Loe raamatut: «It Started With A Pregnancy»

CHAPTER ONE

COOPER noticed her straight away. The music throbbed in his ears as the dozens of bodies around him pushed and jostled to gain a better position at the oak-topped bar. She was standing alone, looking calm and serene, if a little awkward. He knew instantly she wasn’t used to being in a place like this. He watched as she sipped at her drink and glanced at her silver watch, her left forefinger twiddling with a strand of chestnut hair. He wished he could reach out and tuck it behind her ear.

‘Why don’t you go and speak to her?’

The voice made him start. He turned to face his friend Jake, who was pointing in her direction. ‘Go on, then. You’ve been staring at her for the last ten minutes. Go talk to her.’

Cooper frowned. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. She might be waiting for someone. I can’t go and speak to her.’ He shook his head in a decided way before picking up his drink again.

Jake put his hand on Cooper’s arm. Compassion showed in his dark blue eyes. ‘Coop, it’s been two years. It’s time to get back on the wagon. You’re in a new city, with a new job and nobody knows you. Nobody knows your history.’

He gestured in the direction of the beautiful woman.

‘Over there is a gorgeous-looking woman, who looks as if some fool has stood her up. This is your chance. Go and take it.’ He gave Cooper’s arm a little squeeze. ‘It’s time to start living again.’

Cooper’s stomach churned. He felt little beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. Jake was right. When was the last time he had actually noticed a woman? When was the last time he’d asked a woman out? He couldn’t even remember. Last time he could recall his stomach doing flip-flops like this had been at the Christmas dance at school when he’d gone to ask Clara to dance with him. That must have been fifteen years ago.

He glanced over at her again. She was beginning to look uncomfortable. He could take a chance and speak to her or he could go home and sit in his darkened, empty flat—just like he’d done for the last few months. What harm could it do? He took a quick drink from his glass and put it down on the bar. Jake was right. No one knew him here. No one would be looking at him with their sympathetic eyes. No one would describe him as that ‘poor consultant who’d been widowed’. No one would talk about the family he’d lost. Here he was just Cooper. It was time for change.

He walked over towards her, but as he neared her his footsteps slowed and his courage started to falter. She turned towards him and their eyes met. Stunning really and they caught him by surprise. Startling bright green. He had expected her eyes to be blue, or brown even, to match her glossy chestnut hair. The emerald-green eyes under long, lustrous eyelashes were bright and clear and for a second he wondered if she was wearing coloured contacts, but then dismissed the idea as he neared her.

The noise in the pub was prohibitive. He would have to be standing close to her if he wanted to speak to her.

She hadn’t moved. Her eyes were still fixed on his. He leaned over to whisper in her ear, his hand automatically resting on her hip. He felt her suck in a breath at his touch. She spoke first, turning her lips towards his ear. ‘You’ve been watching me for the last ten minutes. I wondered when you were going to come and introduce yourself.’

She leaned backwards, a smile dancing across her lips as she noticed the rush of colour in his cheeks. He hesitated for a second, caught off guard as he saw the glint in her eyes. She was teasing him.

He remembered his last thought. It was time for change. He could be a whole new different person. Someone who was confident. Someone who was bold. Someone who believed himself to be attractive and who never went home alone. Tonight, he could be Jake. He cut to the chase. ‘Hi, are you waiting for someone?’

She smiled and nodded. ‘Yes, my friend appears to have got lost in the ladies.’

He felt a surge of relief—she was here with a friend. She wasn’t waiting for a man. He frowned, his natural instinct taking over. ‘Maybe you should go and check on her, she might be unwell.’ This time the glint was in his eyes. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you.’

Her face broke into a wide grin. She raised her eyebrow at him. ‘Really?’

She was totally unaware of the captivating picture she made when she smiled. Cooper nodded, gesturing towards the ladies, while the hand that was resting on her hip decided to follow another story and unconsciously pull her closer to him. Her eyes dropped to where his hand was resting. ‘Are you planning on letting go of me?’

He pulled his hand back reluctantly and gave a little shrug. ‘Sorry’.

She shook her head. ‘Actually, I don’t think I need to go check on my friend.’ She pointed towards the bar. ‘She seems to have made her way to another engagement.’

He followed where her finger was pointing and saw a small blonde figure wrapped around a man standing next to the bar.

‘Looks like you’ve been left in the lurch.’ He smiled. He glanced at her empty wine glass. ‘So, mysterious woman, can I buy you a drink?’

