Fringe Benefits

by Sandy James

  Dear God, I need her. Please let her be well.

  Shaking her head to fight back the tears brimming in her eyes, Dani focused on being strong for Beth. “So what’s wrong? An ulcer or something?”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Those two words shouldn’t have come as such a shock, but Dani could only gape at Beth. Sure, the Ashfords had been trying to have a baby for a while—since not long after they’d adopted Emma.

  Emma coming into Beth’s life had already changed their friendship, giving Beth less freedom and different priorities. Since Dani had no intention of having children of her own, she had trouble mustering up enthusiasm for things like strollers or car seats or cute little ruffled dresses. Sure, she was Emma’s “Aunt Dandy” and loved her with all her heart, but to have the responsibility of a child twenty-four/seven wasn’t at all what Dani wanted for herself.

  “Why are you here if you’re only pregnant?”

  “My morning sickness is horrible,” Beth replied. “First of all, that’s the worst name ever. Morning sickness?” She snorted. “Try all darn day sickness. I threw up so much I got really dehydrated. I mean… I wanted to lose a little weight, but geesh. Down ten pounds in a week.” Her fragile smile was pure Beth. “Be careful what you wish for.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Dani wrapped an arm around Beth’s shoulders.

  “It’s called hyperemesis gravidarum.”

  Dani nodded. “I read about that in the news, some royal princess had the same problem, right?”

  Beth echoed Dani’s nod. “Hence the calorie milkshake. I really can’t take strong meds to stop the nausea or vomiting ’cause they might hurt the baby.” She frowned. “You don’t seem very happy for me.”

  So like Beth to be attuned to what Dani was thinking and feeling. “I’m sorry. I really am happy for you and Robert. I’m just worried about you. You’re in the hospital, after all.”

  “I should be able to go home later today or tomorrow.”

  Dani withdrew her arm and stood, not because she wanted to distance herself but because the stupid bedrail was digging into her thigh. “I’ll keep an eye on Emma until you do. I can stay after you get home if you need me to. You’re not going to be up for doing much until this stops.”

  “I just might take you up on that offer.” Beth’s gaze shifted to the door. “Robert’s exhausted. He’s such a good daddy. A good husband, too. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

  Seeing that statement as the perfect segue, Dani smiled. “Nate told me he loves me.”

  After doing nothing but gaping and blinking for a few long moments, Beth let a slow smile bloom on her pale face. “I’m impressed.”

  Of all the reactions Dani had expected from her friend, this wasn’t one of them. “Impressed?”

  “He’s a guy who knows what he wants and goes for it. He’s got balls.”

  “Beth!”

  “Well, he does. Give me the details!”

  At least telling the story of his spontaneous declaration helped Dani stop worrying about Beth. “Kat came to see me before we left. She wants him back.”

  “Too bad, so sad,” Beth said. “Nate won’t go back to her.”

  “You sound like his mom.”

  “Did you two get along? I know you were worried she doesn’t like you… Although I have no idea why you think that. Everyone likes you.”

  “I love that you think that, no matter how wrong you are,” Dani said. “I’m well aware of exactly how annoying I can be.”

  “We all have our faults.”

  The memory of her talk with Jackie made Dani grin. “Jackie heard Kat’s threat.”

  Beth knit her brows. “Threat? You didn’t say she threatened you.” Her eyes swept Dani from head to toe. “Is she as tall as you?” Her worried expression shifted to a smile. “I’ll bet you can take her.”

  “That’s enough of that, Rocky. It wasn’t a physical threat. And, yes, I think I could take her.” She winked at Beth.

  “Then what kind of threat—Oh, you mean to steal Nate, right?”

  Dani nodded.

  “You can still take her, Dani.”

  Wishing she was as confident as Beth sounded, Dani paced at the foot of the bed, too restless to sit still. “I sure hope so.”

  “I mean it. You love him, don’t you? Not that you’d admit it…”

  “I did,” Dani said proudly.

  “You did?”

