Awake My Heart (The Bentini Brothers Book 3) (6 page)

     The two men sit in companionable silence for many minutes. 
Suddenly, Will—facing the window with his back to Antonio—begins to speak, his
voice scratchy.  “Emily, Kathy’s sister accused me of getting Kathy pregnant
and abandoning her…and the baby.”

     “What?!”

     “You heard me.  I haven’t confirmed it yet, but I think there
is a very high probability that I’m a father…and Kathy never told me.”

     “Oh shit!”

     “Oh shit is right.”

     “Damn man.  Things being what they are, should I offer you my
congratulations? 

     “Not yet,” Will says solemnly.  “I need to talk to Kathy and
find out exactly what the truth is.  I can barely wrap my mind around the
concept of being a father…me.  The thought is terrifying and exciting all at
once.”

     “Yeah, I know what you mean.  But we Bentini men never run
from a challenge or our responsibilities.”

     “If it’s true, then I don’t understand why Kathy didn’t tell
me.  What kind of woman doesn’t tell a man he has a kid?”

     “Kathy is a good woman, don’t lose sight of that,” Antonio
advises softly.

     “I can’t believe she was ever pregnant, we saw her almost
every damn day.  When did she have a baby?!”

     “It had to have been during that time she left town to nurse
her grandmother, she was gone for a while…maybe there was no ailing granny.” 

     “That’s plausible,” Will agrees, running his hand through his
hair in frustration.  “I’m not certain, her sister didn’t get that far.  If
there had been a knife or gun nearby, I believe she would have probably tried
to kill me the moment she knew who I was.”

     “Damn man, I don’t know what to tell you other than I’m here
for you anytime you need me.” 

     “Thanks brother.”  They embrace in a manly hug, pounding each
other on the back. 

When they step apart, Tony asks, “What are you going to do?”

     “Nothing until I speak with Kathy.”

***

     “Good evening Mr. Bentini.” 

     “Good evening Ms. Graye.  Is Ms. Hawkins in?”

     “Yes, sir.  She’s in the kitchen.”  Antonio strolls into the
kitchen to the sound of his girl and his cook standing close together laughing. 
“The secret to making the world’s best rice krispies treats is not to burn the
butter and don’t let the marshmallows cool before you have all the cereal mixed
in evenly,” Garret instructs Tiressa, who smiles up at him in a way that makes
Antonio see green.  “What’s going on?” he says stiffly, trying to control his
jealous suspicion at the sight of his chef so damn close to his woman, in what
he considers too intimate a setting.

     “Hi babe,” Ti greets, taking her attention from stirring the
ingredients in the pot to smile up at him.  But, upon seeing his serious
expression, she gives the rubber spatula back to Garret and approach Antonio, “How’s
William?”

     Ignoring her inquiry, he sends Garret a nebulous look.  “What’s
on the menu for dinner tonight?”

     “Pork tenderloin with apricot, cranberry and almond stuffing,”
Garret answers with an open, clear expression that eases some of Antonio’s misgivings.

     “Sounds great.  We’re going to dine upstairs tonight, have the
balcony table set for seven.”  Turning his attention to Ti, he lifts her chin
as he leans down to take her mouth in a possessive kiss meant to show his undisputable
claim.  “Come on Baby, let me help you get out of these clothes,” he says
against her lips, taking her hand.

     “That sounds nice, but I’m helping Garrett.”

     “Garrett will have to finish without you,” he replies, and Ti
catches the hint in his firm tone. “I need you more,” Antonio insists, leading
her out of the kitchen.

     The minute they enter the master suite, Ti snatches her hand
out of his.  “So, I take it by that macho display in the kitchen, Garret and I
have done something to displease you.”

     “I’m making sure he knows who you belong to.”

     “Oh really.  So, I
belong
to you?!”

     “Yes damnit!  You belong to me and I belong to you!  And I will
make sure everybody knows it; that includes my damn cook.”

     “Tony, I told you when you behave like that it makes me feel—”

     “Don’t you dare say cheap.  In this instance, if that’s how
you feel, you only have yourself to blame.”

     “How do you figure that?” she asks, indignant.

     “Because you won’t marry me,” he replies angrily.

     “Tony, we are engaged…of course I’m marrying you.”

     “I can’t tell.  You’re not wearing an engagement ring.  We
haven’t had an engagement party.  Hell, we haven’t even set a wedding date yet,”
his voice rises with each complaint.

