She’s late. That kind of late...

Kayla Rickard always planned to marry and start a family—with the right man. Then she met Liam O’Sullivan. Once she sampled passion in his arms, she forgot the feud that separated their families for decades. Now Kayla’s in two times the trouble. She’s secretly married to—and pregnant by—public enemy number one.

After eloping to Vegas, the scion of the O’Sullivan empire wants to come clean. Liam wants his wife—at his side, in his bed. He’ll do whatever it takes, even get to the bottom of the feud. But are he and Kayla prepared for the bombshells they’ll uncover? They have no choice—because in nine months their little secret will be born!

“You’re a fraud, Liam O’Sullivan!”

He looked at her as she spoke. “Tough guy. Calm, cool and collected. Ice in your veins. All the things people say about you? None of it’s true.”

“Sure, it is.”

“Yesterday I thought you were in control and ready to find out we’re having a baby. But today you’re more nervous than I am. Let’s face it. Your family’s going to be as shocked about this as mine. And equally disapproving.”

He reached out for her. “I don’t care about that. I only care about you and the baby you’re carrying.”

“But we can’t disregard their feelings. We knew going into this relationship that it wouldn’t be easy, considering our history.”

“We don’t have a history, Kayla. It’s our parents’ history. We were both raised with hatred for each other’s family. But this child will end that cycle. Or his grandparents won’t be part of his life.”

“You know me. That can never happen.”

He shot her that smoky look that got her in this predicament in the first place. The one she could never resist.

“Oh, I know you,” he said in a throaty voice. “I know every inch of you...intimately. And I can’t wait to know you again.”

* * *

The Cedar River Cowboys: Riding into town with romance on their minds!

Married to the Mom-to-Be

Helen Lacey

www.millsandboon.co.uk

HELEN LACEY grew up reading Black Beauty and Little House on the Prairie. These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven, a story about a girl and her horse. She loves writing for Mills & Boon Cherish, where she can create strong heroes with a soft heart and heroines with gumption who get their happily-ever-after. For more about Helen, visit her website, www.helenlacey.com.

For Robert

To the moon and back... always.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“I think I’m pregnant.”

Kayla Rickard hadn’t planned on announcing the news to Liam O’Sullivan that way.

But the unexpected craving for pistachio ice cream at nine that Tuesday morning, followed by a surge of nausea that had her racing to the bathroom to lose the contents of her stomach, and then staring at her pale reflection in the washroom mirror, had her realizing one undeniable and alarming fact.

I’m pregnant.

She didn’t really need an over-the-counter test or a doctor to tell her what was now seeping through to her bones with Technicolor clarity, even though she would certainly get confirmation as soon as she could. Because it all made perfect sense. She was late. And she was never late. She was nauseous, notably in the mornings. And she’d been uncharacteristically weary for weeks. Her breasts were tender. Her senses were heightened. And now these random cravings? The more she’d considered it, the more obvious it became.

“What?”

Liam’s hollow voice broke through her thoughts. Kayla took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and looked him over...every perfectly proportioned inch of his six-foot-two frame. His short, dark brown hair was cut neatly and his features were flawlessly put together. He was turn-your-head handsome. And successful and confident and sexy as sin. His midnight-blue gaze met hers and Kayla was drawn deep into him. It was always like that between them. There was tension and heat and raw, undeniable attraction...

And now, God help them, there would be a baby, too.

“I’m...you know. Late,” she whispered, the words curdling deep in her throat.

The moment he realized what she meant his expression turned to a kind of wary bewilderment. He stared at her, searching her face with his eyes. “Are you sure?”

“No,” she replied quickly, dropping her voice again. “I mean, I’m sure that I’m late, but I’m not sure about anything else. But I...I feel like I am. Which probably doesn’t make any sense because I wouldn’t be too far along. But I feel...I don’t know...different.”

He was silent, looking at her with hot, blistering intensity. There were questions in his eyes and tension in his jaw. “We obviously need to talk about this.”

“Not here,” she said, looking around the reception area. “People might see us and—”

“My office?” he suggested quietly.

Kayla nodded. She’d been to his office many times, mostly to discuss the upcoming charity benefit for the local hospital that was being held at the museum and art gallery where she was the curator. And the extension plans for the gallery that were currently being reviewed by the local council.

He looked tense and guilt snapped at her heels. It had come out all wrong. She’d planned on going somewhere private and quietly letting him know she suspected she was pregnant...not announcing the fact in the middle of the hotel foyer with his staff and guests watching on.

The O’Sullivans were the wealthiest and most powerful family in Cedar River, a small town that sat in the shadow of the Black Hills of South Dakota. And Liam was the heir apparent to the O’Sullivan portfolio and fortune. Both his brothers lived elsewhere—Kieran was a doctor in Sioux Falls and Sean was a movie producer in LA. Liam had returned to Cedar River after college and taken over from his father when he retired, running the big hotel in town, along with several other businesses.

Kayla followed him wordlessly toward the elevator and by the time they reached his second-floor office she was a bundle of nerves. She looked around as she crossed the threshold. “Where’s Connie?” she asked.

“Lunch,” he replied and checked his watch. “So we have about fifteen minutes until she gets back to her desk.”

Connie had been Liam’s assistant for several years and Kayla liked the other woman a lot—but she didn’t want anyone’s prying eyes around them while they discussed her bombshell.

She walked farther into the room and then followed him into his large office. “Okay.”

“You do look a little pale,” he said as he closed the door. “You were sick last week,” he said, almost as though he was talking to himself. “I should have realized.”

Kayla shrugged and said lightly, “Well, it only occurred to me after I threw up today, so don’t beat yourself up.”

“Will pregnancy complicate your condition?”

Kayla had suffered from anemia since she was a teenager. A heavy menstrual cycle and her vegetarian lifestyle meant she had to keep the condition under control with her diet and exercise. She would certainly be asking her doctor about any precautions or supplements she’d need to take if she was pregnant.

“I’m sure it will be fine. And I didn’t mean to tell you in the middle of the lobby,” she admitted. “It just slipped out that way.”

“It’s okay,” Liam said as he moved to the small kitchenette in the corner of the office and grabbed a bottle of water from the bar fridge. “I’m always glad to see you.”

More guilt pressed between her shoulder blades. It had been three days since they’d been this close. Her doing, not his. She was the one putting distance between them, stepping back and finding excuses to stay away. But there was no stepping back from this. A baby would change everything.

Kayla instinctively pressed a hand to her belly. Even without a test, she knew she had a baby growing inside her... Liam’s baby. Every instinct she possessed told her it was true.

“Why don’t you sit down,” he said and passed the bottle to her.

Kayla took the water and stared at him. “You seem awfully calm.”

“Hysterics won’t help.”

She gave a brittle laugh and he immediately gave her an inquiring look. “I’m trying to imagine you being hysterical.”

He ignored her words and pointed to the dark leather sofa pushed against one wall. “Come and sit down, Kayla.”

She walked across the room and sat down. He was a few strides behind her and then perched on the armrest, elbows on his knees. “You said you were late. How late?”

She held up one hand. “Five or six days. But last month I had an unusually light period,” she said candidly, figuring there was little point in being coy about the whole thing. “And you know I’m paranoid about keeping track of my cycle to avoid any bouts of anemia.”

He was silent for a moment, clearly absorbing her words. “I take it you haven’t been to see a doctor or done a home test?”

“Not yet. I didn’t want to go to Talbot’s Drugstore. If I buy a pregnancy test in this town, word would spread like wildfire.”

“I can go and get it.”

“No,” she said, her tone growing frantic. “That would be worse.”

It sounded overly dramatic, but it was the truth. And Liam didn’t disagree. Cedar River was a small town, and small towns weren’t easy to get lost in. He nodded fractionally, as though he was working out a solution. And of course he came up with one. In typical Liam fashion.

“We could drive into Rapid City this afternoon and buy whatever test is needed.”

“Not today,” she said and shook her head. “Tomorrow,” she added, thinking that Rapid City, a forty-minute drive from Cedar River, was far enough away that she wouldn’t be recognized. “I still feel a little queasy. And anyway, I can go by myself, so there’s no need to—”

“Kayla,” he said softly, cutting her off. “We should go together.”

Of course he was right. And she didn’t want to exclude him. But she also didn’t want him thinking he could snap his fingers and she’d simply comply.

“I didn’t tell you so you could make all the decisions, Liam. Stop being so bossy.”

