“What in the hell are you doing?” His voice was low and menacing, obviously angry, but he loosened his grip.
“I... It... The sound. Something right outside...screamed. You didn’t hear it?”
Taking in a deep breath, he seemed to be gathering his patience. “It was a cat. A cougar. I told you they roam this area. They can’t get inside, so you’re perfectly safe.”
“I’m glad I locked the door,” she mumbled.
“So am I. He could have pulled out his key and walked in.”
There was that tone again.
“I didn’t know...about the cougar,” she whispered, her gaze focused on the depths of his eyes through the fire’s glow. “I’ve never experienced anything like that.”
He didn’t move, didn’t say anything more. His thumb began to softly caress the side of her neck as his eyes held hers. It was as though in his mind he was making a decision.
“Clay... I didn’t mean to—”
He lowered his head and his lips covered hers. Sophie was struck by the soft, pliability of his mouth, warm, gentle, enticing, which was a complete contrast to the hard-muscled body that partially covered hers. His tongue drew across her lips, coaxing them to open. Without conscious thought, she complied. With a moan he filled her mouth, going deep, as though he needed to taste all she had to offer. Sophie had never been kissed like this even by Clay, with such expertise, such blatant sexuality. It was animal. It was wild. It was so far removed from the stilted good-night kisses she’d experienced the few times she’d gone out on dates with other men. But this...this was a kiss. He tasted like coffee and his own unique all-male flavor. Too soon, his lips left hers as he licked and kissed across her jaw and down her neck. His hot breath was against her ear, causing delicious shivers to dance across her skin. His mouth returned to hers and she was once again sinking in a dizzying storm of emotions as his mouth, his scent, the feel of his skin and the power of his body consumed all rational thoughts.
Suddenly, Clay broke off the kiss.
“Sophie, make no mistake. I want you so badly it hurts. I want to take you over and over again, but I can’t make any promises beyond tonight.”
She let her eyes roam over the handsome face, eventually coming to rest on his full lips. “No requests for any promises.”
“God, Sophie.”
Clay made a slight adjustment and she felt his desire pressing against her core. Her body’s natural instinct was to push against him. In response, he moaned, low and deep. His lips again covered hers in another deep, drugging kiss, laced with pure fire.
Sophie knew they were about to cross the line. Again. One that seemed to be growing thinner by the second. If she didn’t say no right now, she knew she was going to let Clay make love to her. He was going to shatter the fragile facade they had both tried to maintain since he’d made love to her the last time.
As if sensing apprehension, he raised his head, watching her through the dim glow of the fire, his eyes almost black with desire. Her gaze moved over his face, finally coming to rest on his mouth.
“I’m in love with you.” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could catch them. She ran one finger across his bottom lip and felt his manhood expand even more against her.
He lightly bit the tip of her finger before sucking it gently into his mouth. His tongue teased the nerve endings before he released it. A shot of singeing heat speared through her.
In what seemed to be slow motion, his lips again descended on hers, his mouth more gentle than before. His hands cupped her head in a firm embrace, as though holding her where she needed to be. She inhaled the raw scent of pure male, lost in the heady potency that surrounded him. She felt her body relax, her mind clear of all doubts, accepting what was to come without any thought of denying him what she knew he was about to take. The breath left her lungs on a sigh as the world grew hazy and she knew heaven on earth.
One hand left her head and moved down her body, inching her panties down over her hips and off her feet. Then his hand was there, testing her heat and ensuring she was ready to take him. One finger disappeared inside her and Sophie moaned her delight. She pressed against his hand as though driven to do so with no rational thought of her own. With a slight adjustment, his hand left her and his mouth took its place, his tongue pushing in deep.
She heard him growl as he continued to enjoy the silken flesh. She couldn’t feel any more, her mind going numb as her body exploded. Then he was pushing inside her, kissing her deeply, moving his lean, muscular body over hers.
