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‘As per the contract, yes.’
‘And those are your only reasons? You don’t need to rush off somewhere else to save the world?’ Was that an edge in his voice?
She shrugged, even though her heart was beating faster than it had a minute ago. ‘Your argument had merit. I’m not averse to trying to do this together. With the option to dissolve the partnership if it proves fractious.’
His lips compressed. ‘How very...clinical. Are you sure there are no other reasons?’
She frowned. ‘What other reasons could there be? I’m not intoxicated on high emotion, if that’s what you’re getting at.’
His eyes darkened, but he nodded a moment later. ‘Bueno.The important thing is that you’ve seen sense. You’re doing what’s best for our child.’
For the first time, something chafed and snagged inside her. The tiniest hint of resentment that shocked and horrified her. Because it struck her hard that, for a millisecond, she hadn’t wanted to be doing thisjustfor her child. She’d wanted to be included in the equation that made the whole, not a tossed-aside fraction with no relevance.
‘Genie?’
She shook her head, berating herself for the unforgivable flaw. But was it truly a flaw to consider herself a little?
Is there no room forme, too?
‘Genie.’
The firmer, commanding voice refocused her. Made her aware that he now stood before her, eyes narrowed on her face.
‘Yes?’
‘What are you thinking?’
She couldn’t tell him her thoughts, of course. She hadn’t forgotten his cutting words about her basement and how totally absorbed she could be in her work. Mention that she’d been selfishly thinking of how she wanted some attention too, and she’d be proving him right.
She licked her lips, hunting for a feasible answer, acutely aware that with every second his gaze grew more probing.
‘I—’ She stopped and gasped, the firm kick in her middle snatching her words, saving her from scrambling for an answer. ‘Oh!’ Her hand flew to her belly, her gaze darting up to meet his suddenly intense one.
Firm hands gripped her upper arms, his eyes racing over her. ‘What is it? Is the baby okay?’
Again that abrasion bruised, but, thankfully, the joy of feeling her baby move soothed it. Momentarily.
‘No, nothing’s wrong. I just felt the baby move.’
His gaze dropped to her stomach, his attention riveted on the pronounced swell. ‘Does it hurt?’
For some reason it provoked soft laughter. ‘No. Of course not. It’s not even uncomfortable. Only a little...unfamiliar.’
His eyes darkened. ‘But beautiful,sí?’ he prompted hoarsely.
‘Oh, yes. Very much so,’ she murmured, her voice equally hushed, as if terrified to break the moment.
The feeble kick came again and, at her gasp, Seve leaned even closer, watching her hand trace the movement with almost awed eyes. ‘May I?’ he rasped.
Struck by the profound moment despite having felt several flutters in the past, Genie could only nod.
His hand dropped to hover over her stomach, his gaze rapt on her belly. The moment she felt another movement, she took his hand and guided it to the location. For several seconds, they waited, breathless.
Then the third kick came. His intake of breath snapped off halfway and he made a choking sound.‘Dios mio, eso es increíble,’he rasped under his breath.
‘I’ve been feeling a bit more movement but the textbooks say the kicks will get stronger,’ she offered, why, she couldn’t exactly say. It felt like something she needed to share.
He nodded but his gaze didn’t leave her stomach for an age. And of course, because it was Seve Valente, he was rewarded with two more kicks.