“Habit,” he said and his mouth twitched as he sat back. “You know how I am.”

Yes, she knew. Better than anyone.

She got to her feet and walked toward the long window. The drapes were open and the street below was its usual bustle for a midweek lunchtime.

She loved Cedar River. After college in Washington State she’d returned home for two months, helping her father out at his real estate office. She knew there was nowhere in town she could utilize her degree and eventually got an opportunity to work at an art museum in Colorado. It meant leaving again, but she had to do what was best for her career. The next few years she’d spent working in Denver had been good ones, but something had always been missing from her life. She’d enjoyed her work, made friends, dated and eventually had a three-year relationship with a college professor during her time there. But there had been a hollowness to her life. An emptiness. A space that she couldn’t fill with work or friends or a romantic relationship. A space she needed to fill with one thing.

Home.

Cedar River had called her back. When the long-serving museum curator retired and the position became available, she had immediately applied, and with her stellar references had quickly been offered the job. That was over a year ago. She’d had dreams back then...dreams of living back in town, of spending time with her friends and family, and then of meeting someone special, settling down and having a family of her own. Someone that wasn’t Liam O’Sullivan.

Because her father absolutely hated his father...hated the entire O’Sullivan family, in fact. And she knew it would break her parents’ heart when they discovered she was in a relationship with the son of their mortal enemy.

She knew Liam, of course. Every girl in town knew the three handsome O’Sullivan brothers. And she’d always liked his younger sister, Liz. Since he was seven years older than Kayla, they had traveled in different social circles, but she remembered his youngest brother, Sean, from high school, even though he’d been a couple of grades above her. It seemed there were always girls hanging around the O’Sullivan boys. By the time she’d returned to town permanently, both Sean and Kieran had moved away. Liz had died tragically, leaving three young daughters and a husband behind, and Liam was running the hotel.

And she didn’t give him a thought. Not one. Not ever. Until the night her car collided with his in the hotel parking area. She was backing out, he was driving in. His hulking black Silverado had barely sustained a scratch, but her aging Beamer wasn’t as lucky. One broken taillight and a crumpled trunk later, she’d gotten out of the car full of apologies and then had clamped her mouth shut when she realized who she’d crashed into.

Because she’d been raised on a steady diet of dislike and abhorrence for anyone named O’Sullivan all of her life. The feud went back thirty years, before she was born. It was not a story that anyone talked about in detail. Her father and J.D. O’Sullivan had been friends once, even partners in business. But something had happened that had changed everything, and Kayla had always happily kept her distance, leaving for college and not giving the O’Sullivans a single thought. When she returned to visit her parents over the years, she would occasionally see Liam or even his brothers around town if they were visiting their family, but never entertained the idea of talking to any them. She went to the O’Sullivan pub with her friends and rarely registered Liam’s presence. Of course, that changed once she returned home permanently and then crashed into Liam’s truck a month later.

Immediately on the defensive, she’d expected him to be arrogant and judgmental and entitled about the whole incident. That’s who he was—or at least, that’s who she believed he was. And she did her best to ignore his handsome face, broad shoulders and how good he looked in jeans, white shirt and a leather jacket that screamed money and good taste. He was hot, no doubt about it. But he was also as off-limits as the stars from a distant planet.

He’d looked her up and down, quickly registering who she was and probably imagining the great big red flag waving between them just as she did. She saw a flicker of something in his eyes, a kind of unexpected and guarded awareness that was mirrored in her own.

But to her surprise, Liam had been very civil about the whole thing. They’d exchanged cell numbers and insurance details and he even called a tow for her and a cab once she’d refused his offer to drive her home. She said goodbye before one last apology and left. And that, she’d thought, was that.

Except he called her forty-eight hours later and asked her out.

Date Liam O’Sullivan?

Not a chance.

She refused him as politely as she could and pushed the idea from her thoughts. Until three days later when he called again. Of course she turned him down. There was no way in hell she could go out with him. Even if she wanted to. Which of course she didn’t. At least, not without hurting her parents.

Instead, she started dating someone else. Will Serrato was the foreman on one of the local ranches, a good-looking cowboy with nice manners, a lovely smile and no familial ties to Cedar River, which suited her fine. Her parents liked him and Kayla enjoyed his company. It lasted three months, until they both admitted they were better off as friends rather than lovers. She liked Will a lot, but that wasn’t enough to sustain a long-term relationship. She’d had three bland years with the college professor as proof. Liking someone didn’t cut it.

“Have you told anyone else?”

Liam’s voice jerked her back into the moment. She turned and discovered he was only a couple of feet away. He had the stealth of a cat. Her blood heated immediately, her usual reaction when he was within touching distance.

She crossed her arms. “No.”

“Not the Happy-Hour Crew?”

She frowned. That’s what he called her friends, Ash, Lucy and Brooke. They’d regularly met at O’Sullivans on a Friday evening up until a few months ago. But Brooke had recently married a New York lawyer who’d bought out a legal practice in town and they’d adopted a baby girl who was biologically Brooke’s niece. And Lucy and her fiancé Brant Parker were to marry in the next few months. Ash had a twelve-year-old son at home, plus a small ranch where she took in foster kids, and there wasn’t much time left in the week for socializing.

“No one,” she said again. “This is between me and you.”

His mouth flattened. She knew that look. He was close, so close she could feel the heat radiating from him. Since they hadn’t been as near to one another for days he was burning even hotter than usual. They had great chemistry and making love with him was like nothing she’d experienced before. Hot, passionate and yet achingly tender. For five months she’d loved him...loved him...with her body and her whole heart.

“I guess everyone will know soon enough,” he said quietly, reaching down to briefly rest his hand against her belly.

Kayla stilled at his warm touch and felt cold when he moved his hand away. She didn’t want to think about the whole world learning about her pregnancy. Confirming the news aloud to him—and to herself—was dramatic enough. “I have no intention of saying too much too soon, even if I do see my friends on a Thursday night.”

“When you’re hanging out at the Loose Moose?” he queried.

Kayla shrugged. Lucy’s fiancé owned the Loose Moose, and although it was a different kind of place than O’Sullivans, it was still competition. And Liam knew she went there every other Thursday evening to have dinner with her friends. Brant was always there because he owned the place and Brooke regularly brought Tyler on their get-togethers. But Kayla had not taken Liam...not once. She didn’t want the questions she would get from her friends. Or their concern, since they knew about the feud between her father and J.D. O’Sullivan.

“It’s a nice place,” she said extra sweetly. “The steaks are good.”

His gaze narrowed. “You’re a vegetarian.”

Kayla managed a tight smile. “I like the salad bar,” she said and shrugged lightly.

His hand came up to touch her cheek and as his fingertips gently rubbed her jawline the sensation spread heat through her with the speed of a brushfire. “I know what you like.”

His words were packed with innuendo. He did know. Better than anyone. “Well, I guess I should get back to work.”

“Not yet,” he said, his voice so quiet it was almost a whisper. He leaned in closer, his intent obvious. She’d craved his kiss since that first date and tilted her chin acceptingly. He kissed the corner of her mouth softly. And then her cheek and then the sensitive spot just below her earlobe. “Come home with me tonight, Kayla,” he whispered against her skin. “Come home and let me make love to you.”

It should have been easy to nod and fall into his arms and to agree to anything he suggested. But it wasn’t. If she was pregnant, then their complicated relationship was about to become even more so.

“I can’t,” she replied, woozy from the feel of his lips trailing over her skin. “Ash is coming by this evening to drop off some flyers for the hospital benefit. You know she’s on one of the committees and is helping me with the—”

He pulled back, straightened and stared down at her. “Is this because of the fight we had the other day?”

She remembered the words they’d exchanged a few days earlier. It was the same discussion they’d been having since the beginning of their relationship. But she wasn’t ready to break her father’s heart. And she wouldn’t be pushed.

“Was that a fight?” she asked and sighed.

He shrugged loosely. “Maybe. If it was, then I’m sorry.”

Kayla reached out and touched his jaw, felt the bristle of stubble and smiled. “You didn’t shave this morning?”

He met her gaze. “I don’t sleep well unless I have you next to me. Then I woke up late and ran out of time.”

His words melted her. She didn’t want to give him sleepless nights. She didn’t want to argue with him, either. She wanted...she wanted it to work out. She wanted their families to end the feuding. With a heavy heart, Kayla suspected she wanted the impossible.

