Pregnancy Plan (21 page)

“
It’s okay with me.” Derek tugged off
his tie.

She strolled to the dresser and studied his
reflection in the mirror as he unbuttoned his shirt. “You don’t
think it’s too hot?”

“
No.” He slipped off his
shirt.

Entranced by the dark hair on his chest that
led down over his stomach, she followed the view until it was
stopped by the waistband of his pants. Her face heated. She knew
the secret delights hidden under those trousers.

Unable to yank her gaze from the strip tease
going on behind her, she stared as he step out of his slacks. Sexy
white briefs hid a fantasy to behold. She silently dared him to
remove the final piece of clothing.

His gaze met hers in the reflection. A
wicked sparkle danced in their depths. “Are you planning to change
clothes?”

“
Yes.” She reached back to unzip her
dress but his hand beat her to the mark. He drew it down her back
to the base of her spine. His head dipped to the curve of her
shoulder. After his hands tugged her dress from her body, it pooled
at her feet. He rained kisses over her skin, small bites that sent
wild expectations running through her blood.

“
Shouldn't we head downstairs and
entertain Jason and Kelly?”

His hands circled her waist and he whispered
in her ear, “I bet they can amuse themselves.”

Large, strong hands charted a path over her
stomach, around the edge of her panties, and down to the top of her
thigh-high hose.

“
But that’s not being very good
hosts,” Jillian said breathlessly. His finger grazed past her heat,
then inched over her hips. She shivered. “We had better see to our
guests.”

Their eyes met. “I could change your
mind.”

Derek glided his hands over her breasts, and
then sent a slow stroke back down to the elastic band of her
hose.

Jillian shook her head. “Don’t tempt me. I’m
not that strong.”

He watched her, saw the heat, felt the burn.
No way could he release her. His thumbs slid under the outside edge
of her panties.

“
We can’t.” Her hands covered
his.

The longing in the depths of her eyes were
waging a war with responsibility.

“
We can.” His fingers slid free of her
lacy blue underwear. “But we won’t.” He placed his hands on her
waist. “I do, however, demand a rain check.”

She melted back into his arms, rubbing her
soft round bottom against him. “Is now too early to give you the
rain check?”

His body jerked with need but he didn’t
move. “But you said we needed to go downstairs.”

Her hands gripped his wrists, not letting
him budge. “I was wrong. I’ll never make it through the afternoon
without you.”

Knowing she didn't really want to make love
while she had guests waiting downstairs, he kissed the side of her
neck and whispered into her ear. “Good, then maybe you can help me
rush Kelly and Jason out the door.”

****

A few minutes later, Jillian stepped out on
the back porch. A light breeze blew her hair across her face, and
her pink cotton sundress danced around her knees. The sky, a
beautiful blue, provided the perfect backdrop for an outdoor lunch.
Derek and Jason stood on the patio, discussing the steaks.

“
Remember, I like mine pink in the
middle.” Jason called out, “How do you like your steak,
Jillian?”

“
Done.” She checked the glass-top
table, set with her favorite cherry-and-apple plates. Nothing was
missing. “Where’s Kelly?”

“
Right behind you. I just went to get
the salad dressing.” She passed Jillian on the way to the table.
“When the steaks are done, we’ll be ready to eat.”

After everyone had served up their food,
Jillian turned to the other couple. “Did Derek mention I invited
Susan to come over this afternoon?”

“
No.” Kelly played with her
fork.

“
Did you tell me Susan was coming
over?” Derek questioned at the same time.

“
Who’s Susan?” Jason covered his
fiancée’s hand with his.

“
Susan is the girl I was telling Kelly
about last night. She’s pregnant and is looking for work in Dallas.
If things work out, she might let y’all adopt her baby.” Jillian
stabbed at her salad.

“
Oh!” He gasped as if someone had just
punched him in the gut.