She glanced at her watch, as if she was weighing up her options. Cooper caught his breath. Don’t let her decide to go home! It was only eleven o’clock. She hesitated for a second, before finally handing him her wine glass and fixing him again with her green eyes. ‘I’ll have a glass of rosé wine, please.’

Cooper took the glass, his fingers brushing hers. He felt the air around him sizzle. This was what it felt like. This was how other people lived. He had forgotten about this side of life. He had forgotten about the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you met someone you were attracted to. He shot her a quick smile and turned towards the bar.

Melissa breathed a huge sigh of relief, the breath hissing out slowly through her tensed lips. She hadn’t even realised she’d been holding it. She hadn’t believed it when she’d spotted him at the other side of the bar. He was gorgeous. What was he doing in here? Men who looked like that didn’t live around here. And what was he doing, talking to her? She took another deep breath, trying to calm the clamouring heart in her chest. She had tried to be blasé when he spoke to her. She had tried to act as if men as handsome as him spoke to her every day. But now she could feel panic setting in. She glanced over at her friend at the bar. Lynn was still wrapped around her latest victim. She would be no help whatsoever.

Cooper turned back around and handed her the wine glass, his fingers brushing hers. She felt the electricity streak up her arm in a delicious buzz. She hadn’t been mistaken first time round and she could sense he felt it too. He shot her a beaming smile. ‘So, mystery woman, are you going to tell me your name?’

‘Melissa,’ she replied, before giving a little shake of her head, ‘well, Missy.’ Her breathing had finally slowed and her heart had stopped hammering on the wall of her chest. She gathered herself and her confidence grew. She could do this. She could talk to the most handsome man for miles. ‘My friends call me Missy,’ she explained, holding out her hand to shake his.

‘Missy,’ he repeated, nodding his head as if in approval. His strong hand caught her slim wrist, giving it a firm shake. And for a few seconds it stayed there, held in an automatic pause because neither party wanted to let go.

‘What’s yours?’

For a fraction of a second he seemed to hesitate. ‘Cooper,’ he answered, before regaining his composure and saying, ‘Well, actually, my friends call me Coop.’

Her hand reluctantly pulled away from his, her fingers lightly dragging down the palm of his hand, sending delicious shockwaves down his spine. His breath caught in his chest. For a second there he had nearly told her a lie. Just for some wild second he had almost told her his name was Jake. Jake, his friend at the bar, who had no history, no past to haunt him. Jake, who never went home alone. The person he had wanted to be tonight. But he couldn’t do it. Not when he was looking into those beautiful eyes. The eyes that were fixed on him right now.

‘Pleased to meet you, then, Coop.’ She had moved a little closer to him now, the noise in the bar making it difficult to be heard. He caught a waft of her perfume. Not what he’d expected. Something subtle, with a hint of orange. Most women that he knew wore floral scents, but this was something much more scintillating. He inhaled a little deeper, trying to catch her essence.

‘What brings you here, Coop?’ Her eyes flickered up and down the length of his body. ‘I’ve definitely never seen you around before.’

No. Melissa was absolutely sure she’d never seen him here before. Because he wasn’t someone that you’d forget in a hurry. Black shirt tucked into black jeans. Wide shoulders, tapering to a slim waist with long legs and a very watcher-friendly bottom. Then there was his hair. Light brown, slightly longer than normal, which sort of flopped over his right eye. His rich chocolate-coloured eyes. The kind that once you started looking at they drew you in, further and further, until you could almost feel yourself enveloped by the warm hues.

Melissa gave herself a shake. What was she doing? She never had thoughts like this! Even if the man in front of her looked like something from a jeans ad. This was the first time in months she’d felt even vaguely attracted to a man again. Had it really been that long? Had it really been six months since David had stalled once again on starting a family together? Something he knew Melissa desperately wanted. Had it really been six months since Melissa had finally had the courage to call off their engagement? Melissa gave herself another shake. The time span hadn’t even registered with her. It was definitely time to move on. Time to move from the lost-in-space zone she’d inhabited for the last six months. And here, right in front of her, was the perfect opportunity.

Cooper gave her a lazy smile, showing off perfect straight white teeth and a little dimple in his right cheek. It made him look like a cheeky schoolboy.

‘You’re right, I’m not from here. I just moved up this week.’

She quickly glanced at his left hand, cursing herself for not doing it earlier. Relief, no wedding band. ‘Did you move up yourself?’

Cooper nodded swiftly, taking another quick gulp of his drink. His right hand slipped into his pocket and subconsciously started to touch the cool metal band. He hadn’t worn it on his finger for the last few months but he just couldn’t bring himself to put it back in the box yet. So he kept it in his pocket, where every now and then he had the urge to reach in and touch it.

