Stranded but not Alone (Midnight Moanings Collection) (22 page)

“I don’t believe you.” She straightened her back, jutting out her chin.

“Yes you do.” He pulled at her blouse. She smacked his hand away. “How’s your leg, the bullet wound?”

“I’m fine, Seth.”

“Show me the number you called. Your message only came through on the landline.” He tugged her blouse again.

“Stop it. You’re irritating me.”

He blew off her attempt at haughty, most likely because he could tell she wanted to wrap her arms around that thick chest and never let go. She flipped the lid open, and scrolled through some numbers. There was his number. She angled the phone. “See right there… No answer.”

“
Liebling
.” He hooked an arm around her waist. She wanted him to hold her, to crush her to his broad chest and kiss her face. Instead, she held a hand out, keeping them apart. “I changed that number after everything happened, seeing as how Gretchen may have it. I put the new number in your phone when we waited for your flight… remember?”

She tipped her chin up to look at him. He spoke the truth, although the facts remained the same. He came all this way because of the baby, not her. “Well I only called so you would know it wasn’t you who had the problem, but Gretchen. I wasn’t looking for support.”

“Stop being upset and listen to me,” he said, tugging the bottom of her blouse.

“Quit.” She fought the smile forming under his teasing. He liked poking fun at her.

“When your voice mail became full, I tried to find your address. You’re not listed, and unless I called every Daniels in Michigan, I had no way of finding you. I had no idea you called at all until I landed.” He took a breath and ran a hand through his hair before continuing. He was beautiful, all flustered and upset. Muscles strung tight up his forearms to hide under his rolled up sleeves. Simone chewed on her lip. Why did that turn her on seeing him that way? “I got off the plane yesterday,” he continued, eyeing her stomach, “after eighteen hours, listened to your message, turned around and got right back on the plane to come here.” He pressed her shoulders until her back was to him and held her to his chest. She said nothing as she drew in a breath. His long fingers raised the hem of her cotton blouse. Three sets of eyes had made it back into the foyer below, gawking like little children. She didn’t care she’d missed his touch, and even if it was just for minute, she wanted it. Flat rough palm covered her bare stomach and the non-existent bump. Hard square jaw rubbed over her hair.

“Our baby, Sim?”

No point in denying her heart’s desire, especially when his thighs pressed along her butt brought memories of their first time crashing over her. The forceful way he took her over the edge of the mattress in the hotel room, while lovingly pressing his ear to her back, listening to her heart beat.

“Yes…” she said shyly, under his soft lips brushing back and forth over her cheeks. Warm fingers caressed her just inside of her waistband cupping her below her bellybutton. She fought the urge to tip her head back onto that hard chest and pull his arms tighter around her. Blinking, she focused on the wall and not the man wrapped around her as his voice began to pour over her in warm cascades of mint.

Seth’s stubble rasped her ear. “I told you in Austria I loved you and you said the same—was it a lie?”

“No.” Her reply came on the end of a sigh.

“Then why fight me right now?”

“Because… I don’t want you here for the baby only.”

“I never said I was here for the baby.” She felt him digging in his front pockets bumping her behind. “I said I got your message. I’m here because I bought you this ring almost two months ago and have not been able to find you to place it on your finger, stubborn woman.”

She eyed the one karat, round solitaire on a platinum band. Seth tipped his hand, holding the ring to the light. An inscription circled the inside of the band. “Read what it says, Sim.”

A lump formed in her throat as she looked at the words carved into the metal. “I can only give you me.” She read the soft script, wiping the tears running down beside her nose as she stopped fighting the raw emotion and took a cleansing breath. “You sell yourself short, mister. Why do you think I stuck around for you to take me to dinner at the hotel instead of leaving then? I hoped you’d ask me to come back or stay or anything… but you didn’t.”

They stared at one another after he slipped the ring on her finger. Time had no distinction or rhythm outside of their heartbeats meeting on the wave of need, tying them together. Simone tilted her face to him as his lips parted.

“Will you marry me, Simone?”

She touched his face. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

He slanted his mouth down over hers, the heat melting the chill she held in her heart for him. He tasted of wine and mint as he fed from her mouth.

Seth pulled away and knelt before her, placing his face to her stomach. “I love you too, little one.”

“Does this mean my baby’s leaving the country?” Simone’s mother said, climbing the stairs, her arms ready to envelope the both of them.