“
I told her that y’all were looking
for a live-in maid. She wants to go to college at the University of
Texas at Dallas. I thought if she could live with you while she
attended college, it would save her on expenses and give her a
chance to get to know you.”

“
What time is she coming over?” Kelly
fiddled with the napkin in her lap.

“
Around three.” Jillian could see both
of their anxiety. “You do still want to talk to her, don’t
you?”

Kelly glanced at Jason. The two exchanged a
telling look. “Yes, we’re just concerned about what to say.”

“
Just be yourself. Susan is scared and
alone right now. She’s not sure what she wants to do. Y’all are
just giving her an opportunity to get through this pregnancy with
help.”

Jason kicked back a long draw on his beer,
before he answered. “But will she really let us adopt her
baby?”

Jillian wanted to reassure them, but she
didn’t want to mislead them. “I don’t know. Give her time to come
to terms with the situation. If she can get out of town, go to
school, then her first few problems will be solved.”

“
But what if she decides not to let us
adopt her baby?” Kelly twisted her napkin in her hand.

The doubt on their faces made Jillian want
to cry. She knew how important this was. “Take it one step at a
time. Right now, she needs a safe place to stay while she goes to
school. If she decides not to let you adopt her baby, then you can
at least say that you helped her get through a difficult time.”

“
But?” Kelly said.

“
Look, I know you want a baby, but
right now you’ve got to think about what Susan needs. You can offer
to adopt her baby but don’t pressure her.” Jillian sipped her drink
to keep from saying the same thing over and over again.

“
I don’t know if I can do this.” The
other woman toyed with her fork.

“
Look, just talk to her. If you don’t
want to go through with it, then I’ll come up with some other way
to help Susan.” Jillian gathered the condensation on the side of
her drink.

“
Come on, Kelly, what can it hurt?”
Jason’s large hand covered hers again.

“
Okay, but no promises.”

Derek interrupted. “It sure is nice weather
we’re having today, must be a cold front from the north.” When all
eyes turned in his direction, he continued. “Or maybe it’s going to
rain.”

Jillian leaned over and kissed him. “Nice
try.”

As they’d finished lunch, he asked. “Would
anyone like some cheesecake for dessert?”

“
Derek, we also have that chocolate
cake in the freezer.”

“
No, I really think they'd like the
cheesecake better.”

Jillian smiled at his ploy to keep her from
eating any more of the rich dessert. “You can offer both and let
our guests decide for themselves.”

“
Okay, you both want cheesecake,
right?”

“
Derek!”

“
Either one’s fine with me.” Kelly
laid her napkin over her plate.

“
I’ll have the chocolate cake.” Jason
grinned at Jillian.

“
Okay, I’ll get it.” Derek headed for
the door.

“
What’s that all about?” Kelly stacked
her dishes on top of Jason's.

“
He doesn’t want me eating too much
cheesecake. I made it the other day and I’ve already eaten more
than half of it. He’s trying to help me from gaining
weight.”

“
Doesn’t that make you angry?” Kelly
asked.

“
No, he’s just trying to help. My
willpower is not very strong when it comes to sweets, and the
doctor says I have to eat sensibly.” Jillian finished her
salad.

With dessert in his hands, Derek set plates
in front of everyone. “Here we go, cheesecake for everyone.”

“
I thought I asked for chocolate
cake.”

“
I knew you wouldn’t mind finishing
off the last piece of cheesecake for us.” Derek directed a stern
glare at his brother.

Jason laughed and picked up his fork.

****

“
How do you stand it? If Jason ever
tried to pulled a stunt like that on me. I’d clobber him.” Kelly
placed the dishes on the counter by the sink with a
clatter.

“
You mean about the cheesecake?”
Jillian asked, opening the refrigerator to store away the leftover
potato salad.

“
Yes, doesn’t that drive you
crazy?”

Jillian shook her head. “It really isn’t as
bad as it seems. Derek knows that if I want more cheesecake, I’ll
just go to the store and get it, or make some more.”

