Bound by a Baby Bump (Harlequin Romance Large Print) (14 page)

‘It was my brother,’ Leo said baldly, the words barely inflected. ‘At the very centre of it all. The bullying. He started it, he encouraged it, and he’s no less cruel now than when we were children. When Dad spoke to the school, Nicholas somehow convinced the teachers, and in turn my parents, that there was nothing wrong. That I was attention-seeking. In the end Dad thought it would be character-building for me to stay.’

It was disgusting, made her feel physically sick. She could never imagine being treated that way by her family, and her heart ached for Leo. She squeezed his hand back. ‘Leo, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe your father—’

‘No, it wasn’t him. He had no idea what was really going on. You don’t understand. Nicholas is...well, he can be very charming. And very convincing. I really do think that my father thought he was doing what was best. And it wasn’t until later that I discovered Nicholas was at the root of everything. By then I’d left school and left home and it didn’t seem worth tearing the family apart by bringing it up. My mother is happy as things are. She loves my father and he adores her. As long as Nicholas and I can keep our distance, she stays happy.’

‘And I’m guessing it’s mostly you who keeps your distance. It doesn’t sound like your brother would be so considerate. You must love your mum very much, to do that for her.’

‘Of course I love her. She’s my mother.’

‘Do you think she’s going to be excited to be a grandmother? Is it her first? Nicholas doesn’t...’

‘No. Thank God. And yes, she’s going to be thrilled. That’s why I thought...at her birthday...’

‘Whatever you decide. Whatever you need. Let me know.’

He turned her hand over in his and pressed a kiss to her palm. She shivered as his lips brushed her skin, and cupped her fingers around his jaw, just brushing against the ends of his hair.

But seeing him so upset, it was impossible not to try and help him. Not to reach for him and offer comfort. It sounded better that way, she told herself. Convincing herself that this was a selfless act, purely to make him feel better, and not to satisfy the ache that had travelled between heart and belly for the past few months. Ever since the night she had first met Leo.

As she reached across the table to him she felt their baby shift inside her, and dropped her other hand to her belly, rubbing at the elbow, or heel, or whichever body part was giving her belly a corner.

She remembered the first time it had happened, as she had lain on the couch, laptop balanced on her almost flat belly. Just a little flutter, almost nothing, but
everything
. The first time she’d truly felt pregnant. She’d dropped her work and reached for the phone, thinking of nothing but sharing this moment with Leo. Wanting him to share the rush of adrenaline and emotion.

Now his eyes followed her hand, watching closely as her hand moved over her tummy.

‘Can I...?’

The yearning in his face was as strong as she had ever seen it. But this time it wasn’t her body he wanted. Well, not exactly.

‘Do you want to feel?’ She pushed her seat back from the table at the same time as he stood. But standing over her, he hesitated. So she gently took his hand and guided it to where she could feel the baby kicking.

Rachel tried to keep her feelings motherly as Leo gently rubbed her stomach, following the kicks and movements of the baby. But with him standing over her, reaching down, she was surrounded by his body. Everywhere she looked there was tanned forearm, broad chest. That salty smell that was so unmistakably him. And this was wildly inappropriate, she told herself. He’d only come over here, was only touching her, because she was carrying his child. As far as she knew, he saw her as nothing more than an incubator right now. It had certainly been weeks, months, since they had even spoken about the fact that they had once been so intimate with one another. She had no reason to think that he wanted anything other than friendship from her. So she should just pull these pregnancy hormones of hers in line and stop fantasising about the other parts of her body that hand could be touching right now.

Rachel looked towards the ceiling, still trying to find a safe place for her gaze to rest. But it collided with Leo’s intense blue stare. His hand remained on her belly, but, somehow, the touch changed. No longer curious, it was suddenly sensual. Caressing rather than exploring. His other arm rested along the back of her chair, and he leaned on it a little further. Bringing his face fractionally closer to hers. Just enough to fill her entire field of vision with the clean lines of his face and the coarse chaos of his hair. And her nose with his scent. And every single nerve-ending with the memory of how he could make her body sing. She tipped her head and closed her eyes.

His lips brushed against hers. Soft, but not hesitant. Deliciously assured and practised. Familiar but new, teasing her with all he had learnt about her since the moment they’d met. As Leo’s hand found her waist, or what was left of it these days, she parted her lips with a moan, and twisted in her chair, snaking her arms up around his neck and pulling his body closer. He wasn’t the only one who wanted to touch.

Somehow all the reasons this had seemed like a bad idea faded to nothing in the face of this connection with their child. With the passion that she felt for him and the love that they shared for the life growing inside her. And the love she felt for him, she realised. The love that had been growing alongside their child as she’d learnt more and more about its father. An artist who saw beauty in everything, the sublime in the ordinary. A son who sacrificed his own happiness to protect his mother. A brother who endured rather than confronted to save tearing apart his family. And the man who had helped her face her fears, and realise that not everything that terrified her should be avoided. Not this. Especially not this.

