“Are you staying with Cooper?”
He looks up, realizing everyone has goneupstairs. His jaw tenses and his hold around my waist tightens briefly. “I havesome work I need to get done, but when everyone’s asleep, I’ll come up andcrawl into bed with you.” He turns me a little more so we’re nose to nose. “Areyou sure you are feeling okay? I can call Dr. Geist and have him come up.”
“No, I’m good. I must look tired, but Ifeel fine. I feel good, really.”
Cole looks me over again. I don’t thinkhe believes me. “You don’t have anything to tell me, do you?”
“What? No, like what?” My anger bubblesand I try to get off Cole’s lap.
Cole isn’t having any of it, and he holdsme there. “I’m just worried about you.”
“Yes, it’s stressful with my family here,and they aren’t making life easy on me. The whole running away from a bad guy,getting arrested fiasco has been very taxing and tiring. I’ve never beenhappier than when I am with you. I’m good, I’m just tired. Please stopworrying.”
This seems to satisfy him, and he loosenshis hold on me. “I’ll take you up to the villa.”
I huff. “Okay.”
We walk into the villa and everyone seemsto have gone to bed. So Cole walks me to the bedroom door. “This is stupid. Justcome to bed with me now.”
He shakes his head. “I really do havesome work I need to finish before tomorrow, but then I will be up.”
“Promise.”
“Yes, baby, I promise. Just try to stopme.” He runs his fingers along my cheek, under my eyes, and traces my lips. Heleans in his breath hot against my lips, gently pressing his soft mouth tomine.
“I love you.” I breathe into his mouth.“Forever.”
He pulls back, kissing me on theforehead. “I love you. Sleep well, baby.”
I watch Cole until he disappears into theelevator. I walk into the kitchen to get a glass of water. “Hey Katie.”
“Holy…” I jump, turning around to findJill behind me. “Jill! Jeez, girl, you scared me.”
“Oh, well—sorry.”
“Yeah, but not really.”
I try to push past her, but she grabs myarm. “Wait, I wanted to talk to you.”
I dump my water in the sink along withthe glass. “Then talk.”
“Wow, you’re grumpy.”
I’m too tired for Jill’s games. “You’renot talking.”
“Fine. I wanted you to know that I knowyour secret and why you really got married.”
This should be good—I can’t wait to hearwhat she has to say. “Please enlighten me.”
She produces a white test stick out ofher pocket. “You’re pregnant.”
I roll my eyes. Not this again. Goodgrief. But then it hits me—the stick makes me mad. It means she’s been pokingaround where she shouldn’t. I try grabbing it from her, but she’s faster thanme and moves back. “That’s mine, give it back. What were you doing snooping inmy stuff in the first place?”
“Look Kate, you’ve got it good now.Really, I don’t care that your sugar daddy knocked you up, your life is set.”
“Give that back.” I hiss and try to takeit from her again.
“I will, but I want something first.”
