Kitabı oku: «The By Request Collection», sayfa 7
Nine
Eve rolled over in bed, glanced at the clock and closed her eyes again.
Wait. She jerked up in bed and stared at the glaring numbers. How did it get to be so late? Sleeping in had never been an issue for her. She always showed up before anyone else and got a jump start on her day. At this rate, she was never going to make it into the office on time.
The sudden jolt of movement had her morning sickness hitting her fast. She rushed to the en suite bathroom and fell to her knees.
She’d had worse mornings, but still, she didn’t like this feeling one bit. How could she remain professional if she was showing up late and looking like death?
Once she was done, she wiped her face with a cool, damp cloth and realized two things: one, it was Sunday so she wasn’t late for anything. And two, there was a glorious smell coming from the kitchen and overtaking her home.
Surprisingly, whatever that scent was, it didn’t make her more nauseous. If anything, her stomach was ready to go. This roller coaster of emotions and cravings was extremely difficult to keep up with.
Eve thought back to last night when Graham had made a simple grilled cheese sandwich and cut up an apple for her. Then he’d practically patted her on the head and sent her to bed, saying he’d lock up.
So, either he’d stayed and that was him in the kitchen, or one of her sisters was here. She highly doubted Nora or Grace had come by just to do some cooking, so she had to assume Graham had made himself at home.
Considering that she’d just tossed her cookies, so to speak, she opted to brush her teeth before heading down. By the time she hit the bottom steps, her mouth was watering. The magnificent aroma filled the entire first floor. Suddenly her belly growled and she had no idea how she could go from sick one second to hungry the next. Pregnancy sure wasn’t predictable.
Heading down the wide hall toward the back of the house and the kitchen, Eve tried to figure out what to say to Graham. She’d seriously had a meltdown last night. He’d been so concerned about the baby, about her. But she hadn’t been able to control those insane emotions.
Years ago when she’d thought herself in love, she’d have given anything for her boyfriend to have cared about her, about their baby. But she’d endured the first trimester and part of the second alone. Then she’d struggled through the miscarriage, the D & C, the grieving. All of it on her own. She’d pushed her sisters away because nobody could fix her broken heart. Nobody could bring back her baby and she wanted to be left alone.
Graham was most likely worried about his place in their child’s life. He wasn’t the type of man to sit back and let someone else raise his child. Still, the fact he’d stayed last night showed the type of man he was. He could’ve walked away.
So what did this mean? Did he want more than just shared parenting? Did he want to try at a relationship?
Good morning, shoulders.
Freezing midstride, Eve stared straight ahead to the sexiest cook she’d ever seen. She’d seen Graham countless times with nothing on, but finding him in just his jeans standing at her stove was like some sort of domestic porn. Seriously. This was calendar material. Forget the firefighters, sign Graham up. The way those back muscles flexed and relaxed as he did...whatever it was he was doing.
There was a man cooking in her house. The sexy, hot father of her baby was cooking in her house.
This sight alone was enough to make her want to strip and see if they could make use of that kitchen island, but she’d promised herself no more. She needed to focus on so many other things and her sex life was going to have to take a backseat for a while. What a shame, when she was facing such a delectable sight.
“You’re just in time.”
He didn’t turn around as he spoke, just continued to bustle about getting breakfast ready as if this were the most normal thing in the world. As if he belonged here.
Eve couldn’t move from the doorway. Between last night and this morning, she had no clue what Graham had planned next. Not one time did he try to get her undressed. Maybe he didn’t find her as appealing as he used to. Perhaps pregnant women were a turnoff. Granted, it wasn’t like she felt sexy at the moment.
No matter, she wasn’t looking for more. At this point, her only hope was that she could keep the peace in her family when they found out she was carrying a Newport’s baby.
“Why did you stay?”
Graham froze, plates in hand. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he held her with his intense stare. “Because someone needs to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”
“So you’re my keeper now? I’m old enough to take care of myself.”
She didn’t mention the fact that he was younger than her. There was no need to state the obvious. But the fact that he’d stayed out of pity didn’t sit well with her. Maybe she’d gotten her hopes up too high to think he’d stayed simply because he cared.
“I’m not saying you can’t.” He dished up some type of casserole and...was that fried apples? “It’s the weekend. I wanted to stay and make you breakfast, so I did.”
She wanted to argue, but the second she took a seat at the island and he placed that plate in front of her, she had no idea what they’d been on the verge of bickering about.
