Reilly's Wildcard (10 page)

“What do you mean?” he hedged, not wishing to get into his feelings with the lot of them. What was going on between him and Lucy was private, and he wanted to keep it that way.

“Do you care about Lucy?” she asked, her gaze penetrating.

He hadn’t had much time to get used to the idea, but his answer came easily all the same. “Yeah, I do.”

“And does she feel this way for you?” Sammy chimed in, a frown marring his brow.

“We haven’t gotten that far. We’re sort of taking things a day at a time here.”

“Nonsense,” his mom said. “If she didn’t care about you, she wouldn’t be here tonight.”

Reilly hoped his mom was right, but he kept his thoughts to himself. “She’s been through a lot,” he told them. “Her first husband did quite a bit of damage, and she didn’t have the happiest of childhoods.”

Sarah spoke up then, lending her own insight. “Lucy is a very loving person, but she tends to hide her sensitive nature behind a wall. David cheating on her was only the icing on the cake. I’m afraid her mother died when she was young, and her dad’s cold indifference has caused Lucy to guard her feelings.”

“It’s awful when parents don’t want their own kids,” his mother said, sadness emphasizing the wrinkles in her forehead.

“I agree,” Reilly bit out, thinking of his own biological parents. He wished he could give Lucy’s father a piece of his mind for the emotional scars he’d left on Lucy. “I think that’s why Lucy is so set on doing the right thing with this baby. She is very vulnerable in the role of mother. I think maybe she’s afraid she’ll turn out just like her dad.”

“Lucy would never treat a child the way her dad treated her,” Sarah replied, a note of anger in her voice. “Never.”

“Of course not,” he agreed, “but she won’t truly trust herself until after the baby is born.”

His mother sat up straighter and smiled. “Then, in the meantime, we will all support her and show her what a real family is like.” She looked at him with that same penetrating gaze that only a mother could pull off. “And, Reilly, you’ll have to be extra patient with her. She’ll come around. I saw how she looked at you when she thought no one was paying attention. In time, she’ll fight her demons.”

When Sammy held his beer in the air and said, “To a new generation of Jenningses!” River and Brodix followed suit.

“Here! Here!” River shouted.

“What am I missing?”

The room fell silent, and everyone turned at once. Lucy stood in the entrance to the hallway, her hair brushed and her face a little pale. The way she filled out the white gauzy shirt and matching skirt took his breath away. She looked like a pretty angel. Reilly rose from his seat and went to her. At the same time, Sarah quickly stood and crossed the room. “I can’t believe you’re pregnant,” she said as she took Lucy in her arms. “This is so exciting!”

Reilly stopped in the middle of the room and let the women hug. Lucy was more subdued than Sarah but no less happy. She glanced at him over Sarah’s shoulder, and he could see the joy reflected in her eyes. Yes, the dinner had been a good idea. It was just the thing Lucy needed.

“Let the woman have some air, Sarah,” Brodix said around a laugh.

“Sorry,” she replied, her cheeks turning crimson. “The mention of babies tends to make me go all gooey.”

The ladies parted, but Sarah grabbed Lucy’s hand and tugged her toward the couch to sit next to her and Brodix. Reilly went to her, sitting on the arm on her right, and smoothed a palm down her hair. “How’s your stomach?”

She looked up at him, a contented smile on her face. “Better, thanks.” She glanced over at Sarah and gritted out, “Morning sickness is for the birds.”

He frowned at that. “Are you sure you’re up for dinner? No one will mind if we bow out.”

Lucy slapped his thigh. “I’m fine. Quit worrying so much.” Then she grinned. “Besides I’ve been dying for some of this terrific food you keep telling me about.”

“You’re in for a treat,” his mother declared as she stood and headed for the kitchen. “I’ve planned a delicious meal.”

They all filed into the large dining room. He helped Lucy into her chair and seated himself to her left, while his mother moved to the stove to dish up pasta.

“We’re having penne pasta with browned slices of zucchini topped with fresh basil, and grilled baby back ribs.”