But she
was
afraid. She was afraid that Leo didn’t feel the same way. That their differences still amounted to more than what kept bringing them together. But not so afraid that she was going to run.

* * *

God, she tasted incredible. He nipped out his tongue, tasting and teasing, as he desperately tried to catch his brain up with his libido. But it wouldn’t cooperate. It was so flooded with sensation and need that there was no room for anything rational.

His hands cupped beneath Rachel’s elbows and he pulled her to her feet. She was stretching up on tiptoe to reach his mouth, and it arched her body into his, their child pressed firmly between them.

‘God, I’ve wanted to do this for so long.’ He ground out the words between kisses, capturing her every gasp and moan with his lips. ‘This—more—everything.’

At the word ‘more’, she pulled back, concern clear on her face.

‘More?’ His mind was thrown back to that day she’d told him there could be no sex between them, because she could never be happy with something just physical. He’d been an idiot. He wanted her in every way, in every part of his life. As he’d sat and sketched out their plans, he’d come to see that they all revolved around her. She was at the centre of his every hope and desire for the future.

‘Not just that kind of more,’ he said, too far gone to sugar-coat, to look for pretty words. ‘I want you, Rachel. In every way possible. More. More of everything.’

His ego thrilled at the smile on her lips as he led her upstairs.

CHAPTER TEN

H
E
STROKED
A
strand of her hair as it pooled on his chest, his eyelids heavy and his body sated. ‘Morning,’ he said with a yawn, glancing at the curtains and guessing the time. ‘I could stay here all day.’ He kissed her gently awake and pulled his arm tighter round her. ‘But we have to go tell my mum she’s going to be a grandma.’ He wanted to share their news, their joy, with his parents. Wanted to make Rachel a part of his family. Being so close to her, after months of denying how he felt, didn’t seem like enough. The only way forwards from here was to face the demons from his past so that the three of them could move on. Together.

Because he wasn’t scared any more. He was walking into this relationship with his eyes open. He couldn’t be trapped somewhere he’d gone voluntarily. They were in charge of this situation, and no one else. And they could take this relationship anywhere they wanted.

‘You’re right, you know. I should have told them ages ago. So let’s go and do it together.’

She smiled at him, reached up and brushed a soft kiss on his lips. ‘Let’s do it.’

* * *

As the car advanced up the driveway, Rachel’s eyes widened. Leo tried to imagine seeing the house for the first time. The driveway wound through the grounds to show off every beautiful angle of the building. It offered views of leaded windows, grand entrances, and a glimpse of formal gardens. The redbrick building sat proudly in the landscape, its turrets and chimneys reaching up towards fluffy white clouds. It was staggering, he knew. But it wasn’t home. Nothing would ever persuade him that his modest house was in any way inferior to this.

And then that sleek black car came into view, and the lump in his stomach started to grow and curdle. Nicholas. He reached automatically for the gearstick, intending to stick the car straight in reverse and get out of there as quickly as possible. But Rachel turned towards him.

‘Leo? What is it? You’re shaking.’

‘Maybe this is a bad idea. We could still go. It’s not too late.’

But the front door opened, and he glimpsed his mum standing inside, shielding her eyes from the low winter sun. He saw the moment when she realised that it was him in the car, because her face broke into a broad grin. And he hit the brakes.

He reached for Rachel’s hand and held tight. ‘Nicholas is here.’

‘Still want to do this?’ She stretched an arm across his shoulders, and drew herself closer.

He hesitated, but nodded. He couldn’t leave now that his mum had seen him. Maybe it was better to get this done.

He glanced down at Rachel’s belly, and realised that his mum would guess their news the second that they stepped out of the car. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea. He should have spoken to his parents first, in private. Let them get used to the idea before he introduced Rachel. This probably wasn’t fair on Rachel, either. Throwing her into the middle of his family dramas. But they were here now and there was no going back.

* * *

Rachel watched as all the colour drained from Leo’s face, and he gripped the car door handle as if he never wanted to let go.

She walked around the front of the car and stopped in front of him. ‘If you’re sure you want to do this—ʼ she laid a gentle hand over his white knuckles ‘—then let’s go in. No point putting it off any more. And I think we owe your mum an explanation.’ She’d seen the way the other woman’s eyes had widened to take in her bump, and the blatant curiosity that had followed.

She tangled her fingers in his as he shut the car door and pocketed the keys, and squeezed his hand as they walked towards the door. His mum, a short, plump woman, with pink cheeks and brightly blonde hair, stood leaning against the door frame, her expression beaming pride and happiness.