Eve stared down at her plate of food, which looked like it came from some cooking magazine—not the kind featuring light cuisine, either. Then she glanced at Graham, who was scooping up his own servings.
“You cook?” Okay, that was a stupid question. Clearly elves weren’t involved. “I mean, this is more than just oatmeal or cereal for breakfast. Where did you learn this?”
Graham set his plate down and went back for two large glasses of orange juice. After putting everything on the island, he took a seat on a stool next to her.
“My grandma Gerty taught us all about cooking. It may have seemed like punishment at the time, but looking back I can see she did it out of love, and as a way to bond.”
The wistfulness layered with the love in his tone told her this grandmother was one special lady. Eve pierced one gooey apple with her fork. The buttery, cinnamon sugar flavors exploded in her mouth. She prayed this food stayed with her. This was definitely too good to waste.
“Tell me about Gerty,” Eve said, forking up a bite of some egg, sausage and cheese casserole. “Is she still alive?”
Graham swallowed and shook his head. “No.”
That one word, full of sadness, had Eve pausing with her fork midway to her mouth. “Oh. Um...sorry. I didn’t think.”
Graham barely spared glance look her way. “No reason for you to be sorry. She passed away several years back. But she was like a second mother to us. Mom met Gerty at a coffee shop. Gerty was retiring, but she’d already taken a liking to Mom. The two were close and Mom moved in with Gerty because she needed help.”
A single, pregnant woman. Eve’s fork clattered to her plate as she thought of the parallel between Graham’s mother’s situation and hers. Did he see it? Is that why he was so adamant about helping her? Did he want to make up for the sins of some faceless man? Graham was so loyal, so noble where his family was concerned.
“Don’t go there.”
Eve jerked her gaze to Graham, who had shifted on his stool to face her.
“Don’t let your mind betray you,” he added. “I’m not pitying you because of my mother’s circumstances. I’m sure she was scared being single and pregnant, but that’s not why I’m here.”
Resting her palms on the edge of the counter, Eve tipped her head. “Why are you here? What do you want, Graham? Just say it.”
His aqua eyes sparkled, and his lips pursed just slightly, reminding her of what she’d been missing out on the past few days. “Maybe I want to get to know you more. Maybe I think you need to know me better, as well. We need to be strong together, for the sake of our baby and our families.”
Eve couldn’t agree more, but the way he looked at her said he wanted more than just pleasantries. Could she deny him? Probably not, but she did wholeheartedly agree with him that they needed to work together.
“Then you’ll have to stop eye-flirting with me,” she told him, resuming her amazing breakfast.
“Eye-flirting?”
“Yes.” She stabbed another apple with her fork. “You look at me and I can see you undressing me in your mind, but you haven’t made any attempt to do so. I can’t figure you out, but I can’t be on the receiving end of that stare anymore.”
Eve froze midchew as Graham’s fingertip slid along her jawbone. Quickly, she finished her bite so she didn’t choke. Her body responded instantly and he’d barely touched her. Why did she have to still want him? Why couldn’t she get him out of her system?
“I’ll strip you right now and take you on this counter.” He turned her head toward him, his eyes darting to her mouth. “Say the word.”
Oh, she wanted to say the word. Any word. Anything that would turn this passion into action. But she had to think straight...didn’t she? She’d told herself not to fall back into the pattern of sleeping with him. That would be all too easy...and all too amazingly delicious.
No. She couldn’t. They couldn’t work as a team to figure out how to deal with the pregnancy and their families if their clothes were always falling off.
“Oh, my word, that wind is...”
Eve and Graham jerked their attention to the back door where Nora stood, her hair blown around her face, her mouth wide, her eyes even wider. There was a toss-up as to who was more shocked.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Nora finally stated, shaking her long hair away from her face.
There was no reason to deny anything. Seriously. What could Eve say? Graham was sitting right here, shirtless, and Eve had clearly just crawled out of bed. Denying anything at this point would only make Eve look like a fool and insult her sister’s intelligence.
“Plenty of breakfast if you want some,” Graham supplied with that darn sexy grin. Clearly he was going the hospitable route instead of the awkward one.
Eve couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her.
Nora’s eyes narrowed on Graham before she turned to Eve. “You think this is funny? I thought you two were done...whatever it was you were doing.”
Eve started to stand, but Graham put a hand on her arm. “We’re not done, as a matter of fact.”
Eve cringed. If he said anything about the baby, there would be nothing to stop Nora from telling Grace. Eve really needed to be the one to tell her sisters...and not in front of Graham. This was definitely a private matter she needed to handle on her own.
