Forbidden

by Vanessa Devereaux

  He kissed her through the mask and gripped her hand.

  “They’re going to make the first incision, Maggie, but I’m right here with you,” he said.

  Maggie squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think back to their days in Mallorca when she’d first met Jon.

  * * * *

  Jon looked over the sheet as the doctor held up the first of the babies to show him and Maggie. It was a boy and he was beautiful.

  “We have a son, Maggie,” he whispered into her ear.

  The first tear fell onto his cheek as she squeezed his hand. He never wanted to, never expected to be in this position, but now he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but witnessing the birth of his children, holding the hand of the woman he loved madly.

  “You want to cut the cord, Dad?” the nurse asked.

  Dad. That was his new title and he liked the sound of it already.

  “Sure.” Jon stood when he was passed the clippers and, despite his training, his hand shook as it got closer to his boy’s umbilical cord. What if he messed up, what if he didn’t do it right?

  He glanced at the little guy, so tiny and special. Could he see a little of Maggie’s mouth on his son?

  “Is everything okay?” Maggie asked.

  He realised he’d been daydreaming, going ga-ga over this perfect little human being he and Maggie had created all those months ago.

  “It’s fine and he’s perfect.” Jon gathered himself together and made a quick snip before his hand shook again.

  He sat back down next to Maggie and took her hand again while sneaking a peek at the nurse taking his son to weigh and measure him. He just couldn’t wait to hold his new son, cuddle him, give him his first kiss.

  A few moments later, the OB lifted another boy over the sheet, umbilical cord still trailing.

  Two sons. He was a father of two boys now.

  “I’ve finally got some boys.” Maggie was grinning through her tears, as was he.

  He took the proffered scissors to cut the second baby’s cord. He was a little bigger than his brother and, yes, definitely had Maggie’s mouth.

  The nurse brought over their older son, and Jon didn’t wait to be asked if he could take him, instead snatching the blanketed bundle out of the nurse’s hands. He pulled the blanket down from around the baby’s face and showed him to Maggie.

  “I have to say, you and I make some really beautiful babies,” he said. He kissed the baby’s head, smelling it, feeling its soft skin on his lips.

  He was in love all over again.

  His younger son was weighed, measured, wrapped and cuddled while the nurse tucked the older infant into a plastic hospital bassinet. They weren’t identical but it was still hard to tell them apart—they were both so wonderful.

  Could a man be any happier than at this very moment? He kissed the baby and then Maggie.

  If Maggie would marry him, life would be perfect.

  Jon thought he should let Maggie’s three daughters know that their mom was doing fine and was now in recovery. When he entered the waiting room, all three of them stood at the same time.

  “How’s Mom?” Annie asked.

  “She’s doing really well. Everything went perfectly, no complications whatsoever.”

  “Thank God,” Katie said. “We’ve been worried about her these last few weeks.”

  “And the babies?” Sarah asked. “Sisters, brothers, one of each?”

  “They’re doing great too. You now have two…brothers.”

  Jon thought the girls would crush him when they threw their arms around him. He hugged them back. He’d only been a dad for about thirty minutes but he already understood how Maggie felt about her daughters and why they were so special to her.

  “When can we see Mom and the babies?” asked Katie.

  “She’ll be in recovery for a while but once they get her to a room I’m sure you can visit. And your brothers will be spending a day or two in the ICU nursery just to monitor them but I’m sure they’ll let you in to see them too.”

  “I’m so excited, we finally have brothers,” Annie said.

  * * * *

  The babies had been home at Maggie’s house for three days now and Jon had to admit he was loving every minute of fatherhood. He looked over at Maggie, then at his mom and then back at one of his sons who was sprawled on the couch in front of him.

  Jon didn’t know if Henry had smiled for the first time or was gassy. Maybe he needed a diaper change. The boys looked more alike each day, but Henry was more of a crier than his younger brother William.

  Jon tickled the little guy’s left foot. Henry kicked and gurgled. Jon was getting the hang of this fatherhood thing and why he’d waited this long to do it was beyond him.

