Читать книгу: «A Forever Family Collection», страница 16

CHAPTER SIX

WHEN they got home a very excitable Reuben had crept back out of bed.

Lucy gave a shake of her head. ‘I’m sorry, Abby, but he seems to be full of energy tonight.’

Abby smiled. ‘Don’t worry, Lucy. Thanks for looking after him.’

It took almost an hour to persuade him to get back under the covers. Abby had to read him four stories before he finally nodded off.

By the time she got downstairs Luke had lit the fire in the front room and opened a bottle of wine. Abby slumped down into the nearest armchair and they sat for a few moments in silence, watching the flickering flames.

She took a sip of her wine and studied him carefully. He could still pass for a male model with his surfer-boy looks. There might be a few more lines around his eyes and on his forehead but they didn’t detract from his good looks, only added character. She lifted her hand to her face. Did the lines around her eyes add character? Or only make her look older than her thirty years?

She remembered the way that all the females in the hospital where they’d been interns together had flocked around him, batting their eyelids and reapplying their lipstick. And he hadn’t shown the slightest bit of interest. In fact, he’d made a point of introducing his girlfriend Abby to them all.

Loyalty had always been Luke’s strong point— that and a few other things that took place behind closed doors. She felt the colour rushing into her face at the memories that flooded her mind.

‘Penny for your thoughts?’

‘What?’ Abby gulped. The last thing she wanted to do was share those kinds of thoughts with him.

‘You looked lost in your thoughts. What’s up? Are you tired?’

She leaned back a little further into her chair, hoping he wouldn’t notice her reddening cheeks. ‘It’s certainly been a big day. It’s not every day your ex turns up with the First Lady in tow.’

He smiled and nodded slowly. ‘I decided to make an entrance.’

‘You certainly did.’

Luke set his glass down on the table next to him. ‘I honestly nearly died of shock when I saw you sitting there, with your feet on the desk. Good shock, that is. If ever anybody could get me out of a pickle…’

He left the words hanging in the air as he threw a cheeky grin at her.

‘I kept expecting someone to jump out from behind a set of curtains with a camera and shout, ‘Fooled you’!’

Luke heaved a huge sigh. ‘You’ve no idea how much I wish that had happened.’ He pointed to a pile of stuff in the corner. ‘What’s with the old DVDs and romance novels? I didn’t know you were into that.’

‘They’re for Jennifer Taylor.’

‘What?’ Luke had just taken another sip of his wine, which he spluttered down the front of his shirt.

‘She asked me for them earlier, she’s bored out of her mind. I meant to take them along to her…’ she glanced at her watch ‘…but time’s just gotten away from me.’

‘I’ll take them for you.’ He looked outside at the inky-dark night. ‘I wouldn’t want you walking along that path at this time of night.’

‘Which is exactly what I have to do when I’m on call. You don’t have to protect me, Luke, I’m a big girl now.’

‘I know that.’ Something flickered across his mind. ‘What happens to Reuben when you’re on call?’

‘Lucy comes and stays overnight. She uses one of the guest bedrooms.’

He nodded thoughtfully. She’d really thought of everything.

Something twisted inside him again. Why? Reuben just reminded him so much of Ryan. Even some of his little mannerisms had seemed so familiar this evening when he’d been watching him. The way he’d played with that little spiky bit of hair at the front of his head, and the way he’d been so meticulous about lining up his soldiers in a particular order.

So many coincidences, all wrapped up in one little boy.

One little boy that Luke wished was his.

There. He’d thought it. Why was he even thinking like this?

He was hopeless around kids. He’d never really taken the time to get to know any. He wouldn’t have a clue how to interact with a child.

Another thought flickered through his head. Was it just the physical similarities? Was it the white-blond hair and blue eyes that was drawing him to Reuben? Was he looking for something he’d lost? A replacement for his brother?

It sent a shiver down his spine.