“Eve, come on.” Nora stepped into the kitchen, her eyes locked on Eve’s. “They’re trying to destroy Dad’s name, his reputation. You of all people should get how damning that could be, not only to our family, but to the company. They think he’s hiding secrets, but he’s a dying man. Why would he keep secrets at this point?”
Nora had just wrapped up and delivered the crux of the entire situation in that one question. Why indeed? That the matter was out of her control made this whole pregnancy even scarier. There had to be a way to keep this baby safe from family backlash.
“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know,” Eve replied, purposely keeping her voice calm, though her heart was pounding hard in her chest. “Graham and I are keeping everything private.” For now. “So this doesn’t need to go any further.” Also, for now. “Did you need something from me?”
Nora blinked, then shook her head. “Seriously? You’re going to brush this off?”
“There’s nothing to brush off,” Eve corrected. Now she did slide out from beneath Graham’s touch so she could stand and approach her sister. “What Graham and I are doing, or not doing, is really only our business.”
Was she honestly going to put Graham above her sisters’ feelings right now? Eve was dangerously close to relationship territory, to an area neither of them ever wanted to be. But he’d stood firm against Brooks regarding the media backlash; that much was obvious from the pullback in the coverage. Perhaps they had already crossed that line and that was something she’d have to think about later.
“Eve wasn’t feeling well last night, so I stayed to make sure she was okay,” Graham chimed in. “Then I made breakfast and was going to head home after we ate. Now that I know she’s feeling better, I’m comfortable leaving.”
The weight on her chest vanished as she realized he wasn’t about to share their secret.
Nora gave him a suspicious look. “You mean you stayed and took care of her because...why? You care about her? Eve, come on. You have to see he’s using you. He’s using you to get closer to Dad.”
The accusation hurt. She knew for a fact Graham wasn’t using her. He wasn’t. He wouldn’t take what they shared and turn it against her. Just because he hated her father didn’t mean he’d be so cruel to her. And she hated that her sister didn’t think someone like Graham would want to be with Eve simply because he found her attractive.
“I’m not using her. In fact, I asked Brooks to retract the media statements he made regarding your father.”
Nora’s eyes narrowed once again. Eve couldn’t blame her sister for being so skeptical. Eve would feel the same way if the roles were reversed. Nora wouldn’t understand there was much more to Eve and Graham than met the eye. And Nora wouldn’t understand because Eve didn’t fully understand it herself.
Another wave of nausea swept over her and Eve swayed on her feet. She gripped the stool and closed her eyes. Instantly Graham had his strong hands around her waist.
“Eve? What?”
She squeezed her eyes tighter, willing the unwanted nausea away. She couldn’t answer for fear of getting sick right here. She hoped staying still for just a moment would help...
“Eve, talk to me,” Graham urged. “Is it the baby?”
“Baby?” Nora exclaimed.
Suddenly Eve’s fear of getting sick wasn’t the issue. Now her sister knew and there was nothing Eve could do to stop this train wreck.
Ten
Graham didn’t give a damn about the slipup. And he could care even less if Nora was shocked. When Eve swayed and caught herself on the barstool, his protective instincts took over.
Scooping her up in his arms, Graham ignored her weak plea to put her down as he carted her over to the living area off the kitchen. Once he laid her on the sofa, he noticed her pallor and the sheen of sweat that dotted her forehead. He eased himself onto the sofa beside her and lifted her legs onto his lap.
“Get her a cold cloth,” he ordered Nora without taking his eyes from Eve. What if something was wrong? Why did she look so damn pale?
Eve laid one hand on her stomach and the other over her forehead. “I’m fine. Just give me a minute.”
Seconds later, Nora waved a washcloth in Graham’s face. He used it to wipe Eve’s forehead, her neck. He didn’t like this helpless feeling one bit. He’d seen his grandmother and his mother grow weak and pass. Not that Eve was dying, but the thought that there was nothing he could do for her right now really pissed him off.
“Eve.” Nora stood over the back of the couch and reached down to smooth a damp strand of hair from her sister’s face. “Are you pregnant again?”
Eve groaned, muttering something Graham didn’t comprehend because he’d homed in on the key word in Nora’s question.
Again?
What the hell did Nora mean by that? When had Eve been pregnant before?
“I’m pregnant,” Eve mumbled. “Don’t tell Grace. I’ll tell her.”
“Oh, honey.” Now Nora’s voice took on a compassionate tone, one that Graham instinctively knew had everything to do with this former pregnancy. He was almost afraid to find out the details, but he would. “How far along are you?”
