A Stormy Spring (25 page)

In a complete daze, Becca tuned Lucas and the doctor out as they discussed the best way forward.

She could lose her babies?

Her vision blurred and she blinked rapidly to clear it.

‘And what about sex?’ Lucas wanted to know.

What?
That caught her attention.

Mr Sanderson nodded. ‘Actually, that’s a very good question. It’s vital to maintain a healthy physical relationship. Intimacy is good for the babies and it’s good for you, Rebecca, because it decreases stress and anxiety. Communication is key. Touching, cuddling, stroking, caressing and oral sex is fine. No blowing air into her vagina, it’s not safe. For the moment I don’t recommend deep penetrative sex or bells and whistles orgasms either.’

Becca simply shook her head at Lucas. The man was truly unbelievable. How embarrassing was this?

She turned to the doctor. ‘I was planning on travelling to France, to stay with my mother.’

Mr. Sanderson shook his head. ‘Nope. No hopping on planes, trains or automobiles. We’ll see how you are during the second trimester.’

That, Becca realised with a sensation of inevitability, was that.

She was trapped.

Flicking Lucas a glance she realised he looked remarkably in control for someone who’s entire life had just imploded.

Less than an hour later she was tucked up in bed.

Her own bed.

Lucas wasn’t pleased, but she’d argued for her own space where she could have her own things; her music, pads, pens and something to read. The compromise was that she’d sleep in his bed every night which cheered him up considerably. And she discovered an ally in Moira who organised her bedroom with military precision. She found herself with her cell phone tucked beside her. On a huge chest at the bottom of the bed held a flat screen TV/DVD and she was handed the remote control.

Lucas strolled in with her laptop. He took one look at her face and strolled right back out with it again.

A red-headed young perinatal nurse named Sinead arrived. She was Irish and reminded Becca forcibly of a pretty perky robin. And Sinead found a soul mate in Moira. It must, Becca decided as they chattered together in beautiful sing song voices, be a Celtic thing.

‘And would you look at you sitting there like the Queen herself in that big bed. Go and pee in the pot,’ Sinead ordered her.

Becca did as she was told and realised life as she knew it had changed for ever.

Since there was absolutely no point in worrying about the future because there was nothing she could do about it Becca submitted to the indignities that every invalid endured as Sinead dipped her little stick in Becca’s pee and then settled her before taking her blood pressure.

‘Hmm, still as high as a kite. Although I’m not surprised with all that racket outside the window,’ the nurse said referring to the press pack. ‘Right, I’ll come back in a couple of hours after you’ve had a snooze and take it again.’ Sinead’s eyes, as green as the Emerald Isle, twinkled into hers. ‘You’ve had a stressful day and I expect you’ll have lots of questions once you get your head around your situation. Make a note of what you want to ask me. It’s my job to keep you and the babies well physically and emotionally. I’ll send in that big handsome man of yours who’s wearing a hole in the carpet out there to give you a cuddle – that usually works.’

Five minutes later the big handsome man popped his head around the door before he entered.

Those dark eyes met hers and she read concern along with a certain wariness.

‘Still awake? Sinead and Moira are bonding in the kitchen discussing dietary ideas which involve copious amounts of lean protein and plenty of fibre.’ As he talked he stripped down to his underpants, took off his watch, placing it safely on the bedside table and crawled into bed.

‘And just what do you think you’re doing?’ Becca wanted to know in an Arctic tone.

She’d just about reached her limit and all she wanted to do was to have a nice big self indulgent pity party.

Lucas tossed a couple of pillows on the floor, scooted her on her left side and spooned her, stroking a lazy hand down her hip as he nuzzled the soft spot under her ear.

His deep voice rumbled in his chest, vibrating deliciously through her system.

‘I am cuddling. Doctor and scary nurse’s orders.’

Becca sighed and gave in. She’d get angry with him, in a minute.

‘She’s not scary. She’s lovely. Did you just smell my hair?’

‘It smells wonderful.’

‘Don’t you have work to do?’