The air around them became singed with the heat from their bodies as Clay continued to move. His mouth was joined to hers as though they were two parts of a whole, his tongue filling her, mimicking the movements of his lower body. Sophie was lost. She could only feel and the feelings were incredible. Of their own accord her legs lifted to surround his back as Clay pushed deeper. Then, with one final push, Sophie exploded. Stars surrounded her as she floated somewhere between heaven and Clay’s touch. Then he joined her and she held him tight against her.
When it was over, he dropped down next to her, breathing deep, matching her own gasps for air.
“You’re incredible,” he murmured against her ear.
“Clay?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m also...pregnant.”
Eleven
Everything stopped.
Clay froze as though caught in an electric fence, his body paralyzed. He dropped his head onto her chest, still breathing hard. Her hands automatically reached for him, her fingers threading through his hair.
In a few seconds he raised his head and looked at her through the semidarkness. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I’ve seen a doctor. The best I can figure is it happened in May after the masked charity ball.”
He frowned. “How long have you known?”
“For sure...about four weeks. I... I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“Oh, Sophie.” His long fingers ran down the side of her face. “You are full of surprises.”
“I don’t want anything from you, Clay,” she hurried to explain. “I certainly didn’t get this way on purpose. Hopefully, you know that.”
“I believe you, Sophie. If the baby is mine, I’ll take care of it. Of both of you.”
If the baby is mine? What did he mean by that?
“If the baby is yours? Who else would be the father?” She pushed against his shoulders and he dropped to one side of her.
“Don’t take that the wrong way. It didn’t come out the way I meant.”
“Oh, gosh. I understand,” she quipped as she struggled to get out of the sleeping bag. “I guess you found out about all those other guys I’ve been with since May,” she spat out sarcastically. “Oops.”
“That isn’t what I meant,” he said.
“I don’t need anyone to take care of us, and unless you believe in modern-day immaculate conception, I assure you this baby is yours. Let me up.”
He immediately withdrew his muscled legs from over hers and she pushed to her feet.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going home.”
She headed for the sofa, stubbing her little toe on its leg. In the semi-dark, she groped for her jeans and her shirt.
“And just how are you going to do that?”
“What do you mean, how am I...?”
“Sophie, we’ll go home first thing in the morning, as soon as it’s light. Now come back over here and let me keep you warm.”
For a few long moments she sat on the couch, shivering. She didn’t want anything from him, including his warmth. But she had to think of the baby. Muttering, she limped back to the sleeping bag and got inside. His arm came around her, bringing with it the heat from his large frame.
“You’re shivering,” he said as he pulled her closer, his powerful leg again draping over hers. “You know what? Roll over on your side. If we spoon, I can keep you warmer.”
Sophie released an aggravated sigh and did as he asked. Did he really think the baby wasn’t his? How could he think that? He knew the hours she kept. If she’d been going out on a date, he would know it.
“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded,” Clay whispered, as if he could read her mind. His right hand rested against her stomach. After a few silent minutes, he asked, “Is it a boy or a girl?”
“It’s too soon to tell.”
“Hmm.” And with that he laid his head down on the shared pillow.
Sophie didn’t move. Clay hadn’t yelled at her or gotten mad; his surprise was a given. But he seemed to accept it. So far. In fact, he’d accepted it a lot better than she’d thought he would. Not that he had a lot of choice. She hadn’t meant to blurt it out, especially at the time she did. She had just been caught up in the overpowering love she had for him.
What would he do now? Would his mood change in the morning? And how should she handle it either way? Sadly, in part because of his comment, the thought crossed her mind again that her time with Clay might be drawing to a close. She fully intended to go back home to Indiana and give her mom what support she could. Would Clay care one way or another, aside from the fact that he’d be losing a good assistant? That was very sad. At least he hadn’t denied it was his. And now he knew, so perhaps the worst was over. Tomorrow or the next day she would have to tell him she was leaving. She hoped the news would bring as much acceptance and understanding as learning he was about to be a father. But somehow, she doubted it. She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek. Maybe things would look better in the morning.