  Okay, he knew why. He hadn’t met Maggie before. That’s what…who…he’d been waiting for. He hadn’t been afraid of commitment really. He’d needed the right lady to walk into his life and kick over his defences.

  And throw in two babies, who he wouldn’t let out of his sight, and the scales had tipped. He tickled Henry’s foot again. This time he gurgled some more and, yeah, that was a smile for Daddy.

  Jon’s mom stood beside him and laughed, tickling Henry’s belly. “I don’t think I’ll be able to leave these two when we go back to Mallorca, but Jon told me you and the babies will be moving there soon anyway so I’ll have that to look forward to,” said his mom.

  While breastfeeding William, Maggie looked over at Jon, brows lifted. He hadn’t got around to asking her if that was okay with her yet. Shit, he should have done that before he’d said anything to his mother. She never could keep a secret. But he’d told her more to keep the peace than anything else.

  “I think I’ll just put William back in the nursery. Jon, would you bring Henry in too? They could both use a nap,” Maggie said.

  He was in trouble, but took Henry from Julie and followed Maggie. She draped William over her shoulder and closed the door of the nursery with the sole of her foot.

  “What was that all about?” she asked him.

  “I should have said something and I’m sorry, but… I have a career in Mallorca and it will be for the best, really it will.”

  “What about my career?”

  “You can have an interior design business there. If I move here it will be like starting over again. I worked hard to become a doctor. So I think it would be a lot easier for you and the boys to move to Mallorca.”

  “I don’t speak Spanish and I have no clients there. Plus, my other children are here.”

  “They’re adults. One’s even married with a kid of her own, Maggie. For fuck’s sake, cut the umbilical cord.”

  Shit, that had been the wrong thing to say.

  Her mouth tightened, but she didn’t say anything. Had he got away with it?

  She settled William in his crib, snatched Henry from Jon’s arms and put him in the crib by the window. She left the room, still silent. He took a moment to enjoy watching his sons fall into a doze, then tiptoed out of the room and went to the living room.

  Through the window, he saw Maggie in her car backing out of the driveway. Shit, she hadn’t told him she was going anywhere. She wasn’t supposed to be driving right now. He bet he was in the dog house. “Jon, you’re the biggest idiot,” he said under his breath.

  “Something wrong?” asked his mom.

  Jon slumped on the couch. “Yeah, your son is stupid.”

  Distant wails came from the nursery. Both babies had started crying at the same time.

  “You want me to check on them?” asked his mom.

  “Nope, they probably want their dad.”

  He stood and walked into the nursery. He picked up a screaming Henry. Despite him telling her he didn’t need help, his mother was close on his heels and took William out of his crib. Jon rubbed Henry’s back and his screaming diminished, turning to little sobs now and then. Jon was about to put him back into his crib when he threw up on the front of Jon’s sweatshirt.

  “Don’t
worry. Go and put that in the wash. I’ll clean up Henry,” his mom said.

  “You think he’s sick?” Jon asked. “Maybe I should take his temperature.” Sweating, he ran his hand through his hair. He was having his first panic attack as a new dad. He knew he shouldn’t. Babies spat up all the time. However, these were his sons. Worry and panic were in order.

  “He’s fine. Go take that shirt off.”

  Jon took off his shirt and headed to the laundry room. He’d just started the wash when his mom walked in.

  “You know I’d miss you if you stayed here, but you have to think of Maggie and her career too.” Mom leaned against the kitchen counter.

  Jon swallowed. “I’m being selfish, aren’t I? I mean, not wanting to do the whole intern thing here.”

  “You could at least give it a try.”

  Jon nodded. Yeah, he owed Maggie that much.

  * * * *

  Maggie hadn’t gone far. She wasn’t supposed to drive yet but she’d taken the fastest way to get out of the house, away from Jon. He’d told her they’d be honest with one another about everything, yet Julie had known what he planned to do before Maggie had.