     “You’re not being fair, Tony.  The accident happened only days
ago and with Kathy being in a coma…finding out that I’m pregnant…”  She deliberately
runs her hands up his sexy sculpted chest in a way she knows he likes, “With everything
that’s going on, I don’t see a need to rush.”

     “There are three major reasons why there is definitely a need
to rush…one, you are pregnant with my baby…two, I love you and you love me…three,
I don’t want to play house with you, I want us to be man and wife.  Do you not
want that too, Ti?”

     “Just because we aren’t following some fast paced timeline,
doesn’t mean that I don’t love you or want you…because I do,” she kisses his pouty,
masculine lips.  “I love you, and I want you,” she assures him, kissing the
underside of his chin.  “Tony, I really want you,” her voice heats as she nibbles
on the side of his neck.  “You said you were going to help me out of my
clothes,” she reminds him, running her tongue along his bottom lip.

     “Yes, I am…I’m going to help you out of your clothes and into
a warm soak with me caressing your hot body with my hard body.”  Pausing, they
share a steamy kiss.  “And then we are going to have dinner and go to bed… you
need your rest.”  He chuckles against her beautiful, now pouting, lips.  Pulling
back, she playfully punches him in his muscle-packed stomach.  “No.  Tony, I
need
you.  I promise to rest afterwards.”

     “No.”

     “But—”

     “No Ti, I’m not making love to you until your doctor’s
appointment with the specialist and he tells me that it’s safe; that I won’t
hurt the baby.”

     “You won’t hurt the baby,” Tiressa tries to sway him,
caressing his male nipples through his shirt.  When she feels them bead, she
gives a little moan and tries to lift his shirt so that she can place her lips
on them.  “Just give me a couple of inches,” she practically begs.  “Tony, it’s
safe, I feel fine.  I feel better than fine.”  Surprised at her boldness, but
enjoying it, he gently worships her, passionately binding them in a long steamy
kiss, before regaining his self-control.  “I know you say you do, but I want to
hear it from a doctor,” he maintains, walking her in the direction of the
bathroom. 

     “Antonio.”

     “Now Baby, please don’t beg, you’ll swell my head—literally,”
he teases with a grimace, adjusting himself to relieve the pressure his
expanding manhood is making against his zipper.

Chapter 6

     “You’re looking so much better sweetheart; you finally have
roses back in your cheeks.”  Mrs. Walters smiles, brushing Kathy’s thick long titian
hair in slow soothing strokes, her eyes glowing with thankfulness to see her
daughter alive and recovering quite nicely.

     “I miss my baby mom,” Kathy whispers, thinking about William,
but unable to voice those feelings.  “I want to hold my baby.”

     Mrs. Walters pauses mid-stroke.  “I know we haven’t talked
about…well, you know…about William Bentini.  I don’t think it’s a good idea to
bring Will—”

     Ignoring the mention of William’s name, Kathy lashes out at
her mother, “Mom, I need my baby!  I want her here!  Now!” she cries, hiding
her face in her hands.

     “Kathy please, calm down.  Getting yourself all worked up can’t
be good for you.”

     “I don’t care.”

     “Kathy think about what you’re asking.”

     “I just want to hold her mom.”

     “I know you do sweetheart and you will.  But please don’t
bring her here…the situation with William Bentini and his mother is so uncertain.” 
Seeing that she isn’t having much success getting Kathy to see things her way,
Mrs. Walters tries another tactic, “I have an idea…as soon as you’re released,
you come back home with us.  I will take care of you and you can have some much
need time with—”

     “Kathy, guess who’s coming down the hall?”  Emily bursts into
the room out of breath.

     “Who, the Easter bunny?”  Emily ignores her sister’s sarcasm
understanding that Kathy is still cross with her for telling William Bentini
about the baby.  “No silly, Mrs. Bentini, and she looks like a woman on a
mission.”

     There is a brief rap on the door and suddenly Mrs. Bentini is
standing in the middle of the room looking as Emily said –like a woman on a
mission.

     “Hello, I’m Marella Bentini,” she introduces herself walking
forward to shake Mrs. Walters’s hand.  She gives Emily a cursory glance, before
focusing her attention on the woman on the bed, “Katherine, may I speak with
you privately?”

     Receiving Kathy’s silent nod, Mrs. Walters excuses herself and
Emily, “We’ll just go down to the cafeteria for a quick bite.”  Then meeting
the older woman’s eyes, she warns, “But I’ll be right back.”

     As soon as they leave the room, Mrs. Bentini’s nonchalant
attitude melts.  “Katherine. It’s good to see you awake and almost back on your
feet.”

