Page 87 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 1-4

But before she could finish, he was suddenly there, reaching for her and gathering her up in his arms like a child. For a moment she lay still against the hot wall of his chest, too surprised to move. Then her anger redoubled, and she twisted. ‘Let me go!’

His grip on her tightened. ‘Keep still,’ he growled, his stormy gaze full of steel. ‘This will not help the babies.’

At that, all her fury abruptly flickered then went out. He was right, of course. Getting angry and arguing wasn’t exactly the rest the doctor had ordered. Her children mattered more than her anger.

She took a breath, willing herself to relax. ‘Fine. But if you don’t want me to argue with you, don’t make me the bad guy.’

He scowled. ‘I am not making you the bad guy.’

‘Yes, you did. You made it sound as though I somehow nearly lost the babies on purpose.’

‘I... I did not mean that.’ His mouth tightened. ‘I just did not like the idea that we put them at risk for something as meaningless as sex.’

This time it was hurt that echoed through her. ‘Meaningless? Is that what you think last night was?’

‘It was pleasurable,’ he said tightly. ‘But hardly the most important thing in the world.’

The splinter of hurt slid deeper inside her. Ithadbeen pleasurable, he wasn’t wrong about that, but it had never been meaningless, not to her. He’d made her feel, for the first time in her life, beautiful, desirable, and...special. It had deeply affected her. But clearly it hadn’t been the same for him. Pleasurable, he’d said. Not that important.

Stupidly, her eyes filled with tears, which she hated. She hated, too, that somehow she’d given him the power to hurt her in this way, because what did it matter that it hadn’t been as earth-shattering for him as it had been for her? Did she really care what he thought about it anyway?

Since she’d left her aunt and uncle’s, she’d told herself that she didn’t care about other people’s opinions of her. That she was tired of caring. Tired of wanting more than she’d ever been given. Tired of feeling so insecure all the time.

Yet here she was, expecting twins with this scowling man, and she was hurt that he hadn’t thought that sex with her was as great as she’d thought it was herself.

Stupid of her. She didn’t care what he thought, not one iota.

‘That not-very-important sex created these babies,’ she said coolly, blinking away the tears and leaning her head against his shoulder. ‘But I’m glad it was merely “pleasurable” for you.’

He stared down at her, his eyes narrowing, and it was downright unfair how that scowl made him look even hotter than he already was. ‘You are tired,’ he said abruptly. ‘You were jet-lagged when you arrived, and then I kept you up far too late. You have had so little sleep and today has been full of too many surprises.’ He turned and started in the direction of the hallway, still carrying her as if she weighed nothing at all. ‘You should rest while I prepare everything for our trip tomorrow.’

That he was planning something else he hadn’t told her about somehow didn’t come as a surprise. ‘What trip?’ she asked as he carried her into the hallway.

‘I own an island off the coast of Greece and the villa there is perfect for convalescing. There is also a separate villa where the doctor can stay should any emergencies happen.’

Of course he owned a Greek island. And apparently she was expected to stay there like Napoleon on Elba, except pregnant and without the benefits of being the Emperor of France or of having an army.

She glared up at him. ‘Did you even think to ask me whether I might like to go to Greece or was this just another thing that you decided?’

‘I have some meetings in Athens,’ he said, stalking through into the bedroom. ‘I can make sure you’re safely settled while I’m there.’

‘What if I don’t want to go to Greece? What if I want to stay here?’

The bedroom was huge, his vast bed pushed up against one wall, the sheets tangled from their activities the night before.

‘What you want is irrelevant,’ he said, carrying her over to the bed. ‘The well-being of the babies is all that matters.’

That hurt too. To her aunt and uncle, all she’d been was an extra and very much unwanted child, but to Sarah at the preschool, she was a valued teacher. The children she taught loved her and missed her when she wasn’t there. To them she was important.

So to be treated as if she were nothing more than a human incubator now made her feel like that unwanted child once again. She hated it. She hated, too, that he was right.

‘Fine. But the well-being of the babies also depends on the well-being of the mother,’ she said tartly as he set her down gently on the mattress. ‘And being treated as if I’m nothing more than a vessel for your children does not exactly help my well-being.’

‘You are not just a vessel.’ He glanced down at the small bump of her stomach, then unexpectedly he reached down and touched it, his fingers tracing the curve.

A small arrow of surprise caught at her, because, as well as possession, there was reverence in the touch, and she hadn’t expected that of him.

Then he spoiled it by straightening suddenly, his hand dropping away, storm clouds shifting in his eyes. ‘Do not be difficult, Nell.’

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