His Christmas Acquisition (20 page)

She was even more thrilled when Jessica offered to come down to London for a week so that they could go bridal shopping together.

‘But no clubs and drinking,’ Jamie felt compelled to warn her sister the week before she was due to arrive, and her warning was met with a burst of laughter.

‘You have my word,’ Jessica readily agreed. ‘I’m pregnant! I was going to wait and surprise you with a picture of the scan, but I might just as well tell you over the phone. So when we’re not looking for the perfect ivory wedding dress you might find yourself checking out prams and cots.’

Jessica had changed in more ways than one. Having confessed to feelings of deep insecurity at the thought of losing her figure should she get pregnant, she had finally surfaced to realise that Greg loved her for the person she was and not
for the perfect figure she happened to have had imprinted in her genetic code.

And, as Jessica always did, she was now throwing herself into her pregnancy, even travelling with her baby books which she insisted Jamie read.

‘Because you’ll be next …’

It proved to be an accurate prediction.

One year and two months later, Jamie would sit in Ryan’s apartment with a dark-haired, gloriously chubby-faced Isobella gurgling in her basket next to her and with details of country properties spread out on the table.

‘London,’ Ryan had announced, ‘is no place to bring up a baby. At least, not central London.’

So they were moving out to Richmond. Not too far, but far enough from the traffic and chaos. As was Ryan’s style, once the decision had been made he moved into immediate action, sourcing houses and submerging himself so well into the role of the domesticated man that Jamie could only sit back and smile.

Loving her, he had told her, had changed him. The birth of his first child had changed him even more. Gone was the workaholic and in its place was a man who enjoyed immersing himself in all the small things that made life go round.

Now Jamie joined him in the kitchen, where he was pouring them both a glass of wine, and she dangled a brochure in front of her.

‘Not too big,’ she said, ‘not too small and in the perfect location …’

‘I knew that one would get to you.’ He dropped a kiss on her head and grinned. ‘Clambering roses, beams, view of the park … We’ll have to wait and see, though. As we both know, size matters.’

Jamie giggled and warmed at the teasing hunger in his eyes.

‘But …’ he murmured, stepping towards her so that she could feel the size and girth of his erection. ‘I actually wasn’t talking about that. I was talking about the house. It has to be big enough for, let’s just say, all future additions.’

Ryan couldn’t imagine greater contentment. He cupped her head with his hand and kissed her tenderly on her lips. ‘And,’ he said, moving to hold her tighter and deepening his kiss, ‘the sooner we get started on those additions, the better… .’

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

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First published in Great Britain 2011
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

© Cathy Williams 2011

ISBN: 978-1-408-92626-0