“James, make love to me.”
Her hand crept between their bodies to pinch his nipple, teasing it until it burned in a good way, reverberating in his cock, his balls. James swallowed and nuzzled her neck. A sudden urge to mark her, to show the world she belonged to him blindsided him. Shocked the hell out of him. He still intended leaving. Sloan wasn’t for him. He didn’t fit in with the other people who chose to live here. Rabbits, to hear Alice talk. Nah, he was a traveler and soon he’d leave. That was his problem. He had itchy feet. This strange restlessness would leave once he left Sloan.
“Are you sure you shouldn’t go to sleep?”
“That would be a big, fat no,” Alice murmured. “Oh well. I guess I can seduce you. Just lie back and I’ll try to tempt you.”
James spluttered. God, he loved her sense of humor, the funny things she came out with, the way she handled the oldies. He didn’t like the way Luke looked at her…
Before he could take that thought any farther, Alice pushed him back on the mattress so he lay flat on his back. Her hands trailed over his body, confident and cool, bringing a shudder of heat, a ripple of awareness. She kissed his mouth before moving down the bed. Her warm breath wafted across his collarbone and her teeth nibbled a path across his chest. His hips jerked at the bite of teeth, not because it hurt but because it felt so damned good. She laved one flat nipple, worrying it with her mouth and teeth until darts of pleasure rushed through his body. Alice nipped at his belly, slowly making her way down to his groin. James tried to remember when a woman had taken such care with him, taken so much pleasure in exploring his body. Giving instead of taking.
Alice blew across the tip of his cock before tracing the length with her finger. She teased the sensitive underside, squeezing a groan from him. It seemed to be something she wanted. A reaction. The knowledge that she wrung him inside out with each touch. She cupped his tight sac, rolling them gently beneath her fingers and clenching his cock in her fist.
“Alice.”
“Shush,” she said. “Just enjoy.”
Alice crawled on top of him and guided his cock to her entrance. Slowly she pushed downward, impaling herself one slow increment at the time. He clenched his teeth to hold back a groan. The sweet, tight grip of her pussy felt so good. Amazing. James stared up at her and watched the play of emotions over her face. The flicker of pleasure. The sultry passion in her brandy-colored eyes. Steadily, she rose and fell on his cock, riding him. Gripping him sweetly. She rocked, her breasts bouncing with each move. A prickle of awareness started at the base of his spine, building sweetly. Alice moaned, her hands moving upward to pinch one of her nipples. Another moan resounded in the bedroom. It was a sexy sound that made his cock jerk. He reached for her then, slipping his fingers between her legs. Moist dampness met his touch. He strummed his finger over her swollen clit and fought to hold back his impending climax. It built higher and higher until it reached the point of no return. James felt the rush of semen up his cock just as she moaned again. Her womb contracted sharply, clutching at his dick while he spurted into her with violent contractions that milked him dry.
Minutes later, she slipped off his body before rearranging herself at his side, cuddling into him like a sleepy kitten. James pressed a kiss to her cheek and gathered her close before falling into sleep.
* * * * *
He woke with his heart pounding. Something had woken him. What? He leaned over and groped for the bedside lamp, hitting the on switch on the second attempt. The bed beside him was empty. His gaze darted to his watch. Six-thirty. Almost time to climb out of bed.
“Alice?” He heard the unmistaken sounds of retching from the en suite. James climbed from bed and went to investigate. After tapping on the door, he walked into the bathroom, the light gray tiles cool beneath his bare feet.
Another series of retches started along with a sob and a small groan. When the noise abated, he pushed the door to the toilet open.
She stood, her shoulders slouched in fatigue. She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth and offered a weary smile. “I’m not feeling too good.”
“I noticed.” He went to her and smoothed a lock of hair off her forehead. Clammy heat met his touch. Alice shivered and spun away from him, lurching for the toilet. Helplessly, James watched unsure of how he could help her.
