By Request Collection April-June 2016. Оливия Гейтс
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‘No. He looks hot, but that’s where it stops. He’s selfish, his breath smells like a drain, and he thinks about nothing except his beauty, his personal trainer, and football. Always football. And his mother.’ She shuddered. ‘Luc is a much sweeter, smarter guy.’ She added softly, ‘But not the one for me.’
Heartsore on that subject, Shari lowered her lashes.
Manon scraped the bottom of her glass with the spoon. ‘Someone has told me you are an author of children’s books?’
‘Oh, well …’ Shari certainly didn’t want to boast, but, under duress, she admitted it.
It was an illuminating conversation. Perhaps because they didn’t need to be rivals, Manon was warm and genuinely friendly. After they’d canvassed pregnancies, partners and partners’ mothers thoroughly, Shari saw her into a taxi and turned for home.
Somehow during that forty or so minutes she’d reached a decision. Cruel though it was to face the truth, she saw with clarity that clinging to a man in the hope some day her love would be returned in full measure was a fool’s game. Experience had shown her that pain would only escalate with time. And life was short. Take Rémy, for instance. Here one day, gone the next.
Luc, beautiful man that he was, had done his best to do the honourable thing. He deserved a chance to find a woman he could prize as he’d prized Manon.
Somehow she’d allowed her Rémy period to sabotage her confidence and her belief in herself. The damned fool test was a case in point. How an intelligent person could have tied herself up in knots over it was nothing short of amazing.
On the walk home, she phoned the clinic and cancelled her appointment. Back in the apartment, she booked her flight to Australia, then started to gather her things. She was in the kitchen unpinning her sketches from the fridge when she heard Luc’s key turn in the door, far earlier than expected.
‘Shari? Are you here?’
‘In the kitchen.’ She braced herself, her heart thumping like a big bass drum.
When he walked in, his dark eyes were serious and unexpectedly stern. Her heart skipped a beat. What was it?
‘Ça va,’ he said, kissing her. He continued to hold her arms firmly, his eyes intent on her face. ‘Shari, I can’t let you do it.’
She started. ‘What?’
He shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, my darling. I know you feel this is important for us, but nothing about us is as important as this little one in here.’ He patted her bump tenderly.
‘Oh, the test. Yes, I know, and that’s exactly—’
‘No, chérie. I need you to listen. I know you’ve been driving yourself crazy over this. Why are we doing it?’
She was winding up to explain her change of heart, but he went on regardless.
‘It isn’t necessary. I know you are not a liar. I’ve always known—what you are. Who. Who you are to me. And I won’t let you leave me.’
‘Comment?’ A guilty blush heated her cheeks. Had the guy inherited his mother’s terrible clairvoyance?
His face tautened. ‘I—I only agreed because I wanted you so much to stay, but as far as we know it’s not a medical necessity, is it? Some people need to go through this thing, but we’ve already decided to go ahead and have our baby, whatever the test uncovers. We said that, didn’t we?’
‘I know, we did. I only suggested having it in the first place because I’ve been feeling so insecure. Anxious.’ She flushed a little. ‘It was ridiculous. I couldn’t be certain you trusted me. But I decided today that you’ll just have to take my word for it, and if you can’t …’
His eyes sharpened. ‘But of course I take your word. And in the end,’ he added hoarsely, ‘who cares who our baby resembles or what selection of genes she has? Or he has? We’ll love her, or him, because he belongs to us.’
‘Oh, Luc. Oh, my darling, darling man, that’s so wonderful to hear.’ Tears sprang into her eyes. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, long and deep.
She could feel his hard body pressed against her, his big heart thumping with the force of his emotion. Her own was thundering fit to burst.
‘I don’t think you know how much I love you, Shari Lacey,’ he said gruffly when they at last surfaced. ‘And how I—need you.’
‘Honestly?’ she breathed, hardly able to believe her ears. Her heart swelled.
‘Bien sûr.’ He held her face between his hands, his brows earnestly drawn. ‘You have warmed my life.’
‘Oh.’ Thrilling with a tremulous, painful joy she blinked madly to hold back the tears. ‘Is that really true?’
He searched her face. ‘How can you not know?’ He spread his hands in rueful amazement. ‘You won’t believe it, but I used to consider myself a hard guy. Cynical, even. With you I’ve turned into a—a putty. I don’t recognise myself. I’ve become dependent on the sound of your voice. Your—face in the morning.’ His voice cracked slightly. ‘At work I—I find myself thinking of you, worrying you won’t be here when I come home. Even today I …’ He shook his head, then looked firmly at her. ‘Listen to me …’ He was breathing rather hard, and his eyes grew stern and serious. ‘Don’t dream of walking out that door. I won’t let you. I’ll hunt you down, if necessary. I’ll chase the plane you leave on. I’ll pursue you to the ends of the earth.’
While she contemplated this exciting scenario, he muttered to himself, ‘All along I’ve been so scared of losing you, I’ve been agreeing to crazy things like a—a madman.’
She had a fleeting vision of the time he’d raced to the Ritz at midnight to pick up some buttery scrambled eggs, but dismissed that as an example. Any man would have done the same.
She gave a gurgle of laughter through her tears. ‘Oh, I wouldn’t say madman.’
‘Oui, oui. It’s true. Every time we’ve disagreed over anything I’ve held my breath for fear you would run for the airport.’
‘Oh, my poor darling.’ Her heart ached with love and remorse, and a degree of guilt. ‘My poor Luc. Why would you think that?’
‘Why?’ His handsome face softened. ‘Shari, chérie, I’ve heard it in your voice. Seen it in your eyes. How you miss Neil … How you long for Australia. I understand how cold it feels in a strange country with only me to cling to.’
She gazed at the gorgeous hunk of man through her tears. ‘Well, you are something worth clinging to, you know,’ she said shakily. ‘You don’t need to worry about Neil. Of course I miss him and Em, but you … I’m in love with you. Isn’t it obvious? You’re all I’ve ever wanted. You’re the kindest, the most sexy, the hottest, the most …’
His voice thickened. ‘While you are the most desirable, the most confusing, clever, adorable, darling woman …’
Joy was such a powerful aphrodisiac. This was a precious moment, a solemn, soulful moment when hearts were open and truth was on the table. The most thrilling words she would ever hear in her life were being spoken to her by the most gorgeous man in the world, yet in her delirious state of sunshine and supreme happiness she was feeling aroused.
So inappropriate. And so fantastically promising.
‘I know I’ve been difficult,’ she breathed. ‘So emotional. Even now I’m feeling far too passionate. Is there any way I can make it up to you?’
‘Yes,’ he said fiercely. He swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
Afterwards, when passion was for the moment in abeyance and she was lying with her head on his chest, contemplating the incredible