HAVE BABY, NEED BEAU

by Rita Herron

  "I'm Mimi Hartwell." Her bracelets jangled as she spoke. "I came to try out for the belly dancer."

  The woman eyed her appreciatively. "Oh, yes, I have your name here. Just sit down. We'll call you shortly."

  Mimi smiled and took a seat, studying the other actresses. Some were chatting nervously, others sitting aloof, still others practicing lines.

  "Let's start with those reading for the part of the maid."

  Mimi's mind wandered while a string of actresses read from the script. She placed her hand over her stomach and thought of the baby lying there. If she did land the part, who would watch the baby while she worked? Hannah? No, Hannah had her own job and a new husband. She would have her own children one day.

  Alison? She was busy with her new bridal shop. Day care? A lot of people used day care, although the idea of leaving an infant for long hours didn't seem appealing. Maybe she could hire a nanny to come with her to the studio … but nannies cost money.

  An hour later the director had dismissed several candidates for the maid role and two other female characters, and began the belly-dancing routines. Mimi watched in appreciation and trepidation as each actress performed. Two carried off beautiful routines, while one poor girl fell on her face. Another had the coordination of a bat.

  "Mimi Hartwell."

  "That's me." Mimi jumped up and pasted on a smile, reminding herself to walk gracefully as she climbed the steps to the stage when the music began, she felt the rhythm deep in her soul, and she began to move her hips, soaring through the routine with confidence and skill, envisioning dancing for Seth as she had so many times. When she finished, she saw the pleased smiles on the judges' faces and had a gut feeling she'd gotten the part.

  * * *

  Seth had cleared his calendar for the day to tie up loose ends. Yesterday he'd felt so close to Mimi. Actually each day they were together, their relationship grew. He no longer thought of Mimi as flashy or impulsive, but fun and sensitive and alive. He no longer simply wanted her in his bed, although he wanted that very badly; he cared about her and wanted her in his life. She would make a wonderful mother.

  He sensed that Mimi had grown fond of him, too. Her sweet little touches, the way she said his name, so soft and whispery, and those heated looks that passed between them at the most unexpected times. Like last night, when he'd followed her home. He'd kissed her good-night at the door.

  Tonight he'd propose to Mimi again. He thought she was finally seeing things his way—they were two decent, caring, mature people who wanted the best for their child. Although opposites, they had great chemistry and had become friends. They could make this work. Maybe in time they might even learn to love each other.

  Feeling optimistic, he'd gone shopping first thing this morning, then cleared out the extra bedroom. After lunch he scrubbed the walls and geared up to paint. He intended to surprise her with the nursery. Since they didn't know the sex of the baby yet, he'd chosen a pale yellow. Hadn't Mimi said once that yellow was her favorite color?

  As he rolled on the paint, he thought about the baby store he'd visited that morning and the different kinds of furniture and toys and accessories. He'd splurged on a big blue teddy bear and a silly rocking horse, but he'd forced himself to rein in his impulses before he maxed out his credit card. He didn't want to start marriage strapped for cash.

  Finishing everything would take some time and research, he decided. Thank goodness they had eight months. He needed to study consumer reports and compare the brands of furniture, the safety rankings on car seats, read up on toys that provided the most educational value…

  Two hours later, proud of his logic and progress with the room, he hurried to shower before he called Mimi. Maybe if he had time first, he'd jump on the Internet and scope out the best deal on baby supplies and diapers. Then he could impress her with all his well-laid plans.

  * * *

  "Congratulations, Miss Hartwell, we'd love to have you for the part."

  Mimi smiled and shook the short man's hand. Apparently he was the director and had really liked her dancing. "Thank you. I'm delighted."

  "I have to tell you, we've had some setbacks, though, and won't be able to begin production until midsummer. Will you be able to work with us then?"

  Mimi mentally ticked away the months. Disappointment momentarily blindsided her. "Will you be filming the belly-dancing role then?"

  "Probably July. That character doesn't appear in the first few episodes. She's going to start out as a female vixen, but we plan to transform her eventually if she's popular."

