She grabbed her handbag off the hall table, then, taking a breath, swung back the door.
“How’s the mum-to-be this morning?” he asked by way of a greeting. He nodded toward her stomach and her hand went there instinctively.
It was so good to see him, she wanted to reach out and give him a massive hug, but restrained herself, not knowing if she’d be able to stop at that. “Good. A bit excited. A bit scared. A bit like if I never see another glass of water again it’ll be too soon.”
He screwed up his brow. “Sorry?”
She stepped out and pulled the door shut behind her. They started toward his car, and his hand at the small of her back felt so natural. “I had to drink like a bazillion glasses this morning and I’m not allowed to pee until after the ultrasound.”
“Oh.”
She swung her head to look at him, registering the horrified expression on his face. “And I don’t know why I told you that.” Talk about TMI. The problem was, it felt like they’d known each other a lot longer than a few weeks, and being with him was so damn easy, she’d forgotten to censor herself. Being bombarded by his good looks didn’t help either. It made her forget to think before she spoke.
He laughed. “I’m glad you did. I’m here as your support today, remember?”
“Yes, I do. And I really appreciate it.” She met his gaze as he opened the passenger door. Her heart stopped for a moment. The heat in his eyes was so intense she felt her cheeks burning, and for a second she thought he might kiss her. Instead, he looked away and strode around the car, and she swore she heard him curse under his breath.
Focusing on steadying her breathing and not on thinking about her bursting bladder or how much she wished he were whisking her away for a dirty afternoon somewhere, she clicked her seat belt into place and settled back into the lush interior of his car. Echoing her action, he pulled his door shut, secured his own seat belt and started the engine.
It took twenty minutes to get to the hospital in nearby Busselton and not one moment of awkward silence was had between them. He told her how he and his sisters had spent most of the past week packing up Sarah’s house and how he’d waved them off first thing that morning.
“They didn’t want to stay for New Year’s,” he explained. “Much better parties in the city apparently, but Mum bawled her eyes out.”
“I’ll make sure I keep an eye on her after you’ve gone,” Hannah promised. “Drop round for tea and scones every now and then.”
“Thanks. It’d be great knowing there was someone looking out for her.” He smiled warmly.
Hannah felt like it was the least she could do after all the support he’d offered her. He may not have known it, but being there for her on Christmas Day had been worth more than any flashy presents. “But I’m sure I won’t be the only one. Your mum’s very well loved in this town.”
When they arrived at the hospital, Matt dropped Hannah out in front and went to park. She was still waiting to sign in when he caught up. Christmas decorations adorned every corner of the waiting room and happy couples waited in plastic chairs. She was glad she hadn’t come alone.
“Hello,” said the receptionist, smiling up at them. “Name please?”
“Hannah Elliot.”
“Fabulous.” She typed something into her computer and then produced a clipboard and some paperwork for Hannah to fill in. “You and your partner can sit down over there while you complete this.”
The woman gestured to the chairs and Hannah opened her mouth to explain that Matt was only a friend, but he took the clipboard and said, “Thanks. We’ll get it back to you ASAP.”
Warmth flowed over Hannah as he led her over to the chairs and made certain she was comfortable before sitting down. It felt both odd and strangely right to have Matt here with her, but she forced herself to focus on the paperwork and not think about the right feeling. She wrote down her details and medical history and then Matt took the clipboard back.
“Can I get you a drink of water?” he asked on his return.
There was a cooler and plastic cups in the corner for patients but Hannah had been trying not to notice it. Just thinking about a drink made the pressure on her bladder worsen. “No thanks.” She cringed as she spoke and glanced at her watch. “Tell me something exciting to distract me.”
Matt laughed and opened his mouth but before he could dazzle her with his wit, a door opened down the corridor and her name was called. He practically jumped to a stand and offered his hand in assistance. Although her pregnancy hadn’t yet hindered her movement, she took it gratefully. The heat in his fingers transferred to hers, but it was comforting as much as arousing. They followed the white-coated lady into a small, dark room.
She beamed and gestured to an examination table. “Climb up there, Hannah dear. Is this your first baby?” The sonographer looked at the both of them as she spoke and Hannah nodded. Matt didn’t say a word, but he sat in the chair beside the table and took her hand.
“Now, your paperwork says you are about twelve weeks,” continued the sonographer. She began pressing buttons on the machine to their right and then typed something into the keyboard. Hannah’s name and estimated date of delivery appeared at the top of the screen. “Today we’re going to take a look at your baby, check its measurements and listen to the heartbeat.”
Hannah’s own heart picked up speed as the woman pushed up her top, squeezed a cold lotion all over her stomach and then picked up a little wand-like thing. What if she finds something wrong? Although this baby had been a surprise, she already couldn’t bear the thought of losing it. As if sensing her anxiety, Matt lifted one hand up to brush the hair off her forehead and tightened his grip on her other hand.