Standing sandwiched between her mother, Seth, and Kim, Simone looked down into Seth’s face. “In Austria all I wanted was to get back to America, and here I am about to leave it again,” she said and caught the giggle in her voice.

“Now you have family in America, in Austria, in Russia and a husband and child in London,” Seth said.

“Two children,” she confessed. Everyone went still around her, except Seth, he set her away from him to place a hand on her belly.

“Twins?” Seth said his voice a rasp of disbelief.

Smiling and nodding. “My protein level was a bit high on the first exam. They did an ultrasound. I found out this morning.”

“And you kept it to yourself, honey?” her mother said.

“I wasn’t ready to share… I wanted to just enjoy it alone.”

Seth frowned at her, then stood, pointing to the stack of boxes beside the railing. “You lifted those boxes alone?”

Closing her arms around his waist, she snuggled in close, inhaling that comforting scent of musk, and untucking his shirt slipping her hands up his back.

“I need a reaction from you, mister. I just told you we’re having twins. Think I can get more than an accusation?”

“A reaction,” he said and his voice was thicker than she ever heard it. Simone stopped talking when she felt his heartbeat going wild under her hand on his back. He was reacting to her, in his own way.

She cantered her chin back over her shoulder. “Momma, Kim, you think you can take the party somewhere else? We could use some time alone.” The exchange of hugs were quick as Simone was left alone with Seth outside of her bedroom. Walking him back, they landed on her bed. The buttons on his dress shirt she slipped through the little holes, keeping her eyes on him.

Seth began undressing her, saying nothing. The warmth in his eyes pleaded with her not to speak. A tear clouded one of his eyes, but she worked until he lay in black boxer briefs and she in bra and panties.

The thick pillow was all they needed as he nestled himself along her body, laying his face between her breasts. He was soft against her thigh and warm. He wasn’t aroused as she thought in the hallway.

The ticking of the clock on her nightstand echoed through the room, a third heartbeat. She reached over, twisted the tiny knob on the lamp and the room faded behind soft afternoon light. Strong callused fingers stroked her stomach. Wrapping her arms tighter around him, she waited, for what she couldn’t say, but when she felt it, it was worth the wait.

One lone tear dripped onto her breast, a gift from his heart to hers. Her skin drank it in and a blanket of hope covered their entangled bodies.

Her tough, strong man was crying.

“Thank you for sharing that with me and not hiding it,” she spoke into his black waves, stroking her fingers over the muscles cording his wide back. “Your children and I love you… I missed you so much, Seth.”

“I can’t believe I’m gonna be a father—to twins.”

~THE END~

Thank you for sharing a little time with me. I do appreciate my readers for allowing me this opportunity to share my story with you.

Next in the Midnight Moaning’s Collection:

When Lena finds out her dad, Patrick, knows who killed her father, Connor, will she be able to forgive him? Will having the man of her dreams back in her life severe the close relationship she and Patrick have developed since her mother died? Or will his presence open another can of lies?

“The Man He’ll Never Be”

In every family, there are three relatives that show up unannounced.
Secret,
who gave birth to
Lie. Lie,
whose memory changes with the time of day. And
Truth,
whom you never leave alone with
Secret.  

~~~Seven thirty a.m.~~~

“Marlena Aishling Morgan—go home—my personal life is none of your concern. Connor’s death was twenty years ago—leave it be,” Patrick groaned, snatching up the lacy bra and duffle bag, then pounded up the back stairs. Lena stood, lipstick case clutched to her chest, the wood stairs creaking under his muscled physique. Scrubbing his red whiskers, he relaxed his body, and then turned to look his daughter.

The gold case hit the kitchen table and then rolled off the backside. “Daddy… if this woman is okay being your
dirty
little secret, then fine, stick her in the closest for all I care, but I have a right to know who killed my father,” Lena blurted out and watched pain redden his rugged features. The hurt look on Patrick’s face drew her up the stairs, into his embrace, his little girl all over again. “Daddy… I love you… I care what happens to you.” She tilted her face to look at him. “If she makes you happy, don’t do to her what Richard did to me.”     

Patrick squeezed her. “You look so much like your mother standing there.” He kissed her forehead. “We’ll run next week. Stay out of it, cupcake, including Connor’s death.” 

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Sincerely,

~
Cora Blu
~