by Cindy Kirk
Poppy shifted in her seat. “He doesn’t know.”
“Is he aware pregnancy is a possibility?” The kindness in Travis’s voice brought back the threatening tears.
Poppy started to shake her head then stopped, remembering Ben’s phone message. “We haven’t been together since...in a while.”
He stared at her for a long moment. She wondered if Travis suspected it was Ben they were discussing.
“Do you know what you’re going to do?” He spoke casually, as if they were simply talking over a glass of wine or cup of coffee.
“Do about what?”
“About the baby.” Travis’s eyes never left her face. “You have options.”
The underlying question didn’t initially register. When it did, her hand moved protectively to her flat belly. “I don’t want an abortion if that’s what you’re asking.”
Hot fury filled her voice.
“That’s one option,” Travis said easily. “But I was speaking more of adoption. There are lots of couples looking for a baby to love.”
Maybe so, Poppy thought, but in her heart she knew that no one could love this child more than she would. “That’s not an option, either. I want this child.”
“You’ll be a excellent mother.” Travis gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. He went on to explain what she could expect in the upcoming months, both in terms of office visits and in bodily changes. As if he understood how hard she pushed herself, he emphasized the importance of proper rest.
“This is so surreal.” Emotion welled up and this time she couldn’t stop the tears. She brushed them back, smiling a bit soggily when Travis handed her a tissue.
“I’m going to have a baby.” Poppy heard the wonder in her voice. “And I’m happy about it, Travis. Given the circumstances that might seem strange to some people...”
Poppy’s voice trailed off as she thought of her parents.
In her family love came first, then marriage, then babies. But they’d adjust and they’d be supportive. Ben’s reaction was the unknown.
Pushing to her feet, Poppy stood, her heart pounding so hard she felt light-headed.
“A new life is a cause for celebration.” Travis rose and extended his hand, clasping hers warmly. “Let me be the first to offer you congratulations.”
Poppy blinked back tears and smiled. “Thank you, Travis.”
Her phone rang as she left the clinic. When she saw the name on the readout, Poppy realized it was time to take Benedict Campbell’s call.
Chapter Seven
Ben cranked the volume up on his car stereo, enjoying the pulsating beat. The sun was shining, the day unusually warm for April and he would be seeing Poppy soon.
He’d planned to go alone to the housewarming at Mitzi’s new condo, but at the last minute had reached out to Poppy one more time. Not only had she accepted his invitation, she’d told him she was happy he’d called.
The relief that had surged at that word had made Ben realize how much he wanted to see her again. Not since Kristin—his one serious relationship back in residency—had Ben been this excited about a woman.
Pulling into a small parking lot next to an equally small two-story apartment building, Ben was surprised that the doors of the eight units opened to the elements, rather than to an inside hall. Not an ideal situation when one lived in a wintery climate.
Ben headed up the exterior stairs, noting that the weathered wood could benefit from a liberal dose of stain and sealer. At unit number five, a wooden cutout of a sunflower graced the door while a prickly brown mat offered a faded welcome.
After taking a steadying breath, Ben rapped his knuckles against the blue door. He wasn’t sure what had made Poppy change her mind, but this time there would be no silly rules about not seeing each other again.
Looking as pretty as ever, Poppy opened the door with a cheery smile. Shiny dark hair brushed her shoulders and the glossy lip color made her pouty mouth resemble a plump strawberry. Trendy red glasses perched on her nose.
“Ben, it’s nice to see you again.” Poppy, her voice as sultry as her perfume, moved aside to let him enter. “Give me a second to grab a coat.”
Stepping past her, Ben resisted the urge to brush a kiss on those cherry red lips. But he warned himself to take things slow. There would be lots of opportunities for kissing.
As Poppy reached into the closet, he couldn’t help admiring the way the green sweater dress hugged her shapely curves. When she turned back, coat in hand, light danced off the bright multicolored stones resting against her chest.
