A Weekend Temptation (8 page)

“You need to go back to her. There’s obviously something there or you wouldn’t be so messed up.”

“It’s a temporary thing,” Joel said.

“Only because you don’t allow it to be more.”

Joel didn’t say anything, just swallowed half of his drink. Let it burn down his throat.

“You need to move on. Elizabeth wouldn’t like to see what you’re doing to your life. The way you lock yourself in your office and run away. You should be finding the right woman. Raising a family.”

“Okay, I’ll call Claudia then.”

“Claudia?” Joel laughed a hard laugh. “She can’t give you what you need. You don’t love her. You never will.”

“And that’s a good thing.” Making love with Ava and being drilled with all those unwanted feelings hadn’t changed anything.

Because of the loss he’d suffered, he didn’t want to fall in love or have children. And he knew with Claudia’s iceberg coldness there’d be no danger of that.

Joel was thirty-six years old. He’d done everything he’d set out to do in business. He was a billionaire, who wanted a companion to share his bed and his social calendar. Someone who would be there when he wanted her and make no demands on his life when he didn’t.

“Whether you like it or not, Ava’s working her way into your heart,” Lance said.

Joel couldn’t allow it.

If he spent enough time away from Ava, and if he was busy with Claudia, surely any growing feelings would shrivel and die.

Chapter Nine

Alexander Lawrence the Fourth held Ava’s chair. “Did you enjoy the carriage ride?” he asked. He walked around the table and sat across from her.

Tonight he’d arranged a romantic horsedrawn carriage ride through Central Park, which dropped them at an exclusive restaurant with a sparkling city view. It was a month later, Ava was back in New York and back to dating the latest “perfect man” her sister Bethany, Manhattan’s Matchmaker, had set her up with.

“No, it was truly terrible. Not at all romantic.” She flashed him a teasing smile.

“I’m glad I impressed you.” He said returning her grin. Everything about the man impressed her. He was gorgeous, rich, and best of all he was as successful as he was honest. He’d told her his past, right up front, and told her he wanted the same things in life.

And Alexander was a gentleman. She’d dated him every night since the night she’d arrived back, and it wasn’t fair—she still compared him to the louse who’d taken her to his island, set her ablaze, and then dumped her.

But she knew, given enough time, she could fall in love with Alexander. He could make her forget the icy mega-male Joel Stanfield. Her sister was good at what she did, match-making was in her blood. This time Bethany had gotten it right.

Ava watched a French waiter uncork a bottle of champagne, then fill two flutes before he dashed away.

“Ava, since the moment I met you, I felt something I’ve never felt before. You are intelligent, you are strong, you are it. You’re the woman I want lying in my bed and sitting at my breakfast table. Ava Carson, will you do me the honor of being my wife?” Alexander’s strong baritone broke with emotion.

This was it. This was what she wanted. For thirty days they’d been inseparable. He’d taken her to museums, they’d watched movies on his couch, and had dinner dates. All because they wanted to see if they were right for each other. She’d learned she could talk to him and they were compatible. Their views were the same on politics and religion, and they both wanted to marry and have a big family.

Now Ava knew the man was the answer to her prayers. All she had to do was reach across the table, snap up the proverbial ring and answer with a resounding, “I will marry you.”

So why was her stomach revolting? Why had dizziness flung her out of balance?

“It’s beautiful. Just what I would have picked for myself,” she said. Now it was time for her yes. A threatening wave of queasiness grew until she covered her mouth and tried hard to swallow it down.

“We can get married in the summer. I know it’s only three months away, or we can wait and have a fall wedding—”

She swallowed. Her eyes stung with the effort of delaying her nausea. “Excuse me.”

Without saying yes and without looking back, Ava raced to the ladies’ room in a blur, praying to God she’d get there in time.

She was lucky. The sickness waited until she reached the first open stall. There she emptied the contents of her five-star, gourmet meal. Afterward she rested her throbbing head on the cool plastic seat of the toilet. She stayed there, unable to do anything else, feeling the world rock.

