Page 26 of Conail (Members From Money Season 2, #150)

He lapsed into silence again. "Look, I really care about what happens to you."

"Because of the baby."

"Yes. No." He rubbed a hand over his face. "You should not be out riding in your condition."

She lifted a brow at him. "I'm not an invalid and like I told you before, I happen to be an excellent rider."

"Regardless." He muttered. He wanted her. If he stayed one more minute, he was going to climb into bed with her and have her again. He had to leave, and it had to be now. He needed some clarity.

Rising, he finished buttoning his shirt and put on the jacket.

"Try and get some sleep."

She watched as he strode towards the door. He stopped and turned around. "I'll check in on you."

He told her gruffly before wrenching the door open and leaving.

Leaning her head back against the headboard, she closed her eyes and told herself that she was not going to cry. She had fallen for a man who was as unattainable as the moon, but that was her problem, and she would deal with it.

As soon as he cleared the stairs, he remembered that he had left her mother inside the kitchen and prayed that she was someplace else.

The scent of baking told him that she was where he had left her.

He wanted to run for the front door and slip away without a word, but politeness dictated that he should at least tell her goodbye.

He had no doubt she would surmise what had taken place upstairs.

Taking a deep breath, he changed directions and went towards the arched doorway of the cozy kitchen. She was at the stove stirring something in a large pot and seemed to realize that he was standing there.

"You're leaving."

"Yes." He wanted to shove his hands in his pockets and had to stop himself from shifting from one foot to the other. "Er-- I -- Yasmine is -- she's alright."

"She's not with you then?" Maeve looked behind him as if expecting to see her daughter standing there.

"No." He shook his head. "I think she would be better off here. I was angry at her and I said some things -- I would like to apologize for my earlier behavior. I wasn't thinking."

"No apologies necessary."

He stood there for a minute, as if not knowing what to do next. "Well--" He cleared his throat. "I guess I'll be going."

"Will we be seeing you soon?"

"I--" He closed his eyes briefly and she watched him struggling to come up with an answer. "I will try and stop by. Please let me know if she has any other episodes."

"Of course. Be careful on the road. It's slippery."

"Thanks." Hesitating a few seconds more, he nodded and turned on his heels.

Maeve followed him to the door and handed him his jacket. "I guess I will need it. Thank you."

She stood just inside the doorway and watched as he strode towards the car, smiling as he tilted his head to look up at her daughter's window.

Bustling into the kitchen, she sent another more detailed text to her friend.

*****

"Good news?" Errol inquired mildly as she tucked her phone into the beaded purse.

"Wonderful news." Her smile was wide as she tucked her hand through his arm and lifted her face to him. She had seen Michelle skulking around for an hour before she quietly left.

"You seemed very pleased with yourself."

"Pleased enough to suggest that we go back to your place."

His brow lifted, and he felt his heart picking up speed.

"You mean--"

"I mean exactly what you think I do." Her luminous gray eyes sparkled as she took in the slight flush riding his cheeks.

"Are you sure?" He closed his fingers over hers tightly.

"I am."

"Darling--"

"Are we going to stand here in the middle of the ballroom having a debate?"

"Of course not. Let's get our coats."

"Good idea."

*****

She figured she had given her daughter enough time to recover before bringing up the tray.

She bustled into the room with the loaded tray and caught a glimpse of the bed with the tangled sheets. The only thing she was not pleased about was him leaving.

Her daughter was bundled up in a thick terry cloth robe and was at her desk, drawing furiously, her face set.

"I brought you some tea and cinnamon bread, freshly baked." Maeve made her voice sound brisk as she deposited the tray at her daughter's elbow. "I made the strawberry jam this morning. You should eat."

Yasmine barely looked up from the illustration she was fine-tuning. "You did not have to go to the trouble, I'm not really hungry."

"The babe you're carrying might not agree. You have to remember that you're eating for two."

Putting down the drawing pencil, she faced her mother. "It's clear what went on in here earlier."

