Accidental Family (14 page)

“I can’t, either,” he replied honestly. “But my dad was never there for me while I was growing up. I’m not even sure he liked me, much less loved me.”

He saw the look of horror on her face. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I realized a long time ago that my father and I would never have a relationship. He grew up an orphan, so maybe that’s why he could never connect with me. I don’t know the reason. All I do know is that I never want my child to wonder if his father cares about him. That’s why I’m so determined to be a good father myself.”

Rowena slowly nodded. “We’ve both let our pasts dictate our future. I grew up the child of divorced parents who loathed each other. The problem was that I loved both of them so much I couldn’t bear to be part of that animosity. But I didn’t have a choice. I don’t think they even realized they were using me as a weapon in their battle, but I was the one who almost got destroyed.”

He held his breath as she talked, realizing she must trust him to reveal this much of herself.

“I left home as soon as I graduated from high school,” she continued, “and landed in New York City. I met a man named Max Heller there. He was handsome, charming and the most sophisticated man I’d ever known.”

He thought about telling her he’d overheard Maureen’s telephone call about Heller and the letter. But he decided against it, not wanting to break her flow. “I hate him already.”

A smile teased her lips. “He was a director on
Another Dawn,
and I thought he was wonderful. At first. But soon I learned he wanted to direct me offstage as well as on. He wanted to dictate everything I did in my life.”

“I can imagine how well that went over.”

Her smile widened. “I’m sure you can. Although I wasn’t quite as confident in myself back then. I mistook his attention for love. It took me a while to figure out how Max’s need to control me wasn’t healthy for either of us.”

“So you got away from him.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Not soon enough.” She suppressed a shiver. “I realized how bad it was when I won a role in an off-Broadway play. A role Max hadn’t wanted me to take.”

“Why not?”

She shrugged. “He didn’t think the money was good enough. He was furious when I pursued it even after he advised me against it.”

“So what happened?”

“He called the producer of the play and told him I was close to a nervous breakdown and couldn’t take on the pressure of another role in addition to playing Savannah Corrington.”

“Don’t tell me the producer bought that?”

“He did. Max had called in a favor with a tabloid reporter, so an item about my impending collapse appeared in the paper that same day. I can’t really blame the producer. He couldn’t afford to take a chance on someone he thought was unstable.”

“Heller sounds completely twisted.”

She nodded. “He didn’t want to just keep me from doing the play. He wanted to humiliate me. To punish me for going against his wishes.”

“So that’s when you left him?”

“Yes.” She leaned back in her chair. “Shortly after that I left show business and moved to Cooper’s Corner. And I haven’t looked back since.”

“Do you miss it?” he asked, truly curious. “The big city? The fame? The glamour?”

“It’s a different lifestyle,” she admitted. “Some actors become addicted to it. I never did. The business was too cutthroat for me.”

“Publishing can be the same way,” he replied. “Great highs, but lots of lows, too. I used to love it, but lately I can’t seem to dredge up the same drive to succeed that I used to have. Maybe it got zapped away during those radiation treatments.”

“Or maybe you just realized what’s really important in life.”

He looked into her eyes, seeing the most important person to him at this moment. “Maybe you’re right.”

Phyllis Cooper approached their table. “My, don’t you two look serious.”

“Hi, Phyllis,” Rowena said. “The decoration committee did a wonderful job. The gym looks great.”

Phyllis preened. “Why, thank you. I had great people helping me. My Bonnie, of course, Burt Tubb and Alison Fairchild. We all worked hard to make it as romantic as possible. The papier-mâché Cupid hanging over the dance floor was my idea. Sort of like mistletoe at Christmas.” Her gaze moved over the couples nuzzling together as they danced. “It seems to be working, too.”

Rowena motioned to Alan. “This is my date, Alan Rand. Alan, this is Phyllis Cooper.”

Phyllis’s eyes twinkled. “We’ve already met. Mr. Rand has been in my store several times. He’s not much of a talker, though.”

“I’ve always been a little shy,” Alan confessed, meeting Rowena’s amused gaze.

Phyllis nodded with approval. “The strong, silent type. I like that. And I’m so glad to see you here together. I told Philo not to worry about that little tiff you had in the store. You two are such a cute couple that I was sure you’d make up.”

