‘A good idea,’ she agreed with him. Ian seemed to have gone to pieces, asking Laura repeatedly how she felt, and not seeming to believe her when she assured him she felt fine. ‘And I think it should be now.’
‘What about you?’
‘Laura wants the dining-room tidied. I don’t think she’ll go if I don’t promise to do it.’
‘I don’t like leaving you.’ His gaze was intent on her still pale face. ‘Not when you aren’t feeling well yourself.’
‘I’m all right now. Really,’ she insisted as he went to protest. ‘Just get her to the hospital.’
She finally managed to get them out of the house, Ian sitting in the back of the car with Laura while Jordan drove them. ‘And I want to know the minute the baby is born,’ she instructed.
‘You take care of yourself,’ Laura ordered meaningly. ‘We’ll send Jordan straight back to you.’
‘Thank you,’ he put in dryly. ‘I thought I asked you not to make it tonight,’ he teased.
Laura giggled, some of the tension easing. ‘I could make it right here in your car if you don’t hurry!’
‘Heaven forbid!’ Jordan groaned, putting the car into gear. ‘I’ll be back soon, Kelly.’
She stood and watched them until the tail-lights of the car disappeared in the distance, going back into the house to methodically wash and dry up before tidying the kitchen as well as the dining-room, glad of something to do to take her mind off Laura and the coming baby.
Eight months from now she would be going through the same thing Laura was now experiencing—and Jordan wouldn’t be there. It was curiously ironic that he should drive Laura to the hospital, when he wouldn’t even know of his own child’s birth.
Jordan arrived back just over an hour later, joining Kelly in the lounge. ‘It could be hours yet,’ he shrugged. ‘Ian’s promised to call us as soon as there’s any news. Right now I intend getting you home to bed. You look washed out.’
Kelly flushed. ‘I feel fine.’
‘You don’t look it,’ he said firmly. ‘Home, to bed and a hot drink.’
‘And you?’ she asked huskily, suddenly longing for his closeness.
‘Me?’ he echoed sharply, turning away. ‘No,’ he said tautly, ‘I don’t think so.’
She lapsed into silence, joining him in the warm interior of the car. She had needed him tonight, and once again he had rejected her. She wouldn’t ever ask again.
Her father was already in bed when they got home, and yawning tiredly Kelly elected to go to her bedroom. Jordan made no effort to stop her, his mood once more taciturn and unapproachable.
She had been in bed several minutes when the light knock sounded on the door. Jordan entered at her surprised acknowledgement, a tray in his hand.
‘Cocoa,’ he said at her questioning look, sitting on the side of the bed.
She took the mug from him, the colour high in her cheeks. She hadn’t expected to see him again this evening, and his presence here now unnerved her. ‘What’s that?’ she eyed the tablet he held out to her.
‘You’re over-excited, and this waiting to hear about Laura won’t do you any good. This is just a sleeping tablet—’
‘No!’ she recoiled in horror. ‘I don’t want it!’
‘It won’t harm you. It’s only one of the tablets prescribed to help your father sleep.’
And could do irrevocable harm to her baby! ‘I don’t like taking drugs of any kind,’ she said stiffly.
‘Neither do I. But this isn’t taking drugs for the sake of it. I just happen to believe you need to sleep right now.’
Kelly knew of a much more pleasurable way of helping her sleep, and her cheeks became flushed at her thoughts. She knew Jordan had guessed them by the sharpening of his gaze, and she bristled angrily. ‘I’ll get to sleep without the use of drugs,’ she told him tautly, and turned on to her side, her back towards him. ‘Goodnight,’ her voice was muffled.
She could hear him moving about the room, and suddenly felt the other side of the bed give as he climbed in beside her, the warmth of his naked body curved into the back of hers. She had stiffened at the first touch of his flesh against her, but as usual the warm tide of sensuality washed over her, trembling as he caressed the curve of her waist and thigh.
‘Turn out the light,’ he murmured against her earlobe, biting gently into her skin.