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“Baby? Are you…pregnant?”
Erin bit her lip and dropped her eyes. Goodness, she’d said quite enough already. Oh, Lord. She’d let the proverbial cat out of the bag and now she would have to face the consequences.
“Erin, are you pregnant?” This time his voice was stern but the shock was replaced by a calm that almost seemed more dangerous. “Tell me.”
She swallowed but still she could not speak. Neither could she look in his eyes. She did not want to see the condemnation there. This was her baby, and no matter what she would not feel shame for carrying this life inside of her.
In the end, she just nodded.
He expelled his breath. “And the baby is mine?”
Erin’s eyes flew to his and her mouth fell open in shocked anger. “Of course it’s yours. What? Do you think I make it a habit of going around sleeping with different men?”
“How should I know?” His retort was quick and brutal. “You fell into bed with me easily enough.”
“Do you know what? Just leave my apartment. Get out before I call the police. I don’t need to stand here taking your insults.” She marched over to the door and flung it open. “Leave. Now.”
Dare gave her a lethal look then strode toward her. As she stepped back he gripped the door and slammed it shut.
Erin gasped. Who did he think he was? “What are you doing? You’d better go.”
“Listen to me,” he said through clenched teeth, “you can’t drop that bombshell and then expect me to walk away simply because you tell me to. I need to know. Are you expecting my child?”
“Yes, Dare, I’m expecting your child as I think you already know.” She practically spat the words at him. “But never fear. I don’t expect a thing from you. I’ve already made arrangements for the baby so don’t feel you have to contribute anything. And,” her voice rose and she pointed an accusing finger at him, “if you came all this way to try to convince me to get rid of my child you can just turn around and go right back to Santa Marta because it’s not going to happen.”
“Get rid of…what the hell?” Dare raised his hand and she flinched but he simply raked his fingers through his hand. There was a look of confusion on his face. “I don’t understand. I used protection every time.”
Seeing his bewildered state Erin softened just a little. “They’re not one hundred percent guaranteed. You should know that.”
“Yeah, I do, but I thought they’d have been good enough for one night.” He shook his head. “And you’re not on the pill?”
“No.”
“But what are the odds…” he began then his voice trailed off and his eyes took on a faraway look as if he was trying to remember something. Then a look of realization crossed his face. “It must have been that third time. When you left and I rolled over there was some dampness on the bed but I didn’t think anything of it. The condom must have broken.”
“But you would have seen that.”
“If it was a small tear, probably not. I don’t sit there inspecting the damn things. Once I’m done I just get rid of them.”
For a moment there was silence as they both fell into deep thought. Erin had no idea what was going through Dare’s mind but her dilemma was coming to terms with the fact that he hadn’t known about the baby and yet he was here. What was the explanation for that? Dared she ask?
She sucked in a deep breath. She had to know. Steeling herself against his anger she blurted, “So if you didn’t come about the baby why are you here?”
“What?” Dare looked like she’d just pulled him out of a trance.
“Why are you here, Dare? Why did you come looking for me?”
His eyes honed in on hers and for the first time since she’d met him he seemed at a loss for words.
Then his face darkened in a scowl. “I came to take you back to Santa Marta.”
Chapter 6
“To take me back?” she spluttered, a look of incredulity on her face. “Are you mad?”
“I’m quite sane, I can assure you,” he said, the pace of his heart returning to normal. The girl had turned the tables on him and given him the shock of his life.
“But…why?”
Dare almost felt sorry for her, she looked so confused. He knew he must be driving her round the bend but how could he help that? He couldn’t explain it even to himself. One day he’d seen her then spent the following night making sweet love to her and, like the fish in the sea, he was hooked. The funny thing was it seemed Erin hadn’t even realized she’d caught the biggest fish in the pond.
“Why, Dare? You threw me out of your bed, remember? Out of your life. So what’s this story about coming back to get me?” She threw her hands up in apparent frustration. “For what? Another one night stand?”
She was glaring at him now, her chest heaving with the intensity of her emotions. And who could blame her?
He’d done everything she’d accused him of, and more. Little did she know that he’d seduced her expertly and deliberately into going back to his villa and making love to him. He’d wanted to make her pay for pursuing him so shamelessly. He’d wanted to take what she was offering. And now he would pay the steepest price. His days of philandering were over. He was about to become a father.
He still could not believe it. Dare DeSouza, family man. When he’d left Santa Marta he’d had no idea that the joke would be on him.
But in the end it could all turn out in his favor. Obsessed with the memory of Erin he’d finally given in and come to see her with the intention of convincing her to return to the island. Now, with this development, there was no way she could say no.
“Erin, calm down. Have a seat.” He walked over and pulled out a chair. When she hesitated he frowned. “Come and sit before you keel over.”
Thankfully, she headed over on shaky legs and sank down on the chair. If she hadn’t he would have gone over and lifted her off her feet. He could see that her emotions coupled with her tiredness from work were beginning to take its toll. She was shaking.
He walked into the kitchen and filled a glass with water then brought it to her.
She gulped it thirstily then rested the glass on the table and looked up at him.
It was only then, in the light cast by the chandelier above the table, that he saw how thin and drawn she was. Her eyes were large molten pools in her face. They were circled with shadows of exhaustion.
He pulled the other chair forward and sat beside her. “Erin,” he said, drawing her eyes back to his face, “you look terrible.”
She looked surprised at his outspokenness then her face broke into a tired smile. “Thanks. You are so kind.”
“I mean it,” he said, his voice low and grave. “You need to stop this work you’re doing. It’s too much.”
At that she laughed but there was no mirth to the sound. “Stop this work, he says. And then eat what? Air? And how would I pay my rent and my bills?”
“I have the solution for that,” he said. “I want you to-”
“Oh yes, come back to Santa Marta,” she said, her tone sarcastic. “You forgot. When you came here you expected to take a slender, sexy thing back with you. I’m not any of that. Not anymore.”
“Erin,” Dare said, trying to keep his voice calm, “listen to me. I want you-”
“No, you don’t,” she snapped. “Not anymore. Not when I’m going to look like a pumpkin in three-”
Dare had reached his limit. “Woman, will you be quiet and let me speak?” he bellowed. “I want you to marry me.”
Erin recoiled as if he’d slapped her. Then her face flushed red and her eyes flashed. “I don’t appreciate you laughing at me, Dare. If this is all a joke to you I think you’d better leave.”
“It’s not a joke,” he said quietly. “I’m serious. I want you as my wife.”
“But…why?” Her voice was a mere whisper and she looked back at him with huge eyes.
“I would think that’s quite obvious. You’re the mother of my child.”
“Not yet, I’m not.”
“Oh, but you are. The youngest of the DeSouza line is now growing inside you.”
“DeSouza.” She said the name, a look of wonder on her face. “Can you believe I never even knew your last name?” Her cheeks grew red and she dropped her eyes as if in shame.
“There’s no need to feel bad, Erin. Just forget the past and look toward the future as my wife.”
“As your wife.” She repeated the words but there was no enthusiasm there. Then she looked over at him. “You never even asked me the question.”
“Of course I did.”
