Page 53 of Christmas in Whitehorn
“No, but it happened to my partner when I was in New York. His wife thought she was pregnant. They already had a couple of kids, and weren’t sure they wanted more. They agonized over it, then when they’d finally decided they were thrilled with the idea of another child, she found out she wasn’t pregnant. They were both devastated.”
“Not my situation at all,” she assured him.
“Just checking.”
She started to ask him if he was okay when she felt a slight clenching around her heart. A faint stab of…what? Longing, she thought. Longing for a child of her own.
She’d never really allowed herself to dream about something like that. After all, she had plenty of responsibilities and no one to share them with. A child would make her situation impossible. And yet, now that Mark had asked the question, she couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to have a baby with him.
Instantly she pictured a pretty green-eyed, dark-haired little girl holding hands with her blond, blue-eyed brother. She and Mark would have made amazing babies together, she thought sadly.
She jerked herself out of her daydream with a stern warning not to go there. Wanting a baby with a man was a slick road to disaster. Next up she’d be thinking about a permanent relationship. Or falling in love.
“Darcy? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
Love? No. Not in this lifetime. Not with any man and especially not with Mark.
“What were you thinking?” he asked.
She avoided his gaze. “Just that I’m glad we’ve been responsible since that first time. You’ve been really good about wearing a condom.”
“I’m happy to do it.”
If sex was going to be a part of her life, she needed to take precautions. This time she’d gotten off lightly, but what if she had been pregnant? The odds of her getting involved with anyone seemed slim, but it obviouslycouldhappen.
“Maybe I should go on the Pill,” she said, more to herself than him.
“An interesting idea.”
Heat flared in her cheeks as she realized what she’d just said aloud. “Oh! I didn’t mean to say that. I, ah, just…” She drew in a breath. “I was thinking out loud. I wasn’t hinting.”
He lightly touched her arm. “I’ve missed you.”
She knew what he meant. He’d missed herin bed.She wanted to say she hadn’t missed him. That she didn’t want a physical relationship with him. Not anymore. Unfortunately she’d never been much of a liar.
She breathed his name.
For a man with a swollen ankle, he moved darned fast, she thought as he eased closer and wrapped an arm around her.
She told herself to resist. She told herself to pull away. Sex with Mark always made her life more complicated. They’d barely gotten one mess straightened out—did she really want to make a new one?
He lightly kissed her mouth. Her resolve faded like so much mist as her body went on alert.
“I don’t want to start trouble,” she said, even as she wiggled closer to him.
“We make the best kind of trouble,” he whispered, and deepened the kiss.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Darcy thought about trying to convince herself that she was being swept away against her will when the truth was she wanted to be with Mark. Being close to him might weaken her resolve to the point where she didn’t have a whole lot of choice in the matter, but that was her problem. Not his. She and Mark created some kind of sensual magic when they were together.
He cupped her face, his fingers warm and gentle as they rested on her cheek. His mouth moved against hers, his tongue stroking her lower lip. His scent surrounded her. Although they’d only made love a handful of times, the moment felt familiar. She knew how he would taste when she parted for him. She anticipated the lean strength of his body, the way his arousal would press against her. She knew his touch, his heat, his need.
Such knowledge implied an intimacy that frightened her. Her first instinct was to push him away. But her longing was too intense. She could only part her lips and surrender, hoping she was smart enough to keep her heart out of reach.
His tongue brushed against hers. She moaned softly as feeling swept through her. Her breasts grew more sensitive as her nipples tightened, pushing against her bra. Between her legs, familiar need made her insides heavy as her body anticipated their joining.