‘Hi, Mum. Happy birthday.’ Leo’s voice was solemn as he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. ‘This is Rachel. Rachel, this is my mum, Michelle. Mum, we have some news for you.’

Rachel flinched. It didn’t exactly set the jubilant tone that news of a baby should bring.

She followed them through the house to the kitchen, suddenly feeling nervous and awkward, as Leo’s mum called to the rest of the family. ‘Francis, Nicholas, are you there? Leo’s here and he has some news for us!’

Leo gripped her hand a little harder, and she squeezed back, letting him know that he wasn’t doing this alone, that she would face down his brother with him.

When she looked up, Michelle was watching them expectantly.

‘Right then, Rachel. Can I get you anything? Something to drink? Leo, are you hungry yet?’

‘No, thanks.’ Rachel tried to smile, but Leo’s nerves were rubbing off on her, travelling up from his tight-gripped hand to make her shoulders tense, her posture awkward. Her belly was the elephant in the room while they waited for the family to gather in the kitchen.

Two men walked in through the door on the opposite side of the kitchen, and she thought that Leo might actually bolt. His whole body tensed and she looked up and saw fight or flight playing out on his features. His forehead was shining slightly and his limbs were stiff and tense, ready to run or strike. She wished she could reach out and hold him. She knew that facing his brother was painful for him, clearly almost unbearably so.

But he hadn’t reached for her. And if that was what he wanted then surely he would.

‘So what’s this new—’ Leo’s father’s voice boomed, before he caught sight of the bump and stopped mid-sentence.

Nicholas—or at least that was who she guessed he was; Leo wasn’t exactly making introductions—sent her a charming smile from behind his father’s back. She remembered what Leo had said about how he used that charm, and sent a subtle scowl back.

‘Leo?’ his father prompted him, but Leo seemed frozen. Unable to move or speak.

Rachel stuck out her hand. ‘I’m Rachel, a friend of Leo’s,’ she introduced herself. Using the movement to cover a quick squeeze to Leo’s hand. His arm moved, and, just slightly, the rest of his body followed as he ushered her across the centre of the room towards his family.

‘Rachel, this is Nicholas. My brother.’

‘How do you do?’ She forced the words out, though they felt rotten in her mouth. Well, this was awkward. She wished she’d known that Leo was going to freeze like this. She could hardly blame him, knowing everything that he’d gone through because of his brother. But at some point they had to spill the beans about this baby.

‘So, this news...’ Michelle prompted, her eyes flashing again to Rachel’s bump.

She glanced up to Leo again, wondering whether he was going to step in—but no. He was no nearer composure than he had been before. They were facing things together, were stronger together. And if he needed her to, she would do this for the both of them.

She glanced up at him in a question, and he nodded fractionally in response. All she really wanted to do was disappear with him for a few minutes, get the smile back on his face and his softness back in his body.

She forced a smile to her lips instead. ‘We’re expecting a baby,’ she announced.

Michelle flew at her across the kitchen and wrapped her in a hug. ‘That’s wonderful news! Oh, a baby in the family. Brilliant.’ Overwhelmed by this reaction, so much warmer than the one she’d received from her own mother, Rachel felt tears gathering in her eyes. There was nothing to worry about here. Until she looked over Michelle’s shoulder and saw a knowing half-grin on Nicholas’s face. She glanced up at Leo and realised that he was looking at his brother, too, eyes locked together with decades-old hostility. It was unbelievable his parents didn’t know something was wrong.

‘I’ve got so many questions,’ Michelle said. ‘When did you two meet? When’s the baby due?’ She must have spotted the conspiratorial glance that passed between Rachel and Leo, because she blushed, and moved the conversation swiftly on. ‘But you can fill us in on all the details later. Let’s just open a bottle of something fizzy now and celebrate.’ When she turned to the fridge, Leo looked over at Rachel, and she gave his arm a quick squeeze. His dad returned with a handful of champagne flutes, which he deposited on the worktop before clapping Leo into a hug, and kissing Rachel on the cheek.

‘A baby. Marvellous news,’ he declared. ‘Don’t you think so, Nick? You’ll be an uncle, of course. Really wonderful news.’

Rachel eyed Nick carefully, trying to see the cruelty behind this affable exterior. And there it was. The slight lift of his eyebrow changed his smile to a smirk. It gave him a slight air of superiority, as if he had guessed exactly how planned this pregnancy was. She could practically see the X-rated guessing games playing across his brain. Pervert. Michelle handed her a cold flute of champagne and she took it, wishing she could gulp it down.

‘To the new Fairfax,’ Michelle toasted. And then stopped when she saw the look that Rachel threw at Leo—they definitely hadn’t decided on a surname yet. ‘And there’s my foot in my mouth again. Here’s to the new baby, whatever his or her name might be.’