  "Sounds great." Mimi felt her hopes deflating. "But I'm afraid I won't be able to accept."

  The director eyed her over his clipboard. "Oh, dear, but you were so good. Can I ask what the problem is? We really want you, Miss Hartwell. Maybe we can work around it."

  Mimi's bracelets jangled as she tucked a strand of hair back into the headdress. "Actually I don't see a way. You see, I just learned I'm pregnant and—"

  "Oh, dear, that would be a problem," the woman said.

  "A pregnant belly dancer, um, I'm afraid that's not what we pictured," the director said. "Now if your … um, if your situation changes, let us know."

  Mimi frowned at his implication, thanked him and headed to her car, her emotions in a tailspin. She'd just gotten the job she'd wanted and lost it in the same day. But it was the director's offhand comment that really irked her. Her situation wasn't about to change, not unless something happened and she lost the baby.

  Her knees suddenly felt weak and she clutched the door frame as she climbed into the car. The mere thought of something happening to her child made her ill. She dropped her head forward against the steering wheel and forced herself to take a deep breath, to think positively. She would make sure her baby was well taken care of. After all, even though she'd only known about the baby for a few short weeks, her child had quickly become the most important thing in the world to her. The baby. And Seth.

  * * *

  Chapter 17

  « ^ »

  Seth stood on Mimi's doorstep, his legs wobbling. He'd done everything he could think of the past few weeks to woo Mimi, everything from changing his underwear to trying to be more impulsive, but what if Mimi said no to his proposal? He couldn't lose her…

  He mentally recited the rules for positive thinking he'd used in a recent lecture. Several seconds later Mimi opened the door wearing that sexy harem costume he'd seen once before, a huge bowl of chocolate sauce in her arms, the phone tucked beneath her chin. He saw her body's natural response to the cold outside—a shiver and…

  "Hey." She clapped her hand over the receiver's mouthpiece and narrowed her eyes at his dressy shirt and slacks. "Did we have plans?"

  "No. But I wanted to see you."

  She waved him in, gesturing that she'd try to end the conversation on the phone soon. "Yes, Hannah, I'm fine."

  He waited to be attacked by her menagerie of animals, but her cat simply raised a head and looked at him, lowered it again down to finish her nap. Wrangler bounced over to him, wagging his tail. Seth fed the dog the treats, then followed Mimi into the kitchen. A three-layer chocolate dessert, drenched in whipped cream and raspberry sauce identical to the one on that truck advertisement, sat on the counter.

  "No, I do not want you to come over, Hannah," Mimi said into the phone. "You have a nice romantic night with your new hubby." Pause. "Yes, and no. I got the part, but they're going to be filming this summer, so I'm out." Another pause.

  His gut clenched when he realized Mimi was talking about her audition. So she had gotten the part, but couldn't accept it because of the pregnancy? How did she feel about her condition interfering with her dream?

  "Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow or Sunday. Just give me a call."

  He sank onto a kitchen chair, his gaze fixed on her as she crossed the room and returned the phone to its base. The sheer fabric of the costume billowed out around her dynamite legs, the overlay of dark purples and other brigh
t colors in the headdress repeated in the fabric covering her breasts. Barely covering her breasts, he amended. They were almost spilling from their thin encasement. His gaze dropped to the tantalizing bare skin below the top. To Mimi's stomach where his baby lay, growing every day. To Mimi's navel, the place he had tasted and tormented with his tongue.

  Her gaze sprang to meet his and she licked a glob of chocolate sauce off her finger, her breath hitching. She saw the hunger in his eyes and mirrored it with her own look of desire. Desire that rocketed through him, hardening his body, tensing every muscle and nerve with the power of it.

  "I heard what you said about the part. I'm sorry."

  "It's not going to work out."

  "Are you okay about it?"

  "Yeah." Mimi shrugged and set the bowl on the blue-tile counter near a portable entertainment unit. Her favorite Dixie Chicks CD played in the background. He imagined her dancing around the kitchen, stirring chocolate, the shimmering material whispering across her body as she moved.

