* * *
Liam watched as she stood up and strode down the hallway and into the guest bedroom, then closed the door behind her.
He ached as a chaotic mélange of emotions—anger, pain, and even sparks of joy—swirled through him.
He and Abi were having a baby and that was the greatest gift he could ever imagine. He would not let his chance at finally having the happiness they both deserved slip away.
Whatever it took, he would find a way to convince her to stay with him.
* * *
Liam went out for a walk along the beach to mull things over, trying to settle his raging emotions. If he was feeling this disoriented by the whole thing, how must it be affecting Abi, with her turbulent hormones and all?
But despite everything, joy kept bubbling up through it all.
He was going to be a father!
When he got back, Abi was still in her room.
He made some lunch, then tapped on her door.
“Abi, it’s a beautiful day. Come out and let’s enjoy it together.” At her silence, he tapped again. “Come on, sweetheart. We don’t have to talk about the baby. We can have a nice lunch by the pool. Enjoy the sun and the water. You must be getting hungry.”
Finally, he heard footsteps, then the door opened.
He smiled. “I made some chicken wraps. I put in walnuts just the way you like them. There’s also homemade coleslaw and Waldorf salad. Hopefully, there’s something that your stomach will be okay with.”
She gazed up at him.
“That’s why you didn’t eat the lasagna last night, isn’t it? Because you were feeling nauseous.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, go put on the bathing suit you wore last night—it’s hanging in the bathroom—and I’ll take the food out to the table by the pool.”
She sighed, then nodded.
Ten minutes later, they sat down at the teak table by the pool together. He was happy to see that she ate a good amount of lunch. Finally, she pushed her plate away and sipped her lemonade, then sat back and stared out over the lake.
“It really is a beautiful house,” she said.
“I always knew you’d like it here.”
She drew in a deep breath and turned to him.
“Liam, we need to move forward. Being stuck like this isn’t good for either one of us. Will you please sign the papers?”
He frowned. “No,” he said simply.
“Okay, I think we both agree that the two of us talking isn’t going to get us anywhere. Will you agree to meet with Del and me so the three of us can discuss it?”
“I’m afraid I leave on an extended business trip on Monday. Further discussion will have to wait until I get back.”
“How long?” she asked.
“Three weeks.”
* * *
Abi’s heart sank.
“I don’t want to wait that long before we settle this.”
She wanted to tell her family about the baby, but not until the issue of the divorce was settled. She knew they would pressure her about which man she should be with, each of her family members with their own preference, and she couldn’t face that on top of everything else.
“All right. You want to tie this up as soon as possible? Then come on my trip with me. I’ll be staying at one of the resorts in the chain I’m buying. It’ll be an idyllic setting—clear, blue ocean, sandy beaches—you can relax and de-stress.”
“I doubt that.”
He sent her a charming half grin that made her knees weak.
“Am I really so hard to get along with?” he asked.
“No, of course not.”
He took her hands. “Abi, my hope had been that the two of us being together here at the house would remind you what it was like when we were married. That spending the weekend together, away from the rest of the world—including spending the nights together—would remind you of how happy we’d been.”
“Is that why you’re suggesting that I accompany you on this trip? Because I’m not going to agree to that.”
“What about this? If you agree to spend the three weeks with me truly living as husband and wife, and giving it a real shot … then at the end of the three weeks, if you aren’t convinced, I’ll sign the papers.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Abi’s heart stuttered as shock gripped her. “Are you serious?”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
“And by living as husband and wife, you mean sleeping together? Having sex?”
“Of course. I want you to give this a real chance.”
Except she wouldn’t have a chance in hell of being rational if she was in his bed, with him making love to her.
But she wanted this to be over. “What if I agree to sleep in your bed … but no sex?”
“No.”
“But a lot of married couples don’t—”
“No. Sex is part of the deal.”
She frowned. “But I’m pregnant. You remember last time how I felt nauseous for weeks early in the pregnancy?” She hadn’t felt well enough to be intimate, even though she’d wanted to. “The morning sickness will probably start kicking in any time now. What if I don’t feel up to it?”
His jaw twitched. “Baby, I’m not going to force myself on you. But if we shut out that side of the relationship, then we’re not giving this a real chance.”
He ran his fingers along her hair, then stroked it behind her ear, sending tingles through her.
“Abi, this won’t work if you’re spending all your energy trying to keep me at a distance. If I sense that’s what you’re doing, then the deal’s off. I’m asking you to give this an honest try. I think our future happiness … and the baby’s … is worth it.”
He tipped up her chin and she was drawn into the depths of his chocolate-brown eyes.
“So will you