When her shoulders stopped heaving, she stood and turned slowly to face him. “I need to tell you something.”
Pronounced shadows highlighted her extreme paleness. “I think you need to go back to bed.”
“No—”
“Yes. You can’t go to work in this condition.”
“James, will you listen to me?” Alice’s voice emerged in a sharp snap and demanded his attention.
“At least go back to bed.”
“I think I’m pregnant.”
He stared, his mouth dropping open in shock. “What did you say?”
“Pregnant. I think I’m pregnant.”
“But how?” He chastened himself for asking the stupid question as soon as it emerged. It was obvious how it had happened, but it shouldn’t have. “You’re on the Pill.”
Her chin lifted, her eyes flashing irritation. “Yes.”
God, this couldn’t be happening. He wasn’t cut out for fatherhood. He didn’t do relationships, dammit. He was a traveler, a wanderer.
“And before you make things worse, I’ve taken the pills religiously.” Alice snorted, a derisive sound, and pushed her way past him.
He followed a little more slowly trying to make sense of the riotous emotions that swamped him. With Alice at his side, Sloan didn’t seem quite as claustrophobic. Maybe…
Nah. No way. He wasn’t going to get sucked into the family trap where he’d have to take up law again and live a responsible life. He didn’t intend to become his father.
“I’m not asking you to marry me,” she snapped. “I’m merely doing you the courtesy of telling you.” Her eyes flashed and a little color seeped back into her cheeks.
“How long have you known?”
“I’ve missed my period and haven’t felt well for a few weeks.” She slipped an oversize T-shirt over her head, screening her body from his gaze.
“What did the doctor say?” James swallowed, feeling out of control, as if this were all happening at a distance. Sudden fear lurked inside, fear that he was handling this situation all wrong. He wanted to apologize, to start again, to tell Alice… Hell, he didn’t know what he wanted to tell her. That was the problem.
“I haven’t been to the doctor yet. I thought I’d go today.” Alice grabbed a set of clean clothes and returned to the en suite. She shut the door with a defiant click. A solid clunk confirmed that she’d locked him out.
James dragged his hand through his hair. “Well, hell.” He grabbed a pair of jeans and stepped into them before heading to the kitchen. Maybe a cup of coffee would help settle his confusion. It tangled inside him, flaring with hints of anger and regret. A child. Bloody hell.
Alice didn’t appear until he drank his second cup. He lifted his head and studied her, trying to see if she looked different. She didn’t. “What do you want to do?”
Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Who said anything has to change? I thought we’d both carry on, me running Fancy Free and you traveling overseas.”
He gave a curt nod, feeling rejection instead of relief. Didn’t she even want him to stick around? To help her?
“I’m going to work now. There’s a lot to do, and I still need to see Luke to give him a statement.”
A flare of jealousy struck James. Was that why she wasn’t worried about him leaving? Because she had Luke waiting in the wings? His hand curled to a fist and the tension from wanting to lash out pounded through him. “Let me finish my coffee and I’ll drive you.”
“Thanks, but I want to walk. The fresh air will help clear my head.” Alice collected her handbag, slipped on her shoes and stepped outside, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.
James scowled at the wooden door. He didn’t believe it. She didn’t expect him to do anything except leave. Yeah, right. Alice hadn’t worked through everything yet. She’d change her mind and try to trap him. She wasn’t any different from his mother, sister and the woman they’d tried to hitch him up with. Yeah, she’d sing a different tune once reality set in.
* * * * *
A few hours later, a tap on her office door made Alice start. Her pen dropped on to the floor and she scrambled after it, belting her head on the corner of her desk before she had the pen back in her hand.
“Ouch.” Alice rubbed the rapidly forming bump on her head, a rueful smile on her lips. An interruption to drag her back to the present, something to divert her thoughts from a possible pregnancy, James’ departure and her procrastination in ringing the doctors to make an appointment. Alice sighed inwardly. Another tap on the door sounded—a little louder this time. “Come in.”
