Read Opposite Attraction Online
Authors: Bernadette Marie
Opposite Attraction (18 page)
"
You cannot tell anyone. "
He laughed and loosened his grip. "You have about three weeks before I won 't have to. "
"
This is not a joke. " She stood and rushed to the bathroom.
Sam followed her and when she looked up from the sink where she washed away his practical joke he was standing there leaning against the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his chest, and a smirk on his face.
"
Curtis 's baby? "
"
That is none of your business. "
He held his hands up in surrender. "Whatever, honey. Point is, his baby or not, if you 're gonna be cooking him dinners like the one you did tonight, he 'll want to know. "
Simone took shallow breaths and tried to remain calm. Sam meant her no harm. Perhaps if she told someone, even Sam, she 'd feel better about it.
"
It happened on the yacht after Carlos 's wedding to Kathy, before he married Madeline. "
"
Uh-huh. " He nodded crossing his arms again.
"
I love him. I fell in love with him in one week. "
"
That happens all the time. "
"
Not to me. " She looked at herself in the mirror. At that moment she hardly recognized herself. "I left him stranded in the ocean on my father 's yacht. "
"
Your father has a yacht? "
She snapped her head toward him. He had no idea who she was. He 'd put as much faith in her as she 'd put in him.
Simone nodded. "I am the heir to Pierpont Oil -or at least I was. "
"
No kidding. " His eyes grew wide. "What the heck are you doing in Nashville then? There has to be somewhere better for you to live than here. "
She shook her head. "My father cut me off from his empire when I told him I was pregnant. "
"
Oh. "
"
I have nothing. "
Sam moved into the bathroom and pulled her into his arms. Her head rested below his breast bone and his enormous arms could have wrapped around her twice.
"
Listen, I 'm not going to tell a soul. This is for you to deal with. " He stepped back, but kept his hands on her arms. "But listen, you need to be taken care of. Have you seen a doctor? "
"
Once, just for confirmation. "
He shook his head. "That isn 't going to cut it. You need to have a checkup. "
"
I cannot risk Curtis or his family or Cynthia knowing yet. I am not ready. "
He rubbed her arms. "Ready or not you 're having a baby. " He dropped his hands and took a step back. "Listen, tomorrow let 's just take a look, okay? Nothing invading, we 'll take our lunch in the ultrasound room and I 'll look and see how the baby is doing. "
Simone bit down on the inside of her cheek to force herself to keep her composure. "You would do that for me? "
"
Of course. "
This time she reached for him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thank you. "
"
Are you going to tell him? "
Simone stepped back and looked up at him. "I tried tonight, but he was called out. "
"
That 's going to happen a lot. "
"
Cynthia said he lov1ed his job, I just hadn 't realized how much. "
Sam reached up to her hair and pulled a lingering piece of cheesecake off of a loose strand. "I really don 't know Curtis at all, but I know Cynthia thinks the world of him, so he must be a good person. I think he would do right by you. "
"
I want him to love me. "
Sam laughed a hearty laugh. "I saw you two on the dance floor last night. He digs you. "
"
I want more than that. "
He reached across to her and rested his hand on her tight stomach. "You have more than that. Give him a chance. "
Simone cleaned up again headed back to the living room to watch the movies with her very understanding roommate.
He 'd cleaned up the cheesecake and was nursing another beer. She sat down next to him and kicked up her feet.
"
Now you look right at home. " He lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders as she yawned. "You 're not going to make it through all these movies, are you? "
Simone leaned into him and rested her head against his chest. "Are you? "
"
Eh, I fall asleep here all the time. " He reached around her with his free hand and pulled the small throw of the back of the couch. He covered her with it as she yawned again. "You know if you 're far enough along we can find out the baby 's sex. "
She sighed. "I will think about it. "
Sam kissed the top of her head and she closed her eyes. A weight had lifted from her shoulders by openly talking to Sam about the baby. Perhaps everything would be okay tomorrow. She 'd let Sam do the ultrasound. And then she was most certainly going to tell Curtis.
Curtis was exhausted. He 'd seen almost one hundred patients in the past three hours and had busted his butt to get back to Simone.
Now he stood at her front door, looking in the small window that peered into the apartment. He wasn 't sure what he 'd seen unfold, but Simone had sat down on the couch in her pajamas, Sam had gathered her up in his arms, covered her w1ith a blanket and kissed her head before she fell asleep on his chest.
