With glazed eyes, she watched him get up and remove his pants and briefs. Through the faint light streaming into the room she focused on the entire man, stark naked, virile and majorly turned on, and could only think, “Wow.”
Before he climbed back onto the bed, he grabbed a golden packet from the nightstand, ripped it open and offered it to her as he lay down next to her. “For your protection.”
There’d been someone before her. Probably Callista. And she was grateful for his concern, even though she was already pregnant with his child. She took it in her hands as he waited for her to slip it on him. The act was intimate, perhaps even more so than what had occurred just seconds ago.
She swallowed hard. When she was finished putting on the condom, Dylan wasted no time taking her back into his arms. “This all feels so new, sweet Emma.”
“For me, too,” she whispered, but there was no more room for small talk. Dylan was towering over her, using his thighs to move her legs apart. She was ready, watching him, his gorgeous face so determined, his body so in tune with hers, moving ever so slowly, nudging her core and finally, finally pushing forward, staking his claim.
She wound her arms around his neck and welcomed him. It was a glorious greeting, one that she’d always remember. Yet he took it slow, cautiously moving, giving of himself and making sure she was okay throughout.
He felt good inside her. As if she was home and where she belonged. As if she’d waited all of her life for this one moment. Safe. Secure. Happy.
But not loved.
She shoved those thoughts from her mind and concentrated on the amazing man making love to her. His blond hair was wild now, spiking up in sexy disarray. His chest heaving, his labored breaths fully accentuated his power and grace as he moved inside her. Muscles rippled and bunched. Skin sizzled and sensations ran rampant. Then those intent blue eyes locked on hers as he uttered her name and carried them both up, higher and higher.
Until the last thrust touched the deepest part of her.
She fell apart at the exact moment he did. In unison, they cried each other’s names. He held on, allowing her to draw out the pleasure. And then he collapsed upon her, bracing his hands on each side of the bed to accept the brunt of his weight.
Looking at him now, she whispered, “Wow.”
He grinned. The sexy man who’d just fulfilled her truest fantasy appeared to be quite satisfied. “Yeah, wow.”
Rolling away from her, he landed on his back beside her. He took her hand and interlocked their fingers, staring out the window at the starry sky, listening to the pounding surf. She sensed him straining his mind, trying to recall that one night they’d shared before. “Anything?” she asked.
He gave her a quick noncommittal smile. “Everything.”
She was taken by his sweet answer and the way he rolled over and kissed her. But he didn’t remember anything from the blackout night. Nothing they did up until this point had triggered a memory.
“It doesn’t matter if I remember or not. We’ve got this night and many more to come. We’ll start out new, from here.”
“I agree. It’s a good plan.” It was. She shouldn’t dwell on the past any more than he should.
He laid his hand over her belly in a protective way. “New is good, Emma. Trust me.”
She would have to trust him.
From now on.
* * *
“So everything looks good, Dr. Galindo?” Dylan asked, his face marked with concern. They were sitting in the office of Emma’s ob-gyn.
“Yes, Mr. McKay, the baby is healthy and Emma’s exam was right on point,” the doctor said. She glanced at Emma and smiled. “All looks good. Be sure to continue to take your prenatal vitamins, and see me again in one month.”
“Okay,” Emma agreed. “I will.”
“Do either of you have any further questions?”
“Just that,” Emma began, “this isn’t public knowledge, and we both expect our privacy to be respected.”
Dr. Galindo gave Dylan a knowing look. “Of course. We honor every patient’s privacy.”
“Thank you. Where Dylan goes, news seems to follow.”
The thirtysomething doctor smiled. Her eyes had repeatedly traveled to Dylan during the course of the consultation. Emma couldn’t fault her. Dylan was A-list. He was hot and sought after and just about every woman from age ten to one hundred and ten ogled him. “Rest assured, your privacy will not be an issue with my office.”
“I appreciate that.” Dylan rose from his seat and shook the doctor’s hand. “Thanks.”