  Dani nodded.

  “Way to go! He’d never turn away from that. Ever.”

  “Yeah, well… Kat was his first love.” Although Nate might not appreciate her sharing his past, Dani needed to talk to Beth and to show her exactly why Kat might still stand a chance. Then her reassurances would hold a lot more weight. “They got engaged because Kat was pregnant. She told me he was devastated when they lost the baby.”

  “That’s sad, but—”

  “No but,” Dani insisted. “She wants to have another baby with him.”

  “There’s only one way she can do that, and I have a feeling you’re not going to let him sleep with her.” With a lopsided smile, Beth added, “Maybe you could suggest she go to a sperm bank and make a withdrawal?”

  Dani stopped and whirled to face Beth. “It’s not funny, damn it.”

  “Dani, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

  “You know how I feel about having kids of my own. Will he still want me if he knows I won’t give him a child?”

  Before Beth could say anything, the door opened. Robert came in, holding a foam coffee cup. Nate was right behind, carrying his typical water bottle. The guy drank enough water every day to fill a kiddie pool.

  He took one look at Dani and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  Before Dani could answer, Beth fumbled for the pink emesis basin and started gagging.

  Robert set his cup on her bed table and started rubbing her back. “I’m here, B. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth like the nurse said.”

  Already angry at herself and feeling horribly selfish, Dani almost burst into tears at watching Beth struggle. She wanted to blurt out an apology for having taken up so much of her time when she clearly should have been resting. “Can I do anything to help?”

  Beth had stopped heaving and was taking deep breaths.

  Robert shook his head. “The doctor said she might get over this soon—around the end of the first trimester.”

  Wasn’t the first trimester three months? How long had Beth been pregnant? “How far along is she?”

  “Eleven weeks,” he replied.

  A warm hand settled on her shoulder. “We should go. Jules is expecting us to get Emma,” Nate said, his voice soft.

  Although all Dani wanted to do was crawl into the bed and hold Beth until she felt better, there really wasn’t anything she could do to ease her suffering. Except watch Emma. “Please call if there’s anything I can do.”

  Beth gave her a curt nod, still looking a bit green around the gills.

  “Just take care of our girl,” Robert said. “It helps knowing that Emma’s in good hands.”

  Good hands? Dani was more comfortable handling hundreds of teenagers at a time than one toddler.

  * * *

  Nate fished his phone out of his pocket when his text message tone sounded.

  Kat. Again.

  i just want to talk will drive 2 meet you if you want

  She’d said more than enough when he’d been in Indiana. There wasn’t any reason for them to meet. In typical Kat fashion, she’d decided she wanted something and was going to move heaven and earth to get it. And what she wanted was him to come back to her.

  “Everything okay?” Dani asked, keeping her eyes on the road.

  “Just my mom checking in.” Lying didn’t come easy. Nate had always made it a point never to fib, since sorting lies from truth was just too difficult. Better to keep things simple by using honesty.

  But this lie was for Dani. If she had any inkling that Kat was putting
on the full-court press, trying to win him back, she’d be upset. With Beth being sick—and pregnant—and Emma needing Dani’s total attention, he wasn’t about to burden her with Kat’s machinations.

  You’re a liar, Nathaniel. You love the attention.

  His stupid conscience had the right of it.

  He texted Kat back.

  Enough. Leave me be.

  Her response was quick and concise.

  never i love you

  Sure, he was flattered that Kat was pursuing him so doggedly. What man wouldn’t love hearing that the woman who’d dumped him now regretted it?

  He’d betrayed Dani.

  Betrayed? With one kiss?

  Not really. In fact, the kiss had driven one point home quite clearly—he loved Dani with every piece of his heart. Kat’s kiss had been familiar, but it hadn’t been enjoyable. It hadn’t sent a flood of need running through him the same way a simple smile from Dani could set him on fire.