“Liam...”

“It kills me to be away from you,” he admitted and swallowed hard. His gaze dropped to her stomach and without a word he gently pressed a hand to her middle. “Do you really think that you’re...” His words trailed off with a kind of agonized sigh when she nodded. “My god, Kayla...if you are then everything changes. Everything,” he said again, steadier, as though he was affirming the idea to himself.

His palm was warm against her belly. And strong and familiar. Their connection had never seemed more intense than it did in that moment and she had to say what was on her mind. And in her heart. “This isn’t what I planned...at least, not yet. But, the more I think about it, the more I want this baby, Liam. Despite what it will mean to our families. Despite how...complicated it is.”

They hadn’t talked about having children, not in any real depth. It was one of those things that seemed too hard, considering they were keeping their relationship a secret from everyone they knew. From the world.

“So do I, Kayla.”

Of course she knew that. Liam would make a great father. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said and dropped her hand. “Okay?”

He nodded resignedly. “I’ll pick you up in the morning at eight thirty and we’ll drive into Rapid City.”

Kayla frowned. “My mother is coming by in the morning, plus I have a busload of tourists arriving tomorrow, so it will have to wait until the afternoon before I—”

“You could cancel your mother and get Shirley to cover you,” he said. “This really can’t wait.”

Sixtysomething Shirley had been working part-time at the museum for over twenty years and would certainly work if Kayla needed her. She pushed down her impatience at his high-handed logic. “Stop telling me what to do, Liam.”

“I’m not trying to make things harder here, Kayla. But if I’m going to be a father I’d like to know sooner rather than later.”

Of course he would. Kayla had a fleeting thought that she was being selfish. She’d had all morning to get used to the idea. Liam had only had fifteen minutes. “Okay,” she said agreeably. “Okay... I’ll call Shirley when I get back to work. And my mother,” she added.

His mouth twisted a little, as though he’d won a round. “I’ll call you later.”

She knew he would. He called her every night.

She grabbed her bag and headed for the door, stopping when he said her name. “What?”

“So I know that you’re okay, text me when you get back to the apartment this afternoon.”

The apartment. Not her apartment. Liam had his mind set on her spending every night at the house by the river. But she wasn’t ready for that. Not yet. Not until her parents knew about their relationship. Sure, she was stalling. But she had her reasons and they were valid. Even if Liam did struggle to understand, Kayla knew she had to do what she thought was right. As she always had.

“I really am fine,” she lied. “I mean, despite the fact that I’m probably pregnant and the baby is going to be caught in the middle of two families who hate one another.”

His jaw tightened. “Kayla, you know that I will never allow that to happen. If you are pregnant, then our child will come first, before any old squabbles, before any decades-old resentment, before anything.”

She shivered, because again she knew she should have been reassured. She knew Liam, she knew he could be ruthless when he needed to be. And she knew their relationship would be blown out of the water the moment her pregnancy was confirmed...and that Liam would be the one to do so.

“Of course I know that,” she said quietly. “My month is nearly up, remember?”

Three and half weeks earlier they’d agreed she would tell her parents about their relationship. It wasn’t an ultimatum. It was the next step. The obvious step. Exactly what needed to happen if they were to make their relationship work. But she still hadn’t told them. Not because she was a coward, although sometimes she wondered if Liam thought that of her...but because her parents loved her so dearly and upsetting them was such an alien concept to her. Liam didn’t appreciate that... Oh, he was considerate and caring, but he didn’t truly understand her motives.

“I didn’t suggest a month to hurt you,” he said quietly. “Or push you. I just thought it would be long enough for you to broach the subject and maybe ease them into the idea.”

“I know,” she flipped back. “And I get that you don’t understand the relationship I have with my parents. I get that you believe they smother me and think the world revolves around me...and you’re right...they do. That still doesn’t mean I want to upset them.”

“I know you don’t,” he said. “I don’t think anyone chooses to hurt the people they love.”

Her throat thickened. It was a direct hit. He loved her. She loved him. It shouldn’t be so messy. But it was.

“I’ll talk to you later,” she said and left the room before he had a chance to respond.

By the time she got back to the museum her head was throbbing. She turned the shingle over to say the place was open, unlocked the door and headed inside. As always, she experienced a sense of calm as she crossed the threshold. It always did that to her. The museum was her safe place. Her harbor. The balm she needed to soothe her soul. Split into two areas, it was a museum and art gallery, showcasing not only the incredible history of the town, but both the local and indigenous artists. There was a small gift shop that Shirley managed for a few hours each day, but mostly Kayla worked alone. And she liked it that way. Oh, she loved her family and friends, but the museum and gallery was her place, her calm center away from the world where she could think and read and find peace.

Liam understood that about her...perhaps more than anyone else ever had.

After she’d broken up with Will, Liam had pursued her again. Not obviously. In fact, at times he seemed to be ignoring her. But she knew what he was doing. The way he said her name whenever they met, the way his glittering blue eyes always seemed to linger on her mouth... Kayla was switched on enough to know she was being pursued. There was no ego in her realization, just instinct. An O’Sullivan had always been on the board of the museum, but suddenly he started turning up for the monthly meetings instead of his mother. And then he began regularly bringing his young nieces to the gallery. Subtle, for sure...but effective. Seeing him with the girls did something to her. It touched her heart, breaking down her defenses, making Kayla want him in ways that went beyond physical attraction.

It took a couple of months for Kayla to admit the truth to herself. That she liked him. That she more than liked him. And then one afternoon, when she could stand it no more, when he’d arrived early for a committee meeting to discuss the planned extension for the museum and they were alone in her office, she’d grabbed him by the lapel of his jacket and kissed him...forgetting everything...forgetting the three-decade-old feud, forgetting that her family would be devastated if they found out. All she knew was that in that moment, she had to feel his kiss, his touch.

It was also the moment she realized she was really falling for the son of the man her father hated most in the world.

So, from day one their relationship became a secret. No one could know. Her parents were good people, honest and hardworking, and they had always put her first. Always. And she wasn’t eager to disrespect the love and devotion they had shown her all their lives.

Only...

If she was carrying Liam’s child, hurting them was inevitable.

Her cell beeped with a text message as she walked into her office. She checked the number and saw that it was Ash saying she’d be at her apartment that afternoon. Kayla texted back, saying she’d see her later and then called her mother and rescheduled her visit. Then she called Shirley and asked her to cover her shift. Her cell rang again a few minutes later, and thinking it might be Shirley again and that something could be wrong, she snatched the phone up quickly.

“Hello,” she said breathlessly.

“Hey, it’s me. Liam.” His deep voice wound through her system like silk.

Kayla managed to take a steadying breath. “What do you want?” She knew she sounded terse and unfriendly, but her patience was frayed.

“Just to see how you are.”

“You saw me half an hour ago,” she reminded him. “Not much has changed since then.”

He was silent for a moment. “I am allowed to be concerned about you.”

“I know that,” she said, quickly hating how mean and short-tempered she must sound to him. “I’m sorry,” she said and sighed. “I’m just tired. I’ll feel better tomorrow.”

He took a moment before he spoke again. “Thank you for telling me. I know you could have kept this to yourself until you got confirmation.”

“If I’m pregnant then it’s your baby, too, Liam,” she said softly, feeling a heady warmth spread through her limbs as the words left her mouth. “I’m not about to exclude you from anything. We’re in this together.”

“Are we?” he asked and her insides constricted.

“Yes,” she replied. “We are.”

He sighed heavily. “Kayla, you do know what this will mean, don’t you?”

Tension filled her chest. “I don’t want to think about it. Before I start thinking about what any of this means, I need to make sure. We both need to be sure.”

“Of course,” he said. “But if you are pregnant then we’ll have to make some changes.”

Oh, she knew. Reveal their relationship to the world. And hurt her parents in the process.

“I know that,” she replied hotly. “You don’t need to keep reminding me.”

“I didn’t call to upset you,” he said quietly. “That’s the last thing I want.”

“I know that, too,” she acknowledged and sighed. “But I’m not accustomed to hurting my parents. I don’t like how the idea makes me feel. I don’t like knowing that they are going to think that I’ve betrayed them.” She sighed heavily. “And in a way, they’ll be right. I knew how my dad felt about your father...about your family. I mean, I’ve known it practically all my life. I was raised on it. But it still didn’t stop me from falling in love with you.”