‘Cheers.’ Rachel clinked glasses and allowed herself a sip of champagne, closing her eyes to savour the taste.

She kept an eye on Nick for the rest of the afternoon, as the family chatted in the kitchen while Francis cooked. Her heart ached for Leo, seeing how uncomfortable he was around his brother, and the selfless way he put his mother’s feelings above his own by being here. But he wished he weren’t—that much was evident from the way his body had grown more and more tense and his words more and more terse.

Michelle had noticed it, too, she realised: she became more watchful, glancing at Leo more and more often, though never drawing attention to it by asking him what was wrong. How long had she suspected? Rachel wondered. How long had she been aware of the fractures in her family without knowing the cause?

Rachel could see that Nick’s accusations about Michelle being a gold-digger were unfounded. The mutual adoration between Leo’s parents was clear to anyone who cared to see it. Perhaps jealousy was the root of all Nick’s behaviour. It couldn’t have been easy to see his mother replaced so fully in his father’s affections. But to take that out on his innocent brother was inexcusable. Was it unforgivable, as well? Was there any way back from animosity for these brothers? But she wasn’t so naive that she thought that she could bring about a reconciliation.

By the time they sat down to dinner, her shoulders had followed Leo’s, fixed into a stiff line. It was impossible to relax with Leo tense beside her, and she felt every moment of his discomfort with him. His parents were smiling and upbeat, but they weren’t as oblivious to the tension between the brothers as Leo had told her they were.

Her moment of relief when dinner was finished vanished in the second when Michelle casually suggested, ‘You boys will sort out the kitchen, won’t you? It will give you a chance to catch up. And your father and me a chance to interrogate this lovely young woman.’ Her horror at the prospect of Leo being stuck alone with Nick must have shown, but fortunately was misinterpreted. ‘I was only joking, Rachel, lovey. Absolutely no embarrassing questions.’ She shoved a stack of empty plates into Leo’s hands, giving him no choice but to take them through to the kitchen.

Rachel tried to follow Michelle’s questions while keeping half an ear out for signs of physical altercation in the kitchen. She told her about due dates and scans, and a highly edited version of how she and Leo had met, and then spotted a couple of empty wine and water bottles on a side table. She stood abruptly, grabbed the bottles and headed for the door, brushing off Michelle’s protestations that she wasn’t to help.

She slowed as she approached the kitchen door, expecting to hear raised voices. But it was ominously quiet. She paused before she pushed it open, and heard the low murmurs and hisses of men who didn’t want to be overheard. But not so quiet that she couldn’t hear what they were saying.

Nick’s voice, low and vindictive: ‘She’s after your money, is that it? Can’t think why else she’d be interested. Maybe she heard that your mother slept her way into a nice house and a fat bank account and thought she’d try the same. Or maybe you cooked it up between you. A way to get a bigger slice of Dad’s inheritance.’

‘Don’t you dare speak about Rachel that way.’ Leo’s voice was a hiss. ‘Or Mum. After all these years can you still not see—’ She could hear the venom packed into the tight syllables, the years of hatred he was trying to keep from spilling out into a shout.

‘But maybe the little bastard isn’t even yours. She wouldn’t be entitled to a penny then. You’ll be getting a paternity test, I assume. Stupid not to with a girl like that.’

Through the crack in the door she saw Leo’s hand tighten into a fist. She opened the door with a bang and strode into the room, shoving the bottles on the worktop and turning to Nick with a scowl.

‘Actually there was no need. But obviously we’re grateful for your concern for your new niece or nephew.’

‘Rachel, stay out of this,’ Leo hissed. ‘I’m handling it.’ Turning to his brother, Leo spoke with low menace.

‘Apologise. Now.’

But she didn’t need him to fight her battles for her. Nick had been allowed to get away with bullying for years, and she had no interest in being his next victim. ‘I think it was Nick who involved me, Leo. Is there anything else you’d like to know about my personal life, Nick? Because you obviously think who I sleep with is your business. Perhaps you want to see my medical notes and employment history. Or are facts less fun than snide accusations?’

‘Rachel...’ After just one word his voice had slipped into the smooth honey of a serial liar, using practised charm to cover his misdeeds. Good job she was much too smart, and too angry, to fall for it. ‘I don’t know what you think you heard—’

‘You know what you said, you bastard. Now apologise.’

‘Bastard?’ Nicholas raised a mocking eyebrow at Leo. ‘I hardly think your little family is in a position to throw stones.’

‘That’s enough!’ Rachel looked at Leo in shock. She had never heard him raise his voice before. He’d always wielded quiet authority and humour to get what he wanted, without needing to shout about it.