The Baby Bargain (5 page)

“Lawrence!” She held out her hands, truly pleased he was here. She’d worked for Dr.
Hamilton at the Raven’s Cove Animal Hospital until she’d decided to open her own practice.

Grasping her hands, Lawrence smiled, showing his perfect white teeth. “Megan, you
look lovely.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Did you save me a dance?”

“Naturally.” She let him lead her onto the dance floor. Placing her hand on his shoulder,
they moved to the music. “It means a lot to me that you came tonight.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” He settled his hazel gaze on her. “You really do look stunning.
Very chic with your hair up off your face and spilling down your back.”

“Better than my usual ponytail, huh?”

Lawrence looked like he was born to the country club life. Tanned, fit, light brown
hair, and sexy eyes. He was past forty, but he looked younger. He loved golf and tennis.
Megan liked tennis, but golf bored her.

“You work too hard. You always did, but at least when you worked for me, I could keep
an eye on you and make sure you went home at a decent time.”

“These days, I have a reason to go home,” she said, thinking of her boy.

“How is Cole?”

“Busy.” She laughed. “Just like a rambunctious puppy. I don’t know how the canine
moms do it with a whole litter.”

“Me neither,” Lawrence said, guiding Megan out of the way of an oblivious couple.
“I burned off a lot of energy playing with my brothers and sister growing up.”

“There is that,” she said.

He looked down at her. “Are you seeing anyone?”

“Dating? No time for that.” She laughed, keeping the conversation light. For sure
she didn’t want to talk about Adam. “You’ve played golf with Nathan McCray, right?”

He paused for a second, and then said, “Sure. Why? You’re not interested in him, are
you?”

She shook her head at the absurd question. “I’d like your opinion on something, though.”
She quickly outlined the incident with Nathan in her office and the subsequent apology.

Lawrence rolled his eyes. “Nathan can be a hothead. Back when he was on the pro golfing
circuit, his temper was legendary.”

“Should I be worried?”

He sighed. “I did try to warn you that going out on your own would be tricky. This
kind of thing, it could damage a young practice like yours,” he said, thoughtful.
“I’ll talk to Nathan.”

“Oh, no. I don’t expect you to do that. I just wanted your opinion.”

“Independent as ever, aren’t you, Megan? But this really isn’t a big deal. I treated
Celtic Fire for a few years. Talking to Nathan won’t be a problem.”

Real affection spread through her. In some ways, he was like a father figure to her.
“Thank you. For talking to Nathan, of course. But also for handling Debbie’s decision
to bring Celtic Fire to me with such grace.”

“Hey, I trained you, remember? It just means I’m that good.”

Smirking at him, she said, “And that modest.”

The music ended. Putting his hand on her back, he led her off the dance floor. “Didn’t
I just finish dancing with the most beautiful woman in the room?”

Amused, she opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a new voice.

“Megan.”

She whipped her head to the left and got an eyeful of Adam. In a tux. One that barely
contained his broad shoulders. He wore it with casual ease, but his golden brown eyes
glinted dangerously at her. “Adam, what are you doing here?” She couldn’t get her
head around it.

“Who is this, Megan?” Lawrence asked, his tone sharp.

Real panic bubbled beneath her rib cage. She didn’t want Lawrence to mention her son.
She quickly introduced the two men, but her thoughts were spinning. What if someone
mentioned Cole? Her guts tightened. This could be a disaster. First she had to get
rid of Lawrence. “Thanks again for the dance.”

He glanced at Adam, then kissed her cheek and said, “We’ll talk later.” He strode
off.

“Who is that guy?”

Adam’s scent tantalized her senses. “Lawrence is my mentor. I worked for him at his
animal hospital when I was first starting out.”

He glanced over to where Lawrence stood at the bar with Nathan and a few others. “He
wants to be more than your mentor.”

“You’re jealous?”

“Apparently,” he said with a soft chuckle. “And I don’t like it.” His gaze softened
as he looked at her. He reached out and ran his fingers over her bare shoulder and
down her arm. “You look stunning, Meg.” He caught her hand in his. “I don’t know if
I should dance with you or pick you up and take you to the first room I can find with
a door that locks.”

His voice was pitched low, and his fingers left a trail of heat that tingled through
her. “Adam, I—what are you doing here?”

“Security detail. I have the schedule for the country club and saw the fund-raiser
for tonight. I knew you’d be here.”