  If he wanted to go back to Mallorca, fine. She gritted her teeth against threatening tears.

  No, it wasn’t fine. She couldn’t live without him now. She had to have him in her life twenty-four seven. She loved him like nothing else in this world. Being without him for just a day would break her heart.

  * * * *

  Maggie headed back into the house. Miguel had returned from his sightseeing expedition, and the three of them—Jon, Julie and Miguel—were in the kitchen making sandwiches for lunch.

  “Now that the babies are awake, why don’t Miguel and I take them to the park in the stroller so you two can talk?” Julie said.

  “That’s a great idea,” Jon said.

  Maggie stood in the doorway. “Have the babies been okay?” she asked.

  “Perfect sweethearts,” Julie said. She and Miguel put them in their strollers.

  Maggie waited until they were heading down the driveway to turn and face Jon.

  “I’m sorry if I made you cry,” he said. He pulled her in close and rubbed his nose against hers.

  “I can’t live without you,” Maggie said.

  “Same here.”

  Maggie rested her head on his shoulder. “Is it just the doctor thing you're nervous about giving up?”

  Jon took a deep breath. “No. If I’m honest, it’s the whole thing with us. I know this might seem crazy. I mean, in the beginning you were apprehensive about us getting involved because you said I’d grow tired of being with you because you’re older.”

  She nodded.

  “Truth is, and I’ve never let you know this, but once I fell in love with you I was worried that one day you’d grow tired of not being with a guy your own age and—”

  She put her fingers over his lips to stop him saying more. “Jon, I can assure you I’ll never grow tired of you, ever, not even in another life.”

  “Maybe if we were married I might feel different about making a permanent move here.”

  “I thought you didn’t want to ever get married,” Maggie said.

  “I didn’t, but don’t you remember when we were dining in the restaurant that night? You said all guys say that and then a girl comes along, changes the man’s mind and he looks at her and says, ‘I want her to have my babies’.”

  She looked up at him.

  “You were right.”

  She was about to say something but he stopped her by putting his hand over her mouth.

  “That girl is you and seeing how you’ve already had my babies. So… How about we take the next step and become husband and wife?”

  Maggie had never wanted to remarry, but Jon had opened her mind and her heart. If he was willing to do something he had vowed never to do, then she’d give marriage a second chance.

  “I’d be happy to be your wife, Dr Gunderson.”

  Also Available from Total-E-Bound Publishing:

  Then Came You

  Vanessa Devereaux

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  “What’s the weather like in Chicago?”

  Gillian closed her eyes and soaked in the richness of his voice. Whenever she listened to Connor O’Riordan talk it sent shivers down her spine…the good kind.

  “It’s turned a lot colder these last few days. We had some snow last night,” she said while doodling on the notepad on her desk. He was her last sales call of the day.

  Save the best to last.

  “Yeah, we’ve had some too but nothing that stuck around for long.”

  She wondered if he’d taken her call in his office. Gillian imagined him sitting at the desk, leaning back in the leather chair that most people would have thrown out or donated, but he’d told her he’d hung onto it because it had belonged to both his dad and his grandpa. His cowboy boot-clad feet were probably resting on it…hat, also cowboy, pushed back away from his forehead.

  “So when are you coming back here to show me all the new drugs you have for my animals?” he asked.

  The sexy voice had jolted her out of that train of thought.

  “It won’t be until after the New Year. Jensen Pharmaceuticals has cut back on trips for all its sales reps.”

  “Shit, this bad economy…not even a pretty lady can pay me as many visits these days, damn.”

  She laughed. Biggest flirt and flatterer she’d ever met. Had been since the first time she’d introduced herself to him two years ago. Not that she didn’t love all the attention he bestowed upon her. She’d thought he was like that with all women until she’d taken him out for a meal on the company’s expense and he hadn’t batted an eyelid at one lady all evening. A few, including the female bartender at the restaurant, had been drop-dead gorgeous but he’d kept his eyes and attention only on Gillian the whole time they’d dined together.

