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‘You knew that I was coming?’ she accused.
‘I knew the place was rented, but I don’t keep up with the details. I didn’t know until you arrived who the tenant was. I was angry at first, but only because you make me feel too deeply—you always have. I found myself wanting you too much. But once you were here…well—’ he gave her a devilish grin of triumph ‘—it was just too good an opportunity to miss.’
‘You could have had me thrown out at any time,’ she said wonderingly.
‘You had a water-tight rental agreement,’ he said glibly ‘And…uh…speaking of water.’
‘The bore pump was never broken?’ she guessed.
‘A fifty-cent seal and it’ll be good as new,’ he said without an iota of regret.
‘You—’ she jabbed him in the chest ‘—are a very devious man…’
‘Then it’s just as well that I’m marrying a very shrewd and managing woman, isn’t it?’ he said, winding a lock of her hair around his finger and gently tugging her into his kiss. He nudged her knees back against the bed, his mouth slanting on hers, his tongue sliding against hers, his hands spanning her hips, stroking the stomach that harboured his baby, rising to cup the breasts that were designed for nurture and pleasure, only to freeze in mid-caress as he turned his head.
‘What’s that?’
‘What?’
‘That squeaking. In the suitcase.’ He gave her an incredulous look. ‘Don’t tell me you were even going to pack the cat.’
‘Oh. Oh!’ She must have gathered Koshka up with the baby clothes. Her hand hovered uncertainly as she remembered the embarrassment of riches within, but Drake beat her to it, throwing back the lid and watching Koshka’s head pop out of her cosy nest of clothes. He picked a white bootee off the lashing black tail.
‘I’ve been shopping,’ she said weakly, smoothing over the rest of the contents as the cat leapt from the case and shot out the door.
‘So I see.’ Drake fitted the tiny bootee over the tip of his thumb and waggled it at her. ‘For our daughter?’ he asked softly.
‘Or our son.’ She looked at his grave face, misty with memory, wistful for all the love that was yet to come. ‘We could call him Ross, if
you liked…’ she offered, her eyes stinging with tears.
He slid his arm around her waist and tumbled her with him to the bed to kiss away her sorrow and replace it with laughter and love.
‘And if it’s a girl we can call her Joy, after you. Because that’s what you bring me, sweetheart.’ He made it a kiss and a vow. ‘Joy for now and for always.’