She made an enticing—and difficult to resist—picture.
Ben pulled his attention up from her breasts, er, necklace. He forced his gaze past tempting lips and didn’t stop until he’d reached her eyes.
“You look stunning.” He tapped a finger against the red frames. “I like these.”
To his surprise, Poppy flushed, nervously brushing hair back from her face. “I scratched my cornea and the doctor said no contacts for a few days. I hate to go out looking like this.”
Confused, he pulled his brows together. “You wore them at the Fisher party.”
Ben had fond memories of that night. At the retro party, Poppy’s beehive hairstyle, exaggerated makeup and sixties-era attire had caught his eye. The sexy glasses had only added to her appeal.
Poppy cocked her head and thought for a second. “I only wore them that night because they went well with my costume.”
“We had our first kiss under the mistletoe at that party,” he reminded her.
“You do have a good memory.” Poppy gave a little laugh and changed the subject. “Who’s going to be at this housewarming?”
He helped her on with the jacket. “Knowing Mitzi, probably anyone she ever met.”
“She was dating some football player.” Poppy slipped an arm into the coat sleeve. “Will he be there?”
Ben was glad Poppy seemed well-informed. It saved him from having to explain again that he and Mitzi were simply friends and colleagues.
“Last I heard.” Ben kept his tone offhand. “He’s back in town, anyway.”
On their way down the steep steps outside, he took Poppy’s elbow to steady her. As they drove to his colleague’s new digs in Teton Village, Poppy asked about his family. Ben dutifully relayed how his parents had enjoyed their recent trip to Italy.
“My mother is eager to go back.” Ben lifted one shoulder. “But my father is still practicing medicine half-time and his schedule is pretty full.”
Though Poppy had seen his parents’ pictures often enough in society photos, she hadn’t personally met them or any other members of Ben’s family. She didn’t even know if he had other relatives in the area. The uncertainty made her realize how little she knew about her baby’s father. “Do you have siblings?”
“Two brothers. Adam is a cardiologist in Denver. David is a researcher in Omaha.” He tightened his fingers on the steering wheel. “One sister, Josie.”
A pain sliced his heart at the thought of his younger sister. It had been well over a year since anyone in the family had heard from her.
“Are they married? Have any kids?”
He jerked his thoughts back from the past.
“Both my brothers are married. Adam and Jane have two little girls, Grace and Hannah. David and Lori haven’t even celebrated their first anniversary so it’s a little soon for babies.” He paused for a barely perceptible second. “Josie is still single.”
For a second Ben thought, feared, Poppy would ask where Josie lived, what she was doing now. Questions he couldn’t answer. Instead, she picked at a piece of lint on her coat.
“I bet you’re getting lots of pressure.”
“Pressure?”
“To settle down. Marry.” She gave a little lau
gh. “Repopulate the earth.”
He grinned. “I think the earth is doing just fine without me adding to the influx.”
The words had barely left his lips when Ben remembered part of the reason for his follow-up calls. He’d needed to be certain there’d been no unintended consequences from the condom fiasco. But Poppy’s expression was serene, her responding smile easy. He decided not to spoil the mood.
Pulling the Mercedes to a stop at an intersection, Ben impulsively took her hand, brought it to his mouth and lightly kissed her knuckles. “For tonight, making sure you enjoy yourself is my priority.”
“Oh.” Poppy breathed out the word.
Though they drove the rest of the way with the conversation impersonally centered on weather and local politics, the air in the car remained charged with electricity.
The building where Mitzi’s condo was located blended modern with rustic and the location offered excellent access to the ski lifts. Because of Poppy’s heels, Ben insisted they take the elevator to the third level. It was easy to pinpoint the exact location of the party by the conversational din spilling into the hall.
The door to Mitzi’s unit was ajar. Ben simply pushed it open and ushered her inside. When he’d called this morning, Poppy had impulsively decided to smooth things over with him before dropping the bomb that she had a baby on board.
