Eve Langlais (27 page)

accept me as their father. And finally, you had no right to make that kind of decision on my behalf. I told you before, and I will now tell you again, I will decide who I marry, not you.”

“Adrian, what is wrong with you?” said Beverly sadly. “Don’t you remember what we went through to be together? You know as well as I do that, had I not told my father I wanted you, he would have married me off to some other lord. How could you treat our son like that considering how you made us fight to be together?”

“I—um.” The commander didn’t look so commanding anymore with his family glaring at him. “I just wanted to do what was best for the family.”

“What’s best is letting our children choose their own paths and destinies so that they can find happiness and not be stuck in some loveless marriage. I, for one, think Hunter has made a marvelous choice. Suzie is a lovely, caring person with beautiful children. I think she would be a great asset to our family.”

“But she’s mundane!” exclaimed the commander. And there lay the crux of the problem. At least in his father’s mind.

“And so are you!” Beverly shot right back. “Just because your parents weren’t doesn’t make you any better than her. And guess what? I still loved you in spite of it, and look, our children inherited the gifts you did not. I can’t believe you, of all people, would hold that against her.”

Hunter reeled, stunned. He’d always assumed his father had the same extra senses he and Nat had inherited. Larger than life, and tougher than everyone else, it was hard to believe his father had no extra powers.

Beverly turned so her back faced her husband, whose face sagged under the recriminations of his family.

“I just wanted to do the right thing,” mumbled the commander. “I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“The big deal is you drugged not only Suzie, but children. Innocent little children. How did you know that the drugs wouldn’t harm them? How dare you put them in that kind of danger.” Beverly’s eyes flashed in anger.

“Benson said he’d used it before. He said he knew what to do.”

Hunter’s eyes narrowed dangerously. But his mother’s narrowed even more.

“The giving of drugs of any kind is no light matter. One miscalculation and there could have been dire consequences. Shame on you both for putting those children’s lives in danger. Benson will find himself fired when I get back. And he can forget a letter of recommendation, as well,” Beverly said venomously.

“I’d prefer to hit him,” said Hunter. Yup, a couple of good, hard smacks in the face and Benson would think twice before ever trying something like that again.

“Get in line,” said Nat gruffly. “And I owe you an apology, Suzie, for my behavior earlier. I, like an idiot, believed my father’s stupid lie.”

“It’s all right,” said Suzie. “It’s always hard when someone you trust lies to you.” Hunter felt his heart clench at the sadness in Suzie’s eyes. It made him want to punch something again.

“But now, what about Father?” said Hunter, eyeing his father with disdain. “It’s all well and good we can fire Benson, but then again, he was only following orders.”

“I’m your father,” blustered the commander. “You have to forgive me.”

“Actually, I don’t,” said Hunter. “As far as I’m concerned, you are no longer welcome in my home or my life. Get out. The sight of you right now sickens me.”

“You can’t do that,” said his incredulous father.

“I can and I will. Maybe later, I’ll be able to put aside what you’ve done, but right now, all I want to do is hurt you. So get out.”

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The commander looked at Beverly who shrugged her shoulders. “You brought this on yourself.

Count yourself lucky that I’m still coming home with you. As it is, you can move your things to another room. I need some time to think about what you’ve done, and I don’t want you near me while I do it.”

The commander shuffled out of the room, turning beseeching eyes at his daughter who turned her head. He left the house, not the same man who had come in. His arrogant tyranny vanquished with the revelations of his actions and condemnation of his family. A wake up call that had been coming for years.

“Hunter,” said Suzie. “Are you sure you want to do this? He is after all, your father.”

“Eventually maybe I’ll forgive him, but not too quickly. He needs to understand that he can’t decide everything. We’re his family, not his soldiers, and he needs to learn what it means to be a father instead of a commander.”

“Well spoken, my son,” said his mother with pride. “So, what are you plans now?”

Hunter drew Suzie into the circle of his arm. “First, I convince the twins to let me marry their mother.”

“Hey,” Suzie laughed, looking up at him. “Don’t I get a say?”

“No. I love you and don’t ever intend to let you go. So you’ll have to get used to me being around.”

