long as he would. Instead, she fixed her gaze squarely on the center of his chest as guilt over not calling him assailed her.
“I thought you might call after your doctor’s appointment,” he said. It wasn’t said as a chastisement, but it might as well have been. Elle had already been feeling guilty, but now she had to suppress the urge to apologize.
“I’ve been busy,” she managed. Standing aside, she allowed him into her apartment before closing the door. Her stomach fluttered, her heart beating so hard she thought she might see it if she looked down. Remembering that first night he’d come through that door made her weak. And needy. How could just being near him again have this effect on her? She’d even broken out into a sweat.
Hormones. Had to be the hormones.
“I know. I hated to bother you, but I had to know you were all right.”
“Don’t you mean that the baby is all right?” Elle sounded snippy even to herself.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck wearily. “No, Jezelle. I do hope the baby is doing good, but right now I’m so overwhelmed I’m having to focus on one thing at a time. If not, I’ll go crazy. A baby who’s not here yet is much harder to visualize than the woman who is. Right now, I’m worried about you.”
Turning away from him, she mumbled, “Sorry. That was mean.”
“No, baby. It wasn’t.” He tugged her arm until she faced him once more. “Sit with me a while. Will you do that?”
She hesitated, then nodded, letting him lead her to the couch. He put his arm around her shoulders, tucking her against him, and she let him. Being in his arms again felt so damned good, how could she not allow it? Sighing, Elle gave up, letting herself relax against him. She snuggled into his side as if she belonged there.
“I’m really sorry, Jezelle,” he said, his chin resting on the top of her head. “That doesn’t even begin to cut it, but I need to say it.”
“I actually understand,” she admitted reluctantly. “I suppose you were as overwhelmed as I was. People deal with stress differently. Given your occupation, I suppose that feeling came as a bit of a shock.”
“Yes. Still doesn’t change the fact that what I did was wrong.” He wasn’t making excuses. Most men Elle knew would. She expected him to use the military card again. Even though what he’d explained to her that day at his parents’ house had actually made sense to her, she still felt like he was hiding behind it to absolve himself of responsibility.
“No,” she agreed, not wanting him to think he was gaining any ground. Fact was, she was defenseless around him. It was only a matter of time before she gave him another chance, but would be very clear when she did. If he didn’t intend to stay, he needn’t waste his time. “Look.” She shifted to face him. “I’m not blind to the fact that you made your grand re-entrance into my life before you knew I might be pregnant. I also noticed you did it with your entire family circling the wagons. You had no intention of giving me a choice in the matter.”
Steve didn’t even have the good grace to deny it. He simply grinned at her. Damn if he didn’t have the most intriguing dimple on one side of his face when he did that. “I’d apologize for that too, but it wouldn’t have the same sincerity as the other one. I needed the full support of my family to give me the strength to face you. They all knew something was up; they just had no idea what it was.”
“At least you admit it,” she grumbled. “I need time, Steve. I’ve got so much to think about and prepare for I can barely wrap my mind around it all. You’re going to have to give me time to figure out what I want.”
Elle thought she heard a barely suppressed growl start inside his chest, but she couldn’t be sure. That would be the dominant, demanding male she’d fallen in love with that first night. Too bad that didn’t appeal to her anymore. At all. Not in the least.
“I
“I thought you might call after your doctor’s appointment,” he said. It wasn’t said as a chastisement, but it might as well have been. Elle had already been feeling guilty, but now she had to suppress the urge to apologize.
“I’ve been busy,” she managed. Standing aside, she allowed him into her apartment before closing the door. Her stomach fluttered, her heart beating so hard she thought she might see it if she looked down. Remembering that first night he’d come through that door made her weak. And needy. How could just being near him again have this effect on her? She’d even broken out into a sweat.
Hormones. Had to be the hormones.
“I know. I hated to bother you, but I had to know you were all right.”
“Don’t you mean that the baby is all right?” Elle sounded snippy even to herself.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck wearily. “No, Jezelle. I do hope the baby is doing good, but right now I’m so overwhelmed I’m having to focus on one thing at a time. If not, I’ll go crazy. A baby who’s not here yet is much harder to visualize than the woman who is. Right now, I’m worried about you.”
Turning away from him, she mumbled, “Sorry. That was mean.”
“No, baby. It wasn’t.” He tugged her arm until she faced him once more. “Sit with me a while. Will you do that?”
She hesitated, then nodded, letting him lead her to the couch. He put his arm around her shoulders, tucking her against him, and she let him. Being in his arms again felt so damned good, how could she not allow it? Sighing, Elle gave up, letting herself relax against him. She snuggled into his side as if she belonged there.
“I’m really sorry, Jezelle,” he said, his chin resting on the top of her head. “That doesn’t even begin to cut it, but I need to say it.”
“I actually understand,” she admitted reluctantly. “I suppose you were as overwhelmed as I was. People deal with stress differently. Given your occupation, I suppose that feeling came as a bit of a shock.”
“Yes. Still doesn’t change the fact that what I did was wrong.” He wasn’t making excuses. Most men Elle knew would. She expected him to use the military card again. Even though what he’d explained to her that day at his parents’ house had actually made sense to her, she still felt like he was hiding behind it to absolve himself of responsibility.
“No,” she agreed, not wanting him to think he was gaining any ground. Fact was, she was defenseless around him. It was only a matter of time before she gave him another chance, but would be very clear when she did. If he didn’t intend to stay, he needn’t waste his time. “Look.” She shifted to face him. “I’m not blind to the fact that you made your grand re-entrance into my life before you knew I might be pregnant. I also noticed you did it with your entire family circling the wagons. You had no intention of giving me a choice in the matter.”
Steve didn’t even have the good grace to deny it. He simply grinned at her. Damn if he didn’t have the most intriguing dimple on one side of his face when he did that. “I’d apologize for that too, but it wouldn’t have the same sincerity as the other one. I needed the full support of my family to give me the strength to face you. They all knew something was up; they just had no idea what it was.”
“At least you admit it,” she grumbled. “I need time, Steve. I’ve got so much to think about and prepare for I can barely wrap my mind around it all. You’re going to have to give me time to figure out what I want.”
Elle thought she heard a barely suppressed growl start inside his chest, but she couldn’t be sure. That would be the dominant, demanding male she’d fallen in love with that first night. Too bad that didn’t appeal to her anymore. At all. Not in the least.
“I
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