  She put her fingers on her lips.

  Connor had kissed her on the last visit to his ranch. She’d been packing away the new vaccines she’d been showing him when he’d grabbed her, pulled her in close to his body and his very hard and ready-for-action cock had pushed into her belly. She hadn’t found it inappropriate because the sexual tension between them had been brewing for well over a year. She knew it and he’d obviously sensed it too.

  It had been oh so tempting to get lost in the moment and take things to the next stage. Gillian had imagined him picking her up, carrying her to his ranch house, them ripping off one another’s clothes, kissing non-stop as they headed up to the bedroom. The only thing that had prevented that from happening was the image of Davey, Gillian’s boyfriend of three years, popping into her head as Connor eased his tongue into her mouth. She very gently pulled away so as not to offend him. She hadn’t been tactful just because he was her best customer but because he was an all-around nice guy and she had a soft spot for him.

  “You’re thinking about him… I mean, your boyfriend, aren’t you?” he’d asked as he’d stroked the edge of her cheek with his pinkie as they’d gazed into one another’s eyes after the kiss.

  “Yeah, I’m afraid to say I’m not the type of woman who cheats.”

  He’d tapped her on the nose. “I can appreciate that. In fact, I like that quality in a woman. The problem is now you’ve told me what a loyal lover you are it makes me wish you were my lady more than ever.”

  She’d given him a quick peck on the cheek in response to that very nice compliment. Under any other circumstances she would have gone ahead and let him kiss her, undress her, make love to her or whatever he had planned for the two of them. It could have been an awkward moment for them but in no way had she felt embarrassed by what had happened between them. In fact, she’d been flattered because Connor was a hell of a nice-looking guy. A little over six feet in height, baby blue eyes, dark hair that sometimes had a wave to it—on some of her visits to the ranch she’d even seen some cute curls sneaking out from underneath
his cowboy hat.

  “If I don’t leave now, I’ll be sorry and I’ll also miss my flight because I need to return the rental car first,” she’d told him.

  “If you and your boyfriend ever break up will you promise me you’ll tell me, right?”

  Not that she ever saw her and Davey going their separate ways. In fact, she guessed the whole marriage, white picket fence and babies thing was in their future but she didn’t want to deflate Connor’s hope that one day she’d be free to sleep with him.

  “Sure, you’ll be the first to know.”

  He hadn’t. That had been Gillian’s sister.

  And now with the sales call she’d just made to him, it was the first time since she and Davey had ended their relationship that she’d had a reason to speak with Connor. She’d assured him she’d let him know if they broke up and, as well as being a woman who didn’t cheat on her man, she kept promises too.

  “Davey…my boyfriend and I broke up six weeks ago.” It had come out quickly before she could think about the consequences. Now he’d know she was a free woman again. She’d have until January when she travelled to Wyoming to think about whether or not she wanted to pursue their obvious physical attraction. “I promised I’d tell you,” she added. Shit, now she felt embarrassed. Maybe he’d forgotten about their conversation and the promise she’d made him. It had been eight months ago and just maybe he was seeing someone now. Gillian felt herself getting flushed in the face.

  “Sorry to hear that…okay, I’m not. Well, maybe sorry for you. How you doing? I know you’d been together for a while.”

  She knew he genuinely meant what he’d said because out of all her customers he was her favourite and not just because of his looks. He’d always been very polite and always the perfect gentleman. He’d held open the car door for her, pulled out a chair and dusted it for her to sit on as she’d showed him all the drugs and vaccines. He’d even carried her across a large puddle when it had rained one time she’d visited. It might have been 2011 but women still loved chivalry. Well, at least she did.

  “I’m doing fine. In fact, better than I thought and the best thing is we’re still very good friends. Only problem is Thanksgiving’s going to be tough. My parents are heading to Florida early this year and my sister and her husband are going to Vermont to visit his folks. I don’t think I’ve ever spent a holiday all by myself.”