“Well, I think I can manage that,” Suzie said, smiling up at him happily.

Hunter hugged her tight and stared into her eyes, drowning in the sweetness and love mirrored in there. To think he’d almost lost her.

“Oh by the higher powers,” groaned Nat. “Go get a room. You two are so besotted it makes me sick. Go on, get out of here. Mother and I will watch the twins.”

Hunter didn’t need any more encouragement. With a quick good-bye to his mother and sister, he just about ran out of Suzie’s house and dragged her next door to his.

They fell into his house out of breath and laughing.

Suzie looked up at him with bright, shining eyes, and Hunter couldn’t resist. He captured her sweet lips with his own, groaning when she opened them to slide a tentative tongue against his mouth. She tasted so sweet, and it was all he could not to rip off her clothes and take her pressed up against the wall.

Something in the urgency of his kiss must have frightened her for she pulled away from him and clasped her hands together nervously. What could be wrong? He’d told he loved her, that he wanted to marry her. Oh shit. He hadn’t actually asked, had he? Sure, he’d boasted in front of his mother and Nat of never letting her go, but really, he should ask. Didn’t all women have some kind of dream about romantic proposals? Heck, he’d seen enough of them in movies on this side of the boundary to know what was expected.

Hunter dropped to one knee in front of her and looked up at her, trying to show all the love he felt for her in his eyes. To his chagrin, though, she lowered her lashes and hid her eyes from him.

Something was definitely wrong. Fix it quick. Stupid him, when he’d come back to confront her, it had never occurred to him to bring her a ring. Could that be the problem? Women seemed to set great store by the size of the rock. He’d promise her a big one, a huge one that would have everyone envious.

Hunter cleared his throat. “Um, I know this might not be the romantic evening you’d pictured when I proposed to you.” By the higher powers, he sucked at this. He’d never had a need for flowery words before, and now that he needed them, he felt tongue tied like a boy asking a girl out on her first date.

“Hunter, wait.” Suzie fluttered her hands at him.

“No, let me finish,” he said, worried at the vibes her body was giving off. “I am not the most romantic of men, although since meeting you, I wish I were.”

“Oh, Hunter,” she sighed. “I don’t expect you to change on me. I love you just the way you are.”

She loved him! Hunter felt like crowing. After all, it was the first time she’d said it out loud to him.

Hold on, though, if she loved him, then why did she seem so nervous?

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“Anyway,” he said, continuing with his impromptu speech. “Since I’ve met you, I can’t stop thinking about you. I think about waking up with you every day. Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner with you. I want to hear every detail about your life, good and bad.” Oh man, that sounded so lame, like something out of a B-movie, of which he’d watched too many.

“Oh God, you so don’t want to hear about my boring life. But Hunter, there’s something I have to—”

Hunter cut her off, determined to say his piece. He hurried now. “I love you, Suzie, and want to be with you the rest of my life. It would be my greatest honor if you’d agree to be my wife. I wasn’t really expecting to propose today, so I don’t have a ring yet, but I promise you, I’ll get you a ring, a big one,”

he added as she shook her head at him with a soft smile.

“Oh, Hunter,” Suzie said, reaching out a hand to stroke his hair. “I would love to marry you, and I don’t care about the ring, but first I need to tell you something.”

What?
he wanted to yell. What could she have to tell him that had her looking so nervous and green?

“Hunter, I’m—” Suzie never finished what she going to say. Instead, she ran to the kitchen and with hands braced on his kitchen counter, proceeded to throw up in his sink.

Hunter looked at her, stunned. He’d never made a woman sick before. Was it something he did or said? Something she ate? He approached her andrubbed a large hand across her back, trying to soothe her as she stood there gagging and wracked with sobs.

Suzie ran the water, then rinsed her mouth and face before turning a pale face to Hunter.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. Maybe he should get his mother. If Suzie was sick, she could fix her.

“Before I agree to marry you, you need to know something.” Suzie paused, as if gathering her courage, and Hunter resisted an urge to shake her and tell her to hurry it up.

Suzie took a deep breath and said in a rush, “You need to know, I’m pregnant.”

