“This is a high security facility. We can’t have unauthorized people wandering around.”
Kate stared at the open door.
“Go on,” Alyssa said.
“And you’ll be locking me in?”
“You will have everything you need in the suite.”
Kate stepped in, feeling out of her depth. Whatever Rust’s reaction would be, she was stuck with him in this room.
*
The door closed behind her with a click.
“Rust?” Kate called. Her heart was beating so fast that it felt like a sparrow was caught in her chest cavity.
Silence.
Oh no. He was hurt.
“Rust?” she called again.
“Kate?” Rust’s voice was incredulous, but it was still unmistakably his voice.
“Rust!” Her voice broke.
He appeared at the doorway. He was in a loose T-shirt and boxer shorts. His hair was tousled and there were dark circles under his eyes. He seemed thinner, but he was still as marvelous looking as ever. If anything, his gauntness had given his cheekbones an ethereal cast.
She flew into his arms.
He embraced her. And they were joined again. Flesh flowing into flesh. Nose buried in hair. Body clasped to body without an inch of space between them. Everything felt right in her world again. And now that she had him in her arms again, she realized how much she had missed him. Missed him touching her, holding her, kissing her – which he was doing now. His mouth found hers and he tasted of pecans, for some reason.
Was that what he had been eating?
“Kate,” he murmured against her lips. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you.”
They were speaking between kisses. Torrid, searing kisses where tongues pried into mouths and mouths sucked tongues. They tasted each other, imbibed the scent of each other.
“I love you,” he said.
Her heart swelled.
“I love you so much, Rust. I was so scared.”
“But wait.” He edged away, and her spirits sank. He held her at arm’s length and gazed down at her belly. “You are – ”
“I’m sorry,” she said before he could say anything more. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“But how – ?”
She knew he had asked her to take the contraceptives. Would she go for broke and tell him the truth?
“I-I – ”
She burst into tears.
“Kate,” he said in desperation as he clasped her arms. “Why are you crying?”
“I want your baby so badly.” Now she was babbling. “And I’m so afraid because of what you did to Shamilar – ”
“Did you stop taking the pill?” he suddenly asked.
God.
It was time to declare the truth once and for all. He would hate her, and she would be stuck in here in this seething cauldron of anger.
No more lies.
Well, maybe just half-truths.
She said, “I’m sorry . . . I wish I could say they made me sick or something. B-but I just wanted to – ”
Trap you.
“ – have your baby because I love you so much.” It was true. “And even if you didn’t want it . . . and me . . . I would have been fine with it too. I would have kept the baby anyway and brought him or her up on my own. I just wanted your baby.”
“Kate – ”
To her amazement, he knelt down and clasped her belly.
“I’m not angry,” he assured her.
She was stunned.
“I really am not,” he repeated. “I’m not angry.”
He caressed her swollen belly through her loose dress. His touch was gentle, reverent.
“But . . . you were angry with Shamilar.”
“That’s because I didn’t love her. I love you. I do want a baby with you.” His green eyes were shining with honesty, love and earnestness.”
Even though I tried to deceive you early in our relationship? Her heart blistered. But she didn’t say anything. Sometimes, total honesty was not the best policy. Especially now that things were going well between them again. In a manner of speaking.
Then his face darkened. “But in such circumstances, it isn’t fair. We were so happy. I didn’t realize we were happy, but I know it now. It is only when you lose everything that you understand true happiness in circumspect.”
“You haven’t lost everything. You still have me.” The tears ran down her face.
“No. They have us,” he said. “Because we’re prisoners here.”
She listened as he told her everything he had been through.
He added, “We are being bugged.” He indicated the ceiling. “There are hidden cameras everywhere. Hoping to trip us up into revealing things.”
She knew a warning when she heard it. Her heart started to beat a little faster.