Page 48 of Defying Her Arrogant Boss

ELEVEN

Shewokeearly feeling warm and secure. Blinking, she realised Rory had curved around her in the night, his arm around her, holding her. She closed her eyes again quickly, wanting to remain in the quiet half-asleep, half-awake dreamland where the bad things could be forgotten and the blissful things could come true.

He must have been awake because he moved away from her immediately. ‘Don’t move. I’ll get you something.’

He left the bed and soon returned with some plain toast and a glass of water. She nibbled on it. The strained silence grew.

Rory rang work for both of them explaining they’d be late. Rapidly getting used to his managerial ways, she didn’t care. That was one she could let him away with.

The silence remained unbroken as he drove them to the doctor’s rooms. He parked and turned to look at her as he switched off the engine.

‘We’ll work this out, Lissa.’

‘It doesn’t have to be marriage, Rory.’ It couldn’t be. She would be responsible for ruining his life. She could take care of herself and would manage their child. Her mother had done it, and so could she. She didn’t want to be married to a man who wasn’t in love with her.

Nervously she sat next to him in the waiting room. She felt appalling—had already been sick twice despite the fingers of dry toast. The doctor appeared and called for her. She stood, mortified as Rory rose as well.

He read her like a book. ‘Lissa, I have touched and tasted every inch of your body. I am coming in with you.’

They walked into the consultation room together.

The doctor wasted no time getting her to do another test. She returned with it and he questioned her as they waited for the result. ‘So how far along do you think you are?’

‘Not very. Maybe a few weeks?’

She sat watching the test, keenly aware Rory’s attention was fixed on it too. The confirming line appeared instantly.

‘That’s a strong positive. There’s no doubt you are pregnant.’

‘You can’t get false positives?’ She couldn’t help the last vestige of hope.

He smiled and shook his head. ‘Not unless you’ve been on fertility treatment. And you’ve had severe symptoms already?’

Rory answered that one, detailing her all-day sickness, the fatigue.

‘I think we should do a scan. See what we can find there.’

Lissa looked up.

The doctor smiled benignly. ‘Just routine. It won’t take a minute—be nice to see your baby, won’t it?’

She stepped behind the curtain and readied herself on the bed with the modesty blanket provided, quelling the nausea, fighting the anxiety.

The doctor pulled the curtain back and Rory came to stand by her head. Not looking away from her face, he took her hand firmly in his. A reassurance that somehow he knew she needed.

She stared up at him as fear skated through every cell. She wanted this baby to be all right regardless of what happened between her and Rory. This baby would be loved. Unplanned maybe, but certainly not unwanted.

He met her gaze squarely, sombrely, his jaw tense, and again she wished she had the ability to read minds. In the past he’d been easy to read, his brilliant eyes telling her of his desire, his frustration, his humour. But now they were clouded, and she couldn’t fathom his thoughts at all, let alone his feelings.

‘Ah,’ the doctor murmured. ‘There’s the problem.’

Problem. She tensed and felt Rory’s hand tighten on hers. She saw the flash in his eyes, but before either could speak the doctor continued.

‘Take a look at the monitor.’ The doctor didn’t sound concerned, he sounded kind of smug. ‘There you see a heartbeat.’

Lissa stared at the little blob. Kind of like a jellybean with a pulse. Fascinated, she felt her heart pull. A tiny life growing.

She hardly heard as the doctor spoke again. ‘And there—’ the doctor pointed across a little way on the screen ‘—is another.’

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