Sweet Temptation

by Angel Steel

  “Skylar,” Craig turned her around to face him. She looked up at him briefly before her eyes rolled back into her head and her body went limp in his arms.

  “Skylar,” he yelled. He lightly tapped her on the face to wake her.

  “Shit.” Craig scooped her up in his arms and made a run for it towards the car.

  * * *

  Nate was playing footy in his backyard with his nephew, Tom. When Tom had the ball, he made a run for his first try, but Nate tackled him.

  “That’s not fair, Uncle Nate.”

  Nate laughed as he sat up, “You wanted to play.” He couldn’t help but laugh more at the pout Tom had on his face. Nate stood up all of a sudden at a car screeching out front. What the fuck was going on out there? He made his way towards the side gate and then heard someone yell out Skylar’s name. He took off running through the gate, rounding the corner, and saw Craig running down the stairs towards their car with Skylar in his arms.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  Craig spun around. “She cut herself pretty bad. We’re taking her to the hospital.”

  He looked down at her. There was so much blood, way more than what he had seen when she split her head open. Craig ripped open the passenger door and slid in.

  “I’m coming with you,” he said.

  “If you are, hurry up,” Craig growled.

  Nate spun around to his nephew. “Stay with Dom, I’ll be back later, okay?”

  “Okay,” Tom answered.

  Nate jumped in the back and closed the door as Alex sped towards the hospital. Arriving fifteen minutes later, Nate jumped out and opened Craig’s door.

  “I’ll carry her,” he said.

  Craig passed Skylar to him and they all ran into the emergency room. Craig went straight up to the window and explained what happened. A nurse rushed out to them. “Come this way,” she said. All of them followed her into the room. Nate laid Skylar down on the bed, and wouldn’t leave her side. The nurse removed the towel to have a look. Blood started rushing out of the cut. The nurse leaned over and pushed a button; moments later, three other people came running in.

  “She’s hit the main artery in her right hand.” Two out of three of the nurses started pushing her out of the room.

  “Is she allergic to anything?” the doctor asked.

  Both Craig and Alex looked at each other. Craig walked up to the doctor and whispered something to him. Nodding, the doctor walked out of the room.

  Nate frowned. What the hell was that about? Something was going on, and he was bloody going to find out exactly what it was. They were all told to wait in the waiting room until someone came out to get them. After an hour, he couldn’t take much more of it.

  “What the hell is going on, Craig?”

  “What do you mean?”

  He frowned. “When the doctor asked if she was allergic to anything, you both looked at each other, and then whispered something to him. What was it?”

  “I can’t tell you, sorry.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Exactly that, it’s not my place to say,” Craig whispered.

  Nate stood, pulled Craig out of his seat and pinned him to the wall. “I don’t like secrets, Craig. Tell me,” he snarled.

  “Really, you’re one to talk, Nate. When were you going to have a chat with her about your son? If it really is your son, when were you going to break the news to her that you were going to be a family with your ex?” Craig growled.

  Stunned, Nate released his grip. “How did you know about that?”

  “How else would I know, Nate? Skylar heard most of the conversation you had with your ex,” he said.

  “So, that’s why she’s been avoiding me? She really thinks that I would drop everything we had together to be a family with Natalie?”

  “That’s what Skylar heard you say to Natalie, Nate. If it’s your son, you’d be a family, and if not, you never wanted to see Natalie again. Am I right?”

  “I never said I would get back together with her, just to be a family, Craig. I just would be there for all the family stuff, not actually be with her.”

  “Well, you really need to sit down and explain that to her, Nate. Skylar thinks differently of what she heard you say.”

  There was something else going on here and it wasn’t about his assumed son. He was about to ask what when the doctor came out.

  “Miss Montague is fine. She had managed a small slice in her artery, but everything is good and the bleeding has stopped. She will have to stay overnight for observation.”

  “Can we see her?” Nate asked.

  “She’s a little groggy, but one at a time would be fine.”

  “Thank you,” all three said at once.

  Nate turned and faced both Alex and Craig, “You guys can go in first. You both brought her here,” he said.

  “Are you sure? I don’t mind waiting,” Alex said.

  “No, you go. Just don’t say anything about me being here?”

  “Sure.” Craig patted him on the back, “We’ll be out soon.”

  He watched as both of them walked up the hallway and into her room. He sat down. What the hell was he going to do? The results from the test wouldn’t be back until the end of the week. There was no way he was breaking it off with Skylar. How she could even think that?

