A Nine-Month Temptation

by Joanne Rock

  With that, the woman and the nurse departed, leaving Sable to dress.

  And leaving Roman unsure how to proceed.

  Should he let her leave with her friends and ask to see her once she was better rested? If he didn’t think it might upset her, he would ask her to return home with him now where he could watch over her personally.

  Damn, but he regretted not being able to finish their talk earlier. Would she even believe him now? Believe that he loved her for her own sake and not just as the carrier of his child? He ached at all the words still left unsaid. And he hated that it had taken him this long to realize how devastated he would be to lose this woman.

  “Sable.” The word was cracked and raw, just like his emotions.

  She glanced up at him, pausing in the act of tugging a plastic bag of her belongings from a shelf near the hospital bed. Her expression fell as she saw his face, which no doubt reflected the fear taking hold of him.

  But the door to the room flew open again, this time admitting her girlfriends—the tall, elegant blonde, and the petite dynamo with rainbow-colored hair who’d tried to keep him from entering the room when he first got there.

  The women swooped in with arms outstretched, folding Sable into hugs between them with so much love that it made him remember how slow he’d been to offer his own.

  With regret burning a hole in him, he backed up a step.

  “Can I come by tomorrow? After you’ve had a chance to rest?” It hurt to walk away. But it was his fault that he’d thrown every barrier imaginable in the way of loving her.

  “Of course.” She nodded, and although she still smiled, she looked a little puzzled at his retreat.

  Or was that sheer hopefulness on his part?

  “Until tomorrow, then.” He turned his attention to her friends. “Ladies, I can’t thank you enough for taking care of her. Will you be okay getting her home? I can give you a ride—”

  “We’re fine,” the dynamo assured him, pale gray eyes turning steely as she looked his way. “She’s in the best possible hands.”

  The emphasis on the best let him know where he ranked in the woman’s eyes.

  But since dawn would be breaking any minute, he wasn’t going to argue with her. Bottom line, Sable needed her sleep as per doctor’s orders.

  Still, he was surprised the rainbow-haired pixie followed him to the door to see him out of the room while Sable’s other friend helped her into a pair of sweatpants.

  “If you’re not going to bring your A game to wooing Sable tomorrow, don’t bother showing up at the brownstone,” the friend warned him in a low voice as he stepped out into the corridor.

  Roman’s respect for her climbed another notch.

  “I’ll be there,” he assured her. “I’m going to lay the whole world at her feet.”

  The woman’s eyes took his measure for a long moment, her somber gray gaze unwavering, but in the end, she cracked a smile that transformed her whole face. “Good luck, then, Daddy-to-be. You’ve got your work cut out for you.”

  Thirteen

  Feet propped on pillows, Sable reclined on a patio lounger in the garden behind the brownstone later that day when she heard a man’s voice inside the house.

  Roman?

  Her hopes soared unchecked after his declaration of love at the hospital. And even though she wasn’t entirely sure why he’d given her over to the care of her friends so readily after sharing that he loved her, she trusted him to know his own heart. She understood him well enough to know those words hadn’t been said lightly.

  She’d thought about him to the point of distraction ever since she’d awoken a little past noon, well rested and no longer bleeding. She’d phoned her doctor’s office right after waking, but her OB hadn’t deemed it necessary for her to come in, assuring her that she could continue with her normal activity.

  After showering and checking in with her mother via text, Sable had come downstairs to be greeted by a flurry of admonishments from Blair and Tana, who’d insisted on serving her a late breakfast in the courtyard where they’d toted blankets and pillows to make her comfortable.

  All in all, she’d been thoroughly spoiled. The only thing missing was Roman.

  Until now.

  He emerged from the house dressed in dark pants and loafers, the sleeves of his pale gray Henley shirt rolled up in a way that showed off his forearms. She hadn’t seen him dressed casually very often and today he appeared...delectable. He was clean-shaven in a way that told her he’d showered recently; she’d noticed before how a shadow of scruff covered his jaw within hours of a shave. Thinking about it made her want to trail her lips over his cheek to test the smoothness for herself.

  “You look beautiful,” he told her in lieu of a greeting, the serious undertone of the words making her think he’d been perusing her as intently as she’d been checking him out.

  The thought made her hopes—already fizzy and light—lift off even higher. Behind him, she noticed shadows move in the windows of the dining room on the garden level of the brownstone. She smiled to think that her friends were keeping tabs on her. No doubt they felt a little protective after the way she’d cried her eyes out the day before when she’d returned from the Central Park outing with Roman.

  But things had shifted dramatically between them at the hospital. Over the late breakfast with her friends this morning, she’d told Tana and Blair about Roman’s declaration of love. Blair had squealed with unchecked approval. Tana had told her that anyone could throw around words like “love,” but only special people backed up the idea with actions.

  If anything, the words only underscored for Sable that she’d already seen so many acts that spoke of love. Of Roman’s need to care for her and provide for her, his insistence that she think about a future beyond motherhood to ensure her happiness.

