Page 10 of Reasonable Doubt (Wounded Heroes: The Redemption #7)

“I still have to think this through. I’ve only known for less than an hour that I even might be.”

He brushed his hand down her hair. “What do you need right now?”

“Would you hold me for a bit? On the bed. I don’t want to be alone with this yet.”

“I’d like that.” He took off his suit jacket and tie and threw them on a couch, then walked to the bedroom with her. They both laid down on the mattress. When he eased her to him, she nestled into his shoulder and put her hand on his chest.

No conversation was necessary.

* * *

They awoke on Saturday morning, stretched out on the lush bed covered with a throw. She was cuddled into him as if she belonged there. “Hmm, we fell asleep?”

“You did. Then I didn’t want to wake you and I was tired anyway so I grabbed the blanket at the bottom of the mattress and laid back. We both conked out quickly.”

She smiled. “I have to use the bathroom.”

“Are you going to get sick again?”

“No.” She put her hand on her stomach. “I feel great. I just have to pee.”

He laid there with his hands behind his neck staring up at the fan on the vaulted ceiling. Her bedroom was a showpiece too.

She came back in. He noticed now she’d brushed her hair and it fell luxuriously to her shoulders. She carried coffee for him, tea for herself. He said, “You look cute.”

“Oh, sure. I washed off all my makeup.”

“You don’t need it.”

“There’s a bathroom off the first bedroom. It’s got stuff to clean up.”

“After coffee.”

“About that.” She set the mugs on the nightstand and put a knee on the bed. “Nick, I want to make love.”

“Hmm.” He thought about objecting. But right now with the sun slanting over her face in a healthy glow, he wanted it too. “I’d like that. Very much.”

“Do you still think we can be friends afterward.”

“Who the hell cares right now?”

She laughed out loud.

He eased off the bed and unbuttoned his shirt. She slipped out of the suit and helped him with the rest of his clothes. Then she slid her hand down to his groin. And rubbed.

“God, that feels good.” He reached out and pressed his hand between her legs, explored her. She was already wet.

“Feels good for me, too.”

He eased her to the bed and stretched her out. Then he joined her; the sheets seemed softer now, the sun warmer.

This time there was only tenderness.

He ran his hand down her cheek, raising goosebumps.

She threaded her hand through his mink-colored hair.

Leaning over, she kissed him, softly. Gently.

He pressed her onto her back and his mouth traveled down her body, her lotion tasting sweet.

All the caresses were tender yet still sexy. Until he couldn’t stand it anymore. “Now, love.”

“Oh, yes.” He moved to sit up against the headboard. “Straddle me.” He arched a brow. “For better access.”

“For me, too.” His thighs were hard and muscled against her back. Her knees were soft where he grabbed them.

They touched each other as long as they could then he pushed inside her. He was full and hard as she closed around him. Pleasure built and built and built until they both fell over like a gentle waterfall cresting on a cliff.

Afterward, they laid there staring out the skylights as snow fell lightly on the glass. “I don’t want to talk about the future.”

“I don’t either.” He put his hand on her stomach. “Not now.”

“This changes things, though.”

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. “You betcha, babe.”

She giggled.

* * *

Later, as they sat up against the headboard with their mugs in hand, she asked, “Do you like winter?”

“I don’t mind it. Scotty used to…” He shook his head.

“You can talk about him, love.”

“It kills me to do that.”

“I’m so sorry for what happened to your life, Nick.”

“Yeah, me too. The counselor I finally saw said saying it out loud made it more real. In my case, it’s always real. It’s still right there.” He sipped his coffee and reached over. “How’s the stomach?”

“Calm.” She drank her tea. “We have a lot of decisions to make.”

“We?”

“The child’s yours. It can’t be anybody else’s.”

His smile was genuine. “I’m not doubting that.”

“Don’t you want input?”

“Again, I don’t know, sweetheart.”

“Then we’ll table this. Let’s change the subject.”

“What are you doing for the Christmas holidays?” he asked.

“I’m spending Christmas Eve at my mother’s. I’m staying overnight, then Christmas day she’s leaving on a trip to the Caribbean for a month.”

“Is she going alone?”

“No, she has a guy in her life. She’s still a beautiful woman.”

“I saw her at the signing. Said hello. You have her looks.”

“Thank you. What about your Christmas plans?”

“I’m invited to two holiday parties on Christmas Eve.”

“Work things?”

“Yeah. I’m planning to go home the next day to see my mother and family.”

“Where are you from?”

“A little town outside of Philadelphia.”

“You don’t seem happy about visiting them.”