Silence stretched out between them, filled with thick, relentless tension. When he spoke again his voice was unusually raspy. “I haven’t heard you admit that for a while.”

“Admit what?” she queried, but knew exactly what he meant.

And he was right. She hadn’t said it for weeks. Not even when she was in his arms, making love with him, and he’d whisper the words to her with heart-melting passion.

“I love you, too, Kayla,” he said so softly that the sound of his voice hit her directly in the center of her chest. “But, you know, perhaps you’re thinking about this the wrong way. You might be imagining the worst for no reason. This situation may do exactly the opposite. It could bring everyone together.”

It was a nice idea. But a fantasy. Derek Rickard was not the forgiving type. And J.D. O’Sullivan was no better. There was way too much bad blood between the two families to imagine that there could be any kind of truce.

“I know my father. And yours,” she added. “He won’t be any more pleased about this than my folks.”

“Frankly, I don’t care about that,” he said bluntly. “I care about you. And if you’re pregnant, then I’ll care about our child. And I’ll protect you both...always.”

Heat rushed behind her eyes. Whatever Liam’s faults, he was undeniably loyal and fiercely protective of their relationship. It made her love him even more. And it also made the situation much harder.

“I know you will...and I know you don’t agree with the way I’ve handled things.”

“Handled things?”

She heard the query in his voice. “Okay,” she admitted. “The way I haven’t handled things with my parents. If I’m pregnant, we both know they’re going to be hurt and stunned by the news.”

“You think that’s going to shock them?” He drew in a long breath. “Wait until they find out that we’re married.”

Chapter Two

An impromptu Vegas wedding wasn’t something Liam had ever imagined for himself. Nonetheless, that was what he’d had just under a month earlier. Kayla had been at a conference in Nevada and he’d joined her there so they could spend the weekend together without worrying about being discovered. It had been a whim, fueled by three passionate and heady days of endless lovemaking and many bottles of champagne. They’d bought rings, found a chapel and a minister who looked way too much like Elvis to be taken seriously, and gotten hitched to the Blues Brothers’ soundtrack. It had been the happiest day of his life.

But it was followed by weeks of pretending they meant nothing to each other when they were around their friends, work colleagues and respective families.

And it was slowly breaking him.

He loved her and he wanted her in his life every day. Not just a couple of times a week, splitting time between her apartment and his house, snatching weekends together when they could. She wanted to wait to let everyone know they were married, and although he understood her motives, he didn’t agree with them. He knew she didn’t want to hurt her parents. But she was hurting their relationship with her silence. So when they’d come back from Vegas he’d pushed her a little, and finally got her to agree that they would both tell their parents by the end of the month. That was three and half weeks ago and they were no closer to a resolution.

And he had no idea if there ever would be.

All his life he’d been used to getting his own way...but not with Kayla. He stretched out his shoulders, so wound up he could barely stand being in his own skin. Only Kayla could make him feel that way. Only Kayla and her deep caramel eyes and perfectly proportioned features. She was easily the most beautiful woman he had ever known. But it wasn’t just her looks that drew him in—everything about her affected him on a primal level. The night she’d crashed into his car everything had changed.

Gone was the lanky teenager he vaguely remembered was prom queen. Oh, she’d always been attractive, but maturity had given her poise and amplified her beauty.

Desire, raw and uncomplicated, as wild as a river, as untamed as the Black Hills, had coursed through every cell he possessed. So much so that Liam could barely recall what he’d said to her that night. All he could remember was Kayla, standing in the parking lot in her white dress and fringed, come-take-me cowgirl boots.

He wanted her. Despite his better judgment. Despite knowing that the long-running feud between their respective fathers would make it difficult.

Then he tried for two days to get her out of his system. And failed. He went on a date with another woman, thinking all he needed to do was get laid and that would end the constant images of Kayla bombarding his thoughts. But by eight o’clock he’d had enough and bailed, not feeling particularly proud of himself, but not prepared to sleep with one woman when he was thinking about another.

So, despite knowing it would be like walking a minefield, he’d called her up and asked her out. And got shot down like a duck in hunting season. He tried again three days later and when her answer was the same, decided he would forget all about her. When she started dating the cowboy he knew it was ridiculous to spend his nights thinking about her and for months he embarked on a series of meaningless one-night stands, but they did nothing to get his attraction for Kayla out of his system. Then she broke up with the cowboy and he had a clear playing field.

Still, she resisted him for months. And not having her, he discovered, made him want her even more.

And then one afternoon, when he arrived at the museum for a meeting, everything changed. She’d been flustered, out of sorts, not her usual calm and collected self. And then she’d turned, dragged him toward her by the collar and kissed him. Hotly. Frantically. As though it was the last thing in the world she wanted to do, but the one thing she had to do.

Within a week they were lovers, which had only intensified his desire to make her his own. And the more time they spent together and he got to know her, Liam’s desire for Kayla turned into something else, something more and something that went way beyond physical attraction. Liam hadn’t agreed with her insistence they remain secretive about their relationship, but he’d let her have her way at first, too crazy for her to deny her anything. But as the months slipped by he knew things had to change, particularly once they were married. He’d grown tired of sneaking around and pretending to their friends and family that they weren’t together. She was his. He loved her and he wanted the world to know it.

“Liam, do you have a minute?”

He looked toward the open door. His assistant, Connie Bedford, stood in the doorway, wearing the skirt and jacket that was a signature of the hotel. Connie had worked at the hotel since she’d left high school, first on the front desk, and for the past few years as his administrative assistant. She was a sweet-natured young woman in her midtwenties who was hardworking, loyal and a godsend, and he always took note when she told him he was taking her for granted. She was also the only person who knew he was involved with Kayla, although she was too polite to ever mention it.

He beckoned her into the office. “Sure, what’s up?”

Connie came into the room and dropped a few files on his desk. “I need some signatures,” she explained and smiled. “And the new sous chef wants to see you today.”

He groaned inwardly. Temperamental chefs were not on his radar when he was consumed with thoughts of his wife and the state of his marriage. But he still had a business to run and spent the next ten minutes with Connie, discussing a few issues regarding the hotel. By the time Connie left, his irritation had eased and he managed to get through the remainder of the afternoon without snapping the heads off any of the staff. The hotel ran 24/7, with twenty-two rooms over three floors, the restaurant and a bar, and two conference rooms that were regularly booked out. It employed over thirty-five locals on staff and was renowned for its comfort, ambience and service. Liam demanded nothing less and ran a tight ship.

There were several dude ranches just out of town that catered to big-city corporations wanting to use the experience as a bonding exercise for employees, or to city-dwellers longing for the typical cowboy experience. And since O’Sullivans was the best hotel within a hundred miles, it meant business was good. Better than good. The O’Sullivan coffers were compounding every day. He had wealth and success and a job that continued to be challenging, and the only thing missing from his life was a family of his own.

A wife. A child.

Kayla was his wife. And she might be carrying his child.

Longing, raw and intense, seeped through his blood. He’d never been in love before. He’d never experienced the heavy ache in his chest that he felt when he was away from her.

He’d lived an entitled life, one of wealth and of little struggle. The one painful point was his sister’s death... Before that it had been easy street. But loving Kayla was changing him completely. He didn’t want to upset her, hurt her or see her struggle with her divided loyalties...especially when he knew there was more pain to come. Despite their agreed-upon deadline for telling their parents their secret, ultimately he had no real idea what he would do when that time was up. Of course, he could tell his own parents first and then deal with the fallout, forcing Kayla into action. But he wasn’t sure how he could do that without hurting the woman he loved.

Liam got to his feet and stretched his shoulders again. His office was on the second floor and from the long window behind his desk he had a view of the entire length of Main Street. The town, with its population of a few thousand, had one set of traffic lights, shop fronts that were both old and new, and well-maintained sidewalks. Until six months ago there had been two towns, separated by a river and a bridge. But after ten years of negotiating, the towns had merged, unified by the need to pool resources and create a stronger, more viable economy, taking advantage of commuters passing through the town on their way toward the state line. Cedar River was an old copper and silver mining town and Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills were within driving distance, so the town had plenty to offer tourists. The O’Sullivan portfolio of land and commercial property was vast, and Liam was proud of everything his father and grandfather had done since settling in the area sixty years earlier. His father, John-Dexter—or J.D. as he was known—had retired several years ago, handing the reins to Liam full-time, but still liked to show his face around the hotel. Liam didn’t mind, since he got on well with his dad and hoped that one day he’d have a son or daughter who would follow in his own footsteps. That day suddenly seemed like a real possibility. And he was happy. Foolishly happy, despite the turmoil churning through his head.

