Falling for Sarah (37 page)

With reluctance, Zeke set the gun back down. If he didn’t already have plans for his beautiful Sarah, he would do it, but a moment’s satisfaction wasn’t worth messing everything up. N
othing
was going to mess up what he had in store for Sarah. Just three more days—three more days that felt like an eternity.

A movement caught Zeke’s attention and he glanced up. Ethan and Sarah stepped out her front door. They both gave the twerp—Sarah’s mirror image—a kiss and headed for the SUV. The hot little babysitter waved along with the child from the doorway as the Rover pulled out of the driveway. Where in the hell were they going?

Zeke stared at the babysitter as she talked to the kid before she shut the door. Hmm, should he follow fuck head and whore bitch or head for the house? Decisions, decisions. The babysitter wasn’t blonde and her eyes were brown, but a good fuck was a good fuck. Her tight little body looked like it could give him a nice, fast ride,
and
he was willing to bet she would fight like hell as he squeezed the life from her. Need throbbed through him and he closed his eyes, breathing through his cravings to take another life.

Moments passed before he found a loose grip on control. Calmer, Zeke glanced up just as Ethan took a right at the stop sign. As the vehicle accelerated, Sarah’s shiny locks blew in the wind. He needed to follow her. She wanted him to.

Zeke started his car, made a u-turn and followed at a distance.

When Sarah and Ethan stopped at the beach, Zeke pulled into a parking spot a hundred yards away. Through binoculars, he watched Sarah, dressed in Capri jeans and a flowing white cotton top, take off her sandals. Master Cooke rolled his slacks past his ankles before taking off brown leather Oxfords that cost more than the suit Zeke still wore. Why did some bastards have it all?

Ethan pulled off his sage green tie next and threw it in the vehicle along with his and Sarah’s shoes.

Zeke’s jaw clenched and breath steamed in and out of his nose when Ethan wrapped his arm around Sarah’s waist, and she did the same. They ordered ice cream cones and walked along the beach. The surf rushed up to meet their feet and he flashed back to the glorious moment when he’d fallen for Sarah. The image was now destroyed, was now ruined as he watched her hold her strawberry cone up to Ethan’s mouth for him to taste.

She smiled and swiped her tongue against the vanilla ice cream Ethan held to her lips. When their eyes met, staring into each others, Zeke reached for his gun. “Fuck you, whore! You fucking whore!” He slammed his palms against the steering wheel until bruises bloomed along his palms. Hands shaking, he slipped the magazine into place just as he remembered the blue dress he’d ordered for Sarah. It had arrived in the mail earlier that day. If he didn’t calm down, he’d mess it all up. She wouldn’t be able to wear it.

She would pay on Sunday while she wore just what he’d picked out for her. Oh, she would
pay
.

“It’s such a beautiful night for this. What a good idea,” Sarah said, smiling into Ethan’s eyes.

Ethan winked, smiled back. “Stick with me. I’m full of them.”

“You’re certainly full of something.”

He stopped, glanced at her grinning face, then at the waves and back. “I’d be careful. You’re treading on dangerous ground.”

With a mischievous twinkle, she drilled her finger into his stomach. “Don’t even think about it. The water’s freezing, and besides, you wouldn’t want our baby to hear me scream. It could be very traumatic.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Now who’s full of shit? I read that the baby won’t be able to hear until twenty weeks gestation. We’ve got eight weeks to go.”

She shrugged, diverting her gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A grin split his face. “Christ, Sarah, you’re such a bad liar.”

She raised her chin, looked down her nose. “Again, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Delighted with her and relieved that they were back to where they started, Ethan chuckled and pulled her closer against him as they walked again. “I’ll give you a free pass for the next six months, but after that, all bets are off.”

“I guess we have a deal, if that’s what you want to call it.” She chuckled as he kissed the tip of her nose.

They continued down the beach until Ethan stopped abruptly. He turned their bodies until Sarah’s back rested against his chest and his chin nestled the top of her hair. The foamy surf rushed up, tickling his toes as the spectacular pinks and purples of the sunset painted the sky.

As the wind blew against Sarah’s shirt, he stared down at the bump that continued to grow. It still amazed him that his child grew inside her. Ethan’s lips moved close to her ear. “Let me put my hands on you. I want to feel my baby with you.”

Sarah laced their fingers and placed their hands on her stomach. Glancing up, she smiled. “I can’t wait to see him or her tomorrow. I pulled rank and asked my dad to request 4D imaging. I think he’s as eager to get a peek at his new grandbaby as we are.”

“It always helps to have an in with the obstetrician.” Ethan moved his palms up and down over the firm swell that now reached Sarah’s belly button. “We should start a baby book.”

“I bought one the other day.”

“So, what do you think, are we having a girl or a boy?”

“My gut tells me we’re having another girl, but I could be completely wrong.”

Another daughter. Thrilled with the idea, he kissed the top of her head. “I’ll take whatever we’re given and be more than happy. Just think, little Mildred Cooke will be here before we know it.”

Sarah frowned. “Mildred? I don’t know about that.”

It was so much fun to mess with her. “Mildred was my great-grandmother’s name. It has to at least make the list of options.” He had no idea what in the hell his great-grandmother’s name had been.

“As long as we’re in agreement that it will get crossed off the list too.”

Ethan stared into her eyes, clutching his chest. “You’re breaking my heart here, Sarah.”

She searched his face as he bit the inside of his cheek. “Maybe we can use it as a silent middle name that only you and I know about.”

Throwing his head back, he roared out a laugh. “God, Sarah, I love you.”