  Some people might dismiss the fact that he got hard just looking at Dani as lust. But Nate loved Dani. Period. Kat might try to win him back, but she had no chance in the world of succeeding. His task now was to try to shield Dani from anything Kat might do that could upset her while trying to convince Kat to leave him alone.

  Hence the lie.

  They pulled up along the curb by what everyone now called the Wilson Building. Dani killed the engine, got out of the car, and led Nate to the entrance of the Wilsons’ upstairs home. She pushed the intercom button.

  “Dani?” Jules’s voice called over the speaker.

  “We’re here.”

  A loud buzz sounded, and Dani pulled the door open. They climbed to the second floor and met Jules, who waited in the doorway, holding Emma against her hip.

  Emma started bouncing as she kicked her legs and clapped her hands. “Aunt Dandy!”

  “Hi, munchkin.” Dani took her from Jules’s arms. “Ready to go home?”

  “Matka and Bobber at home?” Emma asked in toddler English.

  Nate arched an eyebrow. “Matka? Bobber?”

  “Matka is Beth. It’s ‘mother’ in some language,” Dani replied.

  “Polish, I think,” Jules said, following them into the foyer and closing the door behind her.

  “And Bobber is how Emma says Robert’s name.” She kissed Emma’s cheek. “Thought you were calling him Daddy now.”

  Emma shrugged; then she slapped her hands on either side of Dani’s face and gave her a sloppy kiss.

  “How you doin’, munchkin?” Dani asked. “Did you like playing with the boys?”

  “Wanna go home,” Emma announced. “Carter’s mean.”

  “Mean?” Dani shifted her gaze to Jules.

  “He took her doll and hid it,” Jules replied. “Then Craig tried to dress it in his Batman outfit.”

  “Where’s your doll now?” Dani asked Emma. “Do you need me to go talk to the twins?”

  “My backpack.” Emma shook her head, probably in response to Dani wanting to verbally berate Carter and Craig. “Wanna go home now.” She turned her enormous blue eyes on Nate.

  Since he wasn’t sure if Emma remembered him from the cookouts he’d attended, he figured he should introduce himself again. “I’m Nate, Emma.”

  She let out a heavy sigh and laid her head against Dani’s shoulder. “I know that.”

  “Connor?” Jules yelled.

  “Yeah?” his reply came from down the hallway.

  “Can you please go put Emma’s car seat in Dani’s car?”

  A few moments later, Connor marched down the corridor, carrying a gray car seat. “Sure thing, Red.” He held out his hand to Dani. “The keys to your chariot, m’lady?”

  She took her keys out of her jacket pocket and laid them on his palm.

  After Dani was accosted by the Wilson twins, giving them hugs and kisses even as she scolded them to be nicer to Emma, she was finally able to leave. Connor showed Nate how to buckle Emma into the seat; then he waved good-bye as they pulled away.

  “Did Robert give you the key?” Nate asked. Since it would be easier to take care of Emma at her home, they were heading to the Ashfords’ place.

  “I can use the code on the garage door.” Dani glanced in her rearview mirror. “Ready to go home, munchkin?”

  “Yay!” came the reply from the backseat. “Home!”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Dani was exhausted. She picked up the last of Emma’s toys and set them in the large, wooden toy box Robert had hand carved for his daughter. He’d probably set about making another one for his new child.

  The Ashford family was going to add a new member.

  Now that she’d had time to think, Dani was genuinely happy for Beth and Robert, and she found herself sharing her friends’ delight at having a baby on the way.

  After a last quick check on Emma, who was sleeping comfortably in her toddler-sized bed, Dani headed to the spare bedroom, the one they’d occupy until Beth came home.

  Nate was already in bed, dressed only in boxers and a T-shirt with his back propped against the headboard. He was grading papers while reruns of The Simpsons played quietly on the flat-screen TV. “She’s finally asleep?”

  Dani nodded. “Robert said it’s up to us to take her to day care tomorrow or not.”

  “I’m fine with your choice,” Nate said. “Almost done with the research papers, so I’m caught up. For now. We’ve got tons of time left on fall break. Wanna take her to the zoo?”