‘Whereabouts are you staying?’

He nodded towards the right. ‘In the new flats, next to the marina. They’re only about five minutes from here.’

Melissa felt her stomach flip. She’d seen them. She’d walked through the show flat as if she’d been in a dream world. Or a nightmare, once she’d seen the price. It had been gorgeous, a silver bespoke kitchen with appliances to die for, the most luxurious red velvet sofa she’d ever seen, with cushions you could just sink into, matching curtains with a view over the spectacular marina where all the million-pound boats were moored. And the pièce de résistance, the huge white bedroom with mahogany four-poster bed. Every little girl’s dream bedroom. The kind of carpet so white you were scared to step on it in case you left a mark. She remembered the blue plastic covers they had been forced to put on over their own shoes before they had been allowed in the show flat. Once she’d seen the white bedroom Melissa had completely understood. He must be a millionaire to own a flat like that.

‘So what brings you to Kessington?’ she asked curiously. One of the largest towns in the North of England, Kessington had a thriving marina and affluent business district. She wondered what he did for a living. Her interest was definitely piqued.

A frown flickered across his brow. It was the second time she’d seen that moment of hesitation from him. What was he hiding?

His eyes met hers again. Heat flared between them. ‘This and that,’ he answered dismissively. The noise in the bar swelled again as another crowd of revellers surged through the door. His hand automatically went to her waist again, pulling her closer so that his lips were brushing the top of her earlobe. The movement sent tiny electrical impulses down her spine, leaving the little hairs at the back of her neck standing deliciously on end. Melissa could hear imaginary voices in her head screaming, He’s gorgeous. Go for it, girl! She could feel her knees start to tremble. When was the last time someone had tried to chat her up? She couldn’t even remember. For the first time in her life she felt as if she was about to be swept off her feet, like some damsel in distress being rescued by a white knight on a beautiful stallion. A smile danced across her lips as she stared at the gorgeous man in front of her. If only he could see the picture inside her head right now, he would probably run screaming from the room! She pulled her mind from her fantasy and brought it back to the present. What did ‘this and that’ mean? Their eyes connected again, leaving her in no doubt that the feelings were entirely mutual.

Cooper gave her a wide smile. This was just what he needed. The last two years at work had been painful. The last year had been especially painful as his colleagues had seemed to decide that the official ‘mourning period’ should be over. That had resulted in a procession of female colleagues under his nose who had obviously decided he was an eligible bachelor again. It had become almost painful to have a conversation with a member of the female staff. It hadn’t helped that hospitals seemed to have an unending supply of women. Heavy hints had been dropped all around him, telling him it was time to move on.

But this was different. This was his decision. To see a beautiful woman in a bar and have a conversation with her. To know that he felt attracted to her. There was freedom in this that he’d never experienced before and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He didn’t even want to think about work right now. He gave a little sigh. His eyes swept downwards. The thin fabric of her green dress clung to her curves, showing just enough of her cleavage to give him a hint of what lay beneath. He found his voice again. ‘What about you?’

Melissa was conscious of his fingers at her waist. Tingles swept along her skin where his hand lay, causing her to suck her breath in again deeply. There was something enticing about the mystery between them.

She liked the fact that someone, especially a tall, dark handsome someone, was interested in her. She decided to play him at his own game.

She threw back her head, tossing her chestnut curls over her shoulder. ‘I’m a bit like yourself,’ she teased, a twinkle in her eyes, ‘a bit of this and a bit of that.’

Cooper almost laughed. He could see the flicker of panic that whizzed across her face. He knew she wasn’t used to this. But then again, neither was he. He hadn’t felt this good in a long time. It made him determined not to let this night end. He leaned forward, his breath on the skin at the side of her neck. ‘So, mysterious Missy, let’s have some fun.’

She delighted in the shivers that quivered down her spine and the thoughts that were immediately conjured up in her mind. His voice was rich and husky; it made him all the more attractive to her. Boy, he was sexy.

Her bright eyes fixed on his. ‘What do you mean?’ Was it time for her to start panicking? How had he interpreted what she’d just said? This was so unlike her. She wasn’t used to meeting men in pubs and having flirtatious conversations. But there was just something about him that was irresistible. And she knew she didn’t want this to end.

‘Well, I don’t know much about you—you don’t know much about me. How about we remedy that?’ His hand around her waist had tightened its grip, turning her around to face him. Her breasts were now skimming his chest. She could feel the response of her nipples underneath the confines of her clingy dress. On an ordinary day she would have been horrified and embarrassed, but tonight she didn’t even look down—she didn’t have to—she just moved a little closer.