‘
Si
, but I can work from home. I delegate. Do not wiggle your bottom like that,
querida
.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Try not to sleep.’

She wrinkled her nose, already feeling a lovely warm lethargy overtaking her.

‘I think you mean try to sleep,’ she said drowsily.

‘No. If you try to sleep it never happens. If you try
not
to sleep it happens naturally.’

‘Reverse psychology,’ she mumbled.

After five minutes she was out like a light.

‘Works every time,’ Lucas said to himself.

Lying in her bed with Becca in his arms was sheer heaven and sheer hell.

Lucas knew it was important to keep her as stress free as possible. She didn’t want to talk about marriage. Fair enough. But his father was going to be an issue. He loved him and the thought of hurting him didn’t sit well with Lucas, but Becca’s needs and the babies’ needs came first.

And that meant his business would need to take a back seat too. Consecutive meetings were planned in New York for next week. He’d need to cancel those. He’d need to prime Tobin on recent developments to discuss which of his Vice Presidents were ready to take on a heavier burden. It would be tricky, but nothing worthwhile in life was ever easy.

He frowned as he remembered how Becca was still determined to move to France. He’d never want anything to happen to her or his children, but every cloud had a silver lining. She was going nowhere and that meant the gift of time to woo her. To show her she could trust him.

He’d tried very hard not to over think his feelings for Becca but Lucas knew he was fighting a losing battle.

She’d captured his heart from the moment he saw her in the club and taken her to his bed. The way she’d fit against him as he’d held her in his arms, her responses to him had blown him away. He knew now what people meant when they said they ‘clicked’ with a person. His feelings for her were natural and they felt good. She’d been inhibited that night. She’d held nothing back. He clenched his jaw as he suppressed a sigh. He wanted those feelings and those sensations back. He wanted that woman in his life as his lover, the mother of his children and his friend.

Inhaling the heady scent of her hair, Lucas soothed himself by stroking the soft silky skin of her hip and thigh and knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was truly, madly, deeply in love with Becca Wainwright and didn’t have a clue what to do about it.

‘Hey, this is some place!’

The next day, looking long and lean in black jeans and a polo neck sweater of black cashmere, Justin Cope gave Becca a quick peck on the cheek and plonked himself in a leather chair next to her bed.

Becca’s fingers plucked at the smooth cotton sheet, she was still stunned that her dance partner and former best friend was actually sitting in front of her as large as life and looking as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

When he’d finally returned her call, she’d reluctantly agreed to his plan to come and see her on the condition that Lucas wouldn’t be there. She told him what she’d discovered and omitted any mention of Burt Lindstrom or Lucas. Although she suspected by Justin’s sneer that he had his suspicions. She also explained their partnership was over and why.

‘What were you thinking, Justin? Why did you do it?’

Hazel eyes hooded now, he listened without saying a word.

In response he merely shrugged.

‘So you’re not going to France?’ he wanted to know, totally ignoring her questions.

‘No.’

‘You’re in love with Del Garda?’

Was she? ‘That is none of your business.’

And Justin didn’t like that she saw quite clearly as those brooding eyes narrowed and his mouth went into a thin hard line.

She stared at him now wondering if she’d ever really known him.

In a lightening change of mood he beamed a too bright triumphant smile which didn’t reach his cold eyes.

‘Don’t worry about everything, sweetie. It’s not the end of the world. And it’s up to you whether or not you put yourself through all this bloody drama. It’s not like you don’t have a choice is it? I’ve already talked to Tabitha Hersheson and she’s pretty keen to team up.’

Stunned, Becca simply stared at him wondering if she’d heard him correctly. He couldn’t possibly have meant that she should terminate her pregnancy, did he?

And Tabitha was the new big thing. She was young, seriously hip and a creative choreographer. They’d be good together, Becca knew. She was amazed that she had the ability to feel relief that he was going to be absolutely fine after he’d stolen from her. But even worse than theft was the deep hurt he’d moved on so fast after all the years they’d spent together.

Justin was still talking she realised and tuned back in.

