by Debra Webb
A short while later, Lisa was safely ensconced in her tiny cottage near the Bay. She slid off the white gown that had served as her wedding dress and draped it carefully over a padded hanger, then placed it in her closet. Her bedroom was filled with packed boxes, ready to be moved to Joe’s house when he had the time to pick them up. He’d come for a few things this week, but there was still so much to be moved.
The cottage she leased might be small, but every nook and cranny was full of mementos and…stuff. It would take time to blend her belongings with Joe’s. The lease wouldn’t be up on her place until the end of the month, so she’d decided she might as well take her time. She and Joe had agreed that sharing Joe’s house would be best. He’d bought it when he first became a firefighter twelve years ago, right after he’d returned to Courage Bay following a three-year stint in the military. He proudly boasted that the place was paid for now. Lisa had to give him credit for that. Most single guys wouldn’t have worried about buying a home.
Maybe Joe was a little more reliable than she’d thought.
She tossed her slip across the end of the bed and studied her nearly nude body in the full-length mirror. It would be three or four months before the pregnancy would be obvious. Her tummy would round, a little at first, before blooming fully those last couple of months. She’d watched her sister go through this twice already, and hoped that her pregnancy was as easy as Kate’s. Their mother claimed the same good fortune. If Lisa was lucky, the trend would prove to be genetic.
Turning from her reflection, she donned a pair of comfortable slacks and a pullover blouse. She couldn’t help wondering how Joe was doing. Her stomach knotted at the idea of his going into such a dangerous situation. That was something she would never get used to. She could try, but she didn’t hold out much hope.
She wandered into the living room and crawled onto the sofa. God, she was so tired. And she didn’t want to think. Thinking would only lead to worrying about Joe. It would be this way every night. Every moment he spent on duty would be a time to worry. There had to be a way to distract herself. That much worry couldn’t be good for the baby.
Maybe she could occupy her time after work with redecorating Joe’s house. He had no actual design theme—heck, there wasn’t even so much as a picture hanging on the wall, unless you counted a firemen’s calendar. But the place had two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a nice living room and kitchen. It wasn’t huge, but she could do a lot with the space. She might need to run her ideas past Joe, though. Technically, it was his house.
She was too tired just now to make any real plans. Later, after she’d had a good night’s sleep…maybe then.
JOE DIDN’T BOTHER with a shower. As soon as the fire was under control, his squad insisted that he get home to his new bride. Joe hadn’t argued.
Now, at half past nine at night, with soot on his face and the stench of smoke hanging on his clothes, he broke every speed limit in town getting home.
Only to find his house empty.
He unlocked the door and went inside just in case the dark windows only meant that Lisa had gone to bed early. But the place was deserted. He frowned. Why hadn’t she come home after the reception?
Maybe she’d gone to her mother’s or her sister’s.
Then it hit him. She had gone home. To her home.
Ten minutes later Joe parked in Lisa’s driveway behind her rental car. Her place was dark, as well.
He started to call her mother but decided he’d check out the situation first.
Though the lights were out, the front door was unlocked. He’d have to remind Lisa that leaving her door unlocked wasn’t a good idea. Courage Bay had its share of break and enters.
In the living room, he switched on a table lamp, and the dim glow cast a golden pool over Lisa’s sleeping form. Joe sat down on the closest chair and watched her for a time. She’d changed into comfortable clothes and stretched out like a cat. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. She was so beautiful. He tamped down the urge to reach out and touch her. She needed the rest. He’d picked up a book on pregnancy and had learned that in the early weeks extra rest was necessary.
He could hardly comprehend how small the life growing inside her was at this stage. He vaguely remembered studying sexual reproduction back in school but hadn’t paid much attention.
He wondered how it felt to be pregnant. The very idea that Lisa’s body was protecting and nurture another life seemed incredible to him. Like any other guy, he’d known how babies came into this world, but somehow it was different now. This was his baby. A part of him.
The idea scared the hell out of him for the most part. But on another level it totally awed him. He wondered if that was why he’d almost said the words to Lisa after he’d kissed her at the end of the ceremony. Maybe he’d just been caught up in the moment. What he felt for Lisa was desire…plain and simple. These unfamiliar feelings were probably related to the baby, or maybe he was still pumped from the wedding and then the fire.
He pushed to his feet. Might as well get something accomplished. Lisa probably wouldn’t appreciate waking up and finding him staring at her like this.
As quietly as possible, he loaded up several boxes and transported them to his house—to their new home. He hoped Lisa would feel comfortable there. He wanted this to work. Wanted to make a good, happy home for their baby. The next eight months would pass in no time. He’d never been one to procrastinate, not about the important stuff, anyway. Getting their marriage off to a good start would be his first order of business.
Joe managed to make a second trip to his house with more boxes before Lisa awoke. While he was there, he showered and changed. No point in scaring her to death on their wedding night. When he finally returned to her cottage she had rounded up her bags, the ones containing the things she would need right away, and placed them by the door.
“I ordered a pizza,” she announced with a smile that looked several degrees shy of the genuine article.