     “Thank you,” Kathy replies quietly.

     Niceties over, Mrs. Bentini, launches into the main reason for
the visit, “William told us about the two of you.”

     Not sure how much she knows Kathy attempts to prevaricate, “About
the two of us?”

     “Yes. That the two of you have been sneaking behind my back
having a sordid little affair.”

     “Mrs. Bentini…I’m sorry,” Kathy refuses to meet the anger in
her employer’s eyes.

     “I don’t believe that you are Katherine because apparently you
have been deceiving me for years.” Kathy remains silent, believing that she
deserves the scathing condemnation.  “I don’t understand how you could look me
in the face every day and lie.  How can you justify that Katherine?” Mrs.
Bentini demands to know.

     “I can’t,” is the dejected reply.  “My only defense is that I
love your son and I believe he loves me.”

     “You don’t have the right to love him, Katherine.  He is
promised to someone else.  He is engaged to marry someone else.  Have you know
sense of decency?!”

     “But he doesn’t love her Mrs. Bentini.  He was only willing to
marry Alison to please you, because it’s what you want.”  After a brief silence
Kathy ask, “Am I really such an awful person that you can’t bear to have me as
a member of your family? What did I do that was so appalling, aside from being
born to a family that has to work for a paycheck instead of stock shares?”

     “This is more than just about money,” Mrs. Bentini says offended,
then after a moment she sighs, relenting enough to say, “You’re not an awful
person Katherine and neither is Tiressa.  I was raised by parents who were
blood-proud.  They would roll over in their graves at the mere thought of diluting
our bloodline.  I don’t mean to be harsh, but you must understand that I have a
duty to tradition.”

     “Families start new traditions every day.  You raised your
children to see the world differently.  They meet people from all walks of
life, and they have the ability to appreciate them for who they are, not how pure
their blood is.  You should be proud of that, Mrs. Bentini.”

     “I am.  I am very proud of all my children.”

     “Then how can you punish them for being the very people that
you raised them to be?”

***

     “Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were in a car accident?! 
Do I always have to hear about things that happen in my own daughter’s life
from other people?!” Mrs. Hawkins complains bitterly.

     “Sorry mom.  You’re right, I should have told you, but I
didn’t want anyone to worry and besides I wasn’t the one who got hurt.”

     “Tiressa, I don’t give a flying fig if you broke a gawddamn
fingernail!  I am your mother and I deserve to know anytime you are laying up
in somebody’s hospital!”

     “I know mama, I’m sorry…but really, I’m okay.  I wasn’t hurt.”

     “Save your breath, your father and I are on our way…we want to
see for ourselves that our baby girl is alright.”

     “No, mom don’t—”

     “What do you mean, don’t?”

     “Only that you don’t have to inconvenience yourself and dad by
driving all this way just to see that nothing is wrong with me.”

     “Girl, hush.  We are your parents, we’ll be there in a couple
of hours, you know how slow your daddy drives.”

     After the phone call, Ti sits quietly for a second until she
finally notices Antonio frowning across the table at her.  “I thought we had
established a no cell phones at the table agreement.”

     “Not exactly…we established that there may be a need to
establish a no cell phones at the table rule.”  Seeing that Antonio is not
amused, she apologizes, “I’m sorry, I know that you want table time to be one
of our special times where we aren’t supposed to focus on anything or anyone
but us, but that was my mom calling.”

     “Yes, I heard,” his lips quirk in amusement.

     “Then you also heard that she and my dad are on their way here.”

     “Okay, so what’s the big deal?”

     “The big deal is that they are on their way to my apartment
and I have to be there when they get there.”

     Looking at his watch and then looking back up at her, his
heavy brows slash down in an irritated frown.  “I don’t see how you’re going to
be able to be in two places at once, in case you have forgotten you have a
doctor’s appointment that we are definitely going to keep, and I thought you
wanted to swing by and visit with Kathy today.”

     “Couldn’t we reschedule the appointment and I can visit Kathy
once I have my parents settled in,” Tiressa tries to wheedle for a compromise.

     “We
could
reschedule the appointment, but we
aren’t
going to.  You are almost three months pregnant Ti and you haven’t seen a
doctor yet.”

     “I know, but this is an emergency—”

     “Not really.  It’s an inconvenience.  Your parents can check
into a hotel or stay here if you prefer—”

     “Antonio stop.  There is no way I am going to have my parents
check into a hotel when they come to town.  And as for staying here, absolutely
not.”