The door inched open and Rodney stuck his head through the gap. “Do you have a moment?”
“Sure. Take a seat.” She gestured at the upright chair on the other side of her desk.
Rodney bore a worried frown that made her wonder if she shouldn’t worry herself. “Um…er…I…” He hovered in front of her desk instead of taking a seat.
Alice’s stomach flipped briefly before it settled. She wasn’t sure if it was because of morning sickness or because of the unease she sensed in Rodney. She regarded him intently, attempting to read his body language. Stuttering. Blazing red face. General reluctance to sit on the seat she’d indicated. It didn’t bode well. “Is there a problem with the Good Vibration?” Surely not. Not after all they’d been through so far, Rita’s betrayal and all the tests.
“No, no. Everything’s fine. The first orders should roll out at the end of the month as planned.”
A sigh of relief whistled through her teeth. She consciously relaxed. Leaning back in her chair, she picked up her pen and prompted him again. “Then how can I help you?”
Rodney hesitated. He ran his hand through his hair and adjusted his frameless glasses, shoving them farther up his nose. “I want to hand in my notice,” he blurted.
Caught off guard, she fumbled her pen again. It shot across the floor, ending up by Rodney’s foot. “Why?” Things were finally going well at Fancy Free now that the dog and clown were in police custody. The company had managed to claw away at some of their overdraft and had hired extra people to help in the dispatch department to keep up with the new orders. But Rodney leaving—this was one possibility James and she hadn’t factored into the equation. Rodney couldn’t leave. Alice tried not to think about James’ imminent departure. “What are you going to do? Do you have a job with another firm?”
“I’ve been listening to James talk about his trip. It made me think. I’ve never been out of New Zealand.” Rodney handed Alice her pen and fussed with his glasses again. “I’ve purchased my plane ticket. I’m going to Europe. I want to run with the bulls in Pamplona.” Spots of pink appeared on his cheeks when he added, “And drink beer in Munich.”
Panic struck, searing through her stomach with acidic sharpness. The company would fail if they lost Rodney. Because it was a small company, losing key personnel meant a huge upheaval. They didn’t have a backup plan. Alice glanced at her pen but refrained from picking it up. It would only end up on the floor again. Rodney couldn’t do this to her. Oh boy. That wasn’t very businesslike if her first thoughts were of how Rodney’s departure would impact her personally. Her throat ached with tension and a sharp pang started up in her chest.
Just when she’d begun to feel a little more secure, Rodney pushed her back out of her comfort zone into panic and uncertainty. Heck, was it always going to be like this—her life out of control and her running behind to pick up the pieces? Alice licked her lips, noticing at the back of her mind how dry they were. She swallowed and coughed lightly to clear her throat but the anxiety continued to grow. She stood and paced.
Breathe.
Think.
Then it hit her. She was a selfish cow. This wasn’t about her. This was about the company and the board members who had become friends. They’d been through so much and worked together for the success of the company. When James left, she took over full responsibility for the company. She had to sort out this problem. But how?
Inspiration hit and suddenly she knew what to suggest. “Rodney, what if you take a leave of absence? Go over to Europe and explore, and when you return home, your job will be waiting for you?” She beamed at him, pleased with herself. Yes, the initial panic had hit and brought familiar insecure ghosts and ghouls from the closet but she’d coped. Yes! She really had changed.
A knock sounded on the door an instant before it opened. James strolled inside, his familiar grin absent. Alice’s gaze skimmed his body before heading back to his face, regretting the tension between them. Last night he’d woken her from a sensual dream that had rapidly become reality. Skin sliding across skin. Wet, warm mouths. Drugging pleasure. Alice sighed. His grin flared and one blue eye closed in a wink, bringing forth a blush. Maybe he wasn’t angry with her after all.
James glanced at Rodney. “Is there a problem?”
“Rodney is going on his big overseas experience.”
“You’re leaving?” James cast her a worried look.
