But then they’d each fumbled with their clothes, getting dressed like two strangers, not like two people who’d just shared the most intimate act together. He’d mumbled something about having to leave early, and then he left her there, alone. He had left Claire, the woman he’d avoided his entire adulthood because he thought she was too good for him, alone after taking her virginity. Even when her eyes had glistened with tears and she’d lifted her chin proudly, even when he knew he was breaking her heart, he’d left. So, right now, whatever attitude she was dishing out, he deserved.
He glanced around the kitchen while Claire clanked vases and mumbled under her breath. He would have bet he heard a few expletives in all that grumbling. Everything in her house was perfect. Feminine, sure, but perfect. Tiny, but cute. There wasn’t a thing out of place. It even smelled feminine and flowery. Hell, if he hadn’t been so blindsided by the pee-stick news he might have felt compelled to take off his shoes.
A snippy voice yanked him from his thoughts. “So, what do you want to talk about?”
He didn’t answer for a moment. He was caught off guard by how appealing she was. Claire was beautiful. Sure, he’d always sort of known that, but she’d been off-limits to him. He knew her father probably wouldn’t approve of them dating. As he looked at her, standing in her jeans and shirt on the other side of the breakfast bar, he wondered how he could have repressed his attraction to her for so many years.
He let his eyes wander over her perfectly formed body, looking for a hint of something, even though he knew there were no physical signs of her pregnancy this early on.
“Stop checking me out and start talking, Manning.”
He didn’t know whether it was the glare or the Manning reference that made him want to smile, despite the gravity of the situation. He pulled out a mahogany bar stool, sat down, and leaned his elbows on the gleaming granite countertop. “You’re pregnant.”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “I think that’s already been established.”
He smiled. He’d never noticed she was this sarcastic. He kind of liked it.
“I guess I don’t have to ask if it’s mine.” The minute the words were out he wished he could suck them back into his big mouth. You’re a jerk, Manning. Why would you say that to her of all people? Oh yeah, because you’re nervous as hell. Snap out of it.
Oh crap, her chin was starting to tremble. He knew then that he preferred the insults and anger to tears. He ducked his head. “Sorry, dumb comment.”
“No, no. That’s a very good question. Since our magical night ended so quickly, I thought I’d jump into bed with five other guys. And because you’re father material, I thought I’d pin the paternity on you.”
Ouch. Her distaste for him was palpable.
He looked over at the vibrating BlackBerry on the counter, watching it turn gently.
“Holly,” she groaned, glancing at the caller ID.
“Yeah, they were kind of—” He stared at her and chose his words carefully. “Kind of floored.”
She leaned her head back, looking up at the white ceiling. “I guess I made quite the scene back at Holly and Quinn’s.”
“Yeah, you could say that. I think pandemonium might be an accurate description.”
“I hope I didn’t ruin their barbecue.”
He didn’t want to break it to her that a wild woman stabbing a used pregnancy stick in a hamburger wasn’t exactly a crowd-pleaser. In fact, he thought it best they both pretend it never happened, not that his brothers would ever let him live it down. And she’d just put him on very rocky territory with his new sister-in-law.
“No, no, it was entertainment for the guests.” Jake watched her as she turned away from him and filled a vase with water and then started clipping the stems off her flowers in the kitchen sink.
“I’ll bet.” She went from a half laugh to dead silence in a second. “What about Amanda? Was she able to disengage her hands from your ass?”
His mouth went dry. So she had noticed the unsolicited passes. He hadn’t even invited Amanda. She was a temporary receptionist at their office and had practically thrown herself on the back of his bike after work. He’d thought the barbecue was just for the family, but he should have known Holly was going to invite Claire.
“Amanda is a temp at our office.”
She leaned her hip against the counter and glared at him. “A temp? A temp what?”
“Receptionist.”
She muttered something under her breath. “Right. It’s perfectly normal for an employee to grope her employer and wear next to nothing at a barbecue.” Okay, so she had him there. And really he had no intention of pursuing anything with Amanda. He hadn’t wanted to publicly turn her down in front of everyone, but he was planning on doing just that after the barbecue. Except things hadn’t gone exactly as planned.