She glanced over at him. Serious lines were chiseled into his handsome face as he gazed at the screen in anticipation. What kind of man agreed to go to the ultrasound of a woman he hardly knew? The answer came quickly—one she wished she could bottle and keep close to her heart forever. She pushed that thought aside, telling herself now was the time to focus on her baby, not on what could never be. If she thought about that, she’d be bawling within seconds. Maybe it would have been easier if he hadn’t come, but she’d never expected the emotions inside of her to go haywire the moment she lay back and waited to see her baby for the first time.
“There we are. Gotcha, little darling.”
Hannah twisted her head at the sonographer’s voice and her mouth went dry at the sight on the screen. Although tiny, she could easily make out the image of a little baby. Her baby.
She sighed and smiled, love and warmth filling her. “Wow.” Even as the woman pressed down on her bladder more, all she could do was gaze at the screen and wonder about what they were seeing. Marrying Larry the Loser didn’t seem such a monumental mistake when she looked at the precious life growing inside her. “Is it okay?” she asked eventually.
“Everything looks great. Size is good. You have plenty of fluid. Let’s take a listen to the heart.”
Within moments a weird galloping sound echoed in the room.
“Just perfect,” said the sonographer, grinning.
Hannah let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. It was the sweetest sound she’d ever heard and she could listen to it for hours. Instead she turned her head to look to Matt’s reaction.
His eyes were wide, glued to the tiny bean on the screen, and the glistening of tears knocked her sideways.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah.” He nodded but the word sounded more like a strangled noise. “That’s magic.”
“That’s my baby,” she said, unable to contain a massive grin. “Thank you for being here. There’s no one else I’d rather share this moment with.”
Maybe she’d revealed too much, but so filled up with emotion, she couldn’t hold back. Her breath skipped in her th
roat. At that moment she wished more than anything that she could have him in her life for good. Not only for herself but also for her unborn child, because what she felt for him was so much stronger, so much more real than anything she’d ever felt before.
It might have happened fast, but this time she felt certain. It was love.
* * *
MATT SWALLOWED, HIS hand still gripping Hannah’s as he digested her words and gazed at the baby bobbing on the ultrasound screen. For one long moment—until she’d spoken and broken the bubble—he’d imagined that the baby was his. Unable to take his eyes off the image on the screen, his mind had whirled with the miracle of it all and his heart had filled with love and hope. Never in his life had he actually felt a physical rush of emotions through his veins.
Sitting next to Hannah, something had shifted inside him. He’d actually forgotten that the child on the screen didn’t belong to him. Communicating with Hannah this last week, picking her up this morning and driving her here, waiting in the plastic chairs, had all seemed so normal, so right. If he’d liked her on sight, he’d grown to admire and respect her once they’d started getting to know each other. These last two weeks at home had been the most fun he’d had in a long time, but he wanted to share more than just the occasional text message with Hannah.
He wanted her in his life, period.
“Well, congratulations.” He realized the sonographer was speaking again. The screen had gone blank and Hannah sat on the edge of the table ready to go. “I’d say you have one very healthy baby there. Well done, Mum and Dad.”
Hannah’s cheeks flushed but she didn’t correct the nurse, and Matt found he didn’t care. In fact he liked it. Never in his life had he imagined feeling comfortable at the thought of another man’s child, but watching that screen had been an eye-opener. There was no other word but love for what he’d seen, and that had everything to do with Hannah.
If he felt this now, when the baby on the screen was only a jellybean, how much more would he feel when it was born? When he could hold it in his arms and play with it as it grew older? The baby would be an extension of Hannah, and he knew with absolutely certainty that what he felt for her was real. He could never have been satisfied with a quick tumble between the sheets with this amazing woman. He loved her and, damn it, he wanted her.
The woman who’d hijacked his heart slid off the table, looked up at him and smiled as if trying to work him out. Her smile went straight to his soul, as if it had tentacles that wrapped around him. No woman had ever rocked his world like she did. They hadn’t even slept together and already he knew he wanted to spend his life with her. The child wasn’t a barrier to this; it would only make what they shared together stronger.
He’d been the first to know about her baby, and although that might be down to a little communication mishap, he believed it had happened for a reason. Would she freak if he admitted this now? He didn’t know the answer to this question, but he knew he couldn’t hold back. When he wanted something, he went for it and didn’t waste time in the process.
Not caring they had a sonographer as witness, Matt stood and tugged Hannah against him as her feet hit the floor. His lips claimed hers and she resisted only a moment before fully melting into his kiss. The feel of her mouth against his, the softness of her skin against his, the way she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung on tight, made this kiss even better than the ones they’d shared already.
“You can see yourself out, when you’re ready,” chuckled the sonographer as she made a hasty retreat.