Alan saw the flush in Rowena’s cheeks. “If you’ll excuse us, Mrs. Cooper, I was just about to ask Rowena to dance with me.”

“Of course,” Phyllis said. “Although I think Cupid’s already found his mark with you two.”

Rowena’s face was as red as her dress by the time they reached the dance floor. “I’ve never been so mortified in my life. Cupid’s already found his mark. Can you believe she actually said that?”

Alan laughed as he pulled her into his arms. “No. But I’m having a great time. How about you? Tired?”

“Maybe a little,” she admitted. “It’s amazing how spending ten days in bed can drain a person’s energy.”

“Then why don’t you let me take you home?”

She circled her arms around his neck. “First I want to see if that Cupid Phyllis made really works.”

Then she kissed him.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

T
IME
STOPPED
FOR
Alan when Rowena reached up to kiss him. The dance music and the crowd around them faded away as she moved her soft, succulent lips over his mouth. A low groan rumbled in his chest, and he pulled her closer, relishing the contact of her body against his own.

Alan had kissed women before, but never like this. He poured his heart and soul into it, telling her with his body what he couldn’t yet communicate with words. She threaded her fingers through his hair, and the sensation nearly destroyed him. His body throbbed with desire. And from the soft, needy whimpers he heard emanating from her throat, that desire was mutual.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” a deep voice said over the loudspeakers, “may I have your attention, please?”

Alan and Rowena broke apart to find the dance floor empty except for the two of them. They looked sheepishly at each other, and Alan wondered how long ago the band had stopped playing. He’d been too lost in their kiss to notice.

Burt Tubb stood nearby holding a microphone in one hand and an envelope in the other. “Let’s give a round of applause to Rowena Dahl and Alan Rand, voted this year’s Most Romantic Couple.”

Cheers and knowing smiles broke out in the crowd around them. Rowena glanced at Alan, a becoming pink blush on her cheeks. His gaze fell to her full, luscious mouth, and he wanted to kiss her all over again.

Burt handed the envelope to Alan. “The prize is a romantic dinner for two at Tubb’s Café, home of some of the best service and finest local cuisine you’ll find anywhere in the state.”

The crowd laughed at Burt’s blatant self-promotion.

“Thanks,” Alan said, handing the envelope to Rowena. Her cheeks still looked flushed, but he saw the glow of pride in her eyes. At that moment, he realized what kissing him on the dance floor meant. The people of Cooper’s Corner believed that he and Rowena were a couple.

She had just confirmed it for them.

An odd sensation rippled like a feather across his chest. He suddenly had an inexplicable urge to laugh. To grab Rowena in his arms and whirl her around in a circle. Clearing his throat, he wondered what the hell was coming over him. Had the dance committee put something unusual in that punch?

“Now it’s time for our winners to enjoy their spotlight dance,” Burt announced, then motioned to the band to begin playing.

The overhead lights dimmed in the gymnasium, and a moment later Alan and Rowena found themselves bathed in the glow of the spotlight. She moved toward him with a self-conscious smile as a jazzy rendition of the song “It Had To Be You” filled the air.

“Are you terribly embarrassed?” she asked, walking into his arms.

“Standing in the spotlight is a first for me,” he admitted, moving to the beat of the music. “Although I was once voted most valuable player on my soccer team.”

“What was the prize?”

“A black eye from the team captain. He didn’t like anyone but himself to be the center of attention.”

She smiled at him, her blond hair gleaming like spun gold in the glare of the spotlight. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anybody here lay a hand on you.”

He gazed into her eyes. “There are some hands on me that I don’t mind at all.”

Her blush deepened, and she moved closer to rest her head on his shoulder. Her hair brushed lightly against his cheek, and he inhaled deeply, relishing her familiar scent.

“I love this song,” she murmured.

“It’s the perfect one for us,” he replied, “if you listen to the words. Especially considering the way we met. Have you ever thought about it, Rowena?”

She pulled back far enough to look at his face. “Thought about what?”

“The way we met. What if that mistake at the Orr Fertility Clinic wasn’t a mistake at all. What if it was fate?”

Her amethyst eyes widened. “Do you really believe that, Alan?”