His jaw hurt from gritting his teeth. Same old Simone, hopping from one man to the other, playing them all for fools. She 'd stabbed him in the heart and reeled him back in again only to cozy up with the nurse. Damn he 'd been stupid.
Well fire was fought with fire.
Curtis hurried down the front steps, climbed into his truck, and sped toward Cynthia 's house.
Cynthia wasn 't happy when she pulled open the door, that much was for sure by the look in her eyes, which she 'd obviously pried open from a deep sleep. But Curtis didn 't care.
He quickly moved in, swept her into his arms and took possession of her mouth with his. He kicked closed the front door and a moment later had her pushed up against the wall. He 'd taken her by surprise, but that was when sex with Cynthia was most fun, when it was unexpected.
Moans resonated from her throat as he skimmed his hands up and under her shirt. He pressed himself against her and that must have been what brought her from a sleep induced haze to fully awake.
Cynthia 's hands came up between them and she shoved him back hard enough he stumbled.
She fixed her shirt and pushed the fallen hair out of her face. "What in the hell was that about? "
Curtis wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. When had she ever questioned his motives before?
"
For the first time ever, you don 't want me? " He wondered when he 'd become a cry baby, because when he said those words aloud he sounded like one.
"
Want you? I was under the impression you weren 't mine to take anymore. "
"
Meaning? "
"
Meaning you and Simone were together. "
He moved back toward her, but when her eyes narrowed he retreated. "Yeah, well why did I think things were going to be any different? "
"
If you 're going to wake me up in the middle of the night to kiss me senseless and then tell me some sob story over you and your girlfriend you 're going to have to make me coffee. " She headed back toward her bedroom. "I 'm going to brush my teeth. Make it strong or I 'll kill you. "
Curtis huffed out a breath and went to make the stupid coffee. He 'd come looking for sex. Just raw, going through the motion, hot, heavy, sweaty, forget any other woman existed, in the moment sex. Now he was making coffee and he knew that meant they 'd be sitting at the table talking about Simone. Well he didn 't want to do that. He wanted to forget all about her and absorb himself in Cynthia. It worked best that way.
He filled the pot with water from the sink, taking a moment to look underneath the cupboard to make sure the pipe wasn 't leaking. That looked good.
He proceeded to pour the water into the maker, missing mostly and pouring it on the counter. With a grunt, he walked into the laundry room, grabbed a kitchen towel and wiped up the mess. After tossing the towel in the sink he opened the cupboard and pulled down a filter and the coffee. He shoved the filter into the basket and then readjusted it until it didn 't look as if it were going to collapse.
With a quick yank he pulled the top off the coffee can, but it was a brand new can, filled to the brim. Coffee grounds flew through the air and landed around his feet on the floor.
What the hell was he doing? He slammed down the can, which expelled more grounds into the air. Oh he could kill Simone for putting him in such a mood and Cynthia for making him make her coffee. She should have just had sex with him.
Curtis retrieved the broom from the laundry room and swept up his mess. Finally, he managed to get grounds into the adjusted filter and pushed the button to start the brew.
When he heard Cynthia burst into laughter he spun around and narrowed his stare on her. This only forced her to laugh harder.
"
You 're a mess, you know that. " She pulled a chair back from the kitchen table and sat down. She 'd changed her shirt to one which wasn 't as revealing, combed her hair, and he could smell the mint of the toothpaste. That was a sign, there 'd be no sex.
Cynthia pushed another chair out with her foot. "Sit. "
He grabbed hold of the chair, spun it backward, and then sat, resting his arms atop the back of the chair.
"
So her cooking was this bad that it has you running to me in the middle of the night? "
"
It 's only eleven. "
"
I fell asleep at seven -it 's the middle of the night for me. "
He chuckled. This was why Cynthia was one of his dearest friends. She could sass him and it only made him want more.
"
First off, she didn 't cook. She enlisted my sister to cook. "
"
Oh, I had thought she 'd at least burn something for your first. " She smiled.
"
I didn 't even get to eat. I got called into work and ran out the door. "
That caused Cynthia to laugh again. "I told her you were married to your job. "
Curtis pushed to his feet. "You told her that? "
"
She came at me the other day asking me if I was going to marry you. I laughed. "
"
You wouldn 't marry me? "
"
Hell no. " She stood to meet him eye to eye. "You 're married to your job. You love what you do. Next comes your family. If one of them needs you, you 're there. "
"
That 's how it 's supposed to work. "
"
Right. "
Now he was confused. What were they arguing about?