Reilly hummed his approval. “You’ll love Mom’s ribs. They’re treated overnight in spicy brine, roasted, then finished on the grill.”

“It all sounds lovely, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to eat it all.” She blushed and aimed her next statement toward his mom. “I hope I don’t offend you if I fill up quickly.”

Reilly slung an arm over the back of her chair and leaned in to press his lips to her silky hair. “Of course not, sweetheart. Besides, River’s here. He’ll be glad to eat whatever you can’t finish, trust me.”

River rolled his eyes. “I can’t help it if the rest of you have the metabolism of turtles.”

Lucy frowned. “I can’t imagine raising five boys. Good heavens, I’m having a hard time imagining one.”

His mother, Wanda, laughed. “Don’t fear. It’s merely first-time jitters. Every mother experiences this sort of thing.”

“I don’t know.” Lucy slumped. “I’m pretty clueless, and it’s frightening to think of having a little baby relying on me for his strength and security.”

“His?” Sarah asked from across the table. “Do you already know the sex of the baby?”

Lucy waved a hand in the air. “No, and I don’t know why I keep referring to the baby as a he.”

Reilly interjected his own two cents. “It matters little. As long as the baby and mother are both healthy.”

“Right you are, Reilly,” Sammy spoke up. “Soon we’ll have another place to set at the Jennings table.”

Everyone sent up their agreement. After his mother finished serving the meal and sat down, they spent the rest of the evening discussing baby names and child-birthing methods. Lucy couldn’t decide on a name for the baby, so they decided to table the discussion. There would be plenty of time later. It was the first time Reilly had seen Lucy so talkative about the baby. It was a good sign for the future, even though he didn’t want to imagine the pain Lucy would have to endure during labor. When that topic came up, he was the one sick to his stomach.

Chapter Seven

Lucy tossed her clothes into her overnight bag. She didn’t much care if they wrinkled. Reilly was in her living room, for crying out loud. He was touching her things. The man was too curious for his own good. What had she been thinking, bringing him back here? She should have said she’d meet him at his place, but he’d distracted her when he’d given her two orgasms that morning already.

After the dinner at his mom’s, Lucy’s defenses had been down, and he’d talked her into spending the night with him. As a result, she’d been late to work the next morning, and her boss had given her one of his annoying scowls. The instant she’d finished her shift, she’d gone to the Blackwater to discuss a schedule for her to sing there on the weekends. She was still nervous about it but excited too. Her confidence had been bolstered, she supposed, by Reilly’s praise when she’d auditioned for him.

Now it was Friday, and they’d just returned from an ultrasound appointment where she and Reilly had learned that they were going to have not one but two babies. Twins! Lucy still couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea of being a mother to two babies instead of one. She’d have to buy two cribs, two sets of diapers. There’d be two babies crying in the night, eager to be fed. Oh God, she wasn’t equipped. Reilly’s surprise at first had quickly morphed into excitement, and it helped some of Lucy’s fears to dissipate. Heck, the man was totally over-the-moon happy about the news. He kept going on about supporting her and being there for her. It warmed her heart, but it scared her too. Relying on a man wasn’t something she’d ever yearned to do.

Since Annabelle was due to show up any moment, Lucy shoved all her worries to the back of her mind. After visiting with her sister, she and Reilly had decided to head back to his place. Again, he’d talked her into spending the night, this time on the premise that they had more good news to celebrate. She was a total pushover when he gave her that ornery grin, and she damn well knew it.

On the other hand, Reilly had already proven that he was as autocratic as they came. The man needed to be shoved into the twenty-first century. His constant insistence that she should take time off from her career during her pregnancy was proof of that.

She rushed into her bathroom and grabbed all the necessities she could think of for a single night. Now all she needed was her prenatal vitamins; then she’d be able to get him out the door and away from her things.

As Lucy lugged the overnight bag into the living room, she was shocked to see Reilly sitting on her couch, legs spread out in front of him, reading one of her pregnancy books. She moved closer and read the title—
Sex During and After Pregnancy
. Her face burned with embarrassment. Reilly seemed to sense her arrival and looked at her over the top of the hardback.

