Emma exhaled the breath she had been holding. “I told Aidan that there was nothing between us, and that you knew I couldn’t give you more. But now that you’re in front of me, looking at me…” She shuddered. “You confuse me.”
“I confuse you?”
Staring down at her hands, she said, “I still care very deeply for Aidan, but when I’m with you, I start to feel…differently.”
“I could argue that it’s merely biological, and that your body is just seeking out a mate to protect you and your child.”
“If that’s the case, then I would only feel for Aidan, right?”
Pesh’s expression grew serious. “So I at least have a chance to woo you?”
“To woo me?”
He laughed. “Not a word you would usually use?”
“Not exactly.”
He tilted his head in thought. “Hmm, a chance to win you over by romancing you? To wine and dine you?”
Emma smiled and pointed to her belly. “There will be no wining, and with my bed rest, our dining is going to be a little limited.”
“Ah, but that’s why I brought food to you.” He rose off the couch. “Let me go get it, and we’ll commence our wooing.”
When he winked at her, she laughed. “Okay.”
Pesh stopped when he got to the door and turned around. “As long as I have a chance to win your heart, Emma, I’ll take whatever you can give me.”
Emma tried not to be overwhelmed by his words. All she planned on giving him was her friendship, and that was it—nothing more and nothing less. Regardless of what her traitorous body wanted to feel that was going to be it.
He carried two large food bags when he swept back through the door. “Goodness. I don’t eat that much you know!” Emma teased.
Pesh laughed. “I know, but I just wanted you to get a good flavoring for different Indian courses and dishes.” He glanced around. “Should I take these to the kitchen?”
“No, just put them here on the table. We’ll have a picnic of sorts.”
“Sounds good to me.” Once he sat the bags down, he turned back to her. Rubbing his hands, he said, “Before we dig in, let’s check on Little Man.”
Emma laughed at his enthusiasm. “Okay.”
“It’s hard to believe technology has come so far that we actually have portable ultrasound machines.”
“It’s crazy.”
Pesh set up the device and then turned to lift her top. Emma instinctively reached out to knock his hand away. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I’m sorry. I was just—”
“I know. I was being ridiculous.”
She then eased her top up over her belly and lamented the fact Pesh had to see her like this. If he managed to see her swollen stomach and didn’t appear totally repulsed, maybe he really was worth giving a chance romantically. She quickly shook the thought out of her head when he squirted the cold jelly on her skin.
He ran the wand over her stomach, and Noah’s grainy image appeared on the screen. “There he is. Looking good too, I might add.”
Emma focused in on Noah. His arms and legs flailed a bit as the wand seemed to disturb his resting. In fact, he gave two enthusiastic kicks to prove he wanted to be left alone. “His heart rate is normal, and everything looks good with the placenta.” Pesh glanced up from the monitor to meet Emma’s gaze. “No more contractions or pain?”
“Nope. Everything has been fine.”
He smiled. “Such a blessing to hear. I’m sure once you’re off bed-rest in the next week, you can look forward to a happy and healthy remainder of your pregnancy.”
“That’s what I’ve been hoping and praying for,” Emma replied.
Pesh patted her hand reassuringly. “Just believe it.” He then put away the wand.
Emma glanced down at her sticky belly. “Do you mind grabbing me a hand towel from the kitchen?”
From his medical bag, he produced a towel. “I always come prepared.”
She laughed. “Well, thank you then.”
“While you get cleaned up, I’ll go get us some plates and silverware.”
“Sounds good.”
As Emma swiped herself clean of the jelly, she heard Pesh opening and closing cabinets. He had started into the living room when a bang at the basement door caused him to jump and almost drop everything. His wide-eyes met Emma’s as scratching and howling persisted at the door. “Is Aidan keeping someone hidden in the basement?”
She giggled. “That would be our…um, well, Aidan’s very spoiled dog, Beau.”
Pesh nodded as he set down the plates. “Want me to let him out?”
“I guess so. I wasn’t quite sure how he might react to you.”
“Animals usually love me, so we’ll see if I can win him over.” When Pesh opened the basement door, Beau came bounding in. He raced over to Emma and licked her hand. “Hey good boy.”
Then his ears perked up, and he swung around to take in Pesh. A low growl erupted in his throat. “No, no, Beau. Pesh is our friend,” she said, grabbing his collar.
Pesh slowly walked over to the couch. Tentatively, he stuck his hand out for Beau to smell. After Beau took it in, he still stared hard at Pesh. “I would almost think Aidan had warned him about me before he left tonight,” he mused.
Emma laughed. “He’s usually really good around strangers, but I was afraid this might happen with Aidan gone.”
“He’s just being a good, territorial dog. Since he doesn’t know me, he’s protecting you and the baby.” Pesh tilted his head to the side. “Hmm, let’s see if I can make friends.” He dug his hand into one of the bags. “Let’s see if a piece of Samosa might seal the deal.” He reached out to Beau with the piece of what looked like a tortilla.
Beau glanced back at her. “It’s okay. You can have it.” Reluctantly, he inched forward and snatched the bread out of Pesh’s hand.
“What exactly is that?”
“It’s a wrap of potatoes and spices.”
“Oh jeez, then he’ll be in heaven. He loves potatoes almost as much as his daddy does.” When she realized what she had said, she couldn’t fight the flush filling her cheeks.
“So while I get things unpacked, do you want to tell me what happened with you and Aidan?”
Emma grimaced. “Do I have to?”
“Not if it’s going to upset you. I would never want to cause you any pain.”