  “Thank you. I feel much better.” She watched as Roman drew a second padded patio lounger closer over the gray-and-white striped outdoor rug and seated himself on the edge of the chair to face her. Now that he was closer, she noticed the shadows under his eyes. “You look tired. Did you have trouble sleeping?”

  Birds chirped in the ornamental trees planted around the courtyard, the nearby buildings dulling the sounds of traffic from DeKalb Avenue along Fort Greene Park.

  “I’m okay. Better now that I can see for myself you’ve recovered nicely since I saw you at the hospital.” His expression was troubled. “I’ve spent all the time since then thinking about how to convince you—”

  He broke off, shaking his head as if frustrated.

  “What? How to convince me of what?” Alarmed that he seemed worried, she shifted on her bed of pillows so she could take his hand.

  “I’m going about this all wrong.” He stared down at the place where her fingers gripped his. He stroked his thumb over hers, capturing it beneath his. “I came here today with a car and driver waiting out front, thinking I’d give you a tour of all the best options for you to consider for a home.” He huffed out a long breath.

  “Really?” Curious, she wondered if he still wanted her input on a place for himself. She liked the idea of him having his own place in New York with room for their child.

  And maybe, one day, room for her, too. Suddenly, that was a very real possibility now that he had feelings for her.

  “Yes. And we can still do that.” He gave a clipped nod, but his gaze remained anxious. “But now that I see you, all I can think about is how to make you believe that I love you, Sable. Even if the worst had happened last night, I would still be right here today, asking you for another chance to prove how much you mean to me. For another chance to make you happy.”

  Her heart swelled. She sat up enough to cup his jaw with her free hand, testing the smoothness of his jaw with her fingers.

  “You are making me happy, just by being here and caring about what I need.” She felt his love
and concern wrap around her as tangibly as a hug. Her whole marriage had never given her as much security as she felt just from Roman’s one declaration of love. “And how could I doubt that you love me after you told me as much? I know too well you would have never said the words unless you meant them. Look how well you loved the last woman who held your heart.”

  His heavy shoulders relaxed a fraction, some of the concern in his eyes dissolving. He clasped a hand around hers where she cupped his face, and he turned his lips into her palm to kiss it.

  Pleasure shivered over her skin. Joy shimmered in her soul.

  “I didn’t know if you would trust what I said when I was so adamant about keeping that torch for her.” His voice was pitched low, the words rough-edged as if he hadn’t ever planned to share them. “But she would have never wanted me to grieve that way. She spelled it out for me, actually, before she went into surgery that last time. She wanted me to promise I’d find happiness no matter what happened. But I was so adamant about ignoring what she said, so certain she’d come through.”

  Needing to offer him comfort, Sable slid from her lounger to climb into his lap. “It must have been so painful for you.”

  Strong arms held her tighter. “I thought I was being strong for her by discounting what she said. It turned out, she was the strong one. I just wasn’t ready to hear what she said until yesterday. I came home from the park, and the memories of what she said—of everything that was important to her—just came flooding over me and I knew how deeply I’d messed up with you. I felt like she was right there telling me not to be an idiot. To go get you and our child and live our dreams.”

  Sable kissed his cheek. His lips. She shed a few happy tears in between kisses, unspeakably grateful to have his loyal, passionate heart to call her own.

  “You have me, Roman,” she promised, pausing the trail of kisses long enough to meet his dark eyes. “You have my body, and my heart, and all my love. You’ve had them ever since you undressed me that night in the studio, even though I kept trying to tell myself it was just physical.” A smile curved her mouth, the happiness inside her bubbling over. “My heart knew better the whole time.”

  “After how stubborn and blind I’ve been, I’m not sure I deserve you.” Frowning, he traced the fullness of her lower lip with his thumb. “I resigned my position as head of the equity firm, by the way. So on top of being stubborn and blind, I’m most likely disinherited. But I wanted to show Marcel my love and support in no uncertain terms. You were right about that.”

  “Good for you.” A different kind of pleasure filled her. “Does that mean you want to relocate to New York full-time?” It hadn’t occurred to her until now that he had worked hard to help other people—guiding the business end of Marcel’s company, taking the reins for his grandfather and caring for his wife when her health failed. But who worked to bring comfort and ease to Roman’s life?

  She could do that for him. She welcomed the chance to be there for him the way he wanted to be there for her. A partnership. Something she’d never had before.

  Something that was now possible because of this amazing man who’d taken her life by storm.

  “I’m keeping a toehold in Los Angeles for when you’re ready to move your celebrity stylist business to the West Coast.” Leaning back in the lounger with her still in his lap, he shifted position so they reclined together, her leg straddling his in a way that stirred a new heat. “Besides, I might have clients who’ll want to come with me if I decide to do any private investing. For the next year, though, I’m going to put all my focus on helping Marcel launch a storefront. I found out this morning our bid was accepted on a property on Broome Street.”

  “Get out!” Excitement stirred at the thought of a flagship store happening so quickly for Zayn Designs. She levered herself up on her elbow, propping herself on his broad chest. “Can we see it?”