“
But he hovers over you like a mother
hen. You can’t move without his approval. Like last night, saying
it was time for you to go to bed. I would have killed Jason if he
did that. I just don’t see how you live with the man.” Kelly dumped
the paper napkins in the trash.

“
You’re right, he can be a little
overprotective at times. But he doesn’t do it to be controlling.
It’s just his way of showing he cares.”

Kelly lifted a skeptical brow.

“
Look, I’ve thought about this a lot.
I think when that building blew up and Derek was hurt, it forced
him to face a number of facts.” Jillian opened the dishwasher.
“Facts he’d never faced before.”

“
What, that he’s not
indestructible?”

“
Yes, and if he was killed, I’d be all
alone. He knew I was pregnant and that I needed him. His
perspective changed, and he’s still trying to come to terms with
it.”

“
And that’s enough of a reason to
cover you like a glove and not let you move?” Kelly
argued.

“
No.” Jillian lifted a plate and
placed it in the dishwasher. “But with his injury, it’ll take him
awhile to come to the realization that as well as us needing him,
he needs us.”

“
What do you mean? He’s never needed
anyone.”

“
No, Derek never let himself need
anyone.”

“
Jillian, I think you’re fooling
yourself.”

“
Maybe, but I believe Derek thinks he
is trying to protect me so that I’ll be safe for myself. But what
he really is trying to do is protect me so I’ll be safe for
him.”

Kelly frowned.

“
He’s afraid of losing me. That’s why
he’s so overprotective.” Jillian placed a glass on the top
rack.

“
Wrong, Derek’s never cared one way or
the other about anything,” Kelly responded.

“
That’s part of the problem. Now, he
does.” Jillian finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and
closed the door. “And it’s scaring the hell out of him.”

The knock on the back door caused them both
to pause.

“
Just a minute.” Jillian walked to the
back door and welcomed Susan into the kitchen. “Come on in, I’m so
glad you could make it.”

“
I’m a little early. I hope you don’t
mind,” Susan said.

Jillian wrapped her arm around the girl's
shoulder. “Not at all, Susan, I’d like you to meet Kelly Baker.
She’s my future sister-in-law.”

****

Jillian sat beside Susan sat on the couch.
The girl twisted her hands in her lap and stared nervously at the
couple across from her.

No one spoke, so Jillian took the lead.
“Susan, I told Kelly and Jason about your being pregnant. They’d
like to help.”

Susan glared. “John Paul shouldn’t have told
you.”

“
Well, I’m glad he did.” Jillian
covered the girl's hand and felt Susan tremble. “Look, I know
you’re going through a difficult time right now, but let us help
you. We’ll support anything you want to do.”

“
I not sure what I should do.” Susan
unclasped her hands and ran them along her jeans. “I don’t want to
change my college plans.”

Kelly leaned forward. “There’s no reason why
you should. That’s what Jason and I are suggesting. You can come
live with us and go to school. No one here has to know that you’re
pregnant.”

“
But what do you get out of it?” Susan
wasn’t a fool. Jillian could tell the girl knew there was more to
this offer than kind-hearted help.

Kelly’s face paled. “We’d like to adopt your
baby.”

Jillian rushed in to explain. “Kelly is
unable to have children. They want to have you live with them and
get to know them. Then if you decide to give up your child, they’d
like to adopt it.”

Susan freed her hand from Jillian's grip.
“What if I decide to have an abortion?”

“
I don’t think that’s what you want,
but if it is, then we will have to abide by your decision.” Kelly
gripped her hands into knots, her knuckles turning
white.

Susan’s stood and paced restlessly across
the room. “What do you want your maid to do?”

Kelly described the business part of the
arrangement. “Keep the house clean, run errands, and watch the
place while we’re away.”

“
How much will it pay?” Susan stood
still for a moment waiting for the answer. Her hand toyed with the
long gold loop in her ear.