     “Okay, then what’s your solution—other than missing the
appointment, which we are not going to do.”

     Giving it some thought, she finally hits on an idea.  “I got
it,” she smiles cleverly.  “We take separate cars.”

     “You don’t have a car anymore.”

     “I’ll ask Garrett to loan me his.  I’m sure he won’t mind.”

     “I don’t like the idea of you going to another man for
anything.”

     “Put your barbarian away and stop being difficult.  I will
borrow Garrett’s car, go by my apartment, leave the key under the doormat, and then
meet you at the doctor’s office.  After the appointment, I’ll dash by the
hospital for a quick visit with Kathy and then head back to my place to deal
with my parents.”  

     “No,” he responds emphatically.

     “Tony please be reasonable.”

     “I want us to ride together.”

     “Tony.  I need you to work with me on this.”  Getting up, she goes
over and sits on his lap. “Please Baby.”

     Heaving a sigh of exasperation, he finally gives in. “I’m not
crazy about it, but seeing as I have very few options, we’ll do it your way.”

     Running her finger down his rugged olive cheek, she flashes
him a bright smile before kissing both sides of his neck, giving him nibbling
little love bites along the way.  “You know it turns me on when you’re willing
to capitulate to my wishes.”

     His husky laughter is lasciviously sensual as he places kisses
across the delectable caramel breasts peaking from the top of her bodice.  “Quit
trying to seduce me vixen, we have to get a move on.”

***

     Driving across town takes longer than anticipated and by the
time Ti makes it to her apartment and leaves the key, she’s running late for
her appointment.  

     “This is the very reason why I was against taking separate cars,”
Antonio grouches, strolling to her as she rushes up the walkway leading to the
entrance to the doctor’s office.  Giving him a light peck on the lips, she
grabs his hand as she continues into the pretty pink and blue building proudly
advertising the number of babies delivered by way of a billboard with a giant
stork delivering a “precious bundle.”

     “I’m not that late Tony so stop being mean.  You’re just upset
because you didn’t get your way,” she teases quietly as they enter the waiting
room.

     “Have a seat Ti, and I’ll check you in.”

     “Can you do that?  I mean, we aren’t married,” she whispers so
that only he hears, acutely aware of the other women in the room, some looking
over at them speculatively.  He gives her one of his pointed looks that implies
that he is
Mr. Antonio Bentini
and he can do as he pleases.  She takes a
seat in a less crowded corner sinking into one of the plush cream-colored chairs;
glancing around the luxurious room trying not to appear impressed by the extravagant
layout.

     Returning to her side, Antonio places a hand at her elbow, “Come
on Baby.”

     “Is it my turn already?” she asks surprised, looking around
the full room.

     “Don’t worry about that, come on,” he repeats, urging her in
the direction of the smiling pretty brunette standing at the open door that
separates the waiting room from the examining rooms.

     “Tiressa Hawkins?” the nurse queries politely.

     “Yes, I’m Tiressa Hawkins.”

     “Welcome, Ms. Hawkins, please follow me this way,” she directs,
flashing her pearly-whites, more at Antonio than Tiressa, who slants him a look,
gaging his reaction to this bit of flirtation.  To Tiressa’s delight, Antonio
takes her hand and throws her a wink accompanied by one of his sexiest smiles. 
Squeezing his big warm hand, she winks and blows him a kiss in return. 

     “Here we are,” the nurse announces, opening a door marked
‘private’ and stepping inside what appears to be an examining room; but not any
kind that Tiressa has ever been in or even seen.  The swanky room fairly
shouts,
“Only the rich can afford to be in here!”
  It’s set up with not
only a small office area with just about all the amenities a doctor needs, but
also with everything a normal examining room would have. 

     “Ms. Hawkins, here is the preliminary paperwork and medical
information that we will need before we get started.  You can have a seat right
here at the desk.  You’ll need two forms of identification.  If you don’t have
both, a driver’s license will do and we can get the other when you come in for
your next appointment.”  Tiressa hands the nurse her ID, noticing how hard
she’s trying not to ogle Antonio.  “If you have any questions, please don’t
hesitate to ask.  Dr. Montenegro will be in to see you momentarily.”  Again,
she’s smiling
and
speaking more to Antonio than to the patient.  Antonio
had been politely standing while the nurse was in the room, but as soon as she
leaves, he takes the seat next to Tiressa.

     “I’m not sure I want you to come to my appointments with me if
I have to deal with
that
,” Tiressa pouts, only half-joking as she turns
her attention to the folder and the information she has to provide.