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‘Yes, I...’ Pink flags rose in her cheeks. ‘It’s beautiful. The estate’s amazing.’ Her emerald eyes glowed with a coltish enthusiasm. ‘And the cottage couldn’t be more perfect. I love it there.’
‘That’s great,’ he said, stupidly jealous of a pile of bricks. ‘And Zane’s Beemer, that worked out okay too?’
She nodded. ‘Um-hum.’ Her teeth bit into her lower lip. ‘Although I feel a little guilty about borrowing it indefinitely.’
‘Why?’ he asked blankly, hoping to hell she hadn’t figured out the ruse.
‘It only had fifteen miles on the clock, Nate, when he dropped it off. I think it might be brand-new. It certainly smells that way. What if I dent it?’
‘You’re insured, aren’t you?’
‘Well, yes, but even so it’s—’
He covered her hand, felt the satisfying tremble of reaction as the concerned comment cut off. The flags in her cheeks got pinker. ‘Then it’s not a problem.’
‘Miss Tremaine? Mr Graystone? Dr Hillier is ready for you now.’
Nate lifted his hand, grateful for the receptionist’s interruption. He shouldn’t have touched Tess. That had been a dumb move. After three solid weeks, he’d just increased the torture tenfold.
He stood. ‘This should be...’ He hesitated. Not sure he was really prepared for this—was he actually going to see a baby? ‘Interesting.’
He waited for her to precede him, resisting the desire to rest his palm on the curve of her spine.
‘As long as everything’s okay,’ she said, so low he could barely hear her.
He cupped her elbow, hearing the concern. ‘Hey, this is routine, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, yes, it is,’ she said, but she didn’t sound completely sure.
He rested his fingertips on the small of her back. And damned the consequences.
‘How are you feeling?’ he asked, the guilt fresh as he realised he hadn’t bothered to ask in the last three weeks.
‘Fine. Good,’ she replied, sounding a little more definite.
‘Then there’s nothing to worry about.’
‘You’re right.’ She nodded. ‘Of course, you’re right.’
He pressed his palm into her back, let the silk glide under his fingers—and felt the tug of protectiveness and possession as they walked into the doctor’s office together. But this time the panic didn’t follow. Because he was too busy getting his head around the surprising fact that Tess Tremaine was a worrier.
That she needed his support, and not just financially.
And that meant avoiding her was no longer an option.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
‘THERE you go, that’s baby’s arms and legs.’ Dr Hillier pointed to the screen as she pressed the cool wand into the mound of Tess’s belly. Tess’s breath hitched as the head and tiny little body came into focus, her baby’s features already forming.
She hadn’t expected the baby to look so recognisable. And she certainly hadn’t been prepared for anything this intense, this amazing—or this terrifying.
Nate’s hand gripped hers and she glanced up, to find him staring down at her from his seat beside the examination table. Was it her imagination, or did he look as stunned as she felt?
‘Pretty cool, huh?’ he murmured, squeezing her fingers until they stopped trembling.
‘Yes,’ she whispered back.
The well of emotion geysered up inside her as the doctor began to click the monitor, talking quietly about the measurements she was checking. The rapid-fire ticks of the
