The By Request Collection. Kate HardyЧитать онлайн книгу.
he took a step forward, closing the gap between them, Eve waited for his familiar touch. But he simply held her gaze and offered a gentle smile. “I’m here for strictly innocent reasons.”
Eve laughed, waiting for him to deliver the rest of the punch line. When he only quirked a brow, she sobered. “Innocent? Honey, you don’t have an innocent bone in your body.”
Honey? Had she seriously just used that term? Exhaustion had obviously stolen her common sense.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but really. Why are you here?”
Graham took her elbow and guided her through the house. Her house. As if he owned the place. And she was allowing this to happen. Then he led her up the stairs, toward her bedroom, and pulled back the pristine white duvet on her king-size four-poster bed. Eve darted her eyes between the inviting bed and the confusing man.
“Okay, what’s going on?”
Graham took her hand and ushered her into bed. “I had no plans until I got here. But now that I see you’re practically swaying on your feet, we’re going to relax.”
“We?” Eve slid into bed because the temptation was far too great for her to fight.
“That’s right.” Graham picked up the remote, hit a few buttons. The flat screen slid up from the entertainment island that separated the bed from the sitting area. “I’m going to watch a classic with you.”
Okay. So if she had all of this straight in her head, Graham had just appeared at her back door not looking for sex, but to watch a movie and...snuggle?
Eve continued to stare as Graham as climbed into bed beside her and began studying her remote. After several minutes of muttering under his breath—something about his law degree being useless—he finally figured it out. Instantly the room filled with music as the movie popped up, and Eve had to brace herself. He was legitimately here to watch a movie. They were in her bed...completely clothed.
“You’re still staring and you’re going to miss this opening,” Graham said without looking her way.
Her gaze went to the large screen and she instantly recognized An Affair to Remember. It was one of her favorite movies. But how did he know? They’d certainly never discussed such personal things.
“Why are you doing this?”
Graham sighed, paused the movie and glanced her way. Those striking blue eyes pierced her heart. But she couldn’t have her heart involved, not with him, not now. Her emotions were simply all over the place. She couldn’t act on any temporary feelings.
“I love old movies. I want to do absolutely nothing right now but watch one with you. We both work too hard, and now we’re having a baby. Maybe it’s time we get to know each other.”
Without another word, he took the movie off pause, turned the volume up and reached for her hand. The detail-oriented nerd in her wanted to know what was going on. Was this a date? Albeit a warped version of one. Was this some ploy to get her to fall for him? If so, he was doing a damn good job. Did he truly want to get to know her?
Eve attempted to concentrate on the movie, but between exhaustion and the way Graham’s thumb drew lazy patterns over the back of her hand, she was having a difficult time.
What was Graham up to? The man was ruthless in a courtroom, if his reputation around Chicago was any indicator. He could’ve easily had her undressed and beneath him had he tried, because denying him was nearly impossible. Yet he seemed all too happy to lie here, hold her hand and do absolutely nothing.
Graham Newport was playing some sort of game and if she didn’t figure out the rules soon, she was going to find herself on the losing side. And that was not an option because she’d end up hurt. Eve had been dealt enough by the hand of grief to last a lifetime and she wasn’t looking for more.
* * *
Graham knew she’d fallen asleep within the first ten minutes of the movie. Her hand had gone lax beneath his and she even began to snore quietly. He found himself watching her and smiling. Okay, this little plan of his had backfired in a major way.
He’d come here for one reason—to start his plan of seduction. Getting her to trust him, to maybe even develop stronger feelings for him, was a must for making sure they came to a mutual understanding where their child was concerned. And when he asked her to be his wife, he was determined that she’d say yes.
Graham refused to get into a tug-of-war with her over the baby. He refused to allow his child to be a pawn in any family feud, let alone between him and Eve.
But the second she’d opened the door and let him in, he’d seen just how tired she was. She was struggling to keep her eyes open. Was she not sleeping well at night? Was she not feeling well because of morning sickness? Was she working too hard?
Knowing Eve, she’d put 110 percent into her day as usual and then dragged herself home to rest in private. He knew she was trying to figure out what he was doing here, why he’d shown up and hadn’t stripped her and made love to her right away. Every part of him wanted nothing more than to peel her out of her T-shirt and leggings. She’d looked damn good dressed down.
And that was a problem. Seeing Eve in an evening gown was heart-stopping. The way a killer suit hugged her hips nearly had him begging. But when she was just herself, makeup-free and wearing casual clothes, she was the most dangerous. He wanted to think this side of Eve was only for him, that she didn’t expose this part of herself to anyone.
He shouldn’t want to get more deeply involved with her, but he was a selfish bastard. He wanted all of her. She was the mother of his child and she was his. He didn’t give up on anything he wanted, and he’d never wanted anything more than to be a father.
This realization hit him hard. Never before had he thought about having a child, yet now he could think of little else. He may not have had a father figure growing up, but he knew the love of a parent. He knew how to put his own needs aside to care for a child and make sure they had a secure life.
The movie had ended, and the room got dark. Graham turned off the TV, sliding the screen back into the island. Silence filled the room, save for Eve’s soft snores. Pale light from the hall lamp gave enough of a glow for him to see. Graham reached across the bed and smoothed the silken strands of hair from her face. Instantly Eve startled awake. Her heavy-lidded eyes locked onto his.
“Sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Eve blinked and sat straight up against her mound of pillows. “I never make it through a movie on a good day, let alone when I’m already tired.”
“Are you not sleeping well?” Concern had him scooting a bit closer. There was too much space between them, literally and figuratively.
“I’m sleeping fine. That’s the problem. I want to sleep all the time. The doctor said that was normal in the first trimester.”
A wave of relief washed over him. He knew absolutely nothing about pregnancies, so hearing any morsel of doctor’s advice was comforting. He needed to start reading anything and everything he could get his hands on about this. He wanted to be able to connect with her, to comfort her, and somehow show her that he was there and she wouldn’t be doing this alone.
“Maybe you should cut back a bit each day at work until this trimester passes.” Her bored glare was all the answer he needed. Not that he thought she’d readily agree, but still. “You’ve only got a few more weeks. Then, when you’re feeling better, you can add those hours back on.”
“Can I?” she asked, her tone mocking. “I’m so glad to have your permission.”
Raking a hand through his hair, Graham came to his feet and rounded the bed. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I’m worried about you.”
“About the baby,” she corrected.
“Fine. I’m worried for both of you.”