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She nodded. ‘Actually—yes, thanks, Nicholas.’ It was a relief to get away from the situation.
Cat went into the bathroom and closed the door.
It was strange; she had always liked the smell of coffee before. But then she had heard that pregnancy could affect the senses like that. Surely she couldn’t be pregnant? The idea pounded through her. Yes, they had made love once in Venice without any protection. But it had just been once! How unlucky would it be that the first time she made love she got pregnant? The odds against that would be high—surely?
She opened up the bathroom cabinet and found the pregnancy testing kit. She’d been too anxious to use it earlier but she couldn’t put it off any longer—she needed to know the truth.
Nicholas put the coffee down on the lounge table just as Cat’s mobile started to ring. He picked it up from the sofa and glanced at the screen. He could see that the call was from her father.
He quickly switched the phone off and then slipped it down under the cushions. Carter McKenzie could go to hell.
‘I was thinking that we could make it a long weekend in Crete,’ he said as Cat returned a little while later. She still looked very pale, he noted. ‘You know you could do with a break. You do look a bit tired.’
‘Yes, I think maybe you should go now.’ She pulled a hand distractedly through her long blonde hair.
Was she agreeing to go to Crete? Was she even listening to him? He frowned. Maybe her mind was running ahead, thinking about meeting up with her father—thinking about a marriage of convenience?
‘There are things we need to discuss,’ he said firmly.
She gave him a strange look. ‘Like what?’
‘Like you taking some time off work next week.’
‘It’s too busy at the office right now to even contemplate taking time off.’
‘I would have thought that discussing the Zentenas contract would give you complete freedom to be out of the office.’
‘But we wouldn’t be discussing the contract.’ She shook her head. She couldn’t think about this right now; her head was all over the place.
‘We could discuss it,’ he said softly. ‘Amongst other things.’
She shook her head. He was teasing her now and she couldn’t take it. ‘Look, Nicholas—I’m really not in the mood for this right now.’
She wasn’t in the mood to talk about work? He looked at her in perplexity.
Cat suddenly noticed the probing way he was watching her and tried to turn away from him, but he reached out a hand and pulled her back.
‘Are you feeling ill?’
‘No!’ She tried to stop him but he pulled her closer and tipped her face upwards so that he could look at her closely.
‘I’m fine.’ She closed her eyes and then shivered with desire when he stroked his fingers over the side of her face.
‘You’ve been putting in too many hours in that office.’
His voice was huskily concerned and her eyes flew open to meet his. He looked concerned as well—but it was an illusion, of course. He wasn’t really bothered about her. He just had some free time at the weekend and thought he’d spend it making love.
‘Come to Crete with me for the weekend, Catherine. I know you said you are busy, but surely whatever it is can wait?’
When she didn’t answer him, he pulled her closer into his arms. She allowed herself to be held. It felt wonderful and she closed her eyes, trying desperately to think sensibly about what she should do.
What would he say if she told him she was pregnant? The question sizzled through her. He would probably finish with her immediately! But then she didn’t know for sure how he would react, a little voice whispered insidiously inside her. She didn’t even know for sure how she felt right now—she supposed she was in shock.
‘A little time alone together would be fun,’ he said softly as he stroked her hair back from her face. ‘Don’t you think?’
Maybe a weekend in his company would help her decide what she should do? And, if nothing else, it would give her a chance to recharge her batteries and think.
‘I suppose it would.’ Her voice was muffled against his chest.
