Married To The Mum-To-Be

And she didn’t give him a thought. Not one. Not ever. Until the night her car collided with his in the hotel parking area. She was backing out, he was driving in. His hulking black Silverado had barely sustained a scratch, but her aging Beamer wasn’t as lucky. One broken taillight and a crumpled trunk later, she’d gotten out of the car full of apologies and then had clamped her mouth shut when she realized who she’d crashed into.

Because she’d been raised on a steady diet of dislike and abhorrence for anyone named O’Sullivan all of her life. The feud went back thirty years, before she was born. It was not a story that anyone talked about in detail. Her father and J.D. O’Sullivan had been friends once, even partners in business. But something had happened that had changed everything, and Kayla had always happily kept her distance, leaving for college and not giving the O’Sullivans a single thought. When she returned to visit her parents over the years, she would occasionally see Liam or even his brothers around town if they were visiting their family, but never entertained the idea of talking to any them. She went to the O’Sullivan pub with her friends and rarely registered Liam’s presence. Of course, that changed once she returned home permanently and then crashed into Liam’s truck a month later.

Immediately on the defensive, she’d expected him to be arrogant and judgmental and entitled about the whole incident. That’s who he was—or at least, that’s who she believed he was. And she did her best to ignore his handsome face, broad shoulders and how good he looked in jeans, white shirt and a leather jacket that screamed money and good taste. He was hot, no doubt about it. But he was also as off-limits as the stars from a distant planet.

He’d looked her up and down, quickly registering who she was and probably imagining the great big red flag waving between them just as she did. She saw a flicker of something in his eyes, a kind of unexpected and guarded awareness that was mirrored in her own.

But to her surprise, Liam had been very civil about the whole thing. They’d exchanged cell numbers and insurance details and he even called a tow for her and a cab once she’d refused his offer to drive her home. She said goodbye before one last apology and left. And that, she’d thought, was that.

Except he called her forty-eight hours later and asked her out.

Date Liam O’Sullivan?

Not a chance.

She refused him as politely as she could and pushed the idea from her thoughts. Until three days later when he called again. Of course she turned him down. There was no way in hell she could go out with him. Even if she wanted to. Which of course she didn’t. At least, not without hurting her parents.

Instead, she started dating someone else. Will Serrato was the foreman on one of the local ranches, a good-looking cowboy with nice manners, a lovely smile and no familial ties to Cedar River, which suited her fine. Her parents liked him and Kayla enjoyed his company. It lasted three months, until they both admitted they were better off as friends rather than lovers. She liked Will a lot, but that wasn’t enough to sustain a long-term relationship. She’d had three bland years with the college professor as proof. Liking someone didn’t cut it.

“Have you told anyone else?”

Liam’s voice jerked her back into the moment. She turned and discovered he was only a couple of feet away. He had the stealth of a cat. Her blood heated immediately, her usual reaction when he was within touching distance.

She crossed her arms. “No.”

“Not the Happy-Hour Crew?”

She frowned. That’s what he called her friends, Ash, Lucy and Brooke. They’d regularly met at O’Sullivans on a Friday evening up until a few months ago. But Brooke had recently married a New York lawyer who’d bought out a legal practice in town and they’d adopted a baby girl who was biologically Brooke’s niece. And Lucy and her fiancé Brant Parker were to marry in the next few months. Ash had a twelve-year-old son at home, plus a small ranch where she took in foster kids, and there wasn’t much time left in the week for socializing.

“No one,” she said again. “This is between me and you.”

His mouth flattened. She knew that look. He was close, so close she could feel the heat radiating from him. Since they hadn’t been as near to one another for days he was burning even hotter than usual. They had great chemistry and making love with him was like nothing she’d experienced before. Hot, passionate and yet achingly tender. For five months she’d loved him...loved him...with her body and her whole heart.

“I guess everyone will know soon enough,” he said quietly, reaching down to briefly rest his hand against her belly.

Kayla stilled at his warm touch and felt cold when he moved his hand away. She didn’t want to think about the whole world learning about her pregnancy. Confirming the news aloud to him—and to herself—was dramatic enough. “I have no intention of saying too much too soon, even if I do see my friends on a Thursday night.”

“When you’re hanging out at the Loose Moose?” he queried.

