Maternally Yours

“Thank you for the ride home, Mr. Connelly.”

Brett’s brow rose at the formal use of his name and the hand she offered for him to shake. So she was trying to turn back time and return to a business-only acquaintance.

Well, that was just too damned bad, he decided, ignoring her gesture. He’d spent a good two hours in the E.R. worrying about her, and that, in his opinion, took them well beyond a business association.

Besides, whether she admitted it or not, she was extremely fragile right now. She needed someone to be there for her, to lend her moral support. And since he was partly to blame for her problems this evening, Brett felt obligated to see that she was comfortably settled before he bade her good-night. The fact that he liked the way she felt in his arms had no bearing on his decision at all.

Getting out of the car, he opened the passenger door before she could do it herself. He’d told her that he’d make sure everything was fine for her and her baby, and he had every intention of carrying through on his promise.

“Mr. Connelly—”

“Brett.” He smiled down at her. “I think we’re well past the formalities, Elena. Now, let’s get you inside where it’s warm.”

The cold February wind whipped the falling snow into their faces, and he placed his arm around her to hold her close. He told himself that it was just to keep her warm, to shield her from the frigid wind. But her small body pressed against his felt wonderful and he couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel without the cumbersome layers of their coats.

As they reached the steps to Elena’s building, a rotund lady in her fifties carrying a gym bag and resembling Nanook of the North, opened the door. “You’ll have to find somewhere else to spend the night, Elena,” she said, through the wool scarf covering her mouth and nose. “The furnace won’t be fixed until tomorrow at the earliest and maybe not until sometime Monday. The super said it depended on when the parts he had to order got here.”

Having made her announcement, Nanook hurried to the cab waiting by the curb, threw the gym bag inside, then hurled herself in after it.

“Wonderful,” Elena muttered as they watched the cab drive away. “The perfect ending to a perfect day.”

Brett held the door for her. “No problem. You can throw some clothes in an overnight case and stay at my place. I’ve got a nice large guest room and I guarantee it’s warm.”

He surprised himself with the invitation, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Not only was it the decent thing to do, since he was partially responsible for her collapse, it was something his parents would expect of him, considering the circumstances. This woman was in charge of investigating the attempted assassination of his brother Daniel, the new king of Altaria. Brett had been assigned the task of assisting her in whatever way was needed. By having Elena stay at his place, he could follow through on his promise to see that she was all right, and if she felt like it later, they could go over the questions she intended to ask during the interviews with his family.

“No, I can’t stay at your place,” she said, entering the lobby of the building.

She turned to face him, and if the look on her pretty face was any indication, hell would freeze over before she agreed to his offer. Brett almost laughed. With the temperature hovering around zero, it wouldn’t surprise him to hear that it had already started icing up.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Elena. You and I both know you can’t stay here.”

“I’ll…I’ll stay at…”

When her voice trailed off, he nodded. “That’s what I thought. You don’t have any idea where to stay, do you?”

“I’ll check into a hotel,” she said stubbornly.

He shook his head. “That’s not acceptable.”

She treated him to an indignant look. “Oh, really? And why not?”

“Because you need someone to take care of you.”

He immediately wished he’d used a little more diplomacy and phrased his statement differently. He could tell by the sudden straightening of her slender shoulders and the sparks of anger in her wide brown eyes, that he’d made a huge blunder.

“Mr. Connelly, I have never nor will I ever need someone to take care of me. I’ve been by myself for as long as I can remember and I’ve done just fine. I see no reason why that should change now.”

He told himself he should just walk away, that she didn’t want his help. But whether she wanted it or not, it was clear she needed it. He had no idea where the man was who’d gotten her pregnant, but it appeared as if he was out of the picture and she was on her own. For some reason that bothered him more than it should.

Brett didn’t fully understand what he was about to do, or why, but he’d made her and her unborn child a promise. It was time to play his trump card. “Elena, you don’t want to lose your baby because of some misguided belief that you’ll relinquish your independence. Think of what’s best for your child. If that means staying at my place tonight, then swallow your pride and accept my offer.”