In her mind, it was a sensible approach to a situation neither of them had anticipated. As she glanced around the condo teeming with conversation and laughter, Poppy wished she knew Ben better, wished she could predict how he’d respond. Would he be angry? Deny the child was his?
The thought came out of left field and a pain as sharp as a knife sliced her heart. Until this moment, Poppy hadn’t considered he might doubt he was the father.
“Poppy.” Mitzi, football player boyfriend in tow, slipped through the crowd to wrap arms around Poppy and give her a quick hug. “I’m happy you made it.”
Dressed in a gold wraparound dress with hair the color of walnut, the beautiful young surgeon could have stepped from the pages of a fashion magazine.
Tonight’s stylish image was in sharp contrast to some of the bohemian and urban chic looks Ben’s colleague often favored. Beside her, a tall broad-shouldered man with a warrior’s stance and a short crop of blond hair gave Poppy a bold stare.
Mitzi made quick work of the introductions. Though their hostess seemed oblivious, Ben’s eyes sharpened when Kelvin held Poppy’s hand for several seconds longer than necessary. A moment later, Ben took Poppy’s arm and told Mitzi—and Kelvin—they were going to mingle.
But Kelvin wasn’t so easily put aside. Poppy caught his speculative gaze on her several times over the course of the evening. The football player made his move as she stood at the bar for a club soda while Ben picked up appetizers from the buffet table.
“Hey, beautiful.” Kelvin flashed a brilliant smile before launching into a series of compliments he’d obviously used before with much success.
Poppy listened to the well-honed conversational patter and tried not to scowl. Finally, he got to the point and asked for her phone number.
“Not interested,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone that sent his eyebrows shooting skyward. His disbelieving expression said it all. Not want him? How was that even possible?
It took Poppy almost a full minute to convince him she wasn’t kidding, wasn’t giving her his number and wasn’t ever going out with him.
“Your loss” and a shrug were Kelvin’s only responses.
He’d barely swaggered off in the direction of a perky blonde when Ben returned with the appetizers.
Poppy snagged a carrot stick and took a bite.
“Looks like Kelvin has you in his crosshairs,” Ben said in a deceptively casual tone.
“Even if I didn’t have a firm rule against poaching, Mr. Slick is the last man I’d ever want.” Poppy made a face. “Mitzi should run far away from that one.”
“Agreed.” Ben’s gray eyes were now the color of steel. “Yet, I can see why you caught his eye.”
Poppy simply rolled her eyes and popped another piece of carrot into her mouth.
“You’re not only sexy, you’re incredibly intelligent.” Unexpectedly Ben grinned. “As evidenced by your disinterest in him. And your interest in me.”
His wink lightened the immodest statement.
Poppy chuckled, then realized she was having way too much fun. Perhaps she should have met Ben for coffee and simply given him the news straight out.
“How’s the job going?” he asked when she remained silent.
“I like it.” Poppy thought of the little girl she’d removed from an abusive home earlier that afternoon. “Though it can be intense. It doesn’t help I’ve been so tired lately—”
She stopped, warned herself not to go there. Not yet.
Ben’s brows furrowed. “You’re not sleeping well?”
“Too much partying, I guess,” she said in a flippant tone. Which was a joke considering she hadn’t been out socially since Valentine’s Day.
His eyes cooled.
“Sheesh.” Poppy rolled her eyes. “I was joking about the partying, Ben. Most nights I’m in bed by eight. Alone.”
She wondered why she’d felt compelled to explain. Still, when the tense set of his jaw eased, Poppy was able to breathe again.
He trailed a hand lightly down her arm. “Let’s get out of here.”
Poppy hesitated. Once they left the party it would be time to tell him about the baby. She’d put it off long enough.
Before she agreed to leave, Hailey Randall, who Ben had dated last fall, rushed up. “Poppy,” she squealed. “Someone told me you were here.”