“I was just asking Rodney if he’d consider taking time off and coming back to Fancy Free in, say, six months.” Alice peered at Rodney in clear expectation. Please let him agree. Otherwise the company would lag behind their competition while they searched for a suitable replacement. Six months was the maximum time they could wait before employing a replacement. “Rodney?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll need to think about it,” Rodney said.
Alice wanted to shake him. How much thought did it take? She’d given up everything for Fancy Free. Alice forced a gracious smile, reminding herself that no one had forced her to accept the conditions of her godmother’s will. “That’s fine. Can you let me know by the end of the week? If you decide to leave, I’ll need to start searching for a replacement.”
“Thanks. I’ll come and see you on Friday.”
Alice smiled again and watched him scurry from her office. James walked over to the door and shut it with a firm click before closing the distance between them. He drew her close, seemingly forgetting about their words this morning.
“I’m proud of you,” he whispered against her hair. His large hand smoothed down her back and came to a rest on her ass.
Alice dwelled on the loss of Rodney for a few seconds longer. Somehow she’d cope. The company would cope. “Thanks.” Humor surfaced without warning and she pushed at his chest so she could move from his grasp and see his face. She couldn’t resist stroking his cheek and savoring the rasp of stubble beneath her fingertips. “Did you know Rodney wants to do the run with the bulls in Pamplona? I should have reminded him to take out travel insurance.”
“I don’t want to talk about Rodney.” James placed his hand over hers and stopped her exploration of his face.
“No?”
“Have you made an appointment to see the doctor?”
“Not yet.”
James picked up the phone and handed it to her before rattling off the number. With a trembling hand she dialed and spoke to the receptionist before hanging up.
“Well?”
“They have a canceled appointment in half an hour.”
“Good,” James said. “I’ll come with you.”
“No!” Alice remembered last time, the whispers, the gossip. Her embarrassment. “I’m quite capable of going by myself.”
“Fine.” His eyes narrowed and he focused his attention on her fully. Leashed masculine power simmered in his face, giving her no illusions as to his mood. He was pissed and that knowledge fired her temper.
“It’s not my fault. I’ve done everything you asked and taken those stupid pills religiously.”
“Stupid pills?”
&
nbsp; “A figure of speech,” Alice snapped. “I will be out for an hour.” She picked up her purse and strode for the door, eager to escape his brooding gaze.
“Alice?”
“What?”
“You will tell me what the doctor says?” Anger tinged his voice and the set of his face and tense shoulders emphasized his fury.
“Yes, I’ll tell you.” Alice’s eyes flashed her own version of irritation. “Not that it will make the slightest difference to our situation. I’m staying here and you’re leaving. It’s quite simple really.”
He stared after her, enjoying the saucy twitch of her ass before she disappeared from sight. Shit. He dragged his hand through his hair while his mind chased in circles. If Alice were pregnant, he couldn’t leave. He couldn’t walk away and leave her with a child, their child. Torn, he returned to his office. He slumped into his chair and put his feet up on his desk. Trapped. Damn, he felt like a trapped rat. Oh, logically he knew it wasn’t Alice’s fault. Deep in his gut, he knew she was honorable and would never attempt to trap him. But he couldn’t help how he felt. The idea of having to stay in Sloan, having to conform and seeing the smug expressions on his mother’s and sister’s faces when they saw him with the child.
“Bloody hell,” he muttered.
“James, I’ve brought in a cake for morning tea. It’s in the boardroom,” Harriet said. “Where’s Alice? She’s not in her office.”
“She’s gone to the doctor.” He cursed silently the minute he realized what he’d said.
“Why?” Harriet cocked her head, reminding him of an inquisitive bird. “Is she pregnant?”
James glared at Harriet.
“Goodness gracious!” Harriet’s eyes glittered with genuine amusement. “Didn’t you use contraception? You do know Fancy Free sells condoms, right?”
“Go away,” he growled.
Fancy Free Page 22
