As she struggled with troubling thoughts, Jefferson rolled to one side, drawing her with him, cradling her closely against his body. Her head on his shoulder, his arms around her, he lay in the lamp-lit dark and said nothing.
How long could they go on like this? she thought desperately. How long before they tore each other’s hearts to shreds and there was nothing left for either of them?
He trailed one hand idly down the length of her until he could cover her abdomen with his palm. She sighed at the gentleness of his touch even as she remembered the fire in his passion. He rested his hand on her, fingers splayed, and she felt him take a breath and hold it—waiting for his child to move again.
As if to please its father, the baby obliged with a tiny kick that brought a smile to Maura’s face despite unshed tears burning her eyes.
“He’s strong already,” Jefferson mused and she could hear pride ringing in his tone.
“Aye, soon he’ll be trying to kick his way out,” she said, surprised at the thickness of her voice.
Jefferson turned his head to look at her. “You’re crying. Why are you crying?”
“’Tis foolish, never mind.”
He levered himself up on one elbow and looked down at her. His eyes were the palest blue and in the darkness, they almost seemed to glow with some inner light. Maura stared up into them, then lifted her hand to smooth his hair back from his forehead.
“Are you all right?” he asked. “I didn’t hurt you or the baby, did I?”
“You didn’t, no,” she told him, easing the fear she saw in his gaze. “I’m feeling a bit weepy these days is all.”
“That’s not it,” he said, his mouth firming, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he gritted his teeth. “Don’t lie to me, Maura.”
“’Tisn’t a lie,” she countered, pushing at his chest to shove him away. But it was like trying to push at the walls of her barn. “I am weepier these days. A woman’s hormones are all over the place when she’s carrying.”
“Fine, not a lie. But not the complete truth.”
“Ah, Jefferson,” she said on a sigh, “what difference does it make?”
“The difference is, we at least owe each other honesty, don’t we?”
“You’re right,” Maura mused. “Honesty would be best. Especially now.”
“So tell me why you’re crying.”
This time when she gave him a little nudge, he yielded and Maura pushed herself up into a sitting position on the bed. Tugging the quilt and sheets up over her br**sts, she glanced out the window at the shining night beyond. When she spoke, her voice was hushed.
“I was only thinking of how much I’ll miss you when you go.”
“You don’t have to,” he said and he, too, spoke in a whisper. “You can come with me.”
“We’ve been over this,” she said, pushing her hair back from her face with both hands. “The baby is not a reason to wed.”
“That’s not what I’m saying this time,” he told her and instantly won her full attention.
Maura stared at him and tried to read what she saw in his eyes, but the shadows in the room were too deep. “What are you saying, then?”
“I’ve been thinking about this, Maura,” he told her as he edged off the bed, snatched up his jeans and tugged them on. He didn’t bother to button them, just stalked across the room to her side of the bed and stood there, looking down at her. Arms folded across his chest, legs braced as if for battle, he said, “What just happened between us sort of solidified those thoughts. We’re good together. Right. And you know it.”
“I do,” she agreed, wondering where he was going with this. Trying not to hope, but failing miserably, she clung to the dream in her heart and waited for him to continue.
“Good. I’m glad you can see that. It’ll make what I have to say that much easier.”
“What is it you’re getting to?”
“In a minute,” Jefferson said, wanting to get everything between them out in the open now. “We said we’d be honest—”
She only waited.
He blurted a truth he hadn’t planned on telling her. “I didn’t fire Cara.”
“What?”
“It was her idea,” he said quickly, giving her a smile he hoped would head her temper off before it got a foothold. “The idea was to make you so angry that you’d agree to marry me so that I’d take her back on the film.”
She hissed in a breath. “Of all the low, despicable…”
“I know. I’ve heard them all.” He leaned down to kiss her, quick, hard, cutting off her thread of insults before she could really get going. Then, easing back, he said, “Now, continuing with the honesty vein…marry me, Maura.”
Clearly still angry over the deception, she narrowed her eyes on him. “We’ve been over this until the path is beaten down, Jefferson. I won’t marry you for the child’s sake.”
“Hear me out at least. This isn’t about the baby. This is about us.”
“It is?”
He had her attention now, he told himself, judging by the interested gleam in her eyes. And as he relished the fact that he was back in charge, he warmed to his theme. He’d faced down hostile mergers before. This was no different. He’d convince her that he knew what was best and they’d go on with their lives.
Deliberately, Jefferson slid one hand down her warm, curvy body and settled his palm atop their child in a possessive move she couldn’t miss. That simple action linked them, made the three of them a unit. As they should be.
He had to convince her. Had to make her see. He wouldn’t lose this. Wouldn’t lose her because of her own stubborn pride or unwillingness to listen to reason. Being with her again had brought it all home to him. He’d lay it all out for her, exactly as it had just popped into his mind and then she’d see that he was right.
The perfect solution.
“What is it you have in mind, then?” she asked.
“I’m proposing a marriage of convenience,” he started and when she opened her mouth to speak, he hurried on, determined to have his say completely. “We’re good together and you’ve already admitted it, so there’s no point in denying it. The sex is great and we actually like each other.”
“Like,” she repeated.
“Exactly.” He smiled at her. “Marrying is just a good business decision. Everyone wins this way, Maura. You. Me. The baby. We know going in exactly what kind of marriage we have so there’re no misconceptions. No room for hurt feelings or shattered illusions.”