‘I hope you know what you’ve got yourself into. You’ve always been gullible, Becca. Lucas Del Garda’s a tom-cat. Willow’s devastated by the way he treated her. Willow’s agent wants to represent Tabitha and me. We had drinks with him at the club last night and his stories about Lucas would make your hair curl. He’s a complete bastard.’

She knew it was pure spite and gossip but his words dripped poison into her psyche.

However, she decided Justin wasn’t going to get away with it or ignoring her questions either.

‘Did you tip-off the press I was at the cemetery and about my relationship with Lucas?’

The sly look in his eye made her feel physically ill.

Those slitted eyes watching her now reminded her of a basking crocodile.

‘Did you really think I’d do nothing after you stole my notes?’ he queried in a silky voice dripping with utter fury.

She blinked. ‘I found the contract with the producers. I think you’ve got that backwards.’

He gave a single jerk of his broad shoulders.

‘I needed the money and didn’t think you’d mind. After all I’m the one who’s carried you the last couple of years. I deserve it.’

Her heart pounded so hard in her chest, Becca found it hard to catch her breath.

Justin was totally delusional she realised.

He truly believed every single word he said as he continued,

‘Anyway, you’ve got yourself knocked up by a dick swinging playboy.’

Temper and outrage burned a path into Becca’s throat.

She didn’t attempt to hide her own anger or the edge to her tone.

‘You’re a guest in his house, Justin. I take as I find and from my experience Lucas has been absolutely wonderful to me.’

‘Yeah, that’s because he’s managed to get inside your panties. But he gets bored easily, always has done. The best thing you can do is to get a wedding ring on your finger ASAP. At least that way you won’t be left holding the baby. Anyway, you’ll never have to work again, the guy’s loaded.’

Becca looked at the ugly sneer that marred his good looking face, seeing him for the first time. The mask was off now and the real man revealed. How often had she heard other dancers say that Justin was an unpleasant user but she’d refused to believe it? Her own mother had told her repeatedly but Becca had been constant in her support of him.

How blindly stupid had she been?

Looking absolutely delighted with himself, Justin rose and shrugged on an expensive leather flying jacket of butter soft leather the colour of ripe hazelnuts.

The malice was clear to read in his eyes now and the oily tilt in her stomach made the room spin.

‘Don’t look so devastated, sweetie. You made your choice to behave like a slapper. And now look at you, all banged up with nowhere to go. You’re what, twelve weeks pregnant? I don’t know what all the fuss is about. If it’s making you that unwell you have plenty of time to get your life and your career back. I just hope you don’t live to regret it.’

She didn’t attempt to hide her utter disgust. ‘Get out.’

Justin walked out without looking back.

Becca sat there staring at the door and still couldn’t believe it.

Words did more than hurt she discovered as a cold sweat beaded her brow and her frantic heart felt bloody and broken.

The man had been the main part of her life for so many years. They’d shared everything. He’d been there for her when her world imploded. How could he possibly be so cruel? He’d spoken to her as if he truly hated her.

She didn’t deserve it.

His disappointment she could understand and she knew he had a tendency to lash out when his will was thwarted, but she’d never have believed in a million years that a person she loved could behave like that or say such vile things to her.

He’d destroyed their relationship by quite deliberately making it impossible for them to ever work together or to be friends in the future. But why on earth would he do that? It simply didn’t make sense.

Head pounding so bad it made her whimper Becca stumbled to the bathroom and just made it before she was so violently sick the world went dark.

Lucas found her sitting on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest, in the corner of the shower with water pounding down on her head staring unblinkingly into space.

Expletives flowed in rapid Spanish as he yelled for Moira and slapped off the cold water.

Quickly and efficiently he stripped her of her sodden vest and panties, before wrapping her in a warm towel and carrying her back to sit her on the edge of her bed. Winding a towel around her hair like a turban, he wiped her face and stared into big blue eyes filled with shock and pain.

‘What happened?’

She started to shake uncontrollably and he roared like a bull for his housekeeper.

And he thanked God when the sound of footsteps running down the corridor came closer.