Cynthia moved past him and reached into the cupboard for two mugs. "My point is, Simone is looking for a fairytale. "
"
Well she was living that wasn 't she? "
"
Maybe, but she 's here now. And she 's set her sights on you. "
Curtis pulled his fingers through his hair and sat down again. "I swear that she was trying to ask me to marry her during dinner. "
Cynthia laughed again as she turned toward him1 with two full mugs of coffee. "I have a beer too if you 'd rather. "
"
Still on call. "
"
Right. "
He didn 't like that tone, but it was well deserved.
"
Anyway, I cut her off. I ran out the door. " He didn 't like how it was sounding.
Cynthia took a sip from her coffee. "So go back to her and wake
her
up. "
He pushed the mug away and stood to pace the small kitchen. "I did go back. Stood there at the front door watching her cozy up with Sam on the couch. "
"
Cozy up? As in they were naked and doing it? " Her voice hadn 't even quivered when she said it.
"
No! " God she was making him crazy. "It was almost more intimate. He had his arm around her. Her head was on his chest. He covered her up with a blanket and kissed the top of her head. "
"
Yep, you 're screwed. She 's sunk her claws into him. " The permanent grin on her face was pissing him off.
"
You 're joking with me? You think this is funny. "
She sipped her coffee again. "I think it is hysterical. Sam isn 't moving in on your territory. "
"
How do you know that? "
"
Because I believe in him. It 's me that has my claws in him, and I tell you what, I don 't have any intentions on letting go. "
"
You? One man? "
This time Cynthia stood to meet him eye to eye. "Listen, Keller. If you 're going to come into my home and point fingers you might as well leave. If I remember correctly you came seeking me out, not the other way around. If your little French kitten has you looking to lash out hit the gym, hit the bar, hit a damn wall for all I care, but leave me out of it. "
He couldn 't even react. Cynthia had never talked to him like tha1t before. Dear God, she was in love with Sam.
A smile formed on his lips. "Wow. I never thought I 'd see you settle into one man. "
"
Likewise with you. " She gave him a shove and then sat back down. "You 're in love with Simone and you probably hurt her feelings when you walked out on her. Sam is a caring, compassionate man who was probably only giving her comfort. "
When he thought about it that was exactly how it had looked too.
He would need to make it up to Simone, and probably to Cynthia too. He always hated when reality made sense and he didn 't.
He knew what he 'd do. He 'd stop by the clinic tomorrow and take Simone some flowers. Every woman loved flowers, especially when the man in their life was a jerk. In a week he had a full weekend off. Perhaps it was time to make sure he wasn 't available to the hospital and he could take Simone away, nowhere fancy, but just the two of them.
If she had been trying to propose to him maybe he 'd beat her to the punch. After all it was a man 's job.
A sharp pain pierced his chest. What the hell was he thinking? Did he want to get married? Did he want to marry Simone? It only made sense. He 'd never loved anyone before. But marriage?
His own head spun now. Love. He could absolutely say he loved her, that scared him more than the thought of marriage, but then again there was a comfort in it too.
He chuckled to himself. Who would have thought he and Cynthia were ready to settle down? He guessed the friends with benefits gig was over.
The next day Simone filed papers in the cabinets in the room designated for files. She appreciated the quiet of the job. Her mind was crowded with thoughts and the peace gave her time to consider what she was going to do.
Curtis needed to know about the baby. She wasn 't sure he 'd choose her over his job, but he needed to know.
She 'd called him four times to see if he 'd meet her after work, but all she got was his voice mail. It was nearing the end of the day for her and she figured if she hadn 't heard back from him by the time she got home she 'd call her father next.
"
Room is open. " She looked up from her stack of papers and saw Sam standing in the doorway. "C 'mon, Monica is gone, we only have ten minutes to do this. "
1
"
Oh, the ultrasound. Right. "
She put the stack of papers back into the folder she 'd carried in, hurried back to her desk and slid them in her drawer. Her co-worker watched her a bit too intently so she gave her a smile and hurried off with Sam.
The room was dimly lit. There was only one bed and the machine occupying the room the size of a linen closet.
"
Get up on the bed. " Sam instructed as he pushed buttons on the keyboard attached to the large machine.