  * * *

  Skylar slowly opened her eyes. Jesus, she felt like shit.

  “Craig,” she whispered.

  “I’m here.” Craig gripped her hand.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said.

  “What for?”

  “Everything.”

  “Accidents happen, Skylar. At least you’re okay.

  The doctor said you’d have to stay overnight, just to be safe.”

  “Okay.” Skylar leaned back and closed her eyes.

  As he stood up, Craig said, “You have a visitor.”

  That made her open her eyes, “Who?”

  Craig walked over towards the door. “I’ll leave you two alone. I’ll come back up later.” Craig moved out of the doorway. As she sat up, she wondered who would be here to see her; she hadn’t been here that long.

  “How are you feeling?”

  God, she knew that voice. It always sent a thrill through her system when he spoke. Looking up, she asked, “What are you doing here, Nate?”

  “I saw Craig carrying you out to the car when you injured yourself. I came in with you.” He sat down on the end of the bed.

  “Why are you here?”

  “I was worried about you, baby.”

  She loved it when he called her that. But she didn’t want to cry again. Her stomach was starting to feel queasy again. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  Nate stood and moved quickly to her side. “Do you want me to call the nurse?” he asked.

  “No, I need to go to the bathroom.” She held her hand over her mouth.

  Nate lifted her off the bed and carried her to the bathroom. He placed her down gently and she stumbled over to the toilet and threw up. How long does morning sickness last? She stood up and walked slowly to the sink and rinsed her mouth out.

  “Are you feeling sick from the local?” he asked her.

  She had to lie; she couldn’t tell him the real reason. “Yeah.”

  Nate walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “The nurse should be able to give you something for that,” he said.

  “No, they can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “’Cause it makes me feel worse,” Skylar said.

  “They still should have given you something for the sickness.”

  Skylar turned around and pushed him away. “They can’t, and why do you care all of a sudden anyway?” she growled.

  Nate folded his arms over his chest. “What’s going on?” he hissed.

  “Nothing.” Skylar held onto the sink, starting to feel lightheaded again.

  “Don’t give me that bullshit again. I know very well they can give you something
for it. Why can’t you have it?”

  “Nate,” she started turning towards him but then everything went black. Skylar let go of the sink and started to fall, but Nate caught her before she hit the ground.

  “Baby!” Picking her up, he walked back into the room and placed her on the bed and buzzed the nurse.

  “Is everything all right in here?” the nurse asked.

  “She just passed out… can you give her anything?” he asked.

  “Sorry, but I can’t in her condition.”

  “What condition?”

  “I can’t give out that information, unless you’re family,” she said.

  Nate was about to ask her when Skylar moaned. “Baby.” What the fuck was going on here? Why couldn’t they give her anything?

  “Nate,” she said with a shaky voice.

  “I’m here.” Nate sat down beside her, holding her hand.

  “Can you tell me what’s going on, baby? Please, you’re starting to scare me,” he whispered. She could hear the worry in his voice. She really wanted to, but how would he handle it?

  “I can’t, Nate.”

  “Why can’t you?” he asked.

  “Can you just forget about it, please? There’s nothing to tell,” she pleaded with him.

  “Visiting hours are over; you can come back tomorrow morning around 8:00 a.m. if you’d like. I’ll give you five more minutes and that’s it I’m afraid,” the nurse said.

  Skylar watched as the nurse left, glad that he had to leave soon. She couldn’t tell him that her being pregnant was the reason she was and throwing up and why they couldn’t give her anything.

  “I can see you don’t want me here, I’ll leave now.” Nate stood and walked towards the door.

  Skylar couldn’t help the tears, “It’s not that I don’t want you here, Nate. I just can’t tell you anything, that’s all.”

  “Sweetheart, I know something is going on. I’m not stupid. But like I’ve told you before, I don’t like secrets,” he answered her.

  “Neither do I,” she said.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “When were you going to tell me about your ex, Nate?”

  “I wanted to find the right time to tell you.”

  “And when would that be?”

  “When we weren’t fighting, at the very least,” he said.

  Skylar rolled over and faced him, knowing the tears running down her face were visible. “I think you need to sort this out with Natalie, Nate. I think it’s best that we don’t see each other until you know what’s going on,” she sobbed.

  “Baby, how is that going to help? Whether I have a son or not, why can’t we still see each other?” he asked.