His right hand came out from his pocket to rest on her other hip. ‘I’ve got a suggestion. Some questions—but only completely truthful answers.’ His smile was a little crooked, so he wasn’t quite so perfect after all.

She raised herself up on her tiptoes, her hands resting on his broad shoulders as she whispered in his ear, ‘I think I’m up for that.’

He looked quickly round the crowded bar. ‘It’s too noisy in here. Let’s take a walk,’ he said, turning her towards the door. He lifted her thick black coat and held it open for her to slip her arms inside. Melissa glanced around the bar. She couldn’t see her friend at the bar any more and didn’t want to waste time looking for her. She’d probably already left without her. Her stomach fluttered a little. She didn’t do this. She didn’t meet strange men in pubs and leave with them. She was Melissa. Reliable. Dependable. Great in a crisis. Sister in the labour ward and the most sensible person that even she knew. No one would believe her if she told them about this. Part of that was the attraction. Missy instinctively felt safe with him and her instincts had always been good. She’d spent the last six months eating, sleeping and working. There was more to life and she knew it. It was time to throw caution to the wind and act on instinct. And it felt delicious.

His hand pressed gently on her back as he ushered her through the crowd and out the door. The biting cold wind hit her immediately and she fastened her coat up round her neck. He stood next to her, patiently waiting. ‘Give me a second,’ she said, pulling her mobile from her pocket. ‘I’m just going to send my friend a text to let her know I’ve left.’ She dabbed quickly on the keypad, her fingers rapidly going white with cold, before finally pressing ‘Send’. She lifted her hands to her mouth, blowing on them to try and revive them. In an instant she felt his warm hand encircle hers and she stuck the other hand deep in her pocket, pushing her phone away safely. A smile danced across her face as she pictured her friend receiving the text Left with the gorgeous man in black WOO HOO!

Lynn would be stunned. She hadn’t met the new, reckless Melissa. She was used to the sensible friend who made sure she got home safely at the end of the night. Another little wave of excitement ran through Melissa. This felt good.

‘Let’s go this way,’ Cooper said as he automatically turned towards the marina. She felt her heart quicken in her chest. The roads and pavements were glistening with frost that was starting to form on the cold winter’s night. She grasped his hand a little tighter. Her beautiful black high-heeled shoes were a joy to look at, but not so much of a joy to walk in. She teetered along precariously next to him, shooting him a smile and pretending to walk with confidence.

‘So, Missy,’ he said, ‘tell me a bit about yourself. Do you often leave pubs with strange men?’

‘Oh.’ She was caught off guard. She stopped walking abruptly. ‘Of course I don’t!’ The words came out more harshly than she’d expected. Did he think she was easy?

‘Calm down,’ he said quietly, moving his arm around her waist. ‘It’s all right, Missy. I kind of guessed this was all new to you.’

‘You did?’ Her wide eyes met his steady gaze. His deep eyes pulling her in even closer.

‘Yes, I did,’ he said assuredly. ‘Would it help if I told you I was new at all this too?’

‘You are?’ She could hardly believe it. Surely women were beating down his door with a stick?

He gave her a nod, pulling her a little closer. ‘Now relax. You’re safe with me. Tell me something unusual. What’s the one thing most people don’t know about you? Something that only your good friends would know.’

Her mind was spinning and her heart was beating frantically in her chest again. How did this man do this to her? How could one man cause her body to be all aquiver and turn her brain to mush? She’d expected him to ask her something mundane. Her befuddled brain blurted out the first answer that came into her head. ‘I’m a sci-fi freak.’

‘Wow!’ He stopped walking and turned to look at her under the yellow streetlight. Nothing could change the glow coming from those beguiling green eyes. He couldn’t hide the amusement on his face. ‘Really? Well, you’ve certainly surprised me.’

‘Why?’ She tried to look offended, before adding defensively, ‘I think they’re the most exciting films in the cinema. Give me anything with a laser gun and spacesuit and I’m sold. Take me to see a chick flick and you’ve had it.’

‘Mmm.’ He looked her up and down.

‘What?’

‘I’m just imagining you in one of those really short space dresses.’ He nodded approvingly. ‘I’m liking what I see.’

‘Get lost!’ She thumped him through his thick grey jacket. ‘Right, my turn. Are you the chick-flick type?’

She waited for his answer while silently scolding herself. She needed to get some more imagination if she wanted to win this game.

‘Westerns,’ he said decisively. ‘All that testosterone, horses and guns blazing. Any boy’s dream.’