“Great.” Pizza would work. Then he remembered that they’d had reservations at John Paul’s, one of the best restaurants in town. “Damn.” He popped his forehead with the heel of his hand. “I forgot all about our reservations.”
“It’s okay. I canceled them while I was still at the reception, since I didn’t know how long you’d be at the fire.”
“Thanks.” So much for getting off to a good start. This night was supposed to be special. “Look,” he said, taking her hand in his, “I’ll make it up to you.”
“It’s okay. Really.” She moved away from him and pretended to be preoccupied with her bags. “How did it go?” She glanced back. “Anyone hurt?”
Oh, jeez. It only took one look into those eyes to know she’d been worried about him. He hadn’t even thought of that, but he should have. He’d known this would happen.
“No one was hurt.” He raked a hand through his hair and struggled to find the right words. Why did talking to her suddenly seem so hard? They’d never had any trouble talking before. Okay, so they hadn’t done much talking. He bit back a curse and tried again. “Look, I know this isn’t easy, but it’s what I do. I can’t make any promises about these kinds of situations. There’ll be a lot of nights like this.”
“I know.”
She wouldn’t look at him now. Just kept opening those bags, checking the contents and reclosing them.
“Lisa.” He snagged her arm when she would have walked past him. “I don’t want this to be an issue. You knew who I was before—”
“Before I agreed to marry you?” she said, cutting him off. “Before I made a mistake and got pregnant?”
He released a heavy breath. What the hell did he say to that?
She pulled free of his hold. “It’s not you I’m upset with, Joe. It’s me.”
That didn’t make a hell of a lot of sense. Before he could ask for an explanation, she went on.
“You’re right. I know who you are. It’s me I don’t understand. Why did I waste any energy worr
ying about you? This is what you do…who you are. Yes. Yes. Yes.” She flung her arms heavenward. “I know. I just can’t pretend it doesn’t matter. Okay?”
He nodded, thankful that she’d said what was on her mind. Both his brothers had warned him that communication was a key factor in a good marriage. As long as she was talking to him, they were moving forward. It was when the talk stopped that he should worry. Okay. Maybe they were off to a better start than he’d realized.
The doorbell rang, announcing the pizza’s arrival. Joe took the box, shoved a couple of bills at the guy and closed the door. This was his wedding night. He needed a little privacy.
The pizza was consumed in silence. The tension had slacked off, but he still sensed an uneasiness in Lisa. The only anxiety he felt at the moment was over how long it would be before he could take his new wife to bed. He’d scarcely thought of anything else for the past seven days. Sex with Lisa was fantastic. That part of their marriage wouldn’t need any tweaking whatsoever.
He smiled. Being married definitely had its fringe benefits. His gaze swept over her yet again. He had no reservations at all about spending the next half century between the sheets with Lisa.
Lisa Ripani.
His wife.
His woman.
A stab of jealousy sliced into his gut at the thought that she would have to go to work at the clinic every day with Seaborn. Let the guy look at Lisa the wrong way just once and Joe would pound him.
She belonged to him now. She was his. The baby was his.
Lisa stood and began clearing the table. Joe wasted no time in coming to her aid. Another tidbit his brothers had given him. Don’t let her do all the work. Show that extra consideration and the wife would make it worth the effort in the sack. Something else he intended to remember.
It was a good thing he’d spent some time with the men in his family this past week and gotten a heads up on how to handle this whole marriage thing.
“Ready to go home?” he asked when the kitchen sparkled.
She looked startled at his question but quickly recovered. “Sure. Yes.”
Damn but she was nervous. It wasn’t as if they’d never been together before. He didn’t quite understand her jumpiness—unless being pregnant somehow made the lovemaking experience different. She was acting as though the thought of going to his place filled her with dread.
Hmm. He’d have to take a peek at that book he’d bought and see what he could find out about sex during pregnancy. Lisa might need extra cajoling or—he grinned—maybe she would need to be on top. He could deal with that.
Joe insisted on loading her bags himself. When he’d settled her into the passenger seat, bags stowed in the back, he drove the short journey to his place.
Home.
Their home.
He opened Lisa’s door. “I’ll come back for the bags,” he told her as he walked her to the front door.
His bride.
His wife.
Had a nice ring to it.
He hoped being pregnant hadn’t changed her ferocity as a lover. He was definitely looking forward to a long night of tangling with her, skin to skin.
“Wait.” He pulled her back when she would have gone into the house ahead of him. “I want to do this right.” He swept her off her feet and into his arms. She gasped. “The groom is supposed to carry the bride over the threshold.”
Joe placed a tender kiss on her forehead before settling her back on her feet just inside the door. “I can’t wait to hold you in my arms,” he whispered before moving lower to kiss the tip of her nose and then her mouth.
God, she tasted good. Soft and sweet and so damn hot. The pleasant tang of tomato sauce mixed with the unique flavor of Lisa.
She pulled away. “Joe…wait.”
He nipped at her bottom lip. “We don’t have to wait, babe, it’s legal now.” His mouth sought hers but she moved away.