Matt slid his hands up Hannah’s neck into her hair, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss. She tasted so damn delicious, and he swore if he could only have her for the rest of his life, he’d never need to eat again.
“Matt? What’s this all about?” As if she’d suddenly realized what they were doing, Hannah palmed her hands against his chest and pushed him away yet again. It was becoming a habit but this time he didn’t plan on letting her retreat.
He grabbed her hands and rubbed his thumbs across the top of them, staring deep into her eyes. “It’s about us, Hannah. It’s about me wanting you and your baby more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”
“Huh?” She stumbled back, resting against the examination table for support. “I thought you were all about flings and fun, not about commitment and diapers.”
“So did I. Until you. From the moment I kissed you on the bed in Elliot’s, I knew there was something different about you. Something special. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and you had a power over me no woman has ever had. Even after you rejected me, numerous times I might add, I still wanted you. I’d never felt that burning need to pursue a woman before.”
She lifted her chin and her lips twitched slightly as if fighting a smile.
“I...I...don’t know what to say.”
“Put me out of my misery.” He spread his arms wide. “Tell me you felt the same jolt in your heart the first time you laid eyes on me. That you feel differently about me than you’ve felt about any man before.”
She lowered her gaze and nodded slowly. “It’s true. I didn’t know if I could trust my feelings because let’s face it, I’ve never been able to trust them in the past, but you proved yourself to be so much more than the men I’ve been with before. Can I really dare to believe you want me? Baby and all?”
He stepped toward her. “I’ll be honest, the baby thing put me off at first. Not because I don’t adore kids or want a family, but because I was a stepchild and I know how hellish it can be. It didn’t want to be the one responsible for putting an innocent child in that position.”
“You wouldn’t be!” She scoffed in obvious disbelief. “I met Tony and never warmed to him. There was something fake about him, but you are the realest person I’ve ever met. The best person. You’re funny and sexy and smart and caring. There’s nothing more I want in a man...”
“But?” He could hear the hesitation in his voice.
She bit her lip. “But is it fair of me to ask you to take me on in my current state? I’m going to get fat soon, I’m already exhausted all the time, and it’s likely I might become snappy and grumpy. Troy says when Tina is pregnant it’s like nine months of PMS.”
“I can handle it.” He stepped toward her again, not wanting the tiny gap that separated them from each other. “I’ve also heard a woman’s sex drive is exponentially multiplied during pregnancy. It might be me who gets tired.”
She half laughed but her eyes still held anxiety. “Are you sure about the baby? I’m pretty certain I’m falling in love with you, but I have to think of my child’s needs before mine.”
“I’m sure about both of you, Hannah. I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. I will be whatever you want me to be for that baby—” he pressed his hand against her tummy, imagining the jellybean “—but I promise you I’ll never make it feel like Tony made me feel. What do you say? Will the two of you have me?”
In reply, Hannah placed her hand on top of his and kissed him again. They would have kissed for a lot longer had the sonographer not returned with a knock on the door and an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, but we need this room for our next mum.”
Smothering laughter, Matt led Hannah out of the hospital and into the parking lot.
“You are the best Christmas present ever,” he told her as they stood on the footpath and gazed up at the decorations still hanging in rows across the street.
“And you,” she said, stretching up on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, “will make this the best New Year’s ever.”
* * * * *
Acknowledgments
There are certain people I couldn’t write a book without and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
My writing friends (who are now so much more than simply that)—Bec Sampson, Cathryn Hein, Janette Radevski, Al
issa Callen, Jackie Ashenden and Maisey Yates. Thanks for your continued encouragement and support when I think I should give up and go back to teaching.
The awesome team at Harlequin Australia and my new friends at HQN—special thanks to Sue Brockhoff and Kate Studer. My awesome agent Helen for her advice and support.
My hubby (who is so much better at cooking and housework than me), my hugely and practically supportive mum, and my three heroes-in-training who do their best to give me time to write. I love you all.
And last but by no means least, thanks to the readers and bloggers in Australia and New Zealand who have already read, reviewed and raved about my work. Here’s hoping the rest of the world likes my books just as much!
About the Author
Rachael Johns is an English teacher by trade, a mum 24/7, a supermarket owner, a chronic arachnophobic, and a writer the rest of the time. She rarely sleeps and never irons. She writes contemporary romance for HQN and Carina Press and lives in rural Western Australia with her hyperactive husband and three mostly gorgeous heroes-in-training. Rachael loves to hear from readers and can be contacted through her website at www.rachaeljohns.com.
“Rachael Johns writes a beautiful romance, full of charm and emotion.”
—USA TODAY bestselling author Maisey Yates
If you loved The Kissing Season by acclaimed author Rachael Johns, be sure to also catch her charming romance Jilted. Available now in ebook format.
Order your copy today!
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