She tried to ignore the thrill coursing through her at the idea that he had searched
her out. “We agreed not to see each other like this.”

He tugged her closer. “I thought I could control myself, but last night…it wasn’t
enough. I can still taste you, Meg. And technically, I’m here on business.”

Heat bloomed from her chest. Her entire body clenched at the memory. She was losing
control over everything around her too fast. Disaster loomed like threatening black
clouds moving in from the ocean. And yet her breasts swelled and her panties dampened.

“Adam? Is that you?” Her mom slipped up to them. “It is you.”

He released Megan’s hand and his face slid into a relaxed grin. “Hello, Catherine.”
He kissed her cheek. “You look lovely.”

“Megan didn’t tell me you were in town.”

Both of them turned to look at her. It felt like a hundred spotlights fell on her.
She knew she was flushed. “I…it hasn’t come up.”

Catherine touched his arm. “It’s good to see you looking whole and safe. We’ll catch
up after the dinner.” She caught Megan’s eye. “Time for us to go onstage.” Then she
walked away.

Megan stood frozen to the spot. By the bar, she saw Nathan watching her. Darting her
gaze to Adam, she blurted out, “I have to go.” Her stomach twisted with worry. She
had to convince Catherine to keep Cole a secret—at least until she herself was ready
to tell Adam that they had a son.

Chapter Seven

He needed her. It was a throbbing burning in his chest that matched his aching arousal.
But it was more than that. It was a sensation that she was hiding something from him.
Once she had been an open book. Now? A mystery. What had put that panicked look in
her eyes when she’d seen him?

Megan Young was driving him out of his mind. He wanted her in his bed, but he found
he needed her trust even more. He needed…all of her, which was ironic as hell since
he held back parts of himself from her.

For two hours, he’d watched her in that dress. The color reminded him of that last
blush of coral when the sun sank into the ocean. And the fit? Like a man’s hands sliding
along her curves.

Damn it.

On stage, Megan introduced her mom. Catherine gave her speech while dinner and dessert
was served. Adam could not recall a word of the speech or a bite of his food. He watched
as Meg moved through the throng, stopping to chat with smiles or one of her husky
laughs. She belonged here. In this town. The one his parents chose just to make sure
that he never forgot his brother.

It was her home.

And his hell.

He narrowed his gaze when he saw Lawrence approach the group Megan was chatting with.
Mentor, his ass. That man wanted Megan.

Not happening, not while he was here. A voice in his head tried to remind him that
he had no claim on Megan. But the rest of him, the primal man, rode right over that
voice and drove him to act. He put down his ice water and strode up behind Megan.
He paused as she spoke to a woman.

“I have a deposition Monday at lunch when I usually come by, so I’ll stop over tomorrow
and take a look.”

The middle-aged woman reached and out took Megan’s hand. “Oh, thank you, Dr. Young.
The poor dog was just left on the doorstep with no sign of her puppies. Emily found
her this morning.”

“No problem. We’ll take care of her.”

Lawrence said, “Why don’t we give Dr. Young a break from work.” He turned a smile
on her. “Megan, how about another dance?”

“I’ve already asked her for this dance,” Adam said keeping his gaze on Lawrence. He
put his hand on her shoulder.

She straightened so suddenly her back hit his chest. “Adam.”

The feel of her against him, the skin of her bare shoulder beneath his palm made him
burn with a possessive fire. He wrapped his other arm around her waist. Lowering his
head, he rubbed his cheek against the tumble of red curls flowing down her back. “Come
dance with me,” he said into her ear. “I’ve missed you.”

He felt the shiver ripple down her spine.

She tilted her head up. Confusion. Surprise. Wariness. And desire. They were all there
in her gaze. “And if I say no?”

He ran his thumb below her ribs. “You won’t.” He couldn’t bear it if she did. If she
rejected him, he’d walk away, but it would cost him something too painful to even
consider. He had to play this out with Megan. He’d have to walk away at some point.
He knew it and hated it.

They hovered there, the seconds ticking off louder than the band’s music. Adam felt
the stares of the others. He didn’t care. Only Meg mattered. This woman currently
filling his arms, her sweet weight against his chest, the rich curve of her ass in
his groin, the scent of her hair saturating him.

Lawrence stepped closer to her. “I thought you said you weren’t dating? That you had
no time with your s—”

“Sorry!” Megan cut him off. “I promised Adam this dance. He’s an old college friend,”
she added while twisting from his hold, then tugging Adam toward the dance floor.

