Page 50 of Taming a Heartbreaker

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked when she slid from his arms and placed her body over his.

She smiled down at him. “Feeling naughty.”

He chuckled. “Weren’t you naughty enough last night?”

“No.”

And after that single word, she lowered her mouth to his. He didn’t hesitate returning her kiss.

Chapter Twenty-One

The following weeks seemed to fly by. Carmen’s morning sickness wasn’t as severe as it had been. During her most recent doctor’s visit, she was told her body was showing increased signs of improvement and there was a chance the nausea would be gone altogether in another week or two.

It was.

Carmen knew that meant it was only a matter of time until Redford would be leaving. Her next appointment with the doctor was on Friday, and she saw no reason why the doctor would not give her a clean bill of health and tell them her pregnancy was no longer at risk.

She figured Redford thought the same thing. Just that morning she had overheard him communicating with his management team that chances were, he would be returning to the office within a week. She wanted to believe he hadn’t sounded all that excited about leaving, but a part of her knew she’d probably just imagined it.

They still shared a bed every night and woke up in each other’s arms every morning. She’d tried not to get used to having him there, but he had become a monumental part of her life. There was no doubt in her mind she would miss him something fierce when he was gone. The time she had spent with Redford, and the way he had taken such good care of her, was something she would forever appreciate and something she would never forget.

She had gotten to know him as someone other than the father of her baby. He was a person she could talk to about anything, and he was someone who was full of information on any given topic. For those topics he wasn’t sure about, he wasted no time in doing the research. In addition to enjoying their conversations, she looked forward to the times they lay cuddled up together watching movies.

Over the past month they had formed a special relationship, and the thought that it would soon end made her heart ache. She knew the only way to prepare for his departure was to start withdrawing. That way the pain of him leaving wouldn’t cut so deep.

That resolution was on her mind later that night while she lay in his arms after they’d made love. Having him in bed with her whenever the sexual need struck definitely had its benefits. There was never a time he didn’t pleasure her immensely. He’d been her first, and she was certain he had ruined her for any other man. In a way, that wasn’t good.

But still, she couldn’t regret the time they had spent together. Her only regret was in knowing their days together were numbered and it was time to start protecting her heart. Redford didn’t love her; he would never love her. That was a reality it was time for her to accept, no matter how good things were between them now.

Redford awoke with a start. Glancing over at Carmen, he saw she was still sleeping snugly in his arms with their limbs entwined. Recently, he’d begun noticing changes in her, and it was more than the little pudge he saw in her stomach or how her nipples had gotten darker. He’d also noticed she had begun withdrawing from him.

He had detected it a few nights ago. Although they still made love with abandon, with a yearning and intensity that took his breath away, he could tell their relationship was changing. He couldn’t help wondering if now that she felt better that meant she was ready for him to leave.

Honestly, there wasn’t a reason to hang around any longer since her doctor had stated during her last visit that she was out of danger. From here on out, all signs indicated she should have a rather normal pregnancy. Of course, they’d been glad to hear that, but he’d gotten used to taking care of her, of being here with her.

He’d contacted his office one morning to tell them he would be back in a week and before that day had ended he’d called them back and told them to disregard his earlier call. He wasn’t sure exactly when he’d be back, mainly because he wasn’t ready to leave.

If anyone had told him weeks ago that he would have this frame of mind, he would not have believed them. The past weeks with Carmen had meant everything to him, and thanks to her he’d been able to face a lot about himself. He now realized that episode with Candy had affected him more than he’d known.

It had taken Carmen to show him that there were women who could be trusted completely. Women who didn’t have any deceitful bones in their bodies. Women worth risking his heart for.

So many had tried convincing him of that—Sloan, Tyler, his parents and others—but he had refused to believe them. It had taken Carmen’s pregnancy to show him another side of a relationship, other than a purely sexual one.

He now knew he had fallen in love with her. Although he wasn’t sure exactly when it happened, it had happened. However, thanks to his earlier actions of treating her like all those other women he’d been involved with, she would never love him again. He felt a painful ache in the pit of his stomach in accepting that.

At least he had his memories of the days they would wake up together, shower together, go walking together, prepare meals together and go to bed together. The one thing they hadn’t talked about was raising their child together as a unified family. Where they lived in the same house in a loving and committed relationship. Namely, marriage.

Maybe it was time they talked about that possibility, because he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he adored her. Every part of her that she had shared with him over the past month or so. He had fallen in love with her and had fallen hard.

She had been right from the beginning. They were soulmates, and it had taken her getting pregnant for him to accept that. He couldn’t imagine any other woman in his life. Carmen was the one woman he refused to live without. However, the big challenge would be convincing her of that.

He would make his first attempt to do so tonight when they made love.

Carmen glanced up when Redford entered her bedroom. Tonight, he had surprised her with a candlelight dinner. It had been beautiful and romantic; however, she would have appreciated his efforts a lot more if she hadn’t known it was his way of letting her know he was leaving. She could barely enjoy the delicious dinner he had prepared because she was waiting for him to tell her he was going back to Alaska. But he hadn’t told her at dinner, so she could only assume he had decided to tell her later...which was now.

She watched him lean against the closed door staring at her. Her heart began pounding when he pulled off his shirt and tossed it in the chair and then proceeded to slip out of his jeans and briefs.

Carmen wondered if he intended to make love to her first before breaking the news he was leaving. There was no reason to think he would not return every once in a while to check on her and the baby, but still. She had gotten used to the time they’d spent together and had hoped...

---