Emma noticed that his taut face had relaxed some as he led her out of the building and into his car. She, too, breathed a sigh of relief. “That went well.”
“Yeah,” he said. “The baby will be here in less than seven months. Hard to believe.”
“For me, too. I’m grateful the baby is healthy. It was pretty cool hearing the heartbeat.”
“It was awesome.”
“I’ll be big as a house soon.”
“You’ll look beautiful, Em,” he said and started the engine.
“You’re really okay with all of this, then?” she asked. He’d taken the news well and never once balked or hesitated when she’d revealed her pregnancy to him. It had been full steam ahead—they were having a baby together. Emma didn’t quite understand his immediate acceptance, though she’d been grateful for it.
“I...am. I’ve always wanted to be a father. Just never found the right—”
He caught himself, but Emma knew what he was going to say. He’d never found the right woman to carry his child. Well, that decision had been taken out of his hands. She wasn’t the right woman, but he was stuck with her. And she supposed that he was making the best of it.
He’d been attentive and had taken her on a date every night since that first one. One night they’d gone for ice cream at a local creamery, a place that Dylan’s friend owned. They’d snuck in the back way and had taken a corner table, Dylan disguised in a Dodgers ball cap and sunglasses. The next night they’d gone to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, Dylan scoring front row seats, and they’d gone in through a VIP entrance. Each time they went out, Dylan’s bodyguards weren’t far behind. It was kind of eerie knowing their every move was being watched, but as Dylan explained, it came with the territory.
She enjoyed her evenings with Dylan. And each night after their date, they’d wind up in bed together—sometimes in his gorgeous master suite and sometimes at her tiny apartment. They were growing closer each day, and getting to know one another on a different level. Dylan was kind and tender and as sexy as a man had a right to be. There were times when they were making love that she’d actually have to gasp for breath and remind herself this was really happening.
She had fallen in love with him. Truly and madly, and it had probably happened the night of their movie date. She’d always been halfway in love with him as a teen, but this was different. This was based on actually knowing him and spending time with him. It probably hadn’t hurt that her orgasms were off the charts when they made love. Or that he was the father of her baby. Or that they shared a hometown history together.
But every morning, when she’d wake in his arms, he would plant a bug in her ear. “Move in with me, Em. We could have all our nights and mornings like this.”
It was a tempting offer, one that she debated for long moments, but ultimately always refused because, like it or not, she wasn’t ready to give up her independence. To give Dylan her one last means of defense against heartbreak. He wanted to keep his baby safe and close at hand. She understood that, and it was a noble gesture, but what did that say about her relationship with him? It was what Dylan was not saying to her that fueled her resolve to stay out of harm’s way.
“I don’t understand why you don’t want to, Em,” he’d say. And she’d shrug her shoulders and shake her head. This was new to him, this constant rejection. He wasn’t conceited or arrogant, but he’d been used to having women fall at his feet, she supposed, and he didn’t understand her reluctance.
“I just can’t, Dylan,” would be her answer.
After the doctor’s appointment, they went to lunch at a little private beach eatery and sat outside on benches facing the ocean. She had chicken salad and he had halibut in drawn butter. Afterward, Dylan dropped her off at the office. “Don’t work too hard,” he said, giving her a kiss.
“Never,” she said, and he tossed his head back and laughed. He knew she was a workhorse, never settling until things were perfect and under control. He would tease her about that all the time. “You, either,” she shot back.
“I won’t. I’ll be learning my lines for tomorrow’s shoot. Which reminds me, the next two days will run long. We’re having night shoots. I won’t be home until after your bedtime. I’ll miss you.”
She smiled. “Me, too.”
His eyes dipped to her belly. “Take care of the little bambino.”
“Always,” she said, placing her hand there protectively. Touching her stomach and greeting the little one, warming to him or her and the idea of a baby, had become a habit.
She climbed out of the car, waved goodbye, and then he was off. She wouldn’t see him for the next few days. Maybe that was a good thing. She watched him drive into the traffic stream before stepping into the office.