Adam blinked at the sudden change of heart, but quickly caught up to Meg’s determined
stride. They arrived on the dance floor as the current song ended. Couples around
them clapped.

The strains of a new song began.
Wicked Games.

Smug at getting her away from that other veterinarian, he reached for her, but Megan
spun and, putting her back to him, she raised her arms over her head and swayed to
the darkly sexual music. He stared at the vibrant curls of her hair sliding over her
long back, hitting the top of her waist.

His throat went tight, his chest hot, and he thickened instantly with arousal as he
watched her sway, watched the curve of her backside cupped in that dress. Before he
realized what he was doing, he reached out, wrapped his hands around her hips, and
tugged her close against him.

She laughed as she bent her knees to shimmy down, then back up, her back sliding over
the front of him as her long arms reached up in graceful swirls. Her fingers grazed
his face, sweeping through his hair in butterfly touches. There and gone.

Holy Christ, he wanted more. Some part of him realized she was blatantly seducing
him. A complete turnaround from her attempts to keep their relationship a secret,
but there wasn’t enough blood left in his brain to worry about that now.

Tightening his fingers around her hips, he found her rhythm and danced with her, let
the music sink into them both, and felt something akin to true happiness in the moment.

Leaning his mouth to her ear, he said, “You know what you’re doing to me, don’t you?”

He saw her lips curve. “What you did to me last night?”

“Oh hell, yeah.” He drew in a breath. “I’m going to do that again. This time, though…no
panties.” His brain was on fire with the image.

Megan turned in his arms to face him. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was so damned
beautiful.

“How do you do that?”

He slipped one hand over her shoulder. “Make you burn for me like I burn for you?”

“Yes.” She breathed the word out. “It’s almost hurts the way I need you.”

He leaned closer. “I can make it stop hurting. Give you pleasure.” Adam was aware
of the people around them. It was pure survival for him to always be aware. He wanted
to get her somewhere private where all his attention could be on her. Just Meg. “Come
to my room with me.”

“You have a room? Here?”

“I do.” The band was beginning a new song. He trailed his hand down her arm and caught
her hand, tugged her off the floor and out the French doors onto the patio. At the
waist-high fence, he kissed her.

…

Megan lost her breath as his mouth descended on hers. Her thoughts scattered. He caught
her hair in his hand, tugging just enough.

She opened her mouth.

He invaded her, filled her. This was crazy! People were around, and yet all she could
think about was Adam. He pressed his body against hers, his arousal hard against the
softness of her belly.

Ripping his mouth from hers, he looked into her face. Heat poured off him. “I never
lose control. You do this to me. Come with me. Now.” He fought past the raging need
to bury himself deep inside her. “You can say no to sex, just let me hold you. Have
you all to myself for a little while.”

She couldn’t get her wits about her. She should ask where, tell someone, but then
she looked into his eyes and saw a mix of searing lust and unending need and there
was no part of her that could deny him.

So all she said was, “Yes.”

Adam slid his hands to her waist and lifted her effortlessly. “Swing your legs over
the fence.”

She did, feeling a new thrill go through her.

Releasing her, Adam hopped the fence, grabbed her hand, and ran over the lush grass.

“Wait!” Laughing, she held onto his arm and took off her heels. They resumed running,
the lights of the clubhouse retreating. Night fell around them like a velvet caress.
The grass was damp and cool beneath her feet, while Adam’s hand was warm around hers.
They passed a pond, heard the gentle movement of the water, and headed to the guest
cabins tucked in a tree line. Her heart beat harder, and she grew slightly winded.
But for the first time in years, Meg felt young, sexy, and free to be just a little
bit wild.

As they neared the edge of the grass, Adam stopped and swept her into his arms. “I
don’t want you stepping on rocks or debris, or stubbing your toe in a crack.” He strode
over the flagstones, following the curving path to a cabin bracketed by two cypress
trees. He fished out a key while still holding her, unlocked it and walked in.

She barely saw the wood-beamed ceiling, pecan-colored walls, or planked floor covered
in rugs. With her still in his arms, he paused between a small kitchenette on the
left and living area on the right. “Want to stay out here? Or go in the bedroom?”

“Bedroom. ”She breathed it out, her need for him flooding her with an unbearably sweet
pain.