  The image had lust pooling in his groin. He moved toward her, mesmerized by the flare of excitement he saw in her eyes. "You're not upset?"

  "There'll be other parts. Other times," she said softly.

  "You can always dance for me," he said, surprising himself at how much he wanted her to do that.

  She wagged a finger at him, a hint of mischief sparkling in her eyes. "Don't tell me, you, Seth Broadhurst, doctor of psychiatry, get off on this harem costume."

  He had to smile. "Honey, I may be a doctor of psychiatry, but I'm a man first. And any man who saw you in that getup would be turned on." He raised a hand and wiped a drop of raspberry sauce from her chin, then licked it with his tongue.

  "You mean any woman wearing this costume would excite you?"

  Did he notice a hint of jealousy? "No, not any woman. Just you." He ran his thumb along her temple, then down her jaw. "Dance for me, Mimi. Please."

  She closed her eyes on a feathery sigh and began to move her hips, gyrating slowly, seductively, as the beat of the music slowed and faded into a love song. He touched her as she moved, his breath collecting in his lungs in a painful surge at the way her curves fit beneath his palms, the way her body swayed, the way her breasts rose with every breath she inhaled, the way she threw her head back, uninhibited, daring. His finger drew a soft line down her neck to her breastbone, then dipped to circle a taut nipple beneath the sheer fabric. She arched and groaned, rotating her head slowly, seductively, so he could see the muscles in her throat work as she swallowed. His heart thundered at the scent of her exotic perfume, then stilled when she opened her eyes and reached for his shirt.

  His hands dropped to her waist, where he savored the feel of her bare skin while she slowly drew each button from its encasement, taking her slow, sweet time as if performing a striptease for him. Then her hands were inside his shirt, rubbing, stroking, teasing his hard nubs, her hips gyrating into his heat, stroking, tormenting him. She pushed away his shirt and reached for his belt. He sucked in a breath, hoping he didn't lose control as he allowed her to strip off his clothing. Their gazes locked for a moment, resting in surprise on his black briefs. He blushed.

  "You are full of surprises, Doc." Her gaze swallowed his burgeoning erection, then lifted to his eyes. "I approve, very much."

  He pulled her against him, moaning when her soft heat cradled him. "I want you, Mimi. It feels like it's been forever."

  Her hands sank into his hair. "I want you, too, Seth."

  He laughed when she squeezed his hips with her thighs, but his voice turned serious when he asked, "We won't hurt the baby?"

  She shook her head. "No, Doc. You should know that."

  "I've never made love to a pregnant woman before." He cupped her face with his hands and drew her mouth to his for a tender kiss.

  "Is that what this is all about?" she asked softly. "Seducing the mother of your child?"

  "No." He slowly removed his skimpy underwear, wanting her to see how naked and raw and exposed he felt. "This is because I want you, because I care about you, Mimi. Because I can't stand not being with you."

  She drank in his size, the length of his body, the evidence of his need for her and melted into his arms. His hands skated down her sides, searching for buttons or snaps, but Mimi stood back, lifted the top over her head and dropped the flimsy material to the floor. The billowy pants had an elastic waist, so she skimmed them off in seconds. His eyes feasted on bare flesh, the swollen mounds of her breasts arching toward him, taut pink tips begging for his mouth, the kitchen light painting her porcelain skin with a golden glow.

  He lifted her onto the yellow-laminate kitchen table, dipped his finger into the raspberry sauce and traced a path over her nipple, then down to her waist, then licked it off, one delicious inch at a time. Mimi writhed beneath him, begging him with her body and hands to ease her torment, but he continued the sensual foreplay by planting kisses from the tips of her toes to the soft folds that cradled her womanhood. Chocolate and raspberry and the tantalizing taste of Mimi filled his senses, and he drove her wild with his mouth and hands, painting her thighs with the sauce and licking it off until she was clawing at him to end the torture. Finally he parted her legs, looked into her eyes and smiled, then dipped his head and drank deeper, refusing to take her until he'd tasted her release.