When the haze of lust lifted from his vision, he could see that she was shaking her head. “What’s wrong?” Had he held her too tightly?
She threw up her hands stop-sign fashion when he would have moved closer to her. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
“I don’t get it. Are you sick or in pain?” Maybe it was all the excitement. Hadn’t he read something about too much excitement in that damn book?
“I can’t pretend this is real. It doesn’t feel real.” She shook her head adamantly. “This…I just can’t do this.”
She ran into the guest bedroom and slammed the door.
Joe stood there, completely puzzled.
What the hell had he done wrong?
He tromped back out to the truck for her bags. Women. He would never understand them.
As he stacked her bags on the floor inside his living room, an epiphany struck.
He wasn’t having sex tonight.
Some wedding night.
CHAPTER NINE
EARLY SATURDAY MORNING, after a wedding night spent in separate rooms, Joe and Lisa headed to a secluded mountain retreat for their weekend honeymoon getaway.
The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.
So far, wedded bliss was nothing like he’d imagined it. His eyes burned from lack of sleep. He’d tossed and turned most of the night.
Sure, he’d expected the novelty to wear off in time. His brothers and his married buddies had warned him about that inevitability. What he hadn’t anticipated was the complete absence of novelty.
He felt certain it wasn’t supposed to be this way. So what the hell had he done wrong?
He’d married Lisa, planned a romantic getaway and even moved most of her stuff to his place. That should account for something.
But apparently it didn’t.
A part of him understood that in Lisa’s view, his proposal had been made out of necessity. And it had. But they were married now, end of subject. He, for one, intended to make the best of it. And, to his way of thinking, that meant great sex…at least for a while. Losing his bachelor status should come with at least one perk.
He’d checked his handy pregnancy guidebook and there was no reason listed to prevent them from enjoying a satisfying sex life right until the end.
Maybe Lisa didn’t know that.
Nah. It was a female thing. She needed to be wooed, to hear all the right words—words he wasn’t so sure about. Joe knew what Lisa wanted to hear. But she would tell right away if he wasn’t being sincere.
He’d read that during pregnancy, especially the first trimester, a woman’s emotions ran the gamut of extreme highs and lows. In other words, her emotional state would be volatile.
Worry hissed from him on a sigh.
He’d have to deal with that. Allowing her to be upset wasn’t a good thing. He’d read that, too.
Damn, marriage amounted to hard work. He flicked a glance in Lisa’s direction. He wondered if she felt the same way.
She stared out the window of the truck, her expression never changing. Truth was…she looked miserable.
What else could he do to make her happy?
And why wasn’t she putting forth any noticeable effort herself? A marriage was supposed to be a partnership? Fifty-fifty. It sure as hell didn’t feel like a team project just now. But then, he wasn’t the one going through all the physical and hormonal changes.
“Maybe we should just go back.”
The sound of her voice after the long stretch of silence startled him almost as much as her words.
“Go back? Why would we go back?” He spared her another glance. Was she that miserable in his company? He’d thought there had been a mutual attraction between them. The sex had been great. Couldn’t they build on that?
She shook her head, still not so much as looking his way. “This just doesn’t feel right. Why waste your money? Just cancel the reservations and I can spend the weekend putting my stuff away.”
He took a few seconds to evaluate the best course of action. Giving her what she wanted had been his aim from the momen
t he’d proposed, but this might turn out to be some kind of reverse-psychology thing. What if she really wanted him to take charge and make her enjoy this weekend?
“It’s too late,” he said. “The reservations are nonrefundable.” He flexed a shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “Might as well enjoy the place. Spike said it was great. He took his girlfriend there last fall.”
She didn’t respond for a moment, then finally relented. “I wouldn’t want your money to go to waste.”
He took that as a yes.
WHEN THEY AT LAST REACHED their destination, Lisa had to admit that she was impressed. The cottage was nestled in the foothills of the forested mountains that rose high above Courage Bay. The view overlooking the ocean and coastline took her breath away.
Inside another surprise awaited her. The place was incredible, like a little chunk of paradise. Wood floors stained in a warm mahogany, vaulted ceilings and massive windows through which light poured into the cozy rooms. In the bedroom, an antique queen-size bed was the focal point, along with a fireplace and French doors that opened onto a private deck.
The decor was absolutely charming. She couldn’t believe that Joe would pick a place like this.
It was…romantic.
And the man didn’t have a romantic bone in his body.
“It’s great,” she admitted, surprised. Joe had stood in the center of the room the whole time she looked around, clearly waiting for her reaction.
His broad shoulders sagged with relief at her announcement. It confused her—amazed her even—that he was trying so hard to please her. She’d be thrilled if she thought it was for the right reasons. But she feared Joe had just one goal in mind—resuming the physical relationship that had led to this marriage.
As usual, he just didn’t get it.
Marriage was about a lot more than just sex.
She understood exactly what was going on here. Joe had married her, and given her and their child his name. He wanted to create a stable, happy environment for their child. Lisa wanted the same thing. But basing their marriage on a physical relationship wasn’t the answer.