His eyes flared with heat, and he carried her into a bedroom at the back. A lamp shed
a soft light onto a huge four-poster bed covered in a patchwork quilt. He lowered
her legs and slid her down his body. He sank his hands into her hair, finding the
pins and releasing them. He massaged her scalp where the pins had clipped her hair
up at her temples, but left it free to fall down her back.

The sensation of his long fingers sliding over those tender areas made her moan.

“Damn,” he muttered. Framing her face with his hands, he kissed her. Hard. Deep. Relentless.

Until she was kissing him back. Tasting him, feeling the wet heat of his tongue against
hers. She sucked in his lower lip, grazing it with her teeth. More. She wanted more.
Her dress was too tight, her breasts too heavy.

He pressed one thigh between her legs, sliding against her cleft and rocking with
just the right friction.

She ran her hands over his arms, down his waist, and held onto his firm backside.
Trying to get more. She whimpered against his mouth.

Tugging her head back, he looked into her eyes. “Do you ache for me, sweet Meg?” Pushing
his erection against her belly, he said, “Like I ache for you?”

His eyes were dilated, his face flushed. “Yes. I can’t wait any longer.”

“I’m all yours.” He let go of her and yanked off his jacket, pulled off his tie. He
undid his shirt and ripped it out of his pants.

As he stripped, her body grew tighter. Never had she needed him like she did now.
When he undid the belt and opened his pants, she saw the line of hair that trailed
down his taut stomach, her mouth dried, and she curled her fingers into her palms.

His gaze stayed locked on her as he guided his pants and boxers down. The long, thick
column of his arousal sprang free.

She reached out and traced the length of him. One hand wasn’t enough. She used both
to cup him, sliding along the delicious length.

Adam kicked his pants away and caught her hips. “Turn,” he said, his voice a harsh
command.

She released him and lifted her hair. Adam’s fingers found the zipper and pulled it
down slow and steady. The gown fell away, exposing her skin to the cool air and the
scorching heat of his gaze.

“Thong and nothing else. That’s damned hot.” He turned her around, pressed her back
to the bed, caught the thong at her hips and tugged it off. He got a condom from a
drawer of the side table.

“I’m taking the birth control shots. I’m safe from pregnancy.”

He rolled on the condom and climbed on the bed beside her. “I’m always careful.” He
leaned down and kissed her, starting with her mouth and working his way down her body.

The thought that he was careless once came and went before she could hold onto it.
Nothing mattered but the feel of him. He drew her nipple into his mouth, his hand
wandering between her thighs, and she was lost.

She trailed her hand down his belly, following that thin line of hair over his rippled
muscles to his penis. Closing her fingers around him, she brushed her thumb over the
sensitive tip. He groaned, pushing into her hand. Then he reached down, moved her
hand away, and covered her body. Settling between her thighs, he positioned himself,
then slid into her.

She caught her breath as he filled her body, and in the process exposed the part of
her that had been empty all these years. The intensity of her feelings, of the physical
sensations, swept her into a place only he could take her. She writhed beneath him,
trying to capture more.

“Yes. Show me what you want.” He caught her face, kissing her as he began to thrust
harder and deeper, until she was panting, clawing at his back. Her entire being focused
on him pulling out of her, then pushing back in through all her sensitive folds.

She couldn’t get enough. “I can’t…” She arched, never having gone this high.

Adam pushed up on one arm. He moved his other arm beneath her thigh and eased her
leg up a bit, then he increased the strength of his thrusts, creating a hot streak
of wicked sensations building to unbearable tension.

“Look at me,” he said.

She opened her eyes and saw true masculine beauty. His face was pulled tight, stark,
his eyes blazing.

“Now, Meg. Come now.” He shoved into her, filling her with everything he had.

She came apart as spirals of pleasure detonated and he kept it going, angling his
thrusts, giving her bliss that bordered on sweet agony. And just as she began to come
down, he let himself go.

Burying her face in his hair, she felt the spasms of his orgasm take over. She held
him tight, milking his pleasure just as he’d done for her.

Hours later, she woke up covered in nothing but warm male. Adam was at her back, his
arms around her, one thigh thrown over her hips. It was dark and quiet except for
his soft breathing. In front of her, the glowing dials of the bedside clock read two
a.m.

Adam had been both fierce and tender, making love to her over and over.

Always with a condom.

She remembered his words about using a condom even though she was on birth control.
Always careful.

Except that one time after his parents’ funeral.

That was on both of them.

But making love with Adam and not telling him about Cole?

That was on her.