Poppy had always thought of Hailey as Tripp Randall’s little sister. But the blonde beauty who hugged her was no child. With a riot of curls tumbling past her shoulders and a cute figure, Hailey was all woman.
“I didn’t realize you’d be here, either.” Poppy offered the girl a warm smile. “What a nice surprise.”
“Mitzi invited me.” Hailey gestured with her head to a mountain of a man over by the buffet table. “Rowe plays football with Mitzi’s boyfriend, Kelvin. He wanted a date.”
Rowe was busily flirting with a redhead that Poppy recognized as a nurse from the hospital.
“How’s that going?” Poppy asked.
Hailey’s lips twisted. “When I tried to talk about what a speech therapist does, his eyes practically glazed over. But now Leila is telling him about what it’s like to work as an RN in obstetrics and he’s hanging on every word.”
Poppy noted the direction of Rowe’s gaze and smiled. “I think his interest is elsewhere.”
Hailey shifted her gaze then chuckled when she saw Rowe’s gaze fixed on Leila’s ample bosom. “Well, he can have her, er, them, if he wants. The big burly focused-on-boobs type doesn’t interest me.”
The speech pathologist’s gaze shifted to Ben. “Hey, stranger. Haven’t seen you around.”
“I’ve been busy.” To Poppy’s horror she felt Ben’s hand settle on her waist.
“Oh.” Hailey’s gaze shifted from Ben to Poppy then back to Ben. “I didn’t realize the two of you were...together.”
“Actually—” Poppy began but Rowe called to Hailey, motioning her over.
Heaving a melodramatic sigh, the blonde flounced across the room.
Poppy turned to find Ben staring at her. The heat in his gaze made her heart stutter.
“Are you ready to leave?” he asked again.
“I did not hear the word ‘leave’ come from your lips.” Out of nowhere Mitzi appeared, looping her arm through Ben’s. The easy familiarity between the two was hard to miss. “Poppy hasn’t even had a glass of wine. Neither have you.”
“I have an early-morning surgery
tomorrow.” Ben gently disentangled Mitzi’s hand from his arm.
His colleague’s brow furrowed. “Tomorrow is Saturday.”
“Next week is full,” Ben answered even as his arm tightened around Poppy’s waist. “This couldn’t wait. I had to fit him in.”
“In that case, you’re excused.” Mitzi turned to Poppy. “Make sure he gets his sleep.”
Poppy opened her mouth but before she could speak, Mitzi laughed and waved a hand. “What am I thinking? The way he’s looking at you, catching a few winks is the last thing on his mind.”
Ben merely smiled. “Nice place, Mitz. I’m sure you’ll be happy here.”
“I believe I will.” Mitzi raised herself up on her tiptoes, brushed her lips across his cheek then smiled. “Thanks for coming. You and Poppy have fun.”
“Mitzi, where did you put the extra bottles of wine?” Kate Dennes, a local pediatrician and one of Mitzi’s closest friends, rushed up.
When Mitzi turned to Kate, Poppy and Ben were able to slip away. Still, they were stopped by various friends several times on their way to the door. Ten minutes later they were finally outside.
Though he didn’t touch her as they strolled to his Ben’s car, heat raced through Poppy’s veins like an out-of-control locomotive. “That was fun.”
Ben shot her a look that asked if she’d lost her mind. “It was loud and crowded and...loud.”
Her grin came far too easily. “Tell me how you really feel.”
“If she wasn’t a colleague, I’d have been tempted to blow off the party,” he said quite seriously. “Having you there with me made it bearable. Barely.”
“Don’t give me that.” Poppy stepped aside while he opened the car door for her. “You knew everyone. There were any number of women who’d have been happy to keep you from being bored.”
With great gentleness, his hand brushed a strand of her hair back from her face. “I’m with the only woman I want to be with tonight.”
Her heart stuttered despite her efforts to be unaffected. Smooth. She’d give him that. The guy was smooth.