Then there was the ALL. He’d been there and done that before. There was no way on this earth that he wanted to go through any of that again. He already lost someone who was infinitely precious to him, he just couldn’t even contemplate allowing himself to be in that position again.

But what about Abby? The feelings that were resurfacing were making Luke feel alive again for the first time in five years. Did he really want to let her slip through his fingers a second time?

In the space of one day a whole host of possibilities and complications lay in front of him. Things that he’d pushed from his mind for so long. Abby made him happy. She was the key component here. He didn’t care about the distance between Washington and Pelican Cove. He cared about what was right in front of him.

But Abby was a package deal. She came with Reuben. And all of this, all of this wasn’t about them. It was something that ran much deeper.

This was about finally letting himself think about being a father, something he’d never allowed himself to consider. Something he’d pushed right to the back recesses of his mind, somewhere dark and bleak where things never emerged from.

Now possibilities were floating around in his mind. Tiny, persistent ideas that bounced around, spiralling into something else entirely. Abby had said if she met someone she might have children, or she might adopt again. Would she be happy never to have children of her own?

‘Luke? Luke?’

Her voice cut through his thoughts, channelling him back to the present day and time. ‘Sorry, what is it?’

‘You were lost in a world of your own. I was asking you if you’d brought some scrubs from the hospital to wear tonight.’

He laughed as he remembered her earlier comment about not wearing his ‘normal nightwear’, which in fact was nothing. ‘Don’t worry, your son’s innocence is safe with me.’ He had a twinkle in his eye that she hadn’t seen in a long time and it caught her unawares.

Under the flickering firelight Luke’s hair stood out and his pale blue eyes captured her gaze and held it, making her breath catch in her throat.

This could be so easy. It would be so simple to step forward into his arms and then step back five years in time. She could almost hear her heart beating against her chest and a low, unfamiliar feeling between her legs. It had been so long since she’d slept with someone. In fact, it had been five long years.

Tears sprang to her eyes in recognition of the thought. Five long years since she’d felt his skin against hers, felt his lips on her throat, her shoulders, her breasts…

She’d been asked out loads of times, on rare occasions she’d agreed to a date and maybe even a kiss. But that had been it. No one had ever lit the flame inside her like Luke had. No one had ever made her want to throw off her clothes and run naked down a beach like Luke had. No one had ever made her want to squeeze into the smallest on-call room in the hospital and barricade the door like Luke had.

Then he was there, right in front of her, kneeling on the floor in her house, taking the wine glass out of her hand. It was almost like a dream. Almost like a fantasy.

‘I miss you, Abby.’

‘I’ve missed you too Luke.’

He ran his hand down her arm, lifting her hand and placing it on his chest. She could feel his beating heart under her fingertips and the rise and fall of his warm chest. After five years Luke was back, right where she’d always wanted him.

She shifted forwards in the chair, her knees naturally easing to the floor in front of him. His hand reached up, catching the side of her face and pulling her towards him. And he kissed her. Slowly and gently, as she felt his heartbeat quicken under her palm.

She wanted to touch him. She wanted to feel his skin on hers, so with trembling hands she started to undo the buttons on his shirt, slowly at first, never moving her lips from his, then tugged at them in frustration as they halted her progress. His kiss had deepened, his tongue easing its way into her mouth. His hands slid under her light cardigan and she lifted her arms upwards as he pulled it off in one seamless movement.

His hand stroked across her face as he pulled backwards to watch her in the flickering firelight. ‘You’re so beautiful, Abby,’ he whispered as he ran his fingers along her jaw line and down the delicate skin on her throat. She caught her breath. She knew what was coming next.

His hands met at her breastbone then separated outwards towards her aching nipples. He brushed against them, making her feel as if they were on fire. A smile danced across his lips. ‘So what would you like me to do, Abby?’

He slid the straps on her summer dress down over her shoulders. She inhaled sharply as he bent his head down lower, releasing the clip on her bra and catching her nipple in his teeth. Abby could feel the throb between her legs. His tongue danced over her nipple. ‘This?’ he asked, his pale blue eyes glinting wickedly.