She gave his arm a smack and turned away. Moments later, he heard her snort of laughter. “Mildred Cooke. That’s just awful.”

“Yeah, it is.” He turned her to him again, held her face in his hands. He darted a glance at her lips, lips he hadn’t touched since she’d moved back to her house. Restraining himself, he took her hand and they started toward the Rover. “Come on, let’s get you home. We have an important date in the morning.”

“Do you want to stay over?”

He tightened his grip on her fingers. He knew what she was offering. Not only was she willing to share her body, but the intimacy of her bed. They were moving in the right direction. He didn’t want to ruin it. “Not tonight. Let’s take a little more time.”

“Okay.” She glanced over her shoulder, frowning, searching, shuddering.

He followed her gaze around the beach and parking lot. “What is it?”

“I don’t know. I keep getting a creepy feeling. Sometimes it still feels like I’m being watched. I haven’t been able to shake it.” She smiled, shaking her head. “I know, silly.”

Ethan pulled her closer as he continued to look around. The man accused of the rapes still sat in a jail cell. He’d been refused bail, but something still didn’t sit right, something still didn’t add up. “Would you feel better if I stayed tonight?”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know I don’t have to, but I will. I’ll camp out on the couch. It’ll be like old times.”

“I wouldn’t hate it,” she hesitated.

“Then I’m staying. Let’s go home and break out the spare pillow and blankets. Maybe we can find a movie on TV.”

She rested her head against his shoulder and he felt her body relax.

After the ultrasound appointment tomorrow, he was going to go home and continue crosschecking the orders for rice paper. After the evidence had come back on the accused, he’d stopped looking. His gut told him there were answers in the rice paper, to keep going, so he would.

Chapter 26

T
HE DIM EXAMINATION ROOM ECHOED with the rapid heartbeat of his child, and Ethan loved more than he knew he could. Kylee sat in his lap with Mr. Ruff while he gripped Sarah’s hand in his. Everything that mattered most in his life was right here.

Enchanted, he couldn’t take his eyes off the screen. Their tiny baby’s arms and legs moved about at random. Perfect little fingers flexed before the fetus turned, showing off its still elongated rump. “The baby’s mooning us,” he said, grinning.

Sarah looked away from the monitor, laughing, and smiled at him.

“Mooning us,” Kylee repeated with relish.

Snuggling her against him, Ethan stared at the screen as the little body continued to shift about in Sarah’s womb. “That’s your baby, Kylee, your brother or sister.”

“My baby.”

“That’s right.” He kissed the top of her soft blonde hair pulled back in perky side ponytails.

The sonographer continued to mark spots and freeze the frame, pointing out different parts of the anatomy. She stopped on the face with its tiny nose jutting from a profile that still resembled an alien’s. Ethan could just make out earlobes still forming and smiled.

The sonographer pressed and clicked at random, or so it seemed. “I have everything I need. I’ll print out pictures for you to take home. Congratulations.” The woman handed Sarah a paper towel and left the room.

Sarah wiped the clear goop from her stomach before she fixed her pants. Sitting up, she beamed. “Wasn’t that amazing?”

“It really was.” Ethan stood with Kylee in his arms and pressed his lips to Sarah’s, caught up in the wonder of the miracle they had created together. “You’re amazing. I love you.”

Bright blue eyes locked on his as her hand moved to his cheek. “I…love you too.”

He rested his forehead against hers, happy, relieved. It had been so long since she’d told him.

“I love you too,” Kylee chimed in as her small hand rested against Ethan’s other cheek, mimicking her mother.

A grin split his face. When he looked at Kylee, she pushed her forehead up. Catching on, he rested his forehead against the baby soft skin of hers. “I love you too, Squirt.”

The sonographer came back in with a form for Sarah to give to the front desk and pictures in an envelope.

“Thank you. ” Sarah smiled. “We’ll have to put these in the baby book.”

“Little Mildred’s first pictures,” Ethan said with a wink.

Sarah hopped down from the table, gave him a nudge to the ribs. “You better be careful, Ethan, that name might grow on me.”

He opened the door, scoffing. “Like hell.”

“Like hell, Mama.”

Wincing, Ethan put his hand over Kylee’s tiny mouth as he walked down the hall. “You’re going to get me in trouble, kid.”

Sarah’s brow winged up. “You’re right about that one. That’s just what I need Kylee saying at her Monday morning playgroup.”

“Sorry.”

“Sorry, Mama.”

He grinned as Sarah rolled her eyes.

When they made it out to Sarah’s sedan, Ethan buckled Kylee in. “See you tonight, ma’am.”

“O-tay.”

He shut Kylee’s door and pulled Sarah against him before she could get in the car. “Do you mind if I come by later?”

“You know I don’t. I have a few errands to run, but we should be home before dinner.”

“I’ll be at the house for most of the day. I have some things to do.” He thought of the files he planned to crosscheck. “I’ll be over around six.”

“We’ll see you then.” She kissed him quick, moved back, settled in her seat. “I’ll try to have the baby book ready for you.”

“I look forward to it.”

Sarah started the car and drove away with a wave.

Ethan got in his Rover, eager to get home. He had work to do.

“Ethan?” Sarah called out as she climbed the stairs, holding the present she’d thought of while out on her errands. “Ethan?” she called out again as she started down the second story hallway.

When there was no answer, she continued on, surprised. It was mid-afternoon. She’d expected to find him sitting in his office chair, talking on the phone, or down in his gym, working out the muscles of his glorious body. Lust curled tight in her belly as she thought of Ethan, sweaty and intense, pounding away at his punching bag.