"Yes." Deciding to linger, Maeve took a seat on the comfortable faded sofa.

Picking up the cup of steaming tea, Yasmine stared into it for a second before looking at her mother. "It's getting complicated. Mama, I want this baby."

"Of course you do honey. It's a part of you. You're giving it life, so naturally--"

"No." She shook her head, eyes bright with tears. "I cannot give him up."

Maeve's eyes brightened. "You think it's a boy?"

She shrugged. "I'm just being general." She picked up the cup again and took a sip. "I-- God!"

The cup clattered on the saucer and spilled some of the contents. "I have gone and done something very stupid. I'm in love with him."

She shoved to her feet and started pacing. "What am I going to do?"

Maeve folded her hands in her lap and tried to keep the pleasure from blooming on her face.

She had prayed for this and now she was getting two in one.

Her son was getting married, and her daughter was in love with a very good man.

It wasn't because of his money of course, that did not matter.

But she was sure when Conail McLaughlin discovered that he was in love with her daughter, he was going to make an outstanding husband.

"You're going to be patient and wait for that man of yours to come to you."

Yasmine blinked at her. "Mama, we're talking about Conail McLaughlin, multi-billionaire. There's no way he will want to be with someone like me."

Her mother nodded pointedly at the bed. "That says otherwise."

"It was just sex." Yasmine muttered.

"Was it? I saw the confused look on that young man's face when he came downstairs. And his reluctance to leave."

"But he left."

"He did." Maeve nodded. "But I guarantee you that he'll be back."

She rose and crossed to her daughter. "You have to decide what your next step is. And be determined to follow through, even when the going gets rough."

She reached up to kiss her cheek. "Conail McLaughlin is not an easy man to love. But when you have his commitment, you'll have it for life. Go and eat."

Yasmine went back to sit at her desk, a frown on her brow.

She had wanted him to stay and almost blurted it out, stopping herself just in time.

Pressing a hand on her swollen belly, she smiled when she felt the shimmers.

The lovemaking had been so intense, that she wondered how her skin had not been peeled off her bones.

Could it be? She wondered achingly. Did she dare allow hope to blossom inside her?

He was Conail McLaughlin, a very powerful and rich man.

The relationship she had had before made her incredibly wary.

And what she had felt before was nothing compared to this.

Sighing wearily, she turned towards the tray and started to eat. It was no use agonizing over it now.

*****

"I suppose I should ask your family's blessings." He muttered, twirling a thick curl around his finger. They were at the cabin, flushed from a very frenzied bout of lovemaking. He had asked her to marry him, and she had not hesitated to say yes. She had also agreed to the Valentine's Day wedding.

Easing herself up, she planted her hands on his chest, eyes twinkling. "I suppose you should."

"Baby, there's simply no way we can pull off a wedding in two weeks." His heart simply turned over at the look of her. The thick curls were all over the place and her lips were swollen from his very hungry kisses.

"We have my aunt, myself, your mom and Yasmine. So, yes we can pull it off."

"We could wait until spring."

"No." She shook her head and sent the curls tumbling around her face. "I have wasted too much time already."

She touched his jaw lightly. "I want to be your wife before I discover I'm pregnant."

His eyes grew wide. "You think you are?"

She nodded happily. "I have a strong feeling. We haven't been using anything, and I am late."

He hauled her on top of him, hands shaking. "Is it too soon?" He asked anxiously.

"I want your baby growing inside me." She told him solemnly. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Her voice shook. "I never dreamed that I would be given a second chance, and I am here with you now."

She blinked back tears. "I don't want to waste a minute of it."

He cupped her face, his own hands unsteady, his breathing shallow. "There are conditions."

"What are they?"

"We live off what I have. I mean it darling. I know you're a fancy lawyer--" He stopped when she placed a finger over his lips.

"None of that." She ordered sternly. "I love you Colin. You're the only man I have ever loved, and I will live in a cave if it means being with you."

For a minute, he could not speak for the lump in his throat.

Pulling her head down, he poured what he could not say in the kiss.