“I don’t know,” he replied truthfully. “All I do know is that this is the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me. That sperm switch brought us together. And right now I can’t imagine any place else I’d rather be.”

“Do you want to hear something really crazy? Neither can I.”

He closed his eyes as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. For the first time in a very long while he didn’t feel alone anymore. What was it about her that intrigued him so much? He’d met countless glamorous women in his business, but none of them had had the same effect on him as Rowena. Was it because he knew she carried his child? Or was there something more? Something he’d never experienced before?

“Alan?” she asked as the band began to play the song a second time and the other couples joined them on the dance floor.

“Yes?”

She looked at him with a mischievous smile. “Did I mention I bought some bananas today? Along with a gallon of Neapolitan ice cream? I have chocolate syrup and strawberries and pineapple, too. All the makings for a banana split.” Her eyes flashed with something that made his body tighten. “In case you still have that craving.”

He looked into her eyes. “I definitely have a craving. But not for a banana split.”

She licked her lips. “Do you think anyone will mind if the Most Romantic Couple leaves the dance early?”

“I don’t care,” he said, guiding her toward the door. His heart pounded at the promise he’d just seen in her eyes. Some small voice in his head told him this was all happening too fast. He’d made it a practice to err on the side of caution where women were concerned. Made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t interested in a commitment before he embarked on a relationship.

But this was different. This was Rowena. And for the first time in his life, he was letting his heart take full control.

* * *

F
IFTEEN
MINUTES
LATER
they were on her front porch. Neither of them had spoken during the short ride to her house. Alan’s body throbbed with need, and he hoped Rowena hadn’t changed her mind in the interim. He wanted her. She wanted him. Had anything in the world ever been more simple?

But by the time she unlocked the door and they walked inside, nothing seemed simple anymore. What if he moved too fast? What if he disappointed her? Wiping his damp palms on his slacks, he watched her walk to the hearth and bend to place a log on the iron grate. His body hardened in an instant.

This was ridiculous. He was as nervous as a randy teenager. Alan took a deep, calming breath as she stoked the fire. A few moments later, a blaze crackled up from the logs, and Alan got his runaway hormones under control.

Rowena turned away from the hearth to face him, the golden flames of the fire casting an ethereal glow around her. He stopped breathing for a moment as he looked at her. She was incredible, both inside and out.

She moved toward him. “Have you changed your mind about the banana split?”

He swallowed, finding it hard to think with all the blood in his body rushing south. “What?”

A smile played on her lips. “I’ve got plenty of whipped cream...if you’re interested.”

“I’m definitely interested.” Alan pulled her to him, cupping her face in his hands. “But not in whipped cream. I just want you.”

“Show me,” she whispered.

So he did. With his mouth. His hands. His body. A few moments later, it was as if that tense drive from the dance had never happened. They were as frantic for each other as they had been on the dance floor. Together they pulled off coats and gloves and hats in their need to come closer. He stifled a groan as her hands circled his neck and she pressed her body against him.

Was it possible this gorgeous woman could want him as much as he wanted her? Alan didn’t take time to question it, he just indulged in the taste and feel of her, knowing he could never get enough.

Rowena unknotted his tie, then took his hand and led him to the thick woven rug in front of the fireplace. She reached for the top button of his shirt, slipping it out of the hole with excruciating slowness, a seductive light in her eyes. She destroyed him one button at a time. His body was on fire an eternity later as she parted his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. Her hands caressed his bare chest.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, needing to know now, before it was impossible for him to stop. Her touch almost made him dizzy.

“I want to make love to the father of my baby.” Then she leaned forward and flicked her tongue over his flat nipple. Alan tilted his head back and closed his eyes as her mouth dropped dewy kisses over his chest.

Rowena explored his body with her hands, first pushing him down on the rug, then molding her palms against his chest and sprinkling sweet kisses over his face. When she nipped at his earlobe, her warm breath sent a tingle throughout his entire body, inflaming him even more. He pulled her on top of him, welcoming the weight of her body against his straining flesh. Blood pooled low as he captured her lips with his mouth.

His tongue swept inside her sweet mouth, pouring all the passion, all the longing that he’d stored up for a lifetime into that kiss. Going slow wasn’t an option. His fingers found the zipper on the back of her dress and slid it all the way down to her waist.