‘Oh, yes,’ she whispered. Her hands reached around his back and pulled him even closer. This was meant to be a kiss. This was meant to be just an I’ve-missed-you kiss. But she wanted so much more.

Luke lifted the scatter cushions from the chair she’d been sitting on and placed them on the rug beneath them. He laid her down gently as he positioned himself above her. This was what he’d wanted from the moment he’d seen her that morning. He bent his head and blew on her nipples, causing her to arch her back towards him. ‘Oh, Luke,’ she moaned.

He slid his hand under her dress, pushing aside her panties and plunging his finger into the wet moistness. She lifted her hips towards him, urging him to plunge deeper. ‘These clothes have got to go, Abby,’ he said, as in one movement he reached up his hands and yanked down her panties, pulling them over her slim legs and feet. She wiggled her way out of her dress and threw it onto the nearby sofa.

She tugged at the belt on his trousers. ‘You’re right, these clothes have definitely got to go.’

It only took a few seconds to undo his belt and reveal the white shorts she’d admired earlier. Even in the dim light, they couldn’t possibly conceal, or contain, his stiff erection. She ran her fingers along the length, smiling as she heard his sharp intake of breath. She wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering in his ear, ‘I guess all the clothes should really go—no matter how nice they are.’ Her hands slid down his back, cupping his buttocks. Her legs had naturally separated, allowing him to fit between them. All he had to do was…

‘Wait a minute!’ Abby leapt upwards. ‘Condoms, we need condoms.’ She barely noticed the surprise on his face as her naked body ran out the door and up the stairs.

Luke was frozen. Why would she need condoms? After all, he couldn’t make her pregnant, could he? What else did she need protection against?

He lay on his side, in front of the fire, his head leaning on his hand. Abby dashed back into the room at top speed, clutching a box in her hands. She stood in front of him, completely naked, biting her bottom lip. ‘I think they might be out of date,’ she mumbled.

His eyes drifted up and down the length of her body. Her creamy skin illuminated by the dancing firelight. She was still perfection. In his previous visions, Abby had always reminded him of Rapunzel with her long flowing locks. But the new, shorter, edgier hairstyle suited her. It revealed more of her body, in particular her luscious full breasts and flaring hips. His eyes fell even lower, to the blonde triangle of hair.

‘Come here.’ His voice was deep, husky.

She walked towards him and knelt down, the box still in her hand.

He took it, an amused gleam in his eye, and glanced at the date. ‘I guess they’re not going to be much use.’

Somehow, the fact that Abby had a box of out-of-date condoms sent good sensations running through him. He bent forward, taking one of her nipples into his mouth and gently teasing it with his teeth. ‘So it’s been a long time, then, Abby?’

She nodded wordlessly. Her mind was too engrossed by his actions to formulate a response.

‘Would it help if I told you it had been a long time for me too?’

Her eyes widened. He remembered her questions about ‘Luscious Lisa’ earlier. Did she think he’d slept with her? He closed his hands around the box before tossing it carelessly to one side. ‘You’re safe, Abby. I’m safe. Now let’s see what we can do about making up for the last five years.’ He rolled onto his back, pulling her above him. ‘I think the lady should be in control,’ he teased huskily.

‘I think I can do that.’ She poised above him, hovering over his thick length, then bent forward, her hair brushing over his chest as she kissed him thoroughly, before lowering herself gently down on him.

The sensation was immediate. Fullness. A feeling that spread through her whole body, like a pulsating heat generating outwards. It felt like coming home.

But Luke wasn’t finished with her yet. He started to move, rhythmically, playing a tune that he hadn’t played in years. He knew exactly where to touch her, where to stroke and how to take her right to the edge. And so he did. Again. And again. And again.