  And when he did, the sweet heady taste drove him wild. He was like a starving animal as he pushed into her, pumping and grinding their bodies together with an intensity he'd never imagined, channeling all his emotions into giving her pleasure. And when she cried out his name and clutched his back, winding her legs around his waist, her body rippled with waves of ecstasy. He groaned her name and drifted to the clouds with her. And in his heart, he knew he'd just made her his forever.

  * * *

  Mimi had never felt so peaceful and loved and sated. She drifted into a blissful sleep and dreamed about Seth and love and sex and babies and a wedding in the gazebo on her grandmother's property on Pine Mountain with her entire family, even her mother, in attendance. When she awoke in Seth's arms, she half feared the night had been just a dream, but his warm, tender smile caressed her and his arms cradled her tightly.

  "How about some breakfast and a shower, then we go to my place for a while?"

  Mimi searched his face. "Your place?"

  "Yes." He dropped a kiss on her nose. "I have a surprise for you."

  "You do? More wild underwear? Leather, maybe?"

  He threw back his head and laughed, a deep, sexy rumble that sounded so masculine Mimi imagined waking up to it every morning. "As a matter of fact, I do. I'll even give you a fashion show if you want, but I have another surprise."

  Mimi tossed the covers back, revealing their naked bodies, rosy in the aftermath of love. "Race you to the shower."

  Seth chased after her, and Mimi found herself in deep lust again when she saw the spray of water cascading across his muscular chest and corded thighs. Temptation won again and she twined her arms around him, kissed him senseless and climbed in his arms for a wild morning ride. Several minutes later they finally bathed and left the shower.

  "I'll throw together some breakfast while you get dressed," Seth whispered against her neck.

  Mimi luxuriated in the offer and dressed in a casual blue shirt and jeans, wincing when the zipper once again hesitated over the small bulge of her stomach. She would have to resort to wearing looser clothing soon, she realized. Maybe even visit that store Seth had found. Surprised that the idea of maternity clothes didn't bother her as it once had, she went in search of Seth and food.

  * * *

  Seth's hands trembled as he clasped Mimi's fingers and dropped to the soft gray carpet in his bedroom. He'd just given Mimi a tour of his house, except for the nursery, which he wanted to save until their engagement was official. Then he wanted to end the tour with a mind-boggling kiss and a romp in his bed. But first things first. He pulled out a velvet ring box, lifted a diamond ring and slipped it on her fin
ger. "Mimi, I want us to get married."

  Mimi stared openmouthed at him. "Oh, my goodness. Is this … your surprise?"

  "Well, no. I mean, yes, sort of."

  "Seth…"

  "Shh. Just listen. I have everything worked out. We can get married right away and you can move in here. That's why I wanted to show you the house today. So what do you think? Because if you don't like the house, we can sell it and get something more contemporary, more modern, more … more whatever you want.." She shot an odd look at the Chippendale love seat, and he realized he was rambling, but Mimi still hadn't replied, and her stunned expression didn't look optimistic. "It's just a house to me."

  "It's a lovely house, Seth. A little formal, but lovely."

  "It'll be a home with you and our baby here."

  Mimi's eyes filled with tears. Happy or sad? He still couldn't completely read her.

  "Don't cry, sweetheart. Everything's going to be fine. I have everything planned." He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the nursery. "We need to get married soon before … well, we both want what's best for the baby, and that's us together. See, I've already started a nursery. I thought you liked yellow, but I waited to choose the rest of the decor until you were here." He smiled, proud of his planning. "I have several furniture catalogs, and I'm researching the safest kind of car seats—"

  "Car seats?"

  "Yes, you have to know which kind to buy. And we need a playpen and educational toys and…" He was babbling again. God, what this woman did to him. "What do you think of the room?"

  Mimi's gaze traveled the pale yellow walls. "It's nice. But I haven't even thought about furniture or a baby's room."

  "Oh, we have plenty of time, but I thought I'd get the ball rolling, plus, it'll take a while for me to check all the consumer reports, do some comparison shopping."

  The doorbell rang and Seth frowned and checked his watch. "I wonder who's stopping by so early."