His cell rang, cutting through his thoughts. It was his mother, reminding him that he’d agreed to meet with her to discuss several upcoming charitable events in town—including the hospital benefit that was being held at the art gallery in a couple of weeks. He’d been working on the project with Kayla, and not only would it raise much-needed funds for the hospital, but it would give several of the local artists an opportunity to showcase their work and he knew that it was important to her.

Liam shut down his laptop, grabbed his jacket and keys and headed downstairs to the foyer and reception desk. The restaurant and bar were off to the left and even though it was early, it looked like there was already a good crowd inside. There were other pubs in town, like Rusty’s or the newly opened Loose Moose tavern. But O’Sullivan’s was different—the modern decor was complemented by a traditional Irish feel and was accompanied by exemplary service and great food.

He spotted his mother the moment he stepped through the elevator. Gwen O’Sullivan was a tall, statuesque woman in her late fifties with short silvery hair and a timeless style she’d gained as a model in her youth. She was quiet and reserved, the total opposite of her blustery, well-meaning but often misunderstood husband. Liam knew he was more like his mother than his brothers. Sean, a movie producer in LA, was confident and brash and an admitted womanizer. Liam doubted his youngest brother would ever settle down and ditch his fast life. Kieran, who was a doctor at a hospital in Sioux Falls, was a well-balanced sort of man with a positive outlook on pretty much everything, despite a messy divorce a year earlier. As he looked at his mother he was reminded of Liz, his sister, who’d died three years ago.

Liz and his mom had been close and he knew his mother grieved deeply for the daughter she’d lost. At times there was a hollowness to his mother’s expression that seemed unable to be healed by anything, except perhaps the time she spent with her grandchildren, Liz’s three young daughters. But his sister’s husband, Grady, had recently remarried and he knew his mother worried that she wouldn’t see the girls as much. However, despite the fact that he’d never much liked Grady Parker and didn’t believe the horse rancher was good enough for Liz, Liam had to admit that the other man was a caring father and tried to ensure his daughters maintained a relationship with Liz’s family. It was complicated stuff. Made more so by the fact that Grady’s new wife had been Liz’s best friend since high school. Liam didn’t believe anything had been going on before Liz’s death, and he didn’t really hold a grudge that Grady had moved on. He just...he just missed his sister. Liz had shown little interest in the O’Sullivan fortune or business and had thrived on her ranching life, her husband and children. In a way, Liam had admired Liz for her steely determination to live her life exactly how she wanted.

“There you are,” his mother said and greeted him with a brief hug. “Shall we talk over a drink?”

Liam checked his watch. Four forty. Not too early in the day, pushing down the niggling thought that his mother used alcohol to numb her pain at times. “Sure.”

They headed into the bar and sat down at a booth. Liam ordered his mother a wine spritzer and a club soda with lime for himself. As much as he felt like getting wasted to get all thoughts of Kayla from his mind, the night manager didn’t clock on until five and he had a strict rule about alcohol consumption while on duty.

“So,” his mother said once their drinks arrived. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on with you?”

Liam frowned. “I thought you wanted to talk about the charity schedule?”

“No,” she said quietly. “That can wait. I want to talk about you. I’m worried about you.”

Liam groaned inwardly. He should have seen this coming. Gwen O’Sullivan seemed to have some kind of built-in radar when it came to her offspring. The fact that Sean and Kieran lived elsewhere meant her attention was generally focused on him. Most days he could laugh it off, but today he wasn’t in the mood for any kind of heart-to-heart with his well-meaning parent. “I’m fine.”

She shook her head. “No, you’re not. I know something’s been bothering you.”

“Stop smothering me, Mom,” he said gently, not wanting to hurt her feelings. “I assure you, I’m fine.”

She didn’t look convinced, but smiled and drank some wine. Then she met his gaze levelly. “There’s more to life than work, you know. More to life than this hotel.”

Liam raised a brow. “Tell that to Dad.”

“At least your father took the time to get married and raise a family,” she reminded him. “Unlike you and your brothers. When Kieran got married I thought that at least one of my boys had the good sense to settle down. But then there was that awful divorce and everything else. And Sean just moves from one flighty woman to the next. And then there’s you...my sensible son, who doesn’t let anyone in.”

It wasn’t true. He’d let Kayla in. Into his life and into his heart. Unfortunately, most days he felt as though she was walking all over it. Liam sat back in his seat and half smiled. “You know, I think we have this same conversation every six months or so.”

“Then it’s time you took notice,” she said, still frowning. “You’re nearly thirty-five years old. It’s time you settled down, got married and had children. We need grandchildren to carry on the family name, after all. And as much as I love them, your sister’s children are Parkers, not O’Sullivans. You’re not even dating anyone at the moment.”

“Mother,” he said as gently as he could, because in his heart he knew that despite her calm, sometimes controlled ways, there was a frailty to Gwen O’Sullivan that only a few people saw. “It’s not the kind of thing that is made to order, you know.”

“Of course it is,” she said and smiled. “Do you think I had any say in the matter when your father courted me?”

He grinned. “Knowing Dad, probably not.”

“What about Abby Perkins?” she suggested as both brows shot up. “She’s a nice woman. And very pretty.”

Abby was the head chef at O’Sullivan’s. “Mom, I—”

“It’s a shame that Lucy Monero is engaged to that Parker boy. Now, she would have been a great match for you. And she’s a doctor. And she’s got such beautiful hair.”

Liam zoned out as his mother prattled on about Lucy Monero, who was a doctor at the local hospital and was soon to marry Grady Parker’s younger brother. She was also one of Kayla’s closest friends.

Liam drank the club soda and vaguely listened as his mother kept talking and mentioning several single women that he knew between the ages of twenty and forty.

“What about Ash McCune?” she asked.

Ash was another friend of Kayla’s, a pretty redhead and a police officer. “Not my type,” he said and grinned.

His mother scowled. “Ellie Culhane?”

“Too young.”

“Carmel Morrissey.”

He grinned. “Too old.”

Liam could see his mother thinking about other potential would-be wives and he drew in a long breath. He knew she was clucking around him to keep her thoughts off losing her only daughter and he wasn’t about to be unkind and tell her to stop. As much as her matchmaking got on his nerves, he would never intentionally hurt her feelings. She was his mother, and that alone was enough of a reason to bite his tongue.

Besides, there was a certain irony in the conversation. His mother was urging him to get married and start a family. He was almost tempted to say he’d already done that. But he wouldn’t say anything until they knew for sure.

The concierge approached, interrupting them about a problem with a guest. Liam held on to his patience as the younger man explained the issue and then barked out a couple of instructions. Some days he longed for a solitary job where he didn’t have staff lining up with questions. He almost envied Kayla her isolation at the museum. When the other man left them, Liam noticed his mother watching him, both brows up.

“What?” he said.

“No one likes a bad-tempered boss,” she said and grinned.

“I don’t have a bad temper.”

“Well, not with me you don’t,” she said and patted his arm. “And you’re very sweet with your nieces and little old ladies and I’m proud of the way you’ve taken Connie under your wing these past few years. But with the rest of the world, including the people who work for you, you seem to have developed a reputation for being grumpy and impatient.”

The criticism irked him more than usual. “Because I like things done a certain way?”

“Because you like things done your way,” she replied and patted his arm again. “You know, you really do seem tense. I think you need to loosen up a bit.”

“I’m loose enough,” he said, even though he knew people believed he was uptight most of the time. It was who he was, who he’d always been. He was J.D. O’Sullivan’s eldest son, heir and successor to the O’Sullivan legacy...imagining he could have had any other kind of life was never an option. Not that he’d had any real ambition to do anything else. Unlike Kieran who’d always known his path was medicine, or Sean, who wanted a faster paced life than small town, South Dakota.

Still, he couldn’t help but sometimes wonder what would have happened if he’d changed course after college, maybe focused on the photography that he’d loved in his teens. But it was all rather moot now... He ran the hotel and the O’Sullivan portfolio and had a responsibility to his family and the many employees who relied on O’Sullivan’s for their livelihood.

“Liam?”

His mother’s voice got his mind back on track. “Yes?”