“Seven weeks now.”
Graham listened to the sisters, but his mind was overloaded. A spear of unexpected jealousy hit him square in the chest. He had no right to be jealous of a faceless man who’d created a baby with Eve. Clearly they weren’t together anymore. But still, Graham didn’t want to think of her experiencing this with anyone else.
“Promise me,” Eve was saying, her eyes pleading with Nora. “Don’t say anything. Let Graham and me handle this. We want what’s best for the baby, and our families have to come to some sort of peace.”
Nora glanced at Graham before looking back down at Eve. “I promise. I know what it’s like to be pregnant and unsure of what to do next.”
Nora had been a single mother before she and Reid had fallen in love. Graham didn’t know much about Nora’s circumstances, but it sounded as though she’d been alone and scared. Fortunately, Eve wouldn’t be alone. Ever, if he had any say.
Eve started to sit up, waving her hand when Graham tried to ease her back down. “It passed. I’m fine. I’m just going to sit here for a bit.” Looking over her shoulder, she asked, “What did you need this morning, Nora?”
“What? Oh, it’s not important.” Nora smiled, then wrapped her arms around her sister. “I thought we might go shopping for party costumes for Halloween, but we can go another day.”
Again, Graham didn’t like being left out of this little shopping trip. Didn’t like being so easily dismissed as though he was replaceable.
“I’ll feel fine in the afternoon if you want to wait.”
Nora stood straight up and nodded. “Sounds good. Text me later. Reid doesn’t want to go, so I’ll just pick something up for him. But I was given a list of things he refuses to wear. Tights being at the top of the list.”
“No Robin Hood for him, then.” Eve smiled. “Thanks for understanding and keeping this to yourself. I know you have questions, but I’ll address them. Just not now.”
Graham watched the younger Winchester sister as she adjusted her cardigan and smoothed her hair back. “I promise to keep this all to myself, but if you need any help with doctor’s appointments or someone to—”
“She’s got someone,” Graham stated. “Just be sure to keep that promise.”
Nora pulled in a breath as if she wanted to let him have it, but Graham flashed her what he hoped was a charming smile. No way in hell was he letting anyone else care for Eve and his child. They may not be a couple, but she belonged to him now.
Closing her mouth without saying anything, Nora turned on her heel and left out the front door. Silence filled the spacious room. Eve’s legs were still in Graham’s lap, but she sat up with her arm stretched across the back of the sofa.
“We’re going to have to tell your brothers now,” she said, rubbing her head. “I’ll have to talk to Grace and...this is just going to be a mess.”
“This isn’t a mess. If our families can’t see that a child is more important than our rivalry, then—”
“Tell me more about Gerty.” Eve’s eyes held his. She reached down and took his hand.
“Excuse me?”
Eve glanced down, traced a pattern over his palm. “You seemed so happy when you were talking about her. You seemed nostalgic and that’s a side of you I don’t know.”
Graham swallowed. She didn’t know this side because it was the one that was most vulnerable. But he wanted her to fully know him, to gain her affection so that his plan would be flawless. In order for that to happen, he’d have to bare all his emotions where his past was concerned.
“Gerty was amazing.” Because he couldn’t sit still, he shifted from beneath her and went to the kitchen for her plate. After putting it on her lap, he set her juice on the side table. “She’d swat our hands with a wooden spoon if we cursed, then just as lovingly show us how to bake homemade bread. I’ve never known anyone like her.”
Eve continued to hold on to her plate. Graham picked up the fork and got a small bite for her. When he lifted it to her lips, she kept her gaze on his as he fed her.
“When I fell off the monkey bars in the first grade, she came right to the school because she didn’t want to worry my mom or disrupt her shift at the coffee shop. By the time Mom got home, Gerty had bandaged me up, given me ice cream for dinner, and we were watching Casablanca.”
Eve smiled as he lifted another bite to her mouth. “You get your love of old movies from her.”
Graham nodded. “I get many things from her. She would always say how she was just a waitress, but she took pride in her job. She told us to do whatever job we wanted, whether it be a janitor or a doctor. She wanted us to know that every job was important and to make sure we worked hard.”
Graham recalled her harping on how important hard work was time and time again. No matter the career, they had to put 110 percent into it. She was a proud woman and Graham knew his mother had found a real-life angel just when she’d needed her. Or perhaps they’d needed each other, considering that Gerty’s husband had just passed when she took in Cynthia.