“I’m pretty much persona non grata with my brothers. Since…Scotty…I haven’t been around. At all.”

“Surely they understand.”

“My brother Tommy and my mother do, but Liam, the youngest, bears a huge grudge.”

“Why?”

“We were the closest. He felt abandoned by me.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “He’s right. I abandoned them all.”

She raised her chin. “Would you…would you want a buffer?”

“I would. We have a personal connection now, anyway, so being professional acquaintances only isn’t going to cut it.”

“I feel the same.” She stared out the windows then turned to him. “I’d love to go with you.”

He smiled. “I’m glad.”

* * *

On Christmas Eve, Noreen started to her mother’s house early in the day.

She’d tell her about the baby and get her counsel.

But she knew her mother would want her to keep it, like she kept Noreen without a guy to help.

She was driving happily along when she heard two pops.

The car swayed. She barely kept it in her lane then eased over to the shoulder. She sighed heavily.

When she exited the car, the wind whipped around her so she zipped up her coat and tied her scarf more tightly at her neck.

She found the left front tire had blown.

For some reason, she checked the others.

What the hell? the right front tire was flat too.

She’d had her BMW serviced a few weeks ago and gotten new tires, so the flats didn’t make sense.

And she didn’t have two spares, only one.

She got back in her car and phoned Triple A first, then called her mother. “Hello, dear.”

“Hi, Mom.” She told her mother the problem.

“That’s odd.”

“I’m going to have Triple A tow it to my garage in Westwood, but…”

“I’ll come get you right now.”

“Thanks Mom. I’m at the Syracuse exit. I’m not far away.”

She put on her flashers and sat back. Waited.

But she jumped when someone knocked on her window. She buzzed it down halfway.

She recognized him right away. The guy the police had dragged away from her book signing. “What are you doing here? You’re violating the restraining order I took out on you.”

Irritation claimed his face. “I didn’t know the car in distress was yours.”

“Yeah, right.”

His expression turned ugly. And his eyes got a little wild. “Besides, darlin’, I got friends in high places.”

“In any case, I’m all right, Pierson. I don’t need your help. A roadside service is coming, and my mother is picking me up.”

“I’m on my way to Syracuse, too, for Christmas. Why don’t you call your mother and tell her I’ll drive you to her house. I’d love to meet her, anyway.”

Her heartbeat sped up. She started to sweat. “You gotta be kidding me. Go away.”

Before she could buzz up her window, he added, “You’re going to regret this, Noreen. All of it.”

After closing the window and locking the doors, she gripped the steering wheel and tried to calm herself. She prayed her mother would get here soon.

After a few tense seconds, he walked away. In her rearview mirror, she saw him get into a non-descript car and drive onto the expressway and take off.

Thank God. She’d been unprepared to do anything if he didn’t leave. She needed Mace, brass knuckles for her key ring and the police on speed dial.

Thankfully, her mother arrived soon and Noreen got in her car and threw herself into Eve’s arms. Eve held onto to her and after a bit asked, “What’s wrong?”

She described the incident.

“He should be arrested for violating the restraining order. We’ll call Westwood police when we get home.”

“Okay.”

When they arrived at her mom’s house, Noreen dialed the cops. She was told they’d check into the incident. But it was Christmas Eve so it might take a while.

When she disconnected, she sighed heavily.

Her mom said, “Well, we can’t do any more than that. Let’s put this behind us and not ruin our time together.”

“I agree.” Noreen noticed the tree was undecorated. “Did you wait for me to trim the tree?”

“Yes, of course. We always do it together.”

“But you’re leaving on vacation tomorrow.”

“So what? We’ll enjoy it today. Would you like coffee before we start?”

“No coffee for me.” She stood to open the plastic tub full of ornaments.

Her mother spun her around. “So you are pregnant?”

That made Noreen smile. “I was planning to tell you right away. But, yes, I am pregnant, for sure. Nick and I did a test last night.”

“Nick’s back in the picture?”

She told her mother about the Christmas party and what happened afterward.

“Ah.”

Bending over, Noreen picked up one of the tree ornaments. It was a picture of her, and the frame was inscribed with Baby’s first Christmas . “I think Nick wants the child but is afraid to take the risk.”

“After the loss of his son. He told you it changed him forever.”

“Yes, it did.” She took another ornament. This was one with a picture, too, of her mother and father and her in the middle, at about four. “But he was calm about this one.” She put her hand on her stomach.

Her mother took out a purple and blue Merino glass ball she’d gotten in Venice. “Is that what you want, honey?”

“I do.”

“Are you in love with him?”

“I think so. We never exchanged those words, but we’re close, Mom.”