Simone did as he 'd instructed.
"
Now, lift your shirt up so I can see your stomach and roll down the waistband of your pants. "
She gave him a hesitant nod and again did what he 'd asked.
He took a towel and tucked it into the waist of her pants then ran his hand over her taunt stomach.
"
Won 't be long. Your about to pop. "
"
Pop? " Her voice cracked.
"
Yeah, your baby bump is about to start showing. You have a cute little swell. "
Simone felt the surge of tears begin to surface in her throat as Sam took the blue gel from the holder. He shook it and squeezed some on her stomach. She winced for the cold.
"
Sorry. Usually it 's warmed up, but there were no patients in here today. "
Simone nodded as Sam returned the bottle and grabbed the wand. "Okay, are you ready to see this peanut? "
Her throat was so clogged with the tears she knew were going to break free she only nodded.
Sam set the wand on her stomach and a moment later she saw the first pictures of her baby.
"
Oh, my. " The tears broke free and there was no sucking them in. "I have never seen anything so precious in my life. "
"
Hold on let me see if I can get the face. "
He managed the wand and then a perfect profile of the baby she and Curtis had created was there on the screen. His hand was near his face and he looked as though he hiccupped.
"
Did you feel that? " Sam asked.
"
Yes, " she said through her tears. "Yes, I did. "
"
I can 't believe this. I can 't
" She couldn 't speak anymore. She wanted to just stare at the image on the screen.
Curtis walked through the front door of the clinic and straight through the reception door. As giddy and stupid as he felt at that moment he wasn 't so sure he wouldn 't drop down on one knee and ask Simone to marry him.
He hid the flowers behind his back and walked directly to her office. There was no way to help the disappointment when he only saw the other girl she worked with sitting at her desk.
"
I 'm sorry to bother you. I 'm looking for Simone Pierpont. "
The woman raised her eyebrows at him. "She just took off with one of the nurses, Sam. "
That didn 't sit well with him, but he 'd promised himself he wasn 't going to get worked up. "Do you know when they 'll be back? "
"
Oh, who knows. They were being all secretive. She left her work in her desk and they ran off down the hall to the room by the bathroom. "
That straightened Curtis 's spine. He turned from her office, dropped the flowers in the trashcan in the hallway and headed to that room where she 'd snuck off with Sam. He 'd been a fool once, even twice, but there wasn 't going to be a third time.
He grabbed hold of the door handle and pushed it open.
Sam 's head shot up and Simone had let out a small scream, not one to cause alarm, but enough to let him know he 'd gotten his point across.
But then the moment hit him -hit him hard. He noticed her on the table, her shirt up. Sam had an ultrasound wand on her stomach and on the screen there was the image of a baby.
God damn! Simone was pregnant!
The moment was frozen in time. His breath caught in his lungs and wouldn 't move in or out. He could feel his head spin from the lack of oxygen.
The moment Sam stepped away from Simone the image of the baby disappeared from the screen.
Simone sat up and only looked at him. Did she have nothing to say?
Heat vibrated through his body. He 'd never been so angry in his entire life. He could feel the blood course through his veins and his jaw hurt from clenching his teeth together.
There should have been a million words to share with her, but they seemed to be stuck in his throat. Instead, he turned around and walked away.
He 'd heard her call his name as he turned and walked down the hall and out of the clinic. Every muscle in his body ached as he hurried out to his truck. Of course, his heart ached most.
Oh, what and idiot he 'd been to involve himself in her games. She must have thought he was some kind of fool to fall for her charm.
He started the truck and sped out of the parking lot.
So that was what her bumbling was all about last night. Talking about his family. She was using him to build a family for her baby. Well he wasn 't interested. And he wasn 't a fool anymore.
There was only one way to rid himself of Simone Pierpont and that was to send her packing.
Only one man could do that and Curtis was going to see to it that Zach made her go away.
Mary Ellen sat at her desk -the guardian to Zach 's private world. When she 'd seen Curtis walking toward his office she 'd lifted her head and smiled, but he knew the look on his face spelled out danger and instead of waving him in, as she usually would, she stood quickly and barricaded the door by stepping in his way.
"
Curtis, it 's nice to see you. "
"
I need him. "
She held up a hand. "He 's on a very important phone call. "
With all due respect to the woman who took care of his brother-in-law, she needed to get out of his way.
"
Trust me, I won 't make a sound. "