Graham continued to feed Eve. He shared random stories about his childhood. Whatever popped into his mind, he shared. For once, he was completely relaxed. Surprisingly, he wanted Eve to be fully aware of where he came from. He didn’t come from money. He’d worked his ass off to get where he was at the law firm.
After her plate was completely clean, he reached for the juice and handed it to her.
“That was amazing,” she told him. “Feel free to cook for me anytime.”
Graham stilled. He wasn’t prepared to play house. He had no road map, no plan here. All he knew was the end result had to be that his child was raised as a Newport.
“I’m sorry,” she told him, glancing away. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
“Don’t be sorry.”
Shaking her head, she put her plate and glass on the table before leaning back on the couch. “You may be able to keep those emotions hidden in the courtroom, but I can read you better than you think. I understand you don’t want a relationship with me, or any type of commitment. I wasn’t implying that.”
Graham raked a hand over his face; the stubble on his jawline was itchy and annoying. “Neither of us is at a point in our lives when we can put forth the time and attention a relationship needs.”
Eve nodded. “I agree.”
“But that doesn’t mean everything that happened before I found out you were pregnant is over. I can’t just shut off my desire for you, Eve. If you want to cool it in that area, tell me now. I’ll respect your wishes and I’ll still do everything in my power to keep you and this baby safe and cared for.”
He had to say what she wanted to hear. He couldn’t scare her off this early. He couldn’t even hint at what his true intentions were.
Eve pushed to her feet and started pacing. She stopped in front of the fireplace and turned her back to him. His eyes focused beyond her, on the photos she had arranged across the mantel. Every silver-framed picture showcased her family. The sisters, Eve and her mother, a young Eve on her father’s shoulders. He didn’t want to get into that aspect of her life. Graham couldn’t afford to see Sutton as a loving father. Graham didn’t give a damn about Sutton, save for the fact that he knew who Brooks and Graham’s birth father was. Or he at least knew a name. The old bastard was keeping this information to himself and Graham would do anything to find it out.
But he wouldn’t use Eve or his unborn child to get it.
“I don’t know what I want,” Eve finally said. “This passion clearly isn’t going away anytime soon. But I need some space.”
When she turned around, Graham had to force himself to remain seated. She didn’t need him cutting her off, she needed him to be strong for her. But he wouldn’t stay away long.
“Wanting you has never been a question,” she went on. “But—”
“I know.” And he did. Graham came to his feet, pleased when her eyes raked over his bare chest. Let her look, let her continue to want and need just as he did. If she needed him, then that would play right into his hand. “I’ll give you space, Eve. But you need to understand, I’m not going away. I won’t pressure you or point out that you’re looking at me like you want to take the rest of my clothes off.”
Eve rolled her eyes. “So arrogant.”
“Accurate, not arrogant,” he corrected as he slowly closed the space between them. “I’m going to check on you every day. I’m going to be involved with this pregnancy. But you’re going to come to me on your own.”
He now stood so close to her that his bare chest rubbed against her T-shirt.
She tipped her head back. “You’re sure of that?”
Graham eased closer, his lips within a breath of hers. “Positive.”
He brushed his lips against hers, not quite kissing her, but feeling her warm breath. The slight whimper that escaped her was reassuring, but he stepped back. Fisting his hands at his sides to remain in control, he counted backward from ten.
She wanted space? So be it. She’d see just how difficult ignoring this desire would be.
“I’ll call you later.”
Graham forced himself to walk away. After getting his clothes and letting himself out, he reevaluated the plan in his head. Carson and Brooks needed to know about the baby, but he couldn’t tell them just yet. He needed to formulate a better strategy for dealing with the Winchesters that didn’t involve obliterating Sutton, and in turn hurting Eve. He didn’t want her hurt, he wanted her to be completely and utterly his. But he also wanted Sutton to divulge the name of his father before he died.
Damn it. There had to be a way to get everything he wanted and not hurt Eve in the process.
If Roman could find their birth father soon, Graham knew Brooks would ease off Sutton. Or if Sutton somehow found it in the deepest part of his dark heart to share the information he knew, that would be even better. But Graham feared the man would go to his grave with the secret.
Just like his mother had. Why hadn’t she just told them? All Graham had ever heard was how their father wasn’t in the picture and she didn’t want to talk about him.
So here they were with no answers, other than that Sutton was Carson’s father. But that was it.
Putting thoughts of Sutton out of his mind, Graham pulled away from Eve’s house, already planning on how to gain her attention, to make her come to him. Because he wouldn’t beg for any women...not even the mother of his child.