The nausea passed as soon as the food was out of her stomach. Ava washed her pale face and brushed her hair before returning to the table.

“You all right?” Alexander asked standing for her. He sat when she sat.

“Fine, I feel much better. Maybe something I ate didn’t agree with me.”

“You think it’s from here? I’ll call the head chef and complain.”

“No, it’s probably from breakfast or lunch. This place is too nice.”

“Are you sure it’s the food? If this proposal is too sudden, we can take it slower,” he said. He was such a good guy.

“No.” She reached across the table and took his hand. “I want to marry you. You can give me the life I want.”

“Yes, we’re perfect for each other.” Alexander said as he handed her the ring. She slid it over her knuckle and found it was too big. No problem, she’d take it back to the jeweler and get it sized this week.

“Let’s start planning our summer wedding.”

****

Ava pounded her alarm clock to stop its blaring for a third time. Then she felt guilt stab into her. She pried open a heavy eyelid and read it was already eight-thirty. She groaned.

If she didn’t pull her sleepy butt from bed, she’d be late, again.! She kicked the covers off.

The moment her feet hit the carpet, her head tilted and spun, but she forced her legs forward, toward the bathroom.

She’d been late for every dinner she’d had with Alexander. That wasn’t fair to him. He was such a great guy, she should be excited to see him. She should be early, waiting at the door, purse in hand and sweater on.

Each night before bed, she vowed to be on time. Alexander was always on time for her. Of course being the perfect man, Alexander understood her tardiness. As if being late was a female trait he expected to endure.

Ava slipped into the shower, her head still swimming. She yawned and decided she definitely needed more sleep.

She also needed a more supportive bra. Her breasts were tender as the shower pelted them. She hoped that meant she was about to begin her period. It was already a week late, but she tried not to get too excited. It had been late before, especially in times of stress.

But…

But…she’d never had a reason to think she could be pregnant before.

No. Not possible.

How many people got pregnant from one week of love making? And he’d worn a condom each time, he’d protected her. Okay, condoms weren’t one hundred percent, but she’d never met anyone who’d told her their condom failed. Or had she? Her mind was fuzzy today. Didn’t it take months to get pregnant?

Not always
, her troubled mind whispered.

She shook her head, sending light brown strands of hair into her eyes. She pushed them back and told herself it was okay. She just ate some bad food last night. That’s all.

Everything would be fine. She stepped from the shower and dried off. As she rubbed her towel over her body, she had to admit her stomach wouldn’t settle.

A nervous stomach. A marriage proposal. Of course, it made sense. Her stomach rebelled because she’d said yes to Alexander, and she’d ingested some bad food. That’s all. Bad food and change. Change was hard on everyone, even good change. Her body was reacting to the happy stress. Once she got used to it, her stomach would return to normal.

And her period was late. Like it had been late three months ago.

But what if she was…?

Ava dropped the towel on her toes and focused on her bare navel. A new life growing inside her? A life with Joel’s sharp, black eyes. With his dark hair and chiseled cheekbones. She trembled. The pregnancy test sat on the counter, where she’d left it last night, taunting her to find some courage to take it.

She inhaled a deep breath, grabbed the test, and unwrapped it. Before she could change her mind, she took it. Then she set a timer and watched each lethargic second tick by for twenty, long, agonizing seconds.

Her stomach flipped and flopped. She stared at the test until her vision blurred.

Pregnant? Her? The girl who planned everything, having an unplanned pregnancy? Impossible.

What would it be like to grow a baby inside her? To watch her body transform?

God, time inched by. Waiting for an answer that could change her entire life was excruciating. Her heart jumped against her ribs and started to pound.

What was she doing watching a stupid egg timer anyway? She was late to meet Alexander, her fiancé. They were having lunch with his parents to tell them of the engagement.

She should be getting ready. For once, she’d like to surprise him by being on time.

Only this test, this answer couldn’t wait.

A moment later, she opened her walk-in closet and stepped into a pair of black, pinstriped pants. As she pulled her favorite, peach silk blouse off the hanger the timer dinged. Her fingers convulsed, she dropped her shirt and galloped back to the bathroom.