He waved the book in the air. “Interesting.”

Lucy dropped the bag and went to take her book back, but Reilly dodged her. Anger welled to the surface. “Give it to me.”

“I think you should bring it along. We could read it together.”

“I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t find it the least bit interesting.” Why on earth had she left the damn thing on the coffee table?

“Now there is where you’re wrong,” he murmured. “I’m very interested.”

“You’re being annoying,” Lucy said as she turned and strode into the kitchen to retrieve her vitamins. When she came back, she noticed he was back to reading the blasted book.

Reilly glanced up, his eyes hot with unmistakable arousal. “Have you read the chapter on different positions to try?”

Lucy licked her lips and looked away. “Duh, it’s my book.”

Reilly stood, and Lucy instinctively backed up. In two strides, he was in front of her, cupping the back of her head in his palm. “You ask me, you’re one sexy pregnant lady.”

Lucy snorted. “Wait until I’m five months in and sporting cankles, then we’ll see how you really feel.”

Without warning, he kissed her. His soft lips lingered a few seconds, drawing a moan from her, before he lifted and whispered, “You’ll always be sexy as hell to me, sweetheart.”

The doorbell rang, saving Lucy from drowning in a puddle of her own drool. She practically ran for the door. She pulled it open and screamed at the sight of her sister standing in the hall. “Oh my God, Annabelle!” Lucy cried, then flung herself into her sister’s arms. Annabelle laughed and hugged her tight.

After about a minute, Lucy heard Reilly clear his throat. Lucy pulled out of Annabelle’s embrace, tugged her into the apartment and shut the door. “Reilly, this is my sister, Annabelle.”

Reilly stepped forward and entwined his fingers with Lucy’s, then extended his other hand to Annabelle. “It’s great to meet you,” Reilly said as he shook Annabelle’s hand. “Lucy has told me quite a bit about you.”

Annabelle’s eyebrows lifted. “Uh, nice to meet you too.” She aimed a grin at Lucy and said, “You’ve been holding out on me, sis.”

“It’s sort of a long story.” Lucy elbowed Reilly in the ribs to get him to release her, but the imbecile never even flinched. He smiled down at her, and Lucy seriously itched to swat him a good one on the back of the head.

To Annabelle, she said, “I didn’t want to worry you when we last talked.”

“Worry? Why would I worry?”

“I’m, uh, pregnant with twins,” Lucy stated. “Reilly’s the father.”

“Twins, seriously?” Annabelle asked as her wide-eyed gaze darted to Lucy’s belly. “I thought there was a little extra to hug.” She grinned. “Congratulations! I guess that sort of trumps my engagement news all to heck, huh?”

Lucy laughed. “Speaking of the engagement, where’s Justin? I thought he was coming with you. I wanted to meet him.”

Annabelle ran a hand through her hair. “He is, but he needed to run some errands. You’ll meet him, don’t worry.”

“Annabelle and Justin are getting married,” Lucy told Reilly. “They’re on their way to Justin’s parents’ house.”

He winked at Annabelle and asked, “Showing off his pretty new fiancée, huh?”

Annabelle flashed a smile. “I like this one, Lucy. You should keep him.”

Lucy had been thinking the same thing, but fear kept her from saying the words aloud. She headed for the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “Have a seat, sweetie, while I get you something to drink.”

“Sounds great, sis,” she answered as she plopped down on the sofa. “I’m beat.”

Lucy opened the refrigerator and grabbed a cold beer for her sister. “Do you want anything to drink, Reilly?”

“Nothing for me, thanks.”

Lucy popped the top of the beer and went back into the room. Annabelle sat with her legs crossed at the knees, smiling up at her. Reilly still stood, hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans and staring at Annabelle with curiosity.

Lucy handed Annabelle her drink before sitting down. “I’m so glad you’re home, even if it is only for a few days. I worry when you’re away.” Being in the army in this day and age wasn’t anything to play around with.