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Startled by his own thoughts, Jake lifted a hand to his forehead and rubbed at the frown lines. This was ridiculous. He’d only known her for a couple of days. The humour of the situation wasn’t wasted on him. He’d lost count of the number of women who had dropped hints about moving in with him. He’d developed various strategies for gently but firmly locking his door with the woman on the outside. So why did he suddenly want to lock the door and keep Miranda on the inside?
‘Fine.’ He knew that his thoughts would have her scurrying hard back to her damp-ridden, gloomy flat without a backward look so he kept them to himself. ‘Consider this a base until you find something more suitable.’
‘It’s very generous of you.’ She fiddled with her hands, clearly troubled by something. ‘I still don’t understand why would you do this for me.’
‘Does there have to be a reason?’
‘Isn’t there always?’ She gave a cynical laugh. ‘I’d be guessing at the sex aspect if it weren’t for the fact that I’m six months pregnant.’
‘There’s a great deal more to my motives than sex.’ His gaze was direct. ‘OK, I’m not going to lie to you, Miranda, because you’ve obviously heard enough lies. The truth is, I don’t exactly know why I want you to live here. There was something between us from the first moment we met on Christmas Day. When I woke up and found you gone I was frantic—frustrated. Then, when I discovered you at work, I felt light-headed until you stood up and I saw that you were pregnant. I’ve always had a rule that I never tread on another man’s toes, so I was prepared to walk away even though I felt as though something important had been snatched away from me.’
Her dark eyes were huge. Wary. ‘Jake—’
‘Let me finish.’ He stood up and walked towards her. ‘Then I discovered that you’re on your own. That I’m not treading on anyone’s toes. And that changes everything, Miranda. Why do I want you to stay here? Because I can’t let you go, it’s as simple as that. I’m not sure what that means, but I’d like to find out.’
‘I’m six months pregnant.’
‘That doesn’t change the person you are.’
‘This is ridiculous, Jake—’
‘Is it?’ He saw the shock in her eyes and in a way it mirrored his own feelings because normally he backed away from women, didn’t pursue them. It was ironic, he reflected, that the first time he was truly interested in a woman she was six months pregnant, fiercely independent and wary of men. With a faint smile of self-mockery he recognised that some of the women he’d dated would view his current situation as nothing more than poetic justice.
She stared at him and the tension in the room rose to agonising levels.
‘I—I don’t really know what you’re saying but I don’t want a relationship, Jake. Not with any man. I’m not trying to create a family.’
He smiled. ‘As I said, you’ve got yourself a family, Miranda.’
‘Well, it’s just going to be me and the baby and that’s fine by me.’
Why? he wondered to himself. Was it just because of the baby’s father or was there more to it than met the eye? Something to do with her own family.
‘You’re worn out,’ he said softly, deciding that it was best to end the conversation before he did something that might frighten her off. ‘Go to bed, Miranda. We can talk tomorrow.’
‘But you can’t just—’
‘Don’t complicate the simple,’ he advised. ‘You’re sleeping here tonight. Any more than that we can discuss at another time.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘I DON’T think you should drive me to work,’ Miranda said the next morning as she sipped the cup of tea Jake had made for her and nibbled on a piece of toast.
‘Why not?’
‘Because people might notice and talk. And that would be embarrassing.’
She’d been awake for most of the night, thinking about what he’d said. He hadn’t wanted to let her go. Even while most of her was backing off, deafened by alarm bells, a small part of her was shiny with happiness.
‘Coming from a woman who rides a heap of rust in public, I find it hard to believe that you care about what people think.’ There was laughter in his eyes and she looked away, wishing that his smile wasn’t so compelling.
He smiled at everyone, she reminded herself firmly. It was just the kind of man he was. You felt as though the smile was only for you, but it wasn’t.
She had to be careful. Very careful. It would be foolish and dangerous to allow herself to dream.
‘That’s entirely different.’ She put her empty mug into the dishwasher and then turned to face him. ‘I’m pregnant, Jake. People will make the same assumptions about me that you did, and I don’t want that. I don’t want people thinking that I’m dishonest or unfaithful or any of the other things people assume when they see a pregnant woman with a man who isn’t her husband.’
He gave a shrug, his expression unconcerned. ‘As you told me on Christmas Day, what people see on the outside rarely resembles the inside so what does it matter? Let them gossip.’ Evidently indifferent to the views of others, he strolled towards the door and held it open for her. ‘Come on or we’ll be late.’
