

“Don’t you know?” she asked quietly.

He frowned. His nerves were taut, on edge. He had no idea what was going on and why Netherland had run out of the room upset. “Don’t I know what?”

“That Nettie can’t have children.”

Ashton’s frown deepened. “Where in the hell did she get an idea like that from?”

Syneda was taken back by the incredulity of his question. It was definitely not one she had expected and immediately was angered by it. Folding her arms across her chest she narrowed her eyes at Ashton. “From her doctor, I would imagine. I’m sure it’s not something she would self-diagnose.”

He ignored the sarcasm in Syneda’s voice. “Well, he told her wrong. She
can
have babies.” Ashton pulled in a long, deep breath. He had to go after Netherland. “Look, I have to go find Netherland. Trevor will explain things.” He then turned and quickly left the room.

All eyes turned to Trevor.

“Is he crazy?” Syneda asked, clearly upset.

Trevor shook his head. “No, Ashton isn’t crazy. In fact, he’s far from it, and if he believes Nettie can have a baby, then there’s a real good chance she can, especially if he saw it in one of those visions of his. I know for a fact they are credible.”

Syneda was not convinced. “What is he supposed to be? Some miracle worker?”

Trevor smiled. “I guess you can say that.”

Christy Madaris smiled as she leaned back in her chair. The auction was over, and all around the room couples were paired off, dancing or talking. It seemed everyone was having a good time, and she thought it had been most romantic how Ashton Sinclair had bid on himself and had chosen Nettie Brooms as the woman he wanted.

“Ready for our dance?” a deep voice asked from beside her.

Christy glanced up into dark eyes that were familiar. At the age of eleven she had fallen in love with the man who owned those eyes. And although over the past few years their paths had barely crossed, her feelings had not changed. In fact, that old saying about absence making the heart grow fonder was very true in her case. But then she was a Madaris, and Madarises loved forever. “Yes, I’m ready,” she said and stood.

Alex glanced around the room. “Where’re your brothers?”

“They left.”

Alex lifted a brow. “They left?” At her nod, he said, “They left you here alone?”

“Yes. Corinthians went into labor, and they wanted to go to the hospital to give Trevor support. They told me to catch a ride home with you. I hope you don’t mind.”

He did mind. He had spent the last thirty minutes sitting at the bar sipping a beer and trying to get his mind and thoughts under control. Christy was the first woman to affect him in a long time, and the problem was that he shouldn’t think of her as a woman. He should still see her as the sweet kid he’d known all his life. But for some reason he couldn’t. Taking a deep breath, he tried like hell to dismiss the attraction that intrigued and enticed him way beyond his better judgment. But it wasn’t easy with her looking so incredibly sexy in a dress that showed off more skin than he was used to seeing on her.

“Where’s your uncle Jake? And your cousins? Aren’t they still around?”

“No. Uncle Jake just left. And Blade, Slade and Lucas left right after their dances with the winning bidders were over.” Christy saw his jaw tighten and knew the idea of taking her home didn’t sit well with him. “Look, Alex, if taking me home will be a bother, then I can call a cab.”

He started to tell her to do that very thing, then decided against it. After all, her brothers had entrusted her to his care. “I’m taking you home, Christy, and it won’t be a bother.” He took her hand
in his. “Come on, let’s get that dance over with so we can leave,” he said, leading her to the dance floor when the orchestra struck up a new tune. He let out a resigned sigh when he realized it would be a slow number.

“I won’t turn into a pumpkin if I’m not in by twelve,” she muttered, none too happily, when it seemed he was eager to be rid of her.

In the midst of the others around them, Alex pulled her into his arms and began swaying to the slow beat of the music. “Are you certain of that?”

Christy inhaled sharply, feeling the hard strength of Alex’s arm around her waist and the press of his body against hers. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, inhaling the robust scent of the fragrance of an ultrasexy cologne and male heat. She shivered, and instinctively leaned into him, absorbing his embrace and savoring the feel of being in his arms. She reopened her eyes. “Yes, I’m certain.”

Christy wasn’t the only one going through changes. The feel of her in his arms had Alex’s entire body in a spin. He tried to get a grip on the sudden rush of emotions he felt holding her. His heart was beating erratically, and his breathing was irregular. He couldn’t help but wonder how in the world a twenty-year-old college girl could stimulate him so.

Mentally convincing himself what he was experiencing tonight with her was a fluke and completely absurd, he forced his mind…as well as his body…to relax. He decided to initiate conversations with her
since it seemed that any silence resulted in a slow building of awareness to settle between them.

“You weren’t at Trask and Felicia’s wedding on New Year’s Day,” he said.

“No, I was performing at a championship football game that day.”

“That’s right, you are a majorette at Howard University, aren’t you?” She certainly had the legs for it, he thought to himself. They were great-looking legs.

“Yes. I can’t believe Trask and Felicia got married. I was totally shocked.”

Alex chuckled. “You weren’t the only one.” After a few moments of silence he asked, “So, how is school going?”

Christy smiled. “Wonderful, but I’m enjoying being home during spring break. I miss being around my family and friends. I’ll be glad when the summer rolls around.”

“Big plans?”

“Yes. I plan to work with the twins at Madaris Construction Company. They’re supposed to start construction on the Madaris Building by then.”

“I know. I plan to be one of their tenants when it’s completed.”

“You are? That’s great.” Christy had begun to relax until Alex tightened his hold around her waist. The heat of his fingers penetrated through the silky material that she wore.

“You smell good,” he said. His breath felt warm against her ear, and the huskiness of his voice vi
brated against her spine. “You no longer smell like peanut butter. I take it you grew out of that.”

Christy chuckled. She used to eat peanut butter straight from the jar by the truckload as a kid. “I still like it but not as much as I used to.”

Although the two of them were trying desperately to keep up a steady stream of conversation, they knew something was happening between them. Something that made Christy’s stomach feel all warm and heated inside, and made Alex’s body tingle just from the sound of her voice. Dancing together wasn’t working, and he was glad when the music finally came to an end.

“Are you ready for me to take you home now?”

“Yes.”

His hold on her hand tightened. “Then let’s get your things so we can be on our way.”

In another area of the crowded room Rome’s gaze found Jada, and the muted sound of the music faded in the background. A smile eased across his lips, and he headed over in her direction.

Jada saw his approach, chewed on her bottom lip and wondered if things were moving too fast between her and Rome. She liked him. She really liked him a lot but she knew they could never be just friends. She was attracted to him too much for that. She couldn’t look at his mouth without remembering the deep, slow kisses that he could so effectively give.

She let out a resigned sigh. Getting back into the
dating scene was almost overwhelming to her. She had married Tony when she was nineteen, inexperienced and innocent in the ways of men, and from him she had learned the hard way. She had endured lessons she never wanted to be taught again. But a part of her wanted to believe there was still a chance she could share a good, lasting relationship with a man—sometime in her future. However, in the meantime she wanted to spend as much time with Rome as she could, enjoy the moment while it lasted and not think about how lonely her life would be when he left.