  “If you do have a son, what do you expect me to do, Nate? Your son already has a mother and father. I’d just be a third wheel in it, and I don’t want to be that. I don’t mind helping raise someone else’s child, but I know deep down that it is not my child I’m caring for. Also, when would you have time for us? A child needs a lot of attention, no matter the age,” she cried.

  “We can work it out.”

  “No, we can’t, Nate. Do you expect me to just watch you play happy family with your son, and only see you when you want to get laid?”

  “No, it wouldn’t end up like that.”

  “Yes, it would. I think you need to leave now.”

  He walked over towards the bed. “Baby,” he whispered.

  “It’s not enough.” God, she wanted to tell him she was carrying his child. She just couldn’t.

  “Okay. I’m so sorry.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on her head.

  “Me, too.”

  He stood and left the room, not saying another word to her.

  How was she going to survive this pregnancy without him? He never got a chance with his first child and now he was missing out on the second one because she couldn’t tell him. She buzzed the nurse and asked not to allow any more visitors unless it was Craig or Alex.

  Chapter 22

  After a few extra days in the hospital, Skylar was discharged and on her way home. She wasn’t feeling herself, especially after talking to Nate. She didn’t want to end their relationship, but it was the only thing she could think of at the time. She went inside and into her room. First thing she had to do was find everything of Nate’s and give it back to him. She didn’t want anything reminding her of him and what they had together.

  Picking up his bag, she placed his clothes in it and went into the bathroom to grab his shaver and other items. After that, Skylar went through her closet and found one of his shirts she loved on him. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she rubbed the material over her cheek. It still had his smell on it, which brought back memories and started a fresh wave of sobs.

  “How are you doing?” Craig asked from the door.

  “Not good,” she cried, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. He walked over to where she was sitting.

  “Have you made up your mind on what you’re doing?” he said, placing his arm around her shoulders.

  “I have,” she whispered. She didn’t want to do it, but it was the only way.

  “I know I can’t change your mind, and though I think it’s the wrong thing to do, whatever you have decided, I support you 100 percent. You know that, right?”

  “That means a lot to me, Craig.”

  “So, when are you going?”

  She leaned against his shoulder, “After I’ve packed up all of Nate’s stuff. Would you be able to drop it off to him for me? I can’t bring myself to do it.”

  “Sure, baby.” Craig stood and grabbed Nate’s bag. “If there is anything else to go in here, just leave it on your bed.”

  “I will.” Skylar grabbed some of her clothes and threw it into her bag. When she was done packing, she walked out with her bag and grabbed her wallet from the bench.

  “Ready?”

  “Yeah.”

  Both Craig and Alex walked her to her car, placing her bag in the boot. “Take care of yourself down there, Sky.” Alex hugged her.

  Nodding, she faced Craig. “When will you be back?”

  “In three days,” she whimpered.

  “I’ll see you when you get back. If you need us, just call. We’ll be down there as quick as we can.”

  “Thank you.” Jumping into her car, she started the engine and reached for her belt. She looked up and found Nate looking at her from his veranda. Breaking eye contact with him, she reversed out of the driveway and drove off.

  * * *

  Nate watched as Skylar drove out of sight. Where was she going? He made his way back through his kitchen and out to his shed. He had to do something to keep himself occupied and take his mind off of everything.

  “Hey, man. The Harley is here to be fixed,” Dom called out.

  “Bring it in,” he answered.

  After a frustrating hour of working on the bike, his phone rang. Walking into his office, he picked up the phone.

  “Jackson Mechanics.”

  “I’m looking for Mr.Jackson, please.”

  “Speaking.”

  “My name is Renee. I’m calling about the results for the DNA test you did for William Mather,” she said.

  “Yes,” he answered eager to hear the results.

  “The results came back this morning, Mr. Jackson. They were negative. You’re not the father.”

  He let out a sigh of relief. He couldn’t believe it. “Thank you for ringing me with the results.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said and then hung up.

  That was a lot lifted off his chest. The last couple of days were killing him wondering if he was the father or not. He didn’t want any children at the beginning of their relationship. He wanted to concentrate on his business, get it up and running and money in the bank; that’s what they had arranged then. Then she goes and sleeps with someone behind his back. He would have been fine if she came up and told him she was pregnant in the beginning, but she never did. Now he was gl
ad she didn’t either, since it wasn’t his son after all. He smiled to himself and got a sudden urge to tell Skylar that everything was fine and they could go back to the way they were.