Page 37 of The Venetian One-Night Baby

Travelling out of town meant he would have to stay overnight and that’s what he hated the most. Not waking up next to her. Not having her sexy body curled up in his arms, the sweet smell of her teasing his nostrils until he was almost drunk on it. He informed her of his business trip over breakfast and she looked up from buttering her toast with disappointed eyes. So disappointed it drove a stake through his chest.

Her smile looked forced. ‘Oh... Thanks for telling me.’

He scraped a hand through his hair. Clearly he had some work to do on his communication skills. And his timing. ‘I’m sorry. I should have told you days ago. I thought I could manage it at a distance but the client is getting restless.’

She got up from the table and took her uneaten toast to the rubbish bin and tossed it in. ‘I know you have a business to run. So do I.’

‘Why aren’t you eating? Do you feel sick?’

She turned from the bin with a combative look her on face. ‘I’m fine, Max. Stop fussing.’

He came over to her and took her stiff little hands in his. ‘Do you think I really want to leave you? I hate staying in hotels. I would much rather wake up with you beside me.’

Her tight expression softened. ‘How long will you be away?’

‘Two nights,’ Max said, stroking the backs of her hands. ‘I’d ask you to come with me but I know you’re busy with Holly’s dress. Which reminds me, we need to set a wedding date. My mother has been on my back just about every day to—’

‘Yeah, mine too.’ Her mouth twisted. ‘But I don’t want to get married close to Holly’s wedding day. But neither do I want to be showing too much baby bump on ours. I don’t know what to do. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of my wedding day. Not once in those dreams did I picture myself waddling up the aisle pregnant. I’m stressing about it all the time. Whenever I think about it I just about have a panic attack.’

He cupped her cheek in his hand. ‘Oh, sweetie, try not to stress too much. We’ll talk some more when I get back, okay?’

She sighed. ‘Okay...’

Max kissed her on the forehead, breathing in her summer flowers scent. ‘I’ll call you tonight.’ He touched her downturned mouth with his fingertip. ‘Why don’t you ask Holly to stay with you while I’m away? I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.’

‘She spends every spare minute with Zack.’ A spark of annoyance lit her gaze. ‘Besides, I don’t need flipping babysitting.’

‘I can’t help worrying about you.’

She slipped out of his hold and picked up her tote bag where it was hanging off the back of a chair. ‘You worry too much. I’ll be fine. I have plenty to keep me occupied.’

Max placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. ‘You’ll have to be patient with me, Sabrina. I’m not the world’s best communicator. I’m used to going away for work at a moment’s notice. But obviously that’s going to have to change once we become parents.’

She let out a soft sigh. ‘I’m sorry for being so snippy. I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed.’

He brought up her chin with his finger, meshing his gaze with her cornflower-blue one. ‘It’s perfectly understandable. We’ll get through this, sweetheart. I know we will.’

She gave another fleeting smile but there was a shadow of uncertainty behind her eyes. ‘I have to run. I have a dress fitting first thing.’

He pressed a kiss to her lips. ‘I’ll miss you.’

‘I’ll miss you too.’

* * *

Sabrina was ten minutes late to her fitting with her client, which was embarrassing as it had never happened before. But she couldn’t seem to get herself into gear. Ever since she’d found out Max was going away, she’d felt agitated and out of sorts. It wasn’t that she wanted to live in his pocket. She had her own commitments and responsibilities, but she had come to look forward to their evenings together each day. She loved discussing the events of the day with him over dinner, or curling up on the sofa watching television. She had even got him hooked on one of her favourite TV series. She loved the companionship of their relationship. It reminded her of her parents’ relationship, which, in spite of the passage of years, seemed to get stronger.

And then there was the amazing sex.

Not just amazing sex, but magical lovemaking. Every time they made love, she felt closer to him. Not just physically, but emotionally. It was like their bodies were doing the talking that neither of them had the courage to express out loud. She longed to tell him she loved him, but worried that if she did so he would push her away. She couldn’t go through another humiliation of rejection. Not after what had happened when she was eighteen. But even so, she had to be careful not to read too much into Max’s attentive behaviour towards her. He cared for her and he cared about their baby.

That was what she had to be grateful for.

Holly came in for her final fitting later that afternoon just on closing time. ‘Hiya.’ She swept in, carrying a bunch of flowers, but then noticing Sabrina’s expression frowned. ‘Hey, what’s up?’

Sabrina tried to smile. ‘Nothing.’

Holly put the flowers down. ‘Yeah, right. Come on, fess up.’

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