Hunter felt his jaw drop. No, seriously it did, low enough to hit the floor. Suzie was pregnant. That meant he was going to be a daddy! As that piece of information filtered through his thick brain, he finally understood her stricken look. She thought he might change his mind. That the baby would scare him away. Like hell! But how to show her?

“Yippeee!” he yelled, picking her up and swinging her around exuberantly. Oops, bad idea. He saw her face turn green again and moved just in time to lean her over the sink when she heaved.

Hunter calmed his inner jubilation and wrapped his arms tight around her.

Suzie clung to him. “I wanted to tell you earlier, but then your mom and dad showed up, and things got all intense. And then you proposed, but I didn’t want to accept unless you knew the truth. I’m so sorry, I should have told you right away,” Suzie blabbered quickly. Hunter couldn’t believe it. She still seemed afraid.

He tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes, those beautiful brown eyes. “Suzie, you didn’t have a chance to tell me sooner. It’s all right. And it doesn’t change anything. I love you. I want you to be my wife. Being pregnant already just means we’re one kid closer to the half dozen I want.”

Suzie gasped, then giggled. “You’re bad, six kids.” She chortled in his arms, and Hunter hugged her, so glad the stricken look was gone from her face.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” she whispered. “I mean, it’s kind of sudden, and with everything that’s happened. . .”

Hunter would have silenced her with a kiss, but truth tell, a small part of him was a little afraid she’d be sick on him again. So instead, he hugged her tight, letting his hands roam across her back, then lower, cupping her buttocks.

Suzie pulled back. “I don’t suppose you have some mouthwash? I’ve got a case of it at home, since I started getting sick.”

“Have you been getting sick a lot?” he asked with concern. He’d have to ask his mother if that was normal, and if there was anything they could do to help control it. No wonder she’d been so scared and 108

distant when he first showed up. Pregnant and alone. Now he felt like an even bigger jerk for believing his dad.

“The nausea is pretty much all the time, but it should go away after the first trimester.”

So much for him to learn about. His first child. He wanted to celebrate—naked. But first, mouthwash. He led her to the bathroom and let her clean herself up. While she did that, he ran up to his room and lit some candles and thanked Owen, or whoever else had tidied up his room and changed the sheets. He ran back down and leaned nonchalantly on the wall when she came out looking pale, but no longer green.

Hunter smiled and opened his arms. Suzie dove into them and leaned her head against his chest. He scooped her up into his arms, such a yummy armful, and carried her upstairs. He laid her carefully on his bed, and it was like the lights went out again. Her face got a shadowed look.

“Are you going to be sick again?” he asked, ready to scoop her up and whip her into the bathroom.

“No, but I understand if you don’t want to make love to me right now.”

Hunh?
“Why wouldn’t I want to?” She looked so scrumptious lying there, and her breath smelled minty fresh now. So what gave?

“Well, with me being pregnant and all.”

Hunter sighed. “Suzie, please explain. Why would your being pregnant change my wanting to make love to you?”

Suzie shrugged and got a lost look on her face. Hunter wanted to smack himself as he suddenly clued in.

“Let me guess,” he said, crawling onto the bed so he straddled her. “Damian stopped touching you once you got pregnant.”

Suzie just nodded.

“Suzie, you’d have to be dead or seriously injured for me to not want to touch you. I know there’s no medical reason not to make love. And I, for one, look forward to rediscovering every inch of your gorgeous body. No only that, but I promise you, even when you start showing and your belly gets big enough to cast a shadow, I will still find you the most beautiful woman ever.”

Suzie’s smile erupted like a rainbow after a storm. It lit up her face and made a promise of treasures at its end. Hunter felt his whole body tighten. Now, to prove to her he meant what he said.

He undressed her quickly, tossing her clothes onto the floor. He then peeled off his shirt and shucked his pants till he stood there as nude as she was.

“Look at me, Suzie.”

She looked up at him, uncertainty painted on her face. Her gasp when she saw the evidence of his arousal made him chuckle.

“Does this look like I don’t want you?” he said.

She smiled, then gasped again. “What happened to your shoulders?”