Was that a…
plus
?

She froze. Her mouth dropped open.

No. No. It couldn’t be.

She blinked hard.

She had to have misread something. She had to be reading the control line, because there is no way she could be…

She swallowed, trying to free the rock lodged in her throat. She placed a shaking hand against her flat stomach.

Oh God.

Her best laid plans had just imploded.

She was pregnant with Joel Stanfield’s baby! And she’d thought the world tilted before, now she was captive on a tilt-a-whirl. What the hell was she going to do now?

Ava needed time to process this major life change. Her skin iced over, and her heart pounded. No way was she ready to tell Alexander. Nor could she face an engagement lunch with his parents today.

A wave of queasiness thrashed in her stomach. Better call Alexander while she could before he left to pick her up.

An hour later, she’d made a decision. She was on her way to see the one man she’d promised she’d never see again.

The one who didn’t want to see her either.

Her brother had always said, “You can never plan your life because life takes over.” In the past she’d always been able to prove him wrong. Not today. The back of her eyes burned with unshed tears. She blinked them away. Now she knew exactly what Rob meant.

That didn’t mean everything had to change. The baby would just be incorporated into her life-plan. Sure, it had taken her by surprise, but that didn’t mean she had to give up what she wanted. She could still marry Alexander and be with the man who loved her, she’d just add a baby to their happy lives. Alexander was an understanding man. Everything would work out.

After she told Joel.

****

Saturday morning, Joel’s housekeeper opened the door and took Ava’s coat as if she’d been expected. The woman didn’t ask her name or why she was here.

“You’re a little late for the party, but brunch hasn’t been served yet.” The woman said, smiling.

Oh, that explained it. Joel was having a people over. Not great timing, but maybe she could steal him away for just a moment.

“Follow me,” the housekeeper said, leading Ava through an impressive marble foyer to the dinning room.

A rambunctious, noisy group chatted and laughed. Candles flickered. Champagne flutes clinked. The whole scene.

Even through the crowd, she knew where to look for Joel—at the head of the table. Even with her eyes closed, she’d have known where he was because she felt him. He still pulled her to him with his strong, male magnetism. Even sitting he was imposing, a man who belonged at the head of every dining table and every boardroom.

Heads turned as she stepped closer to him. Even though she felt the weight of the group’s questioning eyes, she couldn’t pull her gaze from the powerhouse of the man. His shoulders were just as broad, his hair just as thick and midnight dark, his granite face gorgeous and expressionless.

“Ava, what are you doing here? Joel, did you invite Ava to our engagement party?” asked a familiar female voice.

The silken voice made Ava drag her attention from Joel. And when she did, Ava froze and gaped at the sparkling beauty—the one and only Claudia LeMure.

The supermodel lifted her glass, flashing a dazzling rock. One that made Ava’s ring look like dull quartz.

Time to do something.

But Ava froze and stared and tried to remember how to breathe. Her skin flamed with embarrassment.

“No. I didn’t invite her,” he said, flatly.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise that Joel’s answer was void of emotion, but that didn’t stop his words from chewing through her. Then his dark eyes met hers in a cold, curious way, and he lifted his regal hand to summon her closer.

Like any good royal subject, she started to move toward him. Then stopped. As her fuzzy brain added up the details. The party, the guests, Claudia and the glittering ring. Of course. This was an engagement party.
His
engagement party to Claudia!

A nervous bubble of wild laughter rose in the back of her throat. Wicked. Joel was a wicked, wicked man. He’d done exactly what he’d set out to do. He’d had Ava sexually. Then he’d gone back to his perfect plan of marrying a woman more fitting of his exalted social stature. Probably the minute Joel’s private jet had landed and his limo had dropped Ava back at her condo, he’d gone to see Claudia.

Air stuck in the back of Ava’s throat and refused to make its journey down to her lungs. She swayed on her feet, and her ears buzzed. She covered her clogged throat with a trembling hand.