“What about Annie Jamison or—”

“Enough,” he said gently and held his palm up. “Okay, Mom, I get the drift. You want me to get married and then have a few sons so we can carry on the great O’Sullivan name.” He got to his feet and pushed in the chair. “I’ll do my best not to disappoint you or Dad.”

“You never disappoint us. Not ever.”

He tried not to, although he knew that when the truth about his relationship with Kayla came out, there would be disappointment on both sides. It was inevitable. But something had to give. At the very least Kayla needed to meet him halfway. With his mother trying to marry him off, it wouldn’t be long before Gwen O’Sullivan worked out why he was reluctant to date anyone, let alone anything more.

Liam stood, grabbed his jacket and keys, said goodbye to his mother and left. He needed to talk to his wife. Right now. It couldn’t wait.

* * *

By the time Kayla got to her apartment that afternoon it was after five o’clock. She pulled up outside the old Victorian that she’d called home for nearly a year. The big house had been renovated into four apartments and Kayla’s was on the second floor.

She loved the house, with its textured cladding, shuttered windows and wide-front veranda. The home had been carefully restored by the owner, an IT guru who’d inherited the place a few years earlier from an elderly relative he’d never met. Dane was something of a geeky recluse, but he was a good landlord and neighbor. Even though he was a couple of years younger than Kayla they had formed a solid friendship over the past year, and with the married couple in their midforties sharing one of the downstairs apartments and the other occupied by a seventysomething widow, she was grateful to have such caring neighbors and friends.

When Ash arrived just after five thirty, still in her police officer’s uniform, Kayla offered her tea and within ten minutes they were sitting on the sofa, the flyers for the upcoming hospital benefit spread on the coffee table between them.

“They look great,” Kayla said and nodded. “Thank you for doing this. I know how busy you are. But this is exactly what I was envisioning.”

“The kids had fun with the design,” Ash said and smiled. “They incorporated the hospital logo, but still made them fun and colorful.”

Kayla looked at her friend. Not only was Ash a single mother and a police officer, she was also a foster parent. She was probably the most generous and giving person that Kayla knew. On her small ranch just out of town, she took in teens who needed a helping hand, sometimes several at the same time. She lived on the ranch with her mother, Nancy, and her twelve-year-old son, Jaye.

“Thank you,” Kayla said again and sighed. “I really appreciate your help.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Ash reminded her. “Right?”

Kayla dropped her gaze. Ash was astute. And she knew her friend sensed something wasn’t quite right with her. “Yes...absolutely.”

“Does that mean you want to talk about you know who?”

Her friends had all been nagging her about her relationship with Liam since the night she’d plowed into his truck, but none of them knew for certain they were involved. When they suggested it, Kayla generally laughed it off. But tonight, she wasn’t in the mood for laughing. When they discovered she was Liam’s wife she would have a lot of explaining to do.

Liam’s wife.

Sometimes she could barely get her head around it. They’d met up in Vegas the day her conference had ended and spent three days together. The most amazing three days of her life. And they’d returned as husband and wife. It had been a foolish, spur-of-the-moment decision. A monumental decision. If she’d had any sense she would have had the marriage annulled. But she was all out of sense when it came to Liam. And since the idea of ending their relationship hurt her through to her bones, she felt as though she was in an impossible position. Hurt herself and Liam and the child she was possibly carrying...or hurt her parents and grandmother.

Either way, it was a disaster waiting to happen.

And although she didn’t like the way they’d ended their telephone call earlier that afternoon, she was too tired to ring him back and go over the same old ground. She knew what he wanted...and on one level she agreed with him. She simply didn’t know how to give it to him without hurting the people who loved her most in the world.

Of course a baby would change everything. Her child would come first, there was no question about that. She simply wasn’t going to be in some great hurry to tell everyone.

“No,” Kayla said to her friend. “I’m not up for that...not just yet.”

Ash sighed and offered a gentle smile. “I know what it is to feel trapped by...” Her friend’s words trailed off before she spoke again. “By obligation. But when you’re ready, you know I’m on hand to listen.”

Ash was a good friend and had been through a lot over the years, particularly when it came to her young son and ex-fiancé. And Kayla knew her friend understood loyalty and family commitment. If she was going to unburden herself, she would be exactly who Kayla would talk to. With Lucy and Brooke so blissfully in love these days, Ash was the only one of her friends who would understand what she was feeling.

There was a knock on the door, so Kayla excused herself, got to her feet and headed down the short hallway. Thinking it might be Lucy or Brooke or even Dane stopping by for a chat, she swung the door back on its hinges and smiled. But it wasn’t one of her friends on her doorstep.

It was her husband.

Her gaze was instinctively drawn to his broad shoulders. How many times had she rested her head there? How many times had she gripped his arms and back and every other part of him. Countless. For the past five months they had shared a bed and she’d been privy to the real Liam O’Sullivan. Not the arrogant and indifferent man he was thought to be. She’d seen his other side...the tender and passionate man who always talked to her softly after they’d made love. The man who was generous and kind and adored his nieces. The man who teased her about her bad cooking. The man who made her mindless and breathless with just the barest kiss.

“Liam,” she whispered the word as though it was her last. “What are you doing here?”

He still wore his suit, so he had obviously come directly from the hotel. “You didn’t text me,” he said flatly. “And I wanted to see you.”

Kayla glanced over her shoulder. “Ash is here,” she said quietly. “So it’s not a good time to have a—”

“Ash is just leaving,” her friend’s mellow voice announced as she made her way up the hall. “Hi there, Liam,” Ash then said cheerfully. “Good to see you. I’ll talk with you soon,” the other woman said and gave Kayla a brief hug. “About everything,” Ash whispered close to her ear before she brushed past Liam and headed through the door.

Once her friend had disappeared down the stairs, Kayla turned her attention to Liam. “Really?”

He half shrugged. “What?”

She glared at him. “Since when do you turn up here unannounced?”

“Beats waiting for an invitation,” he said as he crossed the threshold and walked down the hall.

Annoyance snaked up her spine as she followed him into the living room. “We talked about this, Liam. I told you Ash was going to be—”

“We talked about a lot of things,” he said, terser than usual, his blue eyes so dark they were almost black. He stood by the sofa, hitched his hands on his hips and stared at her. “And yet, here we are...no closer to sorting it out.”

“Did you come here just to rehash the same old argument?”

He stilled, his jaw clenched and then he exhaled heavily. “I came here to see you. To talk to you. To be with you.”

Shame pressed down on her shoulders. Of course he’d want to talk. And she did, too. “I’m sorry... I know this must be hard for you, too. But we both know this situation can’t be resolved easily. At least not without a whole lot of people getting hurt.”

He met her gaze. “People get hurt, Kayla. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to stop that.”

She swallowed hard. “I can. I have to try... I can’t simply—”

“Please come home with me tonight,” he said, cutting her off, his voice raw. “You’ve spent the last five nights at your apartment. You spent three nights here last week. It’s becoming something of a habit. And I...I miss you.”

She blinked at his honest admission. “I miss you, too. But...”

He let out an impatient sigh. “But obviously not enough to come home?”

Home?

His home. Technically her home, too...but she could never quite bring herself to say it out loud. “With Ash stopping by to show me the flyers for the benefit it was just easier to stay at the apartment to avoid too many questions.”

He shrugged loosely. “I know how much the museum means to you Kayla...and I support your work and all you do and how passionate you are about the hospital benefit. But I don’t want to get used to sleeping alone.”

Her back straightened. “So this is about sex?”

His gaze narrowed instantly. “What?”

“Sex,” she said again. “You know, that thing we do when we’re together.”

“This isn’t about sex,” he assured her, his voice so husky it warmed her through to her bones. “It’s about you and me. It’s about our relationship...our marriage. And we can’t have a marriage if you’re holed up here in your old apartment every chance you get.”

It was the same old song. Her apartment. His house by the river. Kayla had been dividing herself between the two places for months. More so since their spur-of-the-moment wedding. “We’ve been through this before, Liam. You know how I feel and I can’t simply switch myself off from the rest of my life.” Emotion thickened her throat. “I know what you want from me, but I can’t break my father’s heart because it suits me to do so.”

“Are you so sure that you will?”

“Yes,” she shot back quickly. “I know my father. And I know he will have trouble accepting this...accepting you...accepting us. You’re J.D. O’Sullivan’s son and I’m Derek Rickard’s daughter. In his eyes it will be...impossible.”