A testosterone-loving man. She wondered how much she should read into that. ‘My turn this time.’ As they came to an icy puddle on the pavement, he wrapped his arm further around her waist and pulled her towards his hip.

She felt oddly comfortable tucked under his protective hold. She lifted her head as she heard some people pass by on the other side of the street. From over there they would look like a couple in love, wrapped around each other on a cold winter’s night. A couple of young women walked around them on the pavement, both women’s eyes automatically running up and down Cooper’s body with unhidden admiration. Melissa smiled. Look all you want, ladies, this man is with me. From this position she raised her head, her nose brushing against his cold cheek, and looked straight into his magnetic eyes. The smallest of gestures. The most intimate of gestures. She wanted this night to last forever. Her brain pulled itself into focus. It was time for another question. ‘What do you like to read?’

He nodded in recognition of the question, taking a few seconds to decide on his answer. He let out a big sigh. ‘Is this the point I’m supposed to tell you I don’t read much? Because I fear I’m about to reveal a childhood secret.’

Her face lit up with a bright smile. ‘Then I think I will too, so go ahead.’

‘I love to read. I always have done. So it’s absolutely got to be any of the old-fashioned detective novels. But I mean really old, long before everything became so scientific and crimes were solved with DNA and microscopic evidence. I always loved them as a child. Even now as an adult I still sometimes pick them up. I love the characters.’

She gave him a curious smile. ‘Okay, now I’m intrigued. What’s so good about the characters?’

‘Everything. Their intelligence. Their wit. Even their complications. Sometimes even their mistakes. I loved them all.’ She was staring at him again with those luminescent eyes. Her chestnut curls were waving gently in the wind. It was all he could do not to reach up and run his fingers through her tresses. Then his hand would be at the back of her head and he could pull her towards him…

Her face was shining. ‘For me it was the classics, particularly Little Women, which I still read on occasion. The copy I have is so tatty and dog-eared that some of the pages are about to fall out. I still cry every time I read it. It breaks my heart when Beth dies.’

He watched. She was so caught up in what she was saying her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Something tugged at his heartstrings. Something almost primal. When was the last time he’d felt this protective towards a woman?

She caught the expression on his face and it stopped her as she was about to continue. She sensed the deep emotions that were smouldering inside him. But what were they? Was it a memory? Or was it something more primitive, like lust?

They’d reached the marina and were now standing next to the barrier, looking out over the array of million-pound boats, all costing more than Melissa would earn in a lifetime. His arm was still locked firmly around her waist.

His voice cut through the darkness. ‘Let’s go with the dream theme. What would be your dream job?’

Instantly her voice caught in her throat. Missy had her dream job. Being a midwife was the only job she had ever wanted to do, and would ever want to do. But for some reason she wasn’t inclined to tell him that. He’d been coy about work earlier. He didn’t want to talk about it. So she intended to be coy too.

It was easier to stick with the sci-fi theme. ‘My dream job would be an astronaut.’ She waved her arm above her head. ‘To fly amongst the stars would be magical.’

‘And the reason you didn’t train at NASA?’ he queried playfully.

She heaved a huge sigh and turned, releasing herself from his grasp and leaning backwards against the railings. ‘What can I say? I failed physics at school and I think it was a basic requirement of astronaut training. So that put me out.’

‘What a shame,’ Coop said, standing directly in front of her and putting a hand on either side of her hips. He pulled her gently towards him. ‘I could have met you there.’ He lowered his face towards hers, his breath visible in the cold night air.

‘You’re telling me that was your dream job too?’ she whispered. Her face was only inches from his.

‘Absolutely. Just look at how much we have in common. We were obviously destined to meet.’ He ran his hands around her hips, cradling her bottom. She caught her breath at the intimacy of the movement. A word sang in her head. Destiny. She knew it was crazy but it certainly felt like that. What if somewhere, in some lifetime, this gorgeous man was indeed her perfect match? What if she hadn’t spoken to him? What if she’d gone home early? What if she’d been too scared to throw caution to the wind and leave with him—something she would never normally have done?

But everything about this felt perfect. She felt as if she was meant to be there, in his arms, at this moment. Everything about this just felt so right.

He gave her a slow smile. ‘See,’ he whispered, ‘we’re a match made in heaven.’ She moved closer, her hips pressing against his, her hands resting on his shoulders. She shivered. ‘It’s really cold out here.’ Her eyes met his.

‘We could go inside.’ His lips brushed against her ear. ‘You might have failed physics at school but how did you do at biology?’