  “I do have that car waiting to take you house hunting,” he reminded her. His hand resting on her waist ventured lower, curling around her hip. Squeezing her curves. “There’s a brownstone near Prospect Park that just came on the market if you want to stay in Brooklyn, for that matter.”

  Wow. He really meant what he said. He’d been planning.

  The idea of being close to her friends tempted her, but the warmth of his palm refocused her attention on the proximity of his hard body. She arched her back in a way that lifted her breasts closer to his mouth while pressing the juncture of her legs against his thigh.

  “How long will your driver wait?” she inquired, her fingers tracing his collarbone just inside the lightweight cotton of his shirt.

  Roman’s eyes flamed. He gripped her more securely in a way that caused her to rub against him. “Long enough for you to give me a tour of your bedroom.”

  An empty ache inside her made her wriggle impatiently. “You read my mind. I’ve been wanting to show it to you.”

  “And what do you know, I’ve been dying to make you feel good.”

  Sable kissed him, long and deep, tongues tangling until they were both breathless. She tried to pull away enough to stand up, but he tugged her off her feet and carried her through the garden toward the back door.

  “We’re going to make each other feel good,” she clarified when she recovered the power to speak.

  “And then, we’re going to make each other happy for a long, long time to come.” He stared down at her with dark eyes full of promise, a future written there that made her a little giddy and a whole lot satisfied.

  She didn’t bother trying to reply, though. Winding her arms around his neck, she lost herself in the kiss and the certainty they were going to make all their dreams come true.

  Epilogue

  Ten months later

  Tucking his four-month-old daughter into the crook of one arm, Roman pushed open the double doors to Zayn Designs with the other, eager to deliver his sweetly fretful little charge to her mama.

  Not that he minded settling Leyla down when she fussed. He took it as a personal endorsement of his parenting skills that he could distract his baby girl even better than the nanny, who would arrive at the new store within the hour to take Leyla home.

  “You’re here!” Sable’s happy voice greeted him even before he saw her in the small crowd of after-party guests Marcel had invited for the grand opening.

  Dressed in a silk slip dress that hugged her newly voluptuous curves, she waved Roman over to a corner near a freestanding bar, where she was flanked by Marcel and Cybil Deschamps.

  After eight months of construction and two more months of interior design, Zayn Designs had opened for business today. And while Sable had long ago completed her internship for the company, Marcel had recently enticed her back part-time as an assistant to the creative director. The opportunity had come just in time for New York Fashion Week in February, when Leyla was two months old.

  By now, Leyla was used to her mother’s schedule, and Roman didn’t mind ferrying his daughter around when she needed to be breastfed. Having the chance to sit with the two people he loved most in the world was the best part of his day.

  “Hello, beautiful girl.” He greeted his wife with a kiss before saying hello to Marcel and Cybil. “How’s it going?”

  Cybil, decked out in the Zayn Designs brand to support the store, wrapped an arm around Sable’s shoulders. “Sable is making waves with her social media photos from the grand opening. She already got Zayn some celebrity endorsements and reposts.”

  As Sable lifted Leyla from his arms, the baby seemed to remember she was famished and let out a wail. Murmuring her excuses, Sable started for the back room. Roman began to follow her when his brother fell into step beside him.

  “It’s pretty convenient how you can make her cry on cue to get your wife alone,” Marcel observed before clamping a hand on Roman’s arm and bringing him to a halt in a quiet corner of the store. “We got calls from around the gl
obe today, Roman. Orders from London, Paris and Milan. A few from Singapore and Dubai. One of the Dubai customers asked if she could invest in a storefront over there to facilitate our getting into the market.”

  Marcel’s excitement was palpable as he stood there surrounded by the results of his hard work. A champagne bottle popped behind the bar as the caterers passed drinks to the guests hand-selected for the after-party. The lighting highlighted the clothes like fine art against the walls, which were also covered with paintings that Marcel had personally chosen. Everything about the restrained elegance of the space reflected his brother’s keen eye and good taste, and it did Roman’s heart proud to see Marcel’s efforts rewarded and embraced.

  “Wow. That’s incredible.” Impressed, Roman clapped him on the shoulder. “Congratulations, Marcel. You deserve every accolade that’s coming your way, and more. You’ve done great work here.”

  “Me?” Marcel shook his head, dark hair falling in one eye. “We did great work. The Zayn brothers. With the help of one very talented newcomer to the clan.”

  Roman grinned at the way he included Sable in the family. Roman had convinced her to marry him in a courthouse ceremony last fall before Leyla was born, but they had plans to exchange vows on the beach in Malibu over the summer in a ceremony with their closest friends and family. Sable had been to the Malibu house with him twice. She’d fallen in love with the ocean views and looked forward to spending more time there soon.

  “I don’t know about Dubai, but I’ll look into it. Next up is Los Angeles, then Miami.” He had a solid business plan in place, but if sales were as strong as Marcel hinted, maybe they’d accelerate the timeline. Capitalize on the momentum.

  He hadn’t gone back to Zayn Equity, even when his grandfather had suggested a family meeting to iron out their differences. Roman had recognized that he enjoyed working with his brother far more, and he appreciated the additional time it allowed him to spend with his wife and daughter.