Her expression instantly changed from fiercely indignant to anxious and frightened. He felt like an absolute jerk.

Reaching out, he drew her into his arms. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Elena nodded her head. “Yes, you should. You’re right. I should be thinking how this will affect the baby. But it would be best if I went…”

Where would she go if not to a hotel? She certainly couldn’t go to a relative’s. She didn’t have any. Her last foster mother—the only person who had cared enough to try to get close to her, and who’d made an effort to stay in touch after Elena left the foster care system—would be more than happy to help her. But Marie Waters lived over three hundred miles down-state in the tiny little town of Johnston City. No help there. She could go to a friend’s house, but she really hadn’t become close to anyone since her divorce last year. And it seemed that Michael had won custody of the few friends they’d made during their turbulent marriage.

As Brett continued to hold her, she felt her resolve to refuse his offer start to melt. They were really no more than strangers, yet he was offering to take her into his home.

A warmth began to steal into her soul that she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. She tried to ignore it. She didn’t want to think of Brett Connelly as anything more than a shallow self-centered playboy like her ex-husband. It was the only way she could keep things in perspective and maintain their professional relationship.

He rubbed his hands up and down her back in a soothing manner as he held her close. “Can’t think of anyone to stay with?”

She reluctantly shook her head. “Not really.”

He held her a moment longer, then set her away from him. “It’s settled, then.” He gave her one of his charming smiles, blew on his hands, then rubbed them together. “Now, let’s go upstairs to your apartment, throw some things in a bag and get going. It’s freezing in here.”

Three

Twenty minutes later Brett parked his car in his assigned space in the basement garage of his building and escorted Elena to the elevator. It was all she could do to keep from groaning when he punched in the security code to open the door. What was it with Brett and elevators, anyway? Why couldn’t he live and work on the ground level? Or at the very least, take the stairs up to his condo?

She held her breath and said a silent prayer that the medication the E.R. doctor had given her had had time to take effect as the door swished open and they stepped inside. To her immense relief, the ride wasn’t nearly as upsetting as she’d feared it might be, and when they stepped out into the hall on the twelfth floor, her stomach was only mildly queasy.

Brett guided her to the far end of the building where the more expensive penthouses were located, unlocked and opened the door. “Don’t be surprised if the place is a wreck,” he warned her. “Babe destroys something every time I’m late coming home from work.”

“Babe?” He was living with someone?

He nodded and turned on the light in the foyer just in time for Elena to see a small ball of long black hair come racing around the corner. The little dog yipped and bounced around happily at her feet, but when Brett bent down to pick up the animal, it skittered out of his reach, turned around and glared at him.

“So that’s the way it’s going to be, huh?” He laughed and guided Elena into the spacious living room. “She’ll be ultrafriendly with you, but I’ll get the cold shoulder for the rest of the evening.”

When he turned on the lamp by the end of the couch, he let loose a muttered curse. “Well, it looks like I’ll be shopping for throw pillows again.”

Elena couldn’t help but laugh as she looked around at the stuffing strewn across the thick beige carpet. “I take it you’ve been down this path before?”

Nodding, he helped her out of her coat. “Every time I’m late coming home from work.”

“She only does this when you’re late? What about during the day?” Elena asked, bending down to pick up a hunter-green satin remnant and several chunks of stuffing.

“Don’t do that,” he said, sounding alarmed. He motioned toward a comfortable-looking, overstuffed brown armchair with a matching ottoman. “Sit down and put your feet up while I get this cleaned up.”

“I’ll help.”

“No, you won’t.” He took the destroyed fabric from her and led her to the chair he’d indicated. “Just sit back and take it easy. I got off lucky. She only took out two of the pillows this time. Normally she tears up three or four, then shreds a magazine or two for good measure.”

Elena barely had time to settle herself in the chair before the little dog jumped into her lap. Two black eyes peered up at her from beneath a tuft of black hair a moment before the friendly animal pushed her head under Elena’s hand to be petted.