Abby woke at seven a.m. The sun was streaming through the curtains, showing the start of a beautiful sun-kissed day. She stretched in her comfortable bed. Then she realised something was wrong. The house was silent. Her house was never silent at this time in the morning. But, then, she never slept this late, and she never woke up alone. Reuben always woke up in the middle of the night and she brought him into bed beside her.

She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. She couldn’t even remember how she had got to bed. The last thing she remembered she’d been lying on the rug in the living room with Luke. The memories made her blush.

Abby threw back the cover, pushed her feet into her slippers and grabbed her dressing gown from the foot of the bed. As soon as she pushed open her bedroom door she could hear voices. Happy voices. No, Reuben’s voice was happy—Luke’s voice was a little strained. She wandered along the corridor towards them.

Luke was lying in the guest bedroom, propped up on some pillows. Somehow he’d resisted coming into bed alongside her. He must have known she wouldn’t have wanted Reuben to see them in bed together. His duvet had been transformed into an assault course for a variety of soldiers and cars. Ornaments, toothbrushes and aerosol cans littered the cover and Reuben was having the time of his life. Crash! Bang!

‘Give me the red one, Luke, it’s the supercharged one. You take the blue one—it can fly. Now, ready, set, go!’

Abby stood in the doorway. They hadn’t even noticed her yet. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach. This was the man that didn’t want children. Ever.

Hell, he hadn’t even liked coming up to the paediatric ward to pick her up and on the few occasions that he had appeared, he hadn’t been able to get out of the place quickly enough.

Then something else struck her. She’d never seen Reuben do this before. He’d never had a male adult role model in his life. Most of his adult contacts were with Abby or Lucy. She watched him as he leapt onto Luke’s back and tried to tumble him to the floor.

She frowned. It was much more rough and tumble behaviour than he did with her. Was this what a little boy needed? And he wasn’t getting it from her?

For the first time ever she felt strangely lacking. Maybe Reuben needed more than her?

‘Abby, hi.’ Luke’s voice cut through her thoughts. His eyes were heavy from lack of sleep and an uncomfortable smile was on his face. ‘Reuben woke me early this morning. He decided we would be playmates.’

Luke shifted underneath the cover, causing numerous items to move around the bed.

‘Wow, Luke, now we’ve got a mountain!’ shouted Reuben as he pounced on Luke’s bent knee.

Luke lifted his eyebrows at Abby. ‘Does he wake this early every day?’

Abby nodded solemnly.

Luke swallowed thoughtfully. Long, comfortable lie-ins were obviously a thing from the past in this household. The kind of thing he used to do with Abby on a morning like this. Long, lazy days usually spent wrapped in each other’s arms with no one else to think about. If only. He caught the expression on her face. He could tell she was uncomfortable, but why?

It was time to get her mind on other things. ‘This morning we have the car and soldier extraordinaire assault course. Would you care to have a try?’ He lifted the corner of the duvet cover and gave her a wink. Abby he could deal with. Abby he was comfortable with.

She watched, an uneasy feeling spreading over her. Her child. Reuben was hers. And he had been right from the start. Hers alone. She didn’t have to share him. What’s more, she didn’t want to share him.

‘Are you coming in, Mommy?’

She shook her head. ‘No, honey. Let’s go downstairs and make breakfast.’

In one leap, Reuben flew across the room and flung himself into her arms. ‘Great, I’m starving.’ The warmth of his little body spread that familiar feeling throughout her body. The feeling that gave her reassurance of her place and role in his life. She was his mother. No one could take that away from her. ‘What are we having, Mommy?’

‘What do you want?’

‘Porridge! Porridge is my favouwite!’

Abby gave him a kiss on the cheek and set him down on the floor. ‘Then porridge it is.’ She turned her head towards Luke. ‘And Dr Luke will get dressed before he comes downstairs,’ she said determinedly. The thought of Luke parading around her kitchen in his thin theatre scrubs conjured up butterflies in her stomach that she didn’t need.