When he broke the kiss, she rolled off him, then rose to her knees. Meeting his gaze, she slowly, seductively pulled the straps off her shoulders and let the dress shimmy down the length of her body, revealing the red silk bra and panties underneath. Then she unhooked the front clasp of the bra, and her generous breasts spilled out.

He knelt before her and cupped her breasts in his hands, molding and shaping them until she tipped her head back and emitted a low, wanton moan. The sound almost drove him over the edge.

His hands slid downward, over the gentle slope of her belly to the waistband of her panties. He rubbed his palms over the silky fabric, loving the way her eyes glazed at the sensation. He leaned down to kiss her again, tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue. She opened for him, and he groaned when he entered the silky haven of her mouth.

Their tongues tangled and tantalized, heightening the tension between them to a fever pitch. No longer could he indulge in a slow seduction. He wanted her with an urgency that seemed to match hers.

In the space of a heartbeat, he shed his slacks and shoes. Her gaze slid over him like warm honey, and he hoped she wasn’t disappointed in what she saw.

“Oh, my,” she breathed in appreciation, her eyes widening a fraction. Then she lay back on the rug and held her hand out to him.

He joined her there, savoring the skin to skin contact. The heat from the blaze behind him was nothing compared with the fire building inside him. She whispered what she wanted in his ear, and he made it his mission to fulfill every wish.

When he couldn’t wait any longer, he sat up to drag her panties off. Then he leaned back to savor the sight of her completely naked, her perfect body basking in the firelight. She was like a fantasy come to life, and he hoped like hell he wasn’t dreaming.

She held out her arms to him, her long blond hair splayed over the rug. Hovering above her on his elbows, he let the moment linger between them.

But he couldn’t wait long. He had to kiss her. To touch her. To be so close to her he couldn’t tell where he ended and she began. He’d never desired that kind of intimacy before and it rattled him a little, but he was too caught up in the passion between them to care. He bent to worship the nipple of one breast, swirling his tongue around it until it formed an erect peak. He closed his lips over it, sucking gently, and her fingers plucked at his hair, her head thrown back.

He moved to the other breast, giving it the same undivided attention. His hand moved lower, sliding over her body in a way that drew a delicious moan from deep in her throat.

At last she looked into his face, her lips parted. “I love you,” she breathed, then gasped aloud when his fingers touched just the right spot. “Oh, Alan. Now. Please.”

He didn’t wait for a second invitation. Sheathing himself inside her, he groaned with satisfaction as she wrapped her long legs around him. His lone conscious thought was not to put too much weight on her stomach. Holding her tightly in his arms, he turned so that both of them lay on their sides.

“You’re incredible,” he rasped, unable to keep from moving inside her. He wanted to savor this moment. The feel of her around him. The sparks of desire in her eyes. The soft press of her breasts against him. But he couldn’t think about anything when she writhed her hips to bring him even farther inside her.

Her eyelids fluttered closed as they moved together in a timeless rhythm. He watched her, cradling her face in his hands, loving the play of expressions on her beautiful face.

When her breathing quickened, he shifted slightly and saw her gasp with pleasure as she reached out to cling to him. When he heard her cry out his name, he pulled her on top of him and triggered a second climax deep within her moments later. Then he released his last thread of control, losing himself inside her.

And finding a love he didn’t know existed.

* * *

R
OWENA
LAY
SHELTERED
in Alan’s arms as the fire cast a golden glow over their naked bodies. His lips nuzzled her hair, and she closed her eyes, trying to preserve this perfect moment in her memory.

She feared this tranquil peace between them couldn’t last. They’d still made no decisions about the baby. Was this the lull before the coming storm? But instead of battening down her heart to minimize the damage, she let her love for him flow through her with the full force of a gale.

“So tell me the truth,” he murmured in her ear. “Am I better than Sloane?”

She laughed as she turned in his arms to face him. “I think you’ve been watching too many of those
Another Dawn
videotapes.”

“Too many of him kissing you, anyway,” Alan bent his head to brush his lips over her brow. “I suspect the guy threw in a few extra kisses that weren’t in the script, didn’t he?”

“Of course not. He was a professional.” Her eyes widened as she looked at him. “Are you actually jealous of a character on a soap opera?”