He frowned a little. “Nonetheless, it’s a fact. One that can’t be avoided forever.”

“I can’t do it,” she insisted. “Not yet. I know I said I would...but I need more time, especially now that I’m possibly pregnant. You know my grandmother hasn’t been well and I don’t want to make things worse for my parents. Not right now. Please try to understand.”

Thinking about her ailing grandmother made her ache inside. She loved her family dearly. But she loved Liam, too. And to her parents it would be seen as the worst kind of betrayal.

But if there is a baby...

She would have to tell them. She would have to choose. Liam and her child, or her parents and her child. It was untenable. Unthinkable.

“Then, when?” he asked, clearly stuck on the idea. “When our kid is twenty-one?”

Kayla met his eyes and watched as his expression shifted. She recognized the way his strong jaw was suddenly tense and his shoulders twitched. He was mad. With her. At her. And obviously in spite of himself because Liam rarely let anyone witness his moods.

“You’re being impossible,” she said hotly and then shrugged, knowing it would inflame him, but she wasn’t about to start appeasing his moods.

“Once you start showing you won’t have anything to hide behind,” he shot back. “Unless you plan on saying the baby is someone else’s.”

Irritation curled up her spine. “Of course I don’t. And I’m not hiding,” she refuted. “Frankly, I don’t understand this sudden need to announce our relationship to the world,” she said and raised both brows. “Unless you want to deliberately stick it to your father, because let’s be honest—he won’t be any happier about this than my dad will be.”

He stayed perfectly still. “My father has nothing to do with this. Neither should yours.”

That was where they differed, she thought hotly. “Perhaps I’m not as good at trampling over people’s feelings as you are.”

“Really?” he fired back, his blue eyes glittering. “Because you seem to do a damned fine job of trampling over mine!”

There it was. Out in the open. Exactly what he believed.

Emotion clutched at her throat. Kayla hadn’t planned on crying, but tears filled her eyes just the same. She blinked, forcing back the heat behind her eyes, and then swallowed hard. He saw it all and within seconds was in front of her. He reached out to touch her, but she stepped back, her legs colliding with the edge of the sofa as she folded her arms tightly.

“Kayla...” He said her name, quieter now, his anger quickly defused. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout at you. I’m just so...” His words trailed off as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m just really...”

Kayla knew exactly what he was. Frustrated. Annoyed. And impatient.

With good reason...

Logically, she knew he had every right to be angry. But when it came to hurting her parents, logic flew out the window. “You should go,” she said flatly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He sighed heavily. “Is this really how you want to leave things tonight?”

She shrugged. “I don’t have the energy for another argument.”

He winced, like she’d struck a nerve. Then he reached out to cup her cheek. Kayla pulled back instinctively and he frowned as he dropped his hand. “Okay, I’ll leave you alone. Good night, Kayla.”

“Good night.”

Any other time he would have passionately kissed her good-night. Held her and touched her a while before he left. And she would have let him. But tonight felt different. There was more tension than usual between them. More unsaid words. More distance.

Then he was gone. Out of the apartment. Out of the building. And Kayla didn’t take a breath until she heard his footsteps going down the stairs.

Chapter Three

Alone in his bed hours after he walked out of Kayla’s apartment, Liam spent most of the night staring at the ceiling and twisting in sheets, longing for Kayla’s body beside him. The scent of her perfume seemed to haunt him like a ghost, reminding him that it had been close to a week since they’d spent the night under the same roof.

The huge, Western red cedar house seemed unusually quiet and all he could hear was the familiar sound of the river nearby and the rhythmic chorus of insects in the trees. He had the house built a couple of years ago on a three-acre block that was mostly forest and very private, with a long gravel driveway that was plowed regularly in the snow season. There was a stone path leading to the river and a jetty where he kept his pair of Jet Skis; the boat he was rebuilding was in the boathouse.

He sighed, opening his eyes, and then looked directly out the open window. The moonlight filtered light across the river and the water was eerily luminescent. From the roomy loft-style main bedroom he had a great view of the river. On warm summer nights he mostly left the window open and enjoyed the breeze that swept through the upper level. Liam inhaled deeply and the scent of jasmine in the air reminded him of Kayla.

Everything reminded him of Kayla.

The air, the sheets...every damned thing.

His gut was in knots. Today they would find out if she was pregnant. The idea intensified his love for her tenfold. He wanted children and he wanted them with her. He knew what this would do to her family and perhaps his own. But with the idea that they were going to be parents now firmly etched into his mind, Liam didn’t care. They would have to deal with it, or deal out. Kayla and the baby she might be carrying were the only things that mattered.

He closed his eyes and imagined her belly round with his child. Her beauty would be amplified, her skin would glow, her breasts would be fuller. Then he remembered her pale, smooth skin and her perfect breasts and how they’d fit in his hands, and immediately his palms itched and his groin ached.

Liam groaned, sat up and swung his legs off the side of the big bed. He checked the clock on the bedside table. Three fifteen. He grabbed his phone and stood, pulling on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, and then headed downstairs.

The cat, a scruffy-looking black-and-white stray he’d randomly named Peanuts, which had turned up on his doorstep the week after he’d moved in, began meowing the moment he was spotted on the stairs. The cat always slept in a basket by the big fireplace, summer or winter. Liam had no real feelings about the feline one way or another. But he kept it fed and housed and had even installed a cat flap in the back door so it could come and go as it pleased. It did seem to stay more than leave, no doubt due to the comfy bed and endless supply of kibble.

He flicked on a couple of lights and headed for the huge galley-style kitchen. The Shaker-style cupboards were crafted from local ponderosa pine and the countertops were dark gray marble. The double ceramic sink and stainless-steel appliances were all top-of-the-line and mostly imported. Like with everything in the home, no expense was spared. From the cedar floorboards, Spanish-glass light fittings and handcrafted furniture, it was a showpiece. But Liam had no illusions—it was a house, not a home.

It needed a family in it. When Kayla was there it felt full, complete and real. When she wasn’t, there was only him, using the bare minimum of the rooms, just the kitchen and den, main bedroom and bathroom. There were three other bedrooms downstairs and a media room and a small home office. He’d built a house for a family he didn’t have, imagining that one day he’d fill it with a wife and a few children. That had been his plan a year ago... He’d intended to find a suitable woman and settle down. And then a certain blonde had crashed into his car and completely derailed his life.

She was so beautiful. Tall and slender, but surprisingly curvy, with a glorious mane of golden blond hair she rarely allowed anyone to see styled in anything other than a tightly coiled bun. But Liam had seen it out and falling down the length of her back countless times. He’d fisted handfuls of her tresses to expose her perfectly smooth throat. He’d run his hands through her hair as they’d lain together on the big bed upstairs, intimately entwined, unsure where one began and the other finished, kissing and touching and making love.

He shook off the memory and made green tea. Another habit from his five-month relationship with Kayla. She was a strict vegetarian and believed in healthy eating, admonishing his proclivity for strong black coffee and leftover pizza for breakfast. It made him smile and he sipped the tea as he headed for the living room.

The cat was still meowing and began curling around his ankles. He gave the animal a pat, drank some more tea and dropped into one of the big leather sofas, then stared at the cold fireplace. In winter the room was cozy, despite its size. Liam placed the tea on the side table, relaxed his head against the leather and closed his eyes.

And didn’t wake up until seven thirty.

By ten past eight he was showered and dressed, and was turning the ignition in the Silverado.

He made a call to Connie at the hotel saying he wouldn’t be in until the afternoon, ignoring the question about his whereabouts, and then headed off down the driveway. He pulled up outside Kayla’s apartment at eight twenty-five and spotted her by the front door before he had a chance to shut down the truck. A man was with her and Liam instinctively scowled. Her landlord. He was a lanky, disheveled looking geek who he’d spoken to a couple of times and didn’t like one bit. In his opinion the other guy was a little too friendly toward Kayla. He put the vehicle in Park and got out, striding around the other side as she waved goodbye to the other man and then made her way down the paved path. She looked tired and he figured she’d probably had as little sleep as he had. She wore a pale blue dress that buttoned high up the front and fell just above her knees and made her long legs look sensational. He experienced the usual ripple of attraction that wound its way up his spine. He smiled when she reached the vehicle.

“Good morning,” he said easily. “Sleep okay?”

“Like a log,” she replied and they both knew she was lying through her teeth.