Kayla shrugged. Lucy’s fiancé owned the Loose Moose, and although it was a different kind of place than O’Sullivans, it was still competition. And Liam knew she went there every other Thursday evening to have dinner with her friends. Brant was always there because he owned the place and Brooke regularly brought Tyler on their get-togethers. But Kayla had not taken Liam...not once. She didn’t want the questions she would get from her friends. Or their concern, since they knew about the feud between her father and J.D. O’Sullivan.

“It’s a nice place,” she said extra sweetly. “The steaks are good.”

His gaze narrowed. “You’re a vegetarian.”

Kayla managed a tight smile. “I like the salad bar,” she said and shrugged lightly.

His hand came up to touch her cheek and as his fingertips gently rubbed her jawline the sensation spread heat through her with the speed of a brushfire. “I know what you like.”

His words were packed with innuendo. He did know. Better than anyone. “Well, I guess I should get back to work.”

“Not yet,” he said, his voice so quiet it was almost a whisper. He leaned in closer, his intent obvious. She’d craved his kiss since that first date and tilted her chin acceptingly. He kissed the corner of her mouth softly. And then her cheek and then the sensitive spot just below her earlobe. “Come home with me tonight, Kayla,” he whispered against her skin. “Come home and let me make love to you.”

It should have been easy to nod and fall into his arms and to agree to anything he suggested. But it wasn’t. If she was pregnant, then their complicated relationship was about to become even more so.

“I can’t,” she replied, woozy from the feel of his lips trailing over her skin. “Ash is coming by this evening to drop off some flyers for the hospital benefit. You know she’s on one of the committees and is helping me with the—”

He pulled back, straightened and stared down at her. “Is this because of the fight we had the other day?”

She remembered the words they’d exchanged a few days earlier. It was the same discussion they’d been having since the beginning of their relationship. But she wasn’t ready to break her father’s heart. And she wouldn’t be pushed.

“Was that a fight?” she asked and sighed.

He shrugged loosely. “Maybe. If it was, then I’m sorry.”

Kayla reached out and touched his jaw, felt the bristle of stubble and smiled. “You didn’t shave this morning?”

He met her gaze. “I don’t sleep well unless I have you next to me. Then I woke up late and ran out of time.”

His words melted her. She didn’t want to give him sleepless nights. She didn’t want to argue with him, either. She wanted...she wanted it to work out. She wanted their families to end the feuding. With a heavy heart, Kayla suspected she wanted the impossible.

“Liam...”

“It kills me to be away from you,” he admitted and swallowed hard. His gaze dropped to her stomach and without a word he gently pressed a hand to her middle. “Do you really think that you’re...” His words trailed off with a kind of agonized sigh when she nodded. “My god, Kayla...if you are then everything changes. Everything,” he said again, steadier, as though he was affirming the idea to himself.

His palm was warm against her belly. And strong and familiar. Their connection had never seemed more intense than it did in that moment and she had to say what was on her mind. And in her heart. “This isn’t what I planned...at least, not yet. But, the more I think about it, the more I want this baby, Liam. Despite what it will mean to our families. Despite how...complicated it is.”

They hadn’t talked about having children, not in any real depth. It was one of those things that seemed too hard, considering they were keeping their relationship a secret from everyone they knew. From the world.

“So do I, Kayla.”

Of course she knew that. Liam would make a great father. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said and dropped her hand. “Okay?”

He nodded resignedly. “I’ll pick you up in the morning at eight thirty and we’ll drive into Rapid City.”

Kayla frowned. “My mother is coming by in the morning, plus I have a busload of tourists arriving tomorrow, so it will have to wait until the afternoon before I—”

“You could cancel your mother and get Shirley to cover you,” he said. “This really can’t wait.”

Sixtysomething Shirley had been working part-time at the museum for over twenty years and would certainly work if Kayla needed her. She pushed down her impatience at his high-handed logic. “Stop telling me what to do, Liam.”

“I’m not trying to make things harder here, Kayla. But if I’m going to be a father I’d like to know sooner rather than later.”

Of course he would. Kayla had a fleeting thought that she was being selfish. She’d had all morning to get used to the idea. Liam had only had fifteen minutes. “Okay,” she said agreeably. “Okay... I’ll call Shirley when I get back to work. And my mother,” she added.

His mouth twisted a little, as though he’d won a round. “I’ll call you later.”

She knew he would. He called her every night.