Abby started as the phone rang as she walked by the hall table. She picked it up quickly and listened to the voice at the other end. Luke was wandering down the stairs towards her, some decidedly rumpled clothes in place and his hair standing on end.

‘Yes, yes. No, I understand.’ She winked at Luke as he appeared behind her. ‘Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure I can find someone to do that. No problem, see you later.’

‘Who was that?’

‘David Fairgreaves.’

‘What? Is something wrong with Jennifer Taylor?’

She shook her head. ‘No, Jennifer Taylor is doing fine. No signs of going into labour as yet. Valerie Carter, however, has just decided to go into an early labour.’

Luke’s brow furrowed. ‘Who’s Valerie Carter?’

‘Do you remember that yesterday I told you our cardiologist was 38 weeks pregnant, with a full clinic?’

He nodded. ‘So that’s Valerie Carter.’ The realisation of her words had just struck him. ‘So what have you just volunteered me for?’

‘Just to cover her clinics and procedures tomorrow.’ She gave a little smile over her shoulder as she walked towards the kitchen. ‘Let’s face it, you don’t have anything else to do for the next few days.’

Luke gave her a lazy smile. ‘True. It’s not like I can do anything for Jennifer Taylor. I might as well make myself useful. But I thought you said you only had a few deliveries a year?’ He followed her into the kitchen and as she washed her hands at the sink, he stepped up behind her, sliding his arms around her waist and pressing the full length of his body against hers. She leaned backwards into him, and his head dropped to the exposed skin at the nape of her neck as he started to run some butterfly-like kisses up to the back of her ear.

‘It’s true, but what’s that old saying, “When it rains, it pours”?’

He could hear her breath catching in her throat, knowing the effect he was having on her. ‘So I’m going to spend the next few days surrounded by babies, then?’ His voice was low and husky and there was a certain something awakening behind her as he pressed closer.

Abby let out a little groan as she answered, leaning her head further back and exposing even more of the white skin on her neck. ‘Looks like it. Time to get used to it, Luke. Pelican Cove is a small place, you can’t just hide away because you don’t like kids.’ Her voice was loaded, her tone almost accusing.

‘You don’t like kids, Dr Luke?’ Reuben’s voice was like a bolt out of the blue, causing them to spring apart.

He pulled his T-shirt lower to cover the swell in his trousers. Damn! He’d forgotten all about Reuben. All he’d thought about was Abby and what he wanted to do to her. The intrusion irked him. He wasn’t used to this. He wasn’t used to being mindful of small eyes and ears. He was used to walking across his apartment wearing nothing but his birthday suit. And previously, when he’d been with Abby, they’d managed to christen every room in the apartment they’d shared. How could you do that with a child about? It was bad enough to be woken early every day, without any extracurricular activities being interrupted as well.

Reuben’s voice was full of astonishment. ‘Why don’t you like kids?’

Luke shifted uncomfortably as a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks. ‘Who said I don’t like kids?’

‘My mom did.’ His eyes were large and his expression solemn. ‘And she knows everything. Don’t you like me?’ There was something in the way he said it, like a four-year-old who implicitly trusted his own little world, that tugged at Luke’s heartstrings. He wanted the floor to open up and swallow him. For a second, he’d almost wished the little guy away. He was the adult here, and he was a guest in their home. It was up to him to make an effort. Reuben was part of Abby’s life, and whether he liked it or not he was going to have to get used to the idea.

A picture flitted through his mind. A picture of another little boy on a day out at the beach— wide-eyed, expressive and trusting—just before his wretch of a big brother had dunked him in a rock pool.

He could feel Abby’s eyes staring at him, burrowing into the side of his face. He bent downwards and whispered in Reuben’s ear, ‘Of course I like you, Reuben. You look just like another little boy that I used to play with. And I liked him—a lot.’

Reuben’s eyes narrowed, before he nodded acceptingly and trotted off to play.

Luke breathed a sigh of relief and sagged back against the wall. This was tougher than he’d thought.