They’d parted badly the night before. He’d lost his temper with her, something he loathed doing. “I’m sorry about last night... I should have called first. Or I should have—”

“Forget about it,” she said quietly. “Let’s just get this done. So, how did you sleep?” she asked as he opened the passenger door.

“Barely a wink,” he said as she got into the truck.

Once he was back in the driver’s seat she spoke again. “I woke up at about quarter past three.”

As he did. “Me, too,” he admitted. “Although I did manage to catch another few hours on the couch.”

“You’re lucky. But my couch isn’t as comfortable as yours.”

He recalled her lumpy sofa that she’d picked up at a yard sale. She loved antiquities and old wares and her home was spotted with pieces of furniture she’d salvaged and restored. He’d never done any sleeping on her couch, but they’d done a whole lot of loving.

“If I recall correctly you have a comfortable bed.”

Color pinched her cheeks. After everything they had been to one another, she still blushed around him. “Comfy enough,” she said and clutched the tote she carried. “We should get going.”

“Not yet,” he said and wound his hand around her nape and drew her close.

“What are you doing?” she asked, pulling back a little.

“Kissing my wife,” he replied and claimed her lips possessively.

It took about three seconds for her to respond and Liam smiled against her mouth. They could fight. They could disagree. They could spend time apart. She could give him every excuse under the sun as to how difficult it was for them to be together. But the attraction and feeling between them was undeniable. Her lips parted invitingly and he deepened the kiss, slanting his mouth over her own, finding her tongue and drawing it gently between his teeth. Kissing Kayla was like trying to quench a thirst...it was never enough, never deep enough, never hot enough, never intense enough.

“Liam,” she said breathlessly, suddenly dragging her lips from his. “Would you please stop? Someone could see us and—”

“Like who?” he demanded and threaded his fingers through her hair. “Your neighbors? Your geeky landlord, who I’m pretty sure has got the hots for you?”

She pulled away and straightened in the seat. “That’s ridiculous. Dane is my friend, that’s all.”

Liam settled in front of the steering wheel and strapped on the seat belt. “I still don’t like him.”

Kayla huffed out a breath. “Would you stop acting like a jealous—”

“A jealous husband?” Liam shot back, cutting her off as he started the engine. “That’s what I am, remember? Your husband.”

She pulled her tote onto her lap. “I know who and what you are. And I know that since the moment I told you I might be pregnant you’ve been behaving like a real jerk.”

* * *

Kayla was mad. Things were complicated enough without Liam making it worse by having some kind of macho freak-out about her landlord. She glared at him and then turned her head to stare out of the front window. It wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned he thought Dane had a crush on her, although she’d always laughed it off before. But not today. She was too wound up to find the humor in his words.

She glanced at his left hand and noticed he was wearing his wedding ring, while her own finger felt shamefully bare. The platinum-and-diamond band was in her purse, wrapped in a tissue and tucked away for safekeeping. But Liam always seemed to wear his when they were alone together. It irked her a little. And guilted her, too. He acted more like a husband than she did a wife.

Deep down, she knew all his arguments about telling their parents—especially now—were right. But she couldn’t get over her fear that it would be like adding one final splash of gasoline to the pile of wood. And that news of a Rickard-O’Sullivan pregnancy would hardly do anything to defuse that blast. She’d been awake all night worrying—

“Is there any place in particular you’d like to go?” he asked, his voice jerking her back into the present. “Maybe try to get in to see a doctor?”

Her head snapped sideways. “No doctors. Just a drugstore. If the result is positive from the test then I’ll go and see my own physician once...once...you know...”

“Once the truth is out, you mean,” he said quietly and then glanced at her stomach. “So...how far along do you think you are?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Over a month. Maybe two.”

He was silent for a moment, and then spoke. “We’ve always used contraception.”

Kayla had wondered when that statement would rear its head. “Condoms are only ninety-eight percent effective.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” she replied and smiled sweetly. “Haven’t you ever read the packet?”

He laughed and the sound affected her way down. Sometimes, she couldn’t believe he could still do that, that she could be as gushy and as aware of him as though they were on a first date. Her lips tingled when she remembered how possessively he’d kissed her only minutes earlier.

“I’ve never been one for reading the instructions,” he said softly.

“Or taking them,” she said and folded her arms. “But you do like to boss everyone else around.”

He laughed again. “I’ve missed this.”

“Missed what?”

“You listing all my faults,” he said and grinned. “I guess I have a few.”

“No,” she replied and smiled. “Not too many at all. Which is really annoying,” she said and smiled a little. The levity between them was a welcome change, but Kayla wasn’t fooled. He was as wound up as she was. She noticed his hands were tight on the steering wheel and a pulse throbbed in his cheek. “You know, if you grip that steering wheel any tighter your knuckles might crack.”

He glanced at her and then relaxed his hands fractionally. “Coping mechanism.”

She chuckled softly. “You’re such a fraud, Liam.”

His jaw tensed even further. “What does that mean?”

She looked at him for a moment, fiddling with the strap on her tote, then returned her gaze straight ahead. “Tough guy. Calm, cool and collected. Ice in your veins. You know, all the things people say about you. None of it’s really true.”

“Sure it is,” he said dismissively.

“Yesterday I thought you were all in control and ready for whatever happened today,” she said, smiling again. “But I think you’re as nervous as I am. Maybe even more so. Let’s face it, your family is going to be as shocked about this as mine. And equally disapproving.”

“As I said last night, I don’t actually care about that, Kayla,” he said flatly. “I care about you and the child you might be carrying. You make a baby with someone, then you take on the responsibility that goes with it.”

“And to hell with everything else?” she shot back. “And everyone else?”

“Precisely.”

“I can’t disregard other people’s feelings like that.”

His mouth flattened. “Really?”

She sighed with frustration. “I don’t disregard your feelings, Liam. At least, I don’t set out to do that. But we both knew going into this relationship that it wasn’t going to be easy, considering our history.”

“Our history?” he echoed. “But we didn’t have a history, Kayla. It was our parents’ history, our parents’ private war, for want of a better expression. We were both raised on a steady diet of hatred for each other’s family. And in one way or another, if you are pregnant, then this child will end that cycle. We have to make sure of that. Otherwise, our parents won’t have the opportunity to be a part of this child’s life.”

“That sounds all very cut-and-dried,” she remarked. “But we both know I could never cut my parents out of their grandchild’s life...and I don’t think you could, either.”

“I’ll do what I have to do to protect my family,” he said and the words chilled her a little. She knew he would do exactly as he said. “My family. You and me. And you’ll do the same.”

Kayla crossed her arms and sucked in a deep breath. “For you to say that to me it’s obvious that you don’t know me at all.”

“Of course I know you,” he said quietly. “I know every inch of you...intimately.”

“Sex and intimacy are two very different things.”

He laughed humorlessly. “Ain’t that the truth.”

Kayla hung on to her temper and barely spoke for the remainder of the trip. He was being a hothead for reasons of his own. Thankfully they’d reached Rapid City and once they entered the town precinct she began scouring the streets for the first open drugstore she could find. They found a mall quickly and once he’d parked the truck she got out and shut the door, not waiting for him as she walked across the parking lot. He caught up soon enough and they walked side by side into the store. To his credit he hung back while she made her selection and didn’t do his usual thing of insisting on paying for everything.

For all his faults, she couldn’t accuse him of being anything other than incredibly generous. His benevolence didn’t stop with the museum and she knew he was generous toward the local hospital’s charitable work and fund-raising. Despite his reputation for being a ruthless, arrogant and entitled alpha male, he had a kind and giving spirit that she’d been privy to during their time together.

“All done?” he asked once she’d paid the clerk and had the parcel in her hands. She nodded and he then did the same. “So, we could go for coffee somewhere in town. There’s that little café on Omaha Street that you like. You know, the place with the pistachio brownies.”

Kayla was instantly bombarded with a memory. It was a week after that crazy afternoon at the museum when she’d given in to the constant battle of trying to resist her attraction to him and had kissed him madly. They’d spent the day in Rapid City and she’d discovered his addiction to caffeinated beverages as they frequented several cafés in search of the perfect cup. They had a lovely afternoon together and later that evening he booked them into a luxury hotel, where they ordered room service and then made love for the first time. The following morning they had a late breakfast at the café on Omaha Street and Kayla had stocked up on the delicious brownies. It seemed so long ago now, and not five short months earlier. But the memories were acute.

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