  “Brookfield?”

  “Sounds good.”

  “That’s a little bit of a drive…”

  “Then we could just stay home. Emma’s got more toys than most stores stock.” His smile always hit her like a warm caress.

  Crawling into bed beside him, Dani wanted him. Now. But being as they were in the Ashfords’ home, she wasn’t sure if it would be proper.

  Nate set the papers aside, dropped his red pen on top of the stack, and then gave her another dimpled smile. “You’re really good with her.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I mean it. Most people have trouble being patient with kids, especially two-year-olds who have questions about absolutely everything.”

  “Emma’s pretty smart.”

  “I noticed. She asks some awesome questions. Can’t believe she’s only two.”

  Dani stretched out on her side of the bed; then she ran her fingers over his ribs. Still afraid of what the future would bring for them, she needed him to make love to her, to show her that here and now he still wanted her, still belonged to her.

  They needed to have a serious talk. His declaration of love had finally settled in her mind, and with that acceptance came panic. They knew so little about each other. If they didn’t discuss a long list of things that affected their future, their relationship would be doomed before it ever began.

  Finances. She had a nice nest egg set aside for retirement because she had an eight-year head start on him. In another seven years, her mortgage would be paid off. Then she could really start squirreling away the savings. What were Nate’s plans for his money? Would they pool their resources or keep separate accounts? Did he even have a savings account or an IRA?

  Career goals. Dani held a master’s degree in educational administration. She was biding her time until the next principal in the Cloverleaf school system retired or moved on so she could start pressing the superintendent to promote her. She even kept an eye on other districts within driving range to keep all her options open. Did Nate also want to be an administrator one day? Was he even thinking beyond surviving his first year as a teacher? And what happened if she became a principal in the school system where Nate taught? Hell, what if he had the same aspirations? She’d never known a couple who were administrators in the same school corporation. It simply wasn’t done.

  And family. She had no intention of changing her mind about having children. Once she’d made that choice, she’d felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. So committe
d to her decision that she’d considered having her tubes tied, she couldn’t help but fret that Nate would regret marrying her since it would mean the end of any chance of him being a father.

  He blanketed her body with his, kissing her and helping her to scatter her worries. For now. Easing back as he held his weight up on his elbows, he looked into her eyes. “I want you.”

  “I want you, too.” Dani pressed her palms against his backside. “I don’t want to wake up Emma.”

  “She’s sleeping like a drunk after a bender,” he replied before kissing her again. “Besides, Robert and Beth obviously make love with Emma in the house. Parents have to adapt, but they find a way. In fact, I’m sure of it.” His devilish grin made her smile in return. “After all, they made a baby.”

  She ground her hips up against his hard cock. “Then make love to me.”

  “Gladly.”

  When Nate kissed her, Dani could forget everything. All the fear for their future was lost to his kiss, to his touch. He stroked the inside of her mouth with his tongue before rubbing it against hers. She loved how he growled deep in his chest.

  Flipping off of her, he stood and whipped his shirt over his head and then wiggled out of his boxers. His erection was too tantalizing to ignore, forcing Dani to her hands and knees so she could move closer. She wrapped her fingers around his penis and licked the crown before she swallowed his length as far as she could.

  Nate slid his fingers into her hair, holding her right where she wanted to be. He ever so lightly moved his hips in rhythm with her taking him deeply into her mouth. Then she eased back as her lips and teeth caressed the silky flesh that covered his thick cock. Content to love him that way until he came, she let out a mewl of disappointment when he pulled away.

  “I didn’t want to stop,” Dani said.

  “I want to be inside you when I come.” Nate crawled past her and then flopped on his back. “I want you on top. Fuck me, sweetheart.”

  His words and gruff tone sent heat straight to her core. Quickly shedding her nightshirt and panties, she straddled his hips. His hands settled on her waist before sliding up to cup a breast in each hand. He pinched